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Lord of Secrets
Somewhere on the North Atlantic, 1820
Rosalie Whitwell has spent most of her life sailing the globe with her adventurous father, dreaming of the day she can settle in one place long enough to have a home and family of her own. When her father suffers a fatal heart attack in the middle of the North Atlantic, Rosalie turns in her panic to a fellow passenger--the cool, reclusive Lord Deal.
For years David Linney, Marquess of Deal, has avoided the society of others. Even so, he's drawn to his lovely shipmate, like him the victim of family tragedy.
As the voyage nears its end, Lord Deal is compelled to propose. But on their wedding night, Rosalie gets an unwelcome her handsome husband is strangely reluctant to consummate the marriage. Does she fall short of her groom's expectations? Or is he hiding a secret past that only she can unlock?
83,000 words
Rosalie Whitwell has spent most of her life sailing the globe with her adventurous father, dreaming of the day she can settle in one place long enough to have a home and family of her own. When her father suffers a fatal heart attack in the middle of the North Atlantic, Rosalie turns in her panic to a fellow passenger--the cool, reclusive Lord Deal.
For years David Linney, Marquess of Deal, has avoided the society of others. Even so, he's drawn to his lovely shipmate, like him the victim of family tragedy.
As the voyage nears its end, Lord Deal is compelled to propose. But on their wedding night, Rosalie gets an unwelcome her handsome husband is strangely reluctant to consummate the marriage. Does she fall short of her groom's expectations? Or is he hiding a secret past that only she can unlock?
83,000 words
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2013
16 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Everett
9 books103 followersAlyssa Everett grew up in Florida, where from an early age her favorite books typically had dukes in them. As a teen she worked in an amusement park, doing just about every kind of odd job a person can do, from collecting garbage to captaining an African boat cruise.
She met her husband, a darkly handsome doctor with a wicked sense of humor, at Harvard University. They currently live with their three children and a springer spaniel in small-town Pennsylvania.
She met her husband, a darkly handsome doctor with a wicked sense of humor, at Harvard University. They currently live with their three children and a springer spaniel in small-town Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 8, 2017
8 October 2017: Now only 99 cents on Amazon/iBooks/Nook/Kobo. Rated as a Desert Island Keeper at All About Romance.
* * *
This is a lovely story about a true marriage of convenience, where both the husband and the wife consider themselves unworthy of the other.
Rosalie believes herself to be unattractive, unsophisticated, and a poor match for her husband, the toplofty, dour and reclusive Lord Deal. Deal has cut himself off from society and considers himself to be "utterly depraved" and no fit mate for a sweet innocent like Rosalie. Deal has enough honor left that he has promised himself that he will not consummate the marriage until he has confessed all to Rosalie, at which point he expects her to flee in horror. She, on the other hand, has no idea why he shows no interest in making love to her in the days and weeks after their marriage.
Deal's secret, which goes back to his youth, is indeed shocking, yet when he finally confesses, Rosalie is horrified only by what he has had to endure. In return for Deal "rescuing" her aboard ship after her father's sudden death, she helps rescue him from his demons.
The story is beautifully written, without the intrusion of modern language or attitudes. Extreme patience is required,however, as the reader does not learn about Deal's secrets any sooner than Rosalie does, which is near the end of the book.
Definitely recommended. I plan to go back and read AE's two earlier books, now published by Carina Press. I'm so please that she was finally able to extricate herself from the mess left by Dorchester Publishing's sudden demise.
* * *
This is a lovely story about a true marriage of convenience, where both the husband and the wife consider themselves unworthy of the other.
Rosalie believes herself to be unattractive, unsophisticated, and a poor match for her husband, the toplofty, dour and reclusive Lord Deal. Deal has cut himself off from society and considers himself to be "utterly depraved" and no fit mate for a sweet innocent like Rosalie. Deal has enough honor left that he has promised himself that he will not consummate the marriage until he has confessed all to Rosalie, at which point he expects her to flee in horror. She, on the other hand, has no idea why he shows no interest in making love to her in the days and weeks after their marriage.
Deal's secret, which goes back to his youth, is indeed shocking, yet when he finally confesses, Rosalie is horrified only by what he has had to endure. In return for Deal "rescuing" her aboard ship after her father's sudden death, she helps rescue him from his demons.
