Eden Hall

Eden Hall #1

by Veronica Heley

After 24 years, she's learning the truth that was hidden from her as a child. Now the fate of many people depends on what she will do with it. At the age of four, Araminta 'Minty' Cardale was exiled from Eden Hall on the wings of a scandal. Twenty years later, summoned by her half-sister, she has returned to see her dying father. But her hopes of a warm family welcome are shattered, and she is rejected once again. Making a place for herself in the village at the gates of Eden Hall, Minty begins to learn the truth about her father and her long-dead mother. She has yet to understand the threat she represents to family members who care only for money, power, and self-advancement, or the hope she offers to the community she is growing to love. And there are some who will do anything to prevent her finding out until it's too late. Thankfully, Minty has friends to stand by her, and, in this modern Cinderella story, she find an unlikely and unpredictable champion. At stake are the soul of her father on his deathbed---and the future of the entire village.

Genres: Christian, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Veronica Heley has published more than fifty books, including crime fiction, historical, and children's titles. She is currently involved in the Ellie Quicke series of crime stories and a variety of other projects. A full-time writer, she has been married to a London probation officer since 1964, and has one musician daughter.

AKA Veronica Thorne

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story but the writing was terrible. And there were a lot of old-fashioned ideas that were straight up offensive (if a girl doesn't scream during rape, she is considered to have consented; the love interest repeatedly referred to the mc as a child - "You insolent child! You silly little girl!" etc...; she was accused of "tricking" him when she kissed him while he was asleep and he woke and kissed her back aggressively - his behavior was her fault.) It says a lot about the author's idea of love that she wrote the mc to be so smitten by condescending words and being treated like a child. A simple-minded and naive mc written by a simple minded and naive author. The author attempted to make the mc street smart from the big ole city, but the very innocent author came up short, writing about things of which she knows nothing.

I'm gonna try to read the series since its been on my shelf for about 10 years. I started this in high school and loved it, and I enjoy seeing how I have grown intellectually since I was in my early teens. It's funny, even though the author is older (70s, I think?), she thinks like I did back then. I remember trying to work out my own idea of independence while being very, very dependent on authority (like the mc), trying to figure out how I wanted to dress that pleased those who expected extreme modesty and also myself (like the mc), being treated like a doormat (like the mc), feeling terribly responsible for anything that went wrong (like the mc), trying to figure out if drinking is okay or not and allowing myself to be pressured into it because I desperately did not want to look like a prude (like the mc) and so many other things. Basically, I wanted to be the girl I am now, but struggled with how to do it. The mc has lofty ideas of who she is (or the author has lofty ideas of who she is, which she tells the reader), but her actions reveal a much different person.

[Valerie (Val's Vicinity) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked "Eden Hall". It had my attention right from the beginning, and I never found the story to be slow. It was interesting to see Minty unravel the mystery of her family history as she separated the facts from the rumors. I will admit there are some British customs and terms that I didn't quite understand, but after they are used a few times you can get a fairly good idea of what they mean. And if not, just type the term into a search engine, that's what I did with a couple of them! :-) I liked how the setting of the book didn't seem extremely modern...even though it is a contemporary book, set in the present day, it almost seemed as if the story could have happened 40 or 50 years ago. (Of course every once in a while someone gets an email or a call on their cell phone, reminding you that the story *is* actually set in the present day.) I usually tend to like historical fiction better than contemporary, but I really did like this book, so I think "Eden Hall" would appeal to historical or contemporary readers!

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.


2/17/2015-
“Stopped at pg. 94. I don't have a reason to keep reading this book. I'm simply lost and confused and have no desire to find out what happens.”


*Main Content-
Mentions of pubs & drinking; Mentions of smoking; A mention of spanking a child with a belt; Minor cussing (biddy, idiot, stupid, what the..!, and wretch).
Minty was told that her mother was unfaithful to her father & ran away to be with her lover (which was not true); Minty imagines her aunt scolding her saying that she looks like a prostitute like her mother; Mentions of a man's wandering hand; Mentions of a single mother and the father not wanting to know about the baby.

