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Jan 26, 2008

Michelle rated it:

This is truly one of the most emotionally gripping novels I've ever read and it is sure to make my best of 2008 list. My heart pounded with anticipation so many times I lost count. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next, something different took place. The author did an amazing job pulling the reader into Charlotte's life. I longed for her happiness. And there were so many powerful subplots that my head is still swimming with amazement, and my heart is still gripped by this strangely More...

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Feb 12, 2009

Jeanne rated it:

"Romantic" novel set in 1800-something. Girl gets pregnant, refuses to name the father of her child. Father kicks her out and she ends up at a laying-in hospital in London with the destitute. Coincidently, one of the doctors is a man who once wished to marry her. He's now married, to (Jane Eyre, anyone) a woman who suffers from insanity, apparently brought on by pregnancy.

Lots of sacrificing throughout. Fairly well-written, though not exactly surprising story line. Ve More...

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Jan 04, 2011

Sarah rated it:

Interesting to learn about the practice of being a wet nurse and how they were viewed.
I find it very refreshing to read a book where the main character has a faith in God in which they take comfort, pray, have prayers answered in small ways, but yet the reader is not hit over the head repeatedly with the concept. It speaks a lot more to me and my level of faith than similar books where all problems are solved once the right amount of praying is done. At one point, a character even says th More...

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Oct 04, 2008

Carli rated it:

One of the best historical/Regency novels I have read in the last five years. The historical details are well-researched, and the characters are defined and dynamic. Charlotte's love for her son as well as the circumstances behind his birth and the consequences thereof brought me to tears more than once. My daughter was three months old when I read it, and I could relate to the young mother and the lengths that she goes to to ensure her baby's future happiness. I couldn't put this book down. More...

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Feb 21, 2012

Sarah rated it:

Julie Klassen writes well in a technical sense, but I found this story disturbing. Charlotte's predicament, the way she got into it, her miserable family situation, and all the strange and sad and sinister circumstances around her didn't make for a very pleasant tale. The period details were probably the most interesting part. Suspension of disbelief was too much work to be worthwhile. The ending was both predictable and extremely awkward; to jump from the heart of a dramatic climax to a garden More...

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Jun 24, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

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Apr 01, 2010

Lisa rated it:

This first novel by Julie Klassen published by Bethany House is not nearly as good as her second, The Apothecary's Daughter, which is a much better read. The main character, Charlotte Lamb, goes through some interesting and even potentially harrowing times, but something always seems to come to her rescue before she is left completely destitute--not always through her ingenuity or in a credible way, given her situation compared to others in her situation. Charlotte is sweet and lady-like, and so More...

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Oct 11, 2009

Lynne rated it:

In general, a well written and interesting book which clearly showed the research that Julie Klassen obviously did on the state of lying-in hospitals and wet-nursing in the 1800's. I did not realize that it was a "regency romance" or "christian fiction" (which I assume mean similar things) until the end of the book and until I read some of the reviews after reading it. For those of you who, like me, are not religious, the book does not actually beat you over the head with rel More...

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Dec 27, 2008

Erin rated it:

Miss Charlotte Lamb made a mistake and now the well-educated gentleman's daughter finds herself at a home for Unwed Mothers, cast out from her childhood home by her unforgiving father. Unwilling to name the father of her child or to disgrace her family further, she takes on a new surname. Much to her surprise, one of the doctors is a former suitor who now has a family and secrets of his own. The lower-class London establishment holds many eye-opening experiences for Charlotte, learning among oth More...

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Dec 24, 2011

Mira rated it:

Many authors today, seem to think a historical romance is this stereotypical tale involving another byronic hero, and a good-for-nothing heroine, with hardly any plot, and nothing at the center but the love/hate, or the magically-growing relationship between the protagonists. It’s also provoking to see the obvious contrast between the historical setting they choose and the oddly modernized psychology of the characters. I’ve read enough of the genre this year to feel tired of this awful depiction More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 31, 2010

Laura rated it:

Really enjoyed this book. I gave it 5 stars for being interesting and a totally different approach to a romance novel. My standard is that if a Romance is rated G or PG, I give it an extra star, so technically I would give this a rating of 6 stars.

