The characters are great! I love how well Griep describes settings as well. The only thing that I did not enjoy was the shift in point-of-view.....I found it a bit off-putting. Great story, though!

This was an interesting read. It was well done but it just lacked depth for me. It was also a bit slow but it was interesting. Others may enjoy it very much.

This author has a unique voice and I always enjoy the stories she weaves. Her talented writing pulls me back in time and for a history buff, it's a special treat. Although set many years ago the themes addressed in the book are current and enduring. Not only are societal issues tackled, the importance of faith, family relationships, and the heart of a person shine bright in this novel..
" But I fear you judge the wealthy too harshly. Not all who are rich are self-centered money-mongers, just as not all who are poor are virtuous. Having lived amongst both the rich and the needy, I find it is the heart of the person that makes the man, not the amount of coin in his pocket."

Seriously, Michelle Griep’s books are wonderful, this one included. Maggie and Oliver were both deeper characters than who they were initially introduced to us as. They were each hiding a secret, which tied their stories together even more when it came out. The development of the stories and their relationship, both as two people who grew to trust each other first then developing into a deeper connection, were all done at a perfect pace to keep me interested and be realistic at the same time. There was a nice theme of redemption and forgiveness of one character in particular towards the end also wrapped this up without ever feeling too overpowering.

This book is amazing!

No, really -- it truly is. I enjoy reading historical romance novels set in the 18th to 19th centuries, but many feel the same. The characters change, the settings change, but the plot, for the most part, stays constant.

This book broke the cycle in the best of ways. "The House at the End of the Moor" contains a refreshingly original and fast-paced plot with a strong cast of memorable characters. We see strong growth as the plot progresses, ride out a few twists and turns, duck a few curve balls, enjoy the redemption of seemingly irredeemable characters and ultimately land right in the middle of a satisfyingly happy ending. The closest title I can think of would be Les Misérables, but there are only faint similarities to the main plot.

Michelle Griep masterfully sets the stage on page one and she doesn't let up for the entire story. I felt like I was right in the middle of the Moor with Oliver and Maggie. We feel Oliver's anguish as he watches his friend suffer in prison and we cringe at the pain caused by the efforts of a misguided constable (think Paul persecuting the Christians -- you wouldn't be too far off). We feel the tension between Oliver and his father thanks to their cargo-hold's worth of past emotional baggage. And, yes - we also get to watch interest gradually take root and grow between our two main characters in the sweetest of ways.

Blush factor: squeaky clean
Violence: a fair amount of light violence, with somewhat graphically described injuries
Language: again, squeaky clean

I wholeheartedly recommend this title and look forward to re-reading it myself at a later date.

Thank you, publisher and author, for granting an advance copy of this title in exchange for a review! All opinions expressed are my own.

This was an intriguing book to read. It had a good plot, interesting characters enough to keep me reading. The life of prisoners in Dartmoor was well written giving an insight of what they had to endure. The two main characters were strong and it was nice that the book had a happy ending after all the things they went through. I recommend you to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I really want to like this book. It's historical fiction, which I really enjoy, and it's also Christian fiction. But the big problem for me is the writing style. I've said this many times, but when you have multiple narrators but only one is first person, that one is singled out to be more important. It's also really distracting and breaks the immersion whenever it switches. In this case it's even more of a dissonance because it's first-person present tense and the third-person is past tense. But it doesn't even switch off every chapter; sometimes it switches within the chapter itself. That makes it really hard to stay engaged in what's happening.

I'm still giving this a good rating because the atmosphere is really good. I'm just finding it hard to focus on the story when the style switches so drastically.

Brava!
Every time I think Michele Griep's writing is at its peak, she comes out with something even better than anything she's written before. Everything about this book- the intrigue, the story premise, the historical content, and the crafting of her words- has been beefed up. I highly recommend!
This book was provided to me by the publisher, but as always, my opinions are my own.

Great read. It truly was a beautiful read.
I loved how the characters grew up and all for the better and forgiveness for others.

