Member Reviews
A delightful start to a fun, refreshing new series. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.
What a promising start to the new series this book turned out to be. There is so much scope for stories to emerge around the different characters who are introduced. The triplets, Arthur, Tristan and Iggy all have distinct personalities and are all likeable in their own way. The first in the series is centred around Arthur who has inherited the family title and the castle itself. Enter Lucie, with her own issues which are hanging over her. They find they have quite a lot in common despite the difference in their background, such as the loss of their father.
The setting, a castle in Scotland has a touch of romance. The links to the Arthurian legends and pre-Raphaelite art was very clever and added another layer to the story. I also loved the family dogs who roamed through the castle, bringing affection and informality with them. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series and hoping that some of the secondary characters, like Launcelot and Morgana get at least some cameo roles - they have such possibility for humour.
In short: A sparkling start to a new series.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.
Lucie has the job she’d always wanted at a famed art auction house in London. With the highlight of her young career, a recently discovered (by her) and authenticated painting by Meileau, smuggled out of Paris just ahead of the Nazi’s at the start of the war. The painting is going on view, soon to be auctioned, and credit for the find is hers. Until the painting on display is obviously a fake, and she is suspended as the ‘incident’ is investigated. Unwilling to fight the accusation with the guilt of her father’s embezzlement when she was a child ringing in her mind, and threats of the non-disclosure that she signed, she’s got no one to talk with and no prospects of continuing the work she loves. Her mother allowed her the time to sulk, then pushed her out of her self-pity party and handed her an advertisement for someone to catalogue and value a castle’s collection.
Arthur, Tristan and Igraine Ludworth, the triplets now settling into life without their father Uther are also trying to deal with the lack of money, Arthur’s unwillingness to assume the title of Baronet, and their worries for the future. An offhanded suggestion from Tristan had an advert placed for someone to deal with any ‘real’ treasures that might be found, as well as the collections of “Arthurian” memorabilia that had been the family obsession for the past 3 or 4 generations. With the weight of the family history on his shoulder, Arthur hasn’t had to go it alone as his sister and brother are there – the triplets being closer than close to one another and their father after their mother absconded to marry the first of several subsequent husbands without looking back.
Instant connection between Lucie and Arthur, a houseful of dogs since it is known they are a soft touch for those who need a place, a library full of diaries, the search for a previously undocumented romanticist’s painting and plenty of heart, laughs and scenery made this story hard to put down and lovely to read. Lucie and Arthur are well-matched, a first for him as he’s only ever seen women interested in the title to come. Bennett describes art, scenery and furnishings with care that allows them to be easily visualized and the circles with the bluebells, the dogs and brings you into the center of the scenes. Taking a bit of drama that need not have been brings a hiccup to the hope of happy endings until the fact that she did nothing wrong comes clear to everyone, most especially Lucie in this lovely story that carries the overtone of romance just like the Arthurian legends.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
On the biggest night of art appraiser Lucie Kennington’s life, the unveiling of the masterpiece she discovered spells disaster instead. After leaving the gallery under a cloud of suspicion compounded by her late father’s fraudulent schemes, her mother convinces her to apply for a temporary position in Derbyshire helping a baronet appraise the family’s art and artifacts in the hopes of finding a treasure. Instead of the elderly man she expects, she is greeted by the young, handsome Sir Arthur Ludworth who has inherited a crumbling castle without the funds to repair it. Rounding out the family are his fellow triplets Tristan and Igraine, Uncle Lancelot, and Great-Aunt Morgana. (Yes, the Arthurian obsession is real).
The first book of Bennett’s new Bluebell Castle trilogy is a light-hearted, fun novel set in Britain, perfect for summer reading. There is romance, a compelling art mystery, loads of dogs, and acres of bluebells. Best of all, there are two more books on the way that will give readers the opportunity to share Tristan and Iggy’s love stories. A winner!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
This had charm and warmth all the way through. The castle setting was wonderful and really engaged the imagination. The characters felt fun and unique and the story was cute and heart warming. I highly recommend if you like romance with a dash of mystery. Highly recommend.
This is a charming love story, with a dash of mystery and intrigue. The cover attracted me to this book and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I’ve not read anything by this author before, but after reading this i definitely will be. This is a perfect summer read.
Nice and cosy read,the setting is perfect like the way the story progresses, characters are life like,good description of the scenery so the reader is transported into the countryside.Glad that this will be a series.
Lucie Kennington is down in the dumps after being accused of fraud at the art auction house where she works. Her mother finds an advertisement for a job to apprise and log the contents of a castle in Derbyshire. Lucie saw this as an opportunity to redeem her reputation and maybe make a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. She did not count on falling in love with the lord of the castle, Arthur Ludworth. Lucie and Arthur spend a lot of time together combing through an ancestor’s journals and searching for that elusive treasure.
Arthur is struggling to keep the castle going with very little funds, but he is determined to make it work. He has a supportive family and Lucie quickly falls in love with all of them. Lucie is hiding a huge secret from Arthur, and this creates some friction between them.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Arthur makes for a great leading man and I liked him and Lucie together. Arthur’s family are also interesting and fills out the cast of characters nicely. Lucie has a lot of conflicting emotions to deal with and she doesn’t always make the wisest choices.
The author gave the castle and Ludworth family a rich and interesting history and the search for the lost painting was intriguing. The writing is well done, and it was fun to read.
I can definitely recommend it and would love to read the next book.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
I enjoyed this story. Lovely to dive right into and get cozy at the Bluebell Castle and watch as the romance between Lucie and Arthur comes together. Excited that this will be a series.
This is a lovely, contemporary story with nobility, mystery, suspense and romance interwoven into a delightful book to escape into. It also has historical elements as the diaries of ancestors and artefacts and works of art they purchased are important elements in the events as they search for valuables that might help fund the restoration and maintenance of the castle.
Lucie Kennington is an art specialist at an auction house and loves her job. She's made an amazing discovery but when it is replaced by a fake, this leads to accusations, suspension and the suggestion that she's emulating her father. Disheartened, Lucie's Mum convinces her to apply for a two month post evaluating the contents of Bluebell Castle in Derbyshire. It is there that she meets the Ludworth triplets - Arthur, Tristan and Igraine (who prefers to be known as Iggy). When you learn that their Uncle is Lancelot you'll probably gather there's a family fascination with the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table . . . . they even have their own Round Table in the main Hall as well as other artefacts relating to the legend!
This is a story where unwary investors have suffered but so have the family of the both the victims and the perpetrator. With wrongful accusations, secrets, mysteries and romance this is a beautiful, engaging start to this series and I look forward to reading the next two books in this series to hopefully discover what lies in store for the triplets and Bluebell Castle in future!I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
Nicely written. Easy to read and a good interesting plot. Lovely destination to play it all out what more could you possibly ask for
Lucie, an art historian, finds herself suspended from her job for a fraud that was nothing to do with her....... unfortunately not helped by them finding out about her father's history of fraud, Thinking that she will not be able to get another job in such a tight knit community she takes a job cataloguing the contents of a castle in the hope of finding some treasures to save it. Arthur has inherited the castle and the baronetcy from his father as he is the oldest male of the three triplets, and his his siblings Tristan and Iggy also live at the castle with him......... but he has taken over in dire financial straits and needs a miracle to save his inheritance....... can Lucie provide that miracle and will he be able to fight the attraction he feels for her and remain professional?
Another lovely story by this author, it has a slightly different feel to her previous books but I loved this new direction and couldn't put it down until I had finished it, there was just the right amount of mystery and romance to keep you turning the pages. I have loved all of the books by this author and felt that this was one of her best.
Another cute cozy story by this author. I enjoyed the characters and the setting as well. I look forward to reading the next one by her thank you for sharing.
This book is lighthearted, enjoyable and entertaining.
I liked the plot, the characters, and the setting. I hope to read another book in this series soon.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I really enjoyed meeting the Ludworths and of course Lucie. Lucie was such a heartwarming and relatable character. The story of her past and her relationship with her mother really pulled on my heart strings.
We meet Lucie as she is being suspended from her job for an instance she has nothing to do with. Lucie's mother pulls her out of a fun by showing her an add in the local paper looking for an appraiser to come do inventory and investigate some pieces in a castle. (Who doesn't want a paid adventure in a castle?!). This is how Lucie meets dear Arthur and his triplets Iggy and Tristan. I loved all the Ludworth characters. The drops of mystery mixed with the budding romance between Lucie and Arthur really draw a reader in. The wit and humor were not lacking either making this an overall enjoyable novel! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series and more by Sarah Bennett!
