Every castle has its secrets, but this one more than others…

Synopsis

‘Although I believe I will die here in this castle, my spirit will never be silent.’

Ravenscraig Castle, Scotland. 1307

When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land.  But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love.  Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.

Present day

Twins Leah and Zoe need a change, so caretaking at Ravenscraig Castle is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Surrounded by rugged Highland countryside, and bordered by a loch, the picturesque setting is everything they dreamed of. But the locals are reluctant to visit Ravenscraig, and there are whispers of ghosts and lost souls. The sisters quickly dismiss such superstition, but soon the overwhelming sadness they feel coming from the tower grows too hard to ignore.

Can the sisters finally right the wrongs of seven hundred years of heartbreak, seven hundred years of betrayal…

USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena Collins, brings you this heart-breaking and unforgettable timeslip novel, perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon and Louise Douglas.

My review

Leah and Zoe are typical twin sisters, they are as close as can be. But Leah has been going through some rough time, and getting away from it all may be the perfect remedy. So when Leah gets a job as a caretaker at Ravenscraig Castle, placed in the Highland countryside and bordered by a loch, they set off together.
While Leah feels finally at home, it seems that the roles have been switched and now Zoe is finding a hard time to adapt in their new setting. And rumours of ghosts and lost souls for sure don’t help. Even if the sisters dismiss these kind of gossip, they cannot deny that there is *something*…
Something that can be linked to the events taken place in 1307, when a young kitchen maid, Agnes Fitzgerald, had to escape from her home to Ravenscraig Castle, while the people f Scotland are fighting for their freedom. In a place where history is being written, filled with fights and threat, Agnes might fall in love with Cam Buchanan. But will their love stand a chance when Cam must go and fight together with Robert de Brus? 

I always think that writing dual timelines can be dangerous for an author. Because I am afraid that one story will not have the chance to capture the reader’s heart.
And while indeed the main characters could have perfectly have a book on their own, the fact that there was a common thread, linking both stories turned this book into an even better one. 

There is a thing I have to admit… my knowledge of the Scottish past is rather minimal. And what I know, I know from reading some fictional books, making me do some superficial research on Google, or watching movies like Braveheart.
So while Agnes’ story may be fictional, I liked how it the author put some real events into it, making it all more plausible. 

What I liked the most, was the bond of sisterhood. Leah and Zoe are real sisters, and would do anything for each other, even moving out of their comfort zone if that would mean it would help their sibling.
And while Agnes is on her own, she is like a real big sister to Effe, who is much more fragile even if they are around the same age.
Both Zoe and Agnes are very protective of Leah and Effe respectively. And that makes it so easy to like them. But their protectiveness also makes sure that they put their selves on the side-line, eve risking to lose their own happiness. 

It was sweet to read how initially it was Leah who was struggling at home, and once in Ravenscraig Castle, she found herself at home, and we saw how she was opening up, being back the Leah everyone knew.
And it saddened me to read how Zoe was now in the struggling position, as she was doing everything to make her sister happy.
That only shows that even twins are only alike until a certain point, but in the end they are also individuals with their own characteristics. 

Yet both sisters slowly start to appreciate the beauty they are being surrounded by, and their curiosity to get to know more about Ravenscraig Castle, brings them to befriend some locals and the owner of the place, making them find more than just a wonderful yet also bit spooky place. 

A spooky place where Agnes finds herself living after she had endured a horrible event, making her escape her home with Effe.
What I liked about Agnes was her hands – on mentality. She doesn’t play just the victim, but she wants to show her worth and make sure that people see her value and allow her to stay at the castle.
By just being true to herself, she shows people they can rely on her and trust her.

Seeing her falling in love for the first time was very sweet in my eyes. And even if it may seem a bit superficial, as how quick these feelings develop, it also shows that sometimes just one look can be more than enough to find the love of your life.

But on the other hand, it angered me to see in the end how she gets betrayed by the person she would do anything to protect…
I felt so angered, so shocked even to see how quickly Agnes was being dismissed as soon as she longer was needed, and how quickly has been forgotten all the things that Agnes has been doing. 

Obviously I knew that at least one story wouldn’t have the ending I wanted it to have, yet the author managed so well to let me care about all the main characters that I kept wishing, hoping, that somehow, the ending would be what all characters deserved. 

Even if I am not fully convinced that places can be haunted, or that there are spirits lingering around, I was fully enthralled by this book. I just had to find out how each story would end. A wonderful book, filled with love, family, but also sadness and betrayal, just like in real life…