Threatened by a powerful and evil man, opera singer Maggie Lee flees her life of fame and comfort, seeking isolation and obscurity amidst the beautiful and sometimes treacherous moors. Her newfound quiet existence and her tentative feeling of safety are shattered when she discovers a badly-wounded man near her home.

A convict on the run, Oliver Ward is determined to prove his innocence. When a woman takes him in after finding him near death, he didn’t imagine that he’d find in her possession the very jewels he’d been convicted of stealing. Now two people, with plenty of reasons not to trust, must work together to find a way to clear Oliver’s name while keeping Maggie’s identity hidden.

I am a goner for stories set in the moors. So when I came across Michelle Griep’s The House at the End of the Moor, I could not get my hands on it fast enough, and while a nice read, it did not quite meet my expectations. I settled in for an atmospheric read along the vein of the Bronte sisters or Abigail Wilson’s books where the setting essentially becomes a character in its own right. Instead, despite the title, around ninety percent of the book occurred away from the moor. The moor and the house at the end of it played a small role.

The protagonists themselves are likable, but I failed to connect with them on a deep level. While the villains also executed their role, they felt a tad too familiar — as though I had encountered them numerous times before in novels of this style and time period. Oliver’s father was probably my favorite out of the ensemble. He delivered a bit more complexity with his stoic manners that often prevented him from revealing his true feelings to his own detriment.

The House at the End of the Moor is by no means a bad story, it just didn’t wow me. I did not connect with the tale or characters as I would have hoped. Not like Griep’s The Captive Heart, which tugged at all my heartstrings and carried me through the gamut of emotions.

In the end, I suspect it was more an issue of the right book not making it into the right hands. This novel definitely checks all the boxes expected of historical Christian fiction, so fans of the genre will probably enjoy reading it.

4 1/2 stars if I could give them. There is a lot of action in this book and injustice. The book starts in a prison cell and 2 men who claim they are unjustly imprisoned. A prison break leads to one of them left for dead on a lonely moor.
Enter the main female character, Maggie Lee hiding in a house on the moor after breaking her contract as a singer. Maggie finds Oliver after he escaped from prison left for dead. Oliver finally recovers and now follows a suspension filled tale of running and hiding while trying to prove his innocence.
I don’t want to give away too much. Great historical background on the prison injustices that were commonplace at the time.
I was given an e-copy of this book from NetGalley. This did not effect my opinion of this book.

I am always on the lookout for a new book from Michelle Griep because while her books vary in setting and time, her writing is consistent and I've come to love how her stories flow. This story was interesting because the voice switches between first person (Maggie) to third (Oliver). Getting to know them both was a pleasure.

The story progresses steadily and definitely increases in tension and intensity as Maggie and Oliver begin to put together how their life stories intersect. I couldn't help but feel for Oliver and his unfair plight. His determination had me rooting for him from the very beginning. Oliver just never gives up. I don't know that I would be able to be as strong as him given the same circumstances. I guess that makes me Oliver's admirer.

Maggie is also strong and courageous. Because we get a more intimate view of her thoughts from the first person point of view, she was easy to connect to emotionally. Her fears, her hopes and even her dreams were easy to see. Maggie is kind and gentle. I really loved that about her. I loved how naturally the relationship between Oliver and Maggie developed. It felt believable and fell comfortably around my heart. I loved the added intrigue and constant threat of danger. It added a much needed dimension to propel the story forward. It was so good! Oh, and I think the cover is just lovely. 😍

Content: violence, peril, kissing, Christian elements

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

“Death prowled the cellblock like a dark animal seeking prey—especially the weakest. But Oliver Ward would be hanged if he’d let the beast devour the man in the cell beside him. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.” - Opening lines of The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep

The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep starts off with Oliver escaping his horrific jail and arriving in the home of Maggie Lee. Neither knows what to make of the other but both have plenty to hide. Under the watchful eye of the law, they start unpacking their stories and find they have more in common than they thought.

Maggie is a wonderfully strong leading lady, determined to make her way in the world. She is full of empathy, compassion and kindness. I so enjoyed her. Oliver is intelligent and generous, interesting and complex. They set off on an adventure in an effort to solve their mystery and set wrongs right. Soon they are working through their past problems to fix the current day ones. Michelle shares Christian wisdom on trust and forgiveness. It’s gently worked into every aspect of the story.

The book keeps a swift pace and I read it straight through! It has lovely twists and turns! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended to those who enjoy a historical mystery with a touch of romance!

