OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Castles in the Fog" by Linda Heavner Heavner Gerald.]

Castles in the Fog is the second book in its series. Given that I haven’t devoured its prequel, I affirm it is an enjoyable standalone. Mental health awareness has been a discussion for quite some time since Covid-19 affected the world. I beg to ask the question: if your spouse shows signs of mental trouble, would you run away from the marriage, or would you stay and help them? Malcolm is faced with such a predicament in Castles in the Fog by Linda Heavner Gerald.

The story spins off after the death of Thomas Reid. His wife, Caroline, unable to live in the mansion anymore, sells it to her friends, Malcolm and Molly, and then relocates to Charleston, South Carolina. The house is yet to be complete, so Malcolm and Molly decide to complete the work started in honor of their late pal, Thomas. Shortly, the two get married. During the wedding, the bride, Molly, displays signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Things take a toll on Malcolm when his wife suddenly disappears. What will he do?

The book is primarily set in Scotland, and the author supports this claim with the Scottish slang prevalent till the end of the tale. I loved how they added a unique taste to the dialogues. In and out of Scotland, Malcolm and his wife enjoyed exquisite cuisines that left my mouth watery.

The aspect of diversity was well showcased. For instance, there is a giraffe carving that had been bought from Kenya. The location changes when Malcolm and Molly, as newlyweds, take their honeymoon to Charleston. While there, I learned about the city’s historic features and other geographical landmarks.

I encountered challenges when characters spoke French without the inclusion of the translation. Though rare, I would have been gratified had the author translated the words for easier understanding. Besides that, I did not dislike anything else.

There are innuendos of physical assault, mental health problems, and forced sexual interactions. Reader discretion is advised to those who may be triggered by such inferences. There were only a few grammatical typos. I award the work 4 out of 4 stars. Besides the exceptional editing of the book, the narration style was captivating. Caroline and Max hosted Molly and her husband as newlyweds. Malcolm and Molly reciprocated the kind gesture as time went by. Such acts of humanity were honorable to read. I recommend this installment to readers who admire books with underpinnings of mental health disorders and unstable marriages.

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Castles in the Fog
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The story seems quite intriguing to me. I'm curious to know what happened to Molly and how Malcolm will handle everything. Great review.

Typical conflict in interests depicted in the story. How is a man ever going to cope with the situation as that? Thanks for the captivating review

This book seems to promise relaxing read. Living or running from a loved one with mental disorder sounds thought-provoking. Thanks for the review and your recommendation.

Oh.. What an amazing twist in the story of the newly weds. I am really curious about the disappearance of the bride ‍♀ Keep up the good work author

The challenges that people encounter either make people up or destroy them. I love the plot and storyline of the book. Thanks for your review.

The challenges that Malcolm encounter was quite much and I would love to read this book to know he survived. Good review.

I have mixed feelings about this novel not about its quality, as it seems well-constructed, but with some difficult themes, so I'd need to find the right mood to read it. Regardless, thank you for your great review!