Welcome! Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver and The War Nurses by Lizzie Page will be released on April 17. I am featuring Sarah E. Ladd today. She is the author of A Stranger at Fellsworth, The Curiosity Keeper, Dawn at Emberwilde, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, The Headmistress of Rosemere and The Heiress of Winterwood. Readers can follow Ms. Ladd on Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, and Bookbub.
The Weaver’s Daughter by Sarah E.Ladd sweeps readers back in time to January of 1812 in Amberdale, West Riding
Yorkshire, England. Kate Dearborne lives
with her father at Meadowvale Cottage and helps him with the weaving business. She is shocked when she learns her father has
no intention of leaving her the business.
Silas Dearborne wishes her to marry a John Whitby, a weaver who will run
the business while Kate tends to the home (she is allowed to supervise the dye
house). Silas clings to the old ways
along with other men in the area, but the mill owners are bringing change to
the industry with machines. The issue
has divided the town, and, in Leeds, the mills have been attacked. Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton Mill, returns
home after fighting in the Iberian Peninsula for the last three years. On his way home, he encounters Kate and she
captures his interest. Henry is surprised
at the changes that have taken place during his absence and does not agree with
all of them. Henry does, though, feel
that the machines are needed especially if they are to keep up with the demand
for their goods. Then tragedy strikes
the Stockton family and Henry will face major challenges. Fate keeps bringing Kate and Henry together despite
their being on opposing sides. Soon Kate
will need to make a choice that will change many lives including her own. What will happen to the weavers of
Amberdale? Is there a chance for Henry
and Kate?
I like how the author introduced
three of the characters in the prologue of The Weaver’s Daughter. We get a glimpse of their personalities and
it sets the stage for the future. The
book is well-written, has a gentle pace and multifaceted. Sarah E. Ladd has a descriptive writing
style. She creates a rich environment
with her words. I could picture the
village with the cottages and businesses as well as the people moving about on
foot and in their conveyances. In the
description of the mill, I could visualize the people working to create the
finished cloth. The whole weaving
industry was changing, and it was just the beginning. A process that used to be completed by hand
was now being taken over by machines.
However, the machines were far from perfect. They still needed to be monitored and many
workers received debilitating injuries.
It was deplorable that children worked in the mills, but it was a fact
of life. This circumstance would not
change for another hundred years (longer in the United States). The author did a remarkable job at weaving
the history into The Weaver’s Daughter. The
characters are well-developed, complex and realistic. The romance between Henry
and Kate builds throughout the novel. They
slowly get to know each other and do not rush the relationship. They know that they cannot think only of
themselves. The Christian element is light
and handled deftly. The mystery was well
crafted (many will be surprised by the culprit’s identity). The Weaver’s Daughter is filled with tension,
love, suspicion, heartbreak, loyalty, drama, and conflict. For readers who enjoy the Regency period, you
will not want to miss The Weaver’s Daughter.
Thank you for visiting today. I will return tomorrow with my review of An Amish Heirloom by Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, Beth Wiseman and Kelly Irvin. I am off to install a new outside light fixture outside. The backyard light stopped working recently, so I decided to update all the fixtures. The next big project is to paint the house (it will take me weeks). First, though, we have to decide on a paint color. I hope you have a merry day. Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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