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The Girl in the Gatehouse
The Girl in the Gatehouse
The Girl in the Gatehouse
Audiobook14 hours

The Girl in the Gatehouse

Written by Julie Klassen

Narrated by Elizabeth Jasicki

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

RITA Award finalist and Christy Award winner Julie Klassen delivers historical romances brimming with the eloquence and intensity of Jane Austen. In an abandoned gatehouse on an old estate, Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion. She supports herself by writing novels in secret-at a time when such writing is considered improper and unladylike. Soon the wealthy and ambitious Captain Bryant leases the estate and is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. But will he risk his plans-and his heart-for a woman shadowed by scandal?
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 4, 2011
ISBN9781449866884
Author

Julie Klassen

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over 1.5 million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's Best Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for 16 years and now writes full-time. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit JulieKlassen.com.

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Reviews for The Girl in the Gatehouse

Rating: 4.636363636363637 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

44 ratings9 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Mariah Aubrey, is a young girl who has plenty of time to think upon her mistakes. turned away from her family and sentenced by society, she lives secluded with her handmaid Dixon in a gatehouse on her aunts property. Mariah’s secrets though may not be so secret, while she tries to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, shame and guilt begin to hinder her from her dreams and cloud her visions of ever finding true love again.OH…the drama!! I really enjoyed this novel and was suprised how much I liked it. While the romance was very subtle for my usual taste and defiantly fit in with the time era, I couldn’t help but be charmed with the characters, the dialog and historical setting. Mariah is living a private life due to a scandal that is skirted around until almost the end of the book….at first glance, I was thinking the scandal to be an chaperoned stroll gone amiss or a stolen kiss after dark, but surprisingly the mystery and scandal were really ...scandalous…not only that but Mariah is a secret author who writes anonymously. The money she’s been left with leaves her with little choice but to continue writing and taking on other writing works, even at the risk of being discovered. With a publisher aggressive to print the novels under her real name, the mystery surrounding her aunts death, a handsome Captain coming to call and a loony man dancing on rooftops……things are about to get heated in Mariah’s life. Exquisitely written with a flair of Jane Austin, The Girl in the Gatehouse reads like a modern day period piece, full of fun and easy to love characters, romance and suspense.

