Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor: A Novel

Melanie Dobson

Jun 2015 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents’ cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can’t be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver’s death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family’s cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She’s mourning her father’s passing but can’t let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family’s belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family’s history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways.

Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.

Ratings and reviews

•°o•:*:•.HEAVY SUBJECT MATTER .•:*:• o°• I found this book extremely frustrating. The book jumps from the past to the present throughout the entire story. It’s in the 50s, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, and then present day with iPods and cell phones. Whenever it’s in the past, it clearly tells you the date, but in the present it never does. The POV (point of view) switches back and forth from character to character: Maggie / Walter / Libby / Heather / Mrs. Wescott / Christopher When Christopher finally learns why his heart was broken, he says nothing and takes a phone call instead. When Heather learns a huge secret, she says nothing and the story just switches to the past. Both very unrealistic acts. Additionally, the story is very heavy, involving THREE different times teenage girls give up their virginity to boys and suffer all the consequences that can come from that choice. Although faith and forgiveness along with interesting detail about places and an autistic girl are also in the book, the story was so heavy with the rest of it, that I could not enjoy it. A good reminder for me to check the label for the publishing company first. I did NOT enjoy this novel, and do not recommend it. © 2015 Howard Books, div of Simon & Schuster 336 pages Read: 1/30&312018 - Reviewed: 2/2/2018 2 stars I received a purchased copy from a friend. My opinion is my own for no compensation.

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson is a wonderful novel! It all started with a lie. Margaret “Maggie” Emerson is pregnant with Elliot’s (Baron Bonheur) child. Her aunt told her not to get involved with the men who came in on their yachts, but Maggie let herself be seduced by Elliot. Just as Maggie was about to throw herself into the ocean (and drown), she is saved by Walter Doyle. Walter is in love with Maggie and has proposed once before to her. This time Maggie accepts Walter’s proposal, but she does not tell him about the baby (their lives would have been much happier if she had told him). Heather Toulson lives in Portland, Oregon and works as a restoration artist. She is heading home to England to clear out her family’s home. Her father, Walter recently passed away and she is taking a couple of weeks to clear out the cottage and put it up for sale. Heather’s daughter, Ella is going with her for the first week. Heather ends up finding a lot more than family pictures when she cleans out their home. Decades of secrets are about to be released. It is amazing how one lie can lead to another and then another and so on. Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor take us from the 1950’s through the present day as Heather discovers family secrets and an old love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor. It was the type of novel that grabs you, pulls you in, and keeps a hold of you until the very end. The ending was so lovely and sweet. I give Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor 5 out of 5 stars. I received a complimentary copy of Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at MelanieDobson.com.