Books

Ashton Park

  • Oct 25, 2020
  • Murray Pura
  • 327 responses.

Ashton Park For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire only a few miles from the

  • Title: Ashton Park
  • Author: Murray Pura
  • ISBN: 9780736952859
  • Page: 280
  • Format: Paperback

    • For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.The year is 1916 The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William s and Lady Elizabeth s three sons are allFor fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.The year is 1916 The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William s and Lady Elizabeth s three sons are all in uniform and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.Readers will follow Ashton Park s charming upstairs downstairs characters through the perils of war and the affairs of the heart with relish and with an eye to the sequel coming in Fall 2013 Book One in The Danforths of Lancashire series

    • [PDF] Ashton Park | by ↠ Murray Pura
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    About "Murray Pura"

    1. Murray Pura

      Murray Pura was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, just north of the Dakotas and Minnesota His first novel was released in Toronto in 1988 and was a finalist for the Dartmouth Book Award Since that time he has published ten novels, two collections of short stories, and several nonfiction titles including the Zondervan books Rooted and Streams and the Baker devotional Majestic Wild He has been a finalist for several awards in the US and Canada and in 2012 won the Word Award of Toronto for Best Historical Novel Murray lives and writes in southwestern Alberta and is currently published by Barbour, Baker, Harper One, Zondervan, and Harvest House as well as several other publishing houses he works with publishers in Canada, America, the UK, and Holland His releases for 2013 include the novels Ashton Park, The Rose of Lancaster County, A Road Called Love, Seven Oaks, The Painted Sky, Whispers of a New Dawn, Beneath the Dover Sky, The Name of the Hawk, and An Amish Family Christmas His diverse writing spans many genres including historical fiction, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, romance, adventure, western, suspense, fantasy, Amish, and inspirational Most of his work is available in ebook format for Kindle, Kobo, and Nook as well as in paperback Also write under the name Murray Andrew Pura

    327 Comments

    1. It is halfway through WW1 and there is a lot of unrest in England and Ireland It is during this period that Sir William Danforth with his wife and seven children are trying to live a normal life at Ashton Park a large estate with a beautiful manor, old family castle, forests, and the Irish Sea nearby.Sir William, the master of Ashton Park, and his wife Lady Elizabeth have three sons and four daughters They are all of marriageable age some are looking for love while others have already found it I [...]

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    2. Ashton Park, the first in The Danforths of Lancashire series, is being marketed as for those who watch Downton Abbey isn t that everyone It is written by a Canadian author and published by an American company I had a natural fear that it would be full of illogical Americanisms which I find very annoying in books written by Americans but set in England although it is always a relief to find books that set somewhere other than in the US Sadly, my fears were soon confirmed.Things don t start well, [...]

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    3. Probably one of the most disappointing books I have read this year I have read worse books, but this one did not reach the criteria I needed for an enjoyable read I won t go on about how bad it was, but there were several errors in the writing as well as awkwardly phrased sentences that left me scratching my head in bewilderment as to what the author meant to say Not only was that just plain annoying to have to go through, but the character development was poorly done There were so many of them [...]

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    4. Fascinating epic of the Danforth family of the 1000 yr old Ashton Park estate in LancashireNearing 400 pages of small print and covering 6 years of a large number of intertwined character s lives, this book is for readers who love delving into another era and have enough time to immerse themselves in the lives of another world Definitely resembling the lengthy Downtown Abbey series only in written form Not for readers faint of heart Canadian author, Murray Pura, has used an intriguing style of d [...]

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    5. Alright I ll admit it, I m a huge fan of Downton Abbey Nothing to be ashamed about that other than I hate to be part of the status quo I was reluctant to read this book because I feel like Downton Abbey like books are quickly becoming a new trend in fiction Trend or not, status quo or not this was an excellent book I very much enjoyed it Pura does a wonderful job of weaving a tale I do have a couple of complaints At times I felt as if the story too closely mirrored Downton Abbey and I would have [...]

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    6. What a delightful book this turned out to be I enjoyed getting to know the entire Danforth family so much If you ve heard anything about this book, you ve probably heard that any fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy it Having not yet seen Downton Abbey myself, I can t speak to the truth of that statement but from what I ve read, I think it s probably true Certainly, anyone with an interest in World War I fiction will find this an interesting book There were a lot of characters, and especially at the [...]

