Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Two women—a century apart—embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance.
In 2012, art historian Gwen Morris travels to England’s Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she meets David Bradford–the owner’s handsome grandson–who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd’s staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she’s left searching for answers.
In 1912, after her father’s death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte’s grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.
Time is an interesting concept. How lives can connect across time is even more interesting, one which Carrie Turansky beautifully explores in her novel, The Legacy of Longdale Manor. When lives lived one hundred years apart seemingly intersect, the lessons learned by one generation bring meaning and value to generations never dreamed of from that distant time.
Gwen Morris was a junior art appraiser for her grandfather’s auction house in 2012. Her grandfather holds high expectations for his granddaughter’s work, but Gwen, unfortunately, falls woefully short of those expectations when she appraises a valuable painting incorrectly. Her grandfather sends her to Longdale Manor to assist his friend, Lilly Benderly, in appraising items she wishes to sell at Longdale Manor. Gwen finds more than valuable art and home artifacts at Longdale. She finds David Bradford, Lilly’s grandson and the developer who plans to convert Longdale Manor into a luxury resort to save the old home. They find common ground and work well together, but could there be more developing between them.
In 1912, the sudden death of Charlotte Harper’s father, a gospel minister, leaves hurt and betrayal in its wake. Left destitute, Charlotte, her mum, and her sister move to Keswick in the Lake District to stay with their friends, the Storey family. They hope to reunite with Charlotte’s grandfather, who owns nearby Longdale Manor. Those plans don’t work out, but Charlotte doesn’t really mind because Ian Storey has begun to show her specific attention, and she is enjoying living with the Storey family at Valley View farm.
Charlotte’s father’s betrayal leaves her wary of any romantic attachment, leading her to record her deepest thoughts in a journal. It’s the very same journal Gwen discovers one hundred years later. Gwen and Charlotte share similar thoughts and experiences, and Charlotte’s writings prove to help Gwen through a difficult time. Both women are seeking assurance, trust, and faith. They both come to realize that placing faith, not just in someone but ultimately in God, is the key that unlocks what their hearts have searched and longed for.
Carrie Turansky innocently simplistic prose proves to be a soothing read, leading the reader into England’s beautiful Lake District and the halls and paths of Longdale Manor but in time periods one hundred years apart. The Legacy of Longdale Manor is a gentle reminder of how those in bygone times had the same struggles, dreams, and hopes as those in the modern day. The stories from each time period are both lovingly told as the reader’s heart joins with the characters’ in search of resolution, love, and a happy future.
The Legacy of Longdale Manor proves that lessons learned from the past can sometimes alleviate current worries if we are willing to open our hearts and minds to whispers from the past. 
Carrie Turanskyis the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.
