By
K. L. Bridgewater
Fellow
Hoosier writer, Sarah Ladd, recently finished her third book in her Whispers on
the Moor series. The first two books are titled The Heiress of Winterwood and The
Headmistress of Rosemere. If you are not familiar with Sarah Ladd’s
writing, she writes Historical fiction set in the year 1814 – 1816. Ladd enjoys
the regency period and lavishes her attention on the clothes worn by the women
of the period. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood.
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall completes the
series. This story features Cecily Faire, a young woman shamed by her past and
sent to school at Rosemere School for girls. While there, Cecily teaches the younger
girls how to embroider and developed relationships with the headmistress, Mrs.
Sterling, who was the main character in The
Headmistress of Rosemere. A rare opportunity shows itself in allowing
Cecily to become a ladies companion at Willowgrove Hall to Mrs. Tryst. Upon
coming to the great estate, Cecily comes face-to-face with the man who knew her
past secrets, which she does not want revealed.
Enter
Nathan Stanton who has a secret of his own. Working as a steward of Willowgrove
Hall like his father before him, Nathan knows the ins and outs of the massive
grounds and home. Nathan adores his mother and his three sisters who he spoils
with little gifts and attention.
As
Cecily arrives one dark and stormy night, she does not know that the bridge is
floated, and she can not arrive at the home in her state. Nathan Stanton
rescues her and takes her home to his humble home on the estate. His mother and
sister fall in love with Cecily immediately and allow her to wear warm and
clean clothes and stay in the safety of their shelter for the evening.
After
working for a while for Mrs. Tryst, Cecily learns that everyone has a secret of
some sort. Even Mrs. Tryst. Her health. Her husband’s son. Learning to trust
Nathan more every day, Cecily begins to have feelings for him and can’t wait to
spend time with him, which is frowned upon.
Sarah
E. Ladd’s characters are relatable and enjoyable. Cecily felt ashamed of her past
and tried to hide it, but eventually, as we all know, the past will come to
light, and everyone will find out the truth. Nathan always appears to be in the
right place at the right time to rescue Cecily. Either from the storm. Her
necklace. Or finding her sister. He was the type of male hero every girl would
want to encounter in real life. Ladd
showed the flaws and doubt running through her characters. She didn't
try to sugar coat them and make her characters too perfect. They were
totally realistic for the readers.
The
plot could have been labeled as a contemporary romance. Yes, it had all the
elements to show the time period, but the writing was fluid and fresh. The
story grabbed my attention within a couple of paragraphs and did not let go
until the end of the story.
I
truly enjoyed the story, and Sarah Ladd’s writing style. It is well-written and
interesting. I’m glad to have been introduced to her writing and her Whispers
on the Moor series.
You
can find her books at Amazon, Christianbook.com, and other major book sellers.
I suggest buying and reading all three books in the series. They are good.
You can connect with Sarah Ladd at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SarahLaddAuthor
Website: http://www.sarahladd.com/
I
received a complimentary copy of A Lady
at Willowgrove Hall from Thomas Nelson through Net Galley and the opinions
are all mine.
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