The story is beautifully written, without the intrusion of modern language or attitudes. Extreme patience is required,however, as the reader does not learn about Deal's secrets any sooner than Rosalie does, which is near the end of the book.
Definitely recommended. I plan to go back and read AE's two earlier books, now published by Carina Press. I'm so please that she was finally able to extricate herself from the mess left by Dorchester Publishing's sudden demise.
April 9, 2014
This was a solid 4* read for me (graded against other m/f Regencies), because it managed to keep me reading until well past midnight, and except for one minor sentence it also was very smooth and quite polished.
The spoilers are serious in the following, so read at your peril!
ETA: After a while and still loving this so much that I rec it to friends with a fickle taste, I decided to up this one star.
The spoilers are serious in the following, so read at your peril!
ETA: After a while and still loving this so much that I rec it to friends with a fickle taste, I decided to up this one star.
February 21, 2018
This is my second attempt with the author and sadly, I don’t think our path will cross again.
I found the story dull and boring. A marriage of convenience between an insecure good-hearted heroine and a tortured hero with a big secret went pretty much like this for the most of the story:
She:
I can be useful to him. I can look after him and make him comfortable and see he isn’t alone anymore.
Why doesn’t he want to bed me?
Oh, dear. What had she said wrong now? It seemed every conversation with David was fraught with hazards, most of which she didn’t even understand.
He:
He could have told her the truth about himself, he could have made a clean breast of his past, but he’d been too cowardly.
This was all his fault. He shouldn’t have married her, shouldn’t have brought her here, shouldn’t have neglected her long enough..
He wanted her, and he couldn’t have her—not because she would refuse him, but because he didn’t deserve her.
And on, and on, and on until the big secret reveal around 80% mark. And, by that time, I was fed up with both of them. Being a seasoned romance reader, I guessed the secret very early on. It is definitely heartbreaking and David’s reluctance to open up is understandable. But the miraculous recovery from years of self-disgust and torment is simply unbelievable. Everything changes overnight. Some encouraging words from his wife is all it took for him to change and voilà - HEA. Unbelievable! Since most of the book is the buildup to the revelation of the big secret, I really wish we had gotten more time to see the characters deal with it in more realistic way. That would’ve been interesting. Oh, well...
I found the story dull and boring. A marriage of convenience between an insecure good-hearted heroine and a tortured hero with a big secret went pretty much like this for the most of the story:
She:
I can be useful to him. I can look after him and make him comfortable and see he isn’t alone anymore.
Why doesn’t he want to bed me?
Oh, dear. What had she said wrong now? It seemed every conversation with David was fraught with hazards, most of which she didn’t even understand.
He:
He could have told her the truth about himself, he could have made a clean breast of his past, but he’d been too cowardly.
This was all his fault. He shouldn’t have married her, shouldn’t have brought her here, shouldn’t have neglected her long enough..
He wanted her, and he couldn’t have her—not because she would refuse him, but because he didn’t deserve her.
And on, and on, and on until the big secret reveal around 80% mark. And, by that time, I was fed up with both of them. Being a seasoned romance reader, I guessed the secret very early on. It is definitely heartbreaking and David’s reluctance to open up is understandable. But the miraculous recovery from years of self-disgust and torment is simply unbelievable. Everything changes overnight. Some encouraging words from his wife is all it took for him to change and voilà - HEA. Unbelievable! Since most of the book is the buildup to the revelation of the big secret, I really wish we had gotten more time to see the characters deal with it in more realistic way. That would’ve been interesting. Oh, well...
January 23, 2021
This book felt long. It felt choppy. It felt off. I really enjoyed the beginning but about 1/3 through I didn't really care if I finished. Much more going through the motions. Could be me. Could be the book.
