"The Governess of Highland Hall" by Carrie Turansky

Julia Foster isn't your typical Edwardian-era heroine. At age 27, she had been serving with her parents on the mission field in India, until her father's health required them to return to England. Now Julia must find a position as a governess to help support them all. Her views on childrearing and life have been greatly influenced by her experiences as a missionary, and as she settles in at Highland Hall she finds herself occasionally at odds with her master and his family.

Recently inheriting his uncle's estate, Sir William Ramsey is disturbed by the condition in which he finds the house and grounds, and fears that because of death duties (inheritance taxes) he may be forced the sell the property and move back to London. At least he can leave the care of his two young children, as well as his two teenage cousins who were left to him as wards, in the care of Miss Foster, freeing him to pursue a fortunate second marriage and perhaps save his estate.

One reason I loved this book was because of Miss Foster's principled personality. She is a heroine one can root for, who is always looking to God for direction and leading. She isn't free of mistakes or faults, but she is always trying her best. She befriends Sir William's maiden sister and helps her take her place as mistress of the house. She encourages Sir William to spend more time with his precocious children, and he begins to see her as a valuable giver of advice.

There are a lot of plot elements drawn from classic literature, but none of them in a copycat manner. I really enjoyed the different twists and turns. This is one of those stories that I would recommend for all readers, especially those who love the "Downton Abbey" time period. This is much cleaner and more praiseworthy than that famous series!

"The Governess of Highland Hall" will be coming to bookstores everywhere on Oct. 15. I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own. If you'd like to read the first chapter, you can do so here.