The Cloverton Charade

By: Sarah E. Ladd

Narrated by: Jude Mason

In this sweet, low-spice Regency romance, longtime rivals join forces at a country estate as they investigate the curious goings-on with a large collection of antiques. A perfect read for fans of Poldark, Julie Klassen, and Sarah Eden.

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 to conceal her efforts Olivia must pretend to be a house party guest to avoid suspicion and 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.

Get ready to fall in love with the charming characters and delightful story you'll find in The Cloverton Charade. You'll want to clear your schedule so you can escape to the English countryside of the Regency time period in this "pitch-perfect blend of suspense and sweetness" (Publishers Weekly). The Cloverton Charade is the third book in the Houses of Yorkshire series but can be read on its own.

Critic reviews

'A sweet Regency romance about grief, forgiveness, and being true to one's gifts. Ladd is a master of the genre, and she shines in this tale filled with intrigue, gentle manners, and lots of heart.'

'In the third Houses of Yorkshire Regency romance, Ladd (IN THE SHELTER OF HOLLYTHORNE HOUSE) serves up a riveting mystery centered on two antique brokers who are thrust back into each other's lives years after a family feud forced them apart . . . Ladd seamlessly weaves in details about the feud between the Brannons and the Averys as the narrative surges forward, adding depth and intrigue to Olivia and Lucas's budding relationship. It's a pitch-perfect blend of suspense and sweetness.'

'Sarah Ladd deftly weaves her charming, rivals-to-lovers romance with antiques-filled intrigue, wonderful Regency-era detail, and an intelligent heroine who beautifully comes into her own strength. Add in a house party set in atmospheric Yorkshire and THE CLOVERTON CHARADE is a gentle Regency romance that's an absolute delight to read.'

'The protagonists are a pair of likeable and sensible characters, and both the mystery and the enemies-to-lovers trope are satisfyingly handled. What distinguishes this romance from most, however, are the insights into the aristocracy in Regency England.'

Always the best

I wish it was longer. I love Sarah’s books and this is a good one.

Story good. Narrator annoying

The story was good. Enjoyed the characters.The narrator made the characters seem whiny and squeaky and nags. Some characters were accusatory and off putting.

Great all the way around!

This was a very enjoyable book! I have enjoyed this series so much. The narration was well done.

Offensive to the ears

It's hard to tell if the story is any good because of the narrator. Her delivery is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. She gets high-pitched and whiney, It's hard to be on the side of any character because they all sound so annoying. I don't understand her reading of these characters. It's juvenile in its delivery. The story seems juvenile as well, or maybe just the characters seem juvenile. I wish I had started to listen to this story before the return period expired. Unfortunately, i ordered three books in this series, and one is the same as the other. They are overly descriptive, too many adjectives, that are all repeated in all three books (Yes, I listened to all three because I paid for them). It just seems the story has a lot of extra word "noise." It detracts from the story, which could probably have been summed up in 5 pages, which is fine, I suppose, for a tween story. It somewhat reminds me of the Eragon series, which I read to my son when he was younger, however, those were enjoyable for what they were.
Also, I don't know why these books are in a series. None of the characters overlap. Why? That would have made these books so much more interesting. A missed opportunity.