I received a complimentary copy of this book.Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The setting of the book is in the mining towns of Cornwall.Book is wonderfully solid in details of mining at that time.Lends a lot of depth to this intriguing story.There a lot of little mysterious details that keep adding on until the end of the story.The romance between Julia and Isaac grew in spurts but had you in their corner right from the beginning and almost hating her aunt for pushing her towards his brother Matthew. Clean,sweet Regency Romance

This was an excellent book with lots of things going on at once. I really liked how pieces were almost tangible, but you couldn't see the puzzle until it was at the very end. While the ending was beautiful, I wish Ladd had spent a little more time on tying up some loose ends. It was a good ending, but could have been tied up a little more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

The mystery was enough to keep me turning pages. With each chapter, something odd happened that heightened the suspense.

The characters weren’t my favorite, although I thought Isaac Blake made a wonderful hero. Julia came off as a bit wishy-washy. I could understand her desire not to repeat past mistakes, but her interactions with Matthew seemed to negate all her misgivings about Isaac. So I spent most of the book frustrated with Julia.

However, the book was well-written and made up for my annoyance with the heroine. Between the tensions among the miners and the strange happenings at Lanwyn Manor, I found myself turning page after page. And I appreciated that the chapters were pretty short. It helped me feel a certain amount of control over when I went to sleep. Although that was a lie because I kept reading well past the time I should’ve closed the book.

A perfect read for Regency fans, The Thief of Lanwyn Manor is a book you don’t want to miss.

Another winner in the Cornwall series! My attention was captured from the beginning and never wavered. It kept me up late reading as the plot became more intense. A perfect blend of Regency era and Gothic elements, with a creepy old house, mysterious servants, sinister characters, a bit of romance and a mystery. Book two continues the story of one of the characters from Penwythe Hall, Julia, but easily reads as a stand alone.

"Ghosts and gossips, secret letters and hidden motives--all seemed to be as much a part of Lanwyn Manor as the tapestries..."
Interesting characters abound in the story set in 1818 Cornwall, where mining is the mainstay of the community. Fans of Poldark will identify with the troubles associated with a fluctuating industry, one that brings danger with it. The author has done her research and it shows. Descriptive narrative, just enough to create a picture, sets the stage for the drama and action. Contrasts between good and evil become more clear as the story progresses, and motives are revealed. People making choices to serve themselves vs. acting out of compassion and helping others determines their outcome later, with a few twists.
Learning to trust people after being hurt is a universal theme, plus reaching out to take risks. A few mentions of attending church, praying for someone and encouragement from home, are the wisps of faith elements here. Nothing preachy or long. The romance is complicated and tender. Not the focus of the story, but it adds a bit of emotional tension along the way.
Recommend to readers who like a good Regency era story with some mystery and a clean romance.

Sarah Ladd writes intriguing and suspenseful historical novels and The Thief of Lanwyn Manor is no exception.

While the book is the second in the Cornwall series it stands entirely on its own.

I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. While the first book in the series focused in on smuggling, this tale turned its focus to the mines and the livelihood of mining towns in Cornwall, which I could really envision after watching Poldark.

The suspense and mystery of Lanwyn Manor, the eerie atmosphere surrounding the house, the vivid character development, the fears, challenges and growth points all made this novel one that I stayed up entirely too late reading.

This is definitely one of my favorite of Sarah Ladd’s stories and I would recommend it.

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sarah Ladd's 'the Thief of Lanwyn Manor' was engaging in a gothic, filled with angst sort of way. There was consistent tension throughout the story with absolutely no lightness or humor. However, with a setting like Cornwall and hidden treasures and threatening gestures I probably couldn't expect anything different. It was well written and conveyed the atmosphere expertly. I had no idea how it would turn out and was pleasantly surprised by that fact. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is the 2nd book in the Cornwall series. I always love it when we get glimpses of the characters we have come to love in prior books.
Sarah Ladd has given us a beautiful tale woven not only with romance but mystery. Great plot, interesting characters, and an overall enjoyable tale.

One of the best aspects of Sarah E. Ladd's books are wonderful, engrossing characters with s strong sense of knowing what's right and what's not. This is absolutely the case here with both Isaac and Julia. The plots in her books are always well thought out and this one was no different. The only thing is that it took me a little longer to get into this one. I enjoyed yhe prologue part but then my interest waned for a few chapters toward the middle but the ending was tied up nicely. Definitely a must read if you love Sarah E. Ladd's books.

I read this book in two days...but something kept me from being fully submerged into the tale.

