The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House by Joanna Davidson Politano Book Review

Guys, if ever there was a book that you have seen on my blog that you need to read, this one is it. It’s got romance. It’s got a gothic, steam punk vibe. It’s got gizmos and gadgets and mystery. And the cover!!!! I mean that alone should have you running for your nearest bookstore 🙂

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About the Book

The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House
Author Joanna Davidson Politano
Published by Baker Books
on April 15, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Historical, Fiction / Christian / Romance / Historical, Fiction / Romance / Historical / 20th Century
Pages: 400

A clever young woman, a contested will, and an estate that does not easily give up its secrets.

It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she's never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.

The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people--including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle's death, the late master's nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.

Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate's butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master's brilliance as well as his property--or someone else will.

Amazon | Goodreads | Baker Book House

My Perspective

Oh my did I enjoy this story. I took my time reading it because I wanted to just savor every moment with Sydney and the Blakely House. Hats off to Politano as she not only created this magical house in her mind, but she was able to to show (not tell) the readers how each part of the house worked. It was so imaginative, whimsical, fascinating, and just a pleasure to read. All the intricacies of how these machines operated simply blew my mind. And the way she held back from any advanced technology because of the time period of the novel was simply amazing to me.

Along with all these remarkably thought out gadgets was a mystery. A mystery of the past, the present, and even a little of the future. There was a wonderful plot twist near the end that really changed the entire story for me, in a good way. I didn’t expect it at all, but found I liked it even more that what I thought was coming.

And let’s not forget the chemistry between Sydney and ______ (sorry not spoiling that one!!). It was there right from the start and I loved every moment of them on the page together. But moreso, I loved the full cast of characters. Each character held their own charm, whether friend or foe. And most of the time you didn’t know which was which!

I thoroughly loved The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House. All the quirks, whether they were of the house or of the characters, we fun to read. The characters were charming, spirited, and enchanting. Politano’s way with words is unlike any other, and you cannot help but become fully immersed in the story. I’m certain Blakely House will captivate readers everywhere. I, for one, plan on returning again and again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, releases October 3 from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.

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