The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark - Lawana Blackwell

The third in the Gresham Chronicles, The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark brings back a host of the previous Gresham characters, as well as a few surprising new ones. Picking up sixteen months after The Courtship of the Vicar's Daughter ends, Dowry continues the story of Julia Hollis and Vicar Andrew Phelps, now happily married. This time, the family takes a backseat in the narrative, as other characters are brought to the forefront.

Shy, awkward Jacob Pitney is content in his career as an archaeologist, but far less so with his personal life. His attempts to court Eugenia Rawlins, a local romance author are continually fraught with problems, as this woman, so absorbed in the wild, melodramatic world of her characters, fails to see his true worth. To help him woo Miss Rawlins, Jacob seeks the help of Miss Lydia Clark, the local schoolteacher, who has troubles of her own.

After thirty-four years a spinster, Lydia Clark has given up on the idea of finding a mate. Suddenly, two different men are paying her attention - Ezra Towley, a boorish farmer, and Harold Sanders, a local n'er-do-well, both of whom are far more interested in her dowry than her heart. When she begins to develop feelings for Jacob Pitney, life becomes even more complicated, as he's enlisted her to help him court someone else.

Harold Sanders is determined to escape the misery of his father's farm, and sees Lydia Clark's dowry as an easy way out. However, in his attempts to win her, he changes in ways he does not expect, and embarks upon a future he'd never imagined.

Noelle Sommerville is sent to Gresham to be hidden by her lover, so that his wife will not find out about her existence. Alone and frightened of losing her one source of security, she embarks on a series of lies and manipulations, only to be confronted with an unexpected chance for redemption.

This many plotlines could make for a confusing read, but Blackwell is so incredibly skilled at weaving her stories together that it's really quite comfortable to follow. More than the others, Dowry shows a real evolution in the hearts and minds of some of the characters, particularly Noelle Sommerville and Harold Sanders. It's subtle, it's consistent, and you can easily believe that it is God's work changing these people, rather than the author's will. Highly Recommended.