I really enjoyed this story and the characters! The characters were so unique and their development was so satisfying to see. The setting was really cool. The faith undercurrent was excellent and one of my favorite parts of the story. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow!!! The faith content in this book was incredible. It brought me to tears. I love how Politano shows the beauty and trust that comes from developing one's faith. She also addresses that questioning God at times is part of the journey. I think this part of the story could really speak to a non-Christian person.

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the Gothic nature of this book. It was spooky at times, and the Blakely House setting added creepiness to the story. The mystery hooked me, and I found myself questioning what was really going on in the story. As a mystery reader, I quite enjoyed this part.

I did find moments in the story to be a bit confusing, and I don't think the historical setting (steampunk era) was my cup of tea. I know others who have LOVED this story, so I think it's more of a personal thing. That being said, I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy steampunk stories.

All in all, I enjoyed the faith content and the mystery in The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House!

About this book:

“A clever young woman, a contested will, and an estate that does not easily give up its secrets.
It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she's never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.
The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people--including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle's death, the late master's nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.
Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate's butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master's brilliance as well as his property--or someone else will.”


Series: As of now, no. A stand-alone novel.


Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, & quoted; Prayers; Talks about God, His creations; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Sydney was raised in Christian households, but when God didn’t answer her prayer about her mother returning, she grew bitter towards God and thinks of praying as one-way conversations; Sydney bristles at Andrè saying that she has been blessed by God with her intelligence and complains about why “everything [has to] be attributed to some unseen divinity—or a man?” and says that her intellect came from her own head; Sydney comments that she can’t understand God and is too “practical to stand on a ledge [she] cannot see”; Sydney and her aunt have a conversation about Sydney believing in God when she was little and Sydney says that she pleaded with God for her mother and is still waiting ten years later for that prayer to be answered; Sydney thinks that she cannot accept a perfect, all-knowing, all-powerful being like God because a perfect God could not have made a broken clock like her; *Spoilers* Towards the end, Sydney starts to feel God’s presence and notices that everything is balanced in a way that could only be by a holy Creator; There is later a moment where she has to trust God and Andrè and focus on them and not the water she fears, which makes her able to walk on the water/raft on the water until she loses her focus and panics; She wishes for a glimpse of God on a mission, but has more than that and experienced Him which leaves her starving for more; She still questions why God didn’t answer her prayer, but realizes at the very end that God answered it by sending her to her aunt that loves and cares for her *End of Spoilers*; A man says that he is willing to break the sixth commandment by murdering someone if he has to because he has no choice and will not delight in it; Mentions of God, His creations, & trusting Him; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of someone singing hymns & the Psalms (written out); Mentions of a painting of a shipwreck that shows a woman looking like an “avenging angel”; A few mentions of a ceiling having plastered angels; A few mentions of providence (which Sydney comments about and her aunt says she doesn’t believe in that); A few mentions of monks; A couple mentions of those from the Bible; A couple mentions of a theologian; A mention of a rectory; A mention of a man’s parish;
*Note: Religious phrases/exclamations are said: ‘heavens’, ‘heaven’s sake’, ‘by heavens’, and ‘who in God’s green earth are you’ are all said once, two ‘thank heavens’, three forms of ‘for all that was holy/for the love of all that’s holy’, and six forms of ‘what/why/how in heaven’s name’; Sydney wonders if she’s died after a trying event and thinks that where she must be in heaven (but is confused on why a pirate would be there); Inventions are described as “magic” but all have science-related reasons for their workings and are not actually magic; A side character has an alchemy shop and is known as a wizard (in his POV, he comments about having a tonic “like a potion” for everyone’s deepest need including remedies for abusive husbands and as a wizard wasn’t “subject to the laws of nature”, but his son found out he was “in some ways, a murderer” and hasn’t spoken to him since; Another person calls him a “killer for hire”); When some men try to scare her away from Blakely House, Sydney says doesn’t believe in ghosts; Sydney wonders if it’s possible to feel someone’s presence in his house after the man has passed away; Sydney thinks a couple women look like angels; Andrè thinks Sydney looks like a saint; Sydney thinks a man has the “look of the devil about him” (referring to Andrè); Mentions of ghosts & haunted places; A few mentions of a man having a “magical” effect on everything he touched and was viewed as a “magician” to others; A few mentions of evil & sin; A mention of wizards casting spells; A mention of Andromeda and Hercules (Greek mythology); A mention of a superstitious group of people.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blamed’, a ‘blazes’, a ‘confounded’, a ‘dash it all’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘stars’, and four ‘drat’s; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being chased, shot at, & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Helping injured shipwreck victims & Seeing injuries and blood/bleeding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Thinking someone is dead & grief (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple hints of a side character drinking (including in his POV); Sydney is very afraid of water & tries to avoid it (at one point, she feels tremendous panic over going near water); Many mentions of deaths (including of parents), grief, possible deaths (including drownings), & a possible murder and murderers; Many mentions of criminals, crimes, thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Many mentions of shipwrecks, people dying or being injured, wreckers, and others planning to get rid of the survivors to take control of the goods; Mentions of pain, injuries, blood/bleeding; Mentions of prisons & arrests; Mentions of a snuff shop & smoking; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deceit; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors (including one about a man beating other men senseless and shooting anyone who comes near his house); Mentions of a mother leaving her child and husband (Sydney’s mother, who she is not in contact with); A few mentions of a man being hired to kill others & committing murders (see Spiritual Content Note section for more information); A few mentions of threats; A few mentions of pubs, implied alcohol, & drinking; A couple mentions of poisons; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of a woman who had six husbands (unsaid or it was due to deaths or divorce); A mention of a war; A mention of abusive husbands; A mention of blackmail; A mention of jealousy; A mention of throwing up;
*Note: *Spoiler, but mention of infant deaths/infertility* In the final chapter, Sydney recalls God still not answering all of her prayers, including a gentle no about "several wee babies" and later He said yes to her prayers and she now has a son *End of Spoiler*; Sydney feels like a broken clock compared to everyone else; Sydney faces some comments about her gender that she bristles at (such as a customer only wanting to talk to a man, a man saying a place isn’t safe for women, being warned that a town is “rather unaccepting of forward thinking women”, feeling like a man is looking at her in a patronizing way, thinking a household is against her because of her gender, and receiving a speech from her aunt about “a woman can pave her own path. She can do anything—especially what men tell her she cannot do”which doesn’t always empower Sydney and instead makes her feel the opposite); A mention of a book (Alice through the Looking Glass).


Sexual Content- Two head/forehead kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Tingles, Warmth, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to be touched & kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Sydney was born out of wedlock, but raised by her stepfather after her mother left them; Sydney used to think it was a punishment to not be able to woo men like other girls, but realizes it was to protect her from “being wooed, tried on for size, then discarded several times before finding that perfect fit”; Sydney thinks about waking up to a man’s affectionate smile every morning; A man teases another man about a woman writing to him about a “surprise” happening upon her that will look like him (pregnancy, implied they are not married); Mentions of kisses, kissing, & almost kisses; A couple mentions of a woman blackmailing her married lovers (affairs); A couple mentions of matchmaking; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of a mother dying in childbirth.

-Sydney Forrester, age 23
-Andrè Montagne
P.O.V. switches between Sydney (1st person), Andrè (3rd person), and a few others (3rd person)
Set in 1901 (Final chapter in 1910)
400 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

This was one of my highly anticipated releases for this year and I have to say that it definitely measured up to my hopes. At first, the steampunk elements were a little strange to me because it felt so different from this author’s normal historical fiction style, but it quickly fascinated me the more I read. It definitely had a whimsical, quirky feeling, but almost a gothic springy one as well. I can't think of another book like it, but “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure” by Angela Bell came to mind with some of my favorite elements. Not a similar plot-line at all with these two books, but perhaps a similar font? Whichever it is, I've truly enjoyed both books tremendously.

