Ravensmere: A Novel of 19th-Century Rural Dorset

In 1830 England, 18-year-old orphan Geneva Everson is plotting her escape from an untenable home life when she discovers she has a father--and a very wealthy one at that. From this startling information comes a long line of questions for Geneva. Why had her shunned and now-deceased mother lied all these years? Why would an honorable gentleman throw a pregnant young bride into the streets? And if the heavenly Father that Geneva once trusted has abandoned her, why should she now trust an earthly father?

Geneva sets out for answers by accepting an invitation to Ravensmere, her father's estate. There, she struggles to forgive her newfound father for his cruelty to her mother and her own nightmarish childhood. As the new heiress to Ravensmere, Geneva faces labor protests, riots, and violent attacks along with her own internal battle. Meanwhile, as her friendship with a kind and godly gentleman deepens, her cousin, the displaced heir, attempts to court her with charm and flattery. Now, Geneva has to contend with the heart-rending choices of who to love, who to trust, and how to forgive.

But these matters pale in comparison to the real secrets of Ravensmere lying deep in the heart of the manor, and Geneva's discoveries that lead to far more horrifying questions. Suddenly on the run and fearing for her life, she finds herself compelled to trust once again in God whom she thought had abandoned her. And now, with dangerous secrets on her heels, Geneva Everson must go where no genteel lady would dare.