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The Spinsters of Inverley #3
The Secret Duchess
When the Duke of Stanmere’s will reveals a nasty secret, London Society is shocked—and so is his widow, Joan. Humiliated by the scandal, Joan flees to Inverley in disguise. Surely the quaint seaside town would be the last place anyone would look for a duchess on the run.
After her mother’s remarriage, fashionable spinster Miss Maeve Balfour must make a living with hands whose only labor has been arranging her hair into the latest style. With nowhere to turn and nothing to lose, she persuades mysterious newcomer Joan to let her stay in her manor house.
Although entranced by worldly and seductive Maeve, Joan doesn’t know if she can trust again. As Maeve learns Joan’s secrets, she yearns to protect her from the men who have sought to destroy her. But can a spinster and a widow dare to defy a dukedom—and win each other’s hearts?
After her mother’s remarriage, fashionable spinster Miss Maeve Balfour must make a living with hands whose only labor has been arranging her hair into the latest style. With nowhere to turn and nothing to lose, she persuades mysterious newcomer Joan to let her stay in her manor house.
Although entranced by worldly and seductive Maeve, Joan doesn’t know if she can trust again. As Maeve learns Joan’s secrets, she yearns to protect her from the men who have sought to destroy her. But can a spinster and a widow dare to defy a dukedom—and win each other’s hearts?
240 pages, Paperback
Published January 16, 2024
4 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Jane Walsh
8 books63 followersJane Walsh is a queer historical romance novelist published by Bold Strokes Books who loves everything Regency. She is delighted to have the opportunity to put her studies in history and costume design to good use by writing love stories. Jane’s happily ever after is centered on her wife and their cat and their cozy home together in Canada. You can find her at www.janewalshwrites.com and discover all her latest releases at www.boldstrokesbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 14, 2024
Okay read!
........ a little better storytelling but honestly, i cannot go into detailing what this series is all about -- and glad that i was patient enough to finished it.
........ a little better storytelling but honestly, i cannot go into detailing what this series is all about -- and glad that i was patient enough to finished it.
October 13, 2024
3.5 Stars
It’s what you’d expect from a Jane Walsh period novel - lost and downtrodden main character/s clawing their way through misogyny, patriarchy and societal expectations. In this novel the duchess was quite naive and very much out of touch from the realities of the world. The read was entertaining and the villains were written well since I wanted to kill them from the pages of the book.
It’s what you’d expect from a Jane Walsh period novel - lost and downtrodden main character/s clawing their way through misogyny, patriarchy and societal expectations. In this novel the duchess was quite naive and very much out of touch from the realities of the world. The read was entertaining and the villains were written well since I wanted to kill them from the pages of the book.
February 7, 2024
A lesson in love!
Joan is hiding away in Inverley after her dead husband’s will reveals a nasty secret. In Inverley they all wonder about Joan, but Maeve, who living there after her mother’s remarriage has forced her to be more independent, can’t help seeking lodging with her after being taken with her after one brief meeting.
This was a great addition to the The Spinsters Of Inverley series. I love that these are all standalone stories, so you don’t have to read them in a particular order to enjoy them, and that if you have read others in the series, then familiar faces crop up. Maeve and Joan both had mystery about them, but Maeve was most intriguing with how brazen she still was, even out of her comfort zone and finding things a bit of a challenge. Her confidence never wavered and once she’d decided Joan intrigued her and she was determined to lodge with her, there was literally no stopping her.
Joan had her guard up, and rightly so, but still Maeve managed to get under her skin and convince her to live her life. Of course, Maeve wasn’t aware of the truth at first, but once she found out she was loyal and ready to support Joan when her secrets started encroaching on her secret life in Inverley. That brought the real drama and set them on a bit of an adventure beyond exploring their feelings for one another.
A great historical romance, which is highly enjoyable, filled with scandal, and lots of intimate moments shared between Maeve and Joan as they explored an unconventional relationship for them times.
Joan is hiding away in Inverley after her dead husband’s will reveals a nasty secret. In Inverley they all wonder about Joan, but Maeve, who living there after her mother’s remarriage has forced her to be more independent, can’t help seeking lodging with her after being taken with her after one brief meeting.
This was a great addition to the The Spinsters Of Inverley series. I love that these are all standalone stories, so you don’t have to read them in a particular order to enjoy them, and that if you have read others in the series, then familiar faces crop up. Maeve and Joan both had mystery about them, but Maeve was most intriguing with how brazen she still was, even out of her comfort zone and finding things a bit of a challenge. Her confidence never wavered and once she’d decided Joan intrigued her and she was determined to lodge with her, there was literally no stopping her.
Joan had her guard up, and rightly so, but still Maeve managed to get under her skin and convince her to live her life. Of course, Maeve wasn’t aware of the truth at first, but once she found out she was loyal and ready to support Joan when her secrets started encroaching on her secret life in Inverley. That brought the real drama and set them on a bit of an adventure beyond exploring their feelings for one another.
