Cecily Faire carries the shame of her
past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could strip away
everything she holds dear. But soon after accepting the position of lady's
companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man
well-acquainted with the past she's desperately hidden for years.
Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his
own --- one that has haunted him from birth and tied him to his father's
position as steward of Willowgrove. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not
breath a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he'll
never be free to find his own way in the world. He'll never be free to fall in
love.
When the secrets swirling within
Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful
choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand
together and build a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long
suffered?
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. The 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.
This is another wonderful book by Sarah Ladd. I have never been disappointed in any of her stories and this is true of "A Lady At Willowgrove Hall" as well. This is book three in the "Whisper's on the Moors" series. It definitely stands alone and you won't be left wondering who everyone is. Although, I highly, highly recommend that you read the others books because they are so good!
Cecily makes a mistake at a young age that ends up tearing her from her family and altering the way she sees herself. She holds this mistake close and carries it as a secret from everyone because she is afraid of what they will think of her. Nathaniel also has a secret that alters how he sees himself and he makes sure that no one finds out about this secret. His secret is one that isn't of his own making but he lives with it, nonetheless.
When Cecily has the opportunity to become a companion to a woman at Willowgrove Hall, she is scared but thrilled to have a new beginning. She meets Nathaniel and they have an instant attraction for one another but each holds their feelings back because of the secrets they carry. They show such kindness to each other, though, and it's very hard for both of them not to want to share their secret with the other one.
Mrs. Trent is the older woman that Cecily is a companion to and she also carries a secret that has changed her from a kind person to a cruel person that takes out her anger on Nathaniel. She has so much hurt and anger but, with Cecily's help and kindness we see some gradual change in her.
I really like seeing the maturity of Cecily, Nathaniel and even Mrs. Trent grow throughout the story. I also like how we see Cecily struggling with the Lord because she views Him as she does her earthly father, who treated her poorly. It's also wonderful to see what forgiveness of others and one's self will do for a person and for relationships.
I just loved this book. The characters were so wonderful and I love the time period and the fact that it's set in England. I loved the faith of the characters, the struggling faith of others, and the underlying theme that the Lord loves us despite our past mistakes or how we see ourselves. It's a beautiful book and I can't wait for the author's next book to come out! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group
Blessings - Julie
Good review.
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