Storm at Nottingham Castle by Ann Elizabeth Fryer
Series: Sisters of Sherwood #1
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: April 30, 2026
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
A storm is brewing… just when Charlotte Fieldstone finds a new home for herself and her sisters, she must navigate the potentially dangerous inner workings of the famed Nottingham Castle…
Three sisters are thrust into an uncertain future when their wealthy stepfather dies, leaving them with a small annuity to live upon. They find refuge with an aged uncle who convinces them to live in the apartments at Nottingham Castle, whose halls are shrouded in history and secrets, and whose residents watch the sisters with unsettling interest. Chief among them is the handsome property manager, Charles Rushforth, whose quiet authority conceals more than estate affairs and a brooding lodgekeeper who seems to know every hidden passage and whispered rumor…
Charlotte Fieldstone received a parting gift from her late stepfather—a set of valuable pilgrimage badges meant to safeguard them from want. But hidden hands seek the relics, and in the caves beneath the castle, a restless hunger stirs among those who trade in sacred things. At the center stands her uncle, whose charm deceives, and a Duchess, whose influence can tip scales on a whim.
As Charlotte’s uncle is swept into a dangerous quest, tensions rise. Charlotte must depend upon a stranger to shield her from a society whose motives aren’t as they appear. Will Charlotte be able to keep her sisters together as the tempest threatens to tear them apart?
Surrounded by deceit and danger, Charlotte must cling to faith and to one whose protection feels perilously like love…
My Review
4.5 stars
Storm at Nottingham Castle is another enjoyable Regency romance from Ann Elizabeth Fryer. As with the other books I’ve read by Fryer, the novel has a moody setting. She provides vivid details which led me to feel as if I were inside of the story.
The book begins with a tragic loss. Three sisters lose their loving stepfather only to find that there is only a small annuity for them, and that their step-brother wants them out of the house almost immediately. An uncle that they didn’t know existed invites them to live at Nottingham Castle with him, and since they have no other place to go, they accept. The castle has long since been separated into apartments, and this uncle has the most lavish one.
As the book progresses, we find that the uncle’s invitation was not necessarily an altruistic one. There are many secrets that are slowly revealed throughout the story. I found that though the pacing of the first half of the book was a bit slow, once I got to the halfway mark, I couldn’t put it down. Things definitely pick up the pace after Charlotte attends a ball given by the Duchess who is the owner of Nottingham Castle.
Of course, there is a sweet clean romance, and it is between Charlotte and Charles, the property manager. It’s a bit of a love at first sight which grows deeper as they spend time together. Much of that time is spent trying to find out who is behind the nefarious goings on at the castle.
I really loved the conclusion of this story and can’t wait to see what the next sister’s future holds. (You find out some of that near the end of the novel, but it would be a spoiler to tell you!) My favorite element of this book was the atmospheric setting as it set the tone right away, so I definitely recommend Storm at Nottingham Castle to readers who enjoy Regency romance with a Gothic tone!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
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