A very well written inspirational romance with a bit of suspense. Great plot, setting and well developed characters. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Maggie Lee is determined to stay hidden in her house at the end of the moor until escaped convict Oliver Ward comes crashing into her life. As Maggie conceals Oliver from a cruel and vindictive lawman, they both come to realize that Oliver's unjust conviction for jewel theft and Maggie's sudden flight from London are inextricably connected. Together, they decide to return to the metropolis and break free from the shackles that bind them. If they succeed, Maggie will be able to sing her arias without fear and Oliver will be able to find his way into Parliament once again. But when a powerful politician puts all his resources into overthrowing their plan, Oliver ruefully realizes that he must turn for help to the one man he never wanted to see again...his estranged father.

This quick read was filled with adventure, mystery, romance, and faith. Maggie and Oliver are bound together by circumstance, but will they give in to suspicion and fear or will they allow trust to build between them? The sadistic villain (who is given his own point of view in some sections) was a little bit over the top, but the plot surrounding the stolen jewels, paste replicas, and fraudulent insurance claims was an interesting one. All in all, this was a pleasant read and quite in keeping with Michelle Griep's other novels set in England. If you enjoyed Griep's Bow Street Runner series (beginning with Brentwood's Ward), you'll enjoy this one as well.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a great book full of love and forgiveness with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes. I can't wait to read more from Michelle Giep!

Open Your Heart

This book was a great read. It caught my interest from the start and just got better the farther on I read. An Opera singer hiding in a house on the moors, an escaped convict, a missing ruby necklace, a corrupt politician, an unethical theater manager, a famous Lawyer and a constable with a mean streak all come together to make for an engaging tale in the English countryside and the city of Bath.

The author has done a great job with this book it is well written and engaging. Mr. Barrows the constable kind of reminded me of the Coyote in the Roadrunner cartoon. He would get so close to catching his prey than something would happen to him and the criminal would escape again. He was the character you loved to hate. Quite a frustrating man and a bit comical. I loved that he finally found that God was the answer.

I was so happy to see that Oliver finally reconciles with his father when Oliver stopped wrestling with his faith and let God take over. It was sad that Maggie lost her father but the romance between Oliver and Maggie was heartwarming.

The book is a gem to read, inspirational and engaging. I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Michelle Griep, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of the book.

The characters of Oliver and Daisy Lee/Maggie works well, others you wanted to really dislike. There is a lot to like in this book. There were moments that were very interesting, even suspenseful with many twists and turns and a few surprises. The author has done a lot of research prior to writing this book, I liked the history and the Christian view point. But there were also stretches where the story dragged on and on. All and all it is a good book. I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in return for my honest review. Thank you.

Famed opera singer Margaret Lee is hiding out at Morden Hall at the end of Dartmoor, when she finds escapee prisoner Oliver Ward lifeless at the side of the road. The plot centers around a jewel theft they both are connected to. On an intense and dangerous mission to bring down the real jewel thief they have to deal with people as dangerous as they are powerful.

Having fled from her contract obligations to sing in Bath, famed opera singer Margaret Lee is in hiding at the end of Dartmoor. She feels she has to escape to protect herself and her father from threats and violence. After 9 months at the end of the moor she is still scared her manager, Mr. Grout, will find her.

Oliver was wrongly convicted for theft of a jewelry necklace and has fought to stay alive in Dartmoor prison. He makes a narrow escape with dangerous and violent Prison Warden, Mr. Barrow, on his tale. This is why he ends up near Margaret’s house, wounded and unconscious. When he gets better, he recognizes Margaret as the one who wore the necklace just before it was stolen. He suspects her to be the thief. She thinks she is in possession of a theatre prop, and is shocked to find out it is real.

Margaret and Oliver realize they have to work together, so they decide to set out on a journey to Bath to solve the jewel mystery as well as trying to stay safe from Mr. Barrow and Mr. Gout who are chasing them. Throughout this ordeal, they get to see each other bring out their best under pressure.

I really liked the character of Margaret as she tries to fend for herself in a world of powerful men. I found her reactions believable for a woman of that time lacking the security of family or powerful connections to shield her. All her life she has been told what’s acceptable and what’s not by men, but now she is done with it. She has a good heart taking mute girl Nora into her employ, when she is harassed in the local community.

Oliver seems a real charmer with the ladies, and well connected among various groups of potential voters come election day to parliament. He uses his silver-tongued skills for all they are worth to get out of sticky situations. His work in favor of the less fortunate has led to powerful people wanting to get rid of him, hence the wrongful conviction. His political views seem something like Ross Poldark’s, as he fights for the poor and against people whose goal in life is lining their own pockets whatever it takes.

