Hannah Linder's "The Red Cottage" is a fast-paced story with a distinct gothic tone that takes place in Cornwall. This ideal gothic setting boasts caves and smuggling, although both are absent here. Murder, arson, and amnesia are the order of the day.

Amnesia as a trope can be ridiculous, yet here it's fairly believable. The heroine Meg Foxcroft understandably trusts her rescuer, Lord Cunningham, over anyone else. However, I found this character's motives a bit perplexing. He's of the aristocracy and she's nowhere close, yet he's quickly attracted to her, even though she doesn't even know who she is. How does one discern an amnesiac's true persona without any prior knowledge? The dedicated and devoted Tom McGwen is undeterred, however, and the end result is sweet and heartwarming. Uncle Owen is another enigma. One of his earlier actions is revealed near the end and I think, "who does that?!"

I have read all of Linder's previous works, and I quite enjoyed them all. This one didn't mesh for me as well as her other books. There are several plot threads that don't converge sufficiently for this reader's understanding. Did I guess the villain(s) behind the sinister murder attempts? Actually, I didn't but regardless, the perpetrator(s) was rather incompetent, which proves fortunate for the lovely heroine. Even though I consider this her weakest novel, others may disagree. It's still an interesting tale, and I plan to read any of the author's new releases.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this book.

This was a wonderful book! It was so fun to read and I loved the writing style of this book! And I loved the banter filled romance!

Firstly, I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read an arc. All thoughts are my own.

The Red Cottage is my first ever novel by Hannah Linder and I am very impressed with characters and their journey all woven through a wonderful world-building. Not only is it a Historical Romance, it is filled with mystery and intrigue. And that is something that really draws me in. Who doesn't love a good romance with a little mystery in the mix?

If you are a fan of historical romance and you are looking for something new to read, I would highly recommend this story especially now that Fall is drawing close.

The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder (Author) is a book I found on NetGalley I was able to read for free.

I fell in love with the title of the book before I even read about The Red Cottage. What drew me in was the Love Story and the idea of a Cottage with a red door. I didn’t expect romance, mystery and suspense all rolled into one book.

At times the story was sad because the man she loved was lost at Sea. Then there is a Lord which all women would want. I didn’t like the Uncle or the gossip but that is something we all deal with in real life just like the main character had to do.

I hated learning her Uncle’s shop was lost to a fire but that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen. If you like Mysterious/ Romantic Dramas you should check out The Red Cottage as well as other books by Hannah Linder.

I absolutely loved this book! The Red Cottage had everything I enjoy in a good read: rich characters, a plot that kept me guessing, and gothic suspense Hannah does so well. The mystery had so many twists and turns, I was constantly guessing!
The character arcs were one of my favorite things. So well written. Watching Tom and Meg grow and remember added so much depth. As I knew I would, I loved the Scottish slang and phrases, and the classic regency feel.
If you enjoy moody mysteries with strong, emotionally deep characters, The Red Cottage is for you. Hannah Linder has outdone herself again! I highly recommend this book, and all opinions are my own, I received a copy from NetGalley.

Meg’s life has not been easy. After a catastrophic event Meg has amnesia and a Lord has found her. Her love Tom is someone she dreamt of having a life with. Will she remember the life she looked forward to or be enticed into something new? A mystery with romance and danger lurking.
Thank you, Austen Prose, for having me on tour for Linder’s book.

I loved this story! It’s my first time reading from this author but it’d not be my last. Now I’d like to read everything she’s written. The story is a captivating one with danger lurking everywhere but not in a dark or frightening way. She, Meg, the main character, is not safe anywhere. But what are they/he/she after, you wonder.

This is a regency mystery, with unexpected revelations you don’t see coming, so complexed that leaves you wondering all the time, especially trying to figure out who the culprit is. Twists and turns that wouldn’t let you put the book down, like:
“I am your uncle???!!! WHAT???!!! 😮

But wait, it’s also a Christian story with faith elements sprinkled throughout.
Wow, the surrendering of Tom!, how amazingly written it was! How credible and relatable of a “lost/prodigal son returning to the fold…
“I want to feel Ye again. I want to love Ye again. I want to be Yer son.”

And a romance story, too! The romance… (sigh) oh, my! How I felt for them. How heartbreaking was at times. Meg and Tom love for each other was beautiful. But everything shatters when the attack took place leaving Meg with amnesia. Though Tom’s love for Meg never wavered, no matter what was thrown his way, like a true hero should be. And Meg trying to find “her way” back to the life she lived. She knew the present and somewhat knew what she wanted for her future but the erased past was something she couldn’t grasp to move forward to her future, and our beloved Tom was there every step of the way.

