BOOKS | Review: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

Name: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House series #1)

Author: Charlie N. Holmberg

Publisher: 47North

Date published: November 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, cosy

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5

 

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home - until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
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. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. 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.

- From Goodreads.

The plot of Keeper of Enchanted Rooms had an intriguing mystery and was well paced as it slowly built up to the exciting conclusion.

The author managed to create a villain that was awful and irredeemable and did horrendous things, but still made him sympathetic enough that you understood his motivations, why he had done what he had done and how he had got to the place that he had.

The magic of the world and the setting of the house was so creative and it was exciting to learn about it as the book went on. I loved that the house had such a personality and story of its own, it really made it a character too.

The romance was lovely, it built so slowly and sweetly and the way the affection grew between the two main characters was wonderful to read, I could read so much more of them together. Hulda and Merritt were both such interesting characters that really attached themselves to my heart. Their backstories were both so sympathetic and compelling and really made you hope things could end well for both of them.

I also loved the side characters in the book and how, along with Hulda and Merrit, they all became a very loveable found family, it was very wholesome.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book with a sweet romance and also quite a dark, suspenseful fantasy plot. It was a well written and made me very interested to read more from the author.