Set in 1820s Cornwall, this Regency romance evokes the captivating worlds and delicious dramas of Jane Austen, Daphne DuMaurier, and Winston Graham. Raised on the sprawling and rugged Wyndcliff Estate near the dangerous coast of South Cornwall, Evelyn Bray lives with her grandfather, a once-wealthy man reduced to the post of steward. Evelyn is still grieving her father’s death and her mother’s … mother’s abandonment when a passing ship is dashed against the rocks. The only survivors, a little girl and her injured mother, are rescued and brought to Wyndcliff Hall.
Liam Twethewey is just twenty-two when he inherits Wyndcliff Estate from his great uncle. His optimistic plans to open a china clay pit to employ the estate’s tenants meets unexpected resistance, and the rumors of smuggling and illegal activity challenge his new-found authority. Though wise beyond his years, young Liam quickly finds himself out of his depth in this land where long-held secrets and high-stakes agendas make no room for newcomers.
Brought together by troubling questions surrounding the shipwreck, Evelyn and Liam uncover even darker mysteries shrouding the estate. But as they untangle truths from deceptions, their loyalties separate them–and their budding love might not be strong enough to overcome the distance.
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I have very much enjoyed this series and reading about this family. The book has great imagery where I can feel a part of the story. Wonderul expression of emotions & just the right amount of tension. The bit of intrigue and mystery added to the story was a nice touch and written well. There were a few different story lines stirring the pot and I think they were knitted together effectively and seamessly. The story also had a bit of history of the area and era told in interesting story form. I highlited a few good sentiments & wisdom from the book. The only downside is having to wait for the next book! I hope it’s Johnny. I wonder what his story will be!?
Another Regency “winner” from Sarah E. Ladd! The Light at Wyndcliff is the third book in the Cornwall Novels series but can easily be read as a stand-alone. Set in 1820 this book continues the saga of the Twetheway family chronicling the story of Liam Twethewey the new master of Wyndcliff Estate and Evelyn Bray the steward’s sheltered granddaughter. When Liam arrives at Wyndcliff, he quickly discovers that “trouble is afoot”. He is determined to get to the bottom of the strange happenings. Shipwrecks and smuggling make for an intriguing, action-filled plot; and amid all the deception, intrigue, and illegal activity, a sweet romance develops. The author describes it this way: “After everything they’d endured together, attraction had grown to respect and respect had blossomed to affection.” However, given their stations in life, is that affection enough to bring them life-long happiness?
I love Ms. Ladd’s writing style and expressive prose. No matter where the narrative takes you—the rocky, bleak moors; the rugged, dangerous sea coast; the rundown manor; the gloomy steward’s cottage; the raucous White Eagle Inn; the dusty china clay pits; or the disconcerting Bodmin jail—vivid descriptions and imagery elicit the sights, sounds, and smells of the locale. Imagery such as this brings the story to life: “Her white sails draped over the surging sea like an earthly specter, swaying and dancing at the whim of the waves.”
The characters in this story, main and secondary, are well-crafted and memorable. A great cast of secondary characters includes lovable ones such as Marnie, Elizabeth, and Mary and not so lovable ones such as Evelyn’s grandfather Rupert, her mother Dorothea, and the innkeeper Jim Bowen.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Liam and Evelyn, two main characters whose scenes I do look forward to.
I also understand Grandfather Bray’s protectiveness over Evelyn and as much as I find it overbearing, it adds the perfect twist to the plot.
Wyndcliff Hall endeared me to itself. I love how the author described the estate and its rooms.
The Light at Wyndcliff is a book that brings the minds and hearts of its characters closer to you through the pages.
My heart beat at every scene. I was actively participating in the rescue mission of the shipwreck. I didn’t pause reading the book.
The author grabbed my full attention with this book.
I admire Liam so much.
I am rating this book 10 stars if I can. I love Mary, Mrs. Elizabeth, Marnie and well, Jenna. I had to understand her.
This book was beautifully written.
