On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor - by Jaime Jo Wright (Paperback)

Separated by centuries, two women experience life-altering events at the mysterious Foxglove Manor. Both of their stories revolve around lost Confederate gold and the great lengths some will take to retrieve it. In the 1885 timeline, Adria Fontaine is sent to Foxglove Manor to sniff out the whereabouts of her father’s pirated gold. She isn’t expecting a mysterious presence in the turret or a ghost girl named Lucy. In the modern timeline, Kailey Gibson takes on a position as nurse’s aid at the now renovated senior home at Foxglove Manor. Her motives, however, are complicated and stem from a traumatic childhood experience at Foxglove. She isn’t expecting to be enmeshed in a centuries-old search for a lost treasure. I love dual timeline stories, but it can be especially difficult to pull them off well, making sure that both timelines are engaging on their own but also work together. My biggest compliment of this book is that I found both timelines equally engaging. I was never disappointed when the story shifted back to the other timeline because I was just as invested in each woman’s story. I also felt that the two timelines intertwined quite well. The creepiness of the ghost story was spot on and the level of suspense/tension was excellent. I also enjoyed the historical aspect of the book and learned a few things I didn’t know about the Civil War. A few minor critiques are that the language sometimes bordered on melodramatic during Adria’s timeline. I also would have enjoyed seeing more interaction between Kailey and her brother Jude, who has autism. I loved his character and how instrumental he was to Kailey, but their interaction on the page seemed lacking, especially for the purported closeness they enjoyed. The romance in each timeline was enjoyable and well done. I found Mr. Crayne in Adria’s timeline especially mysterious and magnetic. I was just a tad uncomfortable, however, with how much Adria’s pull to him was also mixed with fear. I would have liked to see her emotional journey with Mr. Crayne developed just a bit more, especially at the end, so that she was making more purposeful choices about him in her head rather than being swept along for the ride. A final note on themes: I greatly appreciated the author’s honest depiction of suicidal thoughts in Adria’s timeline. We know up front that she has tried to take her life before and we see her try again later in the book. This is a serious subject that too many shy away from, and I applaud the author for going there and also bringing the hope of Christ to bear on it! This is what I love about good Christian fiction. It doesn’t shy away from the darkness of the world, but also hopefully shows us the light. This book does that beautifully. Overall, this is a well-executed book that is brimming with mystery, suspense, romance, and a dash of good ghostly fun that is sure to entertain and keep readers turning the pages! *A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

What a tale! Jaime Jo weaves stories like no other. Her stories pull you in and they do not let go. This latest story from Jaime Jo is expertly woven between two timelines and a mystery that you have to solve. The mystery of Foxglove and how it tied to horrors in Kailey's past was one that I could not unravel and seeing how it unfolded and how Adria's 1885 timeline fit in made for a mesmerizing read. If you like suspense and mystery along with a gothic element, don't miss Jaime Jo's books. They are so so good! I received this book as a member of the launch team and also purchased the audio version from Audible. I was not required to post a positive review. The audio version is very well done.

Jaime Jo Wright does it again! She weaves a story about lost Confederate gold spanning 2 centuries, seamlessly creating a mystery that pulls you in. She adds elements of the mystical and supernatural but stays true to Christian values. Oh, and she adds the perfect amount of romance without being cheesy or distasteful.

