The Painted Castle

There are very few authors whose books I absolutely have to read as soon as I can, making me willing to pay full-price instead of waiting to stretch my book budget further on the price of a used copy. Kristy Cambron is one of them. Cambron is a master wordsmith, describing even inanimate objects with an attention to detail that turns them into subtle characters that animate the bygone worlds she's effortlessly drawing you into - even when it's three different eras at once. Each story is agonizingly beautiful, poignant, and simply exquisite, drawing back the curtain on human experiences, emotions, and interactions in a way that is both relatable and raw. While the first two books seemed to race and reel at breakneck speed for me, I felt like this one slowed and dragged its heels between my not wanting the series to end and these stories being so fragile it took certain care to peel the layers back gently with every page. It was a reader's kind of torture - appreciated and ultimately satisfying. I know this review focuses more on the style than the story, but if the publisher's synopsis doesn't make your fingers itch to turn these pages, my hope is that the thought of them being so well-written and unforgettable will place this author at the top of your TBR pile where she deserves to be.

The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron is the third book in her A Lost Castle series. Art historian Keira Foley is hired to authenticate a painting of Queen Victoria. What she finds is more questions than answers. Emory Scott, rumored art thief, is there to help her unravel the mystery’s behind the painting and Parham Hill Manor. They find a rich and warm history. This book follows the stories of three women, woven together by time. The author takes you on a journey from Victorian England to the ending of World War two and then to present day England. Weaving the three different stories together so beautifully that you don’t mind rotating from one story to the next. Immersed in the English countryside, with romance, castles, and history was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.

The Painted Castle is the third and final book in the Lost Castle series by Kristy Cambron. Such good reads--all three! But I think this is my favorite. Castles, heroines, art, mysteries to solve and, of course, romance. I enjoy historical romance and with this time-slip novel set in three different eras, (Victorian, WWII, and contemporary) there is a lot of 'historical' going on! One tidbit of history I found to be quite interesting has to do with a curious monkey and a man with a yellow hat and the authors who brought them to life. The author has a masterful way with words that puts the reader right into the scenes--she knows how to bring the story and her characters to life. The characters are realistic and their actions and emotions are reasonable and relatable. I especially liked the WWII story--the hero was quite the hero--I so wanted Amelia to move beyond her past and connect with him. I liked how the tie-in between the three stories is revealed layer by layer throughout the book and also the great cliff-hangers between the various sections of the stories. The Painted Castle is, as the title suggests, a story about a castle but it is so much more. There is courage, compassion, grief, and the message of faith in the ever-present God who is working in our lives to build stories that become our legacy to those who come after us. This is a book for readers who love historical romance. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of the book through CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required and the opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.