I’ve shared on here before how much I’m loving historical romance lately, but that wasn’t always the case.
I used to think historical romance was – dare I say it??- boring!
*clutches pearls*
I know.
Here’s the thing, growing up I always thought history class was boring. I could never quite put everything together in my brain. To me it was always just a bunch of dates and dry, boring facts.
So I assumed historical fiction would be the same – boring.
Boy was I wrong!
And I’m so glad I finally discovered incredible historical fiction because it has quickly become a go-to read for me. Any time I don’t know what to read now, I just pick up a historical romance from my TBR. I basically can’t go wrong!
And this book featured today –The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd – is no exception. It’s an intriguing, slow burn romance (in the absolute best way) with plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading chapter after chapter well into the night!
Let’s dive into the official Sweet & Clean Reads review for The Governess of Penwythe Hall.
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Is this book sweet & clean?
Yes!
I have two blog posts detailing how I define sweet romance and clean romance for the purposes of this blog.
Here’s a quick run down on how I define those terms:
- clean romance = a romance without sexually explicit content, with little to no swearing, little to no innuendo, and no graphic violence
- sweet romance = a romance story that is hopeful, uplifting, and overall has a feel-good vibe
According to those definitions, yes, The Governess of Penwythe Hall is both sweet & clean!
Even better? It has elements of faith woven throughout the story.
What is this sweet & clean romance about?
Here is the official blurb for The Governess of Penwythe Hall from Amazon:
A governess must return to the Cornish coast amid the insidious rumors of murder that forced her away in this Regency romance. Set in the same time period as Poldark and Bridgerton, The Governess of Penwythe Hall is rich with family secrets, lingering danger, and the captivating allure of new love.
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 Delia 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 where she’s been warned never to return.
Bachelor 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 elder 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 sinister mysteries shrouding her past—might be the end to both Jac and Delia’s carefully laid plans.
The Official Sweet & Clean Reads Review
Sarah E. Ladd is a new to me author, and now she’s an auto-read author for me!
I picked this up because let’s be honest: Governess & the distant uncle who takes custody is basically the historical version of single dad and the nanny, and I’m a sucker for that trope!
And Ladd did not disappoint, delivering the most delicious, sweet, slow burn romance along side and intriguing story that kept the pages turning.
I found myself particularly sucked in by Jax’s protective nature and Delia’s sweet, caring nature- even (or maybe even especially) in the face of tragedy and adversity.
My favorite part of Jac & Delia’s story is that it felt like a second chance, not between them but for each of them individually *with* each other. The healing for each of them was hard fought and gave the story a satisfying undertone of faith and joy.
I absolutely could not get enough of this story and can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series, The Thief of Lawnwyn Manor.
Read if you love:
❤️ sweet, slow burn romance
❤️ found family
❤️ mystery & intrigue
❤️ Christian historical romance
❤️ light action
❤️ twists and turns that keep you guessing
❤️ happily ever after
Where can I find this sweet & clean romance?
The Governess of Penwythe Hall is currently available on Amazon in eBook, paperback and audiobook formats. You can also find it at your local library, which is how I first began reading it. Then I loved it so much I bought my own eBook copy!
Will you be reading The Governess of Penwythe Hall?
What do you think, will you be giving this sweet & clean historical romance a try? Have you ever read a book by Sarah E. Ladd? If you have, tell me your favorite book by her in the comments!
Click here to shop this title on Amazon
