Replacing Gentry blog tour: Top 10 list, review & giveaway

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Replacing Gentry

When Marlie agrees to attend a cadaver ball at Vanderbilt Medical School, she did not expect to actually see any cadavers. Or, that a strange apparition would issue her a chilling message.

Despite the cadaver's warning, Marlie is married a year later to Tennessee State Senator, Daniel Cannon, and living in a plantation-style mansion with two step sons. Add to the mix her growing suspicion that something is amiss with the death of Daniel’s first wife, Gentry; and newlywed Marlie is definitely in over her pretty Yankee head.

What begins as an innocent inquiry into her new husband’s clouded past, ends with Marlie in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy.

A modern twist on the classic Gothic romance novels of Rebecca and Jane Eyre, Replacing Gentry follows Marlie’s precarious journey as she learns the truth about the man she married.

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Top 10 List of Gothic Romances

I'm not a huge fan of gothic romances but some of the few I've read definitely had a significant influence on my writing and storytelling. Although Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier was the first gothic romance I ever read, Rebecca was my favorite of hers. Replacing Gentry was in part inspired by Rebecca. Elements of Jane Eyre can also be found in my novel. Since I enjoy the occasional gothic tale, I thought I mix the old with the new and came with Replacing Gentry. 

Okay, and now for my top ten list of gothic romances. Some of these are more historical fiction but stories I really enjoyed.

1. Rebecca

2. Jamaica Inn

3. Withering Heights

4. Jane Eyre

5. Secret for a Nightingale by Victoria Holt

6. Northanger Abby 

7. A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist

8. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

9. Shameless by Karen Robards

10. Mysteries of Udolpho (very long)

Author Julie N. Ford

Julie N. Ford graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in English Literature. In addition, she has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama. Professionally, she has worked in teaching and as a Marriage & Family Counselor. She is the author of two women’s fiction novels, The Woman He Married and No Holly for Christmas, published in 2011. In addition, she wrote a romance/chick-lit novel, Count Down to Love, also published in 2011. Count Down to Love was a 2011 Whitney Award finalist. Her next novel, Replacing Gentry, is due for release April 9th, 2013.

Currently, she lives in Nashville, TN with her husband, two daughters and one hedgehog.

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Replacing Gentry is like a good mixed drink: add two ounces of gothic romance with three ounces of suspenseful mystery, toss in a drop of a dark secret society and a splash of contemporary women's fiction, and the end result is an intriguing read. Marlie is a social worker and her first marriage was disastrous. This California woman never thought she'd find love as quickly as she did when she met Daniel, a Southern record company owner and politician who asks her to marry him a day after their meeting. Talk about love at first sight. Daniel is a man of integrity, old-fashioned and a staunch believer in keeping the traditional ways of Southern living. When Marlie says "I do" she marries into his family, including his mother and outspoken sister, Cooper, as well as his twin teenage sons. There's a mystery about the death of Daniel's first wife, Gentry, and other strange goings on to contend with.

Marlie is a strong woman who speaks her mind and is not accustomed to holding her tongue during a discussion. Married to Daniel, he now expects her to keep quiet when around his friends and family. Though I found it hard to really like Marlie in the beginning, I did respect her. As the story progressed, I grew to like her more. There were some good twists and turns in this story as the mystery played out and I didn't see some of them coming which was a pleasant surprise.

Replacing Gentry kept my interest and I liked it. Recommended for readers who like dark, suspenseful mysterious reads.

Rating: 3.5

1/2

Cover comment:

I like the cover but it seems more geared to a Young Adult book with the model's formal gown and long, loose hair. This seems more romantic and doesn't necessarily relay the dark and suspenseful tone of the story.

Book source:

I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review. 

Tour Giveaway

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Ends 4/30/13

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