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

This one sounded interesting and fit in with my schedule this month so I decided to try it.  It was alright.  Not great, but alright.  I did finish it although it took me much longer to read it than it would normally take to read a book of this length.  There was no catch in the first few chapters and frankly I wasn't even sure where she was going with the story until about half way through the book.

The heroine is timid as is the norm for historical romances, but not because of society, rather because of what her mother says to her early in childhood.  She is a witch and no one wants a witch in their family during this period.  On top of it, the older sister has an incestuous relationship with the brother.  There is lots of tragedy and the sister is constantly trying to thwart Lydia and it all seems so Pride and Prejudice with paranormal elements in it that I kind of wanted to keep putting it down and not pick it up.  There are lot of twists and turns in the story to keep it a bit exciting, but don't be surprised when she finally quits playing the fool because it happens so quickly you hardly notice it.

I would say if you love Pride and Prejudice and love paranormal romance this book is definitely for you.  I do love the pond.  She creates a character out of water which is a little fascinating on it its own. Enjoy the twists and turns and the complicated plot, but don't expect to get sucked into this one.  It is a good Halloween romance though.

*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/

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox is a period piece, a ghost story, a story of witchcraft, a story of family dynamics and tragedy, albeit a little more intense than most, and a romance. A big order for one book and Fox pulls it off nicely. It is essentially the story of the Montrose family: Charles, Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline, and their parents, Martha and Samuel who have been forced to leave Boston, due to a scandal and have settled in New Oldbury where their father is building a mill on the river band with his new partner, John Barrett.

Willow Hall is their new home, huge house with three stories and bedrooms aplenty where the remaining servants, Joe and Ada hold sway. Snip, Emeline's dog quite likes the open spaces in which he is able to run and Lydia is taken with finally having the space for an herb garden. There is a pond on the property where Emeline (who is 8) hopes to discover mermaids. The plot is interesting; the characters are drawn with plenty of detail, both physical and emotional. Lydia has an ex-fiancé she left behind in Boston, not quite broken-heartedly, and Catherine is on the prowl for a beau and a social life. These situations are drawn in exquisite detail.

This was an enjoyable book to read, not believing in either ghosts or witches made it more fun and less frightening. The sounds of the night in both Boston and New Oldbury are drawn so well that a reader feels he/she is there in the dark with Lydia. The interactions of this family are ones anyone with a family will recognize, although their tragedies are far worse than most.

I recommend this book. It was a lovely read for anyone who likes period fiction. The plot was intriguing and the characters interesting, #netgalley #thewitchofwillowhall

First off, I would like to thank the publisher and author for providing me this ARC to review. Please note that the version I read was an advanced copy, and certain events/language may be changed in the published edition.

Unfortunately, I DNFed this book at 40%, as it just wasn’t what I expected and way too many things were putting me off.

I was quite intrigued by the historical setting and the hint of darkness and a witch, but that didn’t quite seem to be the main purpose of the tale. The main focus, at least for the first 40%, was on the messed up family relations, and the low self esteem of our main character, Lydia.

The first main issue I had with this was Lydia. She is our witch in the story, but in 40% of the book, this is only vaguely mentioned 3 times, of how she feels a need to release her anger and that just so happens to be magical. The first time was not fully explained, as she releases her anger on a boy and then the boy is seriously injured. The details are brushed over, and we don’t hear much of what happens next or anything. The other two instances are just her anger rising, before she forces herself to calm down because she doesn’t want a repeat of what happened with the boy when she was young. Besides her being good with herbs, this is the only witchy stuff that happens, and nothing about it is actually explained (though I feel this will happen later in the book).

Additionally, the book is also sold as one about a spooky manor, and hidden secrets, and while this did come up within the story, it also felt like a background story in the portion of the novel I read. We have your standard slamming doors, neighbors telling you there’s something off about the house, some ghost sightings, and that’s it. This lack of happening, lack of build-up, kept me from being at all frightened or intrigued by the mystery behind Willow Hall, and didn’t want me to keep reading.

