Off the Charts – keeping the castle (Patrice Kindl)

Ahoy there me mateys!  For those of ye who are new to me log, a word: though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes.  Occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were.  So today I bring ye:

keeping the castle: a tale of romance, riches, and real estate (Patrice Kindl)

As usual the beautiful cover drew me in:

The blurb on the cover is “Will she marry for love, money – or both?”  Well that piqued me interest. When I read the blurb, I realized it sounded like a take on Jane Austen’s novels with some silly twists.  Turns out it is a pride and prejudice retelling!  I was in the mood for something light and as Jane Austen just turned 241 years old, it seemed appropriate.

I had such a good time with this one.  It takes place in a small English town called Lesser Hoo.  The main character is a 17 year old named Althea.  She lives in a castle-by-the-sea that is literally falling apart.  With no dowry and only her wits (and thankfully looks) to go on, she must marry rich for the sake of her brother and mother’s future prospects.

This is not a deep book but a fun somewhat ironic one at parts.  If ye are looking for a novel that mimics Austen’s style of writing and societal commentary then this might not float yer boat.  But if ye want a quick tale with an Austen flavor then give it a try.

Apparently there is a second book in the series called a school for brides: a story of maidens, mystery, and matrimony.  Sign me up!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Seventeen-year-old Althea is the sole support of her entire family, and she must marry well. But there are few wealthy suitors–or suitors of any kind–in their small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo. Then, the young and attractive (and very rich) Lord Boring arrives, and Althea sets her plans in motion. There’s only one problem; his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks keeps getting in the way. And, as it turns out, Fredericks has his own set of plans . . .

To visit the author’s website go to:

Patrice Kindl – Author

To buy the novel please visit:

keeping the castle – Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List