A great historical romance, which is highly enjoyable, filled with scandal, and lots of intimate moments shared between Maeve and Joan as they explored an unconventional relationship for them times.
February 25, 2024
I received a copy from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Joan didn’t particularly care for the Duke of Stanmere, but she did enjoy her life as a Duchess. Unfortunately for her, it turns out her late husband barely mentioned her in his will, causing people to assume she was cheating. Now that her step children and in-laws seem to be up to no good, Joan has one massive scandal on her hands, which is why she flees to her secret home in Inverley. Now she’s disguised as the widow of a sailor and watching the scandal play out in the gossip rags. To further her disguise, she takes on a boarder: Maeve Balfour. Surely no one will expect the Duchess to rent rooms out!
I picked this up expecting a fun romance with some mystery involved. We follow Joan and Maeve through their rotating perspectives beginning with their lives turning upside down. Joan has a cheating scandal on her hands and is dealing with the theft of nearly everything she owns. Meanwhile, Maeve’s mother just remarried and left her to fend for herself. Maeve refuses to marry because she has no desire to ever be with a man, but she’s used to living the lavish life her parents' money provided. Now she’s left to find a husband or find a job, and it turns out that finding work is much harder than she ever anticipated!
I really liked Joan. There’s certainly some foul play going on with her in-laws, and it’s interesting to watch it develop as she tries to come out of it unscathed. She seems like a caring character who married well only to be left hiding out in a house her father pressured her to buy in secret. I think I would’ve liked the book more if I liked Maeve more, but she’s rather spoiled and truly out of touch with reality for the first half of the book. I had a hard time reading Maeve’s chapters mainly because Joan usually had far more interesting chapters than she did. I feel like Maeve finally grew a solid personality about halfway through the story, which is when I really started to enjoy her chapters.
The mystery of sorts was really interesting to follow and that was probably my favorite part of the book. It was crazy seeing what Joan’s in-laws were doing and seeing her slowly learn who her husband really was as a person. The slow revelations were predictable but crucial to the story, and seeing who really had Joan’s back and was willing to help and defend her was excellent. The romance was very light and cute, but Joan’s backstory and crazy life events was the core of the book.
Joan didn’t particularly care for the Duke of Stanmere, but she did enjoy her life as a Duchess. Unfortunately for her, it turns out her late husband barely mentioned her in his will, causing people to assume she was cheating. Now that her step children and in-laws seem to be up to no good, Joan has one massive scandal on her hands, which is why she flees to her secret home in Inverley. Now she’s disguised as the widow of a sailor and watching the scandal play out in the gossip rags. To further her disguise, she takes on a boarder: Maeve Balfour. Surely no one will expect the Duchess to rent rooms out!
I picked this up expecting a fun romance with some mystery involved. We follow Joan and Maeve through their rotating perspectives beginning with their lives turning upside down. Joan has a cheating scandal on her hands and is dealing with the theft of nearly everything she owns. Meanwhile, Maeve’s mother just remarried and left her to fend for herself. Maeve refuses to marry because she has no desire to ever be with a man, but she’s used to living the lavish life her parents' money provided. Now she’s left to find a husband or find a job, and it turns out that finding work is much harder than she ever anticipated!
I really liked Joan. There’s certainly some foul play going on with her in-laws, and it’s interesting to watch it develop as she tries to come out of it unscathed. She seems like a caring character who married well only to be left hiding out in a house her father pressured her to buy in secret. I think I would’ve liked the book more if I liked Maeve more, but she’s rather spoiled and truly out of touch with reality for the first half of the book. I had a hard time reading Maeve’s chapters mainly because Joan usually had far more interesting chapters than she did. I feel like Maeve finally grew a solid personality about halfway through the story, which is when I really started to enjoy her chapters.
The mystery of sorts was really interesting to follow and that was probably my favorite part of the book. It was crazy seeing what Joan’s in-laws were doing and seeing her slowly learn who her husband really was as a person. The slow revelations were predictable but crucial to the story, and seeing who really had Joan’s back and was willing to help and defend her was excellent. The romance was very light and cute, but Joan’s backstory and crazy life events was the core of the book.
January 1, 2024
3.5/5 Stars
This was another sweet regency romance from Jane Walsh. This book had the author‘s signature well-rounded, interesting and loveable characters with another charming romance. While it was overall another entertaining and immersive read from Walsh, I didn’t connect to this one as much as some of her other novels.
After the death of her husband reveals buried scandalous secrets and throws Joan into a precarious situation, the newly widowed Duchess escapes to her house along the coast to lie low. At the same time, our other heroine Maeve’s life has also been thrown off course with her mother’s marriage. A lover of fine clothes and spa treatments, for the first time in Maeve’s life she needs to find employment to keep up with the leisurely life she is used to. Thrown together in the small coastal town of Inverley, Maeve and Joan struggle to keep up appearances while their private lives are in major flux.