‘The Red Cottage’ is the perfect title for this story ❤️

If you like Regency, Christian, mystery, and romance all weaved together in a story, this is the book for you 😉

And here are some quotes from the book I’d like to share…

“Sometimes, literature is to the spirit what food is to the flesh.”

“We sometimes forget what we do not wish to remember.”

“Perhaps we do not ever fully recover from our tragedies, but we certainly learn to bury them.”

“Hope is only the benevolent name we give our pain.”

“Find out what makes ye get out of bed in the morning. …whatever it is, keep it, then ye’ll be happy.”

I received an advanced readers copy by Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed on this review are my own.

On the opening pages of The Red Cottage, by Hannah Linder, you see that life, in the year 1818 in England, is full of woe for many. Meg Foxcroft and Tom McGwen have a sweet friendship that may someday become something much more. However, one night someone breaks into Meg’s home. She is wounded, dragged away and wakes up outside a stranger’s home. Remembering little of her former life!

Tom is desperate to track down Meg’s location. However, when he finally crosses paths with Meg and the lord she is currently staying with, she does not remember him. Rather, she sees Tom as a stranger!

This is a bit of a dark tale to follow as Meg tries to remember the world she left behind!

This was a heartwarming story about the power of love! I adored the characters and their development and growth. The plot was well-paced and captivating. I highly recommend this clean and wholesome read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Red Cottage!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! There were moments when I simply couldn’t put it down because I had to know what happened next.

The book follows Meg, who loses her memory after a traumatic attack, and Tom, her first love, who longs to win her back even though she no longer remembers him. It’s a touching love story woven together with mystery and just a sprinkle of faith, which I found both encouraging and uplifting.

If you’re looking for a clean, engaging, and heartfelt mystery, I definitely recommend this book!

The Red Cottage is the first book I've read by Hannah Linder, and I'll definitely be reading more. I'll preface my review by saying I typically don't enjoy mysteries, as they can often get a bit dark or heavy. In the Red Cottage, Hannah told a story with a mystery at the core, but it in a way that never felt overly dark, depressing, or heavy, which I appreciated. The romance was the main focus. The combination of the historical romance, mystery, and faith elements were balanced really well, and I enjoyed the faith journey of Tom throughout the story.

The main characters, Meg and Tom, were enjoyable. For me, Tom's accent was the highlight. His dialogue was giving Jamie Fraser from Outlander vibes; if you know, you know. Some Scottish accents in books can come across inauthentic and a bit cheesy, but I felt like it was really well done in this book. I would have liked a bit more British regency language...just a little for the other characters. I found myself rooting for Meg and Tom's romance throughout the book. For me, the potential "other" love interest, didn't quite hit right and was cringey, but I think that was done intentionally. The reader is able to see that he would not be a good fit for Meg, despite his kind words and actions. The other supporting characters, like Meade, Tom's sister, and Lady Violette were all very lovable and added great depth to the story.

With the mystery, I did highly suspect the character who ended up being the antagonist way earlier in the story than I would have liked, but I think enough other suspects were thrown in throughout the way to keep me a bit unsure. There was some confusion for me at the climax where the antagonist and Tom show up at the manor where Meg is being held, without any transition to them getting there. Other than that, the mystery was wrapped up neatly, and appreciate that Meg and her uncle have a nice moment at the end. The plot does move along quickly, and there really isn't any fluff keeping you in one place for long. At a few points things felt rushed, but it didn't negatively impact the story.

I have one major complaint about this story, and it's so minor, but it really bugged me the entire book! Every time something bad was about to happen to a character or they were in danger, their inner dialogue would always be expressed as "No". Sometimes with additional thoughts, but not always. I don't know if this is common in the author's other books or not, but I found it super repetitive and simplistic. I would have loved if the author described their dread through their actions, facial expressions, or body language, versus always stating it through their thoughts. This aspect felt heavy handed, and made me enjoy the book just a bit less than I would have otherwise.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Red Cottage, and will definitely check out other books by Hannah Linder! I would give this book 4.5 stars.

