A decade after her father's untimely death during a paranormal investigation, Luanna Underwood returns home to perform with the local ballet company. Despite her ability to speak with the departed, Luanna wants nothing to do with the paranormal side of her town. But a chance reunion with her childhood best friend and paranormal enthusiast Caesar drags her back into the world of ghosts and secrets.
Together with Caesar's roommates, Gavin and Damien, they must uncover the truth behind Bramblewood Bay's most infamous haunting, the woman of Blythe Manor. Doing so will save Gavin's family from ruin, but the truth is not what it seems... And not all the ghosts haunting them are dead.
Will they unravel the mystery, or will it stay buried in the past? If you love ensemble casts, hidden treasure, and found families, you won't want to miss The Woman of Blythe Manor.
Miriam Wade is a Minnesotan author who writes fantasy driven by resilient women, filled with twisty plots, and garnished with romance. Her writing is informed by her experience being neurodivergent and living with multiple chronic illnesses. Wade lives with her husband, two daughters, and their elderly cat.
Wade is the author of The Woman of Blythe Manor, a paranormal urban fantasy, with its sequel set for release in September 2026, and the One Sword Saga, a steampunk fantasy series inspired by Arthurian legend.
Thoughts I miss going blindly into books! After randomly requesting the second book on NetGalley I had to go back and read the first book ( on KU ) guys this book was so beautiful🥹 if you love paranormal and found family please give this book a try, it's the perfect blend! I genuinely didn't think I'd be this hooked given the fact it's under 300 pages but there's something about this book that just pulls you in and creates an emotional attachment or maybe I'm just a softie lol! I loved this read so much can't wait to pick up the second book
Plot Summary A decade after her father dies during a paranormal investigation, Luanna returns to her hometown to perform with the local ballet company. Although she can communicate with the dead, she wants to stay away from the town's supernatural secrets. But when she reunites with her childhood friend Caesar, she is pulled into an investigation involving Bramblewood Bay's most infamous ghost. Alongside Caesar and his roommates, Luanna must uncover the truth behind the haunting before it destroys Gavin's family. But the deeper they dig, the more they realise that not everything haunting them is actually dead.
Welcome to Bramblewood Bay…prepare to be haunted by a compelling mystery so addictive you can’t put down 👀
Honestly I am seriously wondering why more people haven’t read this book…the premise totally swept up from the very beginning and the promise of mystery and supernatural chills had me hooked. Throw in a grounding sense of found family and you have yourself an emotionally charged, fun, action-packed experience 👻🏚️✨
A decade after her father's death during a paranormal investigation, Luanna Underwood returns home to perform with the local ballet company. This time she is determined to stay well clear of the town’s paranormal side, despite her ability to speak to the dead 👀 However, a reunion with her childhood best-friend Caesar, pulls her into a supernatural investigation of Bramblewood Bay's most infamous haunting: the woman of Blythe Manor. Along with Caesar’s roommates, Gavin and Damien, they set off to find the truth behind the legend…will they uncover the mystery? And what will they have to sacrifice to find it?
I was so impressed by how much this story grabbed, and held my attention. Although the writing was by no means perfect, Wade did a fantastic job at delivering a highly entertaining and compelling story in just over 200 pages! For that I commend her, it is no easy task to create authentic and well-evolved characters shaped with a good background in so few pages. Saying that, the writing did feel a bit forced at times, occasionally cringey 😬 but it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story.
The main characters were such a fun group. Firstly, we have our heroine - Luanna - who speaks for herself. Then we have the eccentric trio of boys – childhood friend, shy, and softly spoken Caesar; Gavin, the charming, smartly-dressed rich boy; and Damien, the anxious but highly attuned sweetheart. The found family between this cast is so precious. It is obvious a lot of time and care went into crafting these individuals, giving them all a solid background. There was also some definite romantic interest going on between Luanna and Gavin, which I hope to see explored more in the sequel.
Speaking of the sequel…this is very much written as a book one ‘to be continued…’. The end was so full of action and definitely offered up some answers but I have more questions that require additional information asap 🙇🏻♀️
Overall, this was a great introduction to what seems to be a new series by Wade. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and thought it had a good balance of paranormal elements and other simultaneous sub-plots. I liked the character development over the course of the story and the found family dynamic really got me. I am sat for book two…
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
The Woman of Blythe Manor is a supernatural story about two main characters who are reunited after spending a decade apart. Both Luanna and Caesar have links to the paranormal community in Bramblewood Bay, but Luanna hasn't been back there since her father's death during a paranormal investigation, leading to her leaving the Bay until now. Returning as part of a performer in the ballet, Luanna and Caesar are reunited, and Caesar needs her help. As Luanna is dragged back into the world of ghosts and secrets (very hesitantly), the choice gets taken from her and both Luanna, Caesar, and his roommates find themselves thrust into the mystery of Blythe Manor whether it's something they want or not. This book had a slow build-up and quick execution, but i found it lacked something. The characters didn't really capture my interest, and the book felt very flat and just didn't grab me like I had hoped. The scene setting of Blythe Manor was great, it just didn't gel together to hook my interest and I almost DNF this one but pushed through.
