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Secets of Castle Rowley

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“Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move.
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.”

— WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Bound by duty, yet drawn by desire—will Cecelia follow her family to a new world or forge her own path with a daring artist?

In the shadowed halls of Castle Rowley, maid and expectant mother Cecelia faces a future she never asked for: to cross the Atlantic with her family for a new beginning in America, far from their troubled past at the castle. But her encounter with Kunal, a passionate woodcarver from the East India Company, ignites a different fire within her. He sees her—truly sees her—and inspires her to pursue her hidden talent for drawing.

As their secret romance blooms, Cecelia is caught in a tumult of heart and duty. With her departure looming, she must decide: embrace the safety of the path laid out for her, or risk everything for the life and love she dreams of?

Treasures of Castle Rowley is a tale of love’s power to defy expectations and the bravery required to follow one’s heart.

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Step back in time to the heart of a 17th-century English kitchen and take in the aroma of age-old recipes, carefully crafted by the castle's dedicated chef.

In this cookbook, you'll discover fifty recipes that bring the flavors of the past into your modern kitchen. From hearty breakfasts and comforting soups to lavish roasts and decadent desserts, each recipe is steeped in history and presented with modern measurements for today's cook.

Every chapter is woven with brief vignettes that tell the story of the castle chef, a figure who navigates the challenges of the bustling kitchen, sources local ingredients, and creates dishes that reflect both the season and the social customs of the time.

Each recipe is designed to fit on a single page, ensuring ease of use in your kitchen. Accompanying each dish, you’ll find a quote that connects to the recipe's history, a few bits about the origins and cultural significance of the dish, and a hand-drawn sketch.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, a seasoned home cook, or someone looking to explore the flavors of a bygone era, Timeless Flavors offers an experience that is as educational as it is delicious. Recreate the dishes that graced the tables of nobility and learn the secrets of the castle's cook, all while enjoying recipes that have stood the test of time.

Coming Soon!

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✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook

🏰 Another sketch of Charlie and Annabel, our heroes from the first book in the Rowley Family Romance series, Secrets of Castle Rowley.

💕 In this illustration, Charlie is reading Annabel love poetry that was published

📕 1st Goodreads Review (!!) of…
🏰 Secrets of Castle Rowley by Matilda Lockwood

✍️ Review Excerpt:

📖 “Beware: Lockwood will lure readers into the world of Castle Rowley, shove awesome characters in your face, grip you with its riddle

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook

🎣 Bettina Soledad, Annabel’s best friend from home, is a lifelong fisherwoman whose family is the third-best fishers in the region.

🐟 She shows up for a visit near the middle of Secrets of Castle Rowley to of

✍️ My third review from LibraryThing, and fourth total, for Secrets of Castle Rowley 🥰

Full review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I can admit that this book was not quite what I was expecting. For some reason, I was thinking that it was going to be a more mode

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook

🇫🇷 From France to servitude: James and Bridgette Rousseau came to England lured by a promise of land management by Baron Henry Rowley, but life had other plans. Instead of overseeing lands, they found themselves trapp

📖 This is an opening quote from the second review I received this month on LibraryThing (which is like a more indie and in depth Goodreads) for my first book, Secrets of Castle Rowley.

🥰 I love it so much because it both made me laugh with the beg

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook

📖 I’ve been hard at work this year writing the next book, Treasures of Castle Rowley! This is also my first book I’ve ever worked with a writing critique group on, and they are such a terrific, helpful grou

📚 I was so delighted to login to LibraryThing to add new books to my Want to Read list, and see that my book had two new reviews this year!! I’ve read them both now many times.

📖 Here is the first one, which I shall dine on for years. I&rsq

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook

🧑&zwj;🎨 This sketch is of Cecelia herself! A supporting character in my new historical romance Secrets of Castle Rowley, Cecelia Rousseau is the first to warn Annabel away from moving to Castle Rowley, a suggestion th

🍏 Apple Cream

🤝 A dessert of choice during apple orchard gatherings in the late 17th century, it was said that sharing this sweet treat strengthened bonds and friendships.

