When it comes to Regency era fiction writers, Sarah Ladd is one of my favorites, and though I missed the first in her new Treasures of Surrey series, I couldn’t put this second book down.
In Dawn at Emberwilde, Isabel’s transition from ordinary obscurity to familial life of privilege showcases Ladd’s storytelling abilities and had me turning page after page to find out what would happen to her as two potential suitors took notice. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review.)
Sometimes with historical romance, I wonder if there are any new ways left to tell the same kinds of stories, but Dawn at Emberwilde has a fresh feel to it, despite some common themes. I didn’t once feel like I’d read this story somewhere before with just slightly different characters. That’s a skill I appreciate from authors. And Isabel is as lovely a character internally as she is described externally. Charged with the care of her younger half-sister, she instructs:
We must be kind, even when the world is not. (p. 16)
She is not thrilled with their new circumstances towards the book’s beginnings but she reacts with the kind of grace that demonstrates her true nature. Not everything goes as Isabel has planned for her life, and she learns some things about her past that unsettle her. But in the end, she finds what she has always been longing for. Book two stands alone as far as I can tell, so I don’t feel like I missed anything by not reading book one (except another excellent story). Ladd is a must-read author in my mind.