I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Published by Thomas Nelson on April 10th, 2018
Source: The Publisher
Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical, Regency
Pages: 320
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.
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: mild romantic, suggestive scenes but no descriptions or details, mild violence (though no detailed description)
Content to be aware of: A woman is pregnant out of wedlock (not detailed), mild violence including a murder and mentions of war.
Suggested Age: 15+
The Weaver’s Daughter is an absolutely breathtaking story of love and overcoming odds. It reminded me of a Romeo and Juliet tale, without the suicide at the end.
I really loved how this story flowed seamlessly between Kate and Henry’s POV. I often feel that an author cannot seamlessly switch a POV from female to male. The characters can so often sound as if they have the exact same voice. So, when I find an author that does it well, I can’t help but savor the experience. Sarah Ladd really outdid herself with this novel. These are characters to love and cherish. Characters that I genuinely wanted to wish well.
I did feel as if there were nearly two tropes in this book. An insta-love vibe and a love triangle. However, just like with the character voice, the author did this so well. It felt very organic to the story. And really, the insta-love wasn’t like two strangers meeting. Kate and Henry were acquainted.
My favorite thing about this story was Fredrica. Why did I love the villain of the story? Well, she’s a character I couldn’t help but love to hate. Call me crazy, but I like those characters that make me want to reach through the pages and smack them about.
Overall, I think this is the best book that I have read by Sarah Ladd and I’ve read almost all of hers.
Everything was just spot on for me. The romance. The tension. The love that Henry had for his family. EVERYTHING. I loved it!
One last thing to mention and for me, this is not a negative. I felt that Molly’s (Henry’s sister) pregnancy would have been a bigger deal for the time period than Henry made it out to be. But, I loved the story anyway and it didn’t detract from the story for me. Maybe it’s because I frequently deal with judgemental people who need to give it a rest. While some may feel that Molly’s sin is being justified, I didn’t feel that way. I felt that Henry was just determined to love his sister. That’s how families should be. They should love each other no matter what.
Really, I have nothing negative at all to say about The Weaver’s Daughter. I would like to see if there are any plans to turn this into a series.
About Sarah E. Ladd
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. Ladd also has more than ten years of marketing experience. She holds degrees in public relations and marketing and lives in Indiana with her family and spunky Golden Retriever.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book too. Great story! You are spot on about Frederica. A good smack would help her disposition! Nice review!
Mary
Right? I couldn’t help but like how devious she was :D
Seamless pov switch is always welcome. I like multiple povs is a story so I’m always glad when it’s done well.