A Rumored Fortune, by Joanna Davidson Politano (Revell, 2018)

In 1866, Tressa Harlowe returns to the family castle to discover her beloved-but-distant father dead and the family finances in dire straits. She knows there’s a fortune hidden somewhere on the estate, but her father had always said he’d reveal the location before he died. Now, it’s too late.

With bills coming due, a high-need mother, servants who seem to be keeping secrets, and an infuriating new manager her father hired to run the vineyards, it’s all too much. Oh, yes, and the gold-digging family members and former boyfriend…

Her best choice seems to be a cautious partnership with the new manager, Donegan Vance, to find the hidden treasure. Donegan comes with his own secrets, but if you like a swoon-worthy romantic interest, he’s it. Dark, mysterious, and brooding, maybe, but intensely loyal and kindness personified when nobody’s looking.

It feels like everything in Tressa’s life is being pruned away. This blends nicely with the chapter-opening quotes from the a vinedresser’s journal.

I appreciate how Tressa eventually discovers the painful past choices that make some of the characters so difficult to live with. This doesn’t excuse their behaviour, but it gives her compassion for them.

There’s a lot of depth to this novel. It’s a good mystery (I was late to catch onto the actual culprit because of all the options). It has emotional and spiritual depth. It evokes an appreciation of beauty and challenges us to look for the good in everyone without overlooking potential harm.

A Rumored Fortune is my first time reading Joanna Davidson Politano’s work. It won’t be my last. To learn about the author and her other works, visit jdpstories.com.

[Review copy from the public library.]