December 27, 2015
This is my first Everett, it won’t be my last. I read this straight through and liked it a great deal. It was a true character focused romance and a little May/December: so, swoon. Rosalie was kind, sweet, strong and hopeful. Everett conveys her youth without ever infantilizing her which is no mean feat. Even when she overreacts during the course of an argument or finds herself being petulant, she owns up to it in her mind. You can see the impact she has on Deal’s life and I completely understood why he fell in love with her. Deal is characterized even more successfully, even if (perhaps necessarily given his history and the consequences of it) he is less likeable than Rosalie. His background is tragic and Everett does a great job of conveying the impact childhood abuse can have on a person once they reach adulthood. Everett also provides a very accurate depiction of grooming [alas, I see this kind of thing occasionally because of my job]. Covering such a serious subject in a romance novel is no mean feat. It takes the novel to a serious place but not a depressing place, which, again, given the subject matter is a pretty remarkable accomplishment. I have a couple of gripes though. Not enough sex. One scene between the H/h and I wanted more, although that might have been difficult given the fact that Deal doesn’t want to have sex with Rosalie until she understands his past. My second gripe is with exactly that issue. Deal keeping his secret, whilst an important plot device, seemed to drag on and on and on and I think it would’ve been better to reveal it sooner and then spend more time working through the issues it created – all of that – Deal’s forgiving himself and so on, took place at break neck speed. This isn’t a perfect book, but I really enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2013
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: March 25, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://alyssaeverett.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Hopelessly Naive Heroine
Favorite Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Heroine Thinks She’s Undesirable (Husband Refuses to Consummate Marriage)
While I won’t give spoilers, readers should be aware that there are some pretty sensitive issues addressed in this book, and though they are handled quite well, they may be hard for some readers.
I love a good, angsty story that involves a heroine who thinks she’s unattractive because her husband avoids intimate encounters. Even though I figured out the “secret” pretty early on, and I on occasion wanted to smack the heroine for her naiveté and somewhat obnoxious optimism, I loved this one.
The heartbreak surrounding David’s tragic past was revealed in stages, and by the time the reader learns the full extent of the events that have twisted David’s own self worth into a ball of hatred and self-loathing, we are already as hopelessly in love with him as Rosalie has found herself.
Rosalie’s own journey from almost overwhelming self-sacrificing optimism to having her eyes ripped opened to the realities of the world was almost as painful as David’s journey, and though her behavior originally irritated me, I found that in the end, had her character been any less optimistic, or had she been any less, well, Rosalie, she would not have been strong enough to pull either herself nor David out of the mess that resulted from the mess of an impulsive marriage between two people who, on the surface, were never meant for each other.
Wonderfully, beautifully done.
A very solid 4/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: March 25, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://alyssaeverett.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Hopelessly Naive Heroine
Favorite Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Heroine Thinks She’s Undesirable (Husband Refuses to Consummate Marriage)
While I won’t give spoilers, readers should be aware that there are some pretty sensitive issues addressed in this book, and though they are handled quite well, they may be hard for some readers.
I love a good, angsty story that involves a heroine who thinks she’s unattractive because her husband avoids intimate encounters. Even though I figured out the “secret” pretty early on, and I on occasion wanted to smack the heroine for her naiveté and somewhat obnoxious optimism, I loved this one.
The heartbreak surrounding David’s tragic past was revealed in stages, and by the time the reader learns the full extent of the events that have twisted David’s own self worth into a ball of hatred and self-loathing, we are already as hopelessly in love with him as Rosalie has found herself.
Rosalie’s own journey from almost overwhelming self-sacrificing optimism to having her eyes ripped opened to the realities of the world was almost as painful as David’s journey, and though her behavior originally irritated me, I found that in the end, had her character been any less optimistic, or had she been any less, well, Rosalie, she would not have been strong enough to pull either herself nor David out of the mess that resulted from the mess of an impulsive marriage between two people who, on the surface, were never meant for each other.
Wonderfully, beautifully done.
A very solid 4/5 Stars
August 14, 2024
Review from 2014
B- for narration / A- for content
Lord of Secrets is a well written and characterised and the story has some unusual elements for a historical romance that Ms. Everett treats with intelligence and sensitivity.
The eponymous Lord is David Linney, Marquis of Deal, a somewhat reclusive bachelor of thirty-one who came into his title aged ten after his father committed suicide. On a sea voyage from New York to London, he meets Miss Rosalie Whitwell and her cousin, Charles Templeton. Rosalie has travelled extensively over the past nine years with her father and while she yearns for a permanent home, and perhaps a family of her own someday, she is content to be her father’s companion and amanuensis.
