The Cloverton Charade, by Sarah E. Ladd, wraps up her The Houses of Yorkshire series. On the opening pages, you will see Olivia Brannon heading to Cloverton Hall to assist with evaluating their collection of jewelry and gems. Olivia’s dream of being valued for her professional reputation might finally be coming to fruition. She knows her life is definitely about to change. The only difficulty is that the owner of the collection insists that Olivia keep her work a secret!

Lucas Avery, the son of a rival antiquities seller, has also been invited to the country party being held at Cloverton Hall. The new owner wants his assistance with selling the family collection. Unfortunately, this means Lucas will be in direct competition with Olivia!

When Olivia is asked to spy on Lucas to discover what he is up to, she feels it is a step too far. Before you know it, Lucas has discovered that something shady is going on and he forms a team with Olivia to discover what exactly is going on at Cloverton Hall. You will be surprised to learn how many familiar faces are involved!

The Cloverton Charade is a mystery and romance set in the antiquities trade of England, 1810. Olivia Brannon is the daughter of an antiques dealer. She has grown up in the trade, and if she had not been a girl, she would have inherited her father's business when he died. Instead, the business went to his brother, and she has been pushed to the margins of a business she understands deeply. Unexpectedly, Olivia is hired to go to a house party at Cloverton house to assess the value of an antiques collection. While there, she and an old family competitor reengage.

I was frankly annoyed by a few too many overly active verb choices in this book, and felt like the action could have been moved along more smoothly, and less by fortuitous eavesdropping. Overall, though the novel was enjoyable, and an interesting glimpse into the porcelain trade of the early 1800's.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Intriguing Regency romance, clean and not too cheesy, mixed with a bit of mystery. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and learning more about antiquities.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

The Cloverton Charade
by Sarah E. Ladd
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction
Series: Houses of Yorkshire
Rated: 4-5
Obtain: Borrow or buy
Back of the Book: “A long-held family feud reignites when two rival antiquities brokers arrive at the same house party in Regency England.
Olivia Brannon knows her goals are unconventional. As a young woman in Regency England, her best bet—according to society—is to marry well and secure a steady future for herself. But Olivia has never been interested in convention. She’d prefer to follow in her deceased father’s footsteps and journey to foreign lands in search of rare and valuable antiquities.
Eager to make a name for herself in the antiquities world, Olivia jumps at an invitation to join a wealthy widow at the famed Cloverton Hall to evaluate her private antiquities collection. Secrecy of the task is vital, and in order to conceal her efforts Olivia must pretend to be a house party guest to avoid suspicion and to explain her presence.
Lucas Avery, whose father was a rival of Olivia’s father, has also arrived at the Cloverton Hall house party, hired by the new master of Cloverton Hall—the widow’s nephew—to appraise the renowned Cloverton Hall collection. When Lucas discovers Olivia masquerading as a party guest while covertly conducting her own assessment, he’s keen to renew the family rivalry. But as their paths frequently cross, he’s unprepared for the effect the refreshingly honest—and beautiful—Olivia has on him.
Yet all is not as it seems. Both Olivia and Lucas are shocked by the astonishing discovery of counterfeit pieces, and when the unexpected occurs, everyone is a suspect . . . and Olivia and Lucas both must choose whom they will trust. Only the hidden treasure will allow Louisa and her sister to gain their freedom.”
Impressions: This was a well written and easy to read novel. I found the plot to be interesting and believable. The characters development was engaging, and I look forward to future books in this series.

Quotes: “…in her current state she was predisposed to find fault in any suggestion.” – I liked the self awareness of Olivia in this moment. It put checking my state of mind before addressing someone on my radar.

“‘Treat every client as if your entire business depends on them- as if their items, their, their hopes, are the only items that matter to your business.’” – I thought this was useful advice to heed.

“She had no choice but to fight those feelings of nervousness and inadequacy as they rushed her. Because that was all they were-feelings. They were not a reflection of reality.” – What good wisdom to persevering in life.

“Everyone here-every single person in that drawing room- is driven by fear. Fear of being alone, fear of not being accepted, or fear of being without money.” -I feel like this is a sentiment I have learned with age. Everyone is driven by something and many times it is fear of one of the items above. It is also a reminder to look beneath the actions and words of others to better understand them. This allows me to show better patience when I am frustrated.

“She challenged what was considered feminine. And yet she exuded femininity.”

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I love regency romances. I especially love ones with a strong female character. Loved that she wasn't a typical female for that era - no skill for sewing, music, etc. Great romance and a nice mystery to go along with it.

Thank you @sarahladdauthor @thomasnelson @austenprose for a #gifted copy.

This was a cute, fun historical fiction novel! I absolutely loved it, and finished it within a day! Every page just kept me wanting to read more.

