SECRETS OF ROSENLI MANOR
BY HEIDI ELJARBO
Publication Date: March 29, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Mysteries of the Modern Ladies’ Society #1
Betrayal and trust go hand in hand in the first book of Heidi Eljarbo’s new turn-of-the-century series.
It’s 1898, and Lilly has spent most of her life motherless and living with a father who never looks for a silver lining. When her great-aunt Agatha passes, Lilly’s existence takes a drastic turn. She packs her few belongings and moves into the old lady’s magnificent estate, Rosenli Manor.
In the days that follow, Lilly tries to understand who Agatha really was, and hidden secrets slowly rise to the surface. Her great-aunt’s glamorous legacy is not quite what Lilly had imagined. She must trust in newly forged friendships, and to her surprise, she discovers what it means to truly fall in love. But not everyone is happy about the new mistress of Rosenli.
Intrigue, mystery, and a touch of romance in the Norwegian countryside fill the pages of Secrets of Rosenli Manor.
Betrayal and trust go hand in hand in the first book of Heidi Eljarbo’s new turn-of-the-century series.
It’s 1898, and Lilly has spent most of her life motherless and living with a father who never looks for a silver lining. When her great-aunt Agatha passes, Lilly’s existence takes a drastic turn. She packs her few belongings and moves into the old lady’s magnificent estate, Rosenli Manor.
In the days that follow, Lilly tries to understand who Agatha really was, and hidden secrets slowly rise to the surface. Her great-aunt’s glamorous legacy is not quite what Lilly had imagined. She must trust in newly forged friendships, and to her surprise, she discovers what it means to truly fall in love. But not everyone is happy about the new mistress of Rosenli.
Intrigue, mystery, and a touch of romance in the Norwegian countryside fill the pages of Secrets of Rosenli Manor.
“Secrets of Rosenli Manor is a delightful mystery about finding what was lost and the power of friendship. The sweet romance added a refreshing dimension to the theme of competent and capable women at a time when females were denied a proper voice. Eljarbo’s lovely writing brings the quaint Norwegian village alive through a cast of characters that will charm the reader from beginning to end.” -Julie Daines, bestselling author of Eleanor and the Iron King
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Review:
After Lilly Larsen surprisingly inherits her Aunt Agatha's estate, she has a lot of decisions to consider. Lilly is already an accomplished woman in 1898 Norway with an advanced degree and job in accounting, but is unsure that she can take on the entirety of her Aunt's household and business. With the entire rest of the family feeling like they have been cheated out of a substantial inheritance, Lilly must follow the advice of her Aunt's letters, her new friends at Rosenli and most importantly, her heart.
Secrets of Rosenli Manor is an exciting, fast paced and heartfelt mystery with plenty of adventure. Lilly's character is intelligent, caring and open minded for her new opportunity. I really enjoyed the letters that Aunt Agatha left for Lilly. The letters were compelling and helped Lilly dive into her adventure as well as lead her to solving the many mysteries surrounding Rosenli Manor, Aunt Agatha's life and her own. The town of Glass Cove seemed charming and idyllic, I do wish there were more descriptions of the countryside and architecture so I could get a better sense of place. If the description hadn't said it was set in Norway, it could have been anywhere in Europe. Overall, Secrets of Rosenli Manor is a dramatic quest with great characters and a wonderful focus on expanding women's rights. I'll definitely want to read more of the Mysteries of the Modern Ladies' Society series.
Heidi Eljarbo writes historical fiction. She grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as a freelance writer, magazine journalist, and painter.
After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.
Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.
Heidi’s favorites are family, God’s beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.
If you would like to know more, please visit Heidi’s website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.