Dawn at Emberwilde

Dawn at Emberwilde
(A Treasures of Surrey Novel)
Sarah Ladd
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-0718011819
May 2016/362 pages/$15.99
Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.

For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would enable her to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.

The unexpected arrival of a stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.

At her new family’s invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. Perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.

At Emberwilde Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. Dawn at Emberwilde is her fifth novel. 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. Find out more about Sarah at http://www.sarahladd.com.



MY THOUGHTS

The early nineteenth century is quickly becoming one of my favortie time periods, and books like this one are a reason why. Dawn at Emberwilde contains all that I love in a novel: a sweeping setting, fascinating characters, danger and intrigue, and a bit of romance as well! Ladd's prose is perfectly suited for the time period (I love how the housekeeper didn't simply walk out of the room; she quit the room!), and her superb character portrayals moved me--some to affection and others to disdain! Unexpected twists and turns provide plenty of hold-your-breath moments as the story built to its climax. Dawn at Emberwilde is the perfect vacation read. Don't miss it!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from HarperCollins/TNZ Fiction & Litfuse Publicity Group for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”