Bookworm Mama: Castle on the Rise

My Rating

★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book

A storied castle. A band of rebels.

A nation chasing a centuries-old dream of freedom.

And three women who rise above it all . . .

When Laine Forrester travels overseas to attend her best friend’s vineyard wedding, she expects to find the bride on the brink of a fairy-tale life. But after a series of unforeseen setbacks, it seems the storybook lives they’d imagined are suddenly ripping apart.

With hopes of resurrecting a happy ending, Laine agrees to accompany the newlyweds to the groom’s home in Ireland—never expecting she’d be the one drawn in by its wide-open moors, backroads bordering the Irish Sea, and a mysterious castle that dares to keep its secrets hidden.

From the storied streets of Dublin to the shores of the Emerald Isle, Laine is drawn in to the land and its rich history. The castle ruins whisper stories of Issy—a photojournalist battling through the 1916 Easter Rising, and Maeve—the castle’s lady of legend, fighting for survival through the 1798 rebellion that started it all.

Spanning more than two centuries, Castle on the Rise unites the legacy of three women who must risk mending the broken places within for life, love, and the belief that even through the depths of our pain, a masterpiece of a story can emerge.

My Thoughts

Kristy Cambron's books are always bursting with so many emotions. Castle on the Rise is no different. While in the same series as The Lost Castle, with some of the same characters reappearing, there is a decidedly different tone to this story. With the focus of the historical threads around Irish uprisings and their fight for independence, there are several aspects of the present day thread that cause all the feels. (There are some things that could be triggers as well.)

Traveling through the different eras can seem a bit quick, but it definitely made me want to keep reading. Getting to know Laine on a deeper level and learning more about the history of Ireland was simply a fantastic combination. The hope and love and rebellion woven throughout this story captures the heart and imagination in a very real way. Cambron's ability to write raw, tangible faith has always blown me away.

Even though the setting is different from book one, I highly recommend starting this series with The Lost Castle. There is background information that I would consider crucial to the storyline in this book. And don't miss book three, The Painted Castle, arriving on shelves October 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of Castle on the Rise from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She's a Women's Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews' Best Books, RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

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