You meet Olivia and Lucas, both from families of rival antique dealers. When they’re both brought to the Cloverton estate by separate family members to assess the antiques, they didn’t expect to find counterfeit pieces. Little did they plan to run into each other, or to enjoy each other’s company.

This was just a sweet, clean romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. From both perspectives, you’re able to follow each on their own separate mission, but also watch as their missions soon join.

I enjoyed the characters and appreciated seeing different sides of them. The author brought out so many layers, and chances to view characters from different lenses. This doesn’t always happen in books. Though it may seem like a subtle characteristic of the writing, it added a lot of depth to the characters.

The plot line itself was intriguing. Fun, easy to follow, and cute. I loved the writing, and hope for a chance to read more by this author very soon.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from the @sarahladdauthor @thomasnelson @austenprose. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

This was a delight to read. It is a charming “whodunit” set in the Regency era, early 1800’s. It begins when our main characters are youngsters. Their fathers had been business partners but had a falling out and become rivals in the antiquities trade. By the time Olivia and Lucas are young adults, they are both considered experts in the field. However, the customs of the era prohibit Olivia from devoting her time completely to her job. She is expected to marry well and have children. Lucas is trying to salvage his father’s reputation after some bad business dealings.
Mr. Wainbridge, the current owner of Cloverton Hall has asked Lucas to catalog, appraise and sell all of his uncle’s collections. His aunt, Mrs. Milton, the former owner and widow of George Milton, is vehemently opposed to the sale. She asks Olivia to pose as her companion in order for her to appraise her secret personal collection without her nephew finding out. Unfortunately, at a house party held by Mr. Wainbridge and hosted by Mrs. Wilton, Lucas recognizes her. In the process of examining the uncle’s collection, several forgeries are found. Lucas and Olivia decide to join forces to solve the mystery of the forgeries. Will Lucas expose her? Will they discover who is behind the forgeries? Who can they trust?
This is a clean romance. The dialog flows well and is engaging. The author does a wonderful job describing the fashions and settings. She draws the reader into the story.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher the via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Cloverton Charade is a fantastic novel. It is a female centered story and Regency era Romance, tied up with a great mystery.

I've read a few "romance" books lately where the romance does not really feel central to the story. Instead, the stories have centered around a strong female main character, who plays an integral role in moving the plot of the story forward, and I'm just loving these stories.

In The Cloverton Charade, our main character doesn't do the traditional things a young lady does in order to land a husband. She isn't musical, and she doesn't sew or draw. She has another talent, one not fit for a woman in Regency England. She is an expert in antiquities. Thinking she's never going to be able to realize her dream, she is offered a role at a grand cataloging and assessing a collection for the widow of the manor. But, spending a fortnight at the manor isn't what she expected.

I loved the storyline of this book, the look into the antiquities world during the Regency time period. The mystery added an element of suspense. I liked that the main character was a strong woman, but she wasn't written in a way that seemed very unrealistic to the time period. She pushed the boundaries but had her limits. The romance was sweet, and thankfully, this story was very light on the miscommunication.

The Cloverton Charade is the third in the Houses of Yorkshire novels. I didn't know that going in, I'm not sure if they are interconnected, but you definitely don't have to have read the others.

If you enjoy stories set during the Regency period with strong female main characters and a side of mystery, I'd definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction for the advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Alicia Brannon's knowledge of antiquities is unparalleled, having learned everything she needs to know from her broker father. When she is invited to Cloverton Hall to review the private collection of the widowed Mrs Milton, she is aware that the evaluation must be conducted in secrecy to prevent Mrs Milton’s nephew, George Wainbridge, the new owner of Cloverton Hall, from having knowledge of it. Meanwhile, Lucas Avery, also an antiquities purveyor, agrees to visit Cloverton Hall, to meet with George, who would like his uncle’s collection to be liquidated. Alicia and Lucas both arrive at the house party under the guise of guests but find that they must work together when Lucas realises that some of the pieces in the collection are counterfeit. As their work brings them closer together, an undeniable bond begins to form. Then when one of the most famous pieces in the collection is broken during the house party, everyone is a suspect.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, which was a pleasing departure from the stories focused on the ton of London. This book had a touch of mystery which held me captivated and unaware of the true criminals until the end. The romance was sweet and very tender with both characters seeing the good in each other, despite their fathers’ falling out, many years ago. Lucas was truly delightful in his respect for Alicia, who he recognised for her wisdom and tenacity.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved it! The author has a knack for describing a story you can visualize and creating characters you can connect with. This story had it all -- romance, socialites, mystery, and an intriguing plot. Best of all, it is a clean read!

Thank you to publishers for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my personal opinion. It is a 5 star read for me. I love Sarah Ladd's novels!

