A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah Ladd

From the publisher: 

Darbury, England, 1819

Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could expose her disgrace. But soon after becoming a lady’s companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she’s desperately hidden for years.

Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own—one that has haunted him for years and tied him to his father’s position as steward of Willowgrove Hall. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breathe a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he’ll never be free to find his own way in the world. He’ll never be free to fall in love.

When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and fight for a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long kept?

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This is the third book in the Whispers On The Moors series.  Each book in this series can stand alone, although there are a few minor details having read the previous books will give you little glimpses into what else has happened in the other two books.

Sarah Ladd is a writer who I really enjoy reading.  The first chapter in and I was eager to keep reading.  Cecily's character is neither brass nor meek and I appreciated that mixture--because I feel that most of us are in that in-between zone.  Cecily also shows growth and she learns to rely on God when she find herself all alone. Her secret is one that could ruin her, but because of that secret her path is lead to one that is a blessing after all.

Nathaniel is a strong and loyal character--to his work and family.  I enjoyed how he was neither gloriously handsome not bold in the wrong ways.  He was proper and yet romantic.  Nathaniel's secret is, in a way, not his own, yet it controls him in a way that leaves room for bitterness and resentment.  

Mrs. Trent, Leah, Clarkson, Rebecca, and other secondary characters are perfect additions to the story.  Sarah Ladd makes them important without drawing away from the stories of Cecily and Nathaniel.

Readers will enjoy the tension of the secrets as well as the love and attraction growing at Willowgrove Hall.  

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.