Dedičkin sľub

Whispers on the Moors #1

by Sarah E. Ladd, Marta Gergelyová (Translator)

Prvá časť očarujúcej regentskej trilógie Tajomstvá vresovísk z pera uznávanej americkej spisovateľky Sarah E. Laddovej zavedie čitateľa na malebný anglický vidiek na začiatku devätnásteho storočia.

Dedička panstva Winterwood Amelia Barrettová sa ocitla v nezávideniahodnej situácii. Aby získala rozprávkový majetok, ktorý jej právom patrí, musí sa vydať, skôr než dovŕši dvadsiaty štvrtý rok. Navyše sľúbila umierajúcej priateľke, že sa postará o jej malú dcérku Lucy, a tento sľub je rozhodnutá stoj čo stoj dodržať. Jej snúbenec Edward Littleton však nechce o dieťati ani počuť...
A tak keď po Lucy príde jej otec, námorný kapitán Graham Sterling, Amelia vymyslí nevídaný plán: zruší zasnúbenie s Littletonom a prehovorí kapitána, aby si ju bez otáľania vzal za ženu. Keď sa už-už zdá, že je všetko na najlepšej ceste, stane sa niečo nečakané a Amelia s Grahamom musia čeliť najťažšej skúške, akú im kedy osud pripravil. Od toho, ako sa s ňou popasujú, závisia životy nielen ich dvoch...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2013

About the author

I would love to connect with you on Facebook and talk about all things Regency! Be sure to like my page for updates: http://www.facebook.com/SarahLaddAuthor

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will admit that I am the first one to be taken in by beautiful covers. Yes, I do judge books by their covers, even though I should know better. Shame on me.

I was hoping this would be a solid five star read, but I'm not even sure why because I didn't really know what to expect. I only read the blurb right before starting it, and was like "Oh!". I think I was expecting a sort of Jane Eyre -ish romance (because of the cover!), or something along the lines of Edenbrooke or The Silent Governess, but it was totally different and took me quite by surprise! The primary reason why I actually bought this book was because I really want to get to The Headmistress of Rosemere, but that one is the second of the series and I hate reading series out of order.

So, admittedly, my expectations for The Heiress of Winterwood were a little too high (for reasons still obscure)and I was left a little disappointed after I finished it. For a debut novel, it was pretty good and the plot was really unique, but...it was just a little bit altogether too "meh" for me to give it a higher rating.

The Heiress of Winterwood is not your typical Regency romance. It's like the movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop, but Regency edition, without all the swearing and a dashing captain instead of a cop, with a sweet little romance thrown in. Okay, I am obviously exaggerating, but in some parts it did remind me of that movie! And it would have been actually really exciting if there had been more action and less descriptions and God-talk. The author told us way too much and didn't show enough.

The Christian elements, while pertinent, felt overdone, were repetitive and didn't seem too well developed. I love Christian fiction, but the whole character-relies-on-his-own-strength-too-much-and-needs-to-let-God-in trope is a little too frequent, and in this book, both the main characters had this problem, and it seemed to slow the romance down. They pretty much realized their feelings for each other overnight, and while we obviously know all along that they are going to fall in love, their coming together felt cliché. I think it is mostly because there was so little dialogue between them, and they barely knew each other!

The heroine was very ordinary and normal, and while I liked her, I didn't love her. The hero, Captain Sterling, was very dashing, handsome, principled and military-like and I really liked him too, but overall both H/h seemed a little too underdeveloped. They were missing a little bit of personality. The other characters were very two-dimensional, but I really enjoyed the character of William, the captain's brother, which makes me look forward to The Headmistress of Rosemere even more since he will be the hero. :)

All in all, not a bad book, especially not for a debut, but it doesn't quite make the favourite list. I will now lower my expectation for The Headmistress of Rosemere so as not to be too disappointed if it doesn't happen to cut the mark, but I am still hoping it will be a good book. I'm just hoping the characters will be more enjoyable and better developed, the romance more engaging, the Christian preaching more believable and the writing less repetitive. If Patience wraps/draws/hugs/pulls her cloak/shawl/blanket tighter around her as many times as Amelia did, I might just have a fit. ;)

[Katina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay

I wish I would have realized that this was a Christian romance novel before I bought it. I would have skipped it entirely because I get annoyed with all of the scriptures and praying thrown into the story. I think religion and fiction don't mix well, but that is just a personal preference. Take out all the God talk, and it was a cute period romance.

