I really loved the atmospheric writing in this story. It tapped into much of the bleak mood associated with moors and life near them that's present in many classics, and that brought the late-Victorian feel of the story to life very effectively. Added to that, the heroine has just lost her family and everything she has ever known, getting dumped in a small country school to sink or swim as a gravely unqualified teacher.

I loved her pluck as she realizes she can't give up or give in, that she has to fight to gain a future. And before long she bonds with the local children, and she's ready to start fighting for them too.

I loved the banter between her and her neighbor, who's so clearly ready to take her down a notch or two but then ready also to help her learn how to survive.

The layers in the story kept me flipping pages and it was hard to put it aside to do anything else.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

After the death of the rest of their family, sisters Evangeline and Lucy are torn apart, Lucy is sent to a boarding school, while Evangeline is to be the new teacher in Smeatly, Yorkshire, a small factory town.



Dermot McCormick is a brick mason overseeing a crew for the Bartons, and not an errand boy, but his is given the task of escorting her to and from the schoolhouse, and showing her what's what in town.



Evangeline is determined to prove herself, and get her sister back, but she has a daunting task ahead of her, with the schoolhouse in disrepair, she has never taught before, nor cooked, or lived alone, and she has no money as her grandfather controls her funds. Evangeline strikes a deal with Dermot, he will teach her to cook and she will tutor his son. Evangeline is very clever and cares for the children, she works to find ways to overcomes the barriers of language and learning levels. She is a natural mentor, and encourages the children to follow their dreams.



Ronan is a special boy who reminds her of her own brother, he is quietly withdrawn, he doesn't like strangers, change, and his senses can be overwhelmed. He is very clever, and warms up when he trusts someone.



Dermot is a good man with a great work ethic, he expects his men to work as hard as he does, he a fantastic father and loves his son so much.



Overall I really liked this story and how the characters grew over the course of the book. I especially like Ronan, as it isn't often in historical fiction that you see characters who learn differently. There is great interaction between Evangeline and Dermot, they both help each other and make the other a more well-rounded person. Fantastic read from beginning to end!





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Ashes on the Moor is a really lovely, clean historical romance. I love the time period and setting and the characters really drew me in. The story isn't entirely believable but was well written so I was able to overlook that.

*I received a free review copy of this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions and responses are my own, as always.*

This book is impressively researched, smart writing, sweetly built romance but good glory it was emotionally intense. Within the first pages everything is stripped from a Evangeline by natural circumstances, yes, but most cruelly by her aunt, a woman I couldn't tolerate in the least, and whom I'm sure couldn't tolerate herself either. Ugh. What a bitter woman.

Sweet romance and not brain candy in the least. You'll get invested in the characters and possibly want to storm the town to defend and fight for the good people, beginning with facing the aunt of course. Don't hold a grudge, people. It poisons everything around you but you most of all.

Sarah M Eden can do wrong. She always delivers clean, historical romance with a bit of wit. Ashes on the Moor was no different. I really enjoyed it and, as always, look forward to her next work.

Ashes on the Moor is a great book for anyone who, like me, looooooves North and South, either the BBC production or the Elizabeth Gaskell novel it's based upon. I couldn't help picturing Dermot as Richard Armitage as I read. :) The setting, factory woes, even the emotion of the book...it all has echoes of North and South while also being its own original, heartwarming story, one I very much enjoyed. I especially appreciated Evangeline's character...watching her strengthen throughout the story and her resolve to do right by her students.

I enjoy many of the books in the proper romance umbrella published by Shadow Mountain, and this one was no exception. It was sweet and enjoyable. It was quite a quick read, and parts of it were heartbreakingly sad. It reminded me a little bit of the concept behind North and South. The people in the town really grew on me and Evangeline did too. If historical romance is your thing, particularly if you prefer it clean, this was a cute book.

When it comes to transporting readers to a different time and place, author Sarah Eden excels. Ashes on the Moor takes you to the small English village of Smeatley where the citizens have their own language and families fight for their survival daily.

