Willowkeep - Julie Daines ~Review in English~

 Willowkeep by Julie Daines

Blurb: 

Charlotte Darby’s ship is sinking. Penniless and alone, she is struggling to care for herself and her young sister in the harsh seaport town of Kingston upon Hull. When a solicitor from London brings news that she is the heir to a vast estate in Kent, it seems her days of rough seas are over. Willowkeep is prosperous and grand, far too much for a shipping merchant’s daughter to manage, and she quickly comes to rely on the help of Henry Morland, the estate’s kind and handsome steward.

Henry has worked hard his entire life, but all the money he’s saved won’t be enough to get his father out of debtor’s prison. Henry’s fondness for Charlotte and her sister is only another reminder of his low status and lack of money. Though he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Charlotte happy and looked after, as the county’s wealthiest lady, she can never be his.

Courted by a charming man of the ton, threatened by those desperate to get their hands on her money, and determined to keep her sister safe from the same fate that cost her the rest of her family, Charlotte turns to the ghost of the beheaded queen, Anne Boleyn, for help. But no matter the size of the fortune, life—and love—are never smooth sailing.


I like books that are not just well written and captivating but that also have interesting characters. Charlotte Darby, orphaned daughter of a shipping merchant and unexpected heiress of one of the most prosperous and most renowned estates of the country, definitely is one of those interesting characters.

Charlotte's love for her sister Susan, for example, a child with special needs, is one of her most prominent qualities. At the time the book is set, being different was even more difficult than today and since their father's death life has been extremely hard and uncertain for the two sisters. Circumstances have made Charlotte very protective of her sister who is shunned by their neighbours and who has often been jeered at or threatened.

When Henry Morland, the steward of Charlotte's new estate arrives to accompagny the sisters to their new home, he is astonished to find a young woman in dire circumstances and with a very down-to-earth upbringing instead of the sophisticated spinster he expected.
Charlotte's open and loving nature draws him in but their social statuses separate them. And of course there are also those who want to keep them apart and who have an agenda of their own.
Despite all that Charlotte and Henry slowly fall for each other but will that be enough to overcome all obstacles?

I really enjoyed reading this book as it was well written and had a well constructed story line along with some great characters. This is definitely one of those books that I haven't read the last time!

★★★★