The Governess of Penwythe Hall {A Book Review}

**Book received for consideration. Post contains affiliate links. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Cornwall was in her blood, and Delia feared she’d never escape its hold.

Cornwall, England, 1811

Blamed for her husband’s death, Cordelia Greythorne fled Cornwall and accepted a governess position to begin a new life. Years later her employer’s unexpected death and his last request for her to watch over his five children force her to reevaluate. She can’t abandon the children now that they’ve lost both parents, but their new guardian lives at the timeworn Penwythe Hall . . . back on the Cornish coast she’s tried desperately to forget.

Jac Twethewey is determined to revive Penwythe Hall’s once-flourishing apple orchards, and he’ll stop at nothing to see his struggling estate profitable again. He hasn’t heard from his brother in years, so when his nieces, nephews, and their governess arrive unannounced, he battles both grief at his brother’s death and bewilderment over this sudden responsibility. Jac’s priorities shift as the children take up residence in the ancient halls, but their secretive governess—and the mystery shrouding her past—proves to be a disruption to his carefully laid plans.

Rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love, this first book in the Cornwall series introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period -- the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would've looked like in era. It wasn't until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.

There tend to be two things that I love in a book--- a little bit of mystery and a little bit of romance. This book offers the perfect amount of each rolled into one fantastic historical fiction.

I've only recently started venturing more into historical fiction, but I've very quickly become a fan and books such as this one are the very reason why. I think for me, the suspense in stories such as this one is added by the period. Think about this- if we know danger is coming, we can simple pick up the phone and call--- or hop in a car to quickly and easily get to where we need to be. In the 1800s? It was all horses or letters... it certainly adds to the question of how will help arrive, doesn't it?

Aside from that though, the story in and of itself was fantastic. I found myself really drawn to both Jac and Delia and wanting to not only see if a romance would form, but to truly just get to know them each a little better. They were both very well written, with intriguing stories that kept me captivated. I couldn't put it down. I loved both the family drama and mystery surrounding Delia's past, revealed little by little throughout...and the sweet romance that seemed to develop quite naturally throughout the story. Truly, my favorite type of story! If you love a good historical romance, or are just looking for a good way to venture into that genre, this is certainly one I'd recommend.

'The Governess of Penwythe Hall' is available to purchase now at your favorite Christian book retailers.