It’s clear from the outset that while David is attracted to the lovely Rosalie, there is something holding him back from furthering his acquaintance with her – something he feels makes him completely unworthy of any relationship with an innocent young woman. When Lord Whitwell dies suddenly, it’s David who takes charge of the situation and makes all the necessary arrangements, which brings him unavoidably into closer contact with her and David finds he is unable, despite his best intentions, to keep his distance.
Their slowly growing friendship is beautifully written and reveals them to have various interests in common. It’s clear from their conversations that they are perfect for each other, even if they don’t know it yet, and it’s rather sweet when they bond over Lord Whitwell’s terrible puns. But his death has left Rosalie in an unenviable position. She has either to go to live with her uncle, a man with a very unsavoury reputation, or she must find paid employment. David tries not to become concerned, but the more he hears about her uncle, the less happy he is at the prospect of Rosalie living with him. Rosalie is pinning her hopes on becoming a ladies’ companion to the wealthy American, Mrs. Howard (who reminded me of Mrs. van Hopper in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca). But when that lady declines to employ her, it seems Rosalie has no other option but to turn to her uncle for a home. It’s at that point that David suddenly realises that he can solve Rosalie’s problem and provide the home and security she needs – and he proposes marriage. Rosalie, already halfway in love with the reticent, though handsome, lord, accepts.
She’s a thoroughly engaging heroine. Though young, she’s not at all missish or coquettish; she’s thoughtful and caring, having spent most of her life travelling with her father simply because she loved him and he loved to travel. She thinks that perhaps she can be useful to David, too, by encouraging him to come out of his shell, helping him to rebuild the relationships with his neighbours and by – eventually – giving him children and building a family of their own. But once they are married, David wants to retreat from her; he won’t consummate their marriage and gives Rosalie no explanation as to why.
Being a respectable virgin, Rosalie doesn’t have much idea about that side of marriage but she shows him affection and tries to encourage him, at first thinking that perhaps he’s not very experienced, or that his past sexual experiences have been unpleasant ones. But when she finally learns that David, in fact, has a reputation for being somewhat promiscuous, she begins to think that she must be the problem, and that he has bound himself to a woman he does not find at all attractive.
But it’s David’s way of trying to protect her from the man he believes he is, one who is depraved and whose past actions have made him completely undeserving of the love and companionship of a pure young woman. The reader/listener doesn’t find out exactly why David believes such terrible things of himself until Rosalie does, although there are a few subtle hints dropped along the way. When Rosalie finally does work up the courage to ask why her husband – who she knows does feel some physical desire for her – won’t take her to bed, David confesses the truth, and it’s harrowing. To say much more would be to spoil the story, but suffice to say that Rosalie’s reaction is completely the opposite of the one David had expected.
Both protagonists are thoroughly engaging and well-rounded characters. The listener can immediately discern that David is a kind, intelligent, and thoughtful man and, as the story progresses, we come to realise that he is not at all what he believes himself to be, but rather a man to whom bad things have happened and who is allowing himself to be hemmed in by memories and guilt. The romance between him and Rosalie is beautifully done, building slowly through their interactions aboard ship as their awareness of each other develops and the romantic tension gradually creeps higher and higher.
I’d seen that an audiobook of this title existed, but I didn’t purchase it until after I’d read the book. I’d already listened to Rosalyn Landor’s excellent reading of Ms. Everett’s earlier novel, Ruined by Rumor, and enjoyed it very much, so I was a little disappointed to see that she wasn’t the narrator of Lord of Secrets. And after I’d read it, I was even more convinced that a story of such depth and subtlety needed someone of her talent and experience to do it justice.
But I enjoyed Lord of Secrets so much, I really wanted to have it in audio format as well, so I listened to the sample on Audible and on the strength of that, decided to give it a try. The sample (and I really think Audible needs to do more than just use the first part of the first chapter in their samples, especially when the titles feature a relatively new narrator) featured two characters (Rosalie and Mrs. Howard) and I thought Ms. Patterson sounded promising, but having now listened to the audiobook in its entirety, I can’t say that I was completely happy with her performance. That said, I wasn’t desperately disappointed either, which is probably the more important thing.
