The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

Set in Regency England the story of the two antiquities brokers and how the best friends fell apart forms the beginning of the story. Olivia and her sister are left with nothing as their father bequeathed the business to his brother, who through mismanagement has run it to the ground. Lucas has inherited his father’s business also in a precarious financial position.

The approach to Olivia to assess and catalogue Mrs. Milton’s collection is a rare chance to get a footing in the business, and establish herself despite her uncles antipathy and obvious disapproval. Lucas is approached by the nephew of the late Mr Milton to value and dispose of his inheritance. Mrs Milton and the heir do not see eye to eye on how to manage a burdensome estate and both Olivia and Lucas have to keep the purpose of their visit to Cloverton under wraps. A full scale week of entertaining has been arranged which provides the cover necessary for both Olivia and Lucas.

Covering regency England at its best and worst in a descriptive form, we are taken through the jobs undertaken by Olivia and Lucas under the eyes of their bosses, who cannot stand each other. Both have to be diplomatic, especially when Lucas discovers that a lot of chinoiserie is fake and that a scam is going on right under their eyes.

Discovering who was responsible was a difficult job, in the process Olivia loses her job but the romantic angle was just right and the story ends well.

Sent by Thomas Nelson Fiction for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.