While Walsh’s books tend to be more heavy on the sweet romance side, this book had a much more somber side, especially with Joan struggling to maintain her freedom and dignity as a widow. This side story took centre stage at many points in this book, which definitely added intrigue to the overall story but also meant this book was heavy on tension. While I did enjoy this story for the most part, I do think it was wrapped up too quickly by the end with little pay off. I think this book struggled with the balance between the sweet and loving romance, and this darker side to the story. It made the overall mood of the romance feel dampened by the weight of the conflict in Joan’s life.
Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable story and I think Jane Walsh is definitely one of the best historical romance writers for sapphic fiction. I look forward to reading more of her stories.
This was another sweet regency romance from Jane Walsh. This book had the author‘s signature well-rounded, interesting and loveable characters with another charming romance. While it was overall another entertaining and immersive read from Walsh, I didn’t connect to this one as much as some of her other novels.
After the death of her husband reveals buried scandalous secrets and throws Joan into a precarious situation, the newly widowed Duchess escapes to her house along the coast to lie low. At the same time, our other heroine Maeve’s life has also been thrown off course with her mother’s marriage. A lover of fine clothes and spa treatments, for the first time in Maeve’s life she needs to find employment to keep up with the leisurely life she is used to. Thrown together in the small coastal town of Inverley, Maeve and Joan struggle to keep up appearances while their private lives are in major flux.
While Walsh’s books tend to be more heavy on the sweet romance side, this book had a much more somber side, especially with Joan struggling to maintain her freedom and dignity as a widow. This side story took centre stage at many points in this book, which definitely added intrigue to the overall story but also meant this book was heavy on tension. While I did enjoy this story for the most part, I do think it was wrapped up too quickly by the end with little pay off. I think this book struggled with the balance between the sweet and loving romance, and this darker side to the story. It made the overall mood of the romance feel dampened by the weight of the conflict in Joan’s life.
Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable story and I think Jane Walsh is definitely one of the best historical romance writers for sapphic fiction. I look forward to reading more of her stories.
December 26, 2023
Joan is only 25 and the widow of the Duke of Stanmere. But instead of receiving a typical portion of his estate his will leaves her with next to nothing and his many heirs are happy to oblige in running her out of London. She takes off for Inverley to a property she purchased. There she meets Miss Maeve Balfour, a spinster at the age of 28. Maeve has been living as her mother’s companion but is left behind when she remarries. Both women need to figure out what they can do to survive in the small seaside town. Their friendship begins when Joan takes in Maeve as a boarder at her house.
This is the third in the Spinsters of Inverley series and each of the covers is more beautiful than the next. It is hard not to be outraged at the treatment Joan receives from her husband's family and frustrated by the treating women as property of their spouse laws of the time. Maeve knows she’s never been interested in men but both women are being told their only option is to find men to marry them. I’ve read the other books in the series and enjoyed the friendship with the previous main characters. But this can easily be read as a stand alone. This is a sweet romance but with hardships and obstacles to be overcome. I did especially like the epilogue with a longer than normal view into the future for the pair.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
This is the third in the Spinsters of Inverley series and each of the covers is more beautiful than the next. It is hard not to be outraged at the treatment Joan receives from her husband's family and frustrated by the treating women as property of their spouse laws of the time. Maeve knows she’s never been interested in men but both women are being told their only option is to find men to marry them. I’ve read the other books in the series and enjoyed the friendship with the previous main characters. But this can easily be read as a stand alone. This is a sweet romance but with hardships and obstacles to be overcome. I did especially like the epilogue with a longer than normal view into the future for the pair.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
December 16, 2023
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.
Joan has lost everything after her husband death humiliated and alone she flees to the one place she hopes no one will know her. Maeve is looking for work and at place to live when she meets Joan she convinces her to let her stay. While there Maeve and Joan gets to know each other but Joan is hesitant to let anyone in when everyone she cares for had hurt her but can they both overcome their hardships and find want they want is right there. I like that the author didn’t let Joan avenge herself even though she should had but understand why she didn’t.
Joan has lost everything after her husband death humiliated and alone she flees to the one place she hopes no one will know her. Maeve is looking for work and at place to live when she meets Joan she convinces her to let her stay. While there Maeve and Joan gets to know each other but Joan is hesitant to let anyone in when everyone she cares for had hurt her but can they both overcome their hardships and find want they want is right there. I like that the author didn’t let Joan avenge herself even though she should had but understand why she didn’t.
January 7, 2024
The Secret Duchess and I got off to a bit of a rough start because I didn’t initially care about either of the main characters. They seemed rather shallow, self-indulgent, entitled women, and while I felt bad for their rude awakenings, I wasn’t prepared to be particularly sympathetic to them. Had this not been a Jane Walsh novel, I’m not sure I would have kept reading.
