A Girl Called Foote by A.E. Walnofer

A Girl Called Foote Reviews

• 
  Nursebookie

  I absolutely loved this book - I was so engrossed by Clyde and Lydia's story and was transported to the beautiful setting of England in the mid 1800's which was quite a delight to read. I love a well done historical romance between two people from the opposite social classes, like a Romeo and Juliet of sorts.
  
  Jonathan Clyde lives in a grand estate called Whitehall that showcases privilege and vanity. Lydia Smythe a strong willed and intelligent young woman ends up working in Whitehall as a parlor maid. There are a cast of secondary characters that surround Jonathan and Linda that was so well developed and added to this beautiful story. How Walnofer can tell a story about the life and times of people from almost 200 years ago and make it so engrossing and immersive is truly the author's brilliance.
  
  I loved the storytelling style, the wonderful vivid and rich descriptions of their everyday lives and the development of the characters to culminate a satisfying conclusion of our protagonists.
  
  For our historical fiction fans, this is a must read.
• 
  Rach

  I really enjoyed this book. Every time I put it down to get some work done, it left me with a pressing feeling to go and pick it back up. To me that is a sign of a good book. I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching these people live their lives, it really drew me in. I like how I was able to listen to the thoughts of everyone, and it was a great reminder about how we just don't fully know the lives and feelings of others. So much gets misinterpreted when we always assume we know what someone else is thinking.
• 
  Amy Bruno

  Wow, I was not expecting this book to blow me away like it did! I love it when that happens.
  
  I was immediately drawn to the simple yet alluring cover and the unique title. I thought to myself, why in the world would a girl be called Foote? Ha! You'll be tickled when you figure out why she was called that though. If I wasn't already intrigued by the title and cover then I was definitely hooked once I read the opening scene. It was hilarious!
  
  The book starts off with Jonathan living in Whitehall. At a young age, he becomes heir to the estate after his Father and older brother die tragically. He is sent to school abroad but returns home when he becomes of age.
  
  Lydia Smythe is a clever young girl living with her family on their farm. When her father passes her mother suggests she moves away from the farm and her alcoholic, abusive brother, to work in service. She gets her first job at Whitehall and moves there. She is a lover of books and could read at a young age. When Jonathan finds her reading books in their library he is intrigued by her.
  
  I could not love the two main protagonists more and watching them become close and fall in love was really well written. I loved the notes and repertoire they had together. Lydia is kind and smart and not afraid to speak her mind, and while Jonathan is of a higher station in life he's not pretentious or rude.
  
  In addition to Lydia and Jonathan, there are many secondary characters that will charm you - Ploughman, Wells, Sophie, Mr, Farington and especially Elliott! I really enjoyed the upstairs/downstairs aspect in the book - reminded me a bit of Downton Abbey where we get a peek of the lives of the servants.
  
  I also loved that the book was told by multiple POVs - it felt like I got to know the players better and provided more of a rounded picture. It's obvious that the author has a fantastic sense of humor because there is a lot of witty dialogue in the book, and some laugh out loud moments. I loved everything about this book! You definitely should pick this up and escape into a good book this weekend!
• 
  Debbie

  You can't help but grow to love the two protagonists in this surprising story. Jonathan Clyde starts out as a mischievous entitled brat, but we watch him mature into an admirable British gentleman. Lydia Smythe impresses from the beginning as a precocious and perceptive seven-year-old. She becomes even more so as she grows into a witty, hard-working young woman. Both must deal with family tragedies at a young age, and both face their hardships head on.
  
  Jonathan's family estate, Whitehall, has two prominent windows on the topmost floor. They are placed there only to enhance the outer beauty of the home but have no rooms behind them, just unusable space. It's an apt metaphor for the empty pretensions of Sir William and Lady Clyde.
  
  Sir William is a baronet who married a VERY wealthy tradesman's daughter to replenish the family's mostly empty coffers. Both are far more concerned with appearance than substance, and "the Lady" (as she is referred to by both the servants and her own children) is emotionally detatched from her son Jonathan and his siblings.
  
  When the threatening actions of Lydia's alcoholic brother makes it imprudent for her to stay at the family farm, she becomes a servant at Whitehall. Smith is the severe, humorless housekeeper who has hired her, and the Lady immediately changes Lydia's name from "Smythe" (too much like "Smith") to a previous servant's name, "Foote."
  