I liked the story and thought it was interesting but sometimes it was hard for me to read. I'm not a fan of reading violence and the book has a lot of violence and cruelty. Very abusive, evil people. Definitely made me root for the main characters to win. And just as I'd think they had moved passed the worst of it, they would turn around and their tormentors were there again.

Maggie's pov is written in first/present tense but when it changes to Oliver's pov the writing also switches to third person. It kind of threw me off although it was easier to figure out whose pov I was in but since I'm not a fan of first person present tense it was jarring each time I switched back to Maggie. And then there was another pov besides those main characters. It might have been important to see the constable's pov to understand how the ending could happen but I dreaded reading his sections. Personally, I'd rather have one person tell the whole story but I know lots of people do enjoy multiple pov.

The book has lots of dark angst and drama. Far more of that than the romance. And lots of violence from sick-minded people. If you are looking for a nice little sweet romance this isn't the book. I'd call it more of a drama which includes a romance. It does have a happily ever after but lots of difficulty getting to it. There are multiple villains in the story and I like that they all get their ending but I am not sure I liked the way they ended. Each was very different from the other.

The Christian lit aspect was very strong. There was lots of it but it was written to be a normal part of the characters so it didn't seem out of place. The big theme was redemption and quite a few characters are redeemed. Not just one of the main characters.

There are some surprises along the way in the plot so I could not see how things were going to resolve long before it did. All in all, it is a good story but on the darker side.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley and voluntarily chose to review it

(4.5 stars) - Providence provides deliverance both literally & figuratively

Maggie & Oliver are both victims of injustice who are on the run from evil who unwittingly wind up together at Morden Hall. Maggie is living there as a temporary tenant when her maid leads her to a man near death at the edge of the moor.

From there the story becomes increasingly more suspenseful as Constable Sebastian Barrow hunts his escaped prisoner, Oliver, and ends up leading Maggie's persecutor to her as well.

The story is immediately engaging and exciting.
I'm not sure how plausible some of the events at the end were, but regardless, it certainly made for a riveting & satisfying story

*Clean romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic
*Religion: overtly Christian with a secondary redemption story but not preachy

An email request arrived in my inbox recently from NetGalley to read and read a book titled The House at the End of the Moor. While I wasn’t familiar with the title, I am familiar with the author, Michelle Griep. I’ve read a couple books of hers before and I enjoyed them! Accepting this offer to read and review this particular book put a smile to my lips and I looked forward to soaking in the words!

The story begins and ends at the House at the End of the Moor, otherwise known as Morten Hall. Maggie takes in an unconscious man from the moor and attempts to heal him while a Constable comes looking for him. As he heals, he recognizes her as Daisy Lee, beautiful opera singer. She eventually recognizes him as a handsome politician.

Maggie has been in hiding for 9 months after abruptly leaving a performance due to advances by a wealthy politician, who’s wife claims her precious heirloom rubies were stolen. The thief opera singer is now caring for the escaped convicted who was blamed for stealing da aid rubies.

There are many twists and turns in this storyline that keep the reader guessing. The emotions the reader experiences while digesting the words in this book is unlike any other! It makes for a great read because you won’t want to put this book down until it’s over!

The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep was given complimentary in exchange for a review. I give it five out of five stars as I put aside all my other books just to finish this before it published! This is a wonderful getaway from the daily grind!

#bookslattesandtiaras

I was so glad to be able to read this book before publication. The book was wonderful. It drew me in right away when Oliver being torture in prison and then his escape. Then Maggie, in her own prison, hiding from a man who wants to harm her. When both meet Maggie shows Christ compassion toward Oliver and help him recover. When the guard came to find Oliver he couldn't get to him, knows Maggie has him. When Oliver discovers the necklace both Maggie and Oliver combines their efforts and find a way for both to release each other from their prisons. At this point I was totally into the book. The characters where all well written. You felt for both Maggie and Oliver well being and I want both to gain their freedom. Oliver and Maggie works together, even going to Oliver father house, which Oliver hates. When everyone works together you are cheering for them to succeed. But then you remember the prison guard. He does not grow weary and continues to get to Oliver and capture him. When their plans works and the guard captures Oliver you wonder will Oliver father and Maggie know he is captured and will they go and help him. Now I was hoping for a dramatic prison escape but Oliver father comes and help Oliver get out of prison, you are satisfied knowing Oliver is free and even his prison french neighbor is released as well.. The ending was wonderful know Maggie and Oliver marrieds and having a life which each other. Maggie can sing, Oliver back in government., and their is a relationship with Oliver and his father. I am looking forward to get this book on audiobooks. I was so excited to read this I think I went to fast and missed much!! I would highly recommend this book to anyone!!