💰 Cinnamon and nutmeg were extremely valuable, and their presence in a r

“Once more unto the breach,” whispered Annabel to herself under her breath. “Henry the Fifth.” She took a deep breath and, with a flourish, signed her name on the wedding contract.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

”Y'all. I don't even know where to start, and there just aren't enough words to describe how much I loved this book! Lockwood masterfully weaves together the mystery and romance aspect of this novel, creating such a captivating storyline that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Readers will come for the riddles and solve them along with the characters, unearth secrets kept in the dark, and stay until the very end. The characters are dimensional and well-developed, adding depth to the plot and making it impossible for me to put the book down!!”

First Review for Secrets of Castle Rowley

More Praise for Secrets of Castle Rowley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book begins in medieval times with Annabel and her mother Arva arriving at Castle Rowley. Annabel is to be married to a tenant farmer named Richard Granger that very day. After the wedding, she spends the rest of the day cleaning her new home and the night without her bridegroom. Annabel gradually learns from various servants and workers at Castle Rowley that there are many secrets that the castle has and that it is believed that the castle is haunted!

The book continues with Annabel trying her best to be positive and independent in many daunting and harrowing situations. Find out if she can find true love and solve the mysteries at the Castle! I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book as well as the mysteries.

I really wanted Annabel to find true love and this book did not disappoint. The ending of this book was also very satisfying. I would like to read the subsequent books in this series and go back to the world of Annabel and Castle Rowley again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I quite enjoyed this book. I don’t know if it was supposed to be humorous but I got quite a kick out of it. Great cast of characters. Well written.

The book starts out with a wedding but the groom is an awful man. He has had a wife sentenced to a dungeon, but she gets rescued. The Baron is an evil man also.

You should read this book to see how it all gets resolved!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Secrets of Castle Rowley: it is the 1600s, and bookish Annabel makes what she thinks is a wonderful match, and moves to the Castle Rowley estate to marry a farmer who really seems to value her. But the moment the vows are said, she realizes she has made a grave mistake. Luckily, she meets and befriends Charlie and Lise, who take Annabel under their wing as she tries to find her way in her new home. She also discovers that there is a lot more going on at Castle Rowley than she could have imagined, and with the help of her friends she works to find a potentially life changing treasure.

I stayed up until three in the morning finishing this book. I did not want to put it down. I read so hard my eyes hurt. I really don’t want to give too much away, plot wise, because there are a number of very satisfying twists and turns that I would hate to ruin. But man oh man did I love this book!

Annabel is such a wonderful character. She is really smart and independent, never expecting anyone to take care of her. I loved the genuine affection between her and her mother. Yes, her mother is a bit Mrs. Bennett, but oh well. Actually the relationships between all the women in TSOCR are wonderful. Like, the sisterhood is real. Annabel meets the mistress of her new husband and is so kind and chill! She isn’t mad at the woman at all! It is great.

Now, the romance. I can’t say who the love interest is, but I can say that the first time Annabel and [redacted] get together it is exceedingly hot. As I was reading I said “oh snap!” out loud to my Kindle. Just, top notch. Aside from the hot sex, the relationship between Annabel and [redacted] is one of the healthier ones I’ve seen. Annabel finds out a secret from the MMC’s past and then immediately confronts him, which exactly what I want to see. No stewing and wondering, just laying it all out there. They have a conversation and move on with zero angst.

There is a lot more I could say but I will refrain. Except to add that the author has sketches of the characters on her insta and they are a delight.

About the author

Matilda Lockwood is a historical romance author and illustrator living in a small town an hour from Seattle by ferryboat. She enjoys penning characters who draw strength from creativity.

When not writing or sketching, she can be found frying up eggs from her backyard chickens for her family, reading in the woods, or swimming in nearby Puget Sound.