Unlike many of her other books, this new one from Joanna Davidson Politano doesn’t start with a chapter from the middle of the book. But as normal with this author’s books, at the beginning, I’m a bit lost and questioning my IQ, but as the book continues and more details are explained and revealed, things start to make more sense.

I flew through this book much faster than I anticipated, but the story grabbed me and I consumed it within a few hours. I really adored Sydney and her curious mind; she was awkward but sincere and I loved her mission to find out more about this mysterious Emmett. Andrè was a mysterious man as well and the romance was sweet overall. I’m never sure how to feel about the opposites attract trope, but these two were good together. Sydney was a homebody and as a homebody, I loved how that wasn’t just told to us, but shown as well through her thoughts and actions. I think I highlighted many parts about her loving books with adventures and being just fine to read about them rather to go on them herself.

I think there might have been one tiny plot hole towards the end, but perhaps I just didn’t pick up on the prior hints? (*Spoiler* (view spoiler)) Other than that, this book kept me in suspense to see what would happen next. If you’re one that enjoys listening to music while reading, I highly suggest some of the Nancy Drew game soundtracks available on YouTube.

The ending and everything that happened then was so good—but I’ll admit to wishing there was a bit more at the final chapter though! I needed more information on what had happened in the last ten years. It felt somewhat like a sudden jump and I was left out and wondering. It didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book, but I would have liked more even if it was wrapped up well enough because I wanted to see more of our main couple together. Because of this it wasn't quite a five-star book for me, but I did really enjoy it and I think many readers (especially historical mystery fans!) will truly enjoy it! No major content concerns either which was very refreshing, I would suggest ages 15/16+.



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

Oh, my! This book grabbed my imagination from the first few pages and pulled me in so thoroughly that I missed far more sleep than was prudent. But I just had to know what was going to happen next!
As with all of Joanna Davidson Politano’s books, this one had so many twists and turns, questions to be answered, and flashing lights that I was always more confused than Sydney (the main character) and just as intrigued. Ms. Politano’s writing style is so beautifully her own, with delightful and colorful characters, wonderfully worded descriptions that bring the setting to vivid life in my imagination, and such an intriguing mystery!
My favorite character in this book? Honestly, it might have been Emmett Sinclair. But, if I can’t choose him, then it would definitely be Sydney. I loved how she persevered in the face of her fears and sought to understand the man that no one else seemed interested in. I loved her curiosity and questions, and could relate to her desire to understand everything that didn’t quite make sense. And oh! I was both so surprised and then disappointed by her last guess of what had actually happened! But, it all worked out beautifully, in the end.
If you enjoy intriguing mysteries, adventure, unusual characters, and a few red herrings along the way, then I absolutely recommend this book! Just be prepared for missing a few winks of sleep before you read “The End.”

*My thanks to the author and publisher for my advanced copy of this book! I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was my first book by Politano, and I really enjoyed it. I love a story taking place in the Victorian era, especially when it includes weird machinery and science. As a plus, this book also had a romance subplot!

The main character, Sydney, has always seen herself as other. When she’s given the opportunity to travel to Blakely House as the one supposedly inheriting the place, she starts to see her uniqueness in others, especially the deceased Emmett.

Her story and journey to her found family was exciting and full of a different brand of adventure. As someone who loves a good mystery, I can also not recommend it enough.

I absolutely loved this book. There’s a mysterious house, an unexpected love interest, and a cat. What else could I want??

The story was told in a mix of third person perspectives, and I thought the pacing was really well done. There are a fair number of characters but not so many that it got confusing. I thought the mystery and romance were well balanced, and the steampunk vibe lent an element of fun to the story.

If you enjoyed A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure, I think you’ll love The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House. They share a fun, steampunk energy and great heroines.

Read for:
- Steampunk vibes
- Contest to inherit a house
- Automatons
- Pirate butler
- Sweet orange cat
- Clockmaker and tinkerer FMC
- Family secrets

Thank you to Revell Fiction for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

In 1901, Sydney Forrester, a clockmaker and tinker, inherits Blakely House, an island estate from an estranged uncle. The estate is alive with secrets, inventions, and an unfinished automaton. Sydney must navigate the estate’s peculiar people, including two men who contest the will and a mysterious man who washes ashore with a surprise that upsets everything.

