17 July 2015

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson

About the Book
★★★★★
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.


Melanie Dobson’s Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor tells a touching multi-generational story, spanning from the mid-1950s to the present day against a picturesque English country backdrop. Dobson enchanted me with her intriguing combination of mystery and romance, as well as a well-rounded cast of flawed yet deeply caring characters, and I just couldn’t put this novel down. The characters make tragic mistakes and keep heartbreaking secrets, yet the discovery of long-hidden truths brings about hopeful healing and reconciliation as pieces of the familial puzzle come together. An emotionally rich read that momentarily brought tears to my eyes a few times, Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor certainly won’t be the last Melanie Dobson novel I read. I highly, highly recommend this novel - it’s well-worth a read.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.
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.

Find Melanie online at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

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