The Weaver’s Daughter by Sarah E. Ladd – Book Review

I love that Sarah E. Ladd writes Regency fiction that’s more middle class than nobility (it’s hard work keeping track of who is higher ranked). In The Weaver’s Daughter, she explores some people’s resistance to progress as the mill owners and weavers butt heads.

In My Opinion…

Caught between the two groups, Kate Dearborne’s love for her father (a weaver) and her brother (who left weaving for the mill) causes strain. The return of Henry Stockton—a man the entire community believed dead—creates even more tension in the town.

With rising tensions, attacks on innocent victims, a murder, and some serious chemistry and attraction between Henry and Kate, a rival for Henry’s attention and more, there is plenty to keep this story interesting and entertaining. Kate’s devotion to her father is tested and she has to decide whether to remain loyal or do the right thing.

Ladd’s portrayal of 1800s England comes to life within the pages. Action scenes are timed just right with the more introspective scenes. And for those who are here for the romance, there’s gobs of that, too.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

About the Book

Kate’s loyalties bind her to the past. Henry’s loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder –including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father’s pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war seeking refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather’s goals to modernize his family’s wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family’s livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry’s side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village’s future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls – even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

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