As Evangeline Blake enters their world as a teacher—a role she hasn’t been prepared for—she finds only one person to go to for help. The grouchy Irishman man gripe but he doesn’t turn her away.

Between the language barrier and Dermot McCormick’s persnickety attitude, there are humorous moments in this book. But Eden also vividly portrays the poverty and struggle of the townspeople. Add to that the hint that there’s more than meets the eye behind Evangeline’s aunt and uncle’s motives, and the story has plenty to entertain.

Experience the wild beauty as well as the harshness of life on the unforgiving English Moor in Eden’s story you are sure to get lost in for a while.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Evangeline has lost everything. Her family is gone and the only person she has left is her sister Lucy but Aunt Barton has other plans for the girls. Evangeline is sent to be a teacher in a small, impoverish town and her sister is sent to live with her grandfather. The only way Evangeline can get Lucy back is to prove to her grandfather that she is worthy enough for her inheritance. Along the way she meets the families of the town and is starting to see thing about her Aunt and Uncle that the town is seeing but she is also quite fond of her neighbor Mr. McCormick.
*I am loving Evangeline and really hoping that she is able to prove herself and get lucy back
*I HATE with all the passion of a million flames, Aunt Barton. I really hope she gets told off and pushed from her pedestal.
*Mr. McCormick is a big harsh and rough around the edges but I can see he has a soft spot for Evangeline and I can’t wait until they come together.
*They have great banter, some very funny comments.
Overall great book with a great romance and story.

Sarah M. Eden tells a lovely story-- reminiscent of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South-- in Ashes on the Moor. With fascinating descriptions of life in a factory town, and the unique struggles and accents found there, Eden's latest is full of historical detail. Evangeline's complicated family relationships, struggles to reach her students, and compassion for Smeatley's inhabitants were believable and beautifully told. Dermot, similarly, is an complex and compelling male lead. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and its characters, the finale seems a bit forced. Despite pages and pages of struggle and complication, somehow everyone magically gets everything they want within the last chapter. A more believable ending would have been infinitely more satisfying.

First sentence: Through a thick fog of grief, Evangeline Blake suffered the blow of each clang of the distant funeral bells.

Premise/plot: When the novel opens, Evangeline Blake, our heroine, has lost everything--almost. She has lost a father, a mother, and two brothers. Lucy, her younger sister, is her sole immediate family. That day Evangeline makes a promise that they'll be together--stay together--no matter what. But within a day or two, at most, that promise proves empty. Lucy, so she's told, is to live with her grandfather. Evangeline, however, is to become a teacher in a mill town. It is what is best for everyone. Oh, and Evangeline is not to tell anyone about how she's related to them or her grandfather.

Evangeline finds herself in a desperate situation for sure. She's young, unskilled and untrained in teaching, same goes in housekeeping and cooking. She's HUNGRY and cold. She finds herself in need of so much, and she finds so much of what she needs in her neighbor, Dermot McCormick. He's relatively new to town; he's Irish; he's a single father raising an autistic son; he's compassionate. Did I mention this is set in Yorkshire in Victorian times?!

My thoughts: I loved this one. I LOVED IT from the first page to the last. It was a satisfying historical romance. I loved the teaching aspect of it. How she is changed just as much by her students as they are changed by her. I loved the focus on the Yorkshire language, and how she tried to write down stories for them in their own language so that they could learn to read in a natural environment. I loved how she is transformed by her new home, new surroundings, new situations. In some ways, this one reminds me of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South.

I couldn't wait for Sarah Eden's new book, Ashes on the Moor, to come out. I am a huge fan of hers and I can't think of a book she's written that I didn't like. This one was no exception!

In Ashes on the Moor, we meet Evangeline Blake who has just lost her family. With only her sister left, she clings to her as they face an uncertain future with an aunt and uncle. But a cruel twist of fate separates them and throws Evangeline into circumstances that she's unprepared for. Forced to be the town's new schoolteacher and live in a humble home in need of a lot of care, Evangeline is lost and overwhelmed. The only person who shows her a bit of kindness is an Irishman named Dermot McCormick. He's also trying to figure out his place in the world since his heritage is looked down upon no matter what he does. But as Dermot and Evangeline build a friendship, stronger feelings flare and they must decide if love is worth fighting for.

