The Governess of Penwythe Hall

By: Sarah E. Ladd

Narrated by: Jude Mason

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love, this Regency romance introduces us to the Twethewey family and their search for peace, justice, and love on the Cornish coast.

Cornwall, England, 1811 - Blamed for her husband’s death, Cordelia Greythorne fled Cornwall and accepted a governess position to begin a new life. Years later, her employer’s unexpected death and his last request for her to watch over his five children force her to reevaluate. She can’t abandon the children now that they’ve lost both parents, but their new guardian lives at the timeworn Penwythe Hall...back on the Cornish coast she’s tried desperately to forget.

Jac Twethewey is determined to revive Penwythe Hall’s once-flourishing apple orchards, and he’ll stop at nothing to see his struggling estate profitable again. He hasn’t heard from his brother in years, so when his nieces, nephews, and their governess arrive unannounced, he battles both grief at his brother’s death and bewilderment over this sudden responsibility. Jac’s priorities shift as the children take up residence in the ancient halls, but their secretive governess - and the mystery shrouding her past - proves to be a disruption to his carefully laid plans.

Praise for The Governess of Penwythe Hall:

"Absolutely captivating! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put down The Governess of Penwythe Hall. This blend of Jane Eyre, Jane Austen, and Jamaica Inn has it all. Intrigue. Danger. Poignant moments. And best of all a sweet, sweet love story. This is by far my favorite Sarah Ladd book. Don’t hesitate to snatch up this title!" (Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series)

"Brimming with dangerous secrets, rich characters, and the hauntingly beautiful descriptions Sarah Ladd handles so well, 1800s Cornwall is brought vividly to life in this well-crafted tale that kept me glued to the pages. What a brilliant start to a new series!" (Abigail Wilson, author of In the Shadow of Croft Towers)

"The Governess of Penwythe Hall is a delightful and emotionally gripping tale that will tick all the boxes for any Regency lover: romance, history, and enough unpredictable intrigue to keep you up past your bedtime." (Kristi Ann Hunter, author of A Defense of Honor)

"Lovers of sweet and Christian romance alike will fall in love with Delia’s strength amid the haunting backdrop of her tragic past and the Cornish coast. Throw in a handsome leading man willing to turn his life upside down for the children in Delia’s charge, and you have a story you can’t put down." (Josi S. Kilpack, Whitney Award-winning author of the Mayfield Family series)

First book in the Cornwall novels (The Governess of Penwythe Hall, The Thief of Lanwyn Manor, and The Light at Wyndcliff)

Sweet, full-length Regency romance at 90,000 words

©2019 Sarah E. Ladd (P)2019 Thomas Nelson

Critic Reviews

“Brimming with dangerous secrets, rich characters, and the hauntingly beautiful descriptions Sarah Ladd handles so well, 1800s Cornwall is brought vividly to life in this well-crafted tale that kept me glued to the pages. What a brilliant start to a new series!” (Abigail Wilson, author of In the Shadow of Croft Towers)

“The Governess of Penwythe Hall is a delightful and emotionally gripping tale that will tick all the boxes for any Regency lover: romance, history, and enough unpredictable intrigue to keep you up past your bedtime.” (Kristi Ann Hunter, author of A Defense of Honor)

“Lovers of sweet and Christian romance alike will fall in love with Delia’s strength amid the haunting backdrop of her tragic past and the Cornish coast. Throw in a handsome leading man willing to turn his life upside down for the children in Delia’s charge, and you have a story you can’t put down.” (Josi S. Kilpack, Whiney Award-winning author of the Mayfield Family series)

A Great ‘Comfort’ Read

I enjoyed reading a clean, romantic novel that did not need sex and foul language to make it an excellent and enjoyable read! Thanks, Sarah! Can’t wait until January 2020 when the Book 2 comes out!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

An Excellent Story!

I've loved listening to this book today! I was eagerly awaiting its release and it did not disappoint. I couldn't stop listening!
At first, I felt quite sad for the children losing their father and their home. Moving to Penwythe Hall was a great change for them. After many uneasy moments, a relationship with their Uncle Jac began to blossom.
Delia was a wonderful governess and loved the children deeply. But she has a secret. A secret that might just be dangerous. No spoilers from me though.

I loved the drama of this book. The author describes everything so well, there were times I could almost smell the sea air mixed with apple and flowers. I could feel the emotion, the tension, and the attraction. An excellent story! Excellent narration as well!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Just Ok

I was a bit disappointed by the description which compares the author to Austin and Heyer. Good grief, did the reviewer ever read those authors? Both Austin and Heyer are witty and write charming characters. This book lacks even a pretense of being witty. The characters are boring and predictable. There is an attempt to make this a mystery, but it wasn't much of a surprise. The narrator is passable at best. I fell asleep twice. Don't listen to this one on a road trip. It wasn't totally horrible, but not that great either. I would have been a bit happier if I wasn't expecting a clever story. Perhaps the "praise" for the author should be removed from the description as it sets totally unrealistic expectations.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Captivating and Well Written

I love historical novels that are read well and hold my attention. Sarah Ladd does an excellent job of developing the characters in her stories. This one is no exception.

She leads the reader through lives & experiences that are imaginable and riveting without traumatizing her readers.

Anyone who enjoys historical novels with non-R Rated language & storyline and who appreciates integrity would appreciate this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Story Lacking

Enjoyed Jude Mason’s reading. She has a pleasant, easy voice fit for the era and the type of story.

I found the story itself repetitive and lacking. The plot and character relationships were sudden and abrupt - no development to either. I normally miss a story’s characters when I finish reading it, but there was nothing to miss because you simply never got to know anything below surface level details that contributed to a surface level mystery. The storyline has great potential, but the author missed it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Delightful Story

This Regency romance includes Lots of twists and turns. Wonderful characters. Excellent narrator. Very enjoyable.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wonderful read

Great writing, believable and interesting characters, wonderful dialogue. Also great execution. Sarah Ladd and Jude Mason do not disappoint. One of my most enjoyable Regency reads to date.

AUTHOR IS TRITE AND NARRATOR IS AWFUL

I have read 5 books by this author, Sarah E. Ladd, and by now, I'm finding her very tiring. Except for the storyline, her characters and the way things happen to the characters are very similar. I can easily tell you exactly how each book will end when I first start the book. Sarah E. Ladd has no great imagination or variation in style.
The author's main character's are so frustrating to me because they are so simple-minded! They are all "taken aback" by situations, they "gasp" and "are confused'. The women all "blush" and the men all have strong shoulders. The characters are stubborn and make poor decisions. And the author overuses the word "intoxicating" so often that it's made me hate that word. Every touch by the opposite sex "radiates fire".
I do not like this narrator, Jude Mason, either. She has a very hard, harsh voice when she's narrating, and all her characters sound like wicked stepmothers - even the men! Her voice is always sounds angry as she's reading. It's very grating.
I don't know who it is that picks the narrators (the author, Audible...???) but whomever it is, makes very bad choices. First Sarah Ladd's ENGLISH books are read by an American, and now they are read by a British woman who sounds like Frauline Rottenmeyer from Heidi! Please Audible, pay attention to who is narrating and only get good readers with great voices!

3 of 6 people found this review helpful

Sweet

This was a sweet book. The story, overall, was predictable in a good way. I prefer a bit more salaciousness, but I loved the characters.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful