COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN
I started this book midday and read it to the end around 11pm. WOW.
It is such a different kind of book. It gave some H.G. Wells/Nicholas Tesla/Steampunk vibes. It is always told from 1st person, but the POV does shift around.
There are unexpected mysteries I was not able to guess at. Additionally, I loved the heroine (introverted tinkerer) and hero (compassionate French Pirate).
The faith build is slow, and the author addresses that after the story.
QUOTEABLE: "I had done more than glimpse God out here. I had experienced him. Been driven to the edge until I tasted and felt him. And it left me starving for more."
This book is an incredibly well-written historical fiction novel.
I highly recommend it, especially if you are ready for a change of pace!
I received this eBook from the Publisher via NetGalley.
All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Sydney Forrester had worked in her Aunt Lottie's Curiosity Shop for 10 years and she enjoyed repairing clocks in Grafton England in the year 1901.

She had received letters from her absent, flighty mother from Australia and the U.S., but today she saw a veiled woman who looked like her in the shop.
The woman asked her if she repaired clocks and asked her what her name was - as Sydney opened the clock it had hundreds of tiny gears, a bird etched on the surface of the clock and a beam of light that mirrored the clocks' face shot out in space accompanied by a voice saying "Fifty-three degrees two. The woman touched a trigger and the light went out and the clock appeared to be a normal clock.
She said her name was Mrs. Holligan and she wanted Sydney to see what she was giving up, then Sydney remembered receiving letters about an inheritance. Mrs. Holligan then gave her a large key with birds encircling the stem and that the master said she would know what to do with it when he had gone.

Sydney decided to go to Blakely House with her cat Micah without telling her Aunt Lottie. But the house was on an island so Shelby rented a boat and rowed out to the island when a wave threw her out of the boat and she washed ashore. As Sydney tried to rescue Micah from a tree, an enormous man reached out and rescued her and the cat.
Sydney informs him that she is the Master of Blakely House, then she holds up her key and she tells him she is Syney Forrester - he charges over a bridge into a stone cliff and vanishes.

Sydney bolts inside and sees a cacophony of birds calling out and flapping and hears a voice distant and muffled, “ the projection of air must be equal to . . . and the velocity of displaced air . . .” It was the same crackling sound she'd heard from the clock.
Sydney sees lights glowing, machines whirring, a barking mechanical dog, and then she hears footsteps - men appear in front of her and she learns that she is not the only heir there are three more of them, and that they must win a contest...

I tried several times to like this book and although I finally finished it, my opinion didn’t change. I think it was the writing and the plot felt confusing.

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Sydney has inherited Blakely House. It is when she arrives at the property, she learns that her inheritance will not be as straight forward as it initially seemed.
The storyline was intriguing and the characters well drawn. This book provides a good read that will keep you entertained.
Well worth a read.

Joanna Davidson Politano is truly an absolute master at weaving unique stories that feel timeless and will keep readers captivated right through to the end. This one was certainly no exception. Right away, I was drawn into Sydney's story as she learns of the inheritance of Blakely House. But once she arrives, she learns things are a little more complicated than they seem. When I was a kid, it was those stories with the houses full of secrets (be it hidden passageways, uncovered treasures, unique features, etc.) that truly made me fall in love with reading to begin with. The Blakely House with all its oddities and unique inventions put me in mind of those stories I loved--- in the absolute best way possible. I couldn't help but find myself intrigued. I found the story to be the perfect blend of mystery and romance to create one beautiful story! If you love Christian historical romance, this is certainly one to add to your TBR.

**ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

This gothic masterpiece is created with three intriguing threads: an unusual heiress, a contested will, and a mysterious house.

Joanna Davidson Politano whisks readers back to the Victorian/Edwardian era and away to an island in the North Sea off the coast of Northumberland in Northern England. It’s here that she introduces us to Blakely House, an estate full of inventions and secrets. Her neurodivergent protagonist, an unusual heiress and a clockmaker, has inherited her late industrialist uncle’s cliff-top mansion. Sydney Forrester is definitely a “clock put together differently—a clock specially designed” and Politano peels back her layers to show us the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I loved the spotlight on how we react to unforeseen challenges, how we dig deep to find the courage to fight for what’s ours, and how we escape from things (perceived or real) that are holding us back.

I think you’ll agree that this should be optioned for the silver screen!

Twisty, perfectly paced, and featuring a unique setting and protagonist, this story is not one to be overlooked.

What happened to Sydney's uncle? You'll never guess.

I was gifted this copy by Revell and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A strange novel if I've ever read one but I soon found myself immersed in it. And happily so because I can definitely relate to Sydney when it comes to her books.
I soon found her a wonderful character though.
Lots of mystery that's definitely worth the read. Politano does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing on the where a bouts of Sydney's uncle.
I finished this book in the wee hours of morning because I couldn't put this adventure down! Wow!
5 stars for a job well done. I really loved this title. I think it's her best yet.
I highly recommend.
My thanks to Interviews and Reviews for a copy of this book via Netgalley