Review: Christmas in the Castle Library - In the Castle Library #1

Christmas in the Castle Library book cover on blue background

I am so grateful to have been gifted the In the Castle series based on a dear friend knowing my exact reading tastes. As a result, I'm not surprised that I absolutely fall in love with Christmas in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell.

Christian fiction that has eternal meaning and clearly points to the Gospel through an immersive story centred on following Jesus Christ—what more could I ask for? 😊

Book Synopsis

Ellie Sawyer has always felt more comfortable with books than people, which explains why she’s a PhD history student neck deep in research and trying to complete her doctoral dissertation in time to graduate. But the final books she needs are half a world away in the tiny European kingdom of Lethersby, and the only time she can access the secretive Royal Castle Library is during the Christmas holiday.

Ellie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery that has eluded Lethersby scholars for more than 100 hundred years by figuring out what happened to their long-lost queen, a young royal who disappeared shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. With the help of Mark, a handsome castle staff member who shares her love of history, she might be able to unravel the queen’s story. But Mark is keeping his own secret from her, and what they discover together could change everything for Ellie—and the entire kingdom.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

I can understand all of the rave reviews for this book after experiencing a Christmas in Lethersby. Getting to meet Ellie and Mark, I can't help but fall in love with their quiet demeanors and faithful devotion to the Lord. Factor in the academic elements of Ellie working to complete her dissertation and it's a researcher's dream to step into these pages. I truly love that Ellie's thoughts reflect so many of my own as she leans on God to work past her inhibitions. Her natural reticence and fear of rejection takes quite the journey, but it is satisfactorily worthwhile to see how everything unfolds.

Incorporating meaningful references from the Bible, this book reads as if moving through a topical study on everything from perfect love casting out fear to abiding in Christ. It's a devotional pilgrimage as Ellie discovers who God has created her to be and how she can fully step into her calling to serve Him. Readers seeking clearly Christian content in their books will find Christmas in the Castle Library to be a story that is wholly inseparable from its ultimate message of hope and new life in the Gospel, making it one of the most wonderous reads of the Christmas season.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📱
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

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