This captivating and unique Gothic tale is a beautiful celebration of individuality and the human spirit, written with the style and substance that makes me love everything I’ve read by this talented author.

It begins at a deliberate pace that helps set the stage, and then things take off at a quick pace, and I could not put it down.

Politano’s vivid storytelling easily transported me to 1901 England where we meet Sydney Forrester, a talented neurodivergent clockmaker and heiress. I adored Sydney! She was a quirky, intelligent, and complex character: a “clock put together differently.” I loved how her mind worked, and her growth arc was lovely and heartwarming.

The romance between Sydney and André was so sweet. I loved how he admired her brilliant mind, and saw her as rare, like a precious gem, instead of odd, like so many others had made her feel.

The blend of mystery, suspense, secrets, whimsy, and romance was a riveting combination. With its intricate plot, distinctive setting, beautiful prose, poignant faith elements, theme of seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and memorable characters, this story was an absolute joy to read!

I received a complementary copy, but a positive review was not required.

This was okay. It read like a mashup of steampunk and regular historical fiction, which was interesting. I thought the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more.

I completely enjoyed this novel. Politano is an excellent writer and I was immediately drawn into the story. I like to tinker with things and have endless curiosity about the way things work so the house and all it’s inventions felt fascinating. The characters were as curious as the house itself and the pacing of discovery kept me turning page after page. The ending was satisfying. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

A gothic manor, steampunk machinery, mystery, intrigue, and romance—talk about an almost perfectly perfect tale!

The vivid imagery of the stately Blakely House, with its maze of unique, beautiful, and curious rooms, drew me in immediately. Add to that the fantastic machines crafted by its enigmatic late master, and I was spellbound from the beginning.

The dynamic between the lively yet reserved Sydney and the brooding, adventurous André was spot-on. They complemented each other beautifully as they unraveled the clues to Uncle Emmet’s inheritance—and, more importantly, learned to let go and trust the ultimate Creator to guide their journey.

This story strikes a wonderful balance of fantasy, adventure, morality, and hope. I loved every minute of it and can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Clocks, automatons, inventions, an evasive inheritance...what more can you ask for? :) There's a lot more to this story than what appears to be at first! This is a story that is great for teens though adults!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book!! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Well, this was something different. But in positive way. I like when a book is not standard and keeps me guessing. At first, I was a bit confused, but it all made sense in the end. A wonderful read, but most likely not for everyone.

I participated in a giveaway for this book and I’d been looking for to reading it ever since. This is my first book from Joanna Davidson Politano and I need to read more as soon as possible.

This was such an intriguing story with the talented Sydney Forrester finding out she’s an heir to the mysterious Blakely House. When she arrives, she finds even more mysteries, secrets, and sabotage around every corner.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and each character was well done with their own selfish motives, as there are other possible heirs lurking about. As much as a I loved Sydney, the brooding pirate/butler, Andre, was my favorite. The development of his and Sydney’s relationship was fun to read.

There are so many twists and turns, I had to keep reading to see what would happen next. I loved the letters at the start of each chapter. The steampunk feel was also enjoyable.

I received a NetGalley link from the publisher. I also borrowed the audio from Libby to listen while in the car. The audio narrator, Amy Scanlon, was fantastic. I enjoyed how she delivered these characters. The accent and variety of her voices was well done.

Love the concept of this book, with the mysterious clocks and clues to inheritance. The neurodivergent character was instantly likable. I recommend this for historical mystery fans—it’s fun and engaging.

This review has been a long time coming... does anyone else do this?!

Joanna Politano is one of my very favorite authors, and whenever I get to read a new book of hers, I have to savor it for awhile before even thinking of writing a review. (anyone know what I'm talking about?!)

This is one of those books!! I couldn't wait to read it. But then, I also did not want to rush the reading of it, for some of the very same reasons I already stated up there.