The title of this book perfectly describes the plot in the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson -Fiction through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sarah Ladd’s beautiful descriptive writing makes the Cornish moor come alive in this story that is filled with intrigue. The secrets to unravel and the constant battle of not knowing whom to trust keep the pages turning. This book stands alone, though Ladd has cleverly intertwined some overlap with characters in others of The Cornwall Novels.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I will always read a Sarah Ladd book. This book, though, did not hold my attention as well as her other books. There were points that I felt it dragged a little bit. I also felt that the relationship between Liam and Evelyn felt a bit forced. It was easy to see who the bad guy was from the beginning which left the mystery a little bit dull for me.
I am glad I read it, but it wasn’t my favorite book by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The Light at Wyndcliff is Sarah E. Ladd’s third book in her Cornwall series, however it works perfectly well as a standalone novel as well, as I hadn’t read any of her other books but had no trouble jumping into the world.
The world Sarah E. Ladd builds in this book is mesmerizing. Liam Twethewey has finally come of age to claim his inheritance, Wyndcliff Manor and the surrounding estate. He has big plans to open a china clay mine on the land to increase the estate’s income and improve the life of its tenants. However, he faces a less-than-warm welcome from everyone. Everyone, that is, except for Evelyn Bray, the granddaughter of his steward. Evelyn has spent her whole life being told by her mother that she must marry well, and to that end will move to be with her mother, if she is ever summoned.
This story is a wonderful blend of mystery and romance. Part of Liam’s responsibilities include watching out for shipwrecks along the rocky coast and managing the wreckage that washes ashore. However, more is happening on the beach than either Liam or Evelyn know.
The romance in the book is very sweet and definitely G-rated – at one point the characters embrace briefly but that is the extent of the physicality in the book.
Overall this was a very enjoyable book to read and was very well written.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.
This is the third book in the series, Cornwall, and I wish I had discovered the series earlier. I enjoyed this book, and want to learn more about the Liam’s family that are mentioned from books one and two.
I loved the setting and storyline in The Light at Wyndcliff. I enjoyed learning about china clay mining, which I never knew existed, and about the ingenious way survivors are rescued during ship wrecks.
As for the characters, I absolutely loved Liam (and his brother). He was a worthy hero, brave, honest, and caring. I liked Evelyn also, but I never felt I really knew her very well. She had many admirable qualities, and although they deserved each other, I didn’t feel their chemistry. I felt that the book definitely focused on the historical events of the time period, and that was fine. The secondary characters were fully developed. I hated the “evil” characters and loved the good ones.
The writing was beautiful, and the setting made me feel I was there. One thing I was left wondering was why grandpa lost his fortune. Unless I missed it, it was never fully explained.
I will definitely read books one and two.
“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
# TheLightatWyndcliff #NetGalley
The Light at Wyndclff is a delightful book set in the moors at Cornwall England. There is mystery, shipwrecks, kidnappings, and of course romance. I enjoyed it very much and I recommend to any historical romance lovers.
The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd is the third book in The Cornwall Novels.
This is the first book that I have had the privilege to read from this author, and I was thoroughly impressed. I have to admit that I did not read the previous two books in this series before reading this one, however this was, to me, a stand alone novel. I loved this book so much that I purchased the first two as ebooks yesterday. ( Book One: The Governess of Penwythe Hall and Book Two: The Thief of Lanwyn Manor) I hope that there are possible connections to the characters in this current book as it can only add to the richness of this novel itself.
It is during the 1820s, Cornwall that we get to meet Evelyn Bray the steward’s granddaughter and the newly arrived Liam Twethewey as the new owner of Wyndcliff Estates. We then get to see their backstories, their fears, insecurities, strengths, and passions. Both characters are realistic, imperfect, and like able, yet have strong moral compasses, grow, evolve, and find their own way over the course of the book. I loved the complexity of the characters, their thought processes, and their interactions. There was definite chemistry between Liam and Evelyn and I am glad they were able to find one another.
The other part of the book that I loved, in addition to the sweet and subtle romance, was the mystery plot. There was suspense, intrigue, double-handing, and mystery involved with finding and flushing out the dark undercurrent on the shore and estate. It was creative, interesting, and kept me guessing and engaged until the end.
I also enjoyed the full cast of characters that were part of the village, estate, and the extended family members. All added warmth (well not all of course), depth, and emotion to the novel. There are plenty of characters that I feel could even be used for further books.
This is an excellent historical fiction romance that also has a fabulous mystery plot intertwined within. Easily one of my favorite books of this year!
5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.