Reviews are scary!

But not this one!

This review left me crying and utterly speechless!! (in a good way)

Thank you to Mandy of 'The Thoughts of a Girl' for an absolutely amazing and wonderful review of Lancaster House. To read her review, click here.

Or just read it below:

The Cover - This is such an unusual, interesting book cover! It definitely has a vintage vibe about it, which fits perfectly with the story itself. I'm really liking the mix of blues and yellows that have been used, and doesn't that tagline just grab your attention straight away?! Love it.

The Review - Wow. Where to start? Lancaster House was one of the most exhilarating, amazing books I've read all year. Maybe even ever. There is an undercurrent of menace and a totally creepy vibe running through the first half of the novel, one which kept me turning the pages and had my heart beating that little bit faster. From the opening pages, you're sucked right into the action, wondering what is going on and what will happen next.

The house itself is as much of a main character as Zoe. A gorgeously dilapidated 1920 Victorian mansion, Lancaster House is to me, a dream come true! I am desperate to renovate a gem from the past myself, and I love the idea of bringing an old house back to life just like Zoe, so this aspect of the story really appealed to me. I also loved the little connection to the Winchester Mystery House, and the role that this played in the book!

I absolutely adored Zoe and Andre. Without giving too much away, their relationship was so lovely, and both were interesting, unique characters. I enjoyed witnessing the development of their relationship, and I really felt the intensity of their emotions and their feelings for one another. The juxtaposition in Zoe's mannerisms, and the way she could quickly go from being a mature woman who renovates houses for a living, to a young twenty-something racing around a house on piggyback was great! I could relate to her a lot, and throughout the novel I could feel what she was feeling, and this brought me so much deeper into the story. And oh my gosh, Andre! What a dreamboat! He was seriously the perfect man! Well, nearly... He did love throwing guys out of windows a little bit too much for my liking!

I was spellbound by Lancaster House. Ms Dean has really outdone herself with this book. The story was utterly entrancing and completely absorbing. It was also very smart; it kept me thinking and questioning what was going on the entire time, and even after reading it, I'm still not entirely sure what was real and what wasn't. I love a book that keeps me thinking about it well after I'm done reading it.

Lancaster House is definitely one of the best books I've read all year, and I cannot wait for the sequel! So please, write it quickly Ms Dean! In the last few pages I found myself nearly in tears, and I was racing to get to the end. This book has left me reeling, and I can't wait to see what will happen next. 

Oh my! See what I mean?

Now after all that happiness and excitement comes the worry.

*Crash down to earth*

I can't possibly live up to Lancaster House in the sequel. I feel like everyone will be disappointed! How can I possibly make the second book as good as the first? The sequel is an entirely different animal.

The challenge is before me . . .