MoonglotexasWith an alluring cover and the title Lady of a Thousand Treasures, this novel by Sandra Byrd was one I had to try! As a rule, I find first-person narratives difficult and less enjoyable. However, in this case, our protagonist Eleanor has a lovely voice and the story flows so beautifully that within a few chapters I was so immersed in the story I no longer noticed it.
Having an appreciation for antiques and rare collectibles will definitely enhance your experience of this book as it is packed with fascinating tidbits on historical pieces as well as the obsession some have of creating world-renowned collections. Whilst being informative, it doesn’t become burdensome to the story plot nor do the characters become caricatures.
At its heart, the novel explores integrity and what builds and destroys trust, within oneself and others as well as in God. I so hope this author will continue to delight with more novels just like this one! It’s five out of five for me on the en-JOY-ment scale!
From the back cover:
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.
The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.
Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.
With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
