The Castle Keepers

 

The Castle Keepers

Aimie K. Runyan, J'Nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan

Publication date: May 2, 2023 by Harper Muse

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷

Summary: Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.

1870. After a disastrous dinner at the Astor mansion forces her to flee New York in disgrace, socialite Beatrice Holbrook knows her performance in London must be a triumph. When she catches the eye of Charles Alnwick, one of the town’s most enviably-titled bachelors, she prepares to attempt a social coup and become the future Marchioness of Northridge. When tragedy and scandal strike the Alnwick family, Beatrice must assume the role of a lifetime: that of her true, brave self.

1917. Artist Elena Hamilton arrives in Northumberland determined to transform a soldier’s wounds into something beautiful. Tobias Alnwick’s parents have commissioned a lifelike mask to help their son return to his former self after battle wounds partially destroyed his face. But Elena doesn’t see a man who needs fixing—she sees a man who needn’t hide. Yet secrets from their past threaten to chase away the peace they’ve found in each other and destroy the future they’re creating.

1945. Alec Alnwick returns home from the war haunted but determined to leave death and destruction behind. With the help of Brigitta Mayr, the brilliant young psychoanalyst whose correspondence was a lifeline during his time on the Western Front, he reconstructs his family’s large estate into a rehabilitation center for similarly wounded soldiers. Now Alec’s efforts may be the only chance to redeem his family legacy—and break the curse on the Alnwick name—once and for all.

My thoughts: I both loved and hated this book. I wanted more! Each story focused on the inhabitants of Leedswick Castle during a specific time. The thread of their ancestors' choices bound them all and seemingly had a negative undercurrent to each descendants existence. All three authors utilized the Alnwick family to highlight potentially little known historical facts. While the Alnwick family were the ones who owned and resided in the castle it was the women they met along the way that impacted their lives for the better. 

Beatrice was a dollar princess which meant that her family had just recently become wealthy. The family then used that wealth to secure a British title for their daughter through marriage. 

Elena provided readers a glimpse into the world of artists who dedicated their craft towards creating masks for soldiers who had suffered facial disfigurements during WWI. 

Brigitta used her knowledge of psychoanalysis to assist Alec in transforming the castle to a rehabilitation center for returning soldiers. This was the first time in history that soldiers had the opportunity to heal from their injuries and learn new skillsets that they could convert into viable livelihoods. Not only were physical ailments allowed to mend, but psychological trauma such as PTSD was recognized and treated. 

Three authors, three timelines, three women: a story that has courage, despair, and love. 

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.