I had a number of issues with her narration, most of which come down to just one thing. At the risk of sounding ridiculously xenophobic – I’m really not – I have a real problem when the producers of audiobooks set in Britain and wherein the majority of the characters are British, use American narrators. Before you sharpen the knives and look for the baseball bats, let me explain. I don’t dislike American accents. But I’ve yet to come across an American narrator who can successfully maintain a British accent 100% of the time. When considering the most experienced narrators, it’s true that slips of accent and mispronunciations are rare, but there are nonetheless little things that give them away. It’s hard to explain in print exactly what these are, but the best I can come up with is that it’s to do with idiomatic inflection, vowel sounds and, on occasion, a sense that they’re trying too hard, which makes the accent almost too perfect.
(I feel compelled to add that I expect an American listener might feel the same way about a British narrator using an American accent throughout an entire audiobook and would probably pick up on similar things that I might not notice.)
The latter is definitely a problem with Ms. Patterson’s narration in this story, especially with her performance of the heroine who sometimes sounds as though her vocal cords must be made of cut glass. And then there’s the other end of the scale, when, in her interpretation of Lord Deal, he would begin speaking in a British accent and end his speech with an American one. There were also some intrusive mispronunciations, and a couple that were simply excruciating, such as the way she pronounced “matter” as “MAHter” (or martyr), or the way that the word “calm” was consistently pronounced “COLM”, with the “l” clearly enunciated. “Cramped” was pronounced “crahm-ped”; “Mal de mer” was pronounced “Mahl de mer” and so on.
The thing is, I don’t really blame the narrator for those errors. Well, yes, she’s the one speaking, but she doesn’t have editorial control over the finished product. Including Lord of Secrets, Ms. Patterson has eight titles available from Audible (UK). She may have other voice work to her name but I Googled her to see what I could find, I didn’t find anything so I’m assuming she’s fairly new to this game. I can, perhaps, see that the “non-Britishness” I’ve mentioned might have been difficult to pick up on, but why on earth didn’t a director or editor pick up on the mispronunciations? It’s sloppy and unprofessional, and has, for me, marred a story I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Fortunately, however, for about 80% of the book, Ms. Patterson’s narration was perfectly acceptable. She has a pleasant voice, her pacing was good, and she successfully delineated all the different characters. Mrs. Howard, the American lady on whom Rosalie pins her hopes, sounded suitably self-absorbed with an undercurrent of malice, while Rosalie’s aunt had a believable hint of the East End about her. Her performance of Charlie Templeton was quite good, too, as she lightened her tone and dropped the odd consonant which made him sound like the young man he is. She voiced Deal convincingly for the most part, conveying his reticence and underlying strength together with his vulnerability, but once again, I really think the director or editor should have picked up on the fact that her accent sometimes slipped and re-recorded sections as necessary.
B- for narration / A- for content
Lord of Secrets is a well written and characterised and the story has some unusual elements for a historical romance that Ms. Everett treats with intelligence and sensitivity.
The eponymous Lord is David Linney, Marquis of Deal, a somewhat reclusive bachelor of thirty-one who came into his title aged ten after his father committed suicide. On a sea voyage from New York to London, he meets Miss Rosalie Whitwell and her cousin, Charles Templeton. Rosalie has travelled extensively over the past nine years with her father and while she yearns for a permanent home, and perhaps a family of her own someday, she is content to be her father’s companion and amanuensis.
It’s clear from the outset that while David is attracted to the lovely Rosalie, there is something holding him back from furthering his acquaintance with her – something he feels makes him completely unworthy of any relationship with an innocent young woman. When Lord Whitwell dies suddenly, it’s David who takes charge of the situation and makes all the necessary arrangements, which brings him unavoidably into closer contact with her and David finds he is unable, despite his best intentions, to keep his distance.
Their slowly growing friendship is beautifully written and reveals them to have various interests in common. It’s clear from their conversations that they are perfect for each other, even if they don’t know it yet, and it’s rather sweet when they bond over Lord Whitwell’s terrible puns. But his death has left Rosalie in an unenviable position. She has either to go to live with her uncle, a man with a very unsavoury reputation, or she must find paid employment. David tries not to become concerned, but the more he hears about her uncle, the less happy he is at the prospect of Rosalie living with him. Rosalie is pinning her hopes on becoming a ladies’ companion to the wealthy American, Mrs. Howard (who reminded me of Mrs. van Hopper in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca). But when that lady declines to employ her, it seems Rosalie has no other option but to turn to her uncle for a home. It’s at that point that David suddenly realises that he can solve Rosalie’s problem and provide the home and security she needs – and he proposes marriage. Rosalie, already halfway in love with the reticent, though handsome, lord, accepts.