[Karen Witemeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Ladd's debut is wonderful! Readers who enjoy Jane Austen will get swept away in this dramatic tale of courage and conviction. The writing was superb and the plot kept me turning pages. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in Ladd's Regency England, especially since this book avoided the usual trappings of London and the ton. I found Sarah's voice fresh and intriguing and her story rich.

My only critique is that the romance took a back seat to the external conflict and that there were a few instances where an honest conversation would have resolved issues that lingered a bit too long. However, I must admit that these were minor details. The driving plot involved the welfare of a child and was truly compelling. I really didn't mind that it took center stage.

Excellent debut! I'll be looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I finished this so quickly. I just couldn't put it down. It captured my attention from the first page and kept me speed reading through it devouring every word. My first, Sarah Ladd book but definitely not my last !

[Randi Annie Framnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Winterwood heiress Amelia Barratt’s friend dies in childbirth, she feels compelled to propose to the baby’s father, Captain Graham Sterling. He refuses her proposal. Danger follows. The baby Lucy is taken hostage and a large sum of money is demanded for her release. Amelia and Graham must work together to find the culprit and free the baby.

The Heiress of Winterwood is the first installment in the Whispers on the Moors series by Sarah E.. Ladd, published by Thomas Nelson. The story is set in Darbury, England 1814 and is about heiress Amelia Barratt who takes care of baby Lucy following her friend’s death in childbirth. The baby’s father Graham Sterling has never met Amelia, but on his arrival to pick up the baby, she proposes a marriage of convenience, even though she is already engaged. Captain Sterling is surprised and overwhelmed and refuses the proposal initially. When Amelia ends her engagement and reveals her plan to marry Captain Sterling instead, her family is livid. Baby Lucy disappears and a ransom note is presented. Plenty of people have motives for the abduction. Frantic with worry, Graham and Amelia work together to get the baby released find the culprit and try to get real about their feelings for each other.

Main character heiress Amelia Barrett is an opinionated and assertive character, but also in the hold of her selfish and greedy family. She seemed to show her strength in the wrong places while letting people trample all over her in others. She is my favorite as she seemed a realistic character with noticeable strengths and weaknesses.

Supporting character Edward Littleton is Amelia’s fiancée who seems a reasonable match, but he shows his real colors pretty soon. He is my least favorite character because he has no intention at all of being a good husband to Amelia and only goes after her money.

The writing of The Heiress of Winterwood is beautiful and vivid with great dialogue and amusing parts. The Downton Abby-like vibe of the story was complete with descriptions of opulent environments, interiors and lifestyle which for me were the best part. The family’s reaction to Amelia going against their wishes when proposing to Captain Sterling was the worst part for me, but it added and excellent dramatic element to the plot.

The relationship between Amelia and Graham develops when they get opportunity share some secret moments alone. As they get to know each other more, they both become pleasantly surprised by the other and feelings seem to deepen.

I enjoyed reading about how Amanda kept her Bible and book of psalms close to feel guided and comforted even when she had doubts and needed help to trust and believe. Graham was lead to God by a trusted fellow sailor and father figure in his life.

Conclusion: this is story with a Downton Abbey-like vibe which centers on the drama of rescuing a kidnapped baby and the added elements of romance and faith. I can’t wait to read the next installment already in place on my Kindle.

Anyone who enjoys a historical romance plot with a spiritual and drama element would love this story. Similar authors to explore might be Julie Klassen or Carrie Turansky.
All opinions in this review are completely my own.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Christian historical romance set in 19th century England that will definitely entice readers that enjoy Janette Oke and Jody Hedlund. It might have been a tad melodramatic and include a lot of scenes where the heroine and hero are running to each other's houses, but it was still the type of book that I devoured in one sitting.