I love historical romances and this was on.e of them . This was had stumbling blocks and was resolved in the end . This was a very good book and I recommend it . I would read more books from this author
Thank you NetGalley and publishers

Loved reading the inspirational and exciting story. When Tom rescues Meg from a fire, she disappears, Tom finds Meg, but she doesn't remember Tom, and Tom tries to find out why someone wants Meg dead. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of mystery and suspense, and another must read riveting romance story by Hannah Linder.

A great Regency romance. A quirky story that I was caught up in right away. A love story with plenty of stumbling blocks. I recommend it.

Set in the late 1800's in Europe, Meg is attacked and left without her memories, Tom loves her and wants to help, but she doesn't remember him or trust him, but realizes he in the only one who can help her. The story is from both of their points of view and is an interesting story with lots of twists and turns.

Last year Hannah Linder was an author I had the opportunity to discover and her books are marvelous! She is so great at weaving in mystery into her stories that you pretty much think every character is a villain to the main protagonist. This upcoming novel The Red Cottage proved to be a cery wonderful read and I think other readers this coming November willl enjoy this as well!

We are introduced to Meg who longs to marry het beau Tom and live a happy life. However, one night intruders knock her out cold and kidnap her. When she come to she has no idea who she is and where she came from. She ends up staying at the estate of a very wealthy lord but despite being surrounded by weath the one thing she truly values is the memory of the life she can't remember.

Meanwhile her beau Tom will stop at nothing to make sure that Meg is found safe and sound. Although if he wants to build a new life for himself he will need to confront the demons of his past. Will he make it to Meg in time before it's too late?

A story for lovers of historical mysteries, adventure, and romance. Poldark fans will enjoy the setting along the coast of Cornwall, in a small village holding secrets and lurking danger.

The author does a good job spinning a tale that held my attention from the beginning and kept me guessing up until the end. Unique characters whose lives intertwine create a web of intrigue, with a murderous element at work, making it hard to know who to trust. There are moments of peril and some violence, escalating towards the end, with some suspense. Some inspirational scenes are tucked in as characters wrestle with questions of faith in times of crisis.

I enjoyed the character of Tom McGwen and his loyal friendship to Meg. His backstory was heartbreaking, as slowly revealed, and yet he was still so kind and persistent in doing whatever he could to help Meg and others. It was hard to know how their story would turn out. I couldn't help but root for him.
Recommend for readers looking for a terrific tale with mystery, romance and a bit of faith.

4 ½ Stars

I thought this would be a cutesy romance, but there’s very little of that and more…intrigue, confusion, murder, lies, loyalties and the search for truth.
I really enjoyed this book.
Set in 1818 - Juleshead Village, North Cornwall, England.
It follows the story of Meg who lives with her Uncle, an apothecary. Tragedy strikes and Meg is injured, ‘kidnapped’ and left with no memory of who she is.

The first ¼ of the book had an unusual rhythm which I’m not sure was me or an intentional ploy by the author to make you feel like Meg. Knowing but confused. If intentional, then very well done.

Tom, a Scottish, likeable rogue and her best friend…he won’t rest until he finds her.
Whilst unknown forces intent on silencing Meg, Tom and anyone close to them, for reasons unknown. This book keeps you hooked from page one till the end, unravelling the mystery of who wants them silenced and why.

Everyone seems to be holding onto a secret.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

THE RED COTTAGE by HANNAH LINDER is a beautifully written, emotional roller coaster of a romance novel, with a strong Christian message of redemption, full of mystery and suspense. The story takes place in Juleshead Village in north Cornwall in 1818. The characters and their feelings are wonderfully portrayed, and we are kept guessing as to who the villain is and where the truth lies until the very end.
Orphaned Meg Foxcroft lives with her uncle who has the apothercary shop in the village, helping him see to the sick. She and the rugged Scottish fisherman, Tom McGwen have been in love since they were young. They are adventurous and full of fun and they hope to get married when her uncle allows it. Everything changes when tragedy hits and Meg loses her memory …….
Tom’s indefatigable efforts to reawaken her memory and her love for him, his kindness towards her and his young sister, and his protection of those he loves really touched my heart. Meg has childlike faith in God, whilst Tom is angry with Him…..
I am not telling you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I cannot recommend this heartwarming novel highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

As I turned the first page of this book, I never imagined the journey I was about to begin!
We are in 1818 Scotland, and we begin with a fire and a missing person. We journey with Tom as he searches for Meg, and what a journey.
Just when I thought headway was being made as to whom or who was the one, another twist and turn happened. Whom to trust, my mind kept changing whom, and in the end I never guess.
This is a love story, but again not a typical one. You will be page turning for answers!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.