After a scandal shakes the Montrose family, Catherine, Lydia and Emeline, along with their parents are forced to move to Boston and reside in their new country estate, Willow Hall. As Catherine copes without her estranged brother, Lydia and Emile find themselves entangled with the spooky history of Willow Hall and their ancestors.

After a scandal shakes the Montrose family, Catherine, Lydia and Emeline, along with their parents are forced to move to Boston and reside in their new country estate, Willow Hall. As Catherine copes without her estranged brother, Lydia and Emile find themselves entangled with the spooky history of Willow Hall and their ancestors.


Fox produces a spooky, witchy read which is ideal for Halloween season, but can honestly be read in any month of the year! The setting touches on the Salem Witch Trials and the atmosphere leaves the reader anticipating a jump scare.

Catherine was an easy to hate character, good thing she was written that way! The paranormal aspects Lydia and Emeline explore together allow the reader to sense the sisterly bond they share, as well as understand their bickering!!

I absolutely LOVED this book and would recommend to anyone who loves paranormal mixed with thriller, and a dash of romance!

Can’t wait to see what Hester Fox has in store for us next!!

Wow, where to I begin with this book. So, let's start with the setting, it takes place in Massachusetts, even if the city is not so real. It takes place in the 1800s, always more spooky, right? And it's about sisters, family creepiness that you can't even think about it (yeah be prepared), there is romance (the old way, which is nice), ghosts (yeah, more creepy and spooky) and old secrets. And I guest I have pretty much told you what the book is about without spoiling it. lol

But, seriously...We follow this family that has left Boston and moved to their country home, Willow Hall, because of a scandal involving one of their daughters.

Willow Hall is dark in itself and history and Lydia, the middle daughter, the one that tries to hold the family together and tries hard on everything but also has some dark inside of herself feels attracted to the house, as if it can talk to her. And more creepily, she hears and sees things that anyone else does.

As the family get settle in Willow Hall, everything falls into place at the same time will fall apart, trying to destroy the family. And we will get to see if they will be able to survive it all and if Lydia can keep it together and protect everyone she loves.

This book was creepy at times, spooky but at the same time? It intrigued me so 4 out of 5 stars. And yes, I do recommend it, specially to read at this time of the year!

One of the best books that I've read in a long time! I stayed up all night and read it. Highly recommended this one! The story flows perfectly.

Content Warning: Note that this content warning will also alert you to a few major spoilers. The Witch of Willow Hall begins with a disturbing animal death and includes a vivid miscarriage, attempted suicide, incest, and child deaths.

Get ready to enter a world of social scandal where any misstep will force you to move your family out into the country. Of course, this isn’t a small family secret or an issue that can just disappear. Plus, it is 1821—a time where women still have fewer rights and act submissive in their respected households. Cyrus wants to marry you for money? Sure, why not? Add in a tentative romance, vengeful and depressed ghosts, unexplained powers, and an eerie cast of women ranging from pure and sweet to vengeful and crude. Meet The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox, a brand new adult gothic fiction title that ties in romance with power, horror, deceit, and death. Chilling yet suspensefully romantic, The Witch of Willow Hall will leave you cheering for Lydia and her budding romance while wanting to slap her sister silly. A tad predictable, The Witch of Willow Hall is a solid debut novel for those who don’t mind a slower paced read.

The Witch Of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Sisters Catherine, Emeline, and Lydia are forced to flee their debutante city life over a family scandal that is revealed a little more than midway through the book. Forced to move 50 miles outside of Boston, they find themselves on a haunted piece of land with a chilling history. Known as Willow Hall, the estate has seen quite its share of tragedies and is a tad cursed. Ghosts who cannot move on haunt the pond outside and pace the upstairs floors.

Located deep within the country, mill entrepreneurs gather trying to make money from a harsh industry. Lydia’s father is a part of the business plans and so is John Barrett—a rather handsome and eligible young bachelor. Lydia and John ignite their flame immediately upon catching an errant pup in the woods. Unfortunately, Lydia’s jealous and possibly mentally unwell sister, Catherine, wants and needs any man that she can get. Desperate to end her own disastrous situation, Catherine causes storm after storm around her—self-destructing and taking Lydia with her. She will stop at nothing to get what she’s want and end up on top.

