It took me a bit to connect with the characters, but then I got caught up in their lives and the drama in the village as weavers and mill owners are pitted against one another. The interwoven threads of this novel seem tangled beyond recovery. Can those involved make a difference for the betterment of all and not only themselves? I grieved to see how young children were forced to work long hours in poor conditions. This story felt “real” and is filled with life and surprising turns and challenges. Yet, somehow, a sense of hope prevails. Will it come to fruition or be destroyed? Relationships and prejudices, love and loyalty are all challenged. I received a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely love this author and I always enjoy seeing a new book is out. I hope this is the start of a new series! Kate and Henry were great characters who grew as people throughout the book which was lovely to read. The setting was great compared to a lot of regencies because it wasn't focused on the upper crust, it was set in a mill town. Worth the read!

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

I stayed up until 2 a.m. reading this because it was that good. Tension between the patriarchs of two feuding families kept the plot simmering. Thankfully the younger generation in each was willing to look beyond “that’s the way it’s always been” to see what was happening to the people due to the consequences of the choices the elders wouldn’t confront.

The story vacillated between Kate Dearborn, Henry Stockton, and Frederica Pennington. While the third point of view was helpful in understanding Frederica’s motives, it sometimes felt like it was only included to set up a coming sequel. Her view was valid and I appreciated the perspective to understand her better, but I hustled through her chapters to get back to the main plot.

Romance wasn’t the only driving force behind the story, the cause of the mill owners and the weavers was interesting as well. Both sides were fairly presented and I had a hard time deciding who was to benefit from progress. Change is never easy, no matter what time period you live in or how strong in character your beloved may be. It is a sweetly woven story of many individual threads, each making the whole stronger.

Sarah's newest book "The Weaver's Daughter" came out May 26, 2018, it follows Kate as she decides what true family loyalty is. In a town where the industrial revolution is changing the fabric industry, tensions are high. When Henry Stockton comes home from war alive to the family and town that already mourned him, he doesn't know who to trust. Kate Dearborne has been told to stay away from the wealthy Stockton's all her life, but Henry Stockton seems to be willing to make the changes needed.

Book Talk 7/6/18
Traci Kenworth

The Weaver’s Daughter by Sarah E. Ladd. Thomas Nelson. Apr. 10, 2018. Netgalley.

Amazon’s blurb: Kate's loyalties bind her to the past. Henry's loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder --including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father's pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war hoping to find a refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather's goals to modernize his family's wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort out the truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family's livelihood and legacy.Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry's side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village's future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls - even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

My review: I liked it. Kate and Henry are the children of weaver’s. For Kate, who longs to be more of a part of her father’s business but is denied for being a woman. Instead, her father is hinting at her marrying John, another weaver, who will take over the business as Kate’s brother works for the Stocktons. Henry Stockton, returning from war, finds things much different than he remembered. He’s intrigued by Kate but being pressured to marry another by his grandfather. As weaver wars result in his grandfather’s death, Henry is not sure who to trust or how to make a go of things on his own. Can the two make it past the mounting barriers into a relationship based on trust?

Sarah Ladd's books never disappoint. The Weaver's Daughter is no exception. She has created an entire village of people who must choose which side they are loyal too. Kate and Henry are on opposite sides. Kate's family are entrenched in the past while Henry's family is for progress. The plot is strong and engaging. I loved the interaction between Kate and Henry. Ms. Ladd manages to keep the story moving until the satisfying end.

I was given this book by NetGalley.com. All thoughts are my own.

This is Henry & Kate's love story. But it's also a story set in British history at the Beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

A small community has many individual Weaver's still trying to make their living. And you have a successful local Weaving Mill taking increasingly more of their business away. This conflict is the book's setting. Kate is the daughter of an independent Weaver, & Henry just inherited the Weaving Mill. They live next to each other, but have been warned by their families to stay away from each other.

What happens? Can they find there way to a humane solution for the people in the community? Do Kate & Henry get their HEA? Read this Wonderful, clean, Historical Romantic Suspense story to find out. I was able to read this excellent book thanks to NetGalley.

Another wonderful historical story by Sarah E. Ladd! I thought that the characters were well written and I loved getting to know them.

Reading this book was like traveling back in time. I thought I would never come up to blink from this book then sadly it ended. I want more, and will be mourning the end of a great book.

This is great story that opened my eyes to a trade I knew little about. The author does an exceptional job of giving readers historical facts that make the story come to life. Kate is a wonderful character who has dreams of becoming a part of her father's business. I loved how she tried to convince her father that she should be more involved in the company.

Henry is a pleasant enough person but he sure shocks everyone when he returns home after being feared dead. There is definitely friction between Kate and Henry's family. You can feel the tension in the air when they encounter each other. I thought it was funny that Kate and Henry kept running into each other. Is romance in their future?

