Ashes on the Moor

It was hard to read about the hardships of the good people of this small town. I think it's important though, for us in the modern times that have so much, to learn of the things people went through. I was so frustrated for poor Evangeline, because she wanted to badly to prove herself but was limited in what she could do. I was so angry with her Aunt for being so cruel to her. All in all, another beautiful story by Sarah Eden that made me feel all the feels.

Another lovely book by Sarah M. Eden. Not only was the story endearing, but the researched details added to its reality. This was a fascinating visit to 1870s industrial England. Change can be so challenging and this story has change bursting forth into everyone's lives. Evangeline has lost almost all the family she holds dear. In addition she's yanked out of her familiar, privileged surroundings and placed in an industrial Yorkshire town to teach school and learn to manage her own life. The only source of help is an Irishman who seems none too welcoming. He's dealing with changes as he and the townspeople are becoming acclimated to one another. Then there are Evangeline's students. Just going to school alters their existence to say nothing of learning to read for the first time! If change is embraced the results can be beautiful. Growth is absolutely blossoming for Evangeline and the other citizens of Smeatly.

Format: Kindle ebook
Tissue warning: not for me
HEA: yes
Triggers: I can't think of any
Narrative: third person, following Evangeline and Dermot
My reviewer rating: 4.5 out of 5
Recommend read: Yes
Published: March 13, 2018

Thank you first to Netgalley and the author Sarah M Eden for my free e-copy of Ashes on the Moor in exchange for my honest-to-goodness review.

This was a lovely book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It was just the right length and had just the perfect amount of descriptors, conversations, and angst. The *one* drawback I feel the need to complain about is the Yorkshire accent. I have read some difficult dialects before, but this one tops the cake. I'm sure that's how Ms. Eden intended it so that we the reader can emphasize with Evangeline on her struggles in understanding the townspeople herself. It was just really difficult to get a flow in reading. The smallest vice I have is when Dermot and Ronan sing their traditional Irish songs in the Gaelic tongue, and Ms. Eden describes it as "Irish language." I've visited Dublin (and I highly recommend it) and everyone there spoke English. It was English with the Irish accent, but English. Gaelic is the old language, which is what the songs they sang were spoken in. Maybe they didn't refer to it as Gaelic in the time period that Ms. Eden wrote this story, but still. It's a minuscule gripe I had.

Read this when it comes out in 2018. Enjoy this. I most certainly did.

Full review on twinmomreviews.blogspot.com

I enjoyed this story written by Sarah Eden. The story took place in Northern England in 1871. The writer did a great job of showing how the dialect of this area affected how the children at this time were limited in how they approached learning. I appreciated the development of Evangeline. She was given the task of teaching in an area where she was not familiar with dialect, had never been independent, and she overcame her obstacles. I was disappointed with her family, but family is sometimes not as supportive as we would wish.

This book was just what I needed. I love those stories that settle in and just absorb you. And Ashes on the Moor by Sarah M. Eden is exactly that.

From the first page to the last, this lovely story of love and family will enchant readers.

I quickly came to love Evangeline, Dermont, and Ronan. Evangeline and her sister Lucy have lost their entire family. Then they are, with out much in the way of explanation or warning, separated from each other. Already broken hearts are needlessly smashed.

The first person outside of her cold aunt and distant uncle that Evangeline meets in her new town is Dermont McCormick, and his son Ronan. Little by little Evangeline and Dermont become friends, and Evangeline bonds with Ronan–who was so much like the brother she lost. In one endearing moment, Ronan states that they should keep her. (If you hadn’t got misty eyed yet reading this, this scene is bound to do it.)

I enjoyed on Evangeline and Dermont’s relationship built slowly over time.

I received an ARC from Shadow Mountain.

After the death of most of her family, Evangeline's cruel aunt brings her to Smeatley, a factory town totally different from her previous home. Raised in the upper class, Evangeline now must work as a schoolteacher--despite having no experience and barely understanding the Yorkshire accent--if she is to prove herself worthy of the inheritance her grandfather has saved for her and, more importantly, to be reunited with her sister Lucy, who has been sent away to attend school elsewhere. Evangeline's aunt is cruel to her, refusing to acknowledge that they are related, constantly critical of all of Evangeline's efforts, and reluctant to give Evangeline anything that might help her succeed. Irish brick mason Dermot is the only other person she knows, and while he initially seems reluctant to speak to her any more than necessary, he comes to be her dearest friend and biggest support. Dermot's son, Ronan, is different from other children and Dermot is worried about how he'll do at school, but Evangeline seems to understand his needs and he thrives under her attention. As Evangeline tries to do her best for her students, she finds herself clashing with school administrators and must decide how to move forward if the school inspector demands she change her teaching style to the detriment of her students. Changing her style could help her efforts to be reunited with Lucy, but they could also alienate all of the students; refusing to change could cost her her job and force her to leave Smetley--and Dermot.