Of course, I did keep reading, and I did soon come to understand the careful undressing of layers here, and how deftly Walsh built not just a romance, but the women within it. They start out seeming shallow and self-indulgent because they were raised to put social standing and appearances before all else. Neither Joan nor Maeve have ever had the opportunity to know themselves, much less be themselves, so being stripped bare of their social standing is indeed a rude awakening.
That rude awakening is a darkness that looms over much of the story, with sorrow, grief, uncertainty, and even horror that colors every moment. It’s heavy, but it’s also necessary for us to shift from understanding to accepting to empathizing with Joan and Maeve. Their struggles reveal the strength of the women inside, and an acquaintance forced upon them by circumstance slowly blooms into friendship before flowering into romance – which is where the book shines brightest. I loved getting to know these women, seeing how they treated others when there was no longer a social ladder between them, and witnessing how they became far more than the roles they’d cast aside.
I quickly came to adore Maeve, and to feel for Joan. I wanted them to be together for Joan’s sake, perhaps even more than Maeve’s, and I loved how Walsh navigated the first stirrings of love between them. Joan is so innocent, so naive when it comes to affairs of the body, and Maeve is the perfect woman to guide and instruct her. Their first fumblings are so sweet in the language and lessons learned, and it’s a delight to see passion and love develop almost simultaneously. As courtships go, this was one of my favorites in the genre!
The story does sort of race towards a climax in the final chapters, but it’s the perfect culmination of the entire story, with people coming together out of a sense of family and love, regardless of role or position, to see to it that the right thing is done – even if (or especially if) it’s not what we expected.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/...
Of course, I did keep reading, and I did soon come to understand the careful undressing of layers here, and how deftly Walsh built not just a romance, but the women within it. They start out seeming shallow and self-indulgent because they were raised to put social standing and appearances before all else. Neither Joan nor Maeve have ever had the opportunity to know themselves, much less be themselves, so being stripped bare of their social standing is indeed a rude awakening.
That rude awakening is a darkness that looms over much of the story, with sorrow, grief, uncertainty, and even horror that colors every moment. It’s heavy, but it’s also necessary for us to shift from understanding to accepting to empathizing with Joan and Maeve. Their struggles reveal the strength of the women inside, and an acquaintance forced upon them by circumstance slowly blooms into friendship before flowering into romance – which is where the book shines brightest. I loved getting to know these women, seeing how they treated others when there was no longer a social ladder between them, and witnessing how they became far more than the roles they’d cast aside.
I quickly came to adore Maeve, and to feel for Joan. I wanted them to be together for Joan’s sake, perhaps even more than Maeve’s, and I loved how Walsh navigated the first stirrings of love between them. Joan is so innocent, so naive when it comes to affairs of the body, and Maeve is the perfect woman to guide and instruct her. Their first fumblings are so sweet in the language and lessons learned, and it’s a delight to see passion and love develop almost simultaneously. As courtships go, this was one of my favorites in the genre!
The story does sort of race towards a climax in the final chapters, but it’s the perfect culmination of the entire story, with people coming together out of a sense of family and love, regardless of role or position, to see to it that the right thing is done – even if (or especially if) it’s not what we expected.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/...
January 28, 2024
I’m always so impressed by people who read historical romance. What are you, a scholar?? I had to look up so many words!
But I think I get it now! I had a great time with this. Good setup, distinct characters, good tension and reason for keeping secrets. The storyline with the duchy is well done and adds some extra excitement.
Towards the end the romance got a bit too overwrought for me, but I know that’s part of the genre, so I can’t blame the book. Overall I liked this a lot and would recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for the EARC. It’s out now!
But I think I get it now! I had a great time with this. Good setup, distinct characters, good tension and reason for keeping secrets. The storyline with the duchy is well done and adds some extra excitement.
Towards the end the romance got a bit too overwrought for me, but I know that’s part of the genre, so I can’t blame the book. Overall I liked this a lot and would recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for the EARC. It’s out now!
December 31, 2025
Very enjoyable, though I did like the previous book in this series better. This book has a substantial thriller aspect and is thus lighter on the romance side, and it has a character who abruptly and implausibly reforms so that we can reach the HEA without going on too long. But Walsh remains our preeminent Regency lesbian romance writer and her writing is now enjoyable fluid.
March 3, 2024
**ARC from Netgalley**
I think I might be too middle class for this book.
I really wished I could have enjoyed this book, the writing is decent, the romance is cute for what it is however the characters are so lacklustre and lack interiority from start to finish it made the book interminable to finish and I'm not talking about Joan being my main issue.