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mariah Aubrey has been disowned by her father due to a scandal. She goes to live in her aunt’s gatehouse. When her aunt dies Captain Matthew Bryant rents the house proper. The novel follows Mariah as she slowly stops isolating herself and struggles to support herself and her companion. While she and Captain Bryant become friends, he is busy trying to win the woman who rejected him before he went to sea and became rich. There are many additional and interesting subplots and characters to make for fun light romantic reading. I listened to this on audiobook and the narration added charm to the story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Where to begin... I was expecting a wonderful whirlwind regency romance. I really do like Jane Austen but Klassen did not know how to write a regency romance. It took too long to become even the least bit interesting. Mariah has too much self pity. Throughout the whole book she complains about her sadness. I really wanted to yell, "Get over yourself!" And the cute little story Matthew writes to Mariah was a little too "cute". One thing I did not like at all were Klassen's "jump cuts". I took me forever to get used to it. I mean you would be reading a chapter that had a conversation or a meeting at the end of it but it would cut off right in the middle of either. It was ridiculous. She would just drop it. Some chapters were weeks apart. It was just too cutesy. And i love a good romance but I mean you put Matthew up to Jane Eyre's Mr. Rochester and Mr. Rochester becomes a real romantic.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I’ve read two of Julie’s other books and enjoyed them. So when I saw this new release, I added it to my book club order list. It came last week, but with my schedule I wasn’t sure when I was going to get a chance to start reading. My chance came when we were hit with an unexpected snowstorm and received the day off from school. Although a to-do list a mile long screamed for attention, I decided to take some time off to read just for fun. And it was fun!What struck you the best about the book?Julie’s style of writing is relaxing and sophisticated. Her descriptions of setting, character, or clothing is just enough to paint a mental picture without boring the reader with incessant details. For example: “Mariah descended in her aunt’s old riding habit of voluminous skirt, trim-fitting jacket with velvet collar, plumed hat, and short leather gloves.” The reader receives the necessary information without needing to know how many buttons are on the jacket, the kind of stitching on the hem of the skirt, or the texture of the hat. What struck you the worst about the book? I’m being picky about this, because I couldn’t find anything that struck me as bad. So I’ll go with something that is mildly annoying. In addition to the main plot, there are several subplots which necessitate secondary characters. Although I enjoyed the subplots, I found it confusing at times to keep all the minor characters straight. By the end of the book all the subplots are neatly woven into the main plot, so this is just a minor ripple.How did the story make you feel?From the very beginning, Mariah’s plight pulled on the heartstrings. Since I am a writer struggling to break into the world of novel writing, I easily relate to Mariah’s struggles with her writing. I sympathized with Captain Bryant as he struggles with plans to win back the woman he desires. Overall, the story comes to a very satisfying conclusion, leaving the reader content to know all the subplots have been satisfied. What one biggest lesson, discovery, or new idea did you take away from the book? Everyone needs to learn that God forgives and puts it behind Him. We are the ones who hang onto the guilt. God never intended us to cling to the past once we have made it right with Him. In the case of each of the major characters, they learned to forgive themselves and others.This is an enjoyable read, woven together into a wonderful tapestry of life-lessons hidden in fiction.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    *Book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review*CoverVictorian-esque and whimsical ... a perfect cover for this wonderful captivating story.PlotSet in a time when the touch of a hand implied a couple had feelings for each other, this story stirs a desire inside the reader for a more romantic and simpler time. I have always loved the language and personalities surrounding the Victorian era and this novel exemplifies everything I love about this period.A young lady shunned by "polite" society due to being found in a compromising situation, a greedy nephew searching for any way possible to make a guinea, a Captain who has come into money and is now striving to prove himself worthy to a certain young lady ... there are many plots within this one novel, but not once does it get confusing. The author does a remarkable job of intertwining all of the characters' pasts and presents keeping the reader interested until the very end.Main CharactersMariah - Beautiful, young and, sometimes to her detriment, too trusting. She lives in the gatehouse on an estate owned by her aunt's second husband's family. She earns wages through a way of living that is deemed improper for a lady of her time. She is a romantic at heart and strives to help as many people as she can.Dixon - Mariah's former nanny-turned-companion. Dixon has never been pursued by a male in her life, but suddenly finds herself the interest of two men's attentions. She sometimes places her loyalty to Mariah above her longing for a life of her own. Will she accept one of her pursuers' love and lead a life away from Mariah?Matthew - Captain of the Navy and new leasee of Windrush Court. He is striving, in every way possible, to make himself presentable to polite society in the hopes of winning one young lady's affections and the approval of her father. What he does not anticipate are his growing feelings for another young lady of a questionable reputation.OverallI absolutely loved this book ... from the cover, to the plot, to the complexity of the characters and the intermingling of them all. If you love a romantic story reminiscent of a Jane Austen novel, then you will love The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I definitely enjoyed this book