So, I took my time...and then took my time again with composing this review. (which means I am posting it a few weeks later than what I had meant to. :( )

There are so many layers to this beautiful story. On the surface, it is an inheritance story, one that involves an eccentric and unusual house going to a unique individual.

I just loved reading about both of these (Yes, the house is almost its own character! :) )

Under the surface...well, I can really only begin to briefly touch on these things here.... and I almost hesitate to try, for fear my words will be less than adequate.

But here goes.

Sydney. A unique, misunderstood, sometimes misplaced, heroine. But oh so sweet and lovable. I think she is a person we can all relate to, because... don't we all feel like we are the only not-normal person in our own world? And that we are alone in this?

Sydney is so talented in so many ways - especially when it came to the gears and mechanics and inner workings of things. But knowing how to relate to people, especially handsome men, was not one of her talents.

I just loved seeing her in her element at Blakely House. And watching her explore, and slowly but surely, find herself there.

It is really hard to know how much to say in a review, without giving away anything important.

But - takeaway - if you enjoy Joanna Davidson Politano's novels, you will most definitely want to read this one, too!!

I don't know that I will consider this book my new favorite of hers, but I did thoroughly enjoy the reading thereof!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House is a delight from start to finish. A delightful steampunk flair permeates the entire story. There’s an incredibly unique setting that’s inspired by a little-known reality. There are a multitude of unique, compelling characters, including a romantic lead who gives off strong pirate vibes. A multilayered mystery rests at the core of the narrative, one that—when paired with the setting—brought to mind Clue, or some of the lighter stories of Agatha Christie. Then there’s the faith element, which is such a large part of our main character’s growth over the course of the novel. And all of this was couched within some truly wonderful prose. The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House has so much to offer, and it delivers on all of its promises.

Our protagonist is Sydney Forrester, a young woman who was abandoned early in life and who has been raised by her aunt. The two run a shop repairing watches, though they often have to pretend to take certain items—belonging to their more sexist clients—to the supposed proprietor: Sydney’s uncle, who has actually been deceased for more than twenty years. Sydney is a lovely perspective character. She's an oddball, something of an outcast, living with a lot of fear and anxiety. But there's also a lot of charm and personality to her inner thoughts and how she engages with the world around her. She’s not neurotypical, and stands out starkly for a woman in her place and time. She understands machines far better than people, and I loved her fascination with clocks and gears. Her early story is all about facing your fears, and breaking out of your comfortable, if restrictive, bubble.

And then there’s the other main character of the book: Blakely House. Sydney has been given the house as an inheritance, left to her by a great uncle she never knew. When Sydney works up the courage to visit Blakely House, she almost immediately falls in love with it. And I don’t blame her; Blakely House is immediately fascinating. And deeply strange. I love how it seems to be a character in its own right, with some semblance of autonomy and personality. It’s essentially the first smart house, and it was inspired by a real home off the coast of Northumberland: Cragside.

But of course, nothing is ever easy. When Sydney arrives, she discovers that she’s not the only heir to Blakely House. Now there’s something of a contest going, to see who is the true rightful heir to not only Blakely House, but to all of the brilliant machines and secrets to be found within its walls. Sydney’s two “cousins,” who she has obviously never met, are set on sending her packing. But they’re not the only ones on the island. There are also the "pirates," the shipwrecked adventurers who were given a home at Blakely House. The chief of these is André Montagne, the right-hand man of the deceased former owner of the estate, Emmett Sinclair. He’s a wonderful character, and I loved his interactions with Sydney. There’s also Angel, the cook and the lone woman on the island before Sydney’s arrival. She’s a ray of sunshine. And finally, there’s the late Emmett Sinclair himself. I was fascinated by the mysteries surrounding him, and I was just as eager as Sydney to find the answers to those mysteries.