London - 1818

Olivia Brannon was brought up involved in her father’s antiquities business where he brought many beautiful and priceless objects from around the world and sold them to clients. Her knowledge of the business and these objects is enormous. In earlier days, her father had partnered with another man until a big difference split their partnership and their friendship. The other man’s son, Lucas Avery, has now taken over his father’s business. Olivia and Lucas were friends before their fathers’ falling-out.

Today, Olivia’s father has passed away and her uncle has taken over the business. She knows more than he could ever wish to know about the business but his arrogance puts her down and refuses to recognize her knowledge.

The Cloverton collection was one that Olivia’s father helped to find items for. It was owned by Mr. Milton of Cloverton Hall. Now, the man has passed away, and his widow has asked Olivia to come to the Hall and discretely assess her own collection of items left to her by her grandfather. She will go as the woman’s friend and there will be a house party being held by Mrs. Milton’s nephew, George Wainbridge, who has now inherited everything including the famous collection. Mrs. Milton resents him taking over. Olivia agrees, she is outfitted by the woman, and they are off.

Lucas has been approached by Mr. Wainbridge as he wants to sells off the Cloverton collection. He does not appreciate the antiquities and just wants and needs the money he can get from them. So, Lucas agrees to attend the house party as well to assess the collection and help him sell everything.

When Olivia and Lucas recognize one another at the party, they discretely agree to pretend to not really know one another. But as Lucas works on authenticating the collection, he notices problems and discretely consults Olivia who agrees with his assessment. What has happened and can their newly formed friendship develop into something more?

As always, this amazing author has penned a lovely story with attention to the time period in addition to edge-of-the-seat intrigue, plus a budding romance. So delightful!

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

"The Cloverton Charade" is a captivating Regency-era story from author Sarah E. Ladd! The historical setting was described clearly with details that make it easy to picture the setting, locations, characters, clothing, and what is happening in the story. The characters feel three-dimensional and like real people. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know them! I absolutely loved the romance, mystery, suspense, and of course all of the art and antiquities! The romance is sweet and swoony! The perfect slow burn historical romance! This is a Regency-era story that feels original, charming, and is so much fun! I enjoyed reading. I very highly recommend reading "The Cloverton Charade"! Beautiful book. 5 stars!

Thank you very much to the author Sarah E. Ladd, AustenprosePR, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity of being a part of this book tour and for providing me with both physical and digital copies to read and review honestly.

A fun story! Loved the viewpoint of Olivia as it was seen while she was at Cloverton. She was a lovely character. End felt a but rushed but was also well done.

This was such a fun read from start to finish! I’m a sucker for historical romances and this one did not disappoint.

I was captivated from the beginning with our headstrong female main character, Olivia, who pushed against the status quo, wanting to follow in her father’s footsteps and be an antiquarian. And when she was offered an opportunity to get ahead in her career, she jumped on it, attending a house party as a guest to evaluate a collection. I loved following Olivia and seeing her navigate the norms of fashionable society. It was interesting to see this take on it. I always enjoy seeing these fashionable events, but I haven’t seen much around those who really weren’t meant to be there. It made for a unique read that I simply couldn’t put down!

And the slow romance between Olivia and a family enemy, Lucas Avery, the son of her father’s rival was so sweet! It was adorable seeing the two bond over antiques. Their romance was so tender. I loved every minute of it!

My only wish was I would have loved to see more of the house party, I felt like we didn’t get enough time there and then afterward the events following felt rather rushed. There was a lot going on around the mystery of the counterfeit pieces. But I still found this read thoroughly enjoyable!

If you enjoy historical romances with a side of mystery, you should definitely pick this one up! This is an easy read that will keep you captivated from start to finish!

The Cloverton Charade is a Regency mystery romance. Lucas and Olivia had grown up as childhood friends, their fathers and mothers have been friends and worked in the same antiquities business. When a bad deal tore the families apart, and eventually, their parents passed. They had not seen each other for many years. Out of the blue both have been pulled together for a house party at Cloverton Hall. I thought this had an interesting storyline, both main characters have a great deal of knowledge about antiquities and have been requested to view collections at the same home. When things become complicated with forgeries and deceit. It has a little bit of a slow start, but quickly became more engaging, the romance that was beginning to bloom was sweet and charming. The mystery intensifies to an intriguing conclusion. It is a clean wholesome romance I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In The Cloverton Charade, two rival antiquity brokers attend a house party to evaluate the same collection.

(I’m not sure why the synopsis refers to Alicia because in my arc the character is Olivia)
Olivia and Lucas are both antiquity brokers and arrive at the same house party with the intention of evaluating the collection. Olivia’s presence is a secret. However, Lucas recognizes her as a rival and competitor. Upon evaluating the collection, it’s apparent to both of them that some of the pieces are counterfeit. At this point, they are forced to work together to solve the mystery and their attraction for each other grows. Their professional reputations and hearts are at risk.