The Witch of Willow Hall examines the relationships among sisters while leaving readers hanging on the edge of an almost Dr. Quinn like romance. Will Lydia ever start taking care of herself instead of giving up everything for the ungrateful Catherine? Who will John Barrett pursue? How will Catherine escape her rather heinous new predicament? Add in an accidental death or two, broke ex-fiancé with a gun, and powers that knock men off their feet, literally. With a small reference to the Salem Witch trials, paranormal meets history and vengeance.

Who Will Enjoy The Witch of Willow Hall?

If you are an old school romance lover, The Witch of Willow Hall is perfect for you. I hesitate to say historical romance as the time period lacks prevalence. Even though I wanted to slug Lydia and her nonexistent confidence, I bought into her romance with John Barrett. Their love is certainly of the times. John made all the right moves and did everything I hoped he would. I had to read ahead to know their fates as the romance completely sucked me into the drama. Equally, I wanted to jump through the pages to slap Catherine’s bitchy face. P.S. At one point the word ‘bitch’ is used in a fight, causing me to look up the history of when the word became an insult to women (versus referencing female dogs).

In addition, the ghosts and horror elements haunt the pages. The Witch of Willow Hall is not necessarily a keep you up all night kind of scary but is eerie, dark, and kind of depressing gothic scary. The losses are powerful and vivid. Characters leave you chilled. The unique storyline is filled with tragedy and triumph.

A Few Moments of Minor Disappointment:

If you know me, the animal death at the beginning of the story really got to me. Honestly, the entire scene is unnecessary—skim past if you cannot handle disturbing animal deaths at the hands of sadistic human beings. I understand the point of the scene to emphasize what makes Lydia tick, but I could have done without the image. This is more of a personal qualm/taste than the author’s choice.

When I picked this title, NetGalley marked The Witch of Willow Hall as a YA/teen book and women’s fiction. Based on the adult relatable and appropriate content, I would find teens hard pressed to enjoy this one. Amazon categorizes the title as women’s and gothic fiction, which is more suitable. Gothic romance is most accurate. I also expected a heavier historical fiction flair based on reviews and summaries. The Salem Witch trials are a small part of the storyline. Again, none of these criticisms are on the talented author, though.
The middle of the narrative drags for quite awhile. Knock out 75 pages and tighten the somewhat predictable plot, and I would give The Witch of Willow Hall 4-stars.


I would like to thank NetGalley and Graydon House Books for the free advanced reading copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Book Information
The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox [Graydon House Books 2018]

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Gothic, Ghosts & Witches

About The Author: When not writing, Hester Fox is a collections maintenance technician in the museum field. She cleans and takes care of historic collections and has a Master’s in historical archaeology. You can learn more about Hester Fox on her website here.

Let me start with stating how very lucky I feel for being part of this book tour. I wanted to receive an early copy of The Witch of Willow Hall badly because I was convinced by its synopsis it will please me to no end.

I was not a least bit wrong. This is such a deliciously dark gothic romance, I haven't read anything so powerful in the genre in ages.

Lydia's, family – her parents and two sisters – move to the countryside from Boston to run away from a scandal that could become the ruin of all three girl's prospects. However, the house they choose as their new home is half-alive with memories and tragedies of another family, and the nights are rarely peaceful there.

When two gentlemen from the neighbourhood start to make visits to the house, Lydia finds herself in bigger animosity with her sister Catherine than ever before, which is all the worse because thanks to that neither of them foresee the calamity that would change both their lives forever.

After disaster strikes Lydia's anger and helplessness makes her realize she is somehow different form the rest of the world; she is in for a journey of self discovery.

The novel seriously had everything I enjoy: regency era, haunted house, romance done well(!), witchery, creepy ghosts, a nasty scandal, a mysterious family tree... and some other things I can't mention here because I don't want to spoil your experience.

This would be the perfect read for all Jane Austen-lovers who also enjoy thriller/horror. I swear I haven't read anything this good on the gothic side since The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and that must say something, because I LOVED The Thirteenth Tale.

Don't miss out on Hester Fox's amazing debut novel, it is quite a ride believe me.

