Title: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
Author: Juile Klassen
Pages: 681 pages hardcover, 414 paperback, 353 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

Julie Klassen has an amazing ability to write Regency novels. She completely draws you into the time period and makes you forget the world around you.

I think what I enjoyed most about The Maid of Fairbourne Hall was the character development. Margaret begins the novel as a somewhat spoiled rich girl. She doesn’t give many thoughts to the lives of the servants, focusing more on her marital pursuits and material things. When she is forces to leave her home, she finds residence at Fairbourne Hall as a maid. She must do the work she had taken for granted for so long. Klassen doesn’t make it easy on her, but doesn’t make it unrealistically hard, either. Margaret must work for the first time in her life and grows to have a better understanding and compassion for those around her.

The two main men in the story are complete opposites. One wants what he can’t have and doesn’t let that get in his way. The other, while less exciting, is the true gentleman. While one is great for a moment, the other is great for a lifetime. The contrast was fantastic and made for an interesting story.

I felt there was a lot of silent buildup for a climax that fizzled a little bit. After what happens near the beginning of the novel, how it was tied up felt a little short and rushed. I know that the main purpose of this novel was to be a romance, and in that aspect, it was perfect. However, Klassen also added a little extra tension that either needed to be explored more or cut out.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is my favorite Klassen novel to date. It has mystery and romance all wrapped up with the drama of the Regency era.

If The Maid of Fairbourne Hall sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
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