I absolutely loved this book. Sarah Eden is fantastic at writing snappy dialogue and incorporating humor, and I laughed so many times at Dermot's and Evangeline's interactions. Eden also does a great job at developing her characters, and I loved not only the main characters but also secondary characters. I really enjoyed the look at Victorian England and the working class--it was really interesting to learn about issues such as mill workers' housing and factory conditions in the context of the story. I also really enjoyed reading about the dialect differences and how the people of Smetley's language wasn't considered "proper" and how it was difficult for children to learn to read English that was spelled so differently from their own dialect. That was just a really interesting addition to the story--the type of addition that makes this book stand out from other historical romances. The romance is sweet, the characters are terrific, and I loved everything about the book. I've loved Sarah Eden's Regency books, but I'm excited about her venture into the Victorian Era and hope she'll be writing more books in this time period!

I read a copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Lets start with the love - 'Ashes on the Moor' has a beautiful cover, creative title, beautiful location and a fantastic cast of characters to give every aspect of this story depth and uniqueness. I haven't read a historical fiction that follows the lines of this plot and I enjoyed that very much.

The story begins so bleak and full of sadness. Evangeline and her 12 year old sister Lucy, have been orphaned and though they come from a family of wealth and privilege, they are separated almost immediately at the hands of probably the cruelest Aunt on the planet! The amount of ache that you will feel for Evangeline and her plight seems to have no bounds. Her new neighbor, Irish born Dermot McCormick is a local brick mason, who has secured for himself work in the small West Yorks mill town of Smeatley. He and his son Ronan, don't respond too well to their strange new neighbor. As the story progresses there is a gentle and easy development in not only Evangeline's ability to adapt to her new life, but also between her and Dermot. I appreciated the way the interaction between her and the towns folk was written also. She comes from a different class and part of society but she was loving and gracious as she went about her life. As she grows in confidence she is able to find herself in a position to fight for her sister. That was also a joy to read.

I was excited to see this story was based in Yorkshire. My roots are there, and I've probably only read a handful of books that have been located in the region. Here is where I will broach my frustrations with this book. When it comes to writing dialogue a choice needs to be made to whether you write it in English or whether you take on the dialect of the locals. I can understand that to make it 'authentic' it has something special to it when it is written more accurately to the people in where it is placed. However, I endured no end of frustration with the constant 'lessons in Yorkshire dialect'. Yes I may understand the language, and many will not - but there are alternate ways to explain away the choice to write in dialect. Some authors will add a glossary for those words/phrases that are really hard to understand (or less obvious to figure out on your own) or perhaps it is just left alone. None of the Irish was 'explained' away. It was irritating and ruined a good portion of my reading. This is my issue, and may not bother other readers. Perhaps with my family being from Yorkshire I found it more frustrating. There was far too much repetition and disrupted the flow.

Many times while reading I was reminded of why I love books like 'North and South' by Elizabeth Gaskell. This era and the trials that the people working and surviving on the livelihood of the mill intrigues me. I enjoyed as a child visiting the Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire with my school and then taking my kids there years later. I love the history. It is clear that Sarah Eden has researched it well. Great story & plot. Wonderful characters. A little less on the dialect lesson and I'd have given this 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Oh, this book was charming! It's been a while since I've read a book like this. It has made me want to seek out more.

Taking place in 1871, it follows Evangeline Blake, a young woman who has just lost her parents and two brothers, leaving her and her younger sister at the mercy of their grandfather.

While Lucy, the younger sister, is shipped off to school in Leeds, Evangeline is sent to be a school teacher in a small mill town. She knows nothing about being a teacher, let alone living on her own. She has never cooked or cleaned, and the fact that she can hardly understand the local dialect discourages her even more.

As she attempts to make her place and prove to her grandfather that she is capable of taking care of her sister, she finds help from a stubborn Irish man and his son.

