The Cloverton Charade

This was a fun regency romance involving antiquity dealers and a mystery of counterfeit.

The characters were likable and easy to root for. Despite the time period the book is set in, the female protagonist is spirited, independent, and competent.

Ideal for anyone who enjoys clean romances and a touch of mystery. (There wasn’t any faith content).

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job!

At a Regency-era house party, rival antiquity brokers Alicia and Lucas are each secretly assessing a potentially valuable collection. Their investigation uncovers counterfeit items, forcing them to work together to expose the deception. As their professional partnership deepens, so does their attraction, but a broken heirloom threatens to unravel their secrets and their hearts.

I loved this. The story is strong and the romance swoony. Alicia and Lucas are wonderful, both separately and together. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

It is universally acknowledged, that an avid reader in possession of well stocked bookshelves, must be in want of one more Regency Romance. That’s my motto and I’m sticking to it. And, eeeeeeeeeepppppppp, doubly so when the book holds the added allure of a mystery as well.

So, I was all atwitter with bibliophile ecstasy as I began listening to Jude Mason’s skilled narration of ‘The Cloverton Charade.’ Her polished performance breathed life into these characters and she’s a master at altering tone, accent and inflection to match the unique personality of each character. Made for a divine listening experience.

And this story!!! A house party, and all the social intricacies that involves, with Olivia attending (and out of her element!) under the guise of a guest though she’s really there to evaluate the widowed hostess’s valuable private collection.

Meanwhile, Lucas has been invited (again under the guise as guest) by the hostess’s nephew, and legal heir to the estate, to provide an evaluation of the uncle’s vast collection with the intent to sell it all.

Love the subterfuge and how it all plays out — especially since Lucas and Olivia know each other and there’s bad blood between their families and businesses. So, a kinda enemies to more romance in the midst of mystery and intrigue…and all the house party drama!

Brilliant pacing balances lighthearted moments with tense ones as Olivia and Lucas make their way through a maze of conspiracies and manipulations….and find their own happily ever after by the end. Of course.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

This was an enjoyable read- well written and believable.
I loved hearing about all the antiques. I love old things so it was fun to hear descriptions of the treasures they appraised.
I thought it was fun that this book was a romance but also had a good mystery to it as well.
I loved the characters and thought it had a satisfying ending.
I was also able to listen to this book on audio and it was awesome. I loved the narrator. I listened to it at 2x speed and it was still enjoyable and understandable.

Another fabulous book from Sarah E. Ladd! I loved the settings in London and Yorkshire and the cast of characters was delightful. Especially our main leads, Alicia and Lucas. A story of mystery, antiques, family history, family rivals and growing attraction, this one is sure to have you turning the pages and be transported to a different time.

I loved the history between Lucas and Alicia and watching that play out the more we come to know these characters. Their meeting at the very beginning of the book, as well as at the house party, were very fun. I was holding my breath at the house party meeting waiting for the shoe to drop, so to speak. Ohhhh, you'll be waiting as well to see if their secret will remain intact or be outed.

There are several secrets floating around during this one, can you spot them all? I have to say that I didn't. And once things started to be revealed I did a figurative face palm to myself, thinking well why didn't I catch that. But you're not supposed to until later on. But maybe you'll figure it out early if you're watching closely.

The antiquities were a really fun aspect of the book and very interesting. My heart sank a few times in regards to them. Which you'll discover along the way with Alicia and Lucas. They'll have to work quickly though or real trouble will abound.

Sweet love story mixed with mystery and whodunnit vibes, makes for a delightful read! I read and listened to the audiobook of this one and loved them both. I loved Jude Mason as the narrator. I was pulled into the story completely and loved how she breathed life into. Definitely one I recommend for fans of this author's work or if you've never read her books before, if you're a fan of mystery and Regency, you'll definitely enjoy this one. It is part of a series but they can be read as standalones or together. They're all wonderful.

Content: Clean and wholesome. Some moments of very mild peril.

I received a copy from HarperCollins Christian Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Listening!!!

Contains an audiobook review.

This is a kisses only regency era romance that is part of the Houses of Yorkshire series by Sarah E. Ladd. It can most definitely be read as a standalone story. To be honest, I have read the others and I can't remember how they may be connected to this one. Feel free to pick this book up without having read the others. You won't be missing anything.

Now for the story itself. I really enjoyed the different aspects that this book contained. At first I thought it was going to be your basic romance at a house party, but the plot thickened! It was delightful. I don't know if the print book has an author's note or not. I'd really like to read it if it does. I thought the history contained in the story was interesting and unique.

