Ravenscliffe by Jane Sanderson

Ravenscliffe is the follow-up novel to Netherwood and is set in Yorkshire in 1904.  I loved Netherwood and was excited to read the sequel right away.  Eve Williams has created a successful business with her great cooking and enterprising nature.  Her friend, Russian immigrant Anna, has helped her to pursue her dreams.  Anna takes them a step farther by finding her a perfect Victorian Villa in the common, Ravenscliffe.  Eve’s returning brother Silas helps her to procure the Villa and Anna sets to work making it into a beautiful home.

Eve and Daniel move forward with their wedding even though Seth is not pleased with his mother’s remarriage.  At Netherwood, the family prepares for a visit from the King and the heir to the estate finds himself in love with a flamboyant American woman.  When an unexpected tragedy strikes, both the family at the hall as well as the Williams family are thrown into turmoil.

I loved Ravenscliffe. Sanderson has written a great saga with many fascinating characters with interesting stories during a great time period.  One aspect I particularly enjoy is the role of the women in this particular time period.  I love Lady Henrietta.  She is the oldest of the Earl of Netherwood’s children and the most capable of running the estate, but as a daughter she cannot inherit.  Instead the lazy Tobias is the heir.  This makes Henrietta start to think about the rights of women.  I also enjoyed the stories of the coal mines at Netherwood and Amos Sykes fight for the rights and safety of the miners.   I was sad when the book ended, but then saw online that here is a third book in the series.  Please publish it in the United States!  

Overall Ravenscliffe is a wonderful historical fiction saga and I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow – Thanks!

Netherwood by Jane Sanderson

I have found a new author to enjoy – Jane Sanderson!  Netherwood is a historical fiction novel set around the year 1902 in the fictional town of Netherwood in England.  Eve Williams is the wife of coal miner, Arthur Williams, and the mother of three children.  She is known for her great cooking.  When tragedy strikes, Eve must make the most of her talent to help her family survive.  

The mines at Netherwood are owned by Lord Netherwood.   The Earl has a pretty, but unfaithful wife, an eldest daughter with great management skills, an heir with no management skills or interest in running the estate, and another son and beloved youngest daughter.  He also has a vast staff that sees to the running of the estate.

I loved the weaving together of the various characters and plot lines, it is an epic saga set during a fascinating period in time.  The book is marketed to lovers of Downton Abbey, which includes me!  It is actually set ten years before Downton Abbey and focuses on Eve and the Netherwood aristocratic family’s story.  There are side stories about the servants as well, but they aren’t half of the story as they are in Downton Abbey.  That being said, I think Netherwood stands on its own merits from Downton Abbey as a great book and engrossing saga.  It is not a Downton Abbey clone, but will appeal to those looking for a great story set during a similar time.

I also was very fascinated by the story of the coal miners and their families.  I went to college in Houghton, Michigan, which is the heart of Copper Country.  I took a great class about copper mining and am very interested in it.  I thought Netherwood did a great job of capturing the triumph and tragedy of working in a mine.

Overall, I loved Netherwood and am currently entranced with its sequel, Ravenscliffe.  I highly recommend this book.

Book Source:   Review copy from William Morrow an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.  Thank-you!