Unfamiliar words- I would have liked to have understood more words from the time period without having to look them up. This pulled me from the novel on several occasions. For this I have to lower my score.

If I hadn't had to pull away to define terms I was unfamiliar with, it would have been four stars. The book had a good strong start, but around the middle it got bogged down for me. It seemed like reading in a tube.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

This was such an endearing novel. The characters were so relatable. The story felt as if it was telling multiple stories at the same time. Most of the stories reached a conclusion but some weren't which was a little disappointing. Definitely love the authors work and would read again. So grateful to read an advance copy from Netgalley

I enjoyed the mystery and suspense in "The Thief of Lanwyn Manor." This book is considered a romance, and yet it is fun to read a romance that has more to it than just "boy meets girl and they fall in love."

Julia has a history she is running from - I thought the author may have made more of this than really needed to be made. Julia was likeable, although there were a few times the author provided us information about her personality that did not quite seem to fit the character she was portrayed as. (For example, being brave or adventurous when I hadn't really seen that characteristic before it was told to me.) This was a bit jarring, but it didn't detract too much from the story.

Isaac was a great hero, and you really cheered him on. The prologue made me think there would be more to his story than met the eye...it took me until the end of the book to see it all kind of tie together. But I suppose that was one of the reasons I kept reading!

While it was a bit predictable, I kept reading to find out more. I do think there were a few red herrings thrown into the story, where I was sure the story would follow a different path than it did. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable read.

This is a standalone book. References are made periodically to Julia's aunt and uncle who are the protagonists in the first book of this series, but you do not need to read that story to follow this one.

This is the second in Ladd’s ‘Cornwall Novels’, but entirely standalone as a read. Even with connections to Penwythe Hall, the reader can read confidently without ruining any plot line.

I love this era and the location, and legends provide for the perfect backdrop to this story. The mystery was an interesting element, and the developing relationship between Isaac and Julia was well paced and tender. So well matched, I enjoyed the way they first meet right through to the ending.

Well thought out and executed this story was enjoyable and enlightening. The inclusion of the entire community and the livelihoods of the local miners was an important factor in making this story interesting and genuine.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Julia goes to Lanwyn Manor to be with her cousin Jane through the remaining months of Jane's difficult pregnancy. It also gives Julia the chance to escape the gossip at home, as everyone seems to know that her heart was broken when a man she considered a suitor announced his engagement to someone else. Arriving at Lanwyn Manor, Julia finds that all in not well--her uncle has shut down the mine that he owns, putting many men out of work and causing unrest in the town, while her aunt hates being away from London and also seems determined to marry Julia off to local mine owner Matthew Blake. While Matthew does seem charming, Julia can't help but be drawn to his twin brother, Isaac, even though her aunt deems Isaac, as a second son, totally unsuitable. As Isaac tries to help the people in his town and Julia tries to find her place, they both come to realize that something dangerous is happening and must figure out who is behind it.

First off, I just have to say I love the dress on this cover so much. Just beautiful! As for the book itself, I loved the fact that Julia is a strong character who says what she thinks, not a shy, demure character. That made for some good interactions with both of the Blake brothers, as she did say what she really meant. Isaac was a great leading man; he was just a really good guy, trying to help those around him and do his best. I also really liked seeing more about the mining industry; while there wasn't an overabundance of details, there were enough things woven into the story to really bring to life the impact on the townspeople, which I found really interesting. For those looking for a good historical fiction novel with both romance and mystery, this is a great choice.

4 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Cornwall, secret passageways, mysterious notes, and missing valuables; throw in a lady in the wrong place at the wrong time and a set of twins, both trying to woo her heart, but for very different reasons, and you have the perfect making a new regency novel by Sarah E. Ladd. There’s nothing I did not love about this newest installment in the Cornwall series, although it truly can be read as a standalone.
When Julia’s cousin invites her to wait out her laying in period with her, Julia jumps at the chance to travel to Lanwyn Manor and hopefully mend her broken heart. While Julia dearly loves her cousin, nothing about the trip is going as she expected. Julia learns that it is precisely in those unexpected moments, coupled with her willingness to let her guard down, that she may find her future happiness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another really fast book! All around perfect, part romance, part mystery! I enjoyed the story! Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy

Sarah E. Ladd is one of my favorite authors and this book was another great story that she has written. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor is book number two in The Cornwall Novels series by Sarah E. Ladd. Having read and loved the first book in this series- The Governess of Penwythe Hall, I could not wait to read this next one. If you have not yet read the first one, I would still highly recommend it as it truly was a great read, but if you haven't this reads very well as a standalone too. You will see some familiar characters, but the story itself is completely unrelated so you will not feel as though you are missing something by not reading the first.

