A trip to The Painted Castle should do us all some good! Kristy Cambron does an excellent job with the travel arrangements!

I mean, traveling about the world, and back and forth through time should be exhausting. But Kristy takes us on the adventure with a smile and a wink, and the only jetlag involved is that which comes from staying up too late reading (again)!!! (Who, me? Would I do such a thing?? Yes. Absolutely! 100%)

This book is on tour with Celebrate Lit, and we are privileged to share a spotlight from them. I also received a copy of the book from @Netgalley. I chose to share my thoughts with you here.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I may make a small commission. I only recommend books and resources that I’ve enjoyed personally, or believe that you would like. You can read my full disclosure here. You will also find information on Scripture translations there.

 About The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: October 15, 2019

Bestselling author Kristy Cambron concludes the Lost Castle novels with this sweeping tale of art and secrets long buried in England.

It was supposed to be a one-week job: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mysteries surrounding the old English manor and the enigmatic art thief who’s employed her stir more questions than answers. Then, Kiera finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin-a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria.

Set in three time periods-the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day-The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith, family, and stories that are generations in the making.

Click here to grab your copy.

My Trip to The Painted Castle

This is book 3, and I have not read the first two yet. I did snag book 1 on sale the other day though. I didn’t feel lost, but I am sure the story is much richer when reading in order.

If I’m not mistaken, the Lost Castle trilogy is tied together by the contemporary thread, which is the one I connected with least. I really wanted to connect, and I did enjoy Kiera. I felt like I Should have connected more here, so I will happily go back to the beginning of the series and see if that changes my perspective. *(update below)

That said, some of my favorite quotes come from the contemporary storyline!

I have read books with two time periods before but this is my first time reading one with three time periods. It was quite an adventure, and I really liked how well Kristy Cambron made each thread connect with the others and told the history of The Painted Castle.

From Elizabeth (1840s) I had a good reminder of the danger of focusing too intently on a cause, or even a wound. It can blind you to some really important things going on right in front of you.

Amelia’s (1940s) courage and generosity, as well as her heartache, drew me in on many levels. She’s someone I would really want to be friends with if we lived in the same time period. Or she wasn’t a Storybook character. (details, details)

I would definitely recommend The Painted Castle and any other Kristy Cambron books to anyone who wants to see a little justice, some courage, and second chances!

The Rest of the Lost Castle Novels by Kristy Cambron

Update: I’ve now read all three Lost Castle Novels by Kristy Cambron in order. I was right that the contemporary thread is the connection, and that reading them in order made Kiera’s story more poignant.

The Lost Castle is located in France (and no, that’s not a spoiler), and Castle on the Rise is some powerful Irish history. Add in The Painted Castle’s English history, and you’re set. I Highly recommend reading these books, reading them in order, and enjoying every bit of Kristy Cambron’s God-given writing talent as a Christian fiction author

About Kristy Cambron, Author of the Lost Castle Novels

KRISTY CAMBRON is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She’s a Women’s Ministry Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, and a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping.

Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

More from Kristy Cambron

About The Painted Castle

A war-torn estate holding its secrets close. A lost library bricked off from the world. And a portrait-maker’s unknown masterpiece of a Queen named Victoria… What stories do they long to tell?

It was supposed to be a one-week snatch-and-grab: survey an art find, collect a hefty fee, and use that to settle historian Kiera Foley’s life back into balance. But from the moment she sets foot in the East Suffolk countryside, the mystery of an old English manor, a crumbling beekeeper’s cottage, and a library that had long ago been sealed off brick by brick, all stir more questions than answers. What begins as a novice assignment instead peels back layers, lulling Keira into the depths of the estate’s long-forgotten history.

Despite questions swirling around the enigmatic, rumored art thief who’s employed her, Keira finds the existence of a portrait captivating enough to upend all of her expectations. This one could be a twin—a painting so close in composition to a known masterpiece, it may be rendered priceless if it truly captured the likeness of a young Queen named Victoria…

1842— 

In order to salvage what’s left of her family’s shaky circumstances, artist Elizabeth Meade knows her duty must be to marry well. But she hopes looks can be deceiving enough to hide her true motives behind a congenial smile and gain entry into the ballrooms of England’s noble elite. Instead of husband-hunting, Elizabeth searches for the one thing that’s seared to her memory—the eyes of her father’s killer, whom she unwittingly sketched one snowy night in Piccadilly ten years before. She never expects to find answers tucked away in the countryside at Parham Hill, in the form of a portrait-maker who could help her artist dreams come true, if only she could forget the highwayman she’s hunted for the last decade—the estate-owner who unwittingly selects her as his betrothed…

1942—

When the 390th Bomb Group arrives at Amelia Woods’ Parham Hill Estate, the American flyboys bring playing cards, B-17 “flying fortresses”, and enough bravado to believe they can triumph over Hitler just by staring him down. Amelia isn’t certain, and she’s unwilling to compromise the safety and security in a carefully-crafted world she’s built for the dozens of London-evacuated children left in her charge. But with Anderson shelters buried in the gardens and an Allied airfield a stone’s throw away, Amelia may have no choice but to wait out the war under blackouts and bombs, and accept help from the captain who offers it—even if it means risking all she has left of her late husband’s memory…

From the streets of Piccadilly and the lavish halls of Buckingham Palace to the countryside surrounding Framlingham Castle, a warn-torn estate, a hidden library, and the lost portrait of a queen come together to write the final chapter in the Lost Castle series. Set in three time periods—the rapid change of Victorian England, the tumultuous skies over England’s eastern shores in WWII, and modern day—The Painted Castle unfolds a legacy of faith and the family we fight for, of risk and reward, and the artful crafting of a story that can be generations in the making… yet still change everything about a single life.

Until Next Time, Love God, Love Books, Shine The Light!!