From the Bookshelves: What Poets Can Learn from the Genre Blending from Celeste Fenton’s Lost Heart in King Manor
- Kaecey McCormick
- Oct 10
- 4 min read
Greetings, creatives!
Last week, author Celeste Fenton joined us here on the blog to talk about weather as metaphor in storytelling. You can read more about Celeste and her story here.
Today, I’m following up with a book review of her debut novel, Lost Heart in King Manor. One of my favorite things as an artist is how we can find inspiration for our own work in unexpected places.
So this week, instead of just giving you a traditional blow-by-blow review, I want to highlight how this book can spark ideas for poets and other creatives—especially when it comes to genre-bending.
Ready? Let's go!
A Quick Look at the Story
Gabby Heart is a devoted daughter living a quiet life on Dost Island. When her mother suffers a sudden health crisis, Gabby brings her to King Manor, a once-grand estate turned rehab center.
What seems like a safe haven quickly turns unsettling as secrets, betrayals, and hidden dangers begin to surface. A hurricane soon traps Gabby in the manor with strangers, friends, and potential enemies—all while she discovers that not everyone can be trusted, and that some secrets are deadly.
The book blends elements of cozy mystery, suspense, and slow-burn romance. It’s the first in Fenton’s Mysteries of a Heart series and sets the stage for more intrigue to come.
The Review
What I loved:
The premise is instantly compelling: a historic manor filled with secrets, hidden tunnels, and family mysteries. And the characters are fun and vivid!
From the moment Gabby and her mother enter King Manor, there’s a sense of foreboding that pulls the reader in. I kept turning pages to see what was really going on behind the walls.
The setting is another strength. An island community brings its own sense of isolation, while the manor itself—with its hidden passages and storm-battered exterior—creates a perfect backdrop for suspense.
The use of weather is especially fun: hurricanes, tornadoes, and atmospheric tension amplify the drama, making the setting feel alive.
And finally, the genre blend makes the story stand out. Romance, mystery, and suspense weave together in unexpected ways, offering readers a little of everything: attraction, danger, and emotional stakes.
Food for thought:
Because the premise and setting are so rich, I sometimes found myself wishing for even more depth in the storytelling. Some moments leaned on telling rather than showing, while other scenes moved quickly enough that I wanted a bit more grounding in action or detail. There are also a few editing quirks along the way.
Overall, however the heart of the novel—the mystery of the manor, the family drama, and the stormy atmosphere—remained clear and engaging. In other words, Lost Heart in King Manor offers an enjoyable mix that leans into atmosphere, family secrets, and intrigue and kept me turning the page.
Bottom line:
Lost Heart in King Manor will appeal to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a gothic edge, family dramas full of secrets, and romantic suspense with a touch of humor.
The island setting and manor backdrop make it especially fun for anyone who loves atmospheric stories filled with hidden passageways, stormy weather, and unexpected twists.
If you’re a fan of books that mix genres—blending mystery, romance, and suspense rather than sticking to just one lane—you’ll likely enjoy this series opener.
You can pick up a copy of Lost Heart in King Manor on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookshop.org. And don't forget to add this title to your Goodreads reading list!
What poets can learn about genre blending from Lost Heart in King Manor
So what can poets learn about genre blending from a novel like this?
For me, it’s the reminder that creativity thrives at the intersections.
Just as Celeste Fenton blends romance, suspense, and mystery into one story, poets today are blending lyric and narrative, prose and verse, memoir and speculation.
Here are some ways you might experiment with poetry genre blending in your own work:
(I've linked to previous posts, which each include a prompt in that area!)
Narrative Meets Lyric
Try drafting a narrative poem (a poem that tells a story) and then layering in lyrical, imagistic passages. For example, write about a storm that forces your speaker indoors, then shift into metaphor and sensory detail that heightens the emotional weight.
Prose Poetry
Take a fragment of flash fiction or memoir you’ve written and reformat it into a prose poem. Pay attention to rhythm, line breaks (or lack of them), and the weight of each sentence. Notice how meaning shifts when you treat a paragraph as a poem.
Hybrid Experiment
Write a poem that includes a found element—a part of another poem (as in a Golden Shovel!), a recipe, a newspaper headline, or a weather report—and let that borrowed text become part of your poem’s voice. Just as Fenton wove mystery, romance, and suspense together, you’re weaving multiple “genres” of language.
Speculative Twist
Take a real-life event (a family dinner, a walk in your neighborhood) and add a speculative or surreal layer. What if the street you always walk down suddenly became an ocean? What if the voices at the table were speaking from another century?
By blending genres in your poetry, just as Fenton blends genres in her novel, you give yourself permission to push boundaries and discover new textures in your work. The result is often more surprising, more layered, and more alive.
In other words, for poets reading a book like Lost Heart in King Manor, it can remind us that crossing boundaries and trying genre blending can be a source of creative energy.
Have a book you think I should read and review? Let me know! And if you try any of the genre-blending exercises, I'd love to hear about it. You reach me via email or through my website.
Happy reading and writing!