  Before long, Jonathan is taking notice of this unusually clever-minded maid. Meanwhile, Lydia is noting the symptoms of substance dependency in Jonathan's sister Sophia, who the Lady is pushing relentlessly to any marriageable wealthy gentleman she can find. Lydia also befriends Jonathan's lonely young brother, Elliott.
  
  There are so many other interesting characters! There are Wells and Ploughman, who share the servants' sleeping chambers with Lydia. There's Herman Heldmann, a German farmer Jonathan had met at a museum in Paris during his Grand Tour. When they start a correspondence, Jonathan impulsively invites Heldmann to a ball at Whitehall without expecting him to actually attend.
  
  Ms. Walnofer's writing is a marvel. It flows beautifully and realistically, giving the reader a sense of KNOWING these characters intimately even though they're from a different place and time. The device of shifting the point of view from one character to another with each chapter is unusual and effective. Details contrasting the lifestyles of the servants and the Clydes come across convincingly because of these constantly changing viewpoints.
  
  What I appreciate the most is that the story progresses in unanticipated directions. This author constantly surprises.
  
  The ending is satisfying for our hero and heroine. However, considering how invested the reader becomes in some of the secondary characters, I wish we'd gotten some closure for their stories. There are hints of another potential romance. The irresponsible "villain" of the piece (for lack of a better word) seems to be getting off without any comeuppance, which I would've dearly loved to read.
  
  Overall, though, this is a delightful and engaging historical romance.
  
  Content is clean.
• 
  gwendalyn _books_

  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 1/2 stars
  A GIRL CALLED FOOTE
BY A.E. WALNOFER
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
A charming coming of age historical fiction, that sure will delight readers everywhere. Set in England in the Victorian period of the mid-eighteen hundreds.
Jonathan Clyde, is a mischievous young boy, whose life changes after the death of his titled father, and oldest brother. Raised at his ancestral home of Whitehall,
Lydia Smythe, is a Bookish, confident young farmers daughter that take up employment as a parlor maid at Whitehall. Her disposition is unique and attracts the young Baron, Jonathan. The storyline unfolds and the two lives become more and more intertwined. As their relationship expands to an unconventional one, they are still aware the class difference that is ever present between them.
The rich everyday detailed life of 18th century England comes through the pages of this amusing and thought provoking book. A.E. WALNOFER, creates a engaging historical fiction, part coming of age story with compelling interesting characters, along with social and economic issues presented.
Seamless cohesive narration, makes for a stunning read. Wonderfully detailed atmospheric elements adds to the realistic historical time period.
This was a enjoyable non stop read for me fast read for me, I had a hard time putting down and completely devoured over a day.
I recommend this book to my family and friends and anyone who enjoys coming of age Victorian era dramas.
• 
  Lona Manning

  The title of this book piqued my interest so I checked out the free sample and was immediately struck by the verve and power of Walnofer's prose. This is a fresh treatment of the familiar Upstairs/Downstairs romance which avoids the cliches of the genre. The heroine does not have unruly curls forever escaping the confines of her mob cap, or eyes spaced a little too widely for true beauty. Her problem is she knows she looks terrible in her mob cap and she has trouble keeping it on! She is in fact not a great beauty at all, but as you read, she becomes beautiful in the sight of the man who falls in love with her, and he first notices her for her mind and her intelligence, not her looks. Likewise the hero is not always heroic but he's a decent, feeling human being. Also, Walnofer doesn't avoid some of the unpleasant truths of the early 19th century -- poverty, mortality, illness, crude medicine, nightmare trips to the dentist.
  The first chapters are written from the POV of the main characters as children, so we get their limited perspective on things. The hero is kept in the dark by his mother--a most unsympathetic but interesting character, I should have liked to see her story line carried out to the end. And therefore, so the reader doesn't fully understand what is going wrong in the big house at the beginning. The characters, and their reactions to the situations they find themselves in, are what drive the plot and at every turn I found their actions and emotions to be believable and compelling. I didn't find the middle of the book to be as forcefully written as the beginning, but the ending was very satisfying. I was just as interested in the doings of the minor characters as well, and wanted to see and hear more about them. [SPOILER] In fact, at the beginning I was wondering if there would be a big scandal or a Big Reveal of a long hidden secret, and I was thinking, "please don't let there be a Big Reveal." And there isn't -- not in the sense of a murder or babies switched in their cradles, or anything like that. The denouement is sweet and delightful, especially since the girl called Foote has to repress her emotions and her longings throughout the story.
• 
  Kari

  A GIRL CALLED FOOTE
  By A.E. Wolnofer
  
  The curiosity of the name of this title certainly intrigued me. What I found in A.E. Walnofer’s novel was a graceful and tasteful romance that blossoms between an unlikely coupling, Clyde and Lydia. It was nice to get so many perspectives as told through multiple POV’s throughout the novel of the early 19th century in England.
  
