Review: Dull  **Between 2 1/2 and 3 Stars**
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 27, 2014
This book had so much going for it, that really, it should easily have been a 4 or 5 star read for me.  Unfortunately, the story is told in such a dry and boring manner, that no matter the book is chock full of mystery and intrigue, it just made for a dull read.  The premise of the book is very interesting and unusual, but the story that unfolds is borderline boring.Each chapter begins with a entry from the diary of a young Englishman, written in the year 1699.  The diary entries describe events that occur during the young man's Grand Tour of the Continent.  As you read the diary, there is no hint as to whose diary these entries are from, nor their relevance to the main story.  However, by the end of the book, all is revealed, and the diary actually plays a very significant role and affects the lives of several of the characters of the main story.The main story is set in England, 1743.  Madeline, an 18 year old orphan, travels to Barnesfield Hall, to take up a position as companion to Lady Grey.  This is where Madeline meets the hero, Frederick Gould, Lady Grey's brother.  An unlikely friendship develops between Madeline and Frederick--unlikely because of the difference in their station--which eventually blossoms into love.  Frederick is determined to have Madeline as his wife.  She, however, knows that a marriage between them is impossible, as Frederick would have to make huge sacrifices in order for them to be together--not the least of which would be becoming a social outcast.Life at Barenesfield Hall is pretty idyllic for Madeline as she spends time with Frederick, and even makes friends with a daughter of one of the tenant families on the estate.  Her peaceful existence comes to an abrupt halt; however, with the unexpected arrival of Lord Grey.  Lord Grey is the stereotypical overbearing lord.  He is arrogant, self-serving, and cruel.  As a husband, he is extremely neglectful, uncaring, and has absolutely no regard for Lady Grey, who he regards as merely his property.When Lord Grey arrives announcing his intention of hosting another of his "events" at the Abbey ruins--an area Madeline was warned to stay away from--life takes a bad turn.  There is a lot of intrigue surrounding Lord Grey's activities at the Abbey.  When Madeline's friend, Jenny, gets caught up in Lord Grey's sick games, Madeline feels forced to act to protect her friend, as Jenny's family is at Lord Grey's mercy and is unable to do so.  Madeline enlists Frederick's aid in her endeavor to help Jenny.Lord Grey is not happy about having his plans thwarted however, and is set on revenge.  The rest of the story that unfolds involves Frederick and Madeline making a stand against Lord Grey.  The importance of the diary is finally made known and all ends well.The book is written is a style that is reminiscent of authors such as Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte--both authors whose works I enjoy immensely --by which I mean the tone is a bit formal, and the characters' behavior holds true to the times in which the story is set.  Unfortunately, in this instance, the writing seemed too stilted, and turned what should have been an exciting, intriguing story, into a dull, dry tale.I felt removed from the characters; I could not connect to them on any level.  Thus, I really didn't care whether or not they got their HEA.  The end result is that I cannot recommend this book.  If I could I would rate it somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 stars.