[Tausha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It says something about the book (or most likely the reader) when it takes a chapter into a book before you recognize you have read this book before. It must not have made much of an impression the first time. I stil finished reading it even after I recognized the story. It held my attention but I still didn't fall in love with it. The characters were likable, but the story didn't flow very well. I liked it, but probably won' t read it again ( at least intentially :) ). There is a second book, but I am not sure whether to read it or not.

[Shirley Klooster · Rating 4 out of 5]

You cannot go wrong with a castle, a mystery, interesting characters, and a romance in a village in England!!! Plus seeing the characters live out their faith in this circumstance. The author writes with crisp sentences. The brevity of words is still able to express meaning, thoughts, and actions!!

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town charm and lots of puzzle pieces. Exquisite characters!

[Angela Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just couldn't put this book down! The more that I read, the more I felt that I was in the story. It was so real to me.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great idea for a story, pooly executed.

[Gail Harger · Rating 3 out of 5]

so so

I finished the book but will probably not read anymore in the series. Sweet but too “goody goody” for me. I did like the various characters in the book.
I really like Veronica Heley’s Bea Abbott series!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Araminta "Minty" heads to her father after a call that he is dying. He has not seen her for 20 years. Will he recognize her? What will happen with her half and step siblings ?

[NaDell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere in the middle of the book, the twists didn't make sense anymore. The end cleared up some of the confusion, but maybe too little, too late.

[Ann]

Twenty years after being whisked away from her family home due to a scandal and being raised by her abusive aunt and uncle, twenty-four year old Araminta (Minty) Cardale was called by her half-sister to her ancestral home of Eden Hall to be reunited with her dying father.......but it is not to be a "happy" family reunion.

Rumors of her mother's infidelity, the reason for Minty's exile, are still rampant. Lisa, her step-mother, is the person behind the rumors and subsequently the reason for the death of Minty's mother. Simon, her step-mother's son, is bringing ruin, shame and bankruptcy to Eden Hall and Sir Micah (Minty's father), Gemma, her half-sister, is Simon's puppet and lapdog......Minty is getting a crash course on the members of her family and their love for money, power and self-advancement.

While waiting for the opportunity to visit her dying father, she is growing to love the community and it's citizens. Can she save the community and Eden Hall or will her family bring the downfall of the tiny hamlet?

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me way to long for me to read. I just could not get into it like I wanted to. I was disappointed that this book wanted to be suspenseful but didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. Having finished the story I am not motivated to read the next book in the series.
I did like the book was clean and was honest in its presentation of the gospel. I can see how some people would really enjoy this book but for me I think I will pass this book and the rest of the set on to someone who will enjoy it more than me.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 24 years, she's learning the truth that was hidden from her as a child.Now the fate of many people depends on what she will do with it.At the age of four, Araminta 'Minty' Cardale was exiled from Eden Hall on the wings of a scandal. Twenty years later, summoned by her half-sister, she has returned to see her dying father. But her hopes of a warm family welcome are shattered.
Modern Cinderella.....

[Joanne Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in modern day England, at 24, "Minty´s" life was going to before ever changed when she learns the truth , of who she is. This is the 1st in a series of 4 . If you could actually enter the book and wonder around Eden Hall, I'd be in line go!! An enjoyable read.

[bookme4life · Rating 2 out of 5]

From 15 years ago.

[Lori]

2

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic rags to riches story with grit and faith.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to put into words how much I adore this series! I have read, read, and re-read all four and will continue to do so forever and ever! The characters are so human .

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden Hall (Eden Hall #1) by Veronica Heley – A shocking inheritance for a rather isolated young woman creates a lot of drama! Happy Reading!

[Nikki Wilson]

This book completely engulfed me in the fairy tale. I fell in love with the characters. I will look for more books written by this author for sure.

[Mackenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book boring and tasteless. I kept waiting for something intresting to happen and it didnt. It was just bleh.