I loved this book. It's not a light romance, but a look back in time when a woman had few choices and your birth and heritage could prevent you from having life's basic necessities. Ms. Eden has obviously done an incredible amount of research as the town of Smeatley with its Yorkshire residents comes to life, fairly jumping off the page. So many language, dress, and food details add to the amazing setting, giving the characters even more depth. Our heroine, Evangeline, will draw on all a reader's emotions as she deals with so many losses and has to keep picking herself up over and over. I wanted her to not only get her happily-ever-after, but to stand up and make a few people accountable for what they'd done! Dermot is also a character that will stay with you after the book is finished. He's suffered and risen above it, and all the while built a foundation of love and care for others, instead of bitterness as to his lot in life. He was the perfect match for Evangeline and their romance was a sweet, slow burn, that will give you all the feels. Definitely another one for my keeper shelf!

I think the best thing about Sarah Eden's books is that they aren't just stories, they are an experience. She pulls you into another time and place and takes you on an adventure that you won't soon forget!

This book is evidence of just why I love this author's writing! Even though the tone in the beginning is despondent as Evangeline mourns her family and struggles with her new circumstances, it shows how much she grows and how time slowly heals. She does not seem particularly strong or skilled, but her compassion and newfound grit serve her well as she continues to make the best out of what she's been given. Dermot surliness brings out her sassy side and I loved seeing their relationship develop from neighbors to unlikely friends to sweethearts. Each person in the wide cast of characters from the community are vibrant and easy to picture, and I especially enjoyed the Yorkshire way of speaking and their interesting phrases and names for things. The setting was very much a big part of the book and it felt a bit like one of my favorite movies, North and South. I liked that it was set in a smaller town though, which gave it a more cozy feel and less industrial. I have a soft spot for stories with teachers that care so much for their students, and Evangeline's determination to do the best for her students, despite her lack of training, is admirable and endearing. I was completely immersed from the get go and was happy that the initial mood of desperation slowly gave way to hope as Evangeline lifts herself with the help of Dermot and discovers her own fierce nature and strength.

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

Petersmarch, Cambridgeshire - 1871

Evangeline Blake, age 20, is grieving the loss of her parents and her two brothers. She and her 12-year-old sister, Lucy, are the survivors of the fever that claimed their family’s lives. Now, forced from their home by their Aunt and Uncle Barton with nothing but their personal items, they are placed on a train to Smeatley. There, Evangeline is to be the town’s schoolteacher and will reside at the school. Their aunt tells Evangeline that Lucy is to reside with their aunt and uncle at Hillside House, however, they soon send her off to a school. Their grandfather, Mr. Farr, owns the local mill but does not want it known that Evangeline and Lucy are his granddaughters. Evangeline is told that if he feels that she has worked hard, then he will decide if she can access her inheritance.

Dermot McCormick is a skilled brick mason and has helped build the new mill. Currently, he is building housing for the mill workers. He has been tasked by Aunt Barton to see that Evangeline is settled into the school. When they first meet, they clash but he feels bad leaving her in the dirty, sparse, and long unused school building. She has no food, blankets, or even a bed. Dermot lives with his son, Ronan, age 8, a few doors down from the school and he is anxious for the boy to learn to read.

Evangeline asks Dermot for his help in teaching her how to cook and they strike up a friendship. When the school opens, Evangeline is pleased with the children who come to learn. Teaching them their letters and the sounds becomes a difficult task due to their local accent. However, with the help of one of the students, Evangeline perseveres. Soon, she becomes enmeshed in the lives of the families in town and realizes she could never leave them. Her aunt is a bitter woman who wants to see Evangeline fail. Can she keep up the school to the satisfaction of the school board, her aunt and uncle, and her grandfather?

This is a great story that shows the suffering of the mill workers and the harsh conditions under which they work. I was very impressed with the way the author included “translations” of the Yorkshire accent of the local people and wrote the dialogue using the accents. I am sure this was a very difficult task, but in doing so, she made the story even more real.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

Ashes on the Moor is a standalone novel by Sarah M. Eden.