a lot. I have always loved the Jane Austen movies but have struggled to really attach to her books. I felt as if this book was written in the same style but with a modern language that I was able to comprehend without over stressing what I am reading. The story line was fairly good as well. There were lots of different things going on as well as the main love story. There was a small amount of extra fluff in my opinion, but overall a very good book, and one I would recommend for any Jane Austen wannabe admirer to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mariah Aubrey is sent away by her father to her aunts estate to live. She takes with her a tainted reputation and a secret. She sets up residents in the gatehouse and is supporting herself and her companion, Dixon, by secretly writing novels using a pen name instead of her real name. Captain Matthew Bryant has never had the approval of his father or the father of Isabella, the woman he loves. He leases Windrush hoping to not only impress his father but also Isabella. But he is drawn to the lovely girl in the gatehouse. There is much he doesn't know about Mariah. When he finds out the truth will he turn away from her or will love conquer all?This was very good tale from Julie Klassen. The way this author writes made everything come to life in my minds-eye so it was much like watching a movie. There is lots of characters to get to know and several sub-plots but it was well done so as not to feel overwhelming. I will admit that there were parts that were a little slow for my taste but the last third of the book kept me turning pages. Lots of twists and turns throughout and a totally satisfying ending. I enjoyed learning that lots of writers published anonymously in that era and most especially women. I also liked the way the author sprinkled little bits of the mystery surrounding the Prin-Hallsey family. It was fun trying to put all the pieces together. There was an underlying theme of faith and forgiveness that seemed natural to the story. When you read the book be sure to catch the authors note. She had some interesting things to say. A thank you goes to Bethany House for providing this complementary copy for my review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was very excited to read The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen. I'm a huge fan of Regency era novels. I could not wait to dive into this one. The book begins with the main character, Mariah being sent away. There is a lot of mystery and suspense surrounding the reason behind this exile. Julie Klassen did a great job giving you just a lit bit of information here and there. Mariah is taken in by an aunt whom she's not had contact with in a long while. The aunt sets her up at the gatehouse. The gatehouse has been abandoned for many years. Together with her childhood governess, Ms. Dixon, they begin to turn the gatehouse into a home. During their stay at the gatehouse, they encounter many interesting people, mainly from the poorhouse just outside the gate. There is also a mysterious man that walks the roof of the poorhouse that nobody wants to acknowledge. This is an intriguing addition to the story line. The story heats up when the estate is leased by the dashing Captain Mathew Bryant. His sole mission in life is to win back the love he lost by flaunting his new wealth in front of his ex. Captain Mathew Bryant and Mariah form a heart warming friendship. However Captain Bryant is suspicious of Mariah's reputation. Mariah has to hold many secrets to protect herself. I really liked Mariah's character. She is a strong, resourceful, witty, and gentle character. She is thrown into a tough situation and is determined to make the best out of it. She is also remorseful of what she's done even to the extreme that she feels undeserving of even God's love. She is also going against society and trying to become a published author. Captain Bryant is a great character too, although he spends much of his time wanting all the wrong things. He's good at heart even thought he's a bit misguided. My favorite character is Ms. Dixon. She is a kind, loyal, no-nonsense kind of girl. There are many themes woven throughout this novel such as forgiveness, finding hope, and love. There are several love stories strewn throughout this book. I loved them all. I could tell from reading this book that Julie Klassen was inspired by Jane Austen when she wrote this book. I especially loved the quotes that were above each chapter. Many from Jane Austen or her novels. Many of the characters had certain qualities that I've found in Austen. In fact I think Mariah herself was modeled a little after Jane. This is an absolutely charming novel that I couldn't put down. I will definitely re-read this book again.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Regency. Austen-y. Inspirational. Awesomeness. Those are just some of the many ways that I can describe Julie Klassen and her books. Having only read one other book by this terrific author, The Silent Governess, I knew I would be happily ready for this book. Once again, Julie Klassen used her beautifully talented skills to capture her readers and surround them with words and descriptions that make them feel an absolute part of the novel.The Girl In the Gatehouse is a novel of twists and turns, secrets and forgiveness, hope and longing. Not only are we taken back into history, we are introduced to a beautiful young woman, Mariah Aubrey, who's character is full of depth and hope. She's turned out by her family and forced to live in a gatehouse on her aunt's property. There, her secrets are safe....or are they? Her hope starts to waver. I found myself wanting to hug Mariah and comfort her like she was my child. Her character was so dear!And I dare not forget to mention the wonderfully chiseled, handsome young Captain Matthew Bryant. Julie Klassen really filled him with charm and longing, and I wished more than once that it was I who was the girl in the gatehouse! He is certainly a character that any woman could fall for!If you love Historical novels, or novels with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader thirsting for more, than this is a 5 star, Austen like novel that you won't want to miss! Perfect for regency era lovers and book a holics alike! I can't wait for another gorgeous novel by this fantabulously skilled author!