ABOUT THE BOOK
Following her childhood rescue from the gutters of Calcutta, Mary Grace’s life has been an astonishing rags-to-riches tale. The Wellings raised the half-Indian orphan with all the love and care the childless couple possessed, allowing her to grow into a beautiful and refined woman. But upon Mr. Welling’s death, it is time for Mrs. Welling to take Mary home to England—home to Meriden Park.Despite her genial nature, Mary is received with suspicion by the villagers. For his part, however, Mr. Robert Markham is intrigued by the curious new beauty in town. Determined to make her acquaintance, he offers Mary a bargain she can’t refuse: a hot cross bun for a kiss. That seemingly innocent exchange is the first of many encounters between Robert and Mary, whose friendship blossoms into love during long walks in the privacy of Sherwood Forest. But the shadows of the forest hide a sinister secret, one Mary fears Robert might be a part of. As the mystery of the recent string of murders creeps closer and closer, Robert and Mary are drawn into a dangerous game, and unless she can unearth the truth, the couple risks losing one another forever.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What inspired you to write this story?
JULIE DAINES - Meriden Park fits in with my previous Regency romance stories in that all three have an iconic romantic couple from the past connected to the story. I used Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in Willowkeep, and King Arthur and Guinevere in Havencross, so of course it was time for Robin Hood and Maid Marian!
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What will readers like most about this story?
JULIE DAINES - I hope that readers will enjoy the sweet and fun relationship between Robert and Mary. They are so cute together; it is one of my favorite parts about the book. I love when two very different people discover that they each fill exactly the gaps in the other person. Also, I hope Mary’s journey as a character will intrigue readers and make her a special character for them.
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - How is the book similar and different to your other books?
JULIE DAINES - Like most of my books, Meriden Park also has a small element of magic within its pages. I personally love books that have just a touch of magic in them. It’s not total fantasy, but just a little something to make you wonder “what?"
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What writing projects are you working on next?
JULIE DAINES - I tend to keep my current projects close to my vest. I’m not sure why, but I’m not usually ready to talk about them until they have gone to my publisher and are on the track to be released. I know some authors who like to describe their current work in progress in great detail to anyone who will listen. From me, you get: A set of stories set in the 1700s with love and loss and a tiny hint of magic. You’ll have to wait for the rest.
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What lessons will the reader learn from this book?
JULIE DAINES - This book’s main character, Mary, grows quite a lot. I hope that the lessons she learns will also resonate with readers. There are themes about heroes and what makes a person a hero. Themes about family and togetherness. Themes about accepting yourself. And lots more.
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What type of readers will enjoy this book the most?
JULIE DAINES - I hope readers who enjoy Regency Romance but are ready to take a break from dukes and earls and rakes will enjoy Meriden Park. Readers who love the lore of the land might love this book. Also, readers who love Shakespeare will find lots of tidbits to swoon over.
LIFE IS WHAT IT'S CALLED - What should readers know about you as an author?
JULIE DAINES - I’m very excited about this book. It has probably taken the longest for me to write than any other book. I’m not a fast writer, but this was not an easy book for me. A lot of stuff happened this past year, including the loss of three parents, and I’m looking forward to Meriden Park’s debut and really hope readers will enjoy it.
REVIEW
Meriden Park was not what I expected from reading the description. I thought the book would start off in India, but it started off in England especially since it said, "it is time for Mrs. Welling to take Mary home to England." It almost seemed like there would be a journey to England within the story. I also wasn't expecting the Robin Hood retelling even though the description mentioned Sherwood Forest. It's not a straight retelling, but it has a lot of elements of Robin Hood interwoven into the story.
There was also a lot going in the story from racial issues, murder mystery, finding one's place, ghosts from the past, romance...I felt like the author did a good job at balancing it all. Writing that many elements in one story is not an easy task. There were also several interesting characters from greedy relations to a Shakespeare quoting mother. I think this book has a little bit of everything in it. It did take me some time to digest after reading it. It would be an interesting book to discuss in a group and talk about. Overall, this is very unique Regency romance. I think Regency romance readers will enjoy the unique twist on Robin Hood. To learn more, click here.
Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog. This post is in cooperation with the author.
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