[Fátima Linhares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta leitura foi terminada na base da raiva! Estava a dar-me nos nervos ter começado este livro no dia 05/12 e nunca mais o acabar. Isto não é propriamente a Bíblia, não é verdade? Terá sido resolução de ano novo? Não foi, mas resolvi que tinha de o arrumar e consegui. É um romance fofinho, nada de especial, com uma protagonista que me fez revirar os olhos uma ou duas vezes, pois tem tanto de determinada como de chata - a fronteira é um pouco ténue - mas está lido. Agora 2022 vai correr muito melhor! :D

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how some people wish they could reread their favorite books for the first time again? Well, that actually happened to me with this book.

I could remember the main characters, part of the plot, and that I loved it, but I couldn't remember most of the actual story. So I got to experience the amazingness of reading this book like it was my first time twice. And let me just say that it's still as fantastic as ever!

It was intriguing. It kept me up at night. There were some things in this book that really helped me with what I was going through at the time, besides the fact that it was already a welcome distraction from everything.

I absolutely adored this book! 1,000% recommend!!

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

Summary:

A proposal of marriage for the sake of an infant’s future and the prosperity of a large inheritance.



First of all, don’t be mistaken…this is not the ‘marriage of convenience’ trope but a ‘proposal of convenience’. (Which was disappointing for me as I love a good marriage of convenience)

It did have the standard Christian historical fiction formula at the climax, where our main character is in danger 🙄 which made me consider a 3.75⭐️ rating…..

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars
Can we just talk for a moment about the Reading Group Guide at the end of this book? Setting aside even why this book needs a reading guide, question 1: "In this story, Amelia risks everything-her future, security, and reputation-to keep a promise to a loved one. Have you ever had to give up something to keep a promise?"
Like, how are you supposed to answer that?! "Well, this one time, I wanted to stay in all evening and read, but I promised to grab dinner with a friend. So, basically, I know exactly what Amelia feels like."

Sarah E. Ladd's name pops up occasionally on Regency Listopias. This was the only book my library had by her so I decided to give it a try despite my hesitation over the plot summary. And then I started it and...bam. Turns out to be Christian fiction loosely set in Regency era.
Great.
But what is a girl to do, right? So I kept reading.
Basically, imagine Emma proposes to Captain Wentworth. Except Captain Wentworth married, fathered a child, and peaced out for 18 months or something. And Emma lacks a backbone and due to some bizarre requirement in her Father's will, must marry before she turns 24 or lose her fortune (a plot point that will completely get dropped as this book goes on.) She's engaged to someone else, but don't worry, he's a lecherous, abusive creep so having her dump him will cause no moral qualms. (It will, however, leave you wondering why no one noticed his blatant behavior BEFORE the hot new guy showed up. Just saying.)
Insert entirely too predictable drama, layer on a heavy dose of Christianese, and round off with dramatic hoopla that comes out of nowhere, and you have the rest of this book.
I would probably give it 1 star except I do think the author sort of tries to give her characters personality. Graham (or whatever Captain Wentworth wannabe's name is) previously struggled with alcoholism (a potentially interesting plot point he will lightly struggle with and yet still manage to represent as annoying and pretentious) and Amelia is, um, motherless. Yeah, she takes being motherless and 'longing but fearing love' to a whole new level of definition.
Either I didn't pay much attention to it or the book doesn't suffer too horrendously from insta-love. I mean, it is vaguely there and the romance itself comes across far too adrenaline rushed, but nothing that really made me tear my hair out. Like all Christian romances, the couple is basically God-ordained and spend their time praying when not ogling one another.
Actually, pausing for a moment on that note, there is an element of it that did strike me as off. Perhaps I've been reading too many...ah, shall we say, less clean?...romances lately, but Graham's thoughts/attitudes definitely were borderline sketch while Amelia's were super naive. He's like "the temptation of the woman in the room below him" and "aggressively buries hand in hair" and "kisses with all his pent up fury" and meanwhile Amelia is like "I wonder what it would be like to hold his hand?"
I found it super off-putting. Bad enough that Amelia comes across as this clinging vine who just wants a man to protect her all the time. But contrasting her extreme naivety with romance to his experience just made me uncomfortable. Not that it is any better in trashy romance novels when the naive girl is all aggressive and lustful. I JUST WANT A HAPPY MEDIUM, OKAY?

