Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?
Darbury, England, 1814
Amelia Barrett gave her word. Keeping it could cost her everything. An heiress to an estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s baby. She’ll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father—a sea captain she’s never met.
When the child vanishes with little more than an ominous ransom note hinting at her whereabouts, Amelia and Graham are driven to test the boundaries of their love for this little one.
Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she’s forced to examine her soul and face her one weakness: pride.
Graham’s strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline. And away from the family he has sworn to love and protect.
Both must learn to have faith and relinquish control so they can embrace the future ahead of them.
Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.
My Impressions:
Do you like the Regency novels of Georgette Heyer or get lost in a Jane Austen novel or movie? Then pick up a copy of Sarah Ladd’s debut novel, The Heiress of Winterwood. Set amid the moors of northern England and the drawing rooms of the country’s upper crust, Ladd’s novel is a wonderful tale of loyalty, love and triumph over the schemes of evil men.
Amelia Barrett is the young heiress of Winterwood Manor. Her parents have both been long dead, and she has been raised by an uncle. He and his new business partner have plans for Amelia and the fortune she is due to inherit upon her marriage. Failure to marry by age 24 will cause the entirety of her estate to be settled on a distant relative. But her fiance, Mr. Littleton, is intractable where it concerns Amelia’s young ward, Lucy. Upon the deathbed of Lucy’s mother, Amelia vowed to the dying mother and herself that Lucy would never know the sorrow of a motherless childhood. In two weeks time her marriage will result in Lucy being sent away from Winterwood, so Amelia devises a scheme to marry Captain Sterling, Lucy’s returned father. What results is bitterness and anger from her family and fiance. And soon after, Lucy is kidnapped.
Amelia’s devotion to Lucy may seem a bit extreme, yet her childhood was spent longing for a mother. Her actions are informed by her past and the loneliness and loss that have followed her. She sees in her vow to Lucy’s mother a way to ensure that she will have the family and love she has yearned for. Captain Sterling has also suffered loss — many of his crew in battle and his young wife. Both have a hard time trusting God to treat them kindly or justly. But they soon come to realize that their schemes and plans as well as those who plot evil cannot stand in the face of a sovereign God.
The Heiress of Winterwood is a quick romantic and suspenseful read. The characters are easy to like or hate (as in the case of the villains). The writing style holds true to the Regency era. If you would like a touch of Austen with a faith-infused message, then you will enjoy this novel.
Recommended.
(I received The Heiress of Winterwood in conjunction with LitFuse. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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To purchase a copy of this book, click on the image below.
Sarah is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A brand new Kindle Fire
- Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.
Tags: historical romance fiction, Regency fiction, Sarah Ladd
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