A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and Matrimony

I didn’t realize until the end of the book that this was inspired at least in part my Jane Austin which only increases my admiration for this book.

This is a great book. I loved reading it as did my ten year old daughter. It has adventure and romance. I would completely recommend it.

With its light-hearted cover, cartoonish introductory illustrations, and two-page cast of characters, I was dubious about this book, but it didn’t take long before I was enjoying every bit of it. While it was challenging to keep track of all the characters, the writing was so well done that I could easily remember which was which without distracting reminders or descriptors. Though the tone is light-hearted, I quickly came to care for each of the young ladies and delighted in seeing the bad guys get what they deserved. I’ll happily pick up more works by this author.

A couple of years ago, I read Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl. I loved everything about this YA regency story, so when I saw that there was a sequel, I was excited to read it. I borrowed A School for Brides from the library, and just finished reading it yesterday.This is not a true sequel because the protagonists from Keeping the Castle are relegated to minor roles, but we return to the village of Lesser Hoo in Yorkshire. The premise is that the unmarried stepsister from Keeping the Castle has opened a school for girls. Ostensibly, these young women are to be instructed in deportment and introduced into eligible young men, but there’s one problem: Lesser Hoo is in the middle of nowhere, and there are no eligible young men.But one day, that changes when a young man stumbles out of a bush- quite literally. While this young gentleman is recuperating in Lesser Hoo, he is soon joined by some of his friends- much to the delight of the young ladies. It seems as though proper society has finally come to Lesser Hoo, but conflict arises in the form of several suspicious characters whose motives are most certainly sinister. Throw in a stolen necklace, a handsome young footman, and the worst sheepdog in the world, and you’ve got a story!I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience, but I was a little disappointed that A School for Brides doesn’t quite capture the charm of Keeping the Castle. It was a little difficult to tell the young women apart. Each had a unique personality, but they tended to blend together; the same can be said for the young gentlemen.That said, I would still absolutely recommend A School for Brides. I would suggest that readers start with Keeping the Castle to gain a full picture of all that Lesser Hoo has to offer. A School for Brides is a wry and witty novel written for young adult audiences, but older fans of the regency period might enjoy this as well. I am not bothered by mature content, but I am sure that there are many who would appreciate that this novel keeps to regency era standards of propriety.

This book was fun, sweet, and clever. I absolutely adored "Keeping the Castle", and was so excited to read a story set in the same area with some of the same characters. The book was written in the same style as its predecessor, which I liked. The characters were likable, the story rather simple, but I liked the addition of a mystery to the story. I loved reading a bit more about Althea and Mr Fredericks. They really are one of my favorite literary couples. I adored their story, and was so glad that they continued to be happy.*SLIGHT SPOILERS!*I do have to admit that I liked this book less then "Keeping the Castle". In that book, there is one main protagonist and the story is focused on her trails, adventures, and eventual character growth. This story is not. There are about 5 main female characters, and while each of them seems sweet and endearing in her own way, we are not given enough time to really get to know any of them. I hoped they would all come to happy ends, but I wasn't nearly as attached to their stories. "A School for Brides" is a good book, but (at least for me) it lacked that personal connection that the first book had. I was thrilled for Althea and Mr Fredericks to (FINALLY) get together, and I didn't feel that way for any of these characters.

I read this book without having read Keeping the Castle first. As a Jane Austen fan, I figured I'd love the setting, and of course I did, but what I liked even better was the clever, light fun of it all. I'll admit that there are so many characters in the book I almost gave up on it at first. I'm glad I stuck with it, though -- I ended up liking the characters quite a bit, numerous as they are, and by the time it was finished I was sad to see it done.This is not the kind of book you sink into deeply, but it is the kind you smile through, witty and arch, where everything turns out just as it should.