Competitors to Lovers is a fun twist on the Enemies to Lovers trope. Olivia and Lucas are each desperate to become the broker for the collection. Olivia needs this acquisition to secure her future reputation as a legitimate broker in the business after the death of her father, and Lucas needs this acquisition to secure the family business. They hadn’t counted on the counterfeits or the mutual attraction. Suddenly, solving the mystery/crime and the attraction pulls them away from their initial intents.

The crime/mystery solving adds a page-turning element to the story. Even though Olivia and Luca join forces, they encounter many challenges in working together and are torn between their initial purposes, their attraction, and the mystery.

Although the romance is slow-burn, the urgency to solve the mystery adds elements of intrigue and excitement as the story progresses.

Fans of gently written regency historical romance will find a great deal to enjoy in this story. The romance is sweet and firmly closed door with sides of mystery and crime solving.

Thanks #NetGalley @ThomasNelson @AustenProse for a complimentary e ARC of #TheClovertonCharade upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Olivia Brannon has a secret and she is not the only one. Olivia is hired by a widow to evaluate an extensive private collection of antiquities at Cloverton Hall. Under the guise of a house party, Lucas Avery is also invited to Cloverton Hall by the new heir to catalog and broker his uncle’s vast quantity of artifacts.
But there is much more going on behind the scenes. Olivia and Lucas, though their families are currently at odds, vow to find out the secrets and set things right.
Lots of subterfuge, clandestine meetings and mystery, surround Cloverton Hall, and its inhabitants. This regency tale is rich in atmosphere and has a clever plot that is intriguing, where anybody could be the force behind hiding the truth for their own gain. The romance of Olivia and Lucas was believable and sweet.
Put this on your list for an interesting, historical, clean read.
* I received a digital copy for review by Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

I really enjoyed this book from a new-to-me author. I enjoyed the characters she created, and the scenes were described beautifully. I didn't notice any anachronisms that took me out of the time period, so it was a lovely escape into Regency England. I really liked the main character's passion and drive for her craft, and the mystery was quite engaging! It definitely kept me guessing!

What a great read! I love the antiquities theme and how our two main characters are “rival” experts in the field. The fact that they have a shared history made the story that much better! I thought the whole plot was really well done and well paced. The time spent evaluating pieces and accidentally uncovering a hidden plot in the process was great! I enjoyed the many aspects to this story and the way the romance was weaved through was really nice. This is certainly a story that you’ll enjoy from beginning to end, with a great epilogue that leaves you especially satisfied!

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Whenever I pick up a Sarah Ladd book, I know I’m in for a treat! I thoroughly enjoyed The Cloverton Charade and the charming Yorkshire house party setting with a twist. Two rivals employed by two separate family members attend a house party under the guise of guests, but they’re really both there to authenticate an expensive antique collection. When they meet and recognize the other, that’s when the fun begins. With several twists & turns, a rivals to friends to more romance, and a slow burn mystery that leads to a thrilling conclusion, this fun Regency adventure was hard to put down.

In Regency era England, Alicia Bannon’s expected to marry well and settle down. But, having spent time at her broker father’s side becoming an expert in antiquities, she longs for the chance to prove her abilities and travel to the antiquities’ exotic locations. When the former mistress of Cloverton Hall offers her a chance to make a name for herself by evaluating a rare private collection, she readily agrees. There’s a catch though, she must do it covertly by posing as a house guest so the nephew & new owner of Cloverton Hall doesn’t suspect.

Lucas Avery has been hired by the new owner of Cloverton Hall to evaluate the antiquities collection he’s inherited with the goal of selling it quickly to raise money, but his aunt poses a formidable problem. He invites Lucas to attend his house party & evaluate the collection while he’s there. Lucas desperately needs this opportunity to solidify his reputation & further the family business after the death of his father.

Lucas and Alicia’s fathers were bitter rivals and through it’s been years, each recognizes the other at the party. While they hesitate to trust each other, circumstances propel them to spend a lot of time together and become reacquainted. As they unravel the secrets behind the antiquities, they soon find themselves caught up in a web of mystery. Will they be able to solve the whodunit before it’s too late?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I loved the tension between Alicia & Lucas as they recognize each other & then are forced to keep each others’ secrets. As their relationship changes from rivals to friends to more, I loved every moment. Lucas fully supports Alicia & admires her talents which is music to her ears. I enjoyed their mutual respect for each other & the way they worked together. The mystery had several surprises that kept me on my toes. It’s a slow burn puzzle where each subtle clue leads to the suspects. I was a bit surprised at the end and loved the suspenseful conclusion.

Highly recommend this delightful Regency mystery/romance! Though it’s part of a series, it’s easily read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through AustenProse. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4.5 to 5 stars.