About the Book

Book: Love in the Castle Library (In the Castle Library Book 2)

Author: Ann Swindell

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: October 15, 2025

Predictability and efficiency have marked Delphine DuVert’s orderly life as Castle Stewardess in the small European country of Lethersby—until she is tasked by the monarchy to hire a British researcher. Lethersby needs help solving the 100-year-old mystery of their Lost Queen, a young royal who disappeared into the night during World War I.

Delphine’s split-second decision to hire Jack Worthington, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, has long-lasting consequences when he steps in to protect her from an angry colleague determined to ruin her life. The only catch? That protection looks like Jack posing as her beau.

Jack Worthington believes that his instinct to protect Delphine was the right one, but he’s determined to stay focused on his research for Lethersby—and keep his emotional distance after reeling from a broken heart. Yet as the clues to discovering the Lost Queen’s story unravel and the Delphine’s future hangs in the balance, both Jack and Delphine must step out in faith, choosing to trust that what God has ahead for them is worth any risk.

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About the Author

ANN SWINDELL writes stories that point to Christ’s presence in our day-to-day lives and the hope He brings to our hearts. She is the award-winning author of multiple books and the owner of Writing with Grace, where she teaches Christ-centered writing classes for women. Ann lives in West Michigan, and she enjoys adventuring with her family…usually with a cup of Earl Grey tea in hand.

More from Ann

Love in the Castle Library is set in two of my favorite places—one imaginary, and one real. When I started the In the Castle Library series, the main character’s journey in book one (Christmas in the Castle Library) takes her to Lethersby, a small, fictional European country full of tradition, beauty, and charm. I tried to put much of what I love about Europe into this fictional country that I wish existed. From what readers have told me, they wish it was real, too!

Book two, Love in the Castle Library, is also set in the castle in Lethersby, but I decided to make my hero and heroine take a jaunt to Oxford, England—my favorite real country outside of the USA.

I spent a summer in college studying abroad in England, and Oxford was the city that captured my heart. The “city of dreaming spires” is ancient, beautiful, and academic—a heady mix for a nineteen-year-old girl who traveled there for the first time. I even gave a nod to one of Oxford’s most well-known professors through the hero’s name, Jack.*

I had the gift of getting to go back to Oxford with my family over a decade ago, and while I’m aching to go again, including some of my favorite places in Love in the Castle Library helped me to enjoy the city vicariously through my characters. Look for some of my favorite places to eat—including Ben’s Cookies and the King’s Arms—when the characters visit. And if you ever have the opportunity to make it to Oxford, make the effort to buy one of those cookies (they’re sold by weight!) and enjoy some ice cream at G&D’s…the hero recommends chocolate of any kind (and so do I!).

I hope you love this story as much as I do, and that these tastes of beautiful places, both real and imagined, point your heart to the beauty of Christ that is at the heart of every story I write.

*Jack was C.S. Lewis’s nickname, and he taught at Magdalen College in Oxford from 1925-1954.

Review

Love in the Castle Library is the second book in this series by Ann Swindell. If you like hallmark, faith aspects, historical stories and castles, then this is the book for you. This is the second book in the series, and I would recommend reading them in order, so you don’t miss anything.

Both Jack and Delphine have a few layers to uncover. I loved getting to know Delphine better and learn her story.

I enjoyed returning to the fictional country of Lethersby, revisiting the castle and characters from the first book. Though Lethersby is a fictional country, it was fun researching the past with the characters as they try to find where Queen Alma went to.

This fake romance to more romance was perfect and sweet with only kisses.

Ann Swindell did a fantastic job intertwining faith throughout the book.