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The Heiress of Winterwood

(Whispers on the Moors #1)

Sarah E. Ladd (Goodreads Author)

3.76 · Rating details · 7,193 ratings · 886 reviews

Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an ancestral estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s infant baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father, Graham, a sea captain she’s never met.

Tragedy s ...more

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Paperback, 320 pages

Published April 9th 2013 by Thomas Nelson

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3.76 ·

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· 7,193 ratings · 886 reviews

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May 18, 2013 Anne rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Regency fans who like Christian books

Recommended to Anne by: Virginia

Shelves: christian-romance, gentleman-like-heroes, historical-romance, military-heroes, owned, regency, romance, tbr-challenge-2015

I will admit that I am the first one to be taken in by beautiful covers. Yes, I do judge books by their covers, even though I should know better. Shame on me.

I was hoping this would be a solid five star read, but I'm not even sure why because I didn't really know what to expect. I only read the blurb right before starting it, and was like "Oh!". I think I was expecting a sort of Jane Eyre -ish romance (because of the cover!), or something along the lines of Edenbrooke or The Silent Governess, b I will admit that I am the first one to be taken in by beautiful covers. Yes, I do judge books by their covers, even though I should know better. Shame on me.

I was hoping this would be a solid five star read, but I'm not even sure why because I didn't really know what to expect. I only read the blurb right before starting it, and was like "Oh!". I think I was expecting a sort of Jane Eyre -ish romance (because of the cover!), or something along the lines of Edenbrooke or The Silent Governess, but it was totally different and took me quite by surprise! The primary reason why I actually bought this book was because I really want to get to The Headmistress of Rosemere, but that one is the second of the series and I hate reading series out of order.

So, admittedly, my expectations for The Heiress of Winterwood were a little too high (for reasons still obscure)and I was left a little disappointed after I finished it. For a debut novel, it was pretty good and the plot was really unique, but...it was just a little bit altogether too "meh" for me to give it a higher rating.

The Heiress of Winterwood is not your typical Regency romance. It's like the movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop, but Regency edition, without all the swearing and a dashing captain instead of a cop, with a sweet little romance thrown in. Okay, I am obviously exaggerating, but in some parts it did remind me of that movie! And it would have been actually really exciting if there had been more action and less descriptions and God-talk. The author told us way too much and didn't show enough.

The Christian elements, while pertinent, felt overdone, were repetitive and didn't seem too well developed. I love Christian fiction, but the whole character-relies-on-his-own-strength-too-much-and-needs-to-let-God-in trope is a little too frequent, and in this book, both the main characters had this problem, and it seemed to slow the romance down. They pretty much realized their feelings for each other overnight, and while we obviously know all along that they are going to fall in love, their coming together felt cliché. I think it is mostly because there was so little dialogue between them, and they barely knew each other!

The heroine was very ordinary and normal, and while I liked her, I didn't love her. The hero, Captain Sterling, was very dashing, handsome, principled and military-like and I really liked him too, but overall both H/h seemed a little too underdeveloped. They were missing a little bit of personality. The other characters were very two-dimensional, but I really enjoyed the character of William, the captain's brother, which makes me look forward to The Headmistress of Rosemere even more since he will be the hero. :)

All in all, not a bad book, especially not for a debut, but it doesn't quite make the favourite list. I will now lower my expectation for The Headmistress of Rosemere so as not to be too disappointed if it doesn't happen to cut the mark, but I am still hoping it will be a good book. I'm just hoping the characters will be more enjoyable and better developed, the romance more engaging, the Christian preaching more believable and the writing less repetitive. If Patience wraps/draws/hugs/pulls her cloak/shawl/blanket tighter around her as many times as Amelia did, I might just have a fit. ;) ...more

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Mar 22, 2014 Katina rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014

Just okay

I wish I would have realized that this was a Christian romance novel before I bought it. I would have skipped it entirely because I get annoyed with all of the scriptures and praying thrown into the story. I think religion and fiction don't mix well, but that is just a personal preference. Take out all the God talk, and it was a cute period romance.

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Dec 26, 2017 Erin rated it liked it

Shelves: kindle, series, books-i-own

A Christian historical romance set in 19th century England that will definitely entice readers that enjoy Janette Oke and Jody Hedlund. It might have been a tad melodramatic and include a lot of scenes where the heroine and hero are running to each other's houses, but it was still the type of book that I devoured in one sitting.