This entire book was so well paced and well plotted. There was never a dull moment, and there were some twists that I didn’t expect. I loved the achingly romantic, epic love story that served as a secondary plot, one with mystery and longing at its heart. We get bits and pieces of this story in the epigraphs that open most of the chapters, snippets of love letters between Emmett, who never married, and the mysterious Sophie. We also see romance introduced into Sydney’s life for the first time, and I found the blush of first love such a sweet addition to the novel. Another inclusion that I loved was Sydney’s faith journey. There is a moment when Sydney, who has never fully believed in God, endures something terrifying and panic-inducing. It's then that all the Scripture her aunt had her memorize as a child comes flooding back into her mind. God's Word is there for her when she needs in most, in spite of her lifetime of insistence that she didn't want or need Him in her life.

Every element of The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House was woven into the narrative with love and care and intention. It was funny and heartwarming, mysterious and brimming with adventure. Something about the tone reminded me of Michelle Griep's Of Gold and Shadows, as well as Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures. Both of which were stories that I loved. But Blakely House is uniquely its own, and I loved every second of my stay. I’ll definitely be paying it a return visit.

I found this book interesting, suspenseful, to have strong ties to God and faith all while showcasing steampunkery elements. The characters are well developed and this book features a strong female, as well as a loyal, protective male lead. I look forward to reading more titles by this author. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book is an adventurous, whimsical, and mysterious read with a strong focus on faith towards the end.

⚙️ From the start, the writing was beautiful, the story and the characters pulled me in, and I was completely immersed.
⚙️ I loved our strong, smart FMC, the side characters, and setting - the writing vividly described them, making these people and this house come alive.
⚙️ It felt like our FMC was uncovering the past to determine how to move forward into her uncertain future. I enjoyed watching her uncover her great uncle’s life and his work and his love.
⚙️ In this book, the “odd“ character is the protagonist. It was empowering to watch Sydney find strength and harness her oddness.
⚙️ Note to my future self: “Inspirational Fiction” = Christian Lit; if that’s your thing, you’ll really enjoy this book! The first 3/4 of this book was wonderful and had me falling for the characters and Blakely House. Unfortunately, the last 1/4 of the book was extremely “preachy,” which caused my enjoyment of this fundamentally great book to plummet. The extreme focus on religion towards the end completely switched the focus of the story. I felt as though it took away the characters’ strength and autonomy, leaving me feeling a bit disappointed by this read.

Thanks so much to the author, the publisher, and Austenprose PR for the ARC of this book!

Joanna is one of those authors I reach for when I want/need a bit of a deeper read. There's always this moment while reading her books that I feel God give a little elbow nudge, like He's saying "Do you see me?" and it always has an impact. In this one, that nudge was a bit more of a "I see you" nudge from Him. I don't know how she does it... but I am here for it. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Her books are the kind you hug to your chest because of how they make you feel. There's no rushing through her books either... you have to take the journey and admire the sites (those words!) along the way or you miss so much of it. And yet somehow the only thing I know to say is I loved this book! You should read it.

Penniless clockmaker Sydney Forrester finds the world against her, for although she is brilliant she is young and female, and therefore customers aren't likely to trust her. She longs for connection with the parents she does not know and cannot remember, and when a mysterious woman informs her that she has inherited a remote manor house from an uncle she's never met, Sydney takes a leap and sets off to claim her new home.

It turns out, however, that she is not the only heir. The will is in dispute. Blakely House is also not at all what Sydney expected, full of gadgets and half-finished inventions that give her a glimpse into her uncle's mind. There is also a full company of mismatched pirate servants who seem to have it out for her. With the odds against her, Sydney must prove who she is and that she is the rightful heir through many ups and downs and adventures.

As with every Joanna Davidson Politano book, there are beautiful themes woven throughout the story. Threads about identity, being chosen, and reckoning that "When you run away from your problems, you take yourself with you" (page 134). The themes were my favorite part of this book.

I liked Sydney as a character, and though I found the plot a little hard to follow, I appreciated her journey. It was a great reminder of how God knows what we need and who we need in our lives and is able to provide even in uncanny ways.

I would recommend this book for readers who like historicals with hints of mystery and suspense.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.