This book is categorized as a romance (a "proper romance," actually), but I would say it's much more historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance. And the romance itself is a slow burn, which is honestly my favorite. So many books these days rely on instalove, so I really appreciated this very slow developing romance.

My favorite part of the book overall was Evangeline's growth as a teacher, and the clever ways she found to help each student learn in their own way.

This was such an enjoyable read. Definitely one of Ms. Eden's best books.

The beginning started a little slow and I had trouble believing anyone could be so heartless in the immediate wake of so much devastation. And Evangeline's meek responses to her aunt's cruelty was hard for me to understand. Over time, Evangeline grows a backbone and becomes fierce, almost to a fault.

I didn't always agree with her convictions or choices (SPOILER* I agreed with the school inspector that her attitude was a bit of a problem at that point. She could have pled her case privately so that she wasn't directly challenging the way things were run. And I certainly thought there was value in teaching the children how to speak "properly." If they ever wanted to get a job outside of their mill in that small town, they would probably need to be able to communicate with others. She could have taught them primarily in Yorkshire dialect, especially as they were young but also taught language classes so that they would be respected and valuable outside of their little town. She could have compromised). But I did like her character development over the course of the novel.

I liked that there weren't always easy answers and that some characters were not so black and white (the vicar for example). I liked the restoration in some relationships and the lack in others; I found it realistic and relatable. No matter how much you try, some things are just out of our control.

I loved Dermot's character and Ronan as well. (*SPOILER* I assumed Ronan was Autistic. It was an interesting portrayal in that time period). Despite heavy subject matter, there was a lot of humor shared between the characters throughout the story, which I appreciated.

Though I love stand alone novels and wish that not every story became a trilogy, I'm invested in these characters now and I can't help hoping for a follow up (maybe Susannah? Or Lucy? Or you know what would be really awesome- Berta. I would love to see her get some healing). I'd highly recommend this book.

Sarah M. Eden never ceases to amaze me with her historical research and character development.
Such an endearing story about how two different sides can be intertwined by a bond stronger than any foe, able to weather any hurricane.

Really emotional and memorable, with great character- and relationship-building.

I loved this book. After I finished it I found myself continually thinking about it and wanting to tell other people about it. Sarah Eden enters an new time period for her stories - Victorian England. Think "North and South." This book is not as light-hearted as some of her others ("The Sheriff of Savage Wells and some of her Jonquil books). I think of it more along the lines of her Hope Springs novels, although possibly not as sad as some of those books.

It follow the story of Evangaline, a twenty year old who finds herself alone in the world. Born to priviledge she suddenly has to find a means to support herself. She reaches out to Dermot, an Irishman who lives in the mill town where she now lives. Life is hard where they live, and they both face challenges and also watch/help those around them deal with their own trials.

The story covers topics such as schooling in the Victorian era, life in the mills, autism, and the push for the English to unify their language.

I very much enjoyed this book. I will definitely read it again and recommend it to others.

This is a darker and sadder novel than I'm used to with Sarah Eden. Still really enjoyed it and highly recommend.

I loved this book!! Set in a textile town, it brought to mind, one of my favorite books North and South by Elizabeth Gasgill and movies 'North and South' BBC. When tragedy strikes, Evangeline and Lucy have to leave the only home they have ever known. Life is bleak in Smeatley, but Evageline tries so hard to keep her chin up, even living in poverty. I liked Evageline's character and how much her sister Lucy meant to her. I loved this story so much and could picture life on the moors. Keep them coming Sarah M. Eden, your books are among my favorites.

Sarah Eden took a book that could have been somber and tragic due to its location and character’s situation in life and used the underlying themes of family and home to infuse the book with warmth, comfort and hope.

It was obvious that every aspect of the book was extremely well researched giving the book depth and richness. This was especially apparent in the way Sarah Eden handled the Yorkshire language. Not only could you tell she had a beautiful handle on such a unique way of speaking, but she understood that it was also a part of their identity, tying it in beautifully to that underlying story arc of home and purpose.

The imagery throughout the book created an emotional attachment to the scene and the characters. The way Sarah Eden used the bells pulled you immediately into Evangeline’s grief making you feel it deep in your heart with every gong. Then to use the bells again at the end of the book as a symbol of hope for the future was exceptional story telling.

The world needs more books like this. Books where women face impossible circumstance and overcome them with courage, kindness and optimism. Books that advocate the value of teachers and the difference, however small, they can make in a child’s life. Books that show that friendship does not need parameters. This is a must read.

