I was obsessed with The Lost Colony as a kid. The idea of a book exploring its fate and the gorgeous cover is what drew me to the book. The premise held such promise but, sadly, it didn’t deliver in my opinion. It’s disjointed and confusing and The Lost Colony seems like an afterthought.

I’m well aware that this is an unedited advanced copy, but paragraphs like this one made it difficult to read and follow the story when I had to work so hard to decipher what was being said: Officials from Emory University Eleanor White Dare, daughter report that a California man of Roanoke’s colonial governor, traveling through coastal John White. White departed the North Carolina may have dis covered an important clue in the 350-year-old mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

This one is a DNF for me.

Loved it!
I was sold in the first sentence of the synopsis. A widow and her daughter came to inherence the mysterious house. The place where Alice grew up and associates with the mother who lost her mind, getting lost among other bitter-sweet memories. Through the eyes of her child, Penn she re-discovers the magic of her family inherence. The commonbook written by her ancestors started for one of the survivors of the Roanoke colony, Eleanor Dare.
I must admit that I started it with a lot of expectations, the synopsis got me from the first line. And even if at first the narration was a little slow. I loved it. The plot is built perfectly. The characters gain a place in your heart real fast and the story just catches you. The changes in the narration are perfectly done to mix the stories of the two main characters, and the chapters written by Eleonor. A book that could get almost anyone caught in the mystery and lives of its protagonists.

Who wouldn’t want to inherit a book passed down from woman to woman for 15 generations?! This story has every element I could ask for: an old mansion,
a mysterious ruggedly handsome man, a book of curious memories, recipes, and special concoctions, and a lost stone with engravings. This is a rich, character-driven novel, told in the alternating viewpoints of Alice and her daughter, Penn, with excerpts from the diary of Eleanor Dare woven throughout and leading to a dramatic conclusion! I loved the connection to a real mystery! Read this if you enjoy tales of family drama and unraveling mysteries.

I really didn't know much of the Roanoke history. I have heard some and because of books like this one, I have started reading more and more about it. It is an interesting mystery that may never be answered.
Eleanor Dare is Alice's (several) great grandmother. Not only did she inherit Evertell, there seems to be a curse on the women of the family. Alice returns to prepare to sell her family legacy before the curse can catch up with her daughter.
A very interesting story of motherhood, set with a backdrop of a widow from WWII. It has themes of family, forgiveness and racism.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be reading more of Kimberly Brock's books.

"The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare" is a beautiful story full of history, mystery and family. Alice and Penn were immediately likeable characters that I was quick to invest in and want to know how their lives were going to continue. The setting was detailed that I could envision walking through the estate and town. I love flashbacks and the ones that Kimberly Brock has put into the narrative were wonderful to read and offered an all around historical story! Thank you to Kimberly Brock and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Wonderful mother-daughter story that focuses on the legacy of strength and wisdom that is shared from one generation to another. Upon their return to Evertell, both Alice and Penn seek to discover the secrets of the past. It is through this understanding that they find the strength and hope to forge their own paths in a future full of promise.
I was hooked by the very first line, mesmerized by Brock's lyrical prose that brought to life the setting of Evertell, with its mystery and magic, and the heartache of loss that has followed Alice since she was a child. The author pens an intriguing twist to the story of Eleanor Dare's disappearance and the controversy surrounding the Dare stones. I found this to be a wonderful blend of historical mystery and romance, but most importantly as a story of the role that generations and events take in shaping us, but not in defining us.

Kimberly Brock is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/ publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Eleanor, Agnes, Catarina. Marguerite, Francoise, Esme, Garnet Lee. Sally, Anagelique, Bernadette, Camille, Delaney. Flora, Callisto, Claire. A bunch of strong women through the ages, followed by Alice and now, Penn. Just mothers and their daughters.

After experiencing two massive losses, life for young war widow Alice Young and her teenage daughter Pennilyn has changed for the worse. When Alice inherits Evertell, the place where she grew up and also the place where she lost her mother, it opens up a door to her past that she has kept buried. Alice and Penn make their way to Evertell with the intention of fixing the place up and then selling it. But life has a way of working its own magic on our innocent unsuspecting selves, doesn’t it?

