Publication Date: December 31, 2013
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Series: Whispers on the Moors # 2
Patience
Creighton will finally find the peace she lost years ago--if she can open her
heart and forgive the man who loves her.
Bright, sensible Patience knows what is expected of her. At twenty-five, her opportunity for a family of her own has passed, so she finds contentment teaching at her father's school for girls. When her father dies suddenly and her brother moves away to London, she is determined to keep her father's dream alive.
Confirmed bachelor William Sterling also knows what is expected of him, but mistake after mistake has left him teetering on ruin's edge. As master of Eastmore Hall he owns a great deal of land but possesses little money to manage the upkeep. He is desperate to find a new source of income, including the sacrifice of land connected to Rosemere.
When her brother returns with a new wife to take over management of the school, Patience is heartbroken to no longer be responsible for her beloved school and is forced to reassess God's purpose for her life. After her sister-in-law's matchmaking brings Patience and William together, they both learn new truths about their character and find a common goal in restoring Eastmore's legacy.
Bright, sensible Patience knows what is expected of her. At twenty-five, her opportunity for a family of her own has passed, so she finds contentment teaching at her father's school for girls. When her father dies suddenly and her brother moves away to London, she is determined to keep her father's dream alive.
Confirmed bachelor William Sterling also knows what is expected of him, but mistake after mistake has left him teetering on ruin's edge. As master of Eastmore Hall he owns a great deal of land but possesses little money to manage the upkeep. He is desperate to find a new source of income, including the sacrifice of land connected to Rosemere.
When her brother returns with a new wife to take over management of the school, Patience is heartbroken to no longer be responsible for her beloved school and is forced to reassess God's purpose for her life. After her sister-in-law's matchmaking brings Patience and William together, they both learn new truths about their character and find a common goal in restoring Eastmore's legacy.
Patience loved the school – and her young charges within its walls. It had been her home since the day she was born. But the heavy weight of seeing to all the details alone wore on her. She set her lips, angry that her brother had abandoned her. She dipped her quill in ink and pressed the tip to the paper. She would tell him just that.
The
memory of that bold expression in his ice-blues eyes refused to leave her
alone. Perhaps it was the lure of things unknown. Of things beyond the walls of
Rosemere. Of a world – a life – she would never know or understand. Or simply
the thrill of possible romance.
For
today at least, she resolved to put her troubles aside and enjoy her day.
Patience
smiled at her little girls, all gathered by the fire, their stocking feet
poking out from the hems of their plain, white muslin gowns. The scent of
lavender water from recent baths hung sweetly in the air. Their cheeks, rosy
and fresh, glowed with smiles, and their eyes held the glimmer of promised
secrets and shared dreams.
Sarah E. Ladd is a charming author who in the last two books has been able to climb the charts as one of my favorite authors. On the cover of this book reads the following blurb, “If you are a fan of Jane Austen and Jane Eyre, you will love Sarah E. Ladd…” I find this blurb to be incredible accurate. Her writing is very eloquent and descriptive, much like Jane Austen’s. The characters and the places she describes, like Rosemere and Winterwood, leap off the page with so much detail that it feels as if you are dances down their halls and corridors. Patience Creighton is our leading lady in this book, accompanied by William Sterling, a reckless man with a bit of a gambling problem. The two meet on a cold, winter’s night and nothing was quite the same after that!
I
connected with Patience mostly because of her calling; she serves as a mentor,
role model, and guidance for the girls in school at Rosemere. She values her
work and her purpose, and manages to get by with all odds against her. Her father
recently deceased, her mother critically mourning his death, and her brother
running off for the past six months leaving the financial concerns lying at her
feet. Patience is a strong character which I can appreciate mostly because of
her intelligence and patience, no pun intended. She thinks situations through
before she approaches them and is strong of mind and heart. She is a phenomenal
heroine!
This
story is full of mystery with an overarching theme of forgiveness and learning
to move on and remember the lessons the past has taught you, but not to dwell
on it by any means. Patience and William were obviously my favorite characters
but not for the reasons you would probably expect. Yes, their relationship
blossomed and the chemistry between them was obvious from the start, but I
mainly loved them both because of how different they were and how well their
differences seemed to work together. By the end of the book it was obvious to
me that they were both meant to teach each other things!
***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Thomas Nelson in
exchange for my honest review***
This book is on my TBR shelf! I can't wait to read it :)
ReplyDeleteColletta
I love Jane Austen so if you say Sarah's writing is similar I'm sure I will enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI loved the cover ;)
Great review, I'll check the first book.
Ruty@Reading...Dreaming
This sounds like a good one. I've been looking for a good historical romance lately. Contemporary romance is great too, but historicals have such wonderful atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like something I would really enjoy. Great review!
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris