The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd

From the desperate streets of London to a wealthy country estate, Sarah E. Ladd draws readers into England’s past, secrets, and heart.

Camille Iverness has spent the past ten years of her life attending her father’s shop. Since she was young, she has kept the accounts and inventory of the curiosity shop—a place where wealthy people come to find treasures for their collections, a place she has called home. When a man breaks into the store asking about something she’s never heard of before, life as she knows it is about to come to an end.

Jonathan Gilchrist cannot, in good conscience, let a woman be hurt. When he intervenes during the robbery, he immediately feels protective and responsible for the young woman in the curiosity shop. Unsure of whether or not she is involved in the theft of his father’s ruby, Jonathan considers his options and determines that if Camille Iverness trusts him, then perhaps she will assist with retrieving the ruby—something which he wishes he’d never heard of within a couple of days’ time.

Camille’s grit and courage are a mask that disguises years of hurt, of feelings of inadequacies, something Jonathan Gilchrist has experience with himself. He has no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps and run their estate. He is happy working as the local apothecary and caring for the people of his small village. From their first meeting, readers will want the best for these two people. Two people who have not lived under the best circumstances, two people who deserve happiness. While the mystery of the ruby is woven throughout the book (and I believe readers will have a pretty good idea where it the entire time—at least I did), the true beauty in The Curiosity Keeper is the journey Camille embarks on to find her new life.

***Thomas Nelson Fiction provided me with a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.