I listened to the audiobook. This narrator is not my favorite to listen to, but once my ears adjusted, I didn't have any complaints. She did an adequate job of reading, I just don't personally love her voice quality. That's just personal preference. It would not stop me from listening to a book just because she was the narrator.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Netgalley for the audio copy. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Another wonderful Regency novel from Sarah Ladd! I must say, I haven't read the other books in this series, and I had no trouble following the storyline. I enjoyed these characters, the mystery, and of course, the romance. There were messages of family, friendship, and forgiveness. I do love to see mercy and second chances. Highly recommended!

I received this audiobook from NetGalley. The narrator was amazing! Opinions are my own.

I recently listened to the audiobook version of this story and really enjoyed it. This Regency romance was delightful. I loved the mystery with the antiquities and the fun twists and turns that took throughout the story. Both Olivia and Lucas were the kind of characters I could get behind and cheer for. I loved the dual POV and their enemies to lovers vibes. The ending in particular put a smile on my face. I always love when the hero respects the heroine and encourages her in her talents.
While the single narrator didn’t necessarily capture the essence of the main characters for me due to the voice sounding older than the characters ages, I still enjoyed the audiobook version with her accents and ability to make it easy to follow along. I honestly felt like I was listening to a storyteller telling the story, so it still worked for me and I’d listen to it again as well as recommend this version.
I received an advance listening copy from Zondervan Fiction Audio, Netgalley, and Thomas Nelson. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I recommend this book and the audiobook.

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing | Thomas Nelson Fiction. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Regency Romance, Sweet Romance, Proper Romance
Spice Level: Kissing
Readability: Very accessible

THE CLOVERTON CHARADE is the first book in this series that I've read, and it was completely understandable. What a delightful book! The narrator is Jude Mason, and I enjoyed the variety of voices used.

Because I love antiques, this story was perfect for me. I haven't seen another book quite like it, and I now want to read more of this Yorkshire series.

The interplay between the love interest is so much fun. Definitely an enemies (rivals) to lovers. I liked both of them immensely and was rooting for them the entire time.

Are there twists and surprises?
YES, you can bet your Chinese porcelain there are! I was surprised with who did what, but never fear, you'll know everything by the end. There are elements of a thriller and mystery in this story.

I highly recommend this book for all historical and romance readers. If you have a particular interest in thievery and antiques, this book will put a polish on your bronze pot.

Happy reading!

What a gem! This book was a delight to listen to on audiobook. The narrator did a wonderful job. As for the story itself....BRAVO! I am never disappointed in Ladd's writing, but this one kept me on my toes nearly til the end and I love that I didn't guess the ending before it came. The characters came alive for me and I found myself cheering, booing, and offended as if I was in the story myself. Highly recommend!

Sarah E. Ladd has mastered the art of Regency-mysteries, and The Cloverton Charade is another shining example of her talent! 🙇‍♀️

What stood out most to me was the character of Olivia. In an era where women’s talents were often overlooked, Olivia’s gift is not only recognized but actively encouraged by Lucas. 🥹

He could have easily undermined her due to his own insecurities, but instead, he supports her in a way that is both beautiful and admirable. His confidence in her abilities makes him super hot! 🔥😂

This story is a celebration of empowerment, love, and, most importantly for me, the courage to pursue one’s true calling. As I am currently navigating my own journey of self-discovery, trying to figure out my path, this story struck a particularly poignant chord. It came at just the right time in my life. 🫶

I had the pleasure of both reading and listening to this book, switching between formats depending on where I was. Thanks to NetGalley, I received both a physical copy and an audiobook. A big thank you to Sarah for this wonderful experience!

The great thing about out Sarah Ladd is she can always write a book that will intrigue and entertain. This is a great rivals to friends to more story with a mystery thrown in to keep you turning pages.

I loved the premise of to an antiquities experts being hired by two different parties to assess and broker their collections. They both were at the same house party posing as guests so they didn’t arouse any suspicions. It was fun to see the reactions of both Olivia and Lucas as they recognize each other at the party, each wondering how and why the other is there.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Such talent with all the different voices!

It really enjoyed the evolution of their relationship and the unraveling of the mystery. If you’re looking for a good historical romance and mystery this book is for you.

The Cloverton Charade is a captivating rivals to lovers historical romance full of intrigue, antiquities, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

I loved watching the relationship between Olivia and Lucas evolve from old family rivals to trusted friends to more. The pacing of their developing relationship was well executed, slowly ratcheting up the tension between the two. The way that Lucas valued Olivia's expertise was so refreshing. The respect they showed to each other, even in the beginning, reflected well on their characters.

The audiobook narrator had a lot of different important characters to contend with and she did an admirable job of giving each a unique voice. The emotion and tension in the story shone through in her performance.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for the ALC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.