Books for Christian Girls: "A Stranger at Fellsworth" by Sarah E. Ladd

About this book:

“Could losing everything be the best thing to happen to Annabelle Thorley?
In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin, Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak. Her fiancé has called off their betrothal, and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother. Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth, the home of her long-estranged aunt and uncle, where a teaching position awaits her. Working for a wage for the first time in her life forces Annabelle to adapt to often unpleasant situations as friendships and roles she’s taken for granted are called into question.
Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments. As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter. As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay even though his ambition has always been to eventually purchase land that he can call his own. When a chance encounter introduces him to the lovely Annabelle Thorley, his steady life is shaken. For the first time since his wife’s tragic death, Owen begins to dream of a second chance at love.
As Owen and Annabelle grow closer, ominous forces threaten the peace they thought they’d found. Poachers, mysterious strangers, and murderers converge at Fellsworth, forcing Annabelle and Owen to a test of fortitude and bravery to stop the shadow of the past from ruining their hopes for the future.”

Series: Book #3 in the “Treasures of Surrey” series. Review of Book #1 Here! and #2 Here! {The books are not connecting at all. Safe to read as stand-alones}

Spiritual Content- Prayers; Reading a prayer; Church going; Annabelle’s mother was a woman of faith, but Annabelle says she never understood that faith; Annabelle wishes for her mother’s faith, but thinks she may be too far down her own path for God to hear her; Talks about God & faiths; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & peace; Mentions of prayers, praying, & a blessing over food; Mentions of a Bible & reading it; Mentions of a book of Scripture verses & prayers; Mentions of faiths; Mentions of chapels, churches, & going there on Sundays; A couple mentions of memorizing Scripture;

*Note: A few mentions of ghosts; A mention of sorcery; A mention of magic.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘what in blazes’; A bit of eye rolling & sarcasm; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Gunshots, Fighting, & Blood/Bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Being slapped & Pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Hunting & Shooting animals (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of poachers (criminals), poaching, & killing animals; Many mentions of hunting, trapping and shooting animals, & hunting parties; Many mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of murders & a suicide (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a woman’s death from a violent man (one of the murders); Mentions of a woman being slapped & violence towards women (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a child’s foot caught in a hunting trap, blood/bleeding, pain, & wounds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of gunshots, violence, threats of killing, fighting/boxing, blood/bleeding, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mention of a war & a soldier who was presumed to be dead; Mentions of thieves & stealing; Mentions of debts & embezzlement; Mentions of card games & gambling; Mentions of threats; Mentions of drinking, drunks, & alcohol; Mentions of jails & prisons; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of hanging & a young boy being hanged as well; A few mentions of a cow house & a slaughterhouse; A couple mentions of smoke; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of poison; A mention of a snuffbox; A mention of manure.

Sexual Content- a hand kiss, a head kiss, a not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Nearness, & Warmth (semi-detailed); Remembering touches (up to semi-detailed); Quite a lot of Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); A man tells Annabelle that one day he will possess her (twice); Mentions of touches (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of seeing a couple kiss, touch, & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of an affair, the wife’s unfaithfulness, & the question of who is the daughter’s father; Mentions of noticing & staring; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of blushes; A few mentions of a man leering/checking out Annabelle; A few mentions of hand kisses; A couple mentions of a man getting many different women in compromising situations; A couple mentions of swooning; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a man’s questionable relationship with a young woman; Love, falling in love & the emotions.

-Annabelle Thorley, age 21

-Owen Locke
P.O.V. switches between them

Set in 1819 (Prologue in 1807, Last Chapter set in 1820)
325 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

While this third book had more faith content than the last one, I didn’t find this one very interesting. The plot didn’t keep my attention at most times, but it was an easy and quick read. Annabelle was sweet even if a little dense in some regards. I have to say my favorite character was Hannah, though. I would have liked seeing more of her.

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!