Honestly, Joan as a naive young woman in an arranged marriage who knows not much of anything and kind of goes with the flow wouldn't be a bad character arc to start with considering it's strongly stated she's never allowed her own agency, however as someone who grew up in a culture where arranged marriages are common, it has never stopped women I know from having interiority, emotions, hobbies beyond what their duty was, which Joan lacks to a level she comes across as a blank slate. Her queer awakening is very sweet and it does give me more to engage with, however Joan until almost the end feels almost resigned to injustice and never truly gets angry, yells, has an outburst beyond a smart remark or hiding herself, which yes can be a good starting point however even at the end she never stands up for herself, her maid does the heavy lifting.
And here we come to my biggest grating issue with the plot- Maeve and the existential crisis of the rich. Like, the shock of having to enter the job market, having to work for yourself after a life of not doing that is something I can sympathise if not get get, however the sheer amount of waffling and brooding about how easy her life was and how she's single does hit somewhere maddening in my modern non trust fund baby person trapped in capitalism soul.
It's not even the amount of jobs she went through, that happens when you're trying to figure out what you *can* do, it's the constant whining about how good her life was and the "Caroline Channing from 2 Broke Girls but so much worse" characterisation that started to downgrade my enjoyment thoroughly. Her slow building friendship and relationship with Joan being her only remotely interesting feature, but that's simply because there's the only spot we see true want or desire to do something in Maeve.
The book feels leisurely and dull like a boring party where you're sitting with a plastic plate with chips and warm glass of coke as it limps to an unsatisfying and "revelation that forces the villain to change his mind" ending.
I think I might be too middle class for this book.
I really wished I could have enjoyed this book, the writing is decent, the romance is cute for what it is however the characters are so lacklustre and lack interiority from start to finish it made the book interminable to finish and I'm not talking about Joan being my main issue.
Honestly, Joan as a naive young woman in an arranged marriage who knows not much of anything and kind of goes with the flow wouldn't be a bad character arc to start with considering it's strongly stated she's never allowed her own agency, however as someone who grew up in a culture where arranged marriages are common, it has never stopped women I know from having interiority, emotions, hobbies beyond what their duty was, which Joan lacks to a level she comes across as a blank slate. Her queer awakening is very sweet and it does give me more to engage with, however Joan until almost the end feels almost resigned to injustice and never truly gets angry, yells, has an outburst beyond a smart remark or hiding herself, which yes can be a good starting point however even at the end she never stands up for herself, her maid does the heavy lifting.
And here we come to my biggest grating issue with the plot- Maeve and the existential crisis of the rich. Like, the shock of having to enter the job market, having to work for yourself after a life of not doing that is something I can sympathise if not get get, however the sheer amount of waffling and brooding about how easy her life was and how she's single does hit somewhere maddening in my modern non trust fund baby person trapped in capitalism soul.
It's not even the amount of jobs she went through, that happens when you're trying to figure out what you *can* do, it's the constant whining about how good her life was and the "Caroline Channing from 2 Broke Girls but so much worse" characterisation that started to downgrade my enjoyment thoroughly. Her slow building friendship and relationship with Joan being her only remotely interesting feature, but that's simply because there's the only spot we see true want or desire to do something in Maeve.
The book feels leisurely and dull like a boring party where you're sitting with a plastic plate with chips and warm glass of coke as it limps to an unsatisfying and "revelation that forces the villain to change his mind" ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2024
Actual Rating: 3.5
I don’t pick up as much historical romance as I used to, but Walsh always finds a way to draw me back in and The Secret Duchess was so worth it. We have Joan, a recently widowed Duchess who has lost her inheritance due to mysterious circumstances, and we have Maeve, a fashionable spinster who loses her easy way of living and begins to scramble for a means to keep her comforts.
I really enjoyed how Joan and Maeve contrasted and complimented each other, this was especially present in the power dynamic in their relationship - it felt very balanced despite one having more experience and the other having more wealth. Maeve is an absolute charmer and so fun to read, especially side by side to Joan’s moderate naivety. One of my favourite scenes accuranted this difference and honestly made me laugh out loud.
I loved the intimate scenes and really continue to enjoy how Walsh approaches them. It’s an approach that is soft, intimate, creative, and thoughtful. I could read them over and over again.
I didn’t care so much for the mystery element of the story, much as it was a device to get these two women into close proximity. The mystery is resolved pretty much as we expect from the beginning so I wasn’t too invested in that part of the story. I think those looking for a mystery won’t find too much to delve into here, but those who like family drama will be satisfied.
Still, I cannot wait to see what story of Walsh’s will pull me in next.
*I received an eARC from Bold Stroke Books & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
I don’t pick up as much historical romance as I used to, but Walsh always finds a way to draw me back in and The Secret Duchess was so worth it. We have Joan, a recently widowed Duchess who has lost her inheritance due to mysterious circumstances, and we have Maeve, a fashionable spinster who loses her easy way of living and begins to scramble for a means to keep her comforts.