4.5 Stars

'The Witch of Willow Hall' is a wonderfully atmospheric novel that revolves not only around witches, but also love, family, believing in yourself, and doing the right thing even if it might not be the best in thing for you. It sounds a little confusing, but after you read the novel you'll understand what I mean. I absolutely loved this book and everything about it. I'm a huge fan of anything related to witches and magic, so I had to read this one. I'm so glad I did. This book had everything going for it - a fantastic historical setting, great characters, a twisty plot and a perfect ending.

The characters were all well rounded and complex, especially our main character, Lydia. I loved getting to know her throughout the story and to see her grow, change, and mature. The story is told from the first person point of view, from Lydia's perspective, which made getting to know her on a deeper level than other writing styles and seeing what she thought, felt, feared, dreamed, and so much more. I also really liked watching her relationship with John grow and change throughout the book. It was a nice addition to the story line and didn't overshadow the main plot, which I normally find to be the case. The plot line had a lot more twists than I anticipated, which I loved. I didn't see a lot of them coming, which made it so much more fun. It's a great fall read, especially around Halloween and I highly recommend it for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and romance.

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

This was a debut novel???? Bravo what a ride! I am naturally drawn to books that focus on witches and this one was pretty amazing. I did find myself several times throughout the book wanting to shake Lydia from her utter ridiculousness in terms of her desire to self-sacrifice in the name of other peoples problems. I was thrilled when she finally threw that nasty habit away and spoke her mind! Ugh! I suppose that frustration on my end made this book even more of a page turner because I could not WAIT for her to unleash!

If I can say one this I would have like to read more about her learning how to harness her powers.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Read this one. Perfect for this time of year!

I always feel a strong sense of guilt when rating a book so low, but the truth is- I didn’t love this one. I think the publisher led readers astray from the beginning with the summary of the novel. If you’re looking for a dark, gothic, witchy story, this falls incredibly flat. If you’re interested in historical romance with an element of the paranormal, then you may enjoy this.

To me, it appears the witchcraft elements were an afterthought, haphazardly thrown into the story later, which caused inconsistency in pacing and the story itself lacked real purpose. The writing itself was fine, but this read as if it were taking place in any year. The dialogue was way too modern for it to be set in 1821 and it at times was frustrating. I also found there to be a lack of description of the setting, which is a strong component of gothic stories, without the aid of the house featured in the cover, I could not even begin to picture Willow Hall. I think there were strong ideas and potential for this book, but they weren’t carefully crafted, and they left me wanting and expecting much more. I think that this story was a bit too ambitious for a first novel, but I did enjoy her writing and suspect that her next works will hit the mark.

*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

For some reason I had really low expectations for this book. A lot of fantasy novels that are combined with historical fiction move really slow and I think that's why I wasn't super excited for this one. While I do like historical fiction, it is a genre that I feel like I have to be in the mood for. When I opened this novel however, I could tell that the writing was going to keep me captivated. I tore through this book so fast.

I love the 1800's and ladies dressed in puffy corseted gowns. I find that it is such a romanticized time period and the writing really added to that vibe. The manners of proper society and the ideas of balls and tea parlors is all fascinating to me. This book really made me ask myself why it had been so long since I have read any historical fiction. I think it is because sometimes history can feel so dry, but this novel felt romantic, but also a bit eerie.

Lydia was a sweet girl to read about. The way she cared for her younger sister Emeline was admirable. I could relate to her rivalry with her older sister Catherine as well. Catherine was more of a character that I loved to hate. She was written so well, but was also extremely vain, bold and a bit mean to anyone who would dare to take attention away from her. She could even be downright vicious at times. As for Mr. John Barrett, I found him to be a perfect gentleman and an honorable man.

The plot read more like a historical romance novel than a fantasy. I felt reminded of Sense and Sensibility many times while reading. There were incredibly creepy parts to this novel though. I think that even though they were only sprinkled in here and there, the eerie parts were executed so well with incredibly vivid imagery.

I loved this book so much, it was spooky, but also incredibly romantic. It was historical fiction, yet not dry. But most important to me, as a reader who hates unnecessary romances, is that the romance was never cheesy and it felt necessary to the plot. This exceeded my expectations and then some. I'm so glad that I trusted my blogging friends and gave this one a chance.

This is the perfect book for October or if you just want a great read. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It was eerie and dark, but romantic as well. I kept wanting to know what would happen. I highly recommend this book.

