The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

The Cloverton Charade
by Sarah E. Ladd

ISBN-13: 9780785246862
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Olivia Brannon's knowledge of antiquities is unparalleled, having learned everything she needs to know from her broker father. She longs to use that knowledge to make a future for herself, but as a woman, her options are limited . . . until the day a former client, who happens to be the previous mistress of Cloverton Hall, approaches Olivia about evaluating her private collection. But there is a catch: the evaluation must be conducted in secrecy to prevent the widow's nephew, the new master of Cloverton Hall, from having knowledge of it. Olivia sees this as her one and only chance to prove her worth, so she agrees to attend a house party at Cloverton Hall and conduct the evaluation covertly.

The younger son of England's foremost antiquities purveyor, Lucas Avery represents the future of his family business. When he learns that the new master of Cloverton Hall intends to liquidate his deceased uncle's impressive collection, Lucas is determined to be the broker who oversees the sale. The new master of Cloverton Hall invites Lucas to a house party on the estate, during which time he will have full access to the collection. Lucas jumps at the opportunity, for if successful, he stands to make a great deal of money, as well as solidify his family's future.

Olivia and Lucas both arrive at the house party under the guise of guests and quickly recognize each other as business rivals, raising their suspicions. It becomes clear to them both that some of the pieces in the collection are counterfeit. They join forces to understand the scope of the deception. Then when one of the most famous pieces in the collection is broken during the house party, everyone is a suspect. Both Olivia and Lucas must decide how much they are willing to risk not only their professional reputations but also their hearts.


My Review:
The Cloverton Charade is a romance set in 1818 in England. Olivia's father taught her to be a competent antiquities dealer. But when he died, he left the entire business to his partner, her uncle, and she's now dependent on him. He resents her superior knowledge and won't even consider her as an employee of the business. When a recent widow asks Olivia to secretly assess her personal antiquities collection, Olivia hopes she'll prove her value and be allowed into the business. She has no desire to marry, just travel the world doing antiquities business (which, frankly, was an unrealistic hope considering the time period, even if she might be accepted locally).

I found it odd that Olivia's father left nothing for his daughters and that the rich man who died with at last two estates didn't leave anything for his wife. Usually the rich left the widow at least an allowance and a place to live for her lifetime, but this one basically gave everything (even unentailed property) to a nephew that he knew would have to be forced to promise to take care of the widow. This neglect of the men to provide for their women in their wills left me feeling like this was a fantasy rather than historical, but the story was generally enjoyable.

Lucas appreciated Olivia's knowledge and asked to consult with her. She liked feeling like she was appreciated for who she was and for her knowledge. He supported her goals and admired her beauty. Along the way, he uncovered a bunch of counterfeits in the antiquities he evaluated, and she helped uncover who was replacing the true items with fakes. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this not-very-historical romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.