"Curses might be dismissed as superstitious, but consequences are very real.”

Once we get to Evertell, the history that Alice has kept hidden slowly unfurls and it takes us back to the 1500s to Eleanor’s Tale and the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. Simultaneously, we also witness Penn’s quest to find herself and Alice making way for the future through her troubled past with everything coming together satisfyingly well at the end.

Mark your calendars for the 12th of April to meet the descendants of Eleanor Dare while I thank @netgalley, the publisher and the author for the approval of an ARC for me.

“We need not be content it with simply being part of the story. We may choose to be the storytellers."

P.S.: The Jewish tradition of leaving a pebble at a grave instead of flowers (because stones last forever) was an unexpected piece of knowledge gained from this book. The idea of a prayer to watch over departed souls exists in every religion, but this one feels amazingly thoughtful.

P.P.S.: 10+ reviews on NetGalley!! Such privilege to get to read a book before the world. Thank you, @netgalley

The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare was a beautiful story! I didn't know that this story was inspired by the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony & that Eleanor Dare was a real person who lived during that time! So it was interesting to learn something new. Following along as each character deals with her own time and own ups and downs I couldn't help but feel drawn to them. The writing in this book is absolutely wonderful! The author has a way of capturing you & bringing this history back to life right before your eyes! I loved the mystery & suspense! The pace, the characters, the setting all of it flowed well together! A wonderful story!

Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours & Kimberly Brock for sharing this beautiful story with me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I’m an avid historical fiction reader and was super excited to read this book based on the synopsis. I have been fascinated by mysterious disappearance of The Lost Colony of Roanoke and had high hopes this would feature a more imaginative story about where Eleanor and the colony ended up while tying back to descendants many decades later. As I read the pages, I kept waiting for the story to take a different direction and was ultimately let down by the time I finished the book.

I did enjoy the mother-daughter character development between Alice and Penn. The struggles of woman were well depicted for the time of WWII, which is when a majority of this book takes place. It outlines the emotional toll of losing husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. I also enjoyed the incorporation of one character in particular that showcased woman stepping up for difficult jobs while the men were away fighting the war. The book was beautifully written throughout with exquisite detailed descriptions to the surrounding environments of the characters.

I was disappointed chapters featuring Eleanor’s perspective were not introduced until halfway through the book. From the book title, I was expecting to be introduced to her perspective more early on and for there to be a more mysterious element to the book. Overall, I wish the historical element of The Lost Colony of Roanoke was more prominent in storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and Kimberly Brock for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love the cover, love the premise, loved the book. I thought this was such a fun and interesting story. I have always been fascinated of this tale and loved the in-depth story the author unfolded. I definitely will be recommending this book!

I find I failed to be gripped by this story, and it feels really mismarketed. It follows the last in this mystical line of women, and while the connection is semi-established, it isn’t done in a way that felt cohesive.

I received a complimentary copy of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare. Thanks NetGalley!

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love mysteries and history, especially the one surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke, so I was pumped when my request was approved.

It's ironic the author mentions in the afterword how she was inspired to write about the Dare stone, when Eleanor Dare barely factors in the narrative.

This is really about a mother and daughter, Alice and Penn, struggling and grieving the loss of their husband and father, respectively, in WWII.

It's about connecting with your past, how we're tied to our homeland, our ancestors, and making amends with the choices you made and moving forward after tremendous loss.

The writing is great, especially when the author describes Evertell; I could smell the jasmine and herbs in the garden, picture Penn rowing across the lake, feel the heat and humidity on my skin.

But, the story itself is slow, plodding; I felt the author was really interested in writing about the aftermath of WWII, how the nation was struggling with the loss of fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers lost in a terrible war; the simmering racial tensions that never go away, not then and certainly not now.

The title is about Eleanor Dare but she makes up barely 5% of the story.

There's no magic, no spells, or mysticism; the narrative is about Alice and Penn's life and how they will start over after losing someone they loved dearly.

Overall I liked the story, however it felt slow and overly descriptive at times. I did struggle to 'get into it' although the second half was stronger I felt, but perhaps I was more invested in both Alice, Penn & Evertell by then.

