Crown of Laurel — Penelope Stratton

Lucky in love is lucky enough…

Bright-eyed housekeeper's daughter, Laurel, has her eyes and, more importantly, her heart set on marrying her childhood friend, and soon-to-be Earl, Harry.

After having her fortune read at the local fete, she discovers that her fate is to be wealthy and of high rank someday, and, most of all, to marry a fair boy.

Her heart full of her wonderful future, she meets a young disenchanted soldier, Daniel, who is blighted by the woes of war.

Little does she know that, in handing him her lucky penny, his star will rise as hers falls, and their fates will be irrevocably and tragically intertwined forever.

Sure enough, soon after leaving Daniel, Laurel finds her sweetheart is sent to war, and, not only that, but has met a young Belgian notable, fallen in love and eloped, leaving Laurel stricken.

Meanwhile, Daniel is rising fast through the military ranks, moving through battles from strength to strength.

Jilted, Laurel waits in anguish for Harry's return to Norley to see how things will have changed, but to her surprise she finds they haven't, he is even more passionate than before.

All is well for a while, until Napoleon strikes again and Harry is called away to battle once more.

Now Laurel finds herself alone and pregnant in a world that spawns such a thing.

When Harry's uncle, Joshua, steps in and offers to raise the child as his own, Laurel is in no position to refuse and soon she finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage and questioning her husband's motives.

Why had Harry's Uncle been so keen to marry a ruined, young woman?

Will Laurel and Harry ever find their happily ever after?

And are Daniel and Laurel's path's destined to cross forever more?

Set in 19th Century England, Crown of Laurel is a passionate novel of star-crossed lovers in a time that did not believe in true love over social ascent.