Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano

About the Book

Title: Finding Lady Enderly

Author: Joanna Davidson Politano

Publisher: Revell

Released: September 2019

Raina Bretton is a rag woman in London’s east end when a handsome stranger appears in a dank alley and offers her a glittering smile and a chance for adventure. Rothburne Abbey has a unique position for her, one that will take her away from her hardscrabble life and give her a chance to be a lady. Things she could only dream of might be coming true. But some dreams turn out to be nightmares.

Though Raina has traded squalor for silk and satin, something about the abbey is deeply unsettling. As she wrestles with her true identity, the ruin, decay, and secrets she finds at the heart of the old mansion tear at her confidence and threaten to reveal her for who she really is. Only one man stands between her and the danger that lurks within–and only if he decides to keep her biggest secret hidden.

My Review

Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano is a great Christian fiction historical mystery. Like Cinderella, Raina rises from rags to riches. Rothburne Abbey would be a reporter’s paradise, as the questions «Why? Who? Where? When? » and « How? » would, when answered, bring either a great treasure or a terrible calamity. Once the action started, I was swept away to another time and another land. Were events glorious or were they tragic? Through it all, Raina ponders who she was, who she is, and who she will be in the future. I found it interesting and true to life that Raina couldn’t read her Bible and pray while involved in deception. Great twists and turns throughout until the climax is reached. Also, some great Biblical answers for Raina (which makes the book so much richer). Unfortunately, once the denouement is reached, the wrap-up seems a little weak compared to the incredible action that precedes it. Great secondary characters. If this were a movie, some would have won an Oscar for best supporting character. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

My Rating

About the Author

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.