Evangeline loses her mother, father and two of her siblings to disease, leaving just her and her youngest sister, Lucy, living. They had lived a comfortable life in a beautiful home, but being females their home goes to a distant relative and the girls have to go to their aunt and uncle’s home. It was painful enough to be uprooted from their home during their grief, but what their aunt has in mind for them will either make or break them.

Lucy is sent to her grandfather’s and then onto a school for young ladies, and Evangeline is told that she is to be the town teacher. She has no training to be a teacher, and has no money of her own and is thrown into the job. The school and her living quarters are practically derelict, with no supplies at all, not even a sweeping brush. Her rich aunt and uncle don’t even want her to tell the towns’ people that she is related to them, and she is, for the first time in her life, without family, without friends and without money.

Dermot is an Irish brick-layer living in the town with his son Ronan. He pretty much keeps himself to his self because the English don’t like the Irish. He is tasked with taking Evangeline to the school. First impressions between them aren’t very good. He is sullen, and she is grieving and he thinks she looks down on him.

What follows is watching how those first impressions change. Dermot becomes her lifeline, a much-needed one while she battles all the changes in her life. She has to teach children who speak with a Yorkshire Dialect that she can’t even understand, she has to live with little money, and most of all she has to live with her grief and being separated from her sister. Her main goal is to earn her grandfather’s respect and prove that she is capable of having her sister live with her. Along the way, she learns about herself, forms firm friendships, and sees life a totally different way.

This book was beautiful to read, it made me run the gamut of emotions…not least anger at the way that Evangeline was treated by her aunt, sadness at tragedies that some of the villagers go through, enjoyment at some of the things the children got up to, especially how cute they were when trying to get Evangeline to understand them, and absolute delight when Dermot and Evangeline got closer. This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be and I loved every minute of it.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.

I was so excited to get to read this new book by Sarah M. Eden. Firstly, I love the cover--it's gorgeous.

Evangeline and her 12 yr. old sister, Lucy, lost their parents and their brothers to a sudden illness. Right after the funeral they must leave the only home they've known to go to Yorkshire and are separated--Evangeline is to live in the small factory town of Smeatley as a schoolteacher and Lucy is sent to live with the grandfather they hardly know in Leeds. In order for Evangeline to have Lucy live with her she has to prove that she can keep a household (cleaning, cooking, manage money, etc) although she wasn't trained to do that as her family was quite well off. She also knows nothing of how to teach children.

The nearest neighbor to her is Dermot McCormick, an Irish brick mason who isn't quite accepted by all of the towns people. They have a rocky start but come to an arrangement of extra schooling for his son Ronan in exchange for cooking lessons for Evangeline. Their friendship grows slowly as they spend more time together. Evangeline is slowly accepted by the children she teaches and their parents until her relationship with her grandfather (Mr. Farr) and her Uncle and Aunt Barton comes to light. Then she has to decide if she wants to stay in Smeatley with Dermot and Ronan, or leave to live with Lucy and her grandfather in Leeds.

There are a lot of depressing scenes in the story because of the time period in which it's set--factory workers and those who lived off the land didn't have an easy life in the 1870's. They didn't have the safety precautions in the factories we have now, and illness or bad weather could wipe out a herd/flock or crop. But there are also instances of friendship and caring between neighbors as they helped each other in times of need or distress.

There were so many times I wanted to slap Aunt Barton and yell at her husband to do something instead of letting her trod all over him and have her way. The woman was miserable and made everyone around her miserable too, and I was so happy when he finally told her enough is enough. I can't imagine treating your sisters children the way Aunt Barton treated Evangeline and Lucy.

I felt so many things for Evangeline as she was left to drag/carry her trunk up to the schoolhouse by herself, find it in deplorable condition and attempt to get it ready for the children in just a few days time. She wasn't given the proper tools for cleaning and didn't even have a bed to sleep on. Luckily she had Dermot for a neighbor, who despite his prickliness, turned out to be a great blessing to her. Teaching her how to cook, and basically being the only friend she had for awhile.