A new Sarah M. Eden book? Yes there is!
I was able to get an Advanced Readers Copy and I am LOVING IT!

Love the theme, the characters, the story line, everything!
So. So. So. Good! Cannot put it down!

Life was very different centuries ago and women were taught that their place was to be quiet and not rock the boat. At least that is how Evangeline feels when she loses almost all of her family and is forced to a small town by her Aunt and told she was to be the teacher for the children of the town - even though she had never taught before. But her kind and caring heart have her make the best of the situation and she comes to realize she is actually a great teacher despite her Aunt's hatred for her and determination to make Evangeline's life miserable.

I always enjoy reading books set in a time that I am not familiar with so that I can imagine what life would be like and wonder how I would handle life in that time period. I am fairly strong-willed, like Evangeline, so imagine that I would react much like she did with the children she taught, her family, and the townspeople.

There is a romance too between Evangeline and Dermot. Two people that you might never have expected to fall in love, but it works for them. It takes some doing, and I was quite amused at Dermot's "rule" of only one knock on his door per day.

There are some "evil" characters, but all makes some sense near the end when the truth comes out. It does not justify the actions of these people, but it does make some sense.

When one of my favorite authors of all time comes out with a book, I'm reading it ASAP! Or so I thought, but weirdly the cover kind of put me off, and I forgot for awhile that it was by Sarah Eden...but when I remembered, it went to the top of my reading list. I wasn't disappointed, surprised a bit that it was so different from her other books, but still a worthwhile read. I found myself angry again and again at family members that turned their backs on the main characters in their times of greatest need, then in turn amazed at how they rose to the occasion better than I expected and blessed the lives of many others around themselves in the process. This was a story of human tenacity and hope. I LOVED the story of Ronan, including how prepared Evangeline was to be an influence in his life. Her grandfather was a surprise. I loved this sweet story with lots of growth for the main characters and blessing the lives of others along the way! That's what makes life worth living after all!

#AshesOnTheMoor #NetGalley

Evangeline Blake & her sister Lucy have just buried their parents & two brothers. They are to leave their home that same day to travel to Yorkshire to live. Evangeline is sent o the mill town of Smeatley in West Yorkshire to become a schoolteacher. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent & dialect. Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather Mr Farr the mill owner will release her substantial inheritance to her and allow her to be reunited with twelve year old Lucy who has been sent away to school.
Evangeline is forced to keep her relationship to Her grandfather & her Aunt & Uncle, Mr & Mrs Barton a secret if she wishes to retain her job. Totally alone with no money, no food, no idea how to cook or teach she turns to the one person in town who has shown her kindness, an Irish brick mason, Dermot McCormick, and his son, Ronan. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot become friends, due in part to her ability to connect with Ronan, whose behaviour requires special attention.
An extremely well research book that made me feel very nostalgic as I was born & bred in Bradford & in my childhood there were still plenty of mills & close to where I lived there were back to back houses that had been built in the 1870s. I did have to laugh out loud at Evangeline’s inability to understand some of the Yorkshire phrases, which I grew up with. The book started out on a sombre note & I really felt for how the Blake sisters were so badly treated by their remaining relatives & I was routing for Evangeline to succeed. The characters were very well portrayed & were very well fleshed. A gritty novel that caught my interest & I became engrossed in it & found myself reading well into the night until I’d finished it. The author is fast becoming one of my must read authors

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I was so excited to get to read this new book by Sarah M. Eden. Firstly, I love the cover--it's gorgeous.

Evangeline and her 12 yr. old sister, Lucy, lost their parents and their brothers to a sudden illness. Right after the funeral they must leave the only home they've known to go to Yorkshire and are separated--Evangeline is to live in the small factory town of Smeatley as a schoolteacher and Lucy is sent to live with the grandfather they hardly know in Leeds. In order for Evangeline to have Lucy live with her she has to prove that she can keep a household (cleaning, cooking, manage money, etc) although she wasn't trained to do that as her family was quite well off. She also knows nothing of how to teach children.

The nearest neighbor to her is Dermot McCormick, an Irish brick mason who isn't quite accepted by all of the towns people. They have a rocky start but come to an arrangement of extra schooling for his son Ronan in exchange for cooking lessons for Evangeline. Their friendship grows slowly as they spend more time together. Evangeline is slowly accepted by the children she teaches and their parents until her relationship with her grandfather (Mr. Farr) and her Uncle and Aunt Barton comes to light. Then she has to decide if she wants to stay in Smeatley with Dermot and Ronan, or leave to live with Lucy and her grandfather in Leeds.