Overall...I don't really have anything positive to say, except I did not hate it and I did finish it for the story's sake and not because I wanted to tear it to shreds on Goodreads. So must have been okay?

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Noella Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done! I really enjoyed this Regency Romance and this is my first time reading a book by Sarah Ladd. I am looking forward to reading the next 2 books of this series.

[Audrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tedious and predictable. Of course the message about trusting God’s plan is a good one, but the plot and writing are so dull that everything becomes mired down in the monotony. For a book that takes place in England, there is a very poor sense of place, and the characters consist mostly of one-dimensional figures plucked out of Christian fiction central casting. (I guess we are supposed to root for Edward, but he didn’t seem like much of a catch to me.) All the guys are dashing with high cheekbones and the women are gorgeous and the babies are cute and this story is just very boring.

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Desperate Proposals, Desperate Retaliations

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

TYPE OF NOVEL: Traditional Regency Romance

SETTING: Darbury, England 1814

SERIES: Whispers on the Moors #1

WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS:

- I found Sarah E. Ladd’s books on a list for “If you like Jane Austen and Regency romances, you should try…”
- The covers for this series are gorgeous! Yes, I do judge books by their covers sometimes! 😉
- Julie Klassen, an author whose books I love, is quoted on the cover!

SYNOPSIS:

Amelia Barrett is in an interesting situation: she is an heiress who is engaged to be married and yet has made a vow to take care of her deceased friend’s infant baby. A vow she intends to never break, since she understands what it is like to grow up without a mother. Only thing is, the baby’s father is about to return home from the navy for a few weeks and Amelia’s fiancé has stated that she must give up the baby when they marry… What will Amelia do?

WHAT I LOVED:

- A Unique and Peculiar Premise: I don’t think I’ve read many Regency stories where the custody of a child hangs in the balance. Not to mention an inheritance that gives an heiress a deadline to marry by in order to inherit and a fiancé who gives an ultimatum! What a desperate and gripping scenario! Like Julie Klassen says on the front cover, “It grabbed my attention from the first lines.”

- Our Hero and Heroine: Amelia’s devotion to her friend’s child is wonderfully admirable. I love her determination and strength to stand up against all who oppose her choice. In addition, she is genuine, selfless, and true to herself, all traits we easily recognize in many of Jane Austen’s heroines. And our hero, Captain Graham Sterling, shows many admirable qualities as well. He is protective, responsible, and honorable. It was very touching and endearing to see his first encounters with his daughter, Lucy and his growing admiration for and appreciation of Amelia and her situation.

- A Bit of Drama and Danger: There are some characters who are not so admirable in this story. And when they find out their plans might be disrupted it prompts a few unpleasant scenes. Amelia soon learns that some people weren’t who she thought they were. The question is, how desperate are they to get what they want? I enjoyed all the twists and turns of this plot, and our villains were so good at stirring things up!

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

- Blend and Development: I will say that in some instances I found the writing to be a little lacking in balance and seamlessness. This story includes some Christian themes and a bit of a backstory for Captain Sterling. Both of these aspects are welcome, but I wasn’t too fond of how they were written in this story. The faith message was more overt and at times felt irrelevant, and Captain Sterling’s past felt a bit underdeveloped. In fact, that is something I could say for many of the characters – while they were intriguing and likable, they were all just a tad underdeveloped.

- A Little Lacking in Romance: When I read a period romance/historical romance, I prefer for the romance to be the focus of the story. I don’t mind if there are other elements like mystery, faith, history, etc. but for me the romance and the relationship development between the hero and heroine needs to get the most page time. In this story, it sort’ve became the other way around though. The romance got pushed aside towards the end and I found myself enjoying the book a little less as a result.

CONCLUSION:

While I’m not completely in love with this new author and series, I am very glad I gave them both a try. I already own both of Ms. Ladd’s other books from this series (The Headmistress of Rosemere and A Lady at Willowgrove Hall) and I do plan to read both in the future. I enjoyed Ms. Ladd’s inventive premise and exciting plot twists!

Austenesque Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! I am so glad that it is the first in a series. Very impressive for a debut. That first chapter . . . . . what can I say? I was hooked.