Technology seems to be playing a part in the industry new machines being introduced. Will this cause weaver's to lose their jobs? Can Kate and Henry find a way to work together to save their families businesses? I liked how Henry stood up to his grandfather. His loyalty to his sister is admirable and I wanted the author to spend a bit more time on where she was and why she is being shunned by her grandfather.

The story is filled with danger, loyalty, fear, suspense and a romance that makes the story a success. Overall a great book that keeps readers intrigued by the smooth writing of a very gifted author. I can't wait for her next book to come out.

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion.

This is a wonderful regency novel. Kate’s character shows us what it’s like to be strong, to follow her heart, and to hold loyalty to her family. And yet, sometimes there is a fine line in being loyal to your family, and being loyal to the path that God has planned for you. We see Kate struggle with that throughout the story, and I could easily see myself in her shoes. Seeing Kate mature and grow in this story was a joy. Seeing her and Henry together was even better. It was almost like Romeo and Juliet – two lovers (thought they did not want to admit it) from warring families.

Henry was my favorite character by far. The thing about Henry was that he was not going to let tradition or family stand in his way of doing things the way he wanted them done. He wasn’t afraid to step on toes if he believed he was doing things for the right reason. Henry had a lot to prove. After all, the village pretty much hated his family from what his grandfather had done to business over the years. Unfortunately people are usually and automatically judged by their family. Henry had an automatic target on his back, for something he had no control over. He chose to walk with his head held high, and I just found him to be so heroic because of that. Now, at times I felt like I wanted to smack him, but isn’t that the truth with all characters?

Overall, Sarah Ladd has created a story that will hold your attention, surprise you at times (especially near the end!), and leave a smile on your face. The faith themes are woven throughout the pages in a way that will speak to your heart, and it will remind you of the importance of truly getting to know a person rather than judging them. This book was a joy to read, as all of Sarah Ladd’s books are. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It took some time to get into this book. Not that the characters were boring or that I did not like them, but the story was simply slower paced than other of Sarah’s books that I have read.

Changes and conflicts are central in this story. It was interesting to see how the author created both story worlds – that of the weavers and that of the mill owners. There is a lot of tension between these two. New machines have been invented and times are changing for the people of Amberdale. Mill owners want to strive forward, but the weaver’s want things to stay the same.
The weaver’s daughter, Kate, has a good heart and wants to do what is right. But is what her father and the other weavers believe really the right thing? Or are the mill owners right? The mill owner’s grandson, Henry, has just returned from war and is thrown into the middle of the conflict. Kate captures his eye, but a relationship between the mill owner’s grandson and the weaver’s daughter is impossible, or is it?

An enjoyable story and beautiful writing!

3.5 RATING

Overall, I fairly enjoyed this novel but there were things that felt unnecessary to the plot. I'm going to break up my opinion into sections.

PLOT
I feel that certain characters and events took away from the main plot. The subplot with John was something that has been done before and was not truly resolved and the murder of Mr. Stockton took away from the exploration of Henry's PTSD, which I would have rather read about. I think that there were little things throughout the novel that took away the tension that I was looking for between Kate and Henry. At the end, I still wanted them to end up together, but it was inevitable. I think if more time was spent with Kate and Henry and less on some secondary characters, that it would have been a stronger novel.

CHARACTERS
I liked the independence of Kate and she didn't feel forced for the time period of the novel. She faced a struggle which would have been common for a head-strong girl of the 19th century. I wanted more from Henry, more about his experience in the war and to see him and to have Kate see him in a more vulnerable state. Frederica could have been deleted from this novel and almost nothing would have changed, I don think think we needed her point of view, it cluttered up the narrative in my opinion. I think I wanted to slap Silas Dearborne several times while reading this novel, which I think works for the novel. He's headstrong and stubborn and I felt such frustration at his unwillingness to change.

MISC.
I think the word choice could have varied a bit. By the end, if I read the word belly one more time I was going to scream. (I also just don't care for that word so...)
I liked the time period, I wish more a novels would take this sort of stance on the Industrial Revolution. I think the Industrial Revolution was such a gray period of time (morally and literally, because of all the smoke) and I think The Weaver's Daughter captured that well.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I think the novel was well-written and well researched. I'd love to read more by Ladd in the future!

