By Kelly Bridgewater
A long-held family feud reignites
when two rival antiquities brokers arrive at the same house party in Regency
England.
Olivia Brannon knows her goals are
unconventional. As a young woman in Regency England, her best bet--according to
society--is to marry well and secure a steady future for herself. But Olivia
has never been interested in convention. She'd prefer to follow in her deceased
father's footsteps and journey to foreign lands in search of rare and valuable
antiquities.
Eager to make a name for herself in
the antiquities world, Olivia jumps at an invitation to join a wealthy widow at
the famed Cloverton Hall to evaluate her private antiquities collection.
Secrecy of the task is vital, and in order to conceal her efforts Olivia must
pretend to be a house party guest to avoid suspicion and to explain her
presence.
Lucas Avery, whose father was a rival
of Olivia's father, has also arrived at the Cloverton Hall house party, hired
by the new master of Cloverton Hall--the widow's nephew--to appraise the
renowned Cloverton Hall collection. When Lucas discovers Olivia masquerading as
a party guest while covertly conducting her own assessment, he's keen to renew
the family rivalry. But as their paths frequently cross, he's unprepared for the
effect the refreshingly honest--and beautiful--Olivia has on him.
Yet all is not as it seems. Both Olivia and Lucas are shocked by
the astonishing discovery of counterfeit pieces, and when the unexpected
occurs, everyone is a suspect . . . and Olivia and Lucas both must choose whom
they will trust.
My Thoughts:
The
Cloverton Charade by
Sarah E. Ladd is a simple Regency novel that fans of this time period will
enjoy spending time with. Ladd does a wonderful job of describing Cloverton and
all the attendees to the parties that place at this Regency estate. She really
invites readers into the setting and allows the readers to wonder and dance
away the evening. As for the plot, the synopsis promised more. Reading this
first sentence in the synopsis, “A long-held family feud reignites when two rival antiquities
brokers arrive at the same house party in Regency England,” I was expecting a
more of a rivalry that would break out and cause some issues to the plot, but
it really does not affect the story that much. The antiques really do not come
until investigation until about sixty percent into the novel. I wanted more of
a mystery. As for the heroine and hero, they have a past since it is their
families that are part of the rivalry that happened ten years ago. Their
romance was quick, and they did not show any emotions toward each other for
majority of the book. Overall, The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd left me
feeling like it was a blah- okay book. Not too great; Not too bad. Just there.
I received a complimentary copy of The
Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the
opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Purchase The Cloverton Charade