She’s a thoroughly engaging heroine. Though young, she’s not at all missish or coquettish; she’s thoughtful and caring, having spent most of her life travelling with her father simply because she loved him and he loved to travel. She thinks that perhaps she can be useful to David, too, by encouraging him to come out of his shell, helping him to rebuild the relationships with his neighbours and by – eventually – giving him children and building a family of their own. But once they are married, David wants to retreat from her; he won’t consummate their marriage and gives Rosalie no explanation as to why.
Being a respectable virgin, Rosalie doesn’t have much idea about that side of marriage but she shows him affection and tries to encourage him, at first thinking that perhaps he’s not very experienced, or that his past sexual experiences have been unpleasant ones. But when she finally learns that David, in fact, has a reputation for being somewhat promiscuous, she begins to think that she must be the problem, and that he has bound himself to a woman he does not find at all attractive.
But it’s David’s way of trying to protect her from the man he believes he is, one who is depraved and whose past actions have made him completely undeserving of the love and companionship of a pure young woman. The reader/listener doesn’t find out exactly why David believes such terrible things of himself until Rosalie does, although there are a few subtle hints dropped along the way. When Rosalie finally does work up the courage to ask why her husband – who she knows does feel some physical desire for her – won’t take her to bed, David confesses the truth, and it’s harrowing. To say much more would be to spoil the story, but suffice to say that Rosalie’s reaction is completely the opposite of the one David had expected.
Both protagonists are thoroughly engaging and well-rounded characters. The listener can immediately discern that David is a kind, intelligent, and thoughtful man and, as the story progresses, we come to realise that he is not at all what he believes himself to be, but rather a man to whom bad things have happened and who is allowing himself to be hemmed in by memories and guilt. The romance between him and Rosalie is beautifully done, building slowly through their interactions aboard ship as their awareness of each other develops and the romantic tension gradually creeps higher and higher.
I’d seen that an audiobook of this title existed, but I didn’t purchase it until after I’d read the book. I’d already listened to Rosalyn Landor’s excellent reading of Ms. Everett’s earlier novel, Ruined by Rumor, and enjoyed it very much, so I was a little disappointed to see that she wasn’t the narrator of Lord of Secrets. And after I’d read it, I was even more convinced that a story of such depth and subtlety needed someone of her talent and experience to do it justice.
But I enjoyed Lord of Secrets so much, I really wanted to have it in audio format as well, so I listened to the sample on Audible and on the strength of that, decided to give it a try. The sample (and I really think Audible needs to do more than just use the first part of the first chapter in their samples, especially when the titles feature a relatively new narrator) featured two characters (Rosalie and Mrs. Howard) and I thought Ms. Patterson sounded promising, but having now listened to the audiobook in its entirety, I can’t say that I was completely happy with her performance. That said, I wasn’t desperately disappointed either, which is probably the more important thing.
I had a number of issues with her narration, most of which come down to just one thing. At the risk of sounding ridiculously xenophobic – I’m really not – I have a real problem when the producers of audiobooks set in Britain and wherein the majority of the characters are British, use American narrators. Before you sharpen the knives and look for the baseball bats, let me explain. I don’t dislike American accents. But I’ve yet to come across an American narrator who can successfully maintain a British accent 100% of the time. When considering the most experienced narrators, it’s true that slips of accent and mispronunciations are rare, but there are nonetheless little things that give them away. It’s hard to explain in print exactly what these are, but the best I can come up with is that it’s to do with idiomatic inflection, vowel sounds and, on occasion, a sense that they’re trying too hard, which makes the accent almost too perfect.
(I feel compelled to add that I expect an American listener might feel the same way about a British narrator using an American accent throughout an entire audiobook and would probably pick up on similar things that I might not notice.)