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Feb 25, 2018 Sarah rated it liked it

RTC

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Oct 12, 2015 Deanne Patterson rated it it was amazing

Wow, I finished this so quickly. I just couldn't put it down. It captured my attention from the first page and kept me speed reading through it devouring every word. My first, Sarah Ladd book but definitely not my last !

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Apr 23, 2013 Audrey rated it did not like it

Shelves: historical-fiction, regency, christian-fiction, listens, england, waste-of-time, forced-myself-to-finish

Tedious and predictable. Of course the message about trusting God’s plan is a good one, but the plot and writing are so dull that everything becomes mired down in the monotony. For a book that takes place in England, there is a very poor sense of place, and the characters consist mostly of one-dimensional figures plucked out of Christian fiction central casting. (I guess we are supposed to root for Edward, but he didn’t seem like much of a catch to me.) All the guys are dashing with high cheekbo ...more

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May 24, 2017 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it liked it

Shelves: christian-romance

Desperate Proposals, Desperate Retaliations

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

TYPE OF NOVEL: Traditional Regency Romance

SETTING: Darbury, England 1814

SERIES: Whispers on the Moors #1

WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS:

- I found Sarah E. Ladd’s books on a list for “If you like Jane Austen and Regency romances, you should try…”
- The covers for this series are gorgeous! Yes, I do judge books by their covers sometimes! 😉
- Julie Klassen, an author whose books I love, is quoted on the cover!

SYNOPSIS:

Amelia Barrett is in ...more

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Jun 27, 2013 Rebekah Gyger rated it it was ok

Shelves: history

I had to force myself to finish this. Nothing really ever happened. Constantly, I was told that something happened (Graham was injured in a battle, Lucy was kidnapped, they are searching for her, there was a fight), but you never really see any of it. It was more like watching a movie that keeps skipping in the player. The description of a fight was truly, "With every muscle still tense and alert from the previous skirmish, fresh fire surged through his veins. Within moments, fists were once aga ...more

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Mar 08, 2019 Amy rated it it was ok

Shelves: christian-fiction, regency, and-a-half

1.5 stars
Can we just talk for a moment about the Reading Group Guide at the end of this book? Setting aside even why this book needs a reading guide, question 1: "In this story, Amelia risks everything-her future, security, and reputation-to keep a promise to a loved one. Have you ever had to give up something to keep a promise?"
Like, how are you supposed to answer that?! "Well, this one time, I wanted to stay in all evening and read, but I promised to grab dinner with a friend. So, basically, 1.5 stars
Can we just talk for a moment about the Reading Group Guide at the end of this book? Setting aside even why this book needs a reading guide, question 1: "In this story, Amelia risks everything-her future, security, and reputation-to keep a promise to a loved one. Have you ever had to give up something to keep a promise?"
Like, how are you supposed to answer that?! "Well, this one time, I wanted to stay in all evening and read, but I promised to grab dinner with a friend. So, basically, I know exactly what Amelia feels like."

Sarah E. Ladd's name pops up occasionally on Regency Listopias. This was the only book my library had by her so I decided to give it a try despite my hesitation over the plot summary. And then I started it and...bam. Turns out to be Christian fiction loosely set in Regency era.
Great.
But what is a girl to do, right? So I kept reading.
Basically, imagine Emma proposes to Captain Wentworth. Except Captain Wentworth married, fathered a child, and peaced out for 18 months or something. And Emma lacks a backbone and due to some bizarre requirement in her Father's will, must marry before she turns 24 or lose her fortune (a plot point that will completely get dropped as this book goes on.) She's engaged to someone else, but don't worry, he's a lecherous, abusive creep so having her dump him will cause no moral qualms. (It will, however, leave you wondering why no one noticed his blatant behavior BEFORE the hot new guy showed up. Just saying.)
Insert entirely too predictable drama, layer on a heavy dose of Christianese, and round off with dramatic hoopla that comes out of nowhere, and you have the rest of this book.
I would probably give it 1 star except I do think the author sort of tries to give her characters personality. Graham (or whatever Captain Wentworth wannabe's name is) previously struggled with alcoholism (a potentially interesting plot point he will lightly struggle with and yet still manage to represent as annoying and pretentious) and Amelia is, um, motherless. Yeah, she takes being motherless and 'longing but fearing love' to a whole new level of definition.
Either I didn't pay much attention to it or the book doesn't suffer too horrendously from insta-love. I mean, it is vaguely there and the romance itself comes across far too adrenaline rushed, but nothing that really made me tear my hair out. Like all Christian romances, the couple is basically God-ordained and spend their time praying when not ogling one another.
Actually, pausing for a moment on that note, there is an element of it that did strike me as off. Perhaps I've been reading too many...ah, shall we say, less clean?...romances lately, but Graham's thoughts/attitudes definitely were borderline sketch while Amelia's were super naive. He's like "the temptation of the woman in the room below him" and "aggressively buries hand in hair" and "kisses with all his pent up fury" and meanwhile Amelia is like "I wonder what it would be like to hold his hand?"
I found it super off-putting. Bad enough that Amelia comes across as this clinging vine who just wants a man to protect her all the time. But contrasting her extreme naivety with romance to his experience just made me uncomfortable. Not that it is any better in trashy romance novels when the naive girl is all aggressive and lustful. I JUST WANT A HAPPY MEDIUM, OKAY?

Overall...I don't really have anything positive to say, except I did not hate it and I did finish it for the story's sake and not because I wanted to tear it to shreds on Goodreads. So must have been okay? ...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Rachel Brand rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, christian, historical, romance, 2013

Note added 17/04/13: When I wrote my initial rough draft of this review, I mistakenly talked about an incident between Amelia and Edward where he was drunk, when actually I meant William. Hopefully this review makes more sense!

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When her close friend dies shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Amelia Barrett vows that she will raise the child and care for her until her father returns from the sea. It is nearly a year before Captain Graham Sterling comes to claim his child, and Amelia has gro Note added 17/04/13: When I wrote my initial rough draft of this review, I mistakenly talked about an incident between Amelia and Edward where he was drunk, when actually I meant William. Hopefully this review makes more sense!

---

When her close friend dies shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Amelia Barrett vows that she will raise the child and care for her until her father returns from the sea. It is nearly a year before Captain Graham Sterling comes to claim his child, and Amelia has grown to love Lucy as if she were her own daughter. But in order to continue to raise Lucy, Amelia must marry and claim her fortune. Amelia had planned to wed Edward Littleton, but his dislike of Lucy makes her wonder if marrying Edward is the best plan for the child. When Edward demands that Lucy be removed from Winterwood as soon as they wed, Amelia determines to find another way to protect both Lucy and her fortune.

Graham is shocked when his daughter’s temporary guardian proposes marriage to him, but the more he thinks about the plan, the more he begins to wonder if it might be the solution to all their troubles. If he were to return to the sea, he would want someone like Amelia caring for his child, rather than his irresponsible older brother. As Graham spends more time in the company of Amelia and her friends and family, he becomes increasingly aware of how self-centred and arrogant Amelia’s betrothed is. In marrying Amelia, Graham would be protecting both Lucy and Amelia.

Unfortunately, someone is conspiring to keep Amelia and Graham apart. Shortly after announcing their plans to wed, Lucy goes missing, along with her nurse. Who is the culprit? Is it Amelia’s spurned fiancé, her disgruntled uncle, or Graham’s jealous brother? Will their search for Lucy bring Amelia and Graham closer together, or pull the boundaries of their relationship too far?

Although it was the beautiful cover on the front of this book that initially attracted me to The Heiress of Winterwood, the idea of a marriage of convenience proposed by a young heiress definitely piqued my interest. This novel lived up to the suspense suggested in the synopsis, and was for the most part an easy, enjoyable read. Although I don’t go out of my way to pick up romantic suspense novels, I do appreciate it when a good historical romance has some mystery and suspense skilfully woven into the plot. That sad, I did find myself wishing for more romance. Amidst all the suspense and confusion in this novel, Amelia and Graham don't actually spend a lot of time together. There was a wonderfully romantic scene in the final chapter, but I wished that we could have had some glimpses of this passion scattered throughout the book to make their final declarations of love feel more real.

One aspect of this novel that I did thoroughly appreciate was that the author showed just how hard it was to be a woman in this time period. As carefree as early nineteenth century life might appear from a BBC Regency drama or the pages of an Austen novel, women had very little rights in this period, even if they were heiresses. Amelia must marry in order to keep her estate and her fortune, but when she marries this money will simply be passed from her uncle to her husband. And if neither of these men have her best interests at heart—as illustrated in the novel—Amelia’s situation is rendered even more dire. Naturally, Amelia’s life is far different from those women who do not have male guardians and fortunes, but I was pleased to see this sort of realism illustrated on the pages of a historical romance.

Sarah E. Ladd managed to create a realistic family for Amelia without rendering any of the members overly villainous. Amelia’s uncle and aunt want to see her married off, but they also want to improve their own situation, as I’m sure was true for many guardians of young heiresses at this time. Although Amelia is eventually reconciled with her cousin, Helena, it seemed fitting that everything wasn’t tied up neatly with her uncle and aunt.

The setting of Winterwood and Graham’s neighbouring Manor was rendered fairly well, but at times it felt like the novel was set in a bubble. Until the characters travel to Liverpool, the majority of the novel takes place either at one of the two manors or the neighbouring minister’s home, with a limited group of characters. Since this is the first novel in the Whispers on the Moors series, I suppose that you could argue that novels like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights also felt like they were set in a bubble, but I did wish there had been more details about the setting.

One thing I did find myself wishing was that the issue between Amelia and Graham’s brother, William, would be dealt with. We learn early on in the novel that he once tried to kiss Amelia when he was drunk, and although this is eventually revealed to Graham, I wished he had called Edward out on the inappropriateness of his actions, or at least acknowledged how wrong it was for him to take such liberties. He seemed to reconcile too easily with his brother considering this knowledge.

Given the revelation about Helena towards the end of the story, there seemed to be too much time spent dwelling on whether certain incidents would damage a woman's reputation. Very few characters acknowledged how unfair it was that women were saddled with all the blame for an indiscretion, even at those times (such as the incident between Amelia and William) in which the woman was forced to comply. I feel like I’m getting on my soap box a little here, but this is the second Christian historical romance that I’ve read this month where Christian characters spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about a woman’s reputation. I’m not saying that, as Christians, we shouldn’t be concerned about how we appear to others, but that society (particularly in historical novels) treats reputation as something that, once lost, can never be recovered. And this isn’t how God views us. I feel like there’s something somewhat problematic about Christian characters dwelling over whether a friend or relative’s reputation is ruined in the eyes of society without feeling uncomfortable with how this attitude goes against God’s loving grace and forgiveness. Yes, characters in historical novels are often bound by the laws of society, but those who claim to live by God’s laws should surely want to live above the rules of reputation and extend God’s grace to those who have made mistakes. This might not be a part of the novel that all readers take issue with, but since I’ve spent a lot of time studying novels written in this part of the nineteenth century this semester at university, I’ve become acutely aware of how unfair the rules of society were on women at this time.

Although there were some parts of this novel that I thought could have been dealt with differently, the positive aspects of The Heiress of Winterwood definitely outweigh the negative. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who is intrigued to see if Sarah E. Ladd decides to continue where Amelia’s cousin, Helena’s, story left off at the end of this novel. And if not, it’ll still be interesting to see where this series goes. The Heiress of Winterwood is a great debut novel and will be sure to please many fans of historical romance. The setting and time period mean that it will definitely appeal to lovers of Regency novels, and those who prefer a little more realism in their historical fiction will not be disappointed.

Review title provided by Thomas Nelson. ...more

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Aug 20, 2018 J.T. IV rated it really liked it

Shelves: regency

A solid regency book by Ms. Ladd. Perhaps not the most memorable books I have read, but in the end they tell a compelling story and keep you turning the pages. The story line of both main characters having to lean on God and each other to survive is one desperately needed more often these days; it shows how much a man and a woman must work together in a marriage. Again, as with others, I liked Captain Graham because of his calm demeanor and the strength portrayed. If you have not had the chance ...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Melissa rated it liked it

Shelves: christian-fiction, clean-romances, forced-arranged-accident-marriage, regency-romance

I really had high expectations of this book.I thought it would be like Edenbrooke by Donaldson or something by Sarah Eden. I think that was part of the problem, my expectations were too high. I like a book where there is a lot of banter and scene between the main love interests and you didn't get that in this book. This book was very wordy and that worked well in some scenes and not in others. But I think if I had to point to one thing that bothered me the most was I didn't feel connected to the ...more

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Apr 08, 2014 Karen Witemeyer rated it really liked it

Sarah Ladd's debut is wonderful! Readers who enjoy Jane Austin will get swept away in this dramatic tale of courage and conviction. The writing was superb and the plot kept me turning pages. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in Ladd's Regency England, especially since this book avoided the usual trappings of London and the ton. I found Sarah's voice fresh and intriguing and her story rich.

My only critique is that the romance took a back seat to the external conflict and that there were a few ins ...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Ruth rated it really liked it

Amelia Barrett, orphaned and raised by her uncle's family, stands on the cusp of inheriting Winterwood Manor its assets -- but only if she marries by her twenty-fourth birthday, a deadline approaching in just two months' time. While her family has encouraged her engagement to Edward Littleton, soon to be her uncle's business partner, Amelia resists. She dreams of a life where she controls her future, free to care for Lucy, the orphaned babe left in her care at the passing of the child's mother, Amelia Barrett, orphaned and raised by her uncle's family, stands on the cusp of inheriting Winterwood Manor its assets -- but only if she marries by her twenty-fourth birthday, a deadline approaching in just two months' time. While her family has encouraged her engagement to Edward Littleton, soon to be her uncle's business partner, Amelia resists. She dreams of a life where she controls her future, free to care for Lucy, the orphaned babe left in her care at the passing of the child's mother, her friend Katherine. When Lucy's father, naval Captain Graham Sterling, arrives on shore leave, his plans are straightforward -- arrange for his daughter's care and return to his war-bound ship and crew. But Graham didn't count on Amelia's determination to remain a part of Lucy's life, her resolve to save his daughter from the motherless childhood she herself endured. Amelia's proposal is audacious -- she proposes a marriage of convenience to Graham, thereby guaranteeing Lucy's care and future and granting Amelia the control of her birthright. Reluctant to tie himself anew to the responsibility of a family, Graham accepts Amelia's offer, and the pair's unorthodox alliance unleashes a wave of fury that threatens to engulf all they hold dear. It's a risk Amelia is willing to endure for Lucy's sake, but when the one she values most becomes a pawn in a dangerous revenge scheme, Amelia and Graham must join forces to protect a future suddenly more precious to both of them than either had ever dreamed.

Winner of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance, Sarah Ladd's debut is an assured, polished offering that lives up to its pedigree -- easily one of the better debuts I've read in years. The Heiress of Winterwood introduces a fresh new voice in Regency-era fiction sure to please fans of classic romances, marrying the drawing room sensibilities of Jane Austen with a healthy dash of gothic suspense in the tradition of the Brontes. I loved the female initiative shown through Amelia's proposal in this twist on the marriage of convenience trope -- a lady such as she, gently bred, would be the last one you'd expect to be so forward. But with a passionate dedication to keep her promise to Lucy's mother, and a deeply compassionate, generous heart, Amelia is my favorite kind of period drama heroine -- one who isn't afraid to be thought of as a bit eccentric, if you will. :) Likewise Graham is hero sure to find a place in the heart of anyone who has ever loved fellows named Darcy or Wentworth -- principled, honorable, and determined to never repeat the mistakes of his past, Ladd handles Graham's slow-burning interest in Amelia and her unorthodox offer with a deft hand and a refreshing believability. A second son and a man of war, Graham is naturally reluctant to take on the responsibility of a new bride when his own future is so uncertain, which opens the door for a very organic exploration of faith and trust issues.

Despite Amelia's boldness in proposing marriage to a man she's only just met, she and the other characters who inhabit her world are very much of products of the Regency time period in which they lived. Ladd has an excellent eye for period detail and mannerisms that flesh out the world of Winterwood Manor, from carefully-planted details describing Amelia's clothing and pastimes to the attitudes she encounters when her plans vis-a-vis Graham and Lucy become known, including her own passing concern with maintaining some semblance of a proper lady's reputation. That said, I hope that in forthcoming volumes Ladd balances correct speech with readability -- the dialogue is articulate and proper, but at times so concerned with maintaining a period-appropriate level of formality that readability is sacrificed, slowing the forward momentum of the plot.

While summaries of this novel focus on the danger surrounding Lucy's disappearance, nearly two-thirds of the novel pass before this pivotal plot point occurs, and as a result the novel's overall pacing is a uneven. Ladd has an undeniable talent for world-building, transporting her readers to 1814 England with her well-researched, articulate prose. And the first two-thirds of the novel, introducing Amelia and Graham, is a study in slow-burning romance and reluctantly-realized attraction. There's a gradually increasing sense of the menace facing Amelia and Lucy throughout sixty percent or so of the novel -- nicely reminiscent of Bronte with its gothic overtones and imperiled heroine, or later masters of similarly suspenseful fiction (i.e., Victoria Holt or Georgette Heyer -- as regards the latter, The Talisman Ring comes particularly to mind). However, this careful groundwork means the first portion of the novel is occasionally sluggish pacing-wise, especially when compared to the stellar final third act that sees Ladd unleash her full potential as an author. The romance, action, and pacing of Winterwood's conclusion will leave you eager with anticipation for a sequel -- this is the rare story that fully delivers on its promise of introducing a new voice to watch in historical romance.

The Heiress of Winterwood is a richly atmospheric, memorable debut marking Sarah Ladd as an author to watch. Sure to appeal to fans of Austen and Heyer's regency romances, Ladd deftly marries the manners and sensibilities of the Regency period with a touch of the peril, suspense, and lush romance that characterized later gothic romances from the likes of the Brontes, woven together with a subtly-drawn thread of faith. It's a heady combination, at once both wholly true to the time period in which the story is set, while simultaneously setting Amelia and Graham's story apart from other historical fiction that share this time period. If subsequent Ladd novels possess the charm and romance of Winterwood with slightly more polished dialogue and even pacing, I cannot wait to see where this author takes readers next after delivering simply one of the best inspirational debuts in my recent memory. With a poise and polish that belies Ladd's stance as a debut author, The Heiress of Winterwood is replete with all of the romance and intrigue that its lovely cover implies -- a richly satisfying debut whose promise and potential leave me eager for the sequel -- very well done. ...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Kate (The Shelf Life) rated it really liked it

Shelves: regency, 2014, england-based, historical-fiction, romance

I'm really starting to get into the regency setting.I haven't read a whole lot from this period, but it has started to grow on me. I never was a huge fan of Jane Austen's books...they were a bit dry for me. The movies, I'm good with. I guess I stayed away because I was worried I would feel the same about the modern author's version of the time. Thankfully, my fears have been dispelled.

I've been hearing wonderful things about Sarah Ladd's debut novel, The Heiress of Winterwood, so I bought it sho I'm really starting to get into the regency setting.I haven't read a whole lot from this period, but it has started to grow on me. I never was a huge fan of Jane Austen's books...they were a bit dry for me. The movies, I'm good with. I guess I stayed away because I was worried I would feel the same about the modern author's version of the time. Thankfully, my fears have been dispelled.

I've been hearing wonderful things about Sarah Ladd's debut novel, The Heiress of Winterwood, so I bought it shortly after it came out. Things picked up dramatically with the review books, and my poor copy sat on my TBR shelf. Then recently, a break occurred and it was one of the first books I dove into. My goodness, this story really brought me into the world of Amelia and her desire to do right by her friend's baby, who was left in her care when her friend died from complications of childbirth.

After nine months of caring for the baby, Amelia loves the baby as her own. She would love nothing better then to raise Lucy as her own, the problem is Graham, Lucy's father, has finally come home from sea and he has full claim to Lucy and Edward, Amelia is engaged to Edward, who wants nothing to do with Lucy, nor does he want Amelia to even think of caring for Lucy after they are married.

Safe to say, I didn't like Edward from the get-go. And as the story progressed, my thoughts about him got worse and worse. As the reasoning behind Edward and Amelia's engagement became clear, it made sense.

Graham was a quiet and reserved character that did care about his daughter was grateful for the help Amelia offered to his wife and Lucy. As you got to know him, you saw he was a hard worker, who cared for people and only wanted to treat people with the utmost respect, when they earned it.

As the story went on and Lucy is kidnapped, I had my suspicions right away, but with how the story played out, even with my guessing, it didn't take away from the story. It was an enjoyable book.

This review was originally posted @ http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot.... ...more

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Mar 21, 2015 Alyson rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: People NOT familiar with Regency England

Recommended to Alyson by: Andrea Day

Shelves: 2015, book-club, fanfiction, fiction, christian

I have read a lot of Jane Austen fan fiction in my day, and if this is not at least a little bit a work of fan fiction I will eat my own bonnet. It is set in 1814 and it involves a sea captain. I'm thinking Persuasion fan fiction, at least at its roots.

The story was interesting enough that I finished it in a few days. Hence the two and a half stars, just for pulling me through. But it suffered from nearly every weakness of fan fiction I've encountered—
• Poor editing. Words used repeatedly in clo ...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-books

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTSAUDEJ...
Review on my blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

4.5 stars

The Heiress of Winterwood was a very good read! The story completely blew me away! I believe this is Sarah E. Ladd's debut novel, but I wouldn't have been able to tell that by reading the book.

The Heiress of Winterwood starts off with a good prologue, but it was the first chapter that really grabbed my attention. I could tell Amelia was a great woman right away. I loved h ...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Charity U rated it really liked it

I found this a delightful book, full of a fast-paced adventure with a dash of mystery and a sweet romance added in. It was in the spirit of Julie Klassen’s newest, The Tutor’s Daughter – they were actually set in fairly similar settings. Heiress of Winterwood also reminded me of other Regency novels – fans of Jane Austen will enjoy this one, I think. The story flowed very smoothly, although the second half especially was filled with an exciting mystery and all manner of twists and turns. The fir ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Anne rated it liked it · review of another edition

The story was good, but the writing style tried to be more of the era, and I don't think this was very successful.
There were times that reading felt awkward and stilted, particularly in the beginning of the story.
Once the writing settled in, then the story was good.

The ending, while satisfying, did leave some issues unresolved.
I don't know if they will be addressed in the coming books in this series, because they were with some of the minor characters.
I would have preferred some type of epilogu ...more

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Aug 09, 2016 Melanie Kilsby rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult-historical-regency-romance-no, christian-historical-fiction, christian-romance, audiobook-reads

A determined promise. A valiant Captain. A tangled web of debt, doubt, faith and hardship makes this book an interesting read.

Some of it was slow paced. But, I think it may have been because I read it as an audio book? Well, the end of this book, actually, solidified my rating!

Recommended as an Adult Historical Christian Book.

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Jan 16, 2018 Caryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-challenge

I was whisked away to Darbury, England in 1814. The details are stunning! Amelia and Captain Sterling's relationship is passionate. The danger and intrigue kept me turning the pages. This is a must read!

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Oct 26, 2014 The Lit Bitch rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was a charming romantic read. The plot sounded unique and I love the setting on the moors. I have not read anything by Sarah Ladd before, nor have I read a lot of Christian Fiction, but I’ve had my eye on this one for quite some time.

The obvious first thing to stand out about the book is the stunning cover. I’m positively in love with it! But what really caught my eye about the story was the unique plot…..a woman plans on marry her best friend’s widow to keep a family for the child…..that’s This was a charming romantic read. The plot sounded unique and I love the setting on the moors. I have not read anything by Sarah Ladd before, nor have I read a lot of Christian Fiction, but I’ve had my eye on this one for quite some time.

The obvious first thing to stand out about the book is the stunning cover. I’m positively in love with it! But what really caught my eye about the story was the unique plot…..a woman plans on marry her best friend’s widow to keep a family for the child…..that’s definitely a different take on romance.

I enjoyed Amelia as a heroine….she was loyal, strong, confident, and tenacious. Though pride was her greatest character flaw, it was annoying or frustrating at all. Sometimes when a lead character is overly prideful, it can put me off a little but Ladd did a marvelous job at making Amelia the perfect mixture of prideful and yet humble.

The romance between Captain Sterling and Amelia was a little wanting for me. While it was tender and sweet, I wanted more tension between the two. I thought the circumstances of the story made it difficult for them to really develop a romance….however I thought in the beginning there could have been a lot more tension between the two.

There were some bits of the novel that I questioned their relevance…..one being Captain Sterling’s injury. I don’t know that it added a lot to the romance or the overall story. Same with his mentor…..I guess they could both show the development of faith in his character but I thought his faith could have been tested in other ways that had more to do with the overall story.

Or maybe introduce those issues early on in the novel instead of toward the end. For me they just didn’t work as well as I would have liked.

All that said I still thought it was a nice, easy read and it filled the need I had to read a historic romance. I was hoping for a little more in the story but overall it wasn’t a bad read. I also have the next book in the series to read (which I plan on) so that tells me that I liked it enough to want to read more books by her!