I always attempt to read fall-time reads (books about witches, Halloween, and other general creepiness or mysteries), so this book seemed like it’d be right up my alley. I like historical fiction books but generally prefer that they have some kind of fantasy/paranormal elements to keep me going, so again - this was a great option for me this October! I’ll be honest, it was still mostly out of my wheelhouse.

I also decided to mix in the audiobook in between reading the egalley. I kind of liked the narrator's voice because it did seem to match the time period, but it was always a little jarring when I pressed "play" and heard it again after a while. Her voice is very unique and somewhat off-putting at times, which unfortunately can affect the characters for me. I'm glad I mixed up listening and reading though, so I could picture the characters in my own way when I finished the book off via egalley.

The first quarter of the book spent a lot of time setting the stage and allowing the family to settle in to their new surroundings. They were shamed out of Boston, for some mysterious and scandalous reason that takes a while to come out, and are settling in New Oldbury, MA. They start to get some visitors (the father's business partners) who grow close to the family and don't seem to know about their scandal. There are weird occurrences in the house that mostly affect the two younger daughters, our main character Lydia and her sister Emeline. I'll be honest, Lydia annoyed me in the beginning portion of the book. I hate when characters jump to conclusions too much about other people's motives and automatically write them off. I also didn't like the eldest sister, Catherine, because she was incredibly self-absorbed.

There were definitely some spookier moments but nothing over-the-top scary, which ya girl appreciates. I'm not into super scary and/or horror books. I loved the mix of historical fiction elements with the supernatural stuff! It really establishes the environment and atmosphere. Overall, this could be a really solid read for the month of October! I'd recommend it if you're intrigued by the purposefully-vague synopsis. Those who enjoy gothic historical fiction with some paranormal elements will likely enjoy this, even though it was out of my personal comfort zone

*Thank you to Harlequin’s Graydon House Books, Barclays Publicity, and the author for this book. All opinions are my own.*

I'd been seeing this book around and really wanted to read it and jumped at the chance to participate in the Blog Tour.

This book follows the lives of three sisters who have to leave their home because of a scandal.It follows the mystery of Willow Hall and what happened in it.

I really enjoyed this book and the mysterious atmosphere it had.Although,I feel like this book didn't have as much eeriness as I had expected.I also really liked the setting of this book as it was in the 1800 and it was interesting to see how things were in that time period. It was very slow to move with the plot and the Witch storyline but once that plot got going,it was done very well.I found many parts to be predictable and I guessed what the scandal was early on and another thing that happened later in the book.I liked that i could predict some things. It made me happy.One part I did not predict and was not happy with the outcome.It was very shocking and I didn't expect it. I wanted there to be more magic in the book and it really wasn't there the first half of the book. The last part made up for it though.

I liked the different characters especially Lydia and John Barrett.I enjoyed learning with Lydia what happened in the past and her ancestory.I didn't like Catherine as she was very unlikable and not a good sister. The things Catherine did were predictable and it was easy to guess what she was going to do.

Overall, I liked many parts and it made me happy that I could predict things. I also really enoyed the romance and liked more parts than I disliked.

If you're looking for a good Halloween read then this book is for you. It definitely felt like a halloween book even though it wasn't as creepy as I expected.

4/5

The perfect fall read! Ghosts, witches, and New England in the fall, what could be better than that?? The author does a GREAT job of building suspense, and an eerie atmosphere. Its not scary, but it will definitely send shivers down your spine. There were some parts that dragged a little, but overall I'm really happy I stuck with it!

This book was a great October read for me. It was haunting and suspenseful and the witch aspect made it perfect for before Halloween! The author does a wonderful job blending in the spooky goings on with a bit of romance. The overall feel of this book was very gothic, something I love. What really shines through in this book are the characters. They are have a depth and realness to them that brings them to life. That combined with the haunting setting kept me reading long past my bedtime. If you are looking for a spooky story to read for Halloween this might be the perfect fit!

I am definitely in the minority when I say I didn't really enjoy this book. It found it slow and not what I was hoping it would be. I was expecting a spooky read, but it was lacking that type of atmosphere. The family flees to the country side because of rumors of a scandal regarding the older sister. Given the time period, the scandal could have taken the form of a lot of things. So, I was surprised at the choice the author made for this particular one. It really turned me off of the story. It did have somewhat of a happy ending, but it wasn't enough to save the book for me.