Kate Dearborne is a weaver in a time when cotton mills are on the rise. Weaving is a dying industry and the mills are taking the business away from the weavers. The weavers and millworkers hold an unspoken animosity towards each other, and Kate's father is one of the most bitter and angry weavers in town. He is unkind to Kate and has disowned his son Charles because he went to work for the Stocktons. When Henry Stockton's grandfather, the owner of Stockton Mill, is found murdered, Henry tries to find out who did it. In the process, Henry and Kate get to know each other better and begin to fall in love. When Kate's father and the weavers find out, the tension already building escalates into an all out war between the two sides. Can Henry and Kate bridge the gap and find happiness, or will the town be torn apart?
This book reminds me of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. The tension between the weavers and mill owners is similar to the tension between the mill workers and owners right before the workers go on strike in North and South, and the hatred, prejudice, and forbidden love are similar as well. I enjoyed this book, but at times it was also difficult to read because Kate's father was so cruel to his children and Henry. I was angered by his blatant disregard for people he disagreed with and his chauvinistic behavior to Kate. The writing was very well done. I found myself caring deeply about the characters and their difficulties, and at times I felt like I was actually there because the descriptions were so vivid. I was very happy with the way the story ended (especially because one character in particular seemed to regret what he had done and was trying to change). This really isn't a Regency novel. I would classify it more as an industrial age novel because of the heavy emphasis on mills and the changes they brought to the world as the technology developed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a more realistic and gritty side.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I enjoyed this book. I really like Kate as a main character. She had a lot of tough choices to make throughout the story, and I wasn't sure she was always going to make the choice that was best for herself. However, she is a strong woman and showed her strength time and again. Her father was a brute, and he annoyed me so much. I was glad Kate kept a relationship with her brother, and found security in it. Henry was also a great character, as he had to balance between living up to the expectations of others, and being his own man. There is a lot of conflict in this story, and some of it becomes tedious, as the reader can clearly see both sides, and see who is being ridiculous, but it takes the characters a long time to work through things. The pacing of the story was good, and I would read another book by this author.

Sarah Ladd weaves this romance with care and attention to detail, much like a weaver would an intricately patterned cloth, and the result is breathtakingly beautiful.

I have been a huge fan of Sarah E. Ladd since her debut novel, The Heiress of Winterwood. If I were not already well acquainted with the awesomeness of Sarah's story-telling, I would have been totally drawn in by the beautiful cover. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I'm afraid that I often do just that - especially with authors I have not read yet.
The Weaver's Daughter was reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, with a town plagued by segregation and judgment. Themes of forgiveness and accepting others and their imperfections run throughout the novel. I quickly fell in love with Henry and Kate and happily cheered their story along. I would definitely read this book again.


The Weaver's Daughter is currently available for purchase from your local or online book retailer.

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the free e-copy of The Weaver's Daughter to read in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

A beautiful novel that will hook you to the end even though we know full well what is going to happen. We are presented with a set of admirable characters which, if I should be honest, is quite unlike the era of their setting. Kate is fiercely independent and in no way be subdued by a marriage of convenience or the talks of being a lady. She wants to be taken seriously as any other weaver in the society. Needless to say, Henry is attracted to this caring, brave and generous woman and the duo make a handsome, happy couple.
The book has been put under the category of Christian fiction, but it focuses on the innate idea of Christianity rather than customs and prayers of the Christian religion. The story stresses the need to forgive and to be truthful and even gives insight into the heart of the major rival, Frederica Pennington. Like many other beautiful girls, she is trapped by the conventions of the society where the only means of escape is a profitable marriage.
Beginning lightly with Kate as a child, the story picks pace with the mystery of a murder at its core and concludes with a peaceful and satisfying ending. Thanks to the gripping narration, you won't be able to put it down without finishing.

Blog review link: https://finithajose.blogspot.in/2018/05/the-weavers-daughter-sarah-e-ladd.html

An intriguing look at a place in history that I know very little about -- early 1800s, England, and the battle between the weavers and the mill owners.
For lovers of historical fiction, this is a great read!
I found Kate an interesting character. Loyal, determined, and very likeable.
Henry was a mystery to me. He wasn't quite who I expected him to be.
There's even a bit of a mystery involved...
The story line moved a bit slower than I would've liked, but all in all, it was a good read.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I really liked this book. It dealt with family and crisis. Having to make choices is always hard, but having to deal with those that may break family ties is really hard. The main characters have to make those kinds of choices. I liked how the author portrayed the characters as they made choices and faced the consequences of doing so.

I was pleasantly surprised with The Weaver's Daughter. It's a perfect mix of slow burning romance, mystery and history. It involves Kate and Henry who grew up in dueling families. Henry is back from the war having been presumed dead. He is set to take over his grandfather's mill business. Kate's father is a clothier and against the progression of industry to streamline cloth making.

I did end up enjoying the story. The characters were interesting and well fleshed out. Henry has been changed by the war and I was glad the author didn't gloss over that. I think we tend to forget PTSD from war isn't a new thing and goes back centuries. I loved Kate's struggle with loyalty to her family and wanting to venture into the changing industry. I really loved how Henry and Kate's affections grew over time. I was rooting for Kate and Henry and loved going on their journey to each other. The book isn't bogged down in the romance though as there is some mystery. As an aside, I really don't like when people compare romances like this to Romeo and Juliet. There was nothing romantic or healthy about that story. I know I'm in the minority when I say that, but it's how I have always felt.

I didn't know much about the real life history of the conflict between the mills and the weavers. I did a little research after starting the book and I'm happy I did. It gave me more context for the story, I was a little confused in the beginning, but the brief history lesson cleared things up for me. This is a nice clean historical romance and I highly recommend giving it a try. -Kari