Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd



Overview: Born into two different classes, James and Camille shouldn't even know each other. But when the pursuit of a missing ruby brings them together, much more than a mere acquaintance is ignited.

The daughter of a curiosity shop owner, Camille would never be considered a lady. Nor does she want to be. With a fiery personality, she dreams of adventures far beyond the walls of her family's modest business. But when her father thrusts a mysterious box into her hands and disappears, her whole world-dreams and all-shifts.

James is an apothecary, tending to the health needs of the town of Bentworth. His father, a well-known explorer and collector, is quite wealthy from the spoils of his adventures until one risky gamble and a stolen gem leave him on the edge of ruin. Seeking his father's approval, James picks up the hunt for the stolen ruby, leading him to the door of Camille's curiosity shop.

With both of their lives in danger as the ruby remains at large, James squires Camille away to the Bentworth School, believing that would be the last place her pursuers would look for her. They both find their hearts and dreams heading in a new direction, but before they are free to embrace their future they must solve the mystery looming around them. The more they uncover, however, the harder it becomes to know whom to trust. And they begin to realize that recovering the ruby may require a great sacrifice: their newfound love and maybe even their lives.

ISBN-13: 9780718011789 | Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date: 07/07/2015 | Series:A Treasures of Surrey Novel Series, #1
Buy It: B&N | Amazon | CBD

My Review: This was an amazing story. Sarah E. Ladd is a new-to-me author, though I have several of her books on my TBR list, and this will definitely not be my last story by her. The plot was amazing. The puzzle pieces surrounding the missing Bevoy ruby didn't click for me until the very end. Sarah weaves an intriguing story of lies, deception, and mystery.

Camille's character was quite amazing. Her strength, which could be considered a weakness, independence, and good nature (despite her upbringing) were truly amazing. Surprisingly, James is also a very humble character. Normally the man from the privileged family is unaware of the plights of the lower class, so it was refreshing to have a character that not only sympathized with them, but accepted them as equals and did what he could for them. I think this makes them a perfect match!

The message of the story centered on the thought that God will work all things in our lives for His good, in His time. Both James and Camille go through traumatic, heartbreaking events in their lives, but look where it leads them! Overall, I think this is a well-written, intriguing story and look forward to more from this author.

About the Author: Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever. Facebook: SarahLaddAuthor Twitter: @SarahLaddAuthor Website: http://www.sarahladd.com/ 

No comments:

Post a Comment