The Governess of Highland Hall - Review

I was sent the book The Governess of Highland Hall to read and review. This is historical Christian novel set in the Edwardian Era. Picture Downton Abby and you get an idea of what the time period would be in this story. Julia is the new governess but is fresh from years serving in India with her parents as missionaries. She joins the household not as part of the "upstairs" family but not exactly part of the "downstairs" staff. She adjusts to her new life while her employer William Ramsey also tries to fit into his new role as Baronet of Highland Hall. He has just inherited the estate and is learning what that means for him and his family.

The plot of this story follows pretty much as you might expect. Or perhaps I have read enough of these to know the usual formula. It didn't deviate from that path. I usually don't mind a well trod plot path as long as there are great well rounded characters or lovely descriptions of life of the time period. I can't say this book provided these. There was a lot of potential in the story to explore more of the interactions between the staff and family or even just amongst the staff. I felt like we only got glimpses of these things and not much more. Even the romance was only hinted at. I know this is supposed to be a clean, christian romance but there were very few actual conversations between the two that are really given any time in the narrative. It was hard for me to see the budding interest without it being expressly told to me. I guess I like to catch on to the romance more from the interaction of the characters than just simply having the author tell me that the girl likes the guy and vice versa.

The Governess of Highland Hall is a good light read. It isn't a book I am going to revisit however. There was not enough layers to the story and it didn't challenge me so that I feel like I needed to go through it again to see what I missed. It was pleasant and clean. The kind of read you take on vacation just a quick weekend read.