Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

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A ticket to travel without leaving home: Review of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah Ladd

I am unashamedly in love with England. I’m not sure if the love preceded the college semester I lived there or if that semester only intensified my feelings, but pictures, shows and stories of England leave me with a longing like it’s home.

willowgroveUntil I save up a whole lot of dollars, books are my substitute for travel and Sarah Ladd’s Whispers on the Moors series is a ticket to England without leaving home.

The third in the series, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, has been my favorite so far. (Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of the book through Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review. And to read about the two previous books in the series, check out my reviews of The Heiress of Winterwood and The Headmistress of Rosemere.)

In this story, Cecily Faire is taken from her home as punishment for indiscreet behavior, and after being educated at Rosemere, she accepts a position as lady’s companion to a dying woman at Willowgrove Hall. There, she is confronted by her past as she tries to start anew. Nathaniel Stanton, steward of Willowgrove Hall, carries secrets and awaits the day he can be free from his position. Cecily and Nathaniel must decide if their respective pasts will keep them from a future together.

Ladd creates such likable characters in a charming setting, and I wanted so badly the best for each of these characters. (I also wanted to buy a plane ticket and tour the moors of England!)

A cup of tea, a rainy day, even some cold winter nights would be the perfect companions for these stories. And if you’re waiting for the return of Downton Abbey, these are a happy distraction until January.

This series has gotten better with each story, and I’m looking forward to the next series of stories from Ladd.

For thefull scoop on the book’s release and to read other reviews, click here. Read on for more about the author and a fun giveaway she’s hosting for the book’s release!

About the author: 
laddSarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing.The Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.
Find Sarah online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Award-winning author Sarah E. Ladd examines how to escape the clutches of a tainted past in the final installment of her Whispers on the Moor series. A Regency-era novel, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall cleverly shows that even though our pasts may be shameful or painful, God can take the darkest personal histories and turn them into the brightest futures.

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Celebrate with Sarah by entering her Kindle HDX giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire HDX
  • A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 2nd. Winner will be announced November 3rd here.

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When the past haunts the present: Review of The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey

One of my reading goals for this year is to branch out from my usual reading habits and try some new-to-me books and authors.

devil mattinglyThe Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey fits that criteria, and though I was afraid I’d have to only read this book during the day or when my husband was home, it turns out I had nothing to fear. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review.)

In the sleepy town of Mattingly, Virginia, where nothing much out of the ordinary happens, three of its residents go about their lives but are haunted by an event 20 years in the past. It was the day teenager Philip McBride died. His death was ruled a suicide but these three know the truth: he was killed. Jake Barnett carries shame for what happened that day and how he’ll never be the man anyone else wants him to be. His wife, Kate, spends her days logging good deeds done for the poor and unfortunate of Mattingly, hoping it will outweigh the guilt she feels for her part in Philip’s death. And Taylor Hathcock, a mountain recluse, believes in his madness the time has come to make it all right.

Plagued by dreams and visions and events that don’t make sense, the three are drawn together to reveal the truth that will surprise them all.

And I can’t say anymore because I’ll give too much away!

What I can say is that Coffey’s writing is some of the best I’ve ever read. He creates deep character points-of-view using a blend of first- and third-person. It was like seeing inside their minds. And he crafts some of the most beautiful sentences I’ve had the pleasure of reading. He brings to the page the unique pace and wording of the Virginia dialect–philosophical, observational, straightforward, and down-to-earth. It can’t be easy to create such believable prose. It was not limited to dialogue. The whole book was full of these gently rolling sentences full of truth.

Consider these words from the opening page:

I come to this place of darkness because it is where the light of heaven once touched. I come here for the ones who were saved on a night long ago and for the ones lost. I come because heaven is not without the past.

Even as I re-read the first pages, which are titled “The End,” I noticed clues to the story I hadn’t picked up on at first. The Devil Walks in Mattingly is layered, and I think reading it through once won’t be enough.

While I was waiting for the book to arrive, I visited Billy Coffey’s website to get a feel for this new-to-me author. Check it out. He had me at “hello,” basically, with his talk of front porches and hospitality. I’m planning another trip to Mattingly in the near future. (A note in the book said that all his novels take place in Mattingly.)

Will this book give you nightmares? No. Will it make you uncomfortable at times? Yes. Will it leave you with hope? Definitely.

Intrigued? Find out more about the book, the author and what other readers think here.

And don’t miss your chance to win a prize to celebrate the book’s release!

Billy Coffey is celebrating his new book, The Devil Walks in Mattingly, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway.

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One winner will receive:

  • A Kindle Fire HDX
  • The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 5th. Winner will be announced April  7th on Billy’s blog. Watch Billy give the backstory of the book here.

 

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Billy’s blog on April 7th to see if you won.