There are a lot of depressing scenes in the story because of the time period in which it's set--factory workers and those who lived off the land didn't have an easy life in the 1870's. They didn't have the safety precautions in the factories we have now, and illness or bad weather could wipe out a herd/flock or crop. But there are also instances of friendship and caring between neighbors as they helped each other in times of need or distress.

There were so many times I wanted to slap Aunt Barton and yell at her husband to do something instead of letting her trod all over him and have her way. The woman was miserable and made everyone around her miserable too, and I was so happy when he finally told her enough is enough. I can't imagine treating your sisters children the way Aunt Barton treated Evangeline and Lucy.

I felt so many things for Evangeline as she was left to drag/carry her trunk up to the schoolhouse by herself, find it in deplorable condition and attempt to get it ready for the children in just a few days time. She wasn't given the proper tools for cleaning and didn't even have a bed to sleep on. Luckily she had Dermot for a neighbor, who despite his prickliness, turned out to be a great blessing to her. Teaching her how to cook, and basically being the only friend she had for awhile.

I loved the scenes in the book with the children showing what they had learned even though Evangeline didn't teach them the way the school board supervisor said she should. She did what was best for her students to help them learn so they wouldn't have to work in the factory. I was relieved to find out why Aunt Barton was such a miserable woman--I wasn't satisfied with the answer but at least the author didn't leave me hanging wondering why she was so wretched a human being.

This is definitely a clean romance. Thanks to NetGalley for my eARC and the chance to review this book. All thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

Ashes on the Moor is a standalone novel by Sarah M. Eden.

Evangeline loses her mother, father and two of her siblings to disease, leaving just her and her youngest sister, Lucy, living. They had lived a comfortable life in a beautiful home, but being females their home goes to a distant relative and the girls have to go to their aunt and uncle’s home. It was painful enough to be uprooted from their home during their grief, but what their aunt has in mind for them will either make or break them.

Lucy is sent to her grandfather’s and then onto a school for young ladies, and Evangeline is told that she is to be the town teacher. She has no training to be a teacher, and has no money of her own and is thrown into the job. The school and her living quarters are practically derelict, with no supplies at all, not even a sweeping brush. Her rich aunt and uncle don’t even want her to tell the towns’ people that she is related to them, and she is, for the first time in her life, without family, without friends and without money.

Dermot is an Irish brick-layer living in the town with his son Ronan. He pretty much keeps himself to his self because the English don’t like the Irish. He is tasked with taking Evangeline to the school. First impressions between them aren’t very good. He is sullen, and she is grieving and he thinks she looks down on him.

What follows is watching how those first impressions change. Dermot becomes her lifeline, a much-needed one while she battles all the changes in her life. She has to teach children who speak with a Yorkshire Dialect that she can’t even understand, she has to live with little money, and most of all she has to live with her grief and being separated from her sister. Her main goal is to earn her grandfather’s respect and prove that she is capable of having her sister live with her. Along the way, she learns about herself, forms firm friendships, and sees life a totally different way.

This book was beautiful to read, it made me run the gamut of emotions…not least anger at the way that Evangeline was treated by her aunt, sadness at tragedies that some of the villagers go through, enjoyment at some of the things the children got up to, especially how cute they were when trying to get Evangeline to understand them, and absolute delight when Dermot and Evangeline got closer. This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be and I loved every minute of it.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.

Petersmarch, Cambridgeshire - 1871

Evangeline Blake, age 20, is grieving the loss of her parents and her two brothers. She and her 12-year-old sister, Lucy, are the survivors of the fever that claimed their family’s lives. Now, forced from their home by their Aunt and Uncle Barton with nothing but their personal items, they are placed on a train to Smeatley. There, Evangeline is to be the town’s schoolteacher and will reside at the school. Their aunt tells Evangeline that Lucy is to reside with their aunt and uncle at Hillside House, however, they soon send her off to a school. Their grandfather, Mr. Farr, owns the local mill but does not want it known that Evangeline and Lucy are his granddaughters. Evangeline is told that if he feels that she has worked hard, then he will decide if she can access her inheritance.

Dermot McCormick is a skilled brick mason and has helped build the new mill. Currently, he is building housing for the mill workers. He has been tasked by Aunt Barton to see that Evangeline is settled into the school. When they first meet, they clash but he feels bad leaving her in the dirty, sparse, and long unused school building. She has no food, blankets, or even a bed. Dermot lives with his son, Ronan, age 8, a few doors down from the school and he is anxious for the boy to learn to read.