[Robin Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable!

[Rachel Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note added 17/04/13: When I wrote my initial rough draft of this review, I mistakenly talked about an incident between Amelia and Edward where he was drunk, when actually I meant William. Hopefully this review makes more sense!

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When her close friend dies shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Amelia Barrett vows that she will raise the child and care for her until her father returns from the sea. It is nearly a year before Captain Graham Sterling comes to claim his child, and Amelia has grown to love Lucy as if she were her own daughter. But in order to continue to raise Lucy, Amelia must marry and claim her fortune. Amelia had planned to wed Edward Littleton, but his dislike of Lucy makes her wonder if marrying Edward is the best plan for the child. When Edward demands that Lucy be removed from Winterwood as soon as they wed, Amelia determines to find another way to protect both Lucy and her fortune.

Graham is shocked when his daughter’s temporary guardian proposes marriage to him, but the more he thinks about the plan, the more he begins to wonder if it might be the solution to all their troubles. If he were to return to the sea, he would want someone like Amelia caring for his child, rather than his irresponsible older brother. As Graham spends more time in the company of Amelia and her friends and family, he becomes increasingly aware of how self-centred and arrogant Amelia’s betrothed is. In marrying Amelia, Graham would be protecting both Lucy and Amelia.

Unfortunately, someone is conspiring to keep Amelia and Graham apart. Shortly after announcing their plans to wed, Lucy goes missing, along with her nurse. Who is the culprit? Is it Amelia’s spurned fiancé, her disgruntled uncle, or Graham’s jealous brother? Will their search for Lucy bring Amelia and Graham closer together, or pull the boundaries of their relationship too far?

Although it was the beautiful cover on the front of this book that initially attracted me to The Heiress of Winterwood, the idea of a marriage of convenience proposed by a young heiress definitely piqued my interest. This novel lived up to the suspense suggested in the synopsis, and was for the most part an easy, enjoyable read. Although I don’t go out of my way to pick up romantic suspense novels, I do appreciate it when a good historical romance has some mystery and suspense skilfully woven into the plot. That sad, I did find myself wishing for more romance. Amidst all the suspense and confusion in this novel, Amelia and Graham don't actually spend a lot of time together. There was a wonderfully romantic scene in the final chapter, but I wished that we could have had some glimpses of this passion scattered throughout the book to make their final declarations of love feel more real.

One aspect of this novel that I did thoroughly appreciate was that the author showed just how hard it was to be a woman in this time period. As carefree as early nineteenth century life might appear from a BBC Regency drama or the pages of an Austen novel, women had very little rights in this period, even if they were heiresses. Amelia must marry in order to keep her estate and her fortune, but when she marries this money will simply be passed from her uncle to her husband. And if neither of these men have her best interests at heart—as illustrated in the novel—Amelia’s situation is rendered even more dire. Naturally, Amelia’s life is far different from those women who do not have male guardians and fortunes, but I was pleased to see this sort of realism illustrated on the pages of a historical romance.

Sarah E. Ladd managed to create a realistic family for Amelia without rendering any of the members overly villainous. Amelia’s uncle and aunt want to see her married off, but they also want to improve their own situation, as I’m sure was true for many guardians of young heiresses at this time. Although Amelia is eventually reconciled with her cousin, Helena, it seemed fitting that everything wasn’t tied up neatly with her uncle and aunt.

The setting of Winterwood and Graham’s neighbouring Manor was rendered fairly well, but at times it felt like the novel was set in a bubble. Until the characters travel to Liverpool, the majority of the novel takes place either at one of the two manors or the neighbouring minister’s home, with a limited group of characters. Since this is the first novel in the Whispers on the Moors series, I suppose that you could argue that novels like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights also felt like they were set in a bubble, but I did wish there had been more details about the setting.

One thing I did find myself wishing was that the issue between Amelia and Graham’s brother, William, would be dealt with. We learn early on in the novel that he once tried to kiss Amelia when he was drunk, and although this is eventually revealed to Graham, I wished he had called Edward out on the inappropriateness of his actions, or at least acknowledged how wrong it was for him to take such liberties. He seemed to reconcile too easily with his brother considering this knowledge.