Walking into a Michelle Griep novel, I know three things to the depth of my core:
1. I'm going to love it.
2. My heart's going to go through the wringer.
3. It's going to be worth it because, well, refer to #1.

If you're looking for a page-turner, filled with romance and adventure and imperfect-but-dear characters, you need this book. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to connect with Maggie (I know zilch about opera), but I loved her immediately. And though this book offers a sweet romance, it was the spiritual journeys and lessons of the characters that truly blew me away. I couldn't put it down!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley and courtesy of the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.

The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep has beautiful artwork for the cover. It is very intriguing. This piece of historical fiction is filled with all the pain and brutality that one could imagine being part of the Dartmoor Prison. Both of the leading characters have been victims of circumstances that unite them.

As Mr. Barrows focuses his misguided justice and vengeance on Oliver Ward, it becomes clear that he is haunted by his past and not completely sober of mind. In fact, his mental feebleness leaves readers in a quandary - should they sympathize with his plight or hate him for his cruelty? Read this book and decide for yourself.

A great deal takes place in this story and so as not to give anything away, suffice to say that the focus of the story is on the twists and turns of the main plot. As the plot develops, so too does the relationship between Oliver and Maggie Lee. The best part of the book though is seeing how characters are changed by their relationship with God. In spite of the violence and craziness of it all, hope, love and redemption prevail.

A Corrupt Politician Ensnares Two Innocent People in His Schemes

Oliver Ward, a prominent member of the House of Commons, finds himself in Dartmoor Prison wrongly accused of stealing a ruby necklace from his political rival. He luckily escapes the prison while on a work detail, but is severely injured.

Maggie Lee, an opera singer, has exiled herself to a house on the moor because an admirer threatened to destroy her career and her father’s business when she refused his advances. She finds Oliver on the moor and very ill. After nursing him back to health, they discover that they have both been betrayed by the same man over the stolen ruby necklace.

This is a delightful Victorian romance. Maggie and Oliver are strong characters trying to follow God’s will. He is a champion of the poor. Maggie has chosen a profession that was looked down on at the time. Together they make a formidable pair trying to prove Oliver’s innocence.

The plot of the book is excellent, but at times in the beginning the action moves slowly. However, once Maggie and Oliver decide to prove his innocence the pace picks up. In addition, to Oliver and Maggie, the book is peopled with interesting characters. I particularly liked Barrow. He was a guard and very severe with Oliver, but his character grew during the story.

If you enjoy a romance with action rather than erotic fancies, this is a good one.

I received this book from Barbour Publishing for this review.

The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep is Christian Historical Suspense Fiction. Plenty of thrills are included in this new book. In Michelle Griep‘s usual style a very complicated mystery. This book will keep you awake reading and demanding you finish it. The characters are Christians who go through many hardships and don’t understand why they are suffering. How often have most of us asked why Lord until he shows us His Plan for us? Additionally the reader is treated to interesting historical notes about customs and culture of that place and time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

The House at the End of the Moor
by Michelle Griep

About the Book



My Thoughts

Fans of the Brontës, Jessica Dotta, Daphne du Maurier, and all things Gothic and Victorian, rejoice! Michelle Griep’s latest is a delicious and mysterious romp you won’t want to miss.

I absolutely loved this book. I adore the Victorian era and I especially love stories set in this period that have a Gothic flair. Griep is a master at this. Beautiful descriptions of the moor and the haunting home situated there coupled with suspense and mystery made for a perfectly atmospheric read. It was just delicious! Yet even though there is that creepy element, the story is rooted in a heart-felt message of forgiveness and redemption, as well as two main characters with big hearts. Daisy and Oliver were such lovely characters and made a wonderful couple.

Friends, you must read this book! Run, don’t walk, to get your copy of The House at the End of the Moor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am drawn to historical Christian fiction that includes adventure, a mystery or problem to solve, a bit of romance and a strong faith aspect. This book delivered all of that with well developed characters who were able to grow and change in believable ways. The plot is fast-paced which made it hard to put this book down. Themes of mercy, justice and forgiveness are present throughout.

Intrigue and justice are at the center of this tale. Former theater performer Daisy Lee has hidden herself away on the Moor. By chance, she crosses paths with escaped convict Oliver that has been falsely accused. Together they return to Bath to right wrongs.

While this novel didn't capture me as thoroughly as A Noble Guardian, it was enjoyable. I loved that both main characters had such huge hearts for the downtrodden and neither was afraid to take risks to do what was right.

Resolution for one of the secondary characters, a prison guard, was a nice addition.

