The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen~ Litfuse blog tour with review and giveaway

                              Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764207091
• ISBN-13: 978-0764207099

To purchase a copy of this book, click here.

Book Description from Amazon.com:

Publication Date: January 1, 2012

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

My take on this book: 

While I am a huge fan of historical fiction Regency period books are something I just have never really gotten into so this year, I have decided to try and broaden my horizons and change that which is why I chose to read "The Maid of Fairbourne Hall."It was also written by a new to me author which made it an added bonus. 

Thanks to her great-aunt Josephine, Margaret Macy stands to inherit a substantial fortune when she turns twenty-five, her next birthday. While Macy thought she would never have to marry anyone unless she chose to do so things changed when her beloved father died. Her mother remarried and her stepfather Sterling Benton had decided to lock up all the Macy valuables and to keep Margaret dependent upon him he stopped granting her an allowance. When she realizes that her stepfather has plans to marry her off to his nephew, and the lengths he will go to to see that the marriage happens Margaret does the only thing she can do she disguises herself and leaves. She has no money so she takes a job as a housemaid for a man who at one time wanted to marry her. Can she keep up her charade and not be discovered until she can inherit her aunt's money?


Margaret's/Nora's character was one that really grew and changed through out the story,something that I always enjoy. From a pampered lady to someone who had to dump chamber pots, she certainly stepped down but also learned several valuable life lessons while doing it. She got to see how the other half lived, and as she did she had a new found respect for the people who had pampered her all her life. I kept wondering if anyone would ever guess who she was. I often found myself laughing at the predicaments she found herself in. Overall I really enjoyed the characters in this story and found the plot entertaining. It was easy to see the author did her research about this time period and easily allowed the reader to glimpse the way people lived during that time. Books like this one could easily turn me into a Regency romance fan! I will certainly plan on reading this author's other books.

To follow along on the blog tour and see what other reviewers are saying click here.

 About the author:

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She has won the Christy Award: Historical Romance for The Silent Governess (2010) and The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011) which also won the 2010 Midwest Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com.

Now on to the giveaway:

Don't miss the perfect blend of Regency-era romance and mystery in The Maid of Fairbourne Hall! Grab a copy and then be sure to enter Julie's Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVP for her Author Chat party on Facebook! Swoon.

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire


• A Julie Klassen Library (The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Silent Governess)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/14/12. Winner will be announced at Julie's Fairbourne Hall Book Chat Party on 3/15. Julie will be hosting an evening of chat, trivia and a sneak peek of her next book - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books and a Downton Abbey Prize Pack (Seasons 1 and 2)!
So grab your copy of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall and join Julie and friends on the evening of March 15th for a book chat party.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on March 15th!