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook 🏰 Another sketch of Charlie and Annabel, our heroes from the first book in the Rowley Family Romance series, Secrets of Castle Rowley. 💕 In this illustration, Charlie is reading Annabel love poetry that was published before this book is set (late 17th century). 📖 Excerpt from Chapter 16: Picking up the book again, he flipped through the pages until he found a passage that captured his attention. “Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine,” he began, his gaze meeting hers with a tenderness that made her heart skip a beat. “Or leave a kiss but in the cup, and I’ll not look for wine. Ben Jonson.” He turned the page. “Had we but world enough and time, this coyness, lady, were no crime. We would sit down and think which way to walk and pass our long love’s day. Andrew Marvell.” Annabel’s gaze remained fixed on him, her heart fluttering with each word. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the two readers. “She weaves through words, the classics dear, with eloquence, her voice sincere. Her wisdom, like a hidden gem, should yet be writ, if not now, when?” He grinned at her, and she felt lightning dancing along her insides. “Charlie Wright.” #secretsofcastlerowley #ceceliassketchbook #characterdesign #characterart #sketchdaily #indieauthor #lovepoetry #happyvalentinesday

📕 1st Goodreads Review (!!) of… 🏰 Secrets of Castle Rowley by Matilda Lockwood ✍️ Review Excerpt: 📖 “Beware: Lockwood will lure readers into the world of Castle Rowley, shove awesome characters in your face, grip you with its riddles, and make the settings feel incredibly real that you’ll have no choice but to stay for the ending. Just saying. I warned you.” —Goodreads Reviewer Yeng Cee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #secretsofcastlerowley #goodreads #matildalockwood #indiepublishing

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook 🎣 Bettina Soledad, Annabel’s best friend from home, is a lifelong fisherwoman whose family is the third-best fishers in the region. 🐟 She shows up for a visit near the middle of Secrets of Castle Rowley to offer Annabel a way out of her troubles, but they both end up in a kettle of fish neither could have seen coming. #secretsofcastlerowley #matildalockwood #characterillustration #sketchdaily #ceceliassketchbook

✍️ My third review from LibraryThing, and fourth total, for Secrets of Castle Rowley 🥰 Full review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I can admit that this book was not quite what I was expecting. For some reason, I was thinking that it was going to be a more modern book, so it surprised me to find that it was set more in medieval times. Regardless, it was an enjoyable book. It tackles some difficult subjects, and while it is respectfully done, there was enough humor to defuse the situation without detracting from the seriousness. The characters are well-developed, the mysteries are in-depth, and the romance enhances, rather than detracts, from the plot itself. It will be interesting to see where this series continues to go. It must be noted that there are some more “adult” themes dealt with in this book, so if you are a little more sensitive, it may do you good to do some more research about the contents of the book before diving in.” —ABlesi, LibraryThing Early Reviewers

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook 🇫🇷 From France to servitude: James and Bridgette Rousseau came to England lured by a promise of land management by Baron Henry Rowley, but life had other plans. Instead of overseeing lands, they found themselves trapped in a decade of servitude within the walls of Castle Rowley. 🔑 James, the castle steward, battles his own demons with a penchant for betting on fights. His wife, Bridgette, navigates her role as housekeeper while avoiding the baron’s wrath - a temper that once landed her in the dungeon on a mere whim. 🌟 Above all, James and Bridgette share a common dream – a better life for their daughter, Cecelia. But unfortunately, the unsavory agreements they have made with the baron end up spilling into Cecelia’s life, and they fear the secrets of the dark castle may end up ensnaring her just as it did them. #secretsofcastlerowley #matildalockwood #characterillustration #sketchdaily

📖 This is an opening quote from the second review I received this month on LibraryThing (which is like a more indie and in depth Goodreads) for my first book, Secrets of Castle Rowley. 🥰 I love it so much because it both made me laugh with the beginning part and gave me the warm fuzzies at the second part. 😄 Yes, it IS supposed to be humorous! Thank you!! ✍️ Full review: “I quite enjoyed this book. I don’t know if it was supposed to be humorous but I got quite a kick out of it. Great cast of characters. Well written. The book starts out with a wedding but the groom is an awful man. He has had a wife sentenced to a dungeon, but she gets rescued. The Baron is an evil man also. You should read this book to see how it all gets resolved!” —LibraryThing reader Edith R #secretsofcastlerowley #librarything #readerreviews