Evangeline asks Dermot for his help in teaching her how to cook and they strike up a friendship. When the school opens, Evangeline is pleased with the children who come to learn. Teaching them their letters and the sounds becomes a difficult task due to their local accent. However, with the help of one of the students, Evangeline perseveres. Soon, she becomes enmeshed in the lives of the families in town and realizes she could never leave them. Her aunt is a bitter woman who wants to see Evangeline fail. Can she keep up the school to the satisfaction of the school board, her aunt and uncle, and her grandfather?

This is a great story that shows the suffering of the mill workers and the harsh conditions under which they work. I was very impressed with the way the author included “translations” of the Yorkshire accent of the local people and wrote the dialogue using the accents. I am sure this was a very difficult task, but in doing so, she made the story even more real.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I couldn't wait for Sarah Eden's new book, Ashes on the Moor, to come out. I am a huge fan of hers and I can't think of a book she's written that I didn't like. This one was no exception!

In Ashes on the Moor, we meet Evangeline Blake who has just lost her family. With only her sister left, she clings to her as they face an uncertain future with an aunt and uncle. But a cruel twist of fate separates them and throws Evangeline into circumstances that she's unprepared for. Forced to be the town's new schoolteacher and live in a humble home in need of a lot of care, Evangeline is lost and overwhelmed. The only person who shows her a bit of kindness is an Irishman named Dermot McCormick. He's also trying to figure out his place in the world since his heritage is looked down upon no matter what he does. But as Dermot and Evangeline build a friendship, stronger feelings flare and they must decide if love is worth fighting for.

I loved this book. It's not a light romance, but a look back in time when a woman had few choices and your birth and heritage could prevent you from having life's basic necessities. Ms. Eden has obviously done an incredible amount of research as the town of Smeatley with its Yorkshire residents comes to life, fairly jumping off the page. So many language, dress, and food details add to the amazing setting, giving the characters even more depth. Our heroine, Evangeline, will draw on all a reader's emotions as she deals with so many losses and has to keep picking herself up over and over. I wanted her to not only get her happily-ever-after, but to stand up and make a few people accountable for what they'd done! Dermot is also a character that will stay with you after the book is finished. He's suffered and risen above it, and all the while built a foundation of love and care for others, instead of bitterness as to his lot in life. He was the perfect match for Evangeline and their romance was a sweet, slow burn, that will give you all the feels. Definitely another one for my keeper shelf!

I think the best thing about Sarah Eden's books is that they aren't just stories, they are an experience. She pulls you into another time and place and takes you on an adventure that you won't soon forget!

Sarah M. Eden tells a lovely story-- reminiscent of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South-- in Ashes on the Moor. With fascinating descriptions of life in a factory town, and the unique struggles and accents found there, Eden's latest is full of historical detail. Evangeline's complicated family relationships, struggles to reach her students, and compassion for Smeatley's inhabitants were believable and beautifully told. Dermot, similarly, is an complex and compelling male lead. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and its characters, the finale seems a bit forced. Despite pages and pages of struggle and complication, somehow everyone magically gets everything they want within the last chapter. A more believable ending would have been infinitely more satisfying.

Ashes on the Moor is a great book for anyone who, like me, looooooves North and South, either the BBC production or the Elizabeth Gaskell novel it's based upon. I couldn't help picturing Dermot as Richard Armitage as I read. :) The setting, factory woes, even the emotion of the book...it all has echoes of North and South while also being its own original, heartwarming story, one I very much enjoyed. I especially appreciated Evangeline's character...watching her strengthen throughout the story and her resolve to do right by her students.

I really loved the atmospheric writing in this story. It tapped into much of the bleak mood associated with moors and life near them that's present in many classics, and that brought the late-Victorian feel of the story to life very effectively. Added to that, the heroine has just lost her family and everything she has ever known, getting dumped in a small country school to sink or swim as a gravely unqualified teacher.

I loved her pluck as she realizes she can't give up or give in, that she has to fight to gain a future. And before long she bonds with the local children, and she's ready to start fighting for them too.

I loved the banter between her and her neighbor, who's so clearly ready to take her down a notch or two but then ready also to help her learn how to survive.

The layers in the story kept me flipping pages and it was hard to put it aside to do anything else.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.