Thank you to netgalley and HQ Digital for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Yay! A brand new series! There’s nothing like snuggling up with one of Sarah Bennett’s novels, especially when you know that its the start of a three part series. Exciting!
It took me a little while to get into the swing of things, I will admit. The storyline seemed to have a different vibe to it, one that I wouldn’t usually associate with a Sarah Bennett novel. Not saying that as a negative by the way, I just felt like the story wasn’t written in the authors usual writing style.
‘Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle’ tells the story of a Baronet, his wares, and a lady who attracted bad luck like a moth to a flame. I’m not even being dramatic, trust me. Poor Lucie wouldn’t know a bowt of good luck if it came to bite on the toosh, which is a shame. Shes a naive character, but I think that’s down to the way her life has panned out so far. It’s as though she is unsure about simply being, just in case things were too good to be true and her life crashed down around her. It’s a shame really.
You’re probably wondering what a Baronet has to do with Lucie, however I cannot divulge as that’s a spoiler and I am not a doorknob. That said, it is an unlikely friendship, yet one that just proves that a person has a lot more to them than what they have, or don’t have, in their bank account.
For me, the storyline was a little slow to begin with and I was eagerly awaiting the magic. Probably why I felt that the story was a different style for the author as I am usually hooked straight away. I’m not complaining too much though as I did end up falling head over heels with the characters and their flourishing journey. I was so pleased to see Lucie again confidence and believe in herself. I thought that that was a very important message to convey to readers, that and the fact that judging people by their amount of wares, lack of wares, or being in the wrong place at the wrong, isn’t acceptable and that people may find that they’re missing out on true friendships far too late.
‘Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle’ is a romantic, heartwarming novel with such strong messages hidden beneath the words of such colourful and magnetic characters. I am so looking forward to finding out what happens in book two! A lovely, lovely read.
5☆ Light Hearted Romance, Dash of Mystery and Intrigue!
Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle is a Light hearted fun, story, with a dash of Mystery, intrigue and romance.
Oh and I have to mention... just how wonderful the cover is!
Arthur, Tristan and Iggy are triplets.
They all live in Bluebell Castle.
After some misfortune they have found themselves with money troubles, and are trying to work out how best to save their home.
Lucie finds herself heading to Bluebell Castle to work. After a really rough patch at her previous job, she decides to take on a short term job helping out at the castle evaluating it's assets and worth. To see if there are any hidden treasures, they can sell to help save Bluebell.
It was wonderful to see Lucie's commitment and passion she had for her job, and her dedication to help them save the castle.
She hasn't had it easy, her past haunts her, so getting this lucky break and finding a purpose really helped her.
But what shone was Arthur and Lucie's budding romance, as they try to fight their feelings.
Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle was such an entertaining, light hearted read, the characters were a great mix, the romance swooned along nicely, there was a lovely historical undertone.
I really enjoyed the subtle mystery and intrigue that helped set the scene nicely.
If you are a fan of Sarah Bennett's books like me, and you have read her series before or if you haven't yet had the pleasure, then you won't want to miss out on this exciting new series....Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle
I am really excited about this new series and can't wait to read the next instalment!
Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle is another Gem of a series!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This book was such a fun and light hearted read! It was a whimsical romance with a splash of mystery and intrigue as well. You can’t ask for a better setting than a magical castle for everything to take place. The scenery comes alive in this charming novel and the characters were so likable. Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle was a light and easy read perfect for the beach or vacation. I just adored Lucie and Arthur is a handsome new book boyfriend. This was my first introduction to Sarah Bennett and I can’t wait for the next novel in the Bluebell Castle series!
Thank you to Net Galley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle is a fun, light hearted, really sweet romance. I love Lucie! She is smart and sweet and a great foil for Arthur. Watching these two fight for a better future and fall for each other along the way is adorable. I look forward to the next books in the series.
I have to say I really got sucked into this book from the start! It is a great, easy compelling read and I really enjoyed getting to know both Lucie and Arthur! Now I don’t think I have read a book that contains an actual castle in a very long time, and it was great to have the descriptions and history around the castle as well as the romance that comes into play. I also really liked that it had a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in as well. This is such a great easy going read and I would recommend for anyone who wants to spend an afternoon getting lost in a castle!
A definite 4 and a half out of five stars