I don't know about your neck of the woods, but Autumn has arrived here in the Midwest, in all its splendor. The crisp days, changing leaves, and shorter days provide all the inspiration I need to grab a hot cup of tea, and curl up with a good book. And, have I got a good one for you this month!
If you're looking for a little reading material that offers suspense, intrigue, romance, and inspiration, I think Refuge on Crescent Hill is just what you're looking for. I was blessed to receive a copy to read and review this month, and I'm excited to share my thoughts with you. But first, allow me to share a little snippet from the publisher...
Moving home after a recent job loss was supposed to reassure Camden Bristow but what she finds is an empty mansion 150 years old. What happened to the house she played in as a child, the bedtime stories that told of secret passageways and runaway slaves, and all those family memories?
When antiques start disappearing and footsteps are heard, Camden wonders what really happened here . . . at Crescent Hill? Who still has access to the house? And for what purpose? As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden also uncovers secrets about her family that could change the town--and her life--forever.
Has your interest been piqued? Good. Now, I have to be honest with you, initially, as I was looking over the basic plot, I wasn't sure how much I would like this book. I enjoy the occasional suspense story, but, it seemed as if parts of the book might be a little spooky for me.
I kept an open mind however, and dove in.
Guess what? Couldn't put it down! Some books take FOREVER to get going, but within the first pages, I was hooked.
The first few chapters introduce all of the main players, jumping back and forth between their respective situations. We meet Camden Bristow, a struggling photographer who finds herself without a job or even a place to lay her head. Feeling desperate, she embarks on a trip to Ohio and Crescent Hill, the mansion where her loving grandmother Rosalie lives. It was Rosalie who provided the only love and stability that Camden ever knew.
Our next player is Alex Yates, a young man working as an economic developer in the very same Ohio town as Camden. When the two meet, we soon find out that Alex is dealing with his own skeletons from the past.
Every novel needs a dangerous character, and author Melanie Dobson generously provides us with two ;)
Edward Paxton and grandson Jake kept me on edge as they plotted and schemed to get to the bottom of the secrets surrounding Crescent Hill. Up until the very end, These characters kept me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how far they would go to achieve their purpose.
And then there's Stephanie, a college student writing a research paper on what else? Crescent Hill! Her interest in the subject reaches beyond the paper though, and it isn't until the final parts of this story that we see how her role ties everything together.
I won't give away all of the plot, it's just too good, and I'm hoping you'll read it for yourself. That said, I enjoyed how the author developed the characters. She brings them from their individual places of brokenness and heartbreak, but it's only as they seek guidance from the Lord that they find wholeness and purpose.
My thoughts...
Great book!! I found it engaging from start to its satisfying ending. It provided everything you could want in a good novel, something for everyone you might say. Through it all, the Melanie Dobson used the story and characters to point the reader back to God.
Add this to your Fall reading schedule or Book Club. I bet you'll love it too!
You can check out more about the book, Melanie Dobson ( including information and pictures of the mansion that inspired the creation of Crescent Hill ), and more of her books at her website.
http://www.melaniedobson.com/
Now for a bit of exciting news. Beginning October 30, Refuge on Crescent Hill will be available on Amazon Kindle for FREE!!! Yes, you heard right! This will only be available for one week, so don't miss out! Make sure you take advantage of this wonderful offer :)
Happy Reading!!!
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