Landry Park (Landry Park #1) by Bethany Hagen

Landry Park (Landry Park #1) by Bethany Hagen

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Publisher: Dial

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  384

Summary: Downton Abbey meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.

My Thoughts:  I feel like this one took me a little while to read, and really get into but once I did, I loved every minute of it.

We are introduced to Madeline who is the heir to a great future and estate. She is set to run things just as her ancestors before her had. But Madeline wants more. She wants University. She doesn’t want to get married right now and take over. She doesn’t want to be groomed into this.

Madeline meets a boy named David Dana. David is mysterious but also very intriguing. At times he seems arrogant but Madeline soon realizes there is more to him than meets the eye.

Madeline starts to see what is really going on inside her city and the place she calls home. She is thrown right in and things start to go crazy from there. I don’t want to say too much because I loved finding out all the secrets and I loved seeing things unravel behind her family and the town. I loved hearing about her ancestors and what happened.

I don’t really read too many novels based around historical stuff. I usually just find it not to my taste but I really loved this one. It just all felt right and I loved Madeline! I also loved David and I loved the moments they were together. Madeline is brave and very smart and David is sincere and sweet.  

Overall:  Not only did I love the plot of this one, I also loved the characters. They did it for me. I loved the main ones but also the side characters we get introduced to throughout the novel. I liked seeing who they really were and what they were up too.

I highly recommend this one, even if you're not a big fan of historicals!!!

Cover: Like it! It doesn’t really give any clue what this one is about! But it also looks neat!

What I’d Give It: