In Regency England, Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to romance. But first she must find it–in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.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 … a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady role as a teacher at the school, a safe 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.
Isabel 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.
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Loved this book. Colin and Isabel are definite favorite characters, each with their own personalities and strengths. Each character is perfectly developed throughout this book. There were times when I wanted to hurry things along between the H/h but the pacing was actually perfect. There is a mystery and there are some trials but ultimately this had a perfect conclusion.
I’ve read several of this author’s books. I love reading stories set in this time period…. I find it a wonderful way to escape in the pages of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed!
I love Sarah Ladd ‘s romantic and yet witty characters going through surprising the plots she designed. This book was so full of surprises indeed, and I loved it through and through. The tension was there too. Enjoyable indeed !
I’m really not a huge fan of Regency novels, but I really enjoy Sarah E. Ladd’s stories. I downloaded her first book, The Heiress of Winterwood when Amazon offered it free for Kindle. Boy, am I glad that I did. I enjoy finding new writers who write in different genres then I typically read it who captive me with their story telling abilities. Ladd is one of them. With her newest release Dawn at Emberwilde, I enjoyed this one too.
The characters of Isabel and Colin gripped my heart from the first page and didn’t let go. I sympathize with the character’s struggles and pray they seek the resolution they are hunting for. The romance started out as a love triangle, and I, even, had a hard time deciding which guy should Isabel pick, but Ladd made the right choice for her heroine.
As for the plot, I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the aunt’s sudden interest in poor Isabel and the rumors surrounding Emberwilde and the dark forest surrounding the home. It captured my attention and kept me spellbound to the story.
Ladd’s novel is completely original and the romance was predictable, but the mystery element is unique. Ladd’s writing style reminds me a lot of the Charlotte Bronte who wrote stories that feature strong heroines who saved the day with a hint of mystery. I enjoyed reading Jane Eyre in college.
The setting jumps off the page. While the story takes place in a big manor next to a vast forest, Ladd does a good job at describing and placing me into the setting. I wanted to travel through the forest and down the dark road with Isabel, not knowing what was to become of me. I felt the chills as the mystery deepened and Isabel placed herself in harm’s way.
A thrilling Regency romance, Sarah E. Ladd’s newest story Dawn at Emberwilde invited me to share the journey with Isabel and Colin at a manor and a forest with a sweet romance with a touch of mystery. Ladd reminded me to be careful with who I trust, but always keep my faith in Jesus. He will never let me down.
I hope Sarah keeps writing more novels for me to enjoy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Julie Klassen or Dawn Crandall. A great read!
I received a complimentary copy of Dawn at Emberwilde from Thomas Nelson publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.
I received this book for an honest review from The Fiction Guild and it was a wonderful story. A young woman who’s mother dies and her father remarries and is unable to take care of her send her to a school to help her someday become a governess. But then her father dies and she is to take care of her little half-sister. Isabel has a hard time sometimes following the rules of the school and one day come back after walking in the gardens to find a visitor is waiting for her that she does not know. Mr. Bradford has come with a letter from an aunt that she knew nothing about wanting her to come live with them, she must decide if she wants to leave the school and decides to take herself and her sister with her to her mother’s sister and her family at Emberwilde. But the aunt wants her to get married off and she doesn’t feel right about it. There is a young man her uncle likes but her aunt doesn’t because she feels he is the reason her son has passed. With all the twist and turns and her aunt really trying she find that she can’t marry the man her aunt want and is ask to leave, she goes back to the school and awaits for a governess position. But come to find out her aunt know a secret about Isabel’s grandfather’s estate and Colin is the man who is going to help her find her way.
This is one of the first Sarah Ladd books I’ve read and it won’t be my last! I enjoyed the mystery and the romance and found it to be well written.
Love this author.
I love her books!
A Delightful Story
I have never read a book by this author that I didn’t really like. It didn’t disappoint
I enjoyed this book. Good story line