#BookReview – The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd

About the Book

In the small Cornish village of Pevlyn, secrets are as treacherous as the rocky English shores.

Cornwall, England, 1820

Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man now reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks.

Liam Twethewey is a mere two and twenty when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans of opening a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his newfound authority.

Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truth from deception, their loyalties separate them—and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.

This latest Regency romance from Sarah E. Ladd evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, and Winston Graham.

Details

• Title The Light at Wyndcliff Cliff
• Author Sarah E. Ladd
• Publisher Thomas Nelson
• Publication Date October 13, 2020
• Pages 320
• Excerpt

My Thoughts

This is the third Regency romance in Sarah Ladd’s Cornwall series. But if you haven’t read them in order, it won’t matter. The only thing that might happen is that it will spark a desire to read more of her stories. The time frame is intriguing and perfect for this type of mystery and romance.

When William Twethewey shows up unannounced at Wyndcliff Hall, the costal estate that he has finally inherited, since he had to reach a certain age for this to happen, it surprises everyone. As he nears his estate he stumbles upon Evelyn Bray, who is in the middle of a most unusual predicament. As Twetheway helps Evelyn, she is totally unaware of who he is.

I have heard some compare this book to well known books by Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. I won’t say that I totally disagree. The property and characters are easily imagined. And the story gently draws you in. However, the characters in some respects aren’t quite as developed.

When the new owner, Liam Twethewey, comes to the estate with plans to open a china clay pit on the moorland plans are slowed down. Shipwrecks on the coastal waters of his estate begin to concern him and cause further investigations.

Meanwhile Evelyn Bray, the steward’s granddaughter, continually dreams of joining her mother, who basically abandoned her to lead her own life and search for a new husband. When she reads that her mother has remarried and now has two step-daughters, she grows more and more anxious to leave her grandfather and join her mother.

This book was easy to keep turning pages. Though at times it might be considered somewhat predictable, it was well written and quite enjoyable.

What Concerned Me

Actually, not much concerned me. But if I were to search for something, I think I would have liked a little more in the way of character development.

What I Liked Best

The writing was descriptive without becoming long and disrupting the story.

I would not hesitate to read more of Ladd’s writing.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are just that: my opinions.

Rating

Not quite 5 Stars, but very good.

Sarah E. Ladd 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 gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.

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