Blog Tour: Review of The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd

Author: Sarah E. Ladd
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Set in 1820s Cornwall, this Regency romance evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne DuMaurier, and Winston Graham.

Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks. The only survivors, a little girl and her injured mother, are rescued and brought to Wyndcliff Hall.

Liam Twethewey is just twenty-two when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans to open a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and the rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his new-found authority. Though wise beyond his years, young Liam quickly finds himself out of his depth in this land where long-held secrets and high-stakes agendas make no room for newcomers.

Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truths from deceptions, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.

My thoughts:

The Light at Wyndcliff is the third book in the Regency Cornwall series.  It worked well as a stand alone.  It ended up being jut an OK read for me. The romance was very slow burn. I almost felt like if you blinked you would miss it.  There was a nice HEA, but I didn't feel the pull between Liam and Evelyn.  What I enjoyed more was the mystery of what was going on behind the scenes at the estate..  I had never really thought about what it might be like to live on the coast in the 1800s and have to deal with frequent ship wrecks.  That was interesting.  This is a clean regency romance.  I think fans of this author will enjoy it.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Sarah E. Ladd

Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing family and spunky Golden Retriever.

Connect with Sarah
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Sarah E. Ladd’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, October 12th: Amy’s Book-et List and @amysbooketlist
Monday, October 12th: She Just Loves Books and @shejustlovesbooks
Tuesday, October 13th: @thebookdistiller
Wednesday, October 14th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, October 15th: @addie.yoder
Sunday, October 18th: @nurse_bookie
Monday, October 19th: @the_unwined
Tuesday, October 20th: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
Wednesday, October 21st: Blooming with Books
Thursday, October 22nd: Reading Reality
Monday, October 26th: What is That Book About – excerpt
Wednesday, October 28th: @myreadingchronicles
Wednesday, October 28th: @lowkey.bookish
Friday, October 30th: @shobizreads
Monday, November 2nd: Leighellen Landskov and @mommaleighellensbooknook
Wednesday, November 4th: Books Cooks Looks
Thursday, November 5th: @adrianna.reads
Friday, November 6th: Living My Best Book Life and @livingmybestbooklife
Monday, November 9th: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1
Wednesday, November 11th: @booktimistic
Friday, November 13th: @rendezvous_with_reading
 

Blog Tour: The Weaver's Daughter by Sarah E. Ladd

Author: Sarah E. Ladd

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Date of publication: April 10, 2018

Kate’s loyalties bind her to the past. Henry’s loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder — including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father’s pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war hoping to find a refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather’s goals to modernize his family’s wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort out the truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family’s livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry’s side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village’s future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls – even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

I was pleasantly surprised with The Weaver's Daughter.  It's a perfect mix of slow burning romance, mystery and history.  It involves Kate and Henry who grew up in dueling families.  Henry is back from the war having been presumed dead.  He is set to take over his grandfather's mill business.  Kate's father is a clothier and against the progression of industry to streamline cloth making.  

I did end up enjoying the story. The characters were interesting and well fleshed out.  Henry has been changed by the war and I was glad the author didn't gloss over that.  I think we tend to forget PTSD from war isn't a new thing and goes back centuries.  I loved Kate's struggle with loyalty to her family and wanting to venture into the changing industry. I really loved how Henry and Kate's affections grew over time. I was rooting for Kate and Henry and loved going on their journey to each other.  The book isn't bogged down in the romance though as there is some mystery.  As an aside,  I really don't like when people compare romances like this to Romeo and Juliet.  There was nothing romantic or healthy about that story.  I know I'm in the minority when I say that, but it's how I have always felt. 

I didn't know much about the real life history of the conflict between the mills and the weavers.  I did a little research after starting the book and I'm happy I did.  It gave me more context for the story,  I was a little confused in the beginning, but the brief history lesson cleared things up for me.  This is a nice clean historical romance and I highly recommend giving it a try.  

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Sarah E. Ladd

Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing family and spunky Golden Retriever.

