The Quiet Stillness of Empty Houses by L.V. Russell

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Gothic Fiction

Format: eBook/ARC

Pages: 198

Read: 05/10/23

Synopsis:

Theodora Corvus can hear the whispers of her crumbling family home. She can hear the whispers of Kingsward Manor, her place of employment. She sees the watchers by the lake, black-eyed and waiting. But Broken Oak is silent. Broken Oak is empty.

When Theodora takes the job as governess to young Ottoline Thorne, she leaves behind her beloved grandmother and the decaying ruins of her childhood home to travel far north to Broken Oak Manor. There, she finds a house filled with secrets. Under the stern eye of the foreboding housekeeper, Theodora quickly navigates the dark and winding corridors of Broken Oak, only to find herself irrevocably drawn to the mysterious lord of the manor. But someone walks the hallways late after nightfall, their footsteps leading to the attic. The only place in the sprawling house that does not remain silent. As her scandalous feelings for Cassias Thorne grow, Theodora fights to unearth the secrets of Broken Oak. Who wanders the house at night? Where is the Lady of the manor? What lies behind the attic door high up under the eaves of the house? “Where is Lady Thorne, Cassias? Where is your wife?”

Review:

"Death was no stranger to Theodora Corvus. It had gathered at her cradle, whisper-soft and unseen, to take her mother's cooling hand. Upon the eve of her eighth midsummer, beneath the old oaks near the lake as the sun slipped behind the hills, Death also took her father's hand."

Theodora's life has not been one filled with joy. Her life has been surrounded by death and darkness. Living with her grandmother in her father's house, the murky shadows surround her as she hears the whispers from the crumbling walls. She watches the shadows of those once living that hover in the mists from the brakish lake. 

She spends her days as a governess at Kingswood Manor and her nights with her grandmother. When disturbing events occur, Theodora must leave her home and travel far away to Broken Oak Manor where she becomes a governess for little Ottoline Thorne. 

The manor is filled with dark secrets but there are no whispers within the walls. Theodora must settle in to her new life at Broken Oak with sweet little Ottoline, the housekeeper, Ms. Rivers, and the ever elusive and mysterious lord of the manor. 

There are disturbances and a presence wandering in the night that will lead Theodora to believe there is something deeply hidden within, a dark secret she longs to reveal. As she falls in love with the manor and all who dwell within, will the secret be worth revealing? 

I really enjoyed this story. The prose throughout is beautifully written and the character's are endearing. The atmospheric setting is very descriptive. I could feel the deep seeded darkness, the melancholy, and the slowly creeping dread. The deep sorrow that is burrowed into their hearts and souls. I just adore little Ottoline, a sweet little child longing to be loved and cherished. Cassias is very mysterious and his troubles run deep. The love that develops between them all breaks the barriers of loneliness and yet there is something lurking within the depths of their hearts that something is amiss. Their journey reveals all that lies within. 

A story filled with regrets, longing, and love. A forbidden romance that fills their lonely hearts.

The end reveal was flawless and weaves together all the hidden secrets.

Hauntingly wonderful and soulfully tragic!

Goodread Author Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/

Amazon Author Link:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/L.V.-Russell/author/

Author Website Link:

https://lydiarussell63.wixsite.com/intothewickedwoods

Publisher Website Link:

https://www.quillandcrowpublishinghouse.com/

Purchase Link:

https://www.quillandcrowpublishinghouse.com/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/

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