Given the revelation about Helena towards the end of the story, there seemed to be too much time spent dwelling on whether certain incidents would damage a woman's reputation. Very few characters acknowledged how unfair it was that women were saddled with all the blame for an indiscretion, even at those times (such as the incident between Amelia and William) in which the woman was forced to comply. I feel like I’m getting on my soap box a little here, but this is the second Christian historical romance that I’ve read this month where Christian characters spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about a woman’s reputation. I’m not saying that, as Christians, we shouldn’t be concerned about how we appear to others, but that society (particularly in historical novels) treats reputation as something that, once lost, can never be recovered. And this isn’t how God views us. I feel like there’s something somewhat problematic about Christian characters dwelling over whether a friend or relative’s reputation is ruined in the eyes of society without feeling uncomfortable with how this attitude goes against God’s loving grace and forgiveness. Yes, characters in historical novels are often bound by the laws of society, but those who claim to live by God’s laws should surely want to live above the rules of reputation and extend God’s grace to those who have made mistakes. This might not be a part of the novel that all readers take issue with, but since I’ve spent a lot of time studying novels written in this part of the nineteenth century this semester at university, I’ve become acutely aware of how unfair the rules of society were on women at this time.

Although there were some parts of this novel that I thought could have been dealt with differently, the positive aspects of The Heiress of Winterwood definitely outweigh the negative. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who is intrigued to see if Sarah E. Ladd decides to continue where Amelia’s cousin, Helena’s, story left off at the end of this novel. And if not, it’ll still be interesting to see where this series goes. The Heiress of Winterwood is a great debut novel and will be sure to please many fans of historical romance. The setting and time period mean that it will definitely appeal to lovers of Regency novels, and those who prefer a little more realism in their historical fiction will not be disappointed.

Review title provided by Thomas Nelson.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?
Darbury, England, 1814
Amelia Barrett, heiress to an ancestral estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s infant baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father, Graham, a sea captain she’s never met.
Tragedy strikes when the child vanishes with little more than a sketchy ransom note hinting to her whereabouts. Fear for the child’s safety drives Amelia and Graham to test the boundaries of their love for this infant.
Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she examines her soul and must 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.
Both must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has for planned for them.”


Series: Book #1 in the “Whispers on the Moor” series. {Book #2 will be reviewed next week. :)}


Spiritual Content- In the Prologue, Psalm 23 is said & Amelia isn’t happy with God for taking another person she loved; Katherine had a strong Faith; “for all that is good and holy” is said once; Many Scriptures; Jane witnesses to Amelia & another man witnesses to Graham; Church going; Many Prayers; Amelia & Graham both have difficulty trusting God (they work on it near the end).


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘hush’, a ‘stupid’, two ‘Egad!’s, two ‘idiot’s, three ‘shut up’s (or “shut yer mouth”s); five forms of ‘blast’, a “who in blazes”, a “what in blazes”, a “devil of a time”; Four curses are said but not written; A mention of how a horse runs as if “the devil himself was at it’s heels”; Mentions of gambling; Mentions of drinking, drunks & pubs(and Wanting to drink but does not); Fighting, Guns, Knifes & Blood (semi-detailed); A not-scary nightmare; And like the back of the book says, kidnapping.


Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kisses & a detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss; Nearness & blushes that cause warmth & shivers; Notices of a person’s smell; Flattery; A mention of how William was drunk and forced himself on Amelia, kissing her (barely above not-detailed); Edward says two suggestive comments to Amelia (one about having as many babies as she wants & he comments about sleeping alone); *Spoiler* A baby was conceived out of wedlock. *End of Spoiler*; Love, falling in love, and the emotions.

-Amelia Barrett
-Graham Sterling
P.O.V. switches between them.
Set in 1814
310 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
The big twist mention on the back of the cover doesn’t happen till a bit half-way through the book—which I was totally okay with. Because that meant I wouldn’t be in suspense for so long. ;) As I’ve mentioned before I like predictable stories and “The Heiress of Winterwood” was a bit predictable but there were also some surprises I didn’t see coming!



