Pura, Murry. Ashton Park: The Danforths of Lancashire. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers. 2013.

SUMMARY:
Set in the early 1900s during WWI, Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Danforth, along with their seven adult children, reside in Ashton Park estate in Lancashire, England. Meanwhile, downstairs in the estate, lives the many household staff and servants. Through turmoil, adventure, romance, drama, heartache and social class interaction, the Danforths experience life to the fullest (albeit not always the easy life of high society).

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:
Though I did manage to keep the cast straight, upon opening the book, I found a list of the many characters involved in the novel which could have served as a helpful reference. Perhaps due to the sheer volume, I did not ever really connect to the individuals in the story; as a result, I found myself having trouble relating to the book. The descriptions of the area were picturesque yet the writing itself struck me as a bit stuffy (maybe due to the privileged society within?). Although Ashton Park may resonate with fans of the Downton Abbey Series on PBS, it was not a genre which I thoroughly enjoyed. Watch for a sequel to the Danforths of Lancashire.

RATING:
3.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Ashton Park from Harvest House Publishers for my honest review*