MrsK Books: Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E Ladd

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E Ladd

Dawn at Emberwilde (Treasures of Surrey, #2)

Sarah E. Ladd

ISBN: 9780718011819

Publisher's Synopsis:

For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady yet unexciting role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would provide her a steady environment to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.

The unexpected arrival of a striking stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.

At her new family’s invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with mysterious rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. And perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.

At Emberwilde, Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.

MrsK's Review:

In 1817, Isabel Creston had come to a place of peace with her living at Fellsworth. She was in line for a permanent teaching position or at the least a governess position. With both of her parents dead, Isabel and her sister, Lizzie, had no living relatives. She hoped to continue her training at Fellsworth, at least until her sister was of age.

Summoned to the Superintendent's office, she was determined to meet the news with calmness. What she wasn't expecting was the news that her mother's sister had sent a Mr. Bradford as a messenger to escort her and her sister home to Emberwilde Hall. She was not pleased that a letter, a summons, would decide her future, yet she wasn't of the mind to let them know her feelings.

"In a matter of minutes she would come face-to-face with the pieces of her life that had for so long been a mystery.

Whatever her father's reasoning for keeping her aunt a secret,

it could not matter now."

Mr. Bradford is the superintendent of the foundling home in Northrop. The home is located on Emberwilde property and is the project of Mrs. Ellison's focus, of which she is quite proud. The school was "a school that would not turn anyone away." A school that would touch Isabel's heart in more ways than the mere needs of the foundling charges.

Colin Galloway is over seeing the riddance of trespassers for Mr. Ellison, the master of Emberwilde Hall. If they were smugglers, he would need to uphold the lawfulness in which he was responsible as the magistrate of the Northrup area. With the help of his aunt Lydia, not just the lands are under his supervision. Even the youngest are tended to. Once the newest charge is delivered to the Foundling home, Colin realizes that this little one has found a place in his heart.

Miss Constance Ellison is a cousin, musically inclined, and a romantic. Will she remain a loyal confidant to Isabel? Will she be happy with her mother's arranged marriage? Why would Isabel feel trepidation about either Constance's fiance or Mr. Bradford?

"Beautiful places can be deceptive."

Mrs. Margaret Ellison is a "strong and persuasive woman," one who is use to giving orders. A person who over-sees everyone's life and future. Yet, for Isabel, there are many reasons why her niece is in need of her attention. Will her choice of a husband for Isabel bring a unification that will prove prosperous? Will Heddeston Park have a new owner?

"Let's just say, I will not be underestimating you again..."

Within and around the Victorian settings, you will find yourself entwined with Isabel's journey. Her journey is one of courage, betrayal, and hope of a family. Has Isabel really "come home?"

Enjoy a story that will be one you can't wait to share with others,

MrsK

Perfectly enjoyable...

A great read it forward... deserving of a warm cup of tea, a quilt, and a fire!

Meet the Author:

"Every word has a melody. Every sentence has a rhythm."This truth has intrigued me since my early years. Even before I fully understood the meaning behind many of the words, I devoured literature and consumed poetry.
Austen, Alcott, Wordsworth: I left no piece of literature untouched, left no author unexamined. I continue to see magic in how a word is transformed by the word next to it and how written thoughts can incite emotion and evoke change.
In addition to a lifetime of writing and exploring fiction, I have more than ten years of strategic marketing and brand management experience, including five years of marketing non-fiction books and three years of marketing the musical arts.

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)