Link to Review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[J.T. IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid regency book by Ms. Ladd. Perhaps not the most memorable books I have read, but in the end they tell a compelling story and keep you turning the pages. The story line of both main characters having to lean on God and each other to survive is one desperately needed more often these days; it shows how much a man and a woman must work together in a marriage. Again, as with others, I liked Captain Graham because of his calm demeanor and the strength portrayed. If you have not had the chance to read any of the books in the Moor series I would recommend this one and the others as well.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really had high expectations of this book.I thought it would be like Edenbrooke by Donaldson or something by Sarah Eden. I think that was part of the problem, my expectations were too high. I like a book where there is a lot of banter and scene between the main love interests and you didn't get that in this book. This book was very wordy and that worked well in some scenes and not in others. But I think if I had to point to one thing that bothered me the most was I didn't feel connected to these two and they just didn't come alive for me. BUt hey these are my issues:} Overall the story was very good and well written, very clean and a nice touch of Christianity. And I love a regency read:} So not sad I read it but not something I will add to my ever growing collection:}

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For whatever reason, I enjoy watching regency era stories rather than reading them. Shocking, I know. BUT, I really really liked this novel!! This is one of the first regency novels I’ve read since Lori Wick’s English Garden series from my high school days. I loved the plot line and the dashing hero. I kinda wished they had gotten married sooner to make it a true marriage of convenience story, but that’s just cause I’m a sucker for those.😊 It was my first Sarah Ladd novel and I’m already excited to start book two!

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended by my daughter. I found it an enjoyable adventure with realistic characters, mysterious twists and plots, growth in the characters, and an experience of gratitude for miracles.

[Samala Rayn (Kafka's Version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the SWEETEST love story I have read in a WHILE.

[Melanie Kilsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A determined promise. A valiant Captain. A tangled web of debt, doubt, faith and hardship makes this book an interesting read.

Some of it was slow paced. But, I think it may have been because I read it as an audio book? Well, the end of this book, actually, solidified my rating!

Recommended as an Adult Historical Christian Book.

[Katherine Reay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, lovely read with a heroine that reminds one of all the strong Jane Austen heroines we dearly love. So happy to have found Sarah Ladd!

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a charming romantic read. The plot sounded unique and I love the setting on the moors. I have not read anything by Sarah Ladd before, nor have I read a lot of Christian Fiction, but I’ve had my eye on this one for quite some time.

The obvious first thing to stand out about the book is the stunning cover. I’m positively in love with it! But what really caught my eye about the story was the unique plot…..a woman plans on marry her best friend’s widow to keep a family for the child…..that’s definitely a different take on romance.

I enjoyed Amelia as a heroine….she was loyal, strong, confident, and tenacious. Though pride was her greatest character flaw, it was annoying or frustrating at all. Sometimes when a lead character is overly prideful, it can put me off a little but Ladd did a marvelous job at making Amelia the perfect mixture of prideful and yet humble.

The romance between Captain Sterling and Amelia was a little wanting for me. While it was tender and sweet, I wanted more tension between the two. I thought the circumstances of the story made it difficult for them to really develop a romance….however I thought in the beginning there could have been a lot more tension between the two.

There were some bits of the novel that I questioned their relevance…..one being Captain Sterling’s injury. I don’t know that it added a lot to the romance or the overall story. Same with his mentor…..I guess they could both show the development of faith in his character but I thought his faith could have been tested in other ways that had more to do with the overall story.

Or maybe introduce those issues early on in the novel instead of toward the end. For me they just didn’t work as well as I would have liked.

All that said I still thought it was a nice, easy read and it filled the need I had to read a historic romance. I was hoping for a little more in the story but overall it wasn’t a bad read. I also have the next book in the series to read (which I plan on) so that tells me that I liked it enough to want to read more books by her!

See my full review here

[Kate (The Shelf Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really starting to get into the regency setting.I haven't read a whole lot from this period, but it has started to grow on me. I never was a huge fan of Jane Austen's books...they were a bit dry for me. The movies, I'm good with. I guess I stayed away because I was worried I would feel the same about the modern author's version of the time. Thankfully, my fears have been dispelled.

