ABOUT THE BOOK
The life of an impoverished schoolteacher is not one Evangeline Blake would have chosen for herself. Torn from her home and her beloved sister and sent to work in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, Evangeline must prove herself to her grandfather, a man who values self-reliance above all else, before he will grant her access to her inheritance. Raised to be a lady of refinement, she hasn't any of the skills necessary to manage on her own nor does she have the first idea how to be a teacher. But failure means never being with her sister again.
Alone and overwhelmed, she turns to the one person in town who seems to know how she feels—Dermot McCormick, an Irish brick mason who is as far from home and as out of place as she is. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot's tentative friendship deepens and grows. Her determination and compassion slowly earn her the faith and confidence of the skeptical residents of Smeatley, who become like the family she has lost.
But when a secret from her past comes to light, Evangeline faces an impossible choice: seize the opportunity to reclaim her former life and rejoin her sister or fight for the new life she has struggled to build for herself—a life that includes Dermot.
Ashes on the Moor is the inspiring love story of one Victorian woman's courage to fight against all odds, and the man whose quiet strength gives her the confidence to keep trying.
REVIEW
Sarah Eden has written another great book. This one revolves around the experiences of a young lady who's recently lost most of her family. Her remaining family, including her aunt and uncle and her grandfather, force her into accepting a teaching position. But her sister Lucy is sent away to boarding school further breaking both girls' hearts. Even worse, Evangeline discovers the schoolhouse and attached living quarters in shambles and she is unprepared to take care of herself. So she reaches out to the only other person in town she knows: Dermot McCormick, who despite his grumpiness reluctantly agrees to help her. With Dermot's help, Evangeline slowly begins to find her way in teaching and living. But her aunt's hostility continues to undermine her work and she struggles to fight off the despair. But with Dermot's encouragement, Evangeline develops a growing determination to fight for what she wants and to do right by her students, regardless of the cost.
Once again Eden has created characters that I couldn't help but fall in love with, and not just Dermot and Evangeline, but also the secondary characters as well. Lucy, Ronan, and the students and their families just worked their way into my heart. I couldn't help but cheer for Evangeline every time she stood up for herself and her students. And the romance between Evangeline and Dermot is at times amusing as well as touching. I love how realistic Sarah Eden's books are. Not only are they delightful to read but they stick with you long after you're done.
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