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

The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical/Regency Romance, Romance (Rivals to Lovers), Mystery, England

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

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

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.

My Thoughts:

Competitors to Lovers

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.

Mystery to Solve

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.

Slow-burn Romance

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

Recommending The Cloverton Charade

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.

My Rating:  4  Stars

Meet the Author of The Cloverton Charade, Sarah E. Ladd

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series. Book one of the series, The Heiress of Winterwood, was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance.

---

---

QOTD:

Is this historical regency romance on your TBR or have you read it?

---

---

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

---

---

Let’s Get Social!

Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.

Find me at:
Twitter/X
Blue Sky
Instagram (Threads link in bio)
Goodreads and StoryGraph
Pinterest
Reading Ladies Book Club on Facebook

---

---