This was a delight to read. It is a charming whodunit set in the Regency era, early 1800s. It begins when our main characters are youngsters. Their fathers had been business partners but had a falling out and become rivals in the antiquities trade. By the time Olivia and Lucas are young adults, they are both considered experts in the field. However, the customs of the era prohibit Olivia from devoting her time completely to her job. She is expected to marry well and have children. Lucas is trying to salvage his fathers reputation after some bad business dealings.

Mr. Wainbridge, the current owner of Cloverton Hall has asked Lucas to catalog, appraise and sell all of his uncles collections. His aunt, Mrs. Milton, the former owner and widow of George Milton, is vehemently opposed to the sale. She asks Olivia to pose as her companion in order for her to appraise her secret personal collection without her nephew finding out. Unfortunately, at a house party held by Mr. Wainbridge and hosted by Mrs. Wilton, Lucas recognizes her. In the process of examining the uncles collection, several forgeries are found. Lucas and Olivia decide to join forces to solve the mystery of the forgeries. Will Lucas expose her. Will they discover who is behind the forgeries. Who can they trust.

This is a clean romance. The dialog flows well and is engaging. The author does a wonderful job describing the fashions and settings. She draws the reader into the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Whenever I pick up a Sarah Ladd book, I know I*m in for a treat! I thoroughly enjoyed The Cloverton Charade and the charming Yorkshire house party setting with a twist. Two rivals employed by two separate family members attend a house party under the guise of guests, but they*re really both there to authenticate an expensive antique collection. When they meet and recognize the other, that*s when the fun begins. With several twists & turns, a rivals to friends to more romance, and a slow burn mystery that leads to a thrilling conclusion, this fun Regency adventure was hard to put down.

In Regency era England, Alicia Bannon*s expected to marry well and settle down. But, having spent time at her broker father*s side becoming an expert in antiquities, she longs for the chance to prove her abilities and travel to the antiquities* exotic locations. When the former mistress of Cloverton Hall offers her a chance to make a name for herself by evaluating a rare private collection, she readily agrees. There*s a catch though, she must do it covertly by posing as a house guest so the nephew & new owner of Cloverton Hall doesn*t suspect.

Lucas Avery has been hired by the new owner of Cloverton Hall to evaluate the antiquities collection he*s inherited with the goal of selling it quickly to raise money, but his aunt poses a formidable problem. He invites Lucas to attend his house party & evaluate the collection while he*s there. Lucas desperately needs this opportunity to solidify his reputation & further the family business after the death of his father.

Lucas and Alicia*s fathers were bitter rivals and through it*s been years, each recognizes the other at the party. While they hesitate to trust each other, circumstances propel them to spend a lot of time together and become reacquainted. As they unravel the secrets behind the antiquities, they soon find themselves caught up in a web of mystery. Will they be able to solve the whodunit before it*s too late.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I loved the tension between Alicia & Lucas as they recognize each other & then are forced to keep each others* secrets. As their relationship changes from rivals to friends to more, I loved every moment. Lucas fully supports Alicia & admires her talents which is music to her ears. I enjoyed their mutual respect for each other & the way they worked together. The mystery had several surprises that kept me on my toes. It*s a slow burn puzzle where each subtle clue leads to the suspects. I was a bit surprised at the end and loved the suspenseful conclusion.

Highly recommend this delightful Regency mystery & romance! Though it*s part of a series, it*s easily read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through AustenProse. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4.5 to 5 stars.

Olivia Brannon knows more about antiquities than most men in the business have forgotten, and she's determined to accomplish the impossible: to make a name for herself and become an independent career woman in Regency-era England. Olivia thinks she's found her chance when a wealthy woman asks her to evaluate a private collection at Cloverton Hall. The catch? She has to pretend to be a socialite simply there for a house party.

But when Olivia runs into rival antiquities dealer Lucas Avery will her true identity be exposed? Then, as counterfeits appear and danger quickly escalates, Olivia must decide if she can trust Lucas enough to work together before this charade turns deadly.

Cleverly plotted, packed with period detail, and an absolute page-turning delight to read! Fabulous!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another wonderful Regency novel from Sarah Ladd! I must say, I haven't read the other books in this series, and I had no trouble following the storyline. I enjoyed these characters, the mystery, and of course, the romance. There were messages of family, friendship, and forgiveness. I do love to see mercy and second chances. Highly recommended!

I received this audiobook from NetGalley. The narrator was amazing! Opinions are my own.

Olivia Brannon and Lucas Avery both have the same goal in mind, to bring more business to their fathers* antiquities business. But, Olivia*s goal is even bigger than that as she wants to earn respect for her knowledge and business acuity in a male dominated society. When Olivia is given the opportunity to secretly appraise a costly collection of a well-known societal family she eagerly accepts. But, Lucas is there at the house for the same reason, but employed by another family member.

The friction that is between Olivia and Lucas is almost palpable and certainly adds tension to the story. Olivia has to make the decision whether to bury the past and trust Lucas or continue to keep up her guard. I loved seeing the two of them work together to authenticate pieces of the Miltons* collection.

I love Sarah E. Ladd*s books and always look forward to reading them. She has such engaging stories with an element of intrigue and romance too. I was leaning towards knowing who was the culprit, but I was still a bit surprised. I highly recommend this book for readers both young and mature. It is the second book in the Houses of Yorkshire, but it can be read as a standalone.

Things to love:

A house party

Portait painting

Mystery

Exciting capture of villains

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.