Three Women Defy Time at ‘The Painted Castle’ [REVIEW]

Framlingham Castle reflected in The Mere,at dawn. (Photo by Ian Dalgliesh, CC BY-SA 2.0)

A treasured painting. A mysterious library. Three women separated by time. What binds them together? And how will an ancient castle’s secrets link the future to the past? Find out in Kristy Cambron’s new Lost Castle novel, The Painted Castle. 

Thomas Nelson

Keira Foley needs a break. She’s desperate to get her life back on track, and what better place to start than a new job? As an art historian new gigs don’t grow on trees, so when she’s hired to authenticate a painting of Queen Victoria at a centuries-old Suffolk manor, she hopes this is the reboot she’s been waiting for. But from the time she arrives at Parham Hill Estate to work with rumored art thief Emory Scott, her mind spins with questions. Is the painting the original Winterhalter masterpiece, or a skilled fake? And if it’s the latter, who painted it?

As she digs for answers, she discovers that two women from the past emerge, including Victorian sketch artist Elizabeth Meade. She was engaged to Viscount Huxley, who owned Parham Hill at the time. But Elizabeth had a secret. She wasn’t there to draw or get married. Instead, she sought revenge for her father’s murder—even if it meant a betrothal to the very man she thinks committed the crime.

A century later, Amelia Woods—a World War II widow who turned Parham Hill and its library into a boarding school for refugee children—receives military orders to open her home to American pilots. She’s determined to keep the children as far away from the war as possible, but it is nearly impossible with officers invading every corner of their world. And little does she realize that one of the airmen has set his sights on stealing her heart .

In a tale that spans three eras, The Painted Castle is a tale rife with heartache, hope, and the promise to finally reveal long buried secrets.

I’m not often a fan of novels which try to tie multiple timelines into a pretty bow and sell it as one cohesive story. But that is primarily because doing so is an ambitious feat which few authors can really do effectively or in a manner that allows them to properly plumb the depths of all characters involved.

That being said, Cambron has figured out how to skate circles around the time-slip story structure, and does so with all the panache and grace of an Olympic champion. Utilizing touching strains of emotion, colorful ribbons of fascinating characterization, delicate threads of irresistible romance, and liberal dashes of undeniable suspense, she delivers a soaring tale that keeps us riveted, turning pages late into the night to see her showstopping finish.

If you enjoy tales about capable women who rely on faith and hope to guide them through stormy days, you will love The Painted Castle. It’s a beautiful tale that proves  happiness, love, and second chances come to those who patiently search for answers, believe in redemption, and reach for their dreams.  

Kristy Cambron

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Kristy Cambron is a vintage-inspired storyteller and award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestsellling debut The Butterfly and the Violin.

She is a passionate speaker who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a richer life.

Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly and Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and has been featured at Country Woman Magazine, among others.

She holds a degree in art history and research writing with nearly a decade of experience as an author and speaker, and has more than 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation working in partnership with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup.

She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons where she writes in a beloved coffee shop corner with kayaks on the wall, and can probably be bribed with a peppermint mocha latte and a good read.

Visit her at KristyCambron.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and BookBub.

THE PAINTED CASTLE
By Kristy Cambron
400 pp. Thomas Nelson. $15.99

Purchase The Painted Castle at one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, Powell’s, and Thomas Nelson.

The Painted Castle is brought to you in association with TLC Book Tours.