This book was well-crafted, with prose that flows cleanly and characters who feel fully realized. It’s the kind of writing that effortlessly draws you in, and the characters, in particular, are fleshed out in a way that makes them more than just names on a page (though I did struggle a bit to differentiate between the three boys at times).
That said, I have to admit the banter and much of the dialogue often left me cringing. It felt a bit forced, trying too hard to be clever, which pulled me out of the story more than once. And while the premise hinted at a rich paranormal thread, it didn’t quite deliver. The intrigue was there, but the sense of urgency and thrill was noticeably absent, leaving me to skim through the last third of the book, hoping for a spark that never really ignited.
All in all, The Woman of Blythe Manor offers a solid, if somewhat underwhelming, reading experience. With well-written characters and slick prose, there’s plenty to enjoy here! Just don’t expect to be on the edge of your seat.
I always say that I read everything as long as it has a touch of magic. That is partly true. I have a second love apart from magical reads: Mysteries. That can be murder mysteries or any other kind of mystery. So, when I found this book on Netgalley and saw that it was combining both the touch of magic and the mystery, I had to request it right away. I was insanely happy that the author approved my request.
The start of this book was really promising. I liked the prologue, I liked the setting, I liked how these characters all met each other. However, during the book it felt like the book was not properly balanced. I had picked it up because of the mystery and it feels like the mystery was not the main focus of the book. There was a mystery and the characters were trying to solve it, but the book mostly focussed on them and their personal lives.
And no matter how interesting that was, it felt like the story didn't fully succeed in making me really feel for these characters. I was told what they were going through and I was told how they were feeling and I was told about their doubts and worries. I just never really felt it. That's also because quite a lot happens quite quickly. The book is relatively short, and therefore a quick and easy read, but therefore also lacks a little more depth that could have made the story even better.
I also would have loved to see a little more of the supernatural. I understand why there was not too much of it in this book, and I can totally imagine there will be more in the sequel, but I would have loved to see more ghosts appear during the story, before we reached the big finale. The finale was quite thrilling and exciting. The author also did a really amazing job giving us closure while also starting a new storyline for the sequel.
A tale of found family with a twist of the paranormal.
The essence of this story, its plot, is promising and with such a strong start there were moments in which I can honestly say I was totally swept up in the writing and how beautifully it flowed. The element of mystery and supernatural chills I was hoping for may have drifted off somewhat. However knowing that there is the possibility of a sequel, the notion has struck me that the author’s intention for book one is to be a foundation. A building block for something even spookier to come.
There were times when dialogue didn't always hit right for me— but then again, in reality, does it ever? I think we forget sometimes as readers that perfection isn't a state we often achieve… the ideal words and overly witty repartee often elude us when we'd wish for it most. So in that sense the characters felt authentic and well-evolved in a fashion that I could resonate with. It’s apparent from their backstories that time and care has gone into shaping and breathing life into them. A fact I have a great appreciation for.
The setting is quite captivating and more than the actual haunting itself it was the concept of found family and connection that resounded most significantly. The ending was action-packed and offered some of the thrills I had been craving throughout the body. It is with this in mind that I have high hopes for the delicious air of suggestion around what could be. And so I await book two with bated breath.
This was a fun spooky read that I was able to binge read in one sitting, and it definitely left me wanting another book! I loved the multiple pov and how the characters felt comfortable with each other right off the bat. You can't go wrong with a found family trope. I was super interested in the history of Blythe Manor and how one of our characters connects with the family!
Thank you to Miriam Wade, NetGalley and Snowbridge Press for this ARC!
This book was about found family with a hint of ghosts, and it delivered! The story around this trope was great, the stories behind each character and how they came to be together worked in a very relatable way. I was looking forward to the paranormal side of the story, but the ghost aspect did seem like there could have been a touch more here and there, but other than that, a great read!
I wish there would have been more background info, more about the Luanna’s powers, or more stories about her times with her dad and Cesar when they were kids. If felt like there were always opportunities for a chance to expand on the backstory, or to just give a little bit more to keep me interested, instead of just repeating the same ambiguous lines over and over again.
The Woman of Blythe Manor by Miriam Wade. I loved the cover and blurb of the book. I got into it straight away. This was a quick and easy read. The chapters were Caesar, Luanna, Gavin, and Damien. I did like Luanna and Caesar. I did like Damien and Gavin. I really didn't like Declan or Alexander at all. I did like the ending, and I do hope there is more to come.