A delicious spine-tingler packed with chilling Gothic intrigue, brooding atmosphere and heart-stopping danger, The Witch of Willow Hall is an entrancing and mesmerizing tale that makes for perfect Halloween reading.

The Salem witch trials might have concluded well over two centuries ago yet little does the world realise that not all the witches had been executed in the 1600s. In 1821, a woman unaware of her power and destiny is about to be awakened by a shocking and startling secret that will change her entire life forever.

It is certainly a difficult time for the Montrose family after they find themselves entangled in scandal. Determined to flee from society’s censorious gaze and lack of compassion and understanding, the family leaves their life in Boston behind for a new life at Willow Hall, an idyllic estate that was meant to be a refuge for the family – especially for the three daughters, Catherine, Lydia and Emeline. Willow Hall is meant to be a fresh start for all of them and will enable them to put the past behind them and start afresh, away from the unforgiving eyes of Boston society. However, little do the girls realise that life at Willow Hall will present its own challenges – not least a creepy atmosphere and a dark history to which Lydia and Emeline simply cannot help but respond to…

As their new life takes them down a surprising and frightening road, the girls must use up all of their courage and determination in order to vanquish evil forces that could destroy them – especially Lydia, who finds herself drawing on a power she never knew she actually possessed. Lydia must harness her energy and fight for her family’s safety because the secrets of Willow Hall are going to rise again and this time they shall be taking no prisoners.

Will The Witch of Willow Hall fulfill her destiny and save her family? Or is this a battle which she simply cannot win?

Skillfully written, beautifully atmospheric and wonderfully eerie, The Witch of Willow Hall is a compulsively readable page-turner that is spooky, terrifying and absolutely impossible to put down. Hester Fox casts a spell on her readers and has written an enjoyable and captivating Gothic tale full of wonderful characters that come gloriously to life from the very beginning, vivid historical color, shocking twists and turns and plenty of chilling moments that will make readers jump out of their skin.

Engrossing, enthralling and unputdownable, The Witch of Willow Hall is a mesmerizing tale readers will not easily forget!

The Montrose family was once a well-respected family from Boston. The year is 1821 and there's a scandal, which means they are pretty much banned from all reputable society. So, the family departs Boston for the country to start over at a country estate, Willow Hall. Her father has made an investment at the local mill and hopefully he, his wife, and three daughters can start fresh unless the gossip follows them. This comes at a bad time for middle daughter, Lydia, though. Her engagement has been broken due to her older sister's scandal and now both older daughters look like they are doomed to be spinsters. That is until their father's new business partner, John Barrett, enters the scene along with his friend. Lydia knows that her older and more beautiful sister, Catherine, will probably steal the spotlight, but she can't help but start to feel things for Mr. Barrett. Meanwhile, strange things start happening at Willow Hall. Lydia hears voices, sees ghosts, and her youngest sister, Emeline, starts acting strangely. The more she learns about the history behind Willow Hall, the more she is worried. The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox is a haunting debut for readers who enjoy a spooky and supernatural tale, but can't handle too much horror.

Lydia is a character that I was instantly rooting for in The Witch of Willow Hall. She is in her older sister's shadow and has resigned to this fact. Catherine, her older sister, is the type of overbearing and extremely egocentric character that I just couldn't stand. I wanted Lydia to stand up for herself, but she truly lacked confidence and was always reminding the reader that Catherine is prettier than her, more charming than her, etc. It was also irritating to have Lydia let Catherine control her, because obviously she didn't have her best interest in mind. Then there's the younger sister Emeline, whom Lydia is very close with. However, since moving to Willow Hall, Emeline has been acting strangely from time to time. Ultimately, this concerns Lydia, but what about their parents? Shouldn't they be concerned?

Speaking of Mr. and Mrs. Montrose, they needed to be more developed in The Witch of Willow Hall. Lydia's mother is an absent mother and that I found frustrating. I wanted her to watch Emeline more closely and actually parent her daughters, but she was often distressed. I do wish Fox developed some of the minor characters a bit more, because at times I wanted them to be more fleshed out and understand their back story.

