The Weaver's Daughter

Kate Dearborne is from a weaver family in an area where wool is the primary source of income.  The Dearbornes are one of the biggest wool producers in Amberdale and the Stocktons are the other major family.  In and amongst these two families are some bitter feelings about how the individual businesses are run. 

Kate knows she is capable of running a weaving business, but her father wants her to just do womanly things, and get married.  He even has her future husband picked out for her. 

Henry Stockton, the grandson of the mill owner, has returned to town after being thought dead for three years. He and his grandfather go at loggerheads over the running of the mill. A couple of chance meetings between Henry and Kate give Kate the opportunity to tell Henry how his mill could be run better.

Sarah Ladd has written a solid book with a detailed look into labor practices of the time -- especially the use of children in working the looms, as well as the reluctance of the people to engage the newer technologies.

I enjoyed the book, but I found it pretty predictable.  It wasn't hard to figure out where the plot was going and how it was going to play out.  Still and all, it's a solid four star book. 

 My thanks to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book.