See my full review here

...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Marian Baay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013, favorites

Amelia Barrett must marry before her 24th birthday to inherit her fortune, including the Winterwood estate. After her parents died, her uncle became the master of Winterwood until Amelia would marry. Her uncle has found a suitable match in Edward Littleton, but there is one thing they don't agree on; nine months ago Amelia promised her dying friend Katherine to take care of her baby Lucy. Amelia loves the baby as if she was her own child, but Edward doesn't want to take her in after they get mar ...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013-reads, amazing-covers, received-for-review

Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for mild violence and thematic elements

Best for Ages: 16 and up

Just when you think that authors have exhausted a theme and there is no way that they can writer something unique, someone like Sarah Ladd comes along and shakes it up.

When I started reading The Heiress of Winterwood I thought I would have a cute book that was much like many other marriage of connivance books I had read. Half-way through the book, the book was nothing like what I thought it would be. I ...more

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Jan 27, 2016 Neisa rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: history lovers, christian readers, women, young women

Recommended to Neisa by: pinterest

Shelves: favorites

When I first started reading this book, I had my doubts. I am fairly new to historical fiction. However, after a couple of chapters, I found myself unable to put the book down. I ended up reading it in two days. Being that I am a mother, I fell in love with Lucy almost immediately. I found myself wanting to protect her. Coincidentally, my son is about the same age, which made the story all the more relatable. I sympathized very much for Amelia and her fight to keep Lucy in her care. The writer d ...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Casey rated it really liked it

A new regency a la Downton Abbey, “The Heiress of Winterwood” combines likeable characters, unique romance and plot line to create a sweet and enjoyable story.

Amelia and Graham are two characters thrown into a situation neither one would have chosen if given a choice. Amelia has such a strong love for this little girl that isn’t even hers and drives her to take…an unconditional method to protect her.

I liked the flavor of this regency that it didn’t stick with the normal and acceptable route to r ...more

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Sep 27, 2016 Cynthia Marcano rated it really liked it

This was my first Sarah Ladd reading experience.

I enjoyed the book although there were a few bits that dragged on a little. I ended up with the entire series because through giveaways and sales and waited a bit before committing to it. I have to say I am accustomed to the charcater slotted for the next book in the series peaking my interest in book 1. Unfortunately that was not the case here. I am having a hard time getting excited about book 2 because the secondary characters in this book were ...more

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Mar 20, 2016 Kellyn Roth rated it liked it

Shelves: christian-fiction, historical-fiction, romance-general

2.5 stars

This was a decent novel, but not worth a second read. The plot was rushed, but it was still a pretty good book. Just ... there should have been more of it. I felt like it wasn't well-resolved, too. Several of the minor characters didn't have a definite ending at all, it felt like to me.

I didn't really adore the main characters, either. There wasn't anything specifically wrong with them, but they seemed a bit bland to me. Also, a lot of the situations seemed a little unrealistic, and I f ...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Davina rated it it was ok

Shelves: christian-fiction, english-19th-century, regency

Phew. That was BORING. The story began well enough, but I kept waiting for it to really start. There was always some tragedy occuring and a lot of action and not one quiet, nice moment one could enjoy without being reminded of all the awful things that were constantly going on with the characters. The romance was poorly developed and so were the questions and the concept of faith that the characters had. Also there wasn't a satisfying answer given to those questions in the end. I'm sorry, but th ...more

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May 14, 2015 Tammie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, romance, adult, companion-series, christian-fiction, series-abandoned

The Heiress of Winterwood was an ok romance. I enjoyed it, but I would have preferred it to be a more Jane Austin like romance and less of a Christian fiction. I preferred Julianne Donaldson's and Sarah Eden's books over this one.

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	1	Nov 21, 2014 05:52PM
¿Por qué no una traducción al Español?	1	1	Oct 22, 2014 03:05PM
Clean Fiction: Discussion iof Februrary 2015's Main Group Read	2	2	Jul 02, 2014 06:47AM
Translation into Spanish, why not?	1	4	Jul 01, 2014 07:24PM
Christian Fiction...: Book of the Month - The Heiress of Winterwood	49	73	May 01, 2014 06:17AM
Christian Fiction...: ❀Elizabeth and Megan❀ The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd	14	15	Aug 13, 2013 02:24AM
Sassy Sisters Sav...: The Heiress of Winterwood	1	6	May 22, 2013 03:32AM

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About Sarah E. Ladd

Sarah E. Ladd

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