The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: The Cloverton Charade

Author:  Sarah E. Ladd

Narrated by:  Jude Mason

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Length: Approximately 9

Source: Thank you @sarahladdauthor @thomasnelson @austenprose for the physical review copy and @netgalley for the audiobook review copy.

Do you collect antiques?  I love antiques.

Olivia Brannon works at her late father’s shop and evaluates rare antiquities.  Her uncle currently runs the shop, but she dreams of someday being able to travel the world in search of antiquities herself.  One day, she is invited by Mrs. Milton, a wealthy widow and former client of her father’s, to attend a house party at Cloverton Hall.  Mrs. Milton’s nephew, Mr. Wainbridge, has inherited Cloverton Hall and all the antiquities that her husband has collected, but Mrs. Milton hopes to be able to sell her own antiquities.  Mr. Wainbridge, meanwhile, has invited his own antique dealer, Lucas Avery, to the house party to evaluate Mr. Milton’s antiquities.  He wants to sell them to try to make the estate solvent.  When Lucas and Olivia discover that some of the antiquities are fake, they are thrust into a mystery.  Will they be able to discover who is replacing the antiquities with fakes and will they also find romance along the way?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I really enjoyed the audiobook.  The narrator, Jude Mason, was excellent.  Mason was pleasant to listen to and had good voices for everyone.

·       I really enjoyed this unique Regency story.  I don’t think I have read a Regency novel before that involved the collecting of antiquities.  It was so interesting.  I know that collecting antiques was very popular during this time period, so it was great to learn more about it and have it as a plot device in this novel.

·       The mystery was intriguing as well with a great conclusion.

·       I love the romance between Olivia and Lucas.  It was a Romeo and Juliet type story with them being from rival antique companies.

·       I love Regency house parties and it was fun to read about this one.  I enjoyed that both Olivia and Lucas could move around in the world of high society, but being in business, they were not truly part of it.

·       The plight of Mrs. Milton and of Olivia herself, made me ponder again the limited choices that women had during the Regency time period.  Mrs. Milton could not inherit her husband’s estate where she had spent her lifetime, while Olivia could not inherit her father’s business, even though she was more qualified in antiquities than her uncle.

·       I read this one quickly as I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

·       This was a clean read.

Favorite Quote: “For what it’s worth, you say you don’t belong here.  But I believe you are the rival of any woman in the room.  And I daresay you are infinitely more interesting.  There is something about a woman who can think for herself that is quite intriguing.”

Overall, The Cloverton Charade was an engaging Regency romance novel with a wonderful romance and great mystery involving antiquities.  I highly recommend this novel.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

A long-held family feud reignites when two rival antiquities brokers arrive at the same house party in Regency England.

Olivia Brannon knows her goals are unconventional. As a young woman in Regency England, her best bet—according to society—is to marry well and secure a steady future for herself. But Olivia has never been interested in convention. She’d prefer to follow in her deceased father’s footsteps and journey to foreign lands in search of rare and valuable antiquities.

Eager to make a name for herself in the antiquities world, Olivia jumps at an invitation to join a wealthy widow at the famed Cloverton Hall to evaluate her private antiquities collection. Secrecy of the task is vital, and in order to conceal her efforts Olivia must pretend to be a house party guest to avoid suspicion and to explain her presence.

Lucas Avery, whose father was a rival of Olivia’s father, has also arrived at the Cloverton Hall house party, hired by the new master of Cloverton Hall—the widow’s nephew—to appraise the renowned Cloverton Hall collection. When Lucas discovers Olivia masquerading as a party guest while covertly conducting her own assessment, he’s keen to renew the family rivalry. But as their paths frequently cross, he’s unprepared for the effect the refreshingly honest—and beautiful—Olivia has on him.

Yet all is not as it seems. Both Olivia and Lucas are shocked by the astonishing discovery of counterfeit pieces, and when the unexpected occurs, everyone is a suspect . . . and Olivia and Lucas both must choose whom they will trust. Only the hidden treasure will allow Louisa and her sister to gain their freedom.

Sweet Regency romance set in the same time period as Bridgerton

Part of the Houses of Yorkshire series but can be read as a stand-alone novel

Book length: 83,000 words

Includes discussion questions for book club.

AUTHOR BIO

Sarah E. Ladd is an award-winning, bestselling author who has always loved the Regency period—the clothes, the music, the literature, and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period, and she began seriously writing in 2010. Since then, she has released several novels set during the Regency era. Sarah is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. She lives in Indiana with her family. Visit Sarah online at SarahLadd.com