TLC Book Tours: A Stranger at Fellsworth by Sarah E. Ladd

June 01, 2017

The Story:
In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin, Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak. Her fiancé has called off their betrothal, and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother. Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth, the home of her long-estranged aunt and uncle, where a teaching position awaits her. Working for a wage for the first time in her life forces Annabelle to adapt to often unpleasant situations as friendships and roles she’s taken for granted are called into question.

Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments. As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter. As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay even though his ambition has always been to eventually purchase land that he can call his own. When a chance encounter introduces him to the lovely Annabelle Thorley, his steady life is shaken. For the first time since his wife’s tragic death, Owen begins to dream of a second chance at love.

As Owen and Annabelle grow closer, ominous forces threaten the peace they thought they’d found. Poachers, mysterious strangers, and murderers converge at Fellsworth, forcing Annabelle and Owen to a test of fortitude and bravery to stop the shadow of the past from ruining their hopes for the future.

Read what others on the tour are saying about the book!

Paperback ISBN: 9780718011857 | May 16, 2017 | Thomas Nelson Publishers | Cover Price (USD): $15.99

My Thoughts:

Confession: I am a regency romance addict. I sometimes get tired of certain genres, and long for a change of scenery if I get "stuck" in a rut of sub par books. No matter how many books I read, regency fiction is one genre I'll always read because it seems like there are a million more superb stories for every bad one. The romance of London or the English countryside never gets stale.

Thankfully, these past few years have introduced some fine historical fiction authors to the Christian book market and Sarah E. Ladd is one of the stars. So, yeah, I did forget that I had read one of her first books back in 2014, but A Stranger at Fellsworth reminded me of just what I have been missing. Three cheers for romance!

A Stranger at Fellsworth has all the hallmarks of a smashing regency--a fine hero with dark hair and gentle manners and a lady facing an uncertain future. Annabelle and Owen have a sweet chemistry that is so palpable right from their regency meet cute. Their tale, with a surprising amount of suspense, unfolds beautifully through the first 3/4 of the book. Ladd knows how to grab at the heartstrings with her gentle hero, Owen. I just wish there was more interaction between the two so the conclusion of the book made a little more sense. I don't want to spoil anything, but the happy ending was so rushed in my opinion! That said, A Stranger at Fellsworth is still a beautiful, sweet story for fans of clean fiction. I look forward to reading the previous two books in the series this summer!

~ My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars ~

*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*