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    7. Ashton ParkBy Murray PuraIf you like Downton Abbey you are going to love Murray Pura s Ashton Park Ashton Park is book one in The Danforths of Lancashire series Story takes place in the 1916 during the time of the First World War Sir William and Lady Elizabeth have three sons in uniform and four daughters who have various pursuits in their lives.I liked how Sir William insist his family have morning devotions not only for the family but for the family and the staff I like the Christian views bei [...]

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    8. Supposedly if you love Downton Abbey, you will love this new serieswell I have never watched any of Downtown Abbeybut I sure did love this first book I am all about period books, and focusing on this time in England during the unrest of WWI as well as the growing fight with Ireland for their independence.what a hot bet of strife that time was I liked watching how the author spent time with each of the adult children so we could learn a bit about them I only wish we had time to spend on some of [...]

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    9. Loved the British setting and that this was a family saga, but there were a lot of shortcomings for me I was drawn to this book because of the comparison to Downton Abbey, but wasn t thrilled.My full review booksmusicandlife

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    11. I agree if you liked Downton Abbey you will probably enjoy this book It does have it s own twist being set in Ireland I look forward to reading the sequels.

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    12. Friday, June 28, 2013Murray Pura s Ashton Park Book One in The Danforths of Lancashire series, 2013The First World War has engulfed Europe The three sons of Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Dansforth are all in uniform their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.Ashton Park is the first of The Danforths of Lancashire trilogy by Murray Pura, set in Lancashire, England in 1916 1923.Wouldn t you like to join Todd Turpin, assistant groundskeeper, with the fragrant scent [...]

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    13. Murray Pura in his new book, Ashton Park Book One in The Danforths of Lancashire series published by Harvest House Publishers takes us into the life of Victoria Danforth and the goings on at her home, Ashton Park.From the Back Cover Behind the doors of the ancient and magnificent Ashton Park estate, there lurks the high drama of romance between the nobility and the household staff.But when war and interference from a meddlesome sister separates Victoria Danforth from Ben Whitecross one of her fa [...]

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    14. Title Ashton Park The Dansforths of Lancashire Author Murray Pura Pages 384Year 2013Publisher Harvest House Publishers This is a tale of historical fiction set in the beginning of the 1900s, with action scenes all over Europe, centering around one family by the name of Dansforth The author must have done such research to include the details of some true historical events in the fictional setting It begins with the adult children of Lord and Lady Dansforth learning to live their lives outside the [...]

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    15. The back of the book boasts, if you like Downton Abbey, you ll love this book I do like Downton Abbey, and I did like the book It is too much like Downton though For example, the youngest daughter is in love with someone who works for her father and is marching for the women s right to vote Sound familiar, Downton fans My other beef is that the book is very episodic There is not one plot line that goes throughout the novel Plots develop, climax and resolve within a few chapters in most of the ca [...]

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    16. If you re a fan of Downtown Abbey, then you will absolutely fall in love with the latest novel from Murray Pura, Ashton Park In this novel set in the early 1900 s the reader is about to meet the Danforths of Lancashire, a wealthy family of 7 children, 3 boys and 4 girls Along the journey you get a glimpse into each of their personal lives and the struggles they each face not only growing up in a well to do family but also in dealing the conflict that evidently follows when your family wants you [...]

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    17. This is an exceptional and exhilarating saga featuring a wealthy and large aristocratic family called the Danforth s of Lancashire who reside in an ancient, grand manor on their Ashton Park Estate There is nothing stuffy about this story however, considering it is replete with forbidden romances suspenseful drama and action and intrigue aplenty Ashton Park carries a semblance of Downton Abbey but whether you re a fan or not, you can be sure this novel is definitely livelier and action packed th [...]

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    18. This book is being marketed with the line, If you re a fan of Downton Abbey, you ll enjoy your visit to Ashton Park I m a devoted Downton fan, but I have to say, I didn t enjoy Ashton Park nearly as much as I enjoy Downton Abbey It was a very slow read for me, and normally I can get through a Christian historical novel in just a couple of days This novel, with its dense prose, smaller print, and longer passages of time interspersed with chapters simultaneously coinciding with each other, took me [...]

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    19. We live in a fast lane society now with nothing taking than 30 seconds to heat in a microwave That truism is never evident than in this book which supposedly takes place in the 19th century I can tell the editors have chopped this story up to make it palatable for the modern reader who is whizzed past many interesting scenes without being given the opportunity to savor or even soak up any of them The characters are presented to the reader in sort of a lazy susan fashion so you have the feelin [...]