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Sarah E. Ladd’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, May 14th: The Library of Mrs. Gardner and @mrs.literarylovely

Monday, May 14th: Running Through the Storms

Tuesday,  May 15th: A Bookish Way of Life

Wednesday, May 16th: The Caffeinated Bibliophile and @thecaffeinatedbibliophile

Thursday, May 17th: Read. Eat. Repeat.

Monday, May 21st: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, May 22nd: Blooming with Books

Tuesday, May 22nd: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, May 23rd: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, May 24th: View from the Birdhouse

Friday, May 25th: All of a Kind Mom

Monday, May 28th: A Chick Who Reads

Tuesday, May 29th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Wednesday, May 30th: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind

Thursday, May 31st: Reviews from the Heart

Friday, June 1st: The Sketchy Reader

Monday, June 4th: Little Homeschool on the Prairie

Wednesday, June 6th: Girls in Books

Thursday, June 7th: Broken Teepee

Monday, June 11th: What is That Book About

Tuesday, June 12th: By the Book

Wednesday, June 13th: A Holland Reads

Blog Tour: A Stranger at Fellsworth by Sarah E. Ladd

Author: Sarah E. Ladd

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Date of publication: May 16, 2017

Could losing everything be the best thing to happen to Annabelle Thorley?

In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin, Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak. Her fiancé has called off their betrothal, and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother. Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth, the home of her long-estranged aunt and uncle, where a teaching position awaits her. Working for a wage for the first time in her life forces Annabelle to adapt to often unpleasant situations as friendships and roles she’s taken for granted are called into question.

Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments. As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter. As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay even though his ambition has always been to eventually purchase land that he can call his own. When a chance encounter introduces him to the lovely Annabelle Thorley, his steady life is shaken. For the first time since his wife’s tragic death, Owen begins to dream of a second chance at love.

As Owen and Annabelle grow closer, ominous forces threaten the peace they thought they’d found. Poachers, mysterious strangers, and murderers converge at Fellsworth, forcing Annabelle and Owen to a test of fortitude and bravery to stop the shadow of the past from ruining their hopes for the future.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

In A Stranger at Fellsworth,  Annabelle finds herself in a horrible situation of being forced to marry an evil and despicable man.  She fears for her life and decides to create her own destiny.  Hoping to find sanctuary, she flees to her aunt and uncle's school with the help of Owen, a gamekeeper on the estate near the school.  

I ended up enjoying this sweet and clean romance.  I admired Annabelle in her decision to take a chance on her own future.  Despite living a sheltered and pampered life of a lady, she was willing to learn how to do without and become someone new.  She didn't shy away from honest work.  I also loved Owen and his devotion to his daughter, despite rumors of her paternity.  His push to provide something better for her was admirable.  The romance in this one is subtle, but I ended up really buying into it.  

I definitely recommend this one. There is also a bit of a mystery and some tense action moments toward the end.  It's the third in a series, but works completely as a stand alone.  I look forward to reading more out of the series.

About Sarah E. Ladd

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.

Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Sarah E. Ladd’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, May 15th: Laura’s Reviews – Excerpt

Tuesday, May 16th: Books a la Mode – Back cover/Suggest a subtitle game

Wednesday, May 17th: Just Commonly – Bio and audio clip

Friday, May 19th: Reading is My SuperPower – Excerpt

Monday, May 22nd: Let Them Read Books – Excerpt

Wednesday, May 24th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Back cover/What’s she thinking? game

Thursday, May 25th: View from the Birdhouse -Bio and audio clip

Tuesday, May 30th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, June 1st: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot

Monday, June 5th: Suzy Approved

Tuesday, June 6th: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, June 7th: Reviews from the Heart

Monday, June 12th: A Holland Reads

Tuesday, June 13th: Just Commonly

Thursday, June 15th: A Chick Who Reads

Monday, June 19th: Reading is My Super Power

Monday, June 26th: A Night’s Dream of Books