  It kept it refreshing and lighthearted without any gloom or doom that some romance stories come to at some point. It flowed beautifully and I enjoyed seeing such naive love form without mind to social status, financial standing but just pure feelings. There of course is drama but nothing to alarming to take away from the main storyline that is in fact a love story.
  
  The world building was so real it includes you and scoops you up and takes you into the story. The Author’s writing has humor that has you in fits of laughter to moments where you are wiping tears from your eyes in order to continue reading.
  
  You get to see Lydia find herself and both Clyde and Lydia grow separately and then together. This book will captivate your attention and you will have difficulty putting it down. It is a great spirited read and I recommend for anyone that wants something light and not too heavy to read.
• 
  Allie Cresswell

  This is a thoroughly enjoyable variation on a Cinderella story.
  Lydia is educated far above her station but doomed to work in service.
  Clyde is precocious and entitled, having come into his inheritance far too early and forced to take on the burdens of being head of a family and of a large estate. It's a lonely place for him to be until he strikes up an unusual relationship with the maid who likes to read the books she is paid to dust.
  The story traces both characters as they come of age, growing into their potential, learning from one another, although their feelings for each other confuse, and breach the boundaries of their society and class.
  I enjoyed the writer's descriptions of the stately home, its servants and workings, and her clever role reversal as the family home disintegrates to chaos with only the maid and the master to save it from collapse.
• 
  Nancy

  This book was reccomended to me by Rachelle.....thank you. I found this story to my liking, as the characters were not portrayed as "beautiful", but as real as they could be. I knew going into the story what the possible outcome was going to be, but yet I enjoyed the saga of Lydia and her knowing who she was and remaining true to herself. A fun read, and a good romance story without "all that other stuff" thrown in. Thanks to the author for writing a moral romance story.
• 
  wanda kay

  i started your book, 'a girl called foote', on a saturday afternoon and literally didn't put it down unless i had to eat.
  absolutely loooooved it!!
• 
  Eleanor

  Kindred spirits shed their pre-determined roles and carve a new path, together
  
  In a world of supposed superlatives, where every book, movie or series is touted as being “the best ev-er!” but inevitably falls short, A Girl Calle Foote by A.E. Walnofer delivers.
  
  In a nutshell, it’s the story of a young man and woman who meet in the course of their respective lives falling apart and are forced to reinvent themselves. Told in alternating chapters, we meet Jonathan Clyde and Lydia Smythe as young children - he a prank-prone, impudent spare to the heir, she a precocious daddy’s girl.
  
  As they age, we gain greater insight into - and see the the fragility of - the worlds around them.
  An early scene with Sir William, Jonathan’s father, reveals a secret about Whitehall that literally represents the separation between appearance and reality of the family’s position. In the wake of tragedy, Jonathan ascends to the baronetcy and we meet Jonathan’s negligent mother, a textbook narcissist referred to by all as “the Lady”. When she attempts to cast her son in a mold he boldly rejects, his younger and amazingly self-aware sister, Sophia, provides comfort and solidarity otherwise missing. Lydia’s book-filled life is punctuated by her brother Jack’s antics which lead to his breaking a leg, eventually proving fatal to the prosperity of Hillcrest, the family farm.
  
  Though the two meet briefly as teenagers when Jonathan is forced to find his own way home from school, their shared history begins when Lydia is forced to flee her home and seek employment at Whitehall. The “great Family” is shedding ballast in the form of servants , but Lydia, christened “Foote”, picks up the slack and gains new friends in her roommates and the books in the extensive hall library.
  
  She and Jonathan connect through books and wit - first, when she peruses his drawings and is drawn to his wry humor, and again when he sees her sneaking a book back onto a shelf. While it isn’t love at first sight, they recognize the intelligence and humor of the other and connection grows. A Girl Called Foote is a clean romance, but we are privy to the best kind of foreplay - intellectual stimulation. As they navigate their growing attraction and the social gulf between them - shown a standout scene where Jonathan manipulates Lydia into performing in front of his friends- expectations laden upon them by class and societal expectation loom large.
  
