Shadows of Dunraven: Historical romance with gothic mystery twist

by Rose Miller

In the hauntingly beautiful highlands of Scotland, the ancient walls of Dunraven Castle hold secrets as dark as the storm clouds that loom above them. "Shadows of Dunraven" is a gothic romance that weaves together the threads of mystery, history, and undeniable passion.

Elspeth, a young woman of modest means, finds herself thrust into an arranged marriage with Lord Alistair, the enigmatic and brooding master of Dunraven Castle. Initially overshadowed by the grim legacy of the castle and the chilling rumors among the servants, her arrival marks the beginning of a profound transformation.

With each passing day, the mysteries of the castle deepen, revealing forbidden loves, ancient betrayals, and a curse that has plagued the bloodline of Dunraven for centuries.

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2024

Reviews

[Kissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off so well; I was instantly captivated within the first few chapters of the description of Dunraven Castle and the interactions between Elspeth and Alistair. However, as the story progressed and research into the "curse" surrounding the Dunraven family became a prominent focus, the quality quickly diminished. I felt like I was thrown into a loop where the same information just kept being presented to the readers without taking us somewhere new. Even if new material or details was discovered by the characters, I felt like the author still kept us out of the loop, not really providing us anything new to work with; I guess they were trying to add some mystery with this but it just made me become frustrated and lose my ability to stay immersed in the story. I was also confused on the time setting of the story; the tone (and even the cover) made it seem like your standard historical Gothic setting but in reality it's supposed to be set in more modern times. I am a bit amused this was listed as a romance as I almost forgot Elspeth and Alistair were married because of how casual and non-marital their interactions were. The few times we did get some intimate moments, it felt so out of place and ended just as quickly as they were introduced. Overall, while there are some good parts to this story, I definitely feel like there could have been a few more editing sessions to help cut down on the unnecessary repetition and giving readers more information to work with (or at least make it more intriguing and interesting).