Friday, July 24, 2015

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson


About the Book:
Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor (Howard, June 2015)

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents’ cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can’t be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver’s death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family’s cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She’s mourning her father’s passing but can’t let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family’s belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family’s history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways.

Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.

Learn moreand purchase a copy.


About the Author:
Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and "Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana" won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon.

Visit her here




Margie’s Comments: I love books that are both historical and contemporary, tying together events in the past and how they affect the future. Melanie Dobson does this well in Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor. John Donne’s poem “No Man Is an Island” came to mind frequently while I read Libby’s story as her sibling, Heather, discovered it when she went to clean out her parents’ home in England. The story, for the most part, flowed smoothly. There were a couple of places where I felt it dragged a little, especially in the beginning historical sections. The characters are well-defined, making it easy to follow their “stories.” Overall, Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor is a satisfying read, one I can highly recommend. 

Note: The publisher and Litfuse Publicity furnished me with an Advance Reader's Copy of the book in exchange for a review. 

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