The story is about Charlotte who is a Vicar's daughter living in the 1800's. After an uncharacteristic mistake, she is disowned by her father and sister and sent to Milkweed Manor, a home for unwed mothers. Once there, she is faced wi More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 11, 2011

Breeana rated it:

This book went on and on. I kept hanging on for a little more romance or things to turn up, but it was sort of random and went ALL over the place, only to have two pages of happiness at the end.

It wasn't terrible, there were parts and things I genuinely enjoyed... but OVERALL it seemed to talk a lot about nursing and physician-related things. I don't have a problem with it (I thought it was sweet) and loved nursing my little son, but if you're not a mother who has nursed, or are not More...

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Dec 06, 2010

Courtney rated it:

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0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 18, 2012

Jen rated it:

I loved, loved, loved this book. Although this is Julie Klassen's debut novel, her writing speaks to the heart. It reminds me of Austen and Bronte and of course after visiting her website it didn't surprise me that they are an inspiration to her. I always enjoy books that teach me things about history. Little facts thrown out to the reader that leave them wanting to know a bit more about the period of time the story was set in. Saying that, I can't can't in good conscience share exactly what the More...

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Feb 27, 2011

Valerie rated it:

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Apr 03, 2011

Sara rated it:

Once I started this book, I seriously could not put it down. Charlotte Lamb pays heavily for a youthful encounter with her adored Charles Harris when she finds herself pregnant with his illegitimate child. Charlotte is disowned by her vicar father and finds temporary residence a decrepit lying in manor for expectant mothers. Hardly charity, the women are unmerciful outcasts whose offspring rarely fare better than the Foundling Home….yet, for their shameful confinement, the manor house is a neces More...

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Jun 15, 2011

Alicia rated it:

I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it was. It is on a subject that I didn't know much about. Wet nurses during the 19th century. It was something I had always heard of, usually in an offhanded comment or referring to a servant of some kind. It was very interesting to learn more about it.

The story is a very simple one, something that has been told before. A young girl gets herself in trouble and leaves home to have her baby. It starts off as she is leaving to go to the hom More...

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Jan 29, 2009

Tonia rated it:

I thought that the few chapters dragged just a little and I have to admit that usually when the premise for the book is an unwed and cast off mother I get irritated but as I kept reading I found that I really liked it. The book was very clean for starters and there was a lot of Regency England research the author did that was inserted although not in a pushy kind of way. It seemed like there were no real villians in the book or even any true heroes. All the characters had mistakes they made or w More...

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Oct 06, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

Julie Klassen is one of my favorite authors and I have yet to be disappointed by her storytelling and style of writing. In this historical fiction we are introduced to Charlotte Lamb and her family. Charlotte made some difficult choices early in life, some made for her. She lands herself at Milkweed Manor and meets Daniel, one of the resident doctors, who has himself a past of choices to limit him, yet the compassion and grace to deal with his patients caringly. The two work together to restore More...

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Aug 01, 2011

Ashley rated it:

Something about Julie Klassen's writing makes it almost impossible for me to put her books down once I've begun. I enjoyed this novel, although not quite as much as The Apothecary's Daughter, her second book (which I read first). this one is much darker, with her characters in harrowingly dramatic situations. Klassen makes it easy for you to root for her heroines, however, and I've yet to be disappointed by the romantic machinations and rather overabundance of suitors she likes to provide, even More...

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Mar 04, 2011

Deb rated it:

In a historical setting similar to that of Jane Austen, a young gentlewomen is sent to a lying in hospital for unwed expectant mothers. Though the daughter of a pastor and a proper upbringing, she finds herself exposed to quite a different side of life due to her indiscretion. She has to depend on the generousity of others to survive, and make a heart wrenching decision about her baby. She also learns quite a bit about the duties of a milk-nurse, as she turns to that profession to support her More...