Now, the above two reasons are things that disappointed, but would not have necessarily stopped me from continuing just on their own. Lots of books have boring build-ups, and I’ve gotten through some before to find fantastic endings. However, the reasons below are what pushed me to actually stop.

First, I want to warn other readers by stating there is an animal death early on in this book, and I fear there might be another later. This first death was described in such a way that made me imagine quite a gruesome scene, and I only wish these strong, frightening descriptions were used in moments that would have been better for it.

Secondly, the scandal behind the Montrose family moving is not the sort of scandal I like reading about at all, especially not when the perpetrator of it finds nothing wrong with what was done. While the others, especially the narrator, denounce what was done, it still seems to play a large role in the book, and I didn’t feel like sticking around to see what the inevitable aftermath will be.

Thirdly, the focus of the book is sometimes this awkward sister rivalry between Catherine and Lydia for men. Catherine is the standard gorgeous older sister that has no regard for her sister’s feelings, and enjoys flaunting her beauty to get what she wants. She manipulates Lydia, she takes from Lydia, and Lydia only ever hides away from the confrontation, sometimes being nice to Catherine for no reason. Additionally, Lydia is always comparing herself to her sister, and constantly comments on how plain she is, how no one will ever love her, etc. While I’m not saying narrators with low self esteem are bad, this just isn’t what I expected from this story. I didn’t want to read about two sisters competing for the affections of certain men, or of the narrator constantly being put down and used by her sister.

Additionally, I just didn’t like where the story was going. Spoilers (Emmeline has just died, Lydia just tried to kill herself, and now Mr. Barrett/John is finally kind of admitting that he likes Lydia more than her sister. I just feel like this, on top of the incest + pregnant sister + dead kitten just pushes me away from this book too much).

What I read, in terms of writing and development and such, wasn’t necessarily bad, but there was nothing in the story to keep me reading, to make me want to stick around.

I found The Witch of Willow Hall to be a wonderfully cozy and spooky read. Absolutely perfect for this time of year! I found myself really enjoying reading it during the evenings after work.

Admittedly, I believe this time period is one of my favorites. Not to mention, I loved the setting! Being a fan of books centered around witchcraft, I thought the subtlety was so well done. There wasn’t so much that it was your main focus, but it still played a large role. Also, I found myself really loving the main character. While she may have seemed very timid at times, she was a rather strong female lead who stood her ground even when it would have been frowned upon. Lydia’s love for her family ran very deep even when she did not much care for certain family members. The supporting characters did a wonderful job encouraging the plot and storyline. There were characters that you loved to hate too. Plus, some unsavory topics that I felt were handled very well.

Overall, I would read this book again. I would also love to read another book by this author!

3.5 stars.

Gothic. Mysterious. Haunting. Secretive.

This was a spine-tingling, highly atmospheric story. Willow Hall, the countryside mansion that this novel revolves around, has such an alluring and dominating presence. The house itself, the grounds the house lays on, the woods and the hidden pond. They all held a vital piece of this story and added an extra layer of suspense and intrigue. I loved that!

The characters were so very well done! The author, Hester Fox, does an outstanding job developing each and every character whether they were central to the story or held background roles. There is a supernatural element to this novel which is handled very gently and subtly. I tend to shy away from novels involving strong supernatural aspects. My hesitation is always that the story will feel unrealistic, however, that definitely wasn’t the case with this novel. I truly felt interested and invested in this story throughout.

For me, the intrigue and suspense in the first half of this novel outweighed the second half. While I was still interested and engrossed in the main storyline, I felt that some parts of the second half dragged.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read that was perfect for the month of October!

This was a Traveling Sister read that we all enjoyed.