An opera singer in hiding and a wrongly convicted jewel thief collide on the moors when she finds him half-dead and nurses him back to health. When the necklace Oliver is meant to have stolen are found in Maggie’s possession, together they embark on a journey to clear his name and fix some wrongs in her life too. All the while they must stay just one step ahead of the brutish officer who is intent on returning Oliver to prison.

I was right there in this book for the first half or so. There were some narrow escapes and Oliver in a dress was pretty funny. I had my ups and downs with the characters. And then by the second half, things began to get a bit repetitive. It felt like it took longer than it should have for things and relationships to move forward. The plan to catch the real bad guys always felt flimsy at best. And the ending was a little strange.

I liked Maggie well enough, but I didn’t really care for Oliver. He was violent and usually seemed to chalk it up to the victim deserving it. I didn’t agree with him most of the time. I really liked Cassius, though, though I won’t say who he was exactly, so I don’t spoil anything. I even liked Nora, for all she was in the story. And then there was Barrow, the officer trying to return Oliver to prison. And I’m sure we’re supposed to dislike him, but violence and wholly inappropriate behavior, alongside a self-righteous attitude was a bit too much for me. Even the pay-off for him, which I began to suspect and frankly would have been really disappointed if the build-up led to nothing, didn’t satisfy me.

This book is rife with coincidences. Besides the fact that Oliver happens to end up in the house of the woman who ended up with the necklace he was accused of stealing, he was at her last performance before she went into hiding. They both want to bring down the same man. And then near the end of the book, there’s this huge, out of nowhere coincidence that I do not understand why it was even written into the story.

I also don’t understand the perspective and tense choices the author made for this book. From Maggie’s POV, it’s 1st-person and present tense. For the other POVs (Oliver’s & Barrow’s are the only ones I can remember), it’s 3rd-person and past tense. At times, changing from one to the other left me feeling a bit disoriented. I have never understood the decision to do something like this.

There was an interesting focus on father-child relationships that I liked. I appreciated the atmosphere presented especially while on the moor. Once the story moved to the city, I missed the moor. The Christianity in this book was a bit muddled. Besides Barrow and his warped sense of God, I’m not sure where Oliver ended up at the end. It almost seemed like his redemption came from the love of the woman, the fact that she was willing to marry him, not from God.

Overall, I did enjoy the book to a degree, but was kinda glad when it was over. I was excited to read this book, because I’d read a Christmas novella by the author last December and really liked it. I’m not giving up on Michelle Griep yet and have my eye on a few of her other books. I would recommend this book for fans of Christian romance, especially the historical variety, and judging from other reviews, I’m in the minority again anyway. So if you like this kind of book, please read those other reviews too!

I love Michelle Griep’s novels. They are filled with so much action and adventure that pages fly by. They always contain well-crafted and dynamic characters who are not only endearing but also relatable. And, Griep’s novels deal with important and timely themes that allow readers the ability to look within and perform a bit of soul searching. All of this is true for The House at the End of the Moor, Griep’s latest novel due to release on April 1, 2020. I found this book one adventurous ride that I simply could not put down. I highly recommend this novel to historical fiction aficionados everywhere.

We Christians love our causes, so much so we sometimes lose track of God’s Truth and His path for us. Our hearts may be well-meaning, but our focus becomes myopic and lost. Such is the case for not just the hero of The House at the End of the Moor, Oliver, but for his nemesis as well, Sebastian Barrow. What a truly fantastic dynamic — BOTH men wholeheartedly believe they are fighting for God, but BOTH men are off a bit in their fights. Because of this, BOTH the hero and the villain are guilty of no longer obeying God’s will. There is so much to love about The House at the End of the Moor, but this unique discussion — that the hero and the villain are both wrong in their causes — is my favorite. Griep beautifully and poignantly illustrates through her hero and villain that once we take ourselves off God’s path we are all capable of being the villains in our own stories. WHOA! What a powerful statement of truth — one I had to really think upon as I read this amazing story.

When we become so focused on what we think is right by God, when we forget to check in with Him and see if our actions match His will, we often run the chance of walking straight off His path and onto one of our own making. We must never forget God. Fighting causes in God’s name, whether it be helping the poor, the abused, the innocent, the widows, the orphans, etc., is a good thing as long as we remember to involve God. We need to make it a habit to regularly check in with God and make sure our actions are part of His will for us. Both Oliver and Constable Barrow, on the surface, fight noble causes. Oliver wants desperately to save the poor and downtrodden. He wants to give them a better life. Sebastian Barrow wants to put the guilty where they belong — in jail. But BOTH men lose sight of God’s Truth and His path, and in the end, have to learn this lesson the hard way. I, myself, greatly appreciate Griep’s lesson. It is a reminder I needed myself — to always check in with God BEFORE I do things to make sure I’m doing His will for me. As with Oliver and Sebastian, I certainly do not mean to ever be the villain in my own story.