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Oct 23, 2009

Katy rated it:

I could not put this book down. I got it because I really liked The Apothecary's Daughter, but I didn't really know what it was about until I started reading. I was immediately hooked, and stayed up late to finish the book on the same day I started reading it.

**If you want to start the book not knowing what it was about like I did, stop reading now.**

This book portrays Regency England in a different way than I am used to. Charlotte's family turned their backs on her becau More...

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Jan 03, 2010

Kaye rated it:

This was a very well-done historical Christian romance. It is set in the regency period. The vicar's daughter has found herself in unfortunate circumstances and has to go off to a home for unwed mothers. A love interest from her past resurfaces, and she needs to make some difficult choices about what is best for her child. Although this was a Bethany book, it lacked the contemporary "born-again" language that their authors normally insert, in spite of the time period. I appreciate More...

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Jun 26, 2011

Stephanie rated it:

I found Lady of Milkweed Manor to be very intriguing and, once into the story, it grew difficult to part with this book. The writing was smooth and beautifully formed with a variety of sentence structure, diction and tense. However, I believed the last bit of escalation between the two protagonists' relationship came a little too fast. It seemed as though both of the love interests' wives merely died to give opportunity to Charlotte Lamb. Neither man properly mourned his deceased spouse before t More...

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Apr 29, 2009

Virginia rated it:

I loved this book! Julie Klassen's debut novel is an amazingly beautiful Regency romance novel with realistic detail about Charlotte, the daughter of a small town vicar who has made a mistake that will haunt her for the rest of her life. Rejected and disowned by her father and sister, she leaves her home and hides in a London manor house known as Milkweed Manor because of the abundance of milkweed growing in the garden. What we find there is fascinating and, in a way, horrifying.

Klas More...

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Jul 29, 2010

Andrea rated it:

Maybe I should give this 4 stars because I read it straight through in a night and just didn't want to put it down & didn't stop reading til I was done. I think mostly because it would have taken more energy to actually get up & go to bed than to keep reading because it wasn't my favorite book but it WAS an entertaining read.
This book reminded me of Jane Eyre with the guy with a foreign wife hidden in the attic angle. I guessed almost right away that's what was up with Dr Taylor's wife. More...

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Mar 04, 2010

Tressa rated it:

I would probably give this one 3.5 if I could. The story is about a girl, during the regency England period, who finds herself with child after one brief mistake and is discarded by her family. She goes to a place for such mothers to have her child. The story goes on to describe her struggle as well as those who are connected to her. It was good, but readers would need to be mothers. There are so many nursing descriptions (and very detailed) that any one else who hasn't nursed a baby would not u More...

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Dec 27, 2011

Rachelle rated it:

Though The Silent Governess is by far my favorite of Julie Klassen's works, Lady of Milkweed Manor is a historical that turns this era in England on its head. Exploring a premise that is both original and unique, Klassen brings to life the chracters in a way that will touch your heart. I loved this book and the "happily-ever-after" sigh that accompanied The End.

I would recommend this book to history lovers and romance lovers alike. The slow and steady way the main ch More...

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Jun 23, 2011

Halloween-luvr rated it:

I loved this book, at first I wasn't sur ehow I would feel about it. I wasn't so into the old timey talk and culture. But I soon (Very soon) got into it. I love how Charlotte is torn between Harris, the father of her child, so she could actually have the life she wanted, and be with her son. And Dr. Taylor. The guy she has spent the past year earning money as the governess for his daughter. Which she loves like her own. It's just how in the end when she followed her heart everything worked out a More...

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Jun 29, 2009

Ashton added it

more of a grown up book and sort of reiligous but very good. set in old england in the 1850's it is about a woman who finds herself single and pregnant (which, then and there, is very scandilous)her father the preacher regects her and forces her to get out of town and to a lying in hospital. there are trials of love and letting go of the one(s) you love. wow that was a really good reveiw. it sounded very grown up. guess reading a lot does do me some good! ha to those who think other wise! cough More...

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