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

Historic fiction fans, rejoice! Hester Fox has added to your library with "The Witch of Willow Hall," a novel about three sisters with a witch-laden legacy. When the Montrose family is forced to flee a scandal-laced Boston in the 1820s, they find themselves in a rural country home with little to do. The three Montrose girls are as different as can be - Catherine wants to marry, little Emeline wants to explore the woods and nearby pone, and Lydia, well, she just wants to read, dream and live a simple life. Emeline's mysterious death puts everything they've know and dream into a tailspin, forcing them to yield to long-held secrets. Who holds the power in the family? Is it the women's past, or is the spirits of Willow Hall? Fox artfully crafts a tale of history, romance, mystery and devotion in this entertaining novel, a perfect read for Halloween and a chilly night.

3 stars!

The Witch of Willow Hall was a really well-written historical romance debut full of scandal, secrets and drama. While I really liked and enjoyed reading the book, I did not love it. I expected a bit more “witchiness” and a little less romance. I felt it to be a bit to YA for me as well, which is not a preferred genre of mine. I know it’s categorized as a YA novel, but I wanted to give it a shot because I thought it would be a little creepier with some witchcraft tossed in.

I did enjoy the historical aspect a lot and it was a super quick, easy read. I would recommend for anyone who enjoys historical romance with a gothic feel. I look forward to seeing what’s next in store from Ms. Fox!

Traveling Sisters Read 🧡

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin - Graydon House Books and Hester Fox for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox is an exciting New Adult, Historical Fiction debut by a talented storyteller. It’s haunting, has family secrets, strange powers, witchcraft, tragedy, and love, against the backdrop of the 1821 New England witch hunts. An hauntingly addictive tale, with gothic elements and a dash of the supernatural, that will keep readers entranced and turning pages. Very satisfying and enjoyable read. The characters are superb and charming. The plot, mesmerizing and intriguing. Well done, Hester Fox!

“I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review.”



Rating: 4. 5

Reviewer: AprilR

My Rating:

3.5

Favorite Quote:

Mother has thrown herself into the occupation of invalid with her characteristic vigor and dedication. She has the whole household on pins and needles.

My Review:

I struggled valiantly with this one to the very end; it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a bad book just, unfortunately, an avalanche of my pet peeves. While the premise was interesting and the storylines were imaginative and well written, the plot unfolded at an extremely slow pace and was cast with largely unlikable and disagreeable characters. This book felt more historical YA than anything else, and there is a reason I don’t often read YA; I tend to become exasperated with the characters, which unfortunately happened here. The parents were indifferent and disinterested in parenting, the older sister was vile, and the main character was naïve and spineless.

The author performed an excellent job of maintaining tension, as most of the characters were uptight, fractious, deceitful, and largely uncommunicative while the storylines were taut with family drama, angst, and conflict. The sense of impending doom was well executed from beginning to end. This wealthy family had fled Boston on the edge of ruin to avoid scandal, although it is well into the book before the actual cause of the scandal was exposed and wow – it was not the usual twist. I was intrigued and curious about the otherworldly issues which were the most creative and entertaining aspects to the tale, but sadly, those story threads occupied but a small portion of the narrative. I was considerably frustrated and circling despair when the last few pages finally allowed me to unclench my jaw with a satisfactory HEA although I still despised most of them… but I tend to hold a grudge.

This was another perfect read for the season. If I’m being completely honest, I ended up enjoying this tremendously more than I had anticipated I would. The Witch of Willow Hall is a gothic, historical novel that enchanted me from the beginning.

There was a lot to enjoy about this book, but my favorite thing was its atmospheric setting. The Witch of Willow Hall reads like a Jane Austen book with some witchcraft and eerie paranormal activity mixed in. The period drama aspects were so charming! The romance that develops between two characters was really cute and I couldn’t get enough of it. The scandal that haunts the Montrose family is juicy enough to belong in a Game of Thrones book. Along with some endearing characters, such as Lydia and Mr. Barrett, we also have some very unlikeable characters, like Catherine and Cyrus. All the characters are well-written and form interesting dynamics important to the story.

Hester Fox does a fantastic job of blending the drama with suspense. Although the story is more of a gothic romance, there are still some spooky encounters and mysterious elements that make this a wonderful read for October. The Witch of Willow Hall is a suspenseful historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. I stayed up later than I expected to finish this because I couldn’t put it down!