What. A. Book.

I recently finished “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier for a book club, and when I saw this book marketed as a loose “Rebecca” retelling, I was intrigued. There are many influences of “Rebecca” within this book, but it’s so refreshing to read a book derived from specific source material that keeps the spirit of the original, while also creating something magical and impactful in its own right.

“The Dravenhearst Brides” is a quintessential gothic romance, steeped in the time of 1930’s prohibition Kentucky landscape that lends itself so perfectly to the genre. It’s at once darkly sinister with ghosts, hauntings, and haunted pasts, and also grounded in the reality of the physical tragedies of life (and the mental toll those take on a person.) You will find yourself cheering for our heroine, Margaret, while also feeling twists of sympathy for other characters who complex lives still haunt the living. If you enjoy your romance dosed with a liberal helping of personal struggle in the face of trauma, growth through some of life’s worst tragedies, and morally ambiguous ghosts, please read this book - it is excellent, and perfect for October (and all the seasons beyond!)