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook 📖 I’ve been hard at work this year writing the next book, Treasures of Castle Rowley! This is also my first book I’ve ever worked with a writing critique group on, and they are such a terrific, helpful group of women. 🤫 The MMC shown here was one of my favorite supporting characters from the first book, Secrets of Castle Rowley. 🪵 Kunal Sutar belongs to a family of woodcarvers who came over to England with the East India Company in the late 17th century. He’s good with his hands, speaks several languages, appreciates a good joke, and is a true artist of his trade. 🏰 Dropped into a precarious situation at the castle, he allies with our heroine (Cecelia) and along the way they find more shared ground than either of them were expecting. #secretsofcastlerowley #ceceliassketchbook #indieauthor #sketchdaily #characterdesign

📚 I was so delighted to login to LibraryThing to add new books to my Want to Read list, and see that my book had two new reviews this year!! I’ve read them both now many times. 📖 Here is the first one, which I shall dine on for years. I’m halfway through writing the second book in the series! ✍️ Full review: “This book begins in medieval times with Annabel and her mother Arva arriving at Castle Rowley. Annabel is to be married to a tenant farmer named Richard Granger that very day. After the wedding, she spends the rest of the day cleaning her new home and the night without her bridegroom. Annabel gradually learns from various servants and workers at Castle Rowley that there are many secrets that the castle has and that it is believed that the castle is haunted! The book continues with Annabel trying her best to be positive and independent in many daunting and harrowing situations. Find out if she can find true love and solve the mysteries at the Castle! I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book as well as the mysteries. I really wanted Annabel to find true love and this book did not disappoint. The ending of this book was also very satisfying. I would like to read the subsequent books in this series and go back to the world of Annabel and Castle Rowley again!” —LibraryThing Early Reviewer cme07 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #bookreview #secretsofcastlerowley #librarything

✍️ Cecelia’s Sketchbook 🧑‍🎨 This sketch is of Cecelia herself! A supporting character in my new historical romance Secrets of Castle Rowley, Cecelia Rousseau is the first to warn Annabel away from moving to Castle Rowley, a suggestion that our hero does not heed. ✏️ Drawing is Cecelia’s happy place. A general dog body around the castle, often playing nursemaid to the children within the castle, jumping in as a maid when needed, or finding temporary respite in one of her favorite hiding places, she isn’t sure what her future holds, but she knows that drawing makes her happy. 🧩 When Cecelia steps out of her comfort zone, and begins to help our main characters with riddles and a puzzle, she is all for it… And when the plot thickens, she quickly looks to find a way to move her own story forward. #ceceliassketchbook #indiepublishing #sketchdaily #17thcentury #secretsofcastlerowley #charactersketch #indieauthor

🍏 Apple Cream 🤝 A dessert of choice during apple orchard gatherings in the late 17th century, it was said that sharing this sweet treat strengthened bonds and friendships. 💰 Cinnamon and nutmeg were extremely valuable, and their presence in a recipe was a display of both wealth and the influence of global trade on English cuisine. 🥣 Ingredients: 🍎 4 sliced, cored apples 🍨1/4 cup sugar 💧 1/4 cup water 🥛 1 cup heavy cream 🪵 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 🤏 A pinch of ground nutmeg 🧑‍🍳 Instructions: 1️⃣ In a saucepan, combine sliced apples, sugar, and water. Cook over low heat until the apples are soft and the mixture thickens, about 15-20 minutes. 2️⃣ Allow the cooked apples to cool. 3️⃣ In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. 4️⃣ Gently fold the cooled apple mixture into the whipped cream. 5️⃣ Sprinkle ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground nutmeg over the top. 6️⃣ Serves six, chilled. 🍨 😋 #17thcentury #17thcenturyrecipe #oldrecipes #applerecipe #castlerowleycookbook