The Sheepish Scribe

Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read a Gothic novel in... probably 35 years. My grandmother loved them. She read voraciously and Gothics were her favorite. They never were mine. But this story is good. Very good. A real page-turner.

This isn't a spoiler, but I'll tell you, the story doesn't end. It's the first of a series and it leaves the reader hanging. If you like that type of series, you'll love it. If it annoys you no end to have a story with loose ends flapping in the wind, wait until the rest of the series is written and then pick them all up.

Julia Elliston's life is a wreck and going downhill. As any woman in Victorian England, her only option is to marry. When her childhood love turns to the church - abhorrent to her atheist upbringing - she does whatever she can to find a husband before her mysterious guardian can send her away to Scotland and a life of servitude.

Wonderfully dark with crumbling castles and wet, gloomy days, Jessica Dotta hits a home run with the setting. The characters are strong and complex, adding a lot to the plot twists and turns. This is the author's debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.