The Curiosity Keeper was a really good historical romance. It had danger and some intense moments that made the pages fly by SO quickly.

I enjoyed the characters and thought the romance was nice. It was sweet how he cared more about her than money. The ending had a twist I didn't expect, which was fun.

All in all, The Curiosity Keeper was worth the read and I think fans of this genre will enjoy it.

*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/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and 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.*

"She wondered if she would ever be able to see him without feeling this way. It was childish, really. She had often read of infatuations but had never experienced one. Most men, in her experience, were rough and selfish, dangerous and cruel."

I've been drawn to books outside my usual genres of late. I'll sum them up by saying they fall into the romance category but I'd ask you to use you imagination 😄😵😉 Selecting The Curiosity Keeper was another step away from "normal" but I wanted something "nice". Nice is exactly what I got. A clever, well plotted story that does exactly what the reader can expect. I did not, however, find the relationship element to be at all plausible but wtf would I know? 😂😂 Honestly, this was an easy read, not taxing on the brain and inoffensive. I'm not sure who I could recommend this to but Sarah E Ladd is very popular.

A beautiful book with great imagery. The cliches tended to ruin it a bit for me, the wealthy young man, turning his back on his family, playing the rescuer. But there were many things to recommend it as well. The mystery of the missing Ruby. The absent mother. But then there was an abusive father on both sides, scarlet fever cases, and well, I don't want to spoil the story, but there is a lot packed into this book.

Thanks for the advanced readers copy. I was not able to get into this one, so I won't be proving a review on social media.

I love the covers of Sarah Ladd's books. They are simple yet beautiful. This is the first book I've read by this author and I loved it! The characters and situations were engaging and I didn't want to put the book down. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I really enjoyed this book. I've read a few of Sarah Ladd's books so I know what to expect. This is the first in the Treasures of Surrey series.

One thing that I would like to see though is more for us to connect with the main characters. Both Camille and Jonathan have had lives enough to draw out some real empathy from the readers but their histories are discussed quickly and we're never in their heads long enough to relate.

Although I never collect fully with the female characters (empathize, wait with anticipation for such and such to happen) the stories are nicely written and the step back in time is accurate. I love the Regency Era a finding clean fiction set in that time period is a nice touch. Nicely done.

This book was amazing! I loved the mystery aspect and there were several unexpected twists in the book's wrap up. The end was a very satisfying conclusion. The characters were quite easy to care what happened to them and I enjoyed the way a couple of them in particular evolved as the story went on. This was a very easy read and very enjoyable. Easily one of my favorite reads this year!! Well done Sarah, looking forward to the next one!

Is the good woman truly worth more than the precious ruby?

When the precious raw ruby is stolen from the Gilchrist family, all their lives are threatened - as Mr Gilchrist senior has been spending their money freely on the curiosities and the ruby is the last item of worth in the family's posession to save their property and status. But Jonathan Gilchrist is not that interested in properties as he wish to help his sister to have her dowry back to be able to marry. So he, not very willingly, travels to London to connect with the private investigator to gain the ruby back.
Camille Iverness is the daughter of the curiosity shop owner. She is trying to close her eyes to the fact that her father might be dealing with underhanded business, but when she is attacked in the shop because of the stone missing, she knows she has to leave there and start anew. But how?

Story very rich in the form and descriptions is able to take you there - in the dirty London streets and to the green country, wearing gowns and hunting the precious stones. Ms Ladd is a master of vivid visual imagination and vocabulary, for the novel truly reads as something written in the past with the masterful usage of words and images.

But unfortunately the content is lacking - the potential is here, but the background set is criminally unused as the story is played on the safe side which makes it predictable and lacking the spark.
I understand that the authoress is set on telling the morale of the story, but relying heavy on that is actually the point of missing the story and the thrill of reading.
I am disappointed, because I would love to love this book. So I have my fingers crossed for the next foray, as I see the talent here.

This is my favorite book by Sarah E Ladd. I really enjoy the historical accuracy of her scenes from clothes to manners to the genteel speech. Always enjoy reading historical fiction with some conflict (mystery) and ultimately a boy meet girl plotline from a Christian perspective. Not in your face, but clean and thoughtful. Ladd rocks this genre!

The Curiosity Keeper is a Regency novel with hints of a developing romance and a mystery that propels the story forward. I really enjoyed the added mix of mystery that was much stronger than in other books by this author. The heroine finds herself thrust out of her home -- through no real fault of her own -- and her world turned upside down. But for the kindness of the hero and the need for information his family believes she holds, she'd be on the streets. Instead she gets to attempt to recreate her life outside London. The journey is filled with twists, turns, interesting characters, and a search for the truth. If you love Jane Austen era England and a romance with a mystery, then this is the perfect book for you!

Unfortunately, this was DNF for me. I tried several times to get into the story. I liked the third book much better.

Delightful historical mystery set in the regency period. Sarah Ladd is a wonderful author and this new series looks to be another hit for her. I liked the setting of the seedier parts of London juxtaposed against the wealthier areas only blocks apart.

There are serious topics such as robbery and theft rings and parental relationships that are awful but it is offset by the budding romance between the two main characters.

I would highly recommend this as a light read. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

Camille Inverness is a shopkeeper’s daughter in London. The shop is a treasure trove of curiosities for collectors. She longs for the return of her mother who left for Portugal years ago and for a return to the countryside of her youth. After her father betrays her, Camille decides to strike off on her own with a help of a handsome stranger.

Jonathan Gilchrist was a younger son who became an apothecary and never thought he would inherit the family estate. After his older brother’s death, Jonathon is roped into helping his father find his stolen ruby, the Bevoy. Without it, they will lose Kettering Hall and his sister Penelope will not have a dowry. While on the hunt for the Bevoy, Jonathan helps young Camille to escape her circumstances and move to the countryside. Will the Bevoy be found? Will Camille be able to make a new life at Fellsworth School? Will the Gilchrist family estate be saved? Will Jonathan find happiness?

This regency Christian romance was real page turner for me. I loved how Camille was a strong woman running her father’s shop, but that when she found herself betrayed, she was able to be make a decision to strike out on her own. I like that both characters had to think about their own happiness and find a path forward that would be the best option for them. I also enjoyed Penelope as that is my daughter’s name. The character in the novel is a bit selfish thinking of her own future and not others, but it is an interesting look into the limited options women of her time had.

I really enjoyed the Regency setting. As a Christian novel, there were no torrid romance scenes, but just nice sweet romance of falling in love. This is the type of romance I like the best. There were very brief mentions of Christianity, but not as much as I would expect from a Christian romance novel.

I did have the suspense plot figured out pretty early on, which is the reason why I give this novel four stars out of five starts. Enjoy it for the great Regency Romance with a hint of suspense.

Overall, I enjoyed The Curiosity Keeper and thought it was a unique Regency romance as it did involve a shopkeeper’s daughter. I would recommend this to lovers of the Regency era.