  Despite this, the two truly become a team when the situation at Whitehall finally disintegrates. The Lady decamps for London, leaving behind Master Elliott, her youngest child, in the care of a skeleton crew. We witness the perils of rudimentary dentistry, and the cruel fact that medical attention was only available to those who could - or were perceived to be able to - pay. The financial boom that has overhung the estate is finally lowered, and Jonathan returns in time to take the reins, though great sacrifices must be made.
  
  After the dust settles, Jonathan creates a new life for himself and Elliott, but is it doomed to emptiness without Lydia - and can he convince her that they belong together?
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Walnofer creates a rich set of characters with no weak links - everyone serves a purpose and she excels in revealing the big picture in few words. A prime example of this is a scene where Sophia’s governess, Glory, expresses her exasperation at being dragooned into another unrewarded duty - in just nine words.
  
  Some heavy topics are woven in - addiction, financial ruin, narcissism, the expectations tied to each social class and the struggle for self-realization, poverty, illiteracy, and the value of education. Do we learn what we need to navigate life, or just what society presumes we’ll need in our destined roles?
  
  Secondary characters - such as the tragic Plowman, the striving Wells, even Smith, the housekeeper are thoroughly fleshed out. I had a sense of who these people were and what they truly wanted in life. Every person introduced felt real, and the door has been left open for us to follow several of the characters in future books. I especially enjoyed the comic relief of Herr Heldmann!
  
  I look forward to reading more books in this series and will pore through Walnofer’s back catalog. This work was well-edited and had no discernible plot holes or hanging threads. Bravo!
  
  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
  
• 
  Nina DuBois

  I received a copy of this book as part of a goodreads giveaway.
  
  A Girl Called Foote was a refreshing historical tale of a girl renamed Foote having to enter a life of servitude once the upkeep of her family farm dwindled. There she a servant to the Clyde family.
  
  I really liked Lydia/Foote. She is a farmers daughter and is very smart, having been able to read sophisticated books at such a young age. She always carries herself in a confident manner and is quite clever. Despite having to go into service for a rich family, she never let it change her as a person. I'm going to lie and say she did not have her moments of despair at a life spent in servitude and nothing else, but she carries this air about her than cannot see put out, even by other grumpy servants. I also loved Johnathan who is the baronet. He was never snobby or looked down his nose at anyone who had less than him. His little brother Elliott was so lovable and cute. I enjoyed getting all their perspectives in this book.
  
  I definitely recommend this book. Since it is a historical book, it is less about romance and more about life for those in a certain in society. The story progressed really well and the writing was beautiful. This was just a lovely book to sit at home on the couch and read for pure enjoyment. I know I will revisit this story on cold winter days. Give it a try.
• 
  Zoe L.

  Can we just take a minute to appreciate this cover? There’s just something about simplistic covers that I find so soothing and beautiful. It just immediately had to read this! But anyways, it’s also such a good book! It’s set in one of my favorite time periods to read about and there’s, again, just something so soothing I find about reading books set during this time.
  
  The characters in this book were all so interesting. I even found myself invested in the stories of each of the side characters. Which is quite the phenomenon for me as I can be very particular with my character appreciation. I enjoyed getting a backstory into their lives, and I think that really helped move the story along. It set up a premise for why the characters are the way that they are.
  
  The romance in the book was fitting for the time period. It was clear and present, but this was more of a story about the characters. It’s the tension that makes the romance and I think that’s something that only books set in this period excel in. There’s just something about romance in the 1800s, you know, when it’s not forced.
  
  You can view my full review & giveaway on
  my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
  
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• 
  Margaret Watkins

  A gentle, heart-warming story of two young people from different backgrounds, but with an appreciation of the absurdities of life. Lydia, a farmer's daughter, finds herself in service to a family that is struggling to maintain a facade of respectability in spite of their dwindling resources. Jonathan, on the other hand, is full of mischief but at the first hurdle he has to cross as the new baron, he takes a stand and refuses to bow down to the demands made by his pretentious mother. Although the story is pastoral in nature, it nevertheless focuses on the class differences of the era with devastating results. I thoroughly enjoyed this author's writing style as well as the insights she brought to the plot. The romance that developed between Lydia and Jonathan is clean, and the attraction between them is evident from the beginning. As Lydia makes an impact on the household in more way than one, the reader cannot help but hope for a happy ending.
• 
  Emma