I really enjoyed how Joan and Maeve contrasted and complimented each other, this was especially present in the power dynamic in their relationship - it felt very balanced despite one having more experience and the other having more wealth. Maeve is an absolute charmer and so fun to read, especially side by side to Joan’s moderate naivety. One of my favourite scenes accuranted this difference and honestly made me laugh out loud.
I loved the intimate scenes and really continue to enjoy how Walsh approaches them. It’s an approach that is soft, intimate, creative, and thoughtful. I could read them over and over again.
I didn’t care so much for the mystery element of the story, much as it was a device to get these two women into close proximity. The mystery is resolved pretty much as we expect from the beginning so I wasn’t too invested in that part of the story. I think those looking for a mystery won’t find too much to delve into here, but those who like family drama will be satisfied.
Still, I cannot wait to see what story of Walsh’s will pull me in next.
*I received an eARC from Bold Stroke Books & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
January 16, 2024
The Secret Duchess is the third installment in Jane Walsh’s Spinsters of Inverley series. It can be read as a standalone, although I do recommend checking out the others. I continue to love how Walsh grapples with the issues women faced in the Regency, especially if they happened to be queer, while providing them both realistic and hopeful paths to an HEA, and this one was no exception.
Joan and Maeve are each great spins on common historical romance archetypes, and are very sympathetic as a result. Joan is a widowed duchess, having endured a loveless marriage and is now reckoning with a scandal related to her late husband’s long-buried secrets now coming to light. Maeve finds herself compelled to leave home following her mother’s remarriage, and I love how, as someone who loves fashion and style, she has to find a resourceful way to make her own way in the world.
I really liked the romance between Joan and Maeve. I wasn’t sure at first about Joan hiding who she was from Maeve, but it does come from a realistic place of shame for the scandal, and later fear for what could befall her. And once Joan is comfortable letting Maeve in, the two women really bond over their shared struggles navigating the world, helping each other and finding solace in each other.
This was a fairly sweet read, and I’d recommend it to readers who are looking for historical sapphic romance.
Joan and Maeve are each great spins on common historical romance archetypes, and are very sympathetic as a result. Joan is a widowed duchess, having endured a loveless marriage and is now reckoning with a scandal related to her late husband’s long-buried secrets now coming to light. Maeve finds herself compelled to leave home following her mother’s remarriage, and I love how, as someone who loves fashion and style, she has to find a resourceful way to make her own way in the world.
I really liked the romance between Joan and Maeve. I wasn’t sure at first about Joan hiding who she was from Maeve, but it does come from a realistic place of shame for the scandal, and later fear for what could befall her. And once Joan is comfortable letting Maeve in, the two women really bond over their shared struggles navigating the world, helping each other and finding solace in each other.
This was a fairly sweet read, and I’d recommend it to readers who are looking for historical sapphic romance.
January 10, 2024
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Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for approving this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
🌈 A sweet slow-burn for lovers of sapphic period romances!
This is my second Jane Walsh sapphic romance, and the third in the “Spinsters of Inverley” series. Here, we meet Joan, the sheltered Duchess of Stanmere, who receives several nasty surprises at the reading of her deceased husband’s will. Fleeing scandal, she arrives to the seaside town of Inverley, determined not to let anyone find out her real identity.
When fashionable spinster Maeve’s mother remarries and leaves her to fend for herself, she asks to board with Joan’s manor while she seeks employment. Joan is reluctant at first, but decides to take Maeve in. With time, the two women begin to learn more about each other, about themselves and what it means to have something of their own… but it might all fall apart when the missing duchess is found.
I enjoyed this! The main characters' backstories and motivations were interesting, and they complemented one another and went through their own arcs while supporting the other’s journey. There were some angst and darker topics (mostly IPV and femicide, referenced), and also some open-door smut scenes with vulnerable conversations about pleasure and bodies that I really liked.
If you enjoy historical sapphic romances that are spicy and tender, be sure to check this one out!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for approving this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
🌈 A sweet slow-burn for lovers of sapphic period romances!
This is my second Jane Walsh sapphic romance, and the third in the “Spinsters of Inverley” series. Here, we meet Joan, the sheltered Duchess of Stanmere, who receives several nasty surprises at the reading of her deceased husband’s will. Fleeing scandal, she arrives to the seaside town of Inverley, determined not to let anyone find out her real identity.
When fashionable spinster Maeve’s mother remarries and leaves her to fend for herself, she asks to board with Joan’s manor while she seeks employment. Joan is reluctant at first, but decides to take Maeve in. With time, the two women begin to learn more about each other, about themselves and what it means to have something of their own… but it might all fall apart when the missing duchess is found.
