I was done striving and trying to earn the approval of others. I, too, must be on the outside who I was on the inside. ~ Eleanor Sheffield, Lady of a Thousand Treasures
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.
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My Thoughts
In her latest series, Sandra Byrd unveils a veritable feast and bids her reader come and dine Layered with nuggets of truth, intrigue, history, and romance, Lady of a Thousand Treasures is a full-course meal meant to be savored until the last delectable bite.
As an unmarried woman, Eleanor Sheffield knows her place in society but not her worth. She is smart, resilient, and daring. As an evaluator of antiquities, she knows “It is only by testing, or being tested, that we understand whether the substance or the person is as it appears to be or is merely masquerading.”
When Eleanor faces her season of tests, she questions her resolve—and her ability to make the right decision. Does she have what it takes? Can she trust her heart or must she listen to her head? As she works through her problems to untangle the web of deceit surrounding Lord Lydney’s treasures, we see her character shine forth as gold.
I loved Eleanor’s resilience, stories, and willingness to help others. Her outlook on life is seen through her response to losing. “Sometimes starting anew is the best way to move forward. Even if it seems like you’ve lost.” See what I mean? She is a heroine I could cheer for as she eliminated the fake to find the treasure. She passed this reader’s test, and she will forever be one of my favorite characters—along with Harry, of course!
“You have your Maker’s design all over you. His mark is stamped in your loyalty. Your kindness. The way you put others before yourself.” Lady of a Thousand Treasures ~ Sandra Byrd
Rich with folklore and mystery, Sandra Byrd did an outstanding job bringing Victorian England to life. Anyone who loves Dickens, Austen, and Brontë will find Lady of a Thousand Treasures a delightful read. I give it 5 stars!
I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers and Sandra Byrd for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Bestselling author Sandra Byrd has published more than fifty books over her editing and writing career. Her traditionally published books include titles by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, Tyndale House Publishers, WaterBrook Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and Bethany House. She’s also an independent author.
Sandra’s series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, published in 2017 and was named by the American Library Association’s Booklist as one of the Top Ten Inspirational Fiction books of the year.
Her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.
Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a nonfiction author with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions. The One Year Experiencing God’s Love Devotional was named by Called Magazine, the #1 magazine for Christian Women, as among their favorite, must-read books for Fall, 2017.
Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and their work through content coaching and line editing, and has mentored hundreds of writers. For testimonials about her editing and coaching, please visit novelcoaching.com.
Gail Johnson 