The Girl From the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder
Blurb:
The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
Enjoy another Gothic Style Regency from Hannah Linder.
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can
remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or
her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from
the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and
protected her from.
That is, until a handsome stranger named
Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does
he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza
Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago
after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have
witnessed.
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and
reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers
are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why
have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own
mind?
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her
life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a
killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally
uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the
truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?
My Review: 4 Stars
This is my first book by hannahlinder and I was captivated by the intense gothic regency vibe.
Eliza has happily lived in the forest for as long as she can remember and it’s all she knows, until handsome Felton finds her and “rescues” her from it. A world of danger, intrigue, “who dun it” mysteries and attempts on Eliza’s life result from this deliverance, and a beautiful, dramatic, and heart-aching story unfolds.
I was amazed at the vivid descriptions and while this story felt a little darker, I was completely fascinated and intrigued from start to finish with all the twists and turns. I appreciated the Christian elements and felt they really solidified the nature of these dimensional characters.
There is a lot of drama and trauma, and these times are confusing to Eliza, but Linder does a wonderful job of expressing the villainous aspects, as well as the heroic ones, in ways that felt real and raw.
Content: kidnapping, opium use, mistreating family, Christian elements (prayers/thoughts), mild romance, murder/death/suicide/abuse
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
AUTHOR BIO
Hannah
Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia.
Represented by Books & Such, she writes
Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and
danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award
semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member
of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When
Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano,
guitar, ukulele, and banjolele--songwriting, painting still life,
walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of
her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.
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