Isabel Creston never dared to
dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark
secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.
For as long as she can remember,
beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity
of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a
student, Isabel set her sights on a steady role as a teacher at the school, a
sage yet stifling establishment that would enable her to care for her younger
sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.
The unexpected arrival of a
stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world
upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and
hidden motives.
At her new family’s invitation,
Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast,
mysterious wood rife with rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of
something far more sinister. Perhaps even more startling, two handsome men
begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between
attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.
At Emberwilde Isabel will discover
that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her
future and security. But she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.
Dawn at Emberwilde
is the second book in Sarah E. Ladd’s Treasures
of Surrey series, coming after The Curiosity Keeper. I read The
Curiosity Keeper when it first released back in July of last year, and I really
enjoyed it, so I was extremely excited for this book to finally release. What I
didn’t know, however, was that I would love it quite this much! I mean, I’m
definitely a pretty big fan of Sarah’s, but I haven’t read a single one of her
books that I have loved near as much as this one! This book sucked me in from
the very beginning, with all the secrets and mystery and intrigue, and next
thing I knew I was finishing the book and completely in love with both Isabel
and Colin, and their story. There were so many unexpected twists and turns that
completely engrossed me in every aspect of the story, but I can’t believe it
had to come to an end! I just hope Sarah’s planning on writing another novel in
this series!
Isabel
Creston is such a wonderful character. I love how free-spirited she is; even
though her aunt tried to turn her into the perfect society lady, and Isabel
tried to please her aunt as a small way to repay her for all of her generosity,
her aunt could not turn her into something that she was not, and I loved that
about Isabel. I loved how she stayed true to herself, and didn’t let all of the
money and nice things turn her into a shallow, selfish, vain women like so many
other ladies of society. And her curiosity just about matched my own: not too
curious in every situation but just curious enough to get her into trouble. Now,
her interactions with the two men who pursue her can only be observed
separately. Though she behaved almost exactly the same with each one of them,
only one actually deserved her attentions, as it is highly possible the other
one is a complete fraud (It could be that this is my stance on the two of them
because I fell in love with one immediately and therefore didn’t want the other
to ever have a place in Isabel’s heart, but no matter. You’ll find out the intricacies
of the story once you read it).
All
in all, I really loved this book, and I’m so glad I own this copy of it so that
I can read it again and again whenever I want. I cannot imagine giving this
novel anything but all five bookshelves, and a permanent place on my all-time
favorites list. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves good
historical fiction, and I know it is highly likely that I will be lending this
novel to my best friend sometime in the near future.
Happy
reading!
I received a copy of this book
through the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for only my honest review.
To see where I’m linking up,
check out my Where I Party page.
Photo credits go to my fabulous
sister, Allie, whose blog you can visit here.
All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Sarah E. Ladd and Thomas Nelson Publishing.
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