Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah Ladd

Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.
For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would enable her to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father’s death.
The unexpected arrival of a stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel’s small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.
At her new family’s invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. Perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.
At Emberwilde Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.

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Biography

Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience.

Here is what I thought......

  I really wanted to enjoy this book.  I kept waiting for the moment when I would love it but that didn't happen.  I enjoyed the characters and the storyline but really felt like the book could have been about 70 pages shorter.  To be fair I am not one for overly flowery or wordy books.  I really liked the characters.  I liked how the book ended and the way it was wrapped up.  It was just hard for me to finish because I knew what was going to happen for the most part at about page 150. This wasn't my favorite book but I may try again with this author.  I received this book from the fiction guild for free. A positive review was not required.  All opinions are my own.