Review: The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

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 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 tries desperately to forget.

Jac Trethewey 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 at Penwythe Hall, he battles both grief of this 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 Novels series introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

My Review

As usual the author did a lovely job with the setting and characters. I especially enjoyed Delia's role as governess and her love and compassion for the children she cared for. Her grief had some complicated dynamics, and her journey throughout the story took her from never wanting to marry or have children again in order to avoid the pain of loss, to hesitantly allowing hope and love to bring light into her life. She has a turbulent history with her in-laws, and I enjoyed the suspense that slowly grows until the climax. Jac and Delia share a congenial friendship for most of the book, and their common focus is the children, which brings them closer together. Strong themes of family, loyalty, and forgiveness.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)