The Governess of Penwythe Hall: The Cornwall Novels, Book 1

I think I chose to read this book as I am such a great fan of "Jane Eyre", also a governess. The struggles of loosing a child, growing attached to young people you teach...I could relate to something. Jac is a manly and caring and reliable man the whole of his nieces and nephews and his governess can rely on. So sorry the story is over!

The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah Ladd is a real treat! I was instantly hooked by the adventure, mystery, and romance depicted. When I had to, I struggled to put this book down. I adored the unique and vibrant characters. The settings are perfectly crafted as it felt like I was in Cornwall in 1808 with Delia, Jac, and the children. And, I am a big fan of the relationship between Delia and Jac. It progressed from two adults thrown into a delicate situation who became friends first and then, at the right time, love blossoms appropriately and sweetly. The Governess of Penwythe Hall is an all-around good story!One of the many obstacles in Delia’s life is fear. Her past is filled with serious darkness and great sadness, and her future is completely uncertain. Delia’s past and future create a fear in her that sometimes seems paralyzing. For a brief moment, it looks like fear may win out, but Delia forces herself to overcome. I appreciate the subtle discussion about fear that is weaved throughout the narrative. Fear is definitely something I have struggled with, and from time to time I still struggle with today. In this, I felt Delia is a very relatable character. In fact, Delia’s battle with fear and how she deals with it in the story reminds me of my dad. My dad never wanted fear to rule his life, but he had fears. When my dad was right out of high school he enlisted in the Army and purposely signed up for the 82nd Airborne Division because he hated heights. He believed the best way to overcome his fear of heights was to parachute out of airplanes over enemy territory. I personally think that was insane, but I do appreciate that he refused to let fear overcome him. Both my dad and Delia remind me of Romans 8:14-15: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father! My dad, and fictional Delia, was/is led by God’s Spirit. I believe the bravest thing anyone can do is trust God, recognize what things they fear, and then purposely take those fears on in order to be an overcomer. To me, that is authentic strength, and that is what makes Delia such an outstanding character in this story and what made my dad such an outstanding man in real life.The Governess of Penwythe Hall is a fantastic story that I very much enjoyed reading, and highly recommend. I am sad that my time with Delia and Jac is over. If you are looking for an engaging story filled with intrigue and sweet romance then The Governess of Penwythe Hall is the book for you!I received a copy of this novel in paperback form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, in order to review. I also purchased an eBook copy of this novel from Amazon on May 19, 2019, to read and review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The last Sarah Ladd book was a bit of a disappointment, but this one was in keeping with her signature intrigue, steadily rising plot, and blossoming romance. I stayed up reading this book several times, even though I knew I would need strong coffee the next morning. This is Sarah Ladd at her best and I loved every minute of it.Cordelia (Delia) Greythorne is a woman who has known heartache and loss. Circumstances cause her to become a governess to support herself. She is haunted by her past and we are left wondering about the mysterious references to it, which are slowly explained as the story unfolds. Her heart has known so much loss, will she ever feel free to love and trust another man?Jac Twethewey is a man who wants to pull himself up by his bootstraps and save his inheritance, a family estate with orchards. Little does he know that his plans will be interrupted by a governess and 5 children. Will Jac be able to take care of his new family and protect his estate?Perhaps, it is a bit inconceivable that a landowner and a governess would fall in love. I saw some negative reviews that complained about that along with all the other plot points and characters. I thought this book was well written and interesting. The mystery unfolds slowly and the plot increases in drama with each turn of the page. The chemistry between Delia and Jac is there and it will have you hoping that they are able to conquer all odds.If you don't like mysteries or clean romances, then this probably isn't the book for you. There are also Christian themes and mention of belief in God. I really enjoyed Delia's story and the way she changed and grew throughout the book. Great heroine, strong characters, and lots of action!