  When I started to read this book, I was not sure if I would like it or not. As it turns out I LOVE IT!! It's witty, funny, original and I loved the main characters. They were themselves every moment. I enjoyed that. After I started reading, I could not put it down. It held my attention and at times made me smile. I like how in the end Lydia and Jonathan's dreams come true. However, I felt Jonathan's mother was despicable for abandoning him and his little brother Elliott. A wonderful book and I highly recommend it.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
  
  Reasons I enjoyed this book:
  Entertaining
  Happily Ever After
  Original
  Page-turner
  Witty
  Wonderful characters
• 
  Jean Holtof

  An excellent first book for A E Walnofer, well done. This story was a refreshing depiction of 19th Century English life. The writing style is clear and engaging using the different characters' perspectives. I enjoyed the witty dialogue and the use of drawings and poems to communicate between Jonathon and Foote. I also loved the colourful characters, the Lady was classic. There was a lot of depth displayed in the writing of various scenes, a very poignant one of the elderly servant dying. A very moving and overall satisfying read. Thanks A E Walnofer, I look forward to reading more of your work.
• 
  Dan Nimak

  *** A great read! ***
  
  After thoroughly enjoying “With Face Aflame” by this author, I immediately downloaded her other two novels. If you enjoy historical fiction, give these a shot. Or if you just enjoy a good story (regardless of genre), I highly recommend “A Girl Called Foote.”
  
  The romance is light and clean. It’s more about the characters, their lives, the time and place. I cared for Lydia immediately. It’s her story, and it’s Jonathan’s story. The writing is wonderful; the author’s research is obvious; and the ending is more than satisfactory. (I hate reading a book and then feel a letdown at the end!)
  
  A definite five stars.
  
• 
  Space Cowgirl

  Wonderful💕! Emotional!💔, Original!
  ADULT Historical Victorian Romance 💕and Adventure.
  
  Raised on a once prosperous farm, Lydia💃💋💔 is forced to go into service at a young age. Her father died and her brother becomes a drunken, violent, wastrel, who spends every cent they get.
  Unfortunately, it seems the family at Whitehall 🏰, the grand manner she goes to work at, also seems to be having money problems.
  
  Young Jonathan🐺, the latest Baronet, comes home from school, and finds the place🏰 virtually abandoned, with only Lydia💃💋 there to care for his small brother.
  
  Their mother has gone to London , leaving the servants responsible for the boy, with no money 💰 , no pay, and not enough help to keep the huge house up.
  
  Jonathan discovers much of the valuables have been sold. His absent mother dumps all the bills in his lap, even though he is not yet of age.
  
  ARC Provided by Book 📚Sirens 💃
  This ebook was $2.99 on Amazon 📚 at the time of this review.
  Opinions expressed here are entirely my own fault.
  
  First published in 2015, this is a detailed and wonderfully written account of two very different young lives in early Victorian England. Great novel!
• 
  Rebecca L.

  A Girl Called Foote was such an excellent book that I couldn’t put it down. The main plot line of the story deals with an upstairs/ downstairs romance - but there is so much more to it than that. The prose is finely crafted and the characters seem to jump off the page and come to life. The author doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of Victorian life. I was fascinated by the lives of the servants and found myself weeping at one particularly poignant death. If you enjoy well- written, clean, historical novels, then I highly recommend this book.
• 
  Evelyn

  This is a lovely romantic novel with likeable characters and wonderful humour. I found it a real page turner. Having said that, besides the romance there was quite a lot going on and I felt that not all of it was dealt with as fully as it could have been. For example, I thought Sophia’s story could have been explored more, and the ending was a little too conveniently wrapped up. But I really enjoyed the two main characters, how the dynamics between them changed as the story progressed, and I recommend the book as an entertaining sweet romance.
• 
  Katie

  I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Starting with perspectives from the character’s childhoods made me feel like I can understand them better, and see the reasoning behind their behaviour as they grew up. It kept me really interested in their life story and it was hard to put the book down. Initially I felt like Ploughman’s death came on kind of suddenly, just to get her out of the way. But it gave Lydia lots of time to reflect on her situation and also become closer to Jonathan, so it made sense later. And who doesn’t love a cutesy happy ending? :)
• 
  Rebeca

  A.E. Walnofer writes with all the eloquence and wit of the Brontë sisters and Austen combined. "A Girl Called Foote" was a pleasure to read. Truly a captivating piece of literature that was hard to put down. The characters within it's pages quickly became like dear friends to me. Lifting my spirits with theirs and bringing me near tears as they faced trials too. Lydia's sharp mind and love of literature quickly made her a heroine in my eyes. An all around delight to read.