This story contains some seriously unsavory characters. Well done! Prison Warden and law enforcement officer Sebastian Barrow in particular, who has his very own interpretation of what trust in God entails. I find him to be a violent, dangerous and appalling man. When dealing with prisoners, knocking them senseless seems to be his go-to approach. Whether they survive or not doesn’t seem to concern him. He is an excellently crafted villain character with a questionable stability of mental health. He really pushes my buttons. I am pleased to see there is a bit of a positive development towards the end of the story, so stay tuned.

The story is told from Oliver’s and Margaret’s points of view as well as Mr. Barrow’s, who keeps hunting them down to achieve his version of justice and God’s will. The plot contains some intense and dramatic parts, mixed with calm in which the relationship between Margaret and Oliver gets room to develop and, I’m pleased to say, my shoulders get to relax a bit. I really enjoyed the funny streaks mixed into this story, which lightens the mood in spite of the sometimes intense drama.

As the danger temporarily subsides Margaret gets conscious of some of Oliver’s positive traits. There are contrasts in this plot which I love. We move from sequences of Dickensian proportions to opulence in homes of the super rich in Bath. There is a clear element of faith running through the plot which I also truly appreciate.

Fans of Michelle Gripe will enjoy The House at The end of The Moor. It is recommended for readers of historical fiction too.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing and NetGallery for this eARC in return for my honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.

My rating: 5 stars / 5

The synopsis hints at a little bit of mystery for Michelle Griep's latest novel, The House at the End of the Moor. It does have a mystery. I enjoy the writing. Griep is wonderful at using her descriptions and crafting unique characters that carry readers through the story. The plot was a little different from any previous Regency novels. I enjoyed that idea. The romance wasn't really a leadng factor in the story. In fact, not that important that when they married at the end of the novel, I felt cheatened. The hero and heroine really didn't have feelings for each other throughout the whole novel. They may have said something about each other toward the end, but the majority of the story, they were most focused on returning to a normal life without having to look over their backs for someone to bring them harm. Overall, The House at the End of the Moor is a mystery wrapped in a Regency novel. While the plot was fine and held my attention, the romance was unbelievable. If readers enjoy Griep's other stories, Julie Klassen, or Sarah E. Ladd, then this might be a novel right up their alley.

I received a complimentary copy of The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep from Barbour Publishing, through Celebrate Lit tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of this book or author until it popped up on Netgalley. I am extremely glad that it did. I will def read more by this author. Michelle Griep rights a romance that is both compelling and completely different from any other I have read before. A convict set free. A hidden bird let loose. A villain questioning his motives. (This was prob my fav part of the book. How many times does a villain turn good!!)
Would def recommend.

A thrilling Victorian era adventure across the moors of England! A Good Samaritan act puts a young woman in peril, binding the two main characters in a plan to bring justice down on those who have wronged them.
This well written tale has it all--action, treachery, inspiration, and romance--with colorful characters worthy of a Dickens novel. It felt like reading a fast paced classic, reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo or Les Miserables, but with a unique plot of its own. The theme of justice is at the center of the story, both on a personal level and in society. Both main characters have reasons to be angry at the injustice done to them, setting up a perfect scenario to seek revenge or choose forgiveness.
"...righteousness belongs to God alone. It will not be found at the hand of man."
There are some powerful moments of surrender, redemption and reconciliation. It was quite moving at times. It reminded me of Psalm 73 where the writer despairs until he realizes that God has not abandoned him and that He will bring justice in the end. Hope for failed relationships and trusting God to help in times of need also added inspiration to the story. The ending included a perfect wrap up and left me in a bit of a book hangover--the sign of a great story.

Recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian fiction with action, adventure, inspiration and a bit of romance. (A warning for tender readers--there is some violence, associated mainly with the prison and a ruthless guard--but not overly detailed.)

This book hooks you on the first page and doesn’t let go! It is full of action, adventure, drama, mystery and romance. It’s a book that you don’t want to end but you just have to know what happens next. Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a wonderful and at times suspenseful book! I love the main characters and can relate to them on so many different levels. This is a creative work of art woven together into a love story that you don't expect. I loved the twists and turns and the little surprises hidden throughout this book. Wonderfully written, smooth flowing story line and believable characters.