And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within. I'm surprised with how highly rated this book is as it's one of the worst books that I've read recently. Holmberg is an award-winning, best-selling, and internationally published author of fantasy and romantic fiction.

There are magics in the house and at first it seems to resent the presence of the new owner but things change over time and as the back stories of the house, the owner, the housekeeper and the previous residents are revealed so to are new challenges to be overcome and evil from the past resurfaces to threaten their lives. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. The plot moves along well and the characters grow and develop (growing on the reader as well) as the plot progresses.Then comes the newly hired maid, Beth, with her own abilities and foresight, and Baptiste, who grunts and lumbers, but cooks the most delicious meals. If you could take the enchanted characters from the Beast's castle and sprinkle them with a little magic from Hogwarts, then you'd have Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. One of the best reads of this year, so happy there will be more stories of this fantastic gang, Heir of Uncertain Magic. While they act childish a couple of times, they are also dealing with their pasts and vulnerabilities.

If you enjoy books about magical worlds that are still Christian, with romantic tropes then this is for you! Each has been hurt in the past and they have their guards up to avoid letting others get close but even the house knows they are attracted to each other before too long. I see there is book two (which I’m grabbing after posting this review), so I hope the character arcs have more attention. Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda's work still proves unexpectedly difficult. This is an alternate-world novel, where magical families and houses are accepted and certain groups have been created to preserve those lineages and hopefully grow the magical abilities that are slowly dying out.

As each character is introduced and began to acclimate into this found family of sorts, I began to deeply care for each of them. Psst… I realise I have three separate bullet points just for the characters, but trust me – they have earned their spots on this list. I mean, it’s not everyday you get to a read a story about a house throwing a full on magical tantrum! At first, the writing might seem a bit confusing and disjointed, as the author explores two completely disparate people, in completely different countries. Honestly, I can't even tell you what really happened in this book and I probably should have put it down without it being finished.

I like how the author explains the MCs' origins gradually throughout the plot rather than all at once at the start of the book. We also earn a small commission on affiliate links to Apple, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Booksamillion.One of the things I really enjoy about this author is the multiple interesting and complex magical systems created for each story arc. We don't get too much back story to the characters until the latter part of the novel and so end up with strangers watching them react to things. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave.

The blend of magic, mystery and romance was better than I could've hoped for, and I can't wait for the next book in the Whimbrel House series. Thirty-one year old Merritt Fernsby, who is estranged from his family since more than a decade, gets a shock when he learns that his grandmother has left him a remote estate named Whimbrel House. A spirit that inhabits the very walls of a house is the means for all kinds of crazy shenanigans - of which it abounds! If I had read this at some other time of the year, I am sure I would have binge-read it from start to end. The story of a haunted home, the guy who unintentionally inherits it, and the lady who helps tame it is told in this gorgeous, entertaining tale.I'll miss the wonderful voices of the three narrators but I will be able to see the spells and names as they are written and that might help me understand the spells and genealogy better. No generations-old families inbreeding their sons and daughters to cling to the ladder of prestige, power, and aristocracy. If you describe 1846 USA like the above passage does (admittedly from the villain point-of-view), then you better explain what happens with slavery in your magical AU.