A chilling dual-timeline tale of secrets, treasure, betrayal, and love. Kailey Gibson returns to Foxglove Manor, a place that holds the key to her painful childhood, alongside her brother Jude who has a brilliant mind for pattern and sequences. In 1885 Adria Fontaine, at war with her own demons, has been sentenced to Foxglove Manor to search for her infamous father's stolen treasure. But an uneasy presence hangs over the manor, can she escape the darkness with her life? A highly entertaining and deliciously gothic timeslip novel that skillfully weaves together dual timelines centering around the enigmatic Foxglove Manor which in the present day has been turned into an old folk's home. This book's skillful twists had me guessing until the end, I didn't want to put it down! Mr. Crayne is the perfect tortured hero, noble in an unconventional way, amidst fighting for his own soul, I never thought that I would find myself liking him so much! Kailey is a strong heroine, she has had to be. I loved her relationship with her brother, Jude, how she is protective of him and sees him as an equal when others don't. Jude is a brilliant man who sees things that others can't, making sense out of chaos. The author did an excellent job throughout of dealing with difficult topics like addiction, suicide, trauma, as well as questioning and doubting. Axel is a man of few words, but strong faith and I liked how he was there for Kailey throughout their ordeal. Overall, a beautiful, twisting and at times chillingly gothic tale of greed and secrets. Nobody does this genre like Jaime Jo Wright, who had me equally engaged in both of the timelines and hanging on tight trying to make the connections. A brilliant tale of murder and mystery, On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor. Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jaime Jo Wright's books are always worth the wait, and the desire for the next one always comes as soon as one finishes the last page of her latest release. On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor, like Wright's other books thus far, has a dark side, but would the light shine as bright without the contrast? This time slip story is set on an old, isolated estate in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the shore of Lake Superior, both in current times and in the years just following the Civil War. Both protagonists, Adria and Kailey, get caught up in the hunt for pirated Confederate gold, legended to be hidden somewhere on the estate. Gold that others are also searching for, others who are not beyond killing for what they want. Wright develops this story with an unpredictable plot, one of my favorite characteristics of her writing. It is a tale that grabs hold and won't let go. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Prepare to be thrilled! Jaime Jo Wright's novel has every bit of a literary punch as general market horror/thriller authors with delightful tendrils of faith wrapped around the engrossing split-time story. Age-old mystery, dynamic characters, and an eerie setting worthy of a hide-your-eyes creepy movie are contained in this novel. There was a delightful push-pull in the last forty pages, because I wanted to see what would happen, but wanted to prolong the absolutely fantastic suspense. What happened in this story won't cross my lips. Read. Enjoy. Drink your coffee, you'll need it, for those late-night reading sessions. I received this book from the publisher but was under no obligation to post nor write a review.

Romance in a creepy dark gothic suspense story you ask? Why yes there is, it's there in the background but it's there. "Sometimes being there was the most romantic thing a guy could do." "And it comes with many secrets. Secrets men will kill for." He pressed his lips to her forehead, then spoke against it moving along her skin. "I would not let that happen to my family. I will not let that happen to you." “You realize that sounds like National Treasure collided with The Sixth Sense, don’t you?” Author Jaime Jo Wright does it again! A page-turner I could not put down. I love that I never figure the mystery out ahead of time. I used to not read this genre, but Jaime Jo Wright has changed my mind. Her skill with the pen immerses you immediately into the story. The setting, characters, and dialogue are so well done and she offers excellent suspense stories with hope amidst the darkness. Jaime Jo Wright is on my must-read author list. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

This is the second novel I have read by Jaime Jo Wright. Like the other one I read, this book is a split time romantic suspense. I have to say that Jaime Jo Wright does such a great job of drawing the reader into the mystery and intrigue of her books that you have a hard time putting the book down. As with the other book I read, the two time periods within the book are interrelated and clearly marked so you do not get confused. Not only is there a puzzle in each time period but there is also somewhat of a puzzle when trying to figure out the complete relation between the two time periods I think. Slowly as you read, you find out more and more of the puzzle. However, as with any mystery, I like to try to come up with what I think the answer is before it is actually revealed. The intensity of this book is so well written that I find myself feeling anxiety that is felt by several of the characters. To me, it is this intense suspense that makes these books so good. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in order to give an honest review.