When Lydia meets John Barrett, things change for her completely in The Witch of Willow Hall. She forgets the horrific scandal in Boston and actually tries to come out of her shell, but of course, Catherine is there to botch things up from time to time. Lydia and John's relationship reminded me a bit of a relationship out of an Austen novel. There's a slow burn, some miscommunication, but fireworks eventually. I was definitely rooting for this couple from the get-go.

Fox writes The Witch of Willow Hall with a lot of atmosphere and I enjoyed the Gothic vibe to the story. I really can't handle any books that are considered horror, so this was a nice "spooky" read to satisfy my desire to read a timely fall tale. There's ghosts, an old house filled with secrets, tragedy, spooky voices, and supernatural events...the quintessential fall read! I am so glad I picked up this debut as it ended up being the perfect companion to a hot drink, a warm fire, and a cool Autumn night.

It's 1812 in Massachusetts and the wealthy Montrose family, mother, father and daughters, Catherine, Lydia, and Emmeline have fled Boston pursued by scandal. The son of the house, Charles, has also fled to London. Catherine is the beautiful, volatile eldest daughter, Lydia the mousey, quiet middle daughter and Emmeline the imaginative youngest. Willow Hall is newly constructed and palatial but from the beginning seems unwelcoming, and even threatening to the family. Even worse, it seems to be amplifying certain powers that Lydia has been trying to suppress all her life. When spirits start to manifest, one an ancestor who was hung as a witch during the Witch Trials of the previous century, Lydia begins to understand that she must explore her heritage to save herself and her family.

Lydia is immediately drawn to her father's upright new business partner, John Barrett, and despite his reticence, he appears interested in her as well. She has always considered herself to be much less attractive than her flamboyant sister, Catherine. The fact that her fiance broke off their engagement when the scandal broke has not helped. Catherine is the source of the embarrassment that hounds them but seems to be determined to find a husband and get away as soon as possible. To that end, she will do anything, even undermine Lydia. Their father is distant, their mother is fading away slowly, so it is up to Lydia to raise and educate Emmeline. It will take a series of tragedies to bring some peace to the Montrose family.

The Witch of Willow Hall is a mixture of genres; gothic, ghost, paranormal, mystery, romance, and family history. It begins with an episode in Lydia's childhood that immediately engaged my interest and continues with enough twists and turns to make one's head spin. Hester Fox draws out the revelation of the scandal that caused the Montrose family to uproot themselves masterfully. When it finally is revealed, it is quite a shocker, unless one has been taking in just how destructive Catherine is. I am afraid that I found all the twists annoying after a while and just wanted to get on with it. My interest held, however.

Thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.


RATING- 3 Stars

WoW! I just loved this story. It was very uniquely creative and kept true to the period. It follows Lydia, the middle sister of three, and her family as they are forced to move from Boston to a New Oldbury due to rumors and gossip regarding her and bizarre events surrounding her. As the family settles in Willow Hall, the strange occurrences follow and Lydia comes to realize that there is more to her than what she knows. I do not want to go into the story more as to not spoil it but I will say that this is a "Must Read" for the Autumn/Halloween season. It is full of ghosts, witchcraft, sibling rivalry, love and even death. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I read The Witch Of Willow Hall with eight of our Traveling Sisters and we all agreed that this was the perfect book for this time of year.

The Witch of Willow Hall is just what we were craving. It has all the elements for a great spooky, atmospheric, entertaining and chilling read with just a little bit of creep to add a little shock to the story. There is just the right amount of tragedy and romance with a sprinkle of witchcraft and a dash of the supernatural, making this the perfect gothic historical fiction for us.

We loved the gothic feel here with Willow Hall and were intrigued by the mystery it holds from the past and now the mystery of a scandal that a family is fleeing from. The suspense to the story grabbed us right from the start and increased as tragedy hits and secrets are slowly revealed.

The sisters here in this story are compelling, complicated and one very messy one that we grew to love to hate. They are very different from each with some mystery to their characters making each very intriguing. We loved the dynamics between them.

We highly recommend this fun and entertaining gothic historical fiction to anyone who loves an easy paced story.

Thank you to NetGalley, HARLEQUIN – Graydon House Books and Hester Fox for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Traveling Sister Read Review
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2018/10/20/the-witch-of-willow-hall-by-hester-fox-hesterbfox-travelingsistersread-bookbloggers-harlequinbooks/