I've been hearing wonderful things about Sarah Ladd's debut novel, The Heiress of Winterwood, so I bought it shortly after it came out. Things picked up dramatically with the review books, and my poor copy sat on my TBR shelf. Then recently, a break occurred and it was one of the first books I dove into. My goodness, this story really brought me into the world of Amelia and her desire to do right by her friend's baby, who was left in her care when her friend died from complications of childbirth.

After nine months of caring for the baby, Amelia loves the baby as her own. She would love nothing better then to raise Lucy as her own, the problem is Graham, Lucy's father, has finally come home from sea and he has full claim to Lucy and Edward, Amelia is engaged to Edward, who wants nothing to do with Lucy, nor does he want Amelia to even think of caring for Lucy after they are married.

Safe to say, I didn't like Edward from the get-go. And as the story progressed, my thoughts about him got worse and worse. As the reasoning behind Edward and Amelia's engagement became clear, it made sense.

Graham was a quiet and reserved character that did care about his daughter was grateful for the help Amelia offered to his wife and Lucy. As you got to know him, you saw he was a hard worker, who cared for people and only wanted to treat people with the utmost respect, when they earned it.

As the story went on and Lucy is kidnapped, I had my suspicions right away, but with how the story played out, even with my guessing, it didn't take away from the story. It was an enjoyable book.


This review was originally posted @ http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot....

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTSAUDEJ...
Review on my blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

4.5 stars

The Heiress of Winterwood was a very good read! The story completely blew me away! I believe this is Sarah E. Ladd's debut novel, but I wouldn't have been able to tell that by reading the book.

The Heiress of Winterwood starts off with a good prologue, but it was the first chapter that really grabbed my attention. I could tell Amelia was a great woman right away. I loved how protective she was of Lucy and that she was willing to do anything to care and raise her. I also loved her tenacity. Graham was another wonderful character. I loved how real he was about his grief over losing his wife and it was nice to see his character grow.

A few times the writing/story seemed a little conflicting, but I did read an ARC copy so it might be different in the finished version. Not a big deal - at least to me. I didn't like when a character heard/felt replies from God - it's a pet peeve of mine.

Still, I really enjoyed The Heiress of Winterwood and it held my attention throughout. The book even had a little mystery - which I loved. A very good read that I definitely recommend if you enjoy historical romances. I look forward to reading Sarah E. Ladd's next book.

*I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Fernanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
devo começar pelo facto de que há imenso tempo não lia um livro assim tão rapidamente!

Para mim uma estreia com esta autora que era perfeitamente desconhecida até ser agora editada pela Topseller e por isso uma muito agradável supresa e por ter gostado tanto.

A história em si não é o que estamos habituados a ver neste contexto de romance de época, talvez se tenha dado mais enfase a historias com um cariz mais sensual/erótico em detrimento de outras opções, como é a que está presente neste enredo, a forte componente cristã e a fé latente dos principais personagens.

É antes de mais, uma historia em que a determinação da protagonista é o ponto forte.
A trama está bem estruturada, tem o seu lado melodramático, o romance é praticamente inexistente mas as "expressões" dos personagens são o que era o supostamente adequado ao inicio do sec. XIX :) ou seja tudo muito formal....tudo!!!

Em termos gerais e apesar de ser um pouco fora do que costumo ler, foi uma leitura apelativa, interessante e que me cativou desde as primeiras páginas.

Obviamente para quem gosta do género, recomendo vivamente!

[Charity U · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a delightful book, full of a fast-paced adventure with a dash of mystery and a sweet romance added in. It was in the spirit of Julie Klassen’s newest, The Tutor’s Daughter – they were actually set in fairly similar settings. Heiress of Winterwood also reminded me of other Regency novels – fans of Jane Austen will enjoy this one, I think. The story flowed very smoothly, although the second half especially was filled with an exciting mystery and all manner of twists and turns. The first half was much slower and gentler, so to speak. The characters were wonderful – very lovable. There’s nothing objectionable whatsoever in it. If you’re a Jane Austen fan, like I said, give this one a try! It was good.
**Litfuse sent me a free copy of this book as part of its blog tour. I wasn’t paid for this review, and wasn’t required to post positively.**