"You imbibe in cowardice. You imbibe in self-disdain. You imbibe by doing the will of others instead of your own. Tell me, which is worse? To be influenced by liquid gold or to always know what's right and instead ignore it? We all have a choice to do the right thing. But most of us lack the gumption to make it." In this deliciously gothic dual timeline mystery and suspense, Jaime Jo Wright once again brings us to a world of secrets where whispered hints of buried treasure haunts a manor in Upper Peninsula and fragility of human mind and heart struggles for acceptance and purpose. Toggling between Adria in 1885 and Kailey in present time, the author paints a beautifully eerie backdrop in Foxglove Manor that overlooks the cliffs of Lake Superior and slowly unravels the Civil War history and conspiracy that tie all the characters together in an unforgettable tale of greed, betrayal, and desperation but also of hope and unconditional love. The plot, with its twists and turns and details, is intricate and well-planned that once the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place, that "aha" moment will surprise you. Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down. Adria and Mr. Crayne from 1885 are so vulnerable and despondent, yet lovable even in their broken and battered state. How they find strength in each other and in God to weather their storm is poignant. Their romance, though not your 'typical' romance, is quite lovely as Mr. Crayne seeks to protect Adria. Kailey and Axel in the present time are fascinating characters. Kailey is stubborn and determined to figure out what happened to her and her brother Jude 20 years ago and Axel is equally determined to help Kailey find her answers and woo her heart. In the midst of intense mystery and soft touches of romance, the author also sensitively and tenderly addresses autism, dementia, depression and addiction through the characters that you'll cry with their suffering and rejoice with their triumphs. The theme of finding one's true purpose and belonging in God is gently woven through the two timelines. If you love a good mystery/suspense with gothic flavor, you don't want to miss this book by Jaime Jo Wright. I received the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

4.5 stars "The cliff beckoned to her. Its flat outcropping like a ledge where one might determine which evil was worse. To live or to die? Perhaps they were of equal evil, only one was guaranteed to plague, where the other was deceptively final. There was a peace in finality . . . . . . . . oh, that she was worth fighting for . . . . . . " Driven to despair after realizing that her father had only released her from one prison into the cells of another, Alexandria Fontaine had been given an ultimatum before arriving at the remote cliffside manor along the northern shores of Lake Superior; "find it". . . . "it" referring to a treasure of an unknown nature, that once secured meant a precarious freedom from her family's cruel clutches. Assuming her father's nefarious pirating habits along the lake had resulted in a windfall profit, that had in turn had been stolen by his one of his now deceased business partners, Adria determined to dig deeper into the secrets of Foxglove Manor, despite being repeatedly warned to leave the past in the past. Turns out, it was a warning worth heeding. "And since when were stories of ghosts, gold, and modern-day kidnappings surrounding an old manor ever anything but a classic story written on the musty pages of forgotten books?" Many years after Adria Fontaine's stay at Foxglove Manor, Kailey Gibson returns to the place where her family began its eventual descent towards utter destruction. A childhood vacation there had morphed into such a severe nightmare that Kailey's subconscious had blocked it from memory, prompting her autistic brother Jude to incessantly write down disjointed numbers and letters that could, to the trained eye, be deemed as some sort of code. Employed as an aide in the now senior convalescent home, Kailey hopes to find some answers. Instead, she uncovers many more questions. Two women living centuries apart. One place in common. Foxglove Manor. With its dark, gothic-like undertones, one would think that delving deep into the troubled psyches of the two young women in this story would make the narrative lose its luster; after all, who wants to be surrounded by death and danger at every turn. Surprisingly, the opposite was true. . . . . because, speaking of opposites . . . . the opposite of death is life . . . . and despair's opposite turns out to be hope. Likewise, hate is dwarfed by love and lies disappear within the truth. And the rock of salvation is never more precious than on the edge of a cliff. I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. I also purchased a copy.

Love love and love this story!! Life can be so hard at times, but what a beautiful reminder that all life is precious. Even on the days when the darkness overtakes us and we just want to throw in the towel. God has a specific plan and purpose for each and every one of us. He'll carry us through and will help us to see that even though things may not make any sense right now, He's always in control. I received a copy from the publisher, all thoughts are my own.