THE LADY OF BOLTON HILL by Elizabeth Camden

I would like to thank LibraryThing EarlyReviewers (and Bethany House) for sending me this book to read. I don’t know if I would have ever went out and bought this book on my own, since it was an author I had never heard of. I am glad it was sent to me for review. This was a very good well-written story that held my interest throughout. It had mystery, danger, romance, and a very good theme on forgiveness throughout the story. She was good at putting you into the historical setting of the story, back in 1879. For this being a debut book for this author I must say I am looking forward to reading more of her stories.

Clara Endicott is a female journalists in a time where having this job was rare for a female. She finds herself narrowly escaping prison in London at the beginning of the story and fleeing back to her home in Baltimore. There she comes across Daniel Tremain, who she hasn’t seen or heard from since childhood. But she never forgot Daniel and his love of music that they both shared. Daniel was not from her “class” of people though, but had to make his living in the factories. When next they meet Daniel has now become a powerful and important person in the industry world; and he hasn’t made many friends on his rise to the top. Clara and Daniel almost instantly take up where they left off many years ago. But Daniel has some issues with forgiveness and resentments and Clara is bound and determined to help him work through his bitterness (after she works through her own that is). Things only go from bad to worse for them and it all comes to a dramatic head at the very end.

Although some may say “it could never happen” when it comes to the changed life of a certain character in this story; I say it most certainly could once a person truly understands the great gift we have in God’s love and forgiveness (and you will have to read the story to find out what I am talking about). I enjoyed every aspect of this story and all its twists and turns and characters. The close friendship and then love between Clara and Daniel was so well written, it just made me feel good inside reading the interaction between the two and the strong love you knew they had for each other. I must say well done Elizabeth Camden. I would love to read a sequel about Bane! Or Clyde!