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    20. This was my second book to read by Murray Pura and I have enjoyed both I will read of his books If you are a fan of Downton Abbey you will love this book This is book one in The Danforth s Of Lancashire series.Ashton Park has a lot of characters in it I caught myself going back to the front of the book, where Murray has a character page Thank you Murray for this character page.This book starts out in 1916 and there is this magnificent Ashton Park Estate Sir William is husband to Lady Elizabeth, [...]

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    21. A sweeping family saga encompassing the years of transition, and changing times that ushered in the 1920 s.Set during and after WWI this book follows the seven children of Sir William and Lady Elizabeth, Edward, Catherine, Kipp, Robbie, Emma, Libby, and Victoria, as they weather the storms of life and find love both at Ashton Park and abroad At first I will admit that it was a bit confusing to keep track of all of the characters, especially which ones were Danforth siblings, but in no time at al [...]

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    22. For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.The year is 1916 The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William s and Lady Elizabeth s three sons are all in uniform and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.As the head of a strong Church of E [...]

      Reply

    23. I could break down what this book is about but since it is scheduled for release soon I know there are many reviews out there that break down what the book is about I will focus on my thoughts of the length of the book and the multiple conflicts that happened to the family.I really enjoyed this book other than how long it was I am used to reading a book in 1 or 2 nights It took me a week to read this book I would have liked it better if it was broken into 2 3 books and made into a longer series [...]

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    24. This is a fascinating saga about a large English family of nobility, their servants, and their struggles and triumphs from 1916 to 1923 Sir William and his wife have seven grown children, three boys serving during World War I, and one daughter a nurse in France Their youngest has fallen in love with a groomsman and he is forced to leave by the head of the staff As the world changes, will this family cling to their old ways or cross lines of class and wealth This is an exciting story that has so [...]

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    25. In Ashton Park the author, Murray Pura, takes us into the lives of the family of Sir William Danforth and Lady Elizabeth Danforth at the beginning of World War I The airplane is brand new and a major tool in the war conflict The class system in England is still in place in that among the wealthy and elite the servants and upper class do not mingle except as master and servant.Sir William is a devout protestant in a land that still strongly remembers the conflict between Catholicism and protestan [...]

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    26. Standing firm in one s cause can often times elicit many challenges.Sir William and his wife Lady Elizabeth Danforth are master and mistress of Ashton Park in Lancashire England and have three sons and four daughters William, as well as their sons, are pledged to defend their homeland of England in World War I With a yearning for independence, the forces of frequent adversaries are swift taking with them at times innocent victims Onshore as well as off duty and love have snarred the hearts of th [...]

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    27. Pura has written a gentle book about the era of class in England which carried over into the US culture as well This book has a gentle Christian focus that is a little different from other books in this early 20th century genre a pleasant side track which I enjoyed.There are books in this series which I am looking forward to.In Ashton Park, the large family is supportive I would say if I had to find a TV comparable in family, it would be Blue Bloods with featuring Tom Selleck and a fantastic ca [...]

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    28. It was okay I really liked the idea of a Christian Downton Abbey, but while the history of this book may have been accurate and the characters apt to pray, it was rather a letdown Yes, it was like Downton Abbey in respect to the time period and situations of the characters, but it lacked the flow of the plot and the depth of the characters that makes Downton Abbey so popular With at least 12 viewpoints in roughly 320 pages, and taking place over about 7 years, this book did not have the time to [...]

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    29. The Danforth family lives in a Downton Abbey like manor All three sons serve in World War I Eldest Edward survives two ships sunk in the Battle of Jutland Kipp survives as a pilot, and Robbie serves in Belfast during the Easter uprising.Kipp marries a French baker s daughter Youngest daughter Victoria marries their former groom who worked his way up to pilot and won the Victoria Cross Sir William and Lady Elizabeth come to realize people are important than rank, and reunite Edward with the cham [...]

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    30. Ashton Park is the first book in The Danforths of Lancashire trilogy I enjoyed this family and reading about their lives during and directly after WWI There are seven Danforth children to follow and we pick up portions of their stories as we read Those stories build throughout the novel, adding up to very interesting lives It took me a little bit of time to warm up to the characters, since there are so many to follow and the stories skip between siblings throughout the book, however, I now feel [...]

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