I kind of like the old theme of the master falling in love with the governess, so I was good with that. And I also liked the focus on nature, agriculture (apple orchards / cider press), the ocean, and the concept of children who lose a parent and have to regain their footing. All the elements were there, but the two main characters (Jac and Cordelia) were very vanilla.I've tried to keep an open mind about Christian romance, but I often find myself wondering if the male/female leads have any blood in their veins. There was only the vaguest whisper of sexual tension. I don't like sex scenes, as a rule (unless they are understated and gracefully alluded to without a bunch of sweat and ugh), but I look for relationships that have some spark and significant connection. Jac and Cordelia fell in love, but it was kind of like, "Oh, and then they fell in love." There were various questions about why Cordelia was blamed for Robert's death, and also the big disappointment of the London attorney never being brought to justice. So, three stars.

Devo ammetterlo. Ho acquistato questo romanzo guardando la copertina. La protagonista in piedi di spalle in un frutteto in fiore mi ha incantata.Poi devo dire che la storia, raccontata con prosa fluida e a tratti poetica (soprattutto nelle descrizioni del paesaggio delle coste di Cornovaglia) presenta lati oscuri e violenti che sembrano contrastare con le promesse dell'immagine.Nulla di grave, in un romanzo che si rispetti i protagonisti sono tenuti a conquistarsi il lieto fine, anche con fatica e non poco rischio e credo che in questa storia la parte di mistero e quella dedicata alla storia d'amore siano ben mescolate.La nostra eroina, Cordelia Greythorne, giovane vedova cacciata di casa dalla suocera con odio e minacce nella prima pagina, si ritrova a fare da istitutrice ai cinque figli di un possidente presso i quali trascorre tre anni operosi e tranquilli fino a quando, alla morte di entrambi i genitori, i ragazzi, assieme al tutore dei maschi e all'istitutrice delle tre bambine, vengono affidati alla tutela dello zio e devo trasferirsi a Penwithe Hall in Cornovaglia.Il quale zio non sapeva di doversi occupare dei nipoti, e viene colto completamente alla sprovvista dagli eventi.La vita per Jac Twethewey è già abbastanza complicata. Ha ereditato una proprietà in rovina e sta cercando di renderla nuovamente florida attraverso alcuni grossi e rischiosi investimenti.Una parte che ho trovato molto realistica e coinvolgente in questo romanzo è il modo in cui viene trattato il lutto.All'epoca si moriva facilmente per incidenti e malattie e ciascuno doveva affrontare a modo suo i cambiamenti e il distacco. La reazione dei bambini, dello zio, ed anche del tutore e di Cordelia sono verosimili: non si tratta solo di aver perso un affetto, ma anche la sicurezza sociale ed economica; i punti di riferimento consueti sono rovesciati e alla tristezza si accompagna la rabbia, l'autocompatimento, il bisogno di biasimare qualcun'altro.Sono emozioni che non rendono sempre onore ai personaggi, e tuttavia chiunque può riconoscersi in essi.La vicenda prosegue secondo la direzione consueta: i segreti non restano tali e il passato torna a scombinare le vite dei protagonisti fino alle scene d'azione conclusive che consentono a Delia e Jac di voltare pagina e guardare insieme al futuro. Mi piace pensare che l'immagine di copertina funga da epilogo alla vicenda.

This book did have some interesting hooks . However. I found the end resolution for the fml underwhelming.Also the flow in certain parts in story were some what exhausting to read.

Actually, I found this book a tad slow and dragging, but I carried on reading anyway. Around chapter 20, I found the pace picked up quite nicely and I couldn't seem to put this book down. The mysteries and mysterious ways of everyone keeping secrets was elaborately explained. I like the details provided and I felt the author took her time to carefully write this novel. It was not rushed but thought well of. First time reading this author's book and I promise it won't be the last.

Sometime gripping and sometimes tense. Jac found himself with a ready made family at a time when he was struggling to make something of his farm. The children were lost it was up to the governess to assist him in coping with the challenge. Had the uncle not given the estate to Jac the children would have ended up in hard times. Jac is my hero he fought to be there for the children. Sounds so real it's unbelieveable

Enjoyed this story immensely. Loss and sadness gives way to hope and what truly lasts with lovable characters, sinister villains and a well-told story. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.