I loved the scenes in the book with the children showing what they had learned even though Evangeline didn't teach them the way the school board supervisor said she should. She did what was best for her students to help them learn so they wouldn't have to work in the factory. I was relieved to find out why Aunt Barton was such a miserable woman--I wasn't satisfied with the answer but at least the author didn't leave me hanging wondering why she was so wretched a human being.

This is definitely a clean romance. Thanks to NetGalley for my eARC and the chance to review this book. All thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.

I adore Sarah M Eden. She writes it, I read it. And most of the time I love it. This book was a little bit difficult for me to love.

Evangeline has just lost her whole family except for her younger sister Lucy. After being picked up by Aunt Barton and taken away from all that they know, Evangeline is told that she is to be the teacher for the village and is sent off to do it, with no training or supplies. Determined to keep Lucy with her, Evangeline is devastated to learn that Lucy has been sent off to boarding school. As she struggles to prove herself to her grandfather and aunt, Evangeline ends up turning to her grumpy Irish neighbor for help. Dermot is a brick mason who is working on projects provided by the Bartons. His young son Ronan, who is autistic, follows him everywhere. The last thing Dermont needs is a fancy lady, who cannot do anything her self, coming to him for help. Together they might make a difference for the town and themselves.

I had a hard time connecting to Evangeline. Usually I am drawn right into the heroine, but I never cared about whether Evangeline was going to make it until more than halfway through the book. The saving grace for me was that I was curious about Ronan and I enjoyed Dermont's grumpiness. When Evangeline's Grandfather showed up then I became a bit more invested.

This book was like all the sad parts of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden and A Little Princess with non of the happy parts, plus a sprinkling of North and South. I think that if there had been sometime spent with Evangeline and Lucy at the beginning when they were happy or something I might have connected more.

Evangeline Blake & her sister Lucy have just buried their parents & two brothers. They are to leave their home that same day to travel to Yorkshire to live. Evangeline is sent o the mill town of Smeatley in West Yorkshire to become a schoolteacher. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent & dialect. Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather Mr Farr the mill owner will release her substantial inheritance to her and allow her to be reunited with twelve year old Lucy who has been sent away to school.
Evangeline is forced to keep her relationship to Her grandfather & her Aunt & Uncle, Mr & Mrs Barton a secret if she wishes to retain her job. Totally alone with no money, no food, no idea how to cook or teach she turns to the one person in town who has shown her kindness, an Irish brick mason, Dermot McCormick, and his son, Ronan. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot become friends, due in part to her ability to connect with Ronan, whose behaviour requires special attention.
An extremely well research book that made me feel very nostalgic as I was born & bred in Bradford & in my childhood there were still plenty of mills & close to where I lived there were back to back houses that had been built in the 1870s. I did have to laugh out loud at Evangeline’s inability to understand some of the Yorkshire phrases, which I grew up with. The book started out on a sombre note & I really felt for how the Blake sisters were so badly treated by their remaining relatives & I was routing for Evangeline to succeed. The characters were very well portrayed & were very well fleshed. A gritty novel that caught my interest & I became engrossed in it & found myself reading well into the night until I’d finished it. The author is fast becoming one of my must read authors

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

When one of my favorite authors of all time comes out with a book, I'm reading it ASAP! Or so I thought, but weirdly the cover kind of put me off, and I forgot for awhile that it was by Sarah Eden...but when I remembered, it went to the top of my reading list. I wasn't disappointed, surprised a bit that it was so different from her other books, but still a worthwhile read. I found myself angry again and again at family members that turned their backs on the main characters in their times of greatest need, then in turn amazed at how they rose to the occasion better than I expected and blessed the lives of many others around themselves in the process. This was a story of human tenacity and hope. I LOVED the story of Ronan, including how prepared Evangeline was to be an influence in his life. Her grandfather was a surprise. I loved this sweet story with lots of growth for the main characters and blessing the lives of others along the way! That's what makes life worth living after all!

#AshesOnTheMoor #NetGalley