I enjoyed this! The main characters' backstories and motivations were interesting, and they complemented one another and went through their own arcs while supporting the other’s journey. There were some angst and darker topics (mostly IPV and femicide, referenced), and also some open-door smut scenes with vulnerable conversations about pleasure and bodies that I really liked.
If you enjoy historical sapphic romances that are spicy and tender, be sure to check this one out!
August 3, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the digital galley of this book.
I finished this one up early this morning (and will probably nap soon). Joan spent five years married to a pretty awful Duke, and upon his passing he’s left her barely enough to live on. After years of cheating and illegitimate children, his heirs are now accusing her of infidelity so they can take what little she has left. No one knows about a house purchase in Inverley years ago, and she flees there, incognito, until she can figure out what to do.
Wnter is Maeve, whose mother is getting remarried and leaving her high and dry in Inverey. She’s got no marketable skills but will need lodging, so she convinces the reclusive widow to let her board in the house. As the two get closer, Joan’s secret gets more difficult to hide, and when the family shoes up again, hellbent on taking everything, the women hatch a plan to get it all back.
This was a fun, little read. Sometimes I just need traditional style, historical romance, but with ladies, and this hit the spot. It moved quickly, had good supporting characters, a heroine in trouble, and a partnership rather than a prince on a steed, which I appreciated.
I finished this one up early this morning (and will probably nap soon). Joan spent five years married to a pretty awful Duke, and upon his passing he’s left her barely enough to live on. After years of cheating and illegitimate children, his heirs are now accusing her of infidelity so they can take what little she has left. No one knows about a house purchase in Inverley years ago, and she flees there, incognito, until she can figure out what to do.
Wnter is Maeve, whose mother is getting remarried and leaving her high and dry in Inverey. She’s got no marketable skills but will need lodging, so she convinces the reclusive widow to let her board in the house. As the two get closer, Joan’s secret gets more difficult to hide, and when the family shoes up again, hellbent on taking everything, the women hatch a plan to get it all back.
This was a fun, little read. Sometimes I just need traditional style, historical romance, but with ladies, and this hit the spot. It moved quickly, had good supporting characters, a heroine in trouble, and a partnership rather than a prince on a steed, which I appreciated.
December 28, 2023
This was OK but didn't grab my interest. It had a slow start detailing the separate dire circumstances of the two main characters, maybe it should have started when Joan and Maeve meet in the shop then filled in with flashbacks? The narrative kept pausing to describe clothes in detail, but it somehow didn't sell that Maeve's fashion sense was exceptional, it just sounded like she enjoyed expensive clothes.
The romance itself proceeds without obstacles, which is also not particularly involving. I'm not buying a Regency England where everyone is just ducky with women loving women.
Finally, Joan's money troubles are never resolved. As far as I can tell, she ends the book with 200 pounds per year, which is about enough for one servant. It certainly isn't enough to maintain her house and be "benefactress" of the school. That would require at least 2000 pounds per year.
So, a step down from The Accidental Bride, which had pacing issues but was involving.
The romance itself proceeds without obstacles, which is also not particularly involving. I'm not buying a Regency England where everyone is just ducky with women loving women.
Finally, Joan's money troubles are never resolved. As far as I can tell, she ends the book with 200 pounds per year, which is about enough for one servant. It certainly isn't enough to maintain her house and be "benefactress" of the school. That would require at least 2000 pounds per year.
So, a step down from The Accidental Bride, which had pacing issues but was involving.
December 15, 2023
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙷𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻. 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴.
📚 ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️🌈
𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈/𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃:
Now, this story was a little frustrating. I don't understand why Joan had to suffer like that. And the fact that she didn't avenge herself for all that humiliation she suffered has me seething to no end. It was the perfect solution but I also loved the alternative that the author chose because had Joan taken the revenge route, maybe those children wouldn't have come to visit at the beach house.
Historical books sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) feel very clinical to me when it comes to romance and chemistry. The connection is usually there but the things that hinder the romance sometimes makes it impossible to enjoy as a reader. The plot was well-written, I have not yet read the previous books in the series and that didn't hinder my understanding for this book.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.
📚 ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️🌈
𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈/𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃:
Now, this story was a little frustrating. I don't understand why Joan had to suffer like that. And the fact that she didn't avenge herself for all that humiliation she suffered has me seething to no end. It was the perfect solution but I also loved the alternative that the author chose because had Joan taken the revenge route, maybe those children wouldn't have come to visit at the beach house.
Historical books sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) feel very clinical to me when it comes to romance and chemistry. The connection is usually there but the things that hinder the romance sometimes makes it impossible to enjoy as a reader. The plot was well-written, I have not yet read the previous books in the series and that didn't hinder my understanding for this book.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.