Thank you to NetGalley, SnowRidge Press, and Miriam Wade for this ARC.
The Woman of Blythe Manor is a wonderfully written ghost story where all the best things happen. I enjoyed the authentic dynamic of the three male roommates and the long lost childhood female friend. Miriam wrote in multiple POVs so well and I loved being able to see into everybody’s minds. I also enjoyed that the guys were allowed to have emotions, show them and voice them to the group. I would highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a quick haunt with a diverse cast of characters.
Gavin comes from a line of old money, but his parents are at risk of going bankrupt. A local ghost story may be the key to saving his family. His roommates Caesar and Damien have agreed to hunt for the truth and maybe treasure at his ancestors house, Blythe Manor, known for being dangerously haunted by Dorothea Blythe. It’s believed she killed all of her family, but the one surviving daughter. The roommates have been coming up empty handed, even with Caesar’s paranormal amplifier ability. The three run into Caesar’s childhood friend, Luanna, a powerful medium and attempt to rope her into their hunt. Luanna is resistant as she believes Caesar’s amplifier ability is dangerous around known paranormal sites, which is a common belief among the paranormal community. The Woman of Blythe Manor follows the three roommates hunt and Luanna’s attempt to stay out of it. Will Gavin be able to save his family’s business? What trouble is waiting for them at Blythe Manor?
Going into this, I knew that the blurb had said that this is about finding family, not exactly about ghosts. And, truly, that’s what this is about, finding your own family, putting aside your trauma and not letting it get in the way of your current situation. These points are great, but I was looking forward to more paranormal than that, and that’s definitely my fault. However, this is a great book about finding family, and I’m hopeful that the next book (I certainly hope that there’s another book after that intriguing ending) will include a little more paranormal. Yes, I will definitely read the next book since this one was so well-written, engaging, and very enjoyable. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
I just wrapped up "The Woman of Blythe Manor" by Miriam Wade, and I have to say, I was left a bit underwhelmed. The premise had me excited for a thrilling ride, but it turned out to be more of a steady stroll. The big moments that were supposed to wow me ended up feeling pretty cheesy and left me thinking, "Seriously?"
And the cliffhanger at the end? Totally unnecessary in my opinion. The book could have wrapped up nicely on its own without leaving me hanging. I don’t think it needed a sequel. I would have rather had a longer book that closed out the entire story. It wasn’t a disaster, just a bit of a letdown. At least it gave me a break from my usual romance reads. Now I’m ready to dive back into some steamy, heart-fluttering goodness!
It seems that lately I’ve been reading tons of books with different POV’s and I cannot stop myself. I enjoy being able to read into all the minds of all the characters and this book was no different. Each character in this story showed proper emotion when you got their pov, and it was easy to understand their flaws and their struggles. I loved that. The paranormal aspect was also really cool, and I wish we saw even more, but I’m sure we will in the next book. Seeing Ceaser’s and Luannas ability coincide was cool. I’m super excited for whatever follows in this series and cannot wait for more. Thank you to Netgalley and Snowridge Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I saw the cover of this book I was drawn to it. Honestly, Show me a book with anything ballet themed and I'm there! But those of you who aren't ballet lovers, feat not! The ballet is a very small part of the story.
I thought this was an incredibly well written paranormal fantasy book. The characters were instantly likeable, believable and diverse. They all had solid backstories which were revealed to the reader in a 3rd person, multi POV narrative.
This book definitely had some spooky parts to it. But there were also beautiful friendships, old and new. I know Miriam is finishing up book 2 and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
There is so much to love. I enjoyed running around Bramblewood Bay and exploring its hidden secrets. A key to a treasure box? Yes, please. A ghost with a haunting past? Even better. Give me the creaking floorboards, the turning doorknobs, and the flickering lights.
My favorite characters are Gavin and the two wicked Spencer brothers. Deliciously evil, they want what everyone wants—Dorothea's treasure. In the end, it's more than that, though. Who knows, perhaps, there will be book 2.
Thank you, Snowridge Press, for my copy of The Woman of Blythe Manor (I won it in a giveaway). And Miriam, I'm so proud of you!
The story moved a bit slow at the beginning for me, but once it picked up it kept a good pace. I liked the characters and it’s not often that I like multi pov stories, but the characters were very distinct so this one I liked. Damien was my favorite. Good ghosts, though I love ghosts so more ghosts would’ve been awesome lol I don’t want to spoil the story for others so I’ll write a full blog about this story soon too If you're interested in a quick not too spooky read for the upcoming spooky season you should check out this book by Miriam Wade I think it'll hit the right spot for you.