There is so much more that can be said about The House at the End of the Moor. One review will never be enough to illustrate just how good and complex this story is. I implore you to purchase a copy today. You will not be disappointed that you did!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author, Michelle Griep, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Another wonderful book by Michelle Griep!!
A beautiful story of justice, forgiveness, and love all with the underlying theme of faith. The author is such a gifted storyteller and while the story has its darker moments, the love story is sweet and faith strong. I loved both Maggie and Oliver and found the book hard to put down. I highly recommend this book!!

When I heard author Michelle Griep describe this story as a Jane Eyre kind of story with a reverse jewel heist thrown in, I was even more intrigued to read! Not to worry, this is not a retelling of that beloved stand-alone classic. But if you love Jane Eyre as much as I do (It may be my second all-time favorite classic novel), then you will love that same flavor that seasons “The House at the End of the Moor.”

What begins in the dark and dreary prison cells and a daring, if not foolishly desperate, prison escape plan sweeps the reader quickly across the wild and unpredictable moors. Two mysterious main characters—each with secrets to keep—are caught up together in a fight for freedom...and vengeance.

The duel POV/tenses threw me at first, as it is an unusual style for this author to choose. The novel begins with Oliver: his story is told in third-person, past tense. Immediately following this, Maggie enters the story: first-person, present tense. Consistency is a must for me, and as long as it is done well (and properly!) it doesn’t bother me. Thankfully, this author knows what she is doing.

I felt an immediate connection with the heroine of this story, despite knowing so little about her and where she had come from (and what she was hiding from). From her introduction in the story as she sat reading Jane Eyre, day-dreaming of an exciting life, facing mystery and danger without fear with a handsome stranger like Mr Rochester at her side, it is clear this young woman is destined for adventure. Because, “if adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad” (Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey) And the thing is, Maggie has only to step out the door of her little cottage on the moors to find those adventures on the other side—waiting to be let in. She is surprisingly careless and eager to make these adventures a reality, however, the more you discover about her past and the reason she is hiding in the first place. For all her caution and distrust, she is also quickly and overly trusting of a man who is a complete stranger to her.

Oliver is a brooding, complicated kind of hero who is just the kind of Mr. Rochester Maggie is looking for. He is quick to anger, but is learning how to deal with this tendency as he struggles with the injustices laid upon himself and others that he longs to help. He's a very guarded kind of character, difficult to get to know beneath his rash and wounded persona.

With a touch of Les Miserables, I found Barrow’s journey the least easy to believe. A man driven to exact “God’s judgement” (in a very twisted sense) upon everybody he came across. His deep and dark rage found ways to harm even the most innocent of bystanders. I preferred not to linger whenever his side of the story was told, and found his intense cruelty difficult to stomach.

I didn’t connect as well with Oliver and Maggie as I expected from characters in other novels by this author. The author was so focused on the action and suspense timeline—often skipping time and jumping ahead to the next suspenseful, dangerous part of the mission. I wasn’t entirely convinced even on the building romance felt between the two main characters because I saw no time for a relationship to grow.

In conclusion, all the character’s “turning points” seemed somewhat hasty in different ways. Some more believable than others. I love a good ending, but wonder if there could have been a more convincing time-table added into that ending to feel truly satisfied with the way things turned out for everyone.

The suspense and action will certainly keep you reading, and it is an exciting ride. For this, I give it a higher rating even though other aspects were not as satisfying: I would say 5 stars for the action-storyline, 3 stars for character and development, and 3 stars for the romance element.

I received this book through NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

So much to love about this book from Michelle Griep!
It was full of suspense, drama, pain, and sorrow, but the most important elements are forgiveness, spiritual healing, and trusting in God.
This author has an amazing talent for creating intriguing stories that keep you fully engaged, as well as nicely developed characters all around.
I love Maggie and Oliver. Their chemistry is strong. The romance is clean. A bit of witty banter here and there makes it fun.
They go through so many emotional situations and help each other to heal, learn, and grow from past mistakes. They both have to deal with their struggles to forgive people who have hurt them.
The author also weaves in the beautiful element of faith and trust in the Lord, which was very well done.
The villains are truly villainous and make me shiver...
There are several surprising scenes in this book - but the end is one of my favorites!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. I am not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.!