The story primarily focuses on the hardships of war, losing a husband and father, and family - particularly exploring the strength of relationship between mother and daughter. I thought the story would be more 'magical' but the 'mystery' element really evaded me throughout.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

This was such a good premise, and I'm really loving all the stories of Roanoke/Eleanor Dare lately! I love the cover, and I was super excited to read this. I thought the author did a great job of creating a mystical atmosphere, but the overall story didn't completely work for me. I was looking for more of a connection and Roanoke story. I would have liked that to be more incorporated into the overall story. The second half of the book was stronger than the first half. I would still look for more books by this author, so I don't think this was a bad book by any means, I was just looking for a bit more.

If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing or anything by Alice Hoffman, this is the book for you!

Toward the end of WW2, Alice and her daughter Penn find themselves reeling in grief after a string of painful passings in their family, forcing Alice to return to Evertell, the home she has hidden for a decade. Alice must revisit a past she thought she escaped, reliving the trauma of her childhood as she finally shares the family history she shielded her daughter from. It's not all darkness and grief, as Evertell possesses a mythical, otherworldly quality that just might nurture and heal decades old wounds.

This is a book for mothers and daughters who constantly redefine their relationship, for families working through the residual trauma of their ancestors, for mental health survivors, for proud southerners. You will be transported to a different time through characters you wish could help solve your problems. There is a gentleness Brock writes with that tells us it's ok to not be ok and encourages us to lean on those going through similar cycles of grief. In times of loss, our greatest strength is our community, and by the end of this book, you'll wish you were a member of Evertell.

A quick read with dual timelines. The story is well written, the author lets you feel the profound loss of the main character.

Her descriptions of the family homestead made the entire story come alive for me and reading those parts were some of my favorite parts of the story. Don't you just love when you get a clear picture of the surroundings?

I did love the second half of the book more than the first with its historical factor and wished it had been more of the story.

The author's notes at the end really made me think and look back on the ook slightly differently

Kimberly Brock is certainly on my radar after reading The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare, and I look forward to whatever she gives us next

I had high hopes for this novel.

I was ready for a creatively imagined story based on the real - but little known - tale of Eleanor Dare, who left England in 1587 as part of an expedition for North America - and, along with her fellow colonists, mysteriously disappeared.

A few pages in I thought, great! What a unique angle. Kimberly Brock’s take on Dare’s intriguing plight is through the eyes of her relatives some four centuries - or 15 generations - later, during World War Two.

But I’m sorry to say, as I got further in, I struggled to connect with the novel’s characters, plot and style. Perhaps it was too mystical for my tastes? Perhaps the narrative too lush?

I’ve no doubt many readers will enjoy it, but I found myself labouring through, and skipping large chunks to get to the point. I wanted to love it, but found my heart was just not in it. I do hope the book makes it into the hands of readers who will love it.

I absolutely LOVED the cover of this book. And the premise of the story 100% sucked me in. I'm also a sucker for multiple POV, so this book had all of the potential to be an instant favorite of mine. And yet it fell a little flat. I liked the story, but I wasn't invested. Couldn't relate to any of the characters, and honestly the "Eleanor Dare" connection felt a little thin.

This story immediately peaked my interests because it is about the Lost Colony of Roanoke, which has always interested me. Eleanor Dare was a real person and you can really tell that the author put a lot of thought and research into this novel!

I definitely enjoyed this book full of magic and mystery! This story goes as it's own pace as the study unfolds and was absolutely beautifully written. I was pulled into the story and truly felt each emotion along with the characters.

My favorite character was Penn. Penn was such a great kid, you couldn't help but smile are her curiosity and intelligence! Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours and Harper Muse for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is due for publication 4/12/22! This review will be posted to my blogs on April 1st for my tour day!

My husband and I have long been intrigued by the mystery of Roanoke, and I was so excited about this book. Alas, I found it confusing,disjointed, and lacking in characters to attach to.
The author obviously did lots of research and parts of it were interesting. But the narrative was often hard to follow, and turned into more fantasy novel than historical fiction it was touted to be.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.