January 3, 2024
A very enjoyable Regency sapphic romance that really inhabits its setting of a seaside resort town and time period. I loved Joan and Maeve and the forbidding manor on the cliff, though I loved the plot of the duchy trying to hold all of Joan's possible assets a lot less. With just how far-reaching the attempts to keep her from having absolutely anything at all, even her mother's jewelry, were and continued to be throughout, I was expecting there to be some more personal reason other than "everything a woman has or receives belongs to her husband upon marriage".
That said, I really loved both Joan and Maeve learning to find their places and what they wanted to do when their previous senses of self were shattered, and I enjoyed watching Maeve bring Joan out of her shell to build a wide circle of friends.
That said, I really loved both Joan and Maeve learning to find their places and what they wanted to do when their previous senses of self were shattered, and I enjoyed watching Maeve bring Joan out of her shell to build a wide circle of friends.
December 17, 2023
After a duke’s will creates a scandal, widow Joan flees London and takes on a new identity in the seaside town of Inverley. Joan accepts fashionable Maeve as a boarder, and is soon drawn to the worldly and seductive spinster. As Maeve uncovers Joan’s secrets, can the two women defy a dukedom’s expectations and find love together?
Both Joan and Maeve are sympathetic characters. They’re each in a precarious financial situation without the benefit of a husband, and they work together to protect their future. The plot is strong and the pacing held my interest throughout. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys sapphic historical romance.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Both Joan and Maeve are sympathetic characters. They’re each in a precarious financial situation without the benefit of a husband, and they work together to protect their future. The plot is strong and the pacing held my interest throughout. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys sapphic historical romance.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
December 21, 2023
A sapphic regency read. Joan and Maeve both come from lives of some sort of privilege. When that is taken away both women start a journey towards trying to discover how to survive on their own and discovering their true selves. Maeve convinces Joan to allow her to rent a room from her not knowing she is the missing duchess. The two become closer while secret’s still remain from Joan they learn to lean on each other and become a match. While the plot itself was not that dense I did enjoy the character development and seeing women of that time become independent. Along with the stories of the side characters.
This book is a part of The Spinsters Of Inverley series but can be read as a standalone.
Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review
This book is a part of The Spinsters Of Inverley series but can be read as a standalone.
Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review
January 4, 2024
This was an absorbing read. Starting out with some cruel treatment of a widow to a duke, a well crafted romance is described. One of the main characters has known of her sexuality since she was a teen. The duchess begins a story of discovery as she falls in love with her Irish friend. It is great to see both assume more control over their circumstance and become independent women who fall deeply in love with each other. They establish what is important in life, relationships and a sense of purpose and deny that a woman’s defining role is to be a good wife. The importance of material wealth is established, that a woman on her own is liable to end in poverty, yet true value does not lie in wealth. All in all, a thought provoking, enjoyable read
February 13, 2024
The book is an interesting read. The both main characters had a new change in their wasn't in a positive way. Joan's husband die and this family doesn't want her to have anything. And Maeve's mother gotten remarried and Maeve needs to defend for herself with the little money that her mom gave her. Maeve ending up staying with Joan and ending up falling with each other. Plus each find something new within themselves.
January 19, 2024
The Secret Dutchess is the third installment in the series. This is a great addition to the series and can also stand alone. A very enjoyable read with some interesting back stories. The main characters complement each other. I loved their journey as the overcome all the obstacles and hardship. Well done, Jane.
Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC.
January 19, 2024
The third book in the Spinsters of Inverley, widow Joan and spinster Miss Maeve Balfour's story is well written with a very good storyline that held my interest throughout. Joan had so much hurt from her deceased husband and his family, I was happy when Maeve came into her life. The story is well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 9, 2024
This was enjoyable enough. As with the other entries in this series by this author, I find these fun and interesting enough but they lack the spark that makes me really root for these characters or engage with them. I enjoyed this one, particularly for investigating what life and making a living looks like for a former woman of means who remains insistent on not marrying a man.
February 10, 2024
I do like a bit of regency, and this series has been good so I was looking forward to reading this book. Happily it didn’t disappoint. The romance works well. The difficulties for women in trying to live a life in that era that didn’t involve marriage to a man are well explored. A perfect bit of escapism. Some of the clothes sound rather lovely too.
March 4, 2024
I really enjoy Jane Walsh's books. I love the setting, the characters and their development and the plot. I also love how in this series, even though the books are focused on different couples, there are recurring characters that we keep getting to see snippets of.
This book is easy to read and fast paced, ideal for fans of historical romance.
This book is easy to read and fast paced, ideal for fans of historical romance.
January 14, 2024
Historical romance between two women. An entertaining story even if some of it is a bit unlikely for the time. But it is fictional and I did enjoy it. I can sometimes get a bit pedantic about historical accuracy.
February 9, 2024
I quite enjoyed this book, except for the parts that show how poorly women were treated back in the day. I like my romance light, and rarely take a chance on historical romances. However, I loved the setting and how nicely the two leads come together. The ending is perfectly satisfying.
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