Whimbrel House is a magical house on several acres of land on its own island. The story begins in 1846 and follows the lives of its inhabitants.

Merrit Fornsby inherits the house from his grandmother, who won it in a card game. Merrit knows nothing about magic or magical houses. He's a recluse who likes being on his own and living by his own rules. However, when he visits the house he inherited, with full intent to sell, he finds it's not just a house, but a home that terrifies him. The house seems to be alive, or haunted. Neither of which appeals to him. The house locks him inside, moves rooms around, and seems to throw tantrums.

Thank goodness for Hulda Larkin. The magical agency sent her over to check on the new owner, and it's a good thing they did! She comes equipped with spells and charms, while doing her best to explain what exactly Merrit had inherited, while working overtime to get the house under control!

The banter and slow burn between Hulda and Merrit is sweet and adds a bit of fun and romance to the story. But all isn't fun and light-hearted. Enter Silas, a man from Hulda's past, who is every bit as dangerous a magician as one who would ever want to meet. But how is he there? He's supposed to be spending a lifetime in prison. Will Merrit, Hulda, and the other occupants of the estate all survive the frightening intrusion?

Fantasy lovers, romance, and gothic mysteries

I enjoyed reading this first installment of the series, and I look forward to reading the second book. It's an easy read, and good when you want something that will hold your interest, without being too indepth.

I think there was a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the magical components of the house and to dig a bit deeper into the darker aspects of the story.

Check out the second book in the series.

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, including the Paper Magician series and the Numina Trilogy. She is published in more than twenty languages, has been a finalist for a RITA Award and multiple Whitney Awards, and won the 2020 Whitney Award for Novel of the Year: Adult Fiction. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, and owns too many pairs of glasses. She currently lives with her family in Utah. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.

Published Nov. 21, 2022
347 Pages
#72 in Folklore (Books)
#217 in Historical Fantasy (Books)
4.4 Rating

450 Words

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House)   from Amazon.Com!

Created Aug 22, 2025 at 6:25am • Submit your own review...