The action in The Thief of Lanwyn Manor starts right at the beginning, drawing me in immediately. That being said, I did find that it slowed down considerable for a good middle chunk of the book- for me anyway. As such, it took me a little longer to really get back into the story after that. About halfway through the mystery really picked up and at that point I found myself unable to put it down until I reached the end.

This book is full of twists and turns--- some that I saw coming and some that took me by surprise in the best way possible. I loved this idea of curses, hidden passageways, treasures, etc. I've always loved that type of story- even as a young girl so it really drew me in in that way too. Though I would normally say that I love the mysteries in these type of stories more than anything (and this WAS a good one there too), for me the love story in this one really stuck out! I loved watching the relationship between Julia and Isaac--- their chemistry was really great, and really had me rooting for them to end up together. I could have read even more about these two long after the mystery was solved.

Whether you love a good mystery or just a sweet, clean romance, The Thief of Lanwyn Manor is definitely one to check out! While I must admit I enjoyed the first book more, I still loved this one too! I cannot wait to read more from the author!


**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Historical fiction is usually not my thing, but I found myself sucked into this one. All of the characters were fleshed out and compelling. The romance felt deserved. The drama wasn't over the top. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, which was so far out of my comfort zone.

I loved The Thief of Lanwyn Manor. Clean Regency romance novels are among my favorite genres. Furthermore, I adore the setting of the novels in this series. As I've said in the past, I'm fascinated by Cornwall...well, I'm fascinated by England in general, but who among us Regency romance lovers isn't? Though I've never ridden a horse in my life, if I were living in this time period I'm sure I would be riding my horse while letting the wind blow through my hair (well, the strands that have escaped from my appropriate updo). And if I were Julia, I'd be wanting to come across a certain gentleman on my rides.

Julia has come to Lanwyn Manor to mend her broken heart. The man she thought she would marry turned out to be a scoundrel, so she's come to keep her pregnant, bed-ridden cousin company. She's shocked at her cousin's condition, and I would have been too! I wanted to scream at the doctor for thinking "bleeding" her would help her morning sickness. Well, her morning sickness was the type that lasted all day for 9 months. My own cousin went through that with her second pregnancy. If her doctor had recommended bed rest and bleeding...he would have had another thing coming! But, ah, the days of the uninformed medical practitioners....

Throughout the book, we're introduced to the Blake brothers...twins. Julia's aunt finds every way possible to bring Julia and Matthew (the eldest by minutes) together. Since Matthew owns his family's manor and mine, of course he's the better match. But it's Isaac who has compassion and a strong moral code. So, it's Isaac you'll all be rooting for as you read The Thief of Lanwyn Manor.

Two supporting characters really endeared themselves to me as I read this novel: Miss Trebell and Miss Prynne. I won't spoil anything about their characters, but I really felt like they added much to the story. Furthermore, all of the characters in this novel are very well-written and add much to the story.

The plot itself is filled with so much: romance, action, adventure, sadness, worry, betrayal... In the end, you will be surprised at how things turn out. Not everyone is as they seem.

I highly recommend this second book in The Cornwall Novels, The Thief of Lanwyn Manor. You are going to love it!

THE THIEF OF LANWYN MANOR by SARAH E. LADD is a delightful historical romance novel which takes place in Cornwall in the early 1800's. With intrigue, rumours of ghosts, secret passages and hideaways, and much more, we are drawn into this story with its interesting cast of characters, and really come to feel what life was like in copper mining areas in England. I will go as far as to say that this book brings to mind Jane Austen's classics.
When Julia Twethewey goes to stay with her uncle William Lambourne at Lanwyn Manor, she lands right in the middle of unrest amongst the miners, largely due to her uncle's closing his mine and refusing to reopen it. The sharp contrast between the "haves" and "have nots" is well brought out, and
Julia's overbearing Aunt Beatrice makes it plain that she feels her family is lowering its standards by living in Goldweth. She has very set ideas and desperately wants to go back to London.She is also a matchmaker of note. Although she runs her household with a rod of iron, she is a rather fearful character and prone to the vapours.
Matthew and Isaac Blake run their late father's mine. They are twins, and although they .look nearly identical, they are not at all alike. They each play an important role in the story and we wonder which one of them will win the beautiful Julia's heart
I am not going tell you any more as I do not want to spoil the read for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.