The latter is definitely a problem with Ms. Patterson’s narration in this story, especially with her performance of the heroine who sometimes sounds as though her vocal cords must be made of cut glass. And then there’s the other end of the scale, when, in her interpretation of Lord Deal, he would begin speaking in a British accent and end his speech with an American one. There were also some intrusive mispronunciations, and a couple that were simply excruciating, such as the way she pronounced “matter” as “MAHter” (or martyr), or the way that the word “calm” was consistently pronounced “COLM”, with the “l” clearly enunciated. “Cramped” was pronounced “crahm-ped”; “Mal de mer” was pronounced “Mahl de mer” and so on.
The thing is, I don’t really blame the narrator for those errors. Well, yes, she’s the one speaking, but she doesn’t have editorial control over the finished product. Including Lord of Secrets, Ms. Patterson has eight titles available from Audible (UK). She may have other voice work to her name but I Googled her to see what I could find, I didn’t find anything so I’m assuming she’s fairly new to this game. I can, perhaps, see that the “non-Britishness” I’ve mentioned might have been difficult to pick up on, but why on earth didn’t a director or editor pick up on the mispronunciations? It’s sloppy and unprofessional, and has, for me, marred a story I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Fortunately, however, for about 80% of the book, Ms. Patterson’s narration was perfectly acceptable. She has a pleasant voice, her pacing was good, and she successfully delineated all the different characters. Mrs. Howard, the American lady on whom Rosalie pins her hopes, sounded suitably self-absorbed with an undercurrent of malice, while Rosalie’s aunt had a believable hint of the East End about her. Her performance of Charlie Templeton was quite good, too, as she lightened her tone and dropped the odd consonant which made him sound like the young man he is. She voiced Deal convincingly for the most part, conveying his reticence and underlying strength together with his vulnerability, but once again, I really think the director or editor should have picked up on the fact that her accent sometimes slipped and re-recorded sections as necessary.
August 21, 2015
2.5 stars.
Pues esta ha sido una de esas historias que no ha funcionado para mí.
No he conseguido conectar con los personajes y la trama me ha parecido aburrida y un poco repetitiva. Demasiado diálogo interior y una protagonista muy insegura que sólo tiene coraje al final de la historia.
Quizás, para mí, Rosalie ha estado demasiado tiempo quejándose cuando podría haberse enfrentado a David e intentar dialogar. Se supone que es una persona insegura y con poca experiencia en lo que se refiere a alternar en sociedad, de ahí que tampoco me parezca realista el cambio que sufre al final, donde se convierte en una mujer segura y confiada capaz de sobrellevar la angustia de su marido…sólo un par de páginas antes había estado, otra vez, quejándose de no ser suficiente para él…
El secreto, desde luego, es impactante. Normalmente, después de estar esperando durante toda la historia a que se desvele, casi siempre ocurre que es una tontería, pero en este caso no ha sido así… Justifica perfectamente la actitud de David. Y supongo que yo en su lugar tampoco querría confesarlo… pero no justifica su cambio de actitud o su “nueva fuerza de voluntad” para no volver a las andadas en cuanto conoce a Rosalie…creo…
He echado de menos un enfrentamiento con la persona que origino el problema de David, hubiese sido interesante cerrar esa herida para que el final feliz hubiese sido más creíble…
So this has been one of those stories that has not worked for me.
I have not managed to connect with the MC´s and the plot has seemed a bit repetitive and boring. It had too much inner dialogue and a very insecure heroine who just get a backbone at the end of the story.
Perhaps, imo, Rosalie has been too much time complaining about her marriage´s problems when it could have been better if she had confronted David and trying to talk but it is understandable because she is supposed to be an insecure person and with little experience in regards to mingle in society, but then, it is not look real the change she suffer at the end, where she becomes a sure of herself and confident woman able to cope with the anguish of her husband... only a couple of pages before she had been, again, complaining of not being enough for him...
The secret, of course, is shocking. After waiting throughout the entire story until it is revealed, I usually expect a silly thing but here, it was not silly at all... It perfectly justifies the attitude of David. And I guess that if I was in his shoes, I either wouldn´t like to admit it... but it does not justify his change of heart or his "new willpower" to not return to the old ways as soon as he know Rosalie... imo...
I have missed a confrontation with the person who originated the problem of David, would have been interesting to close that wound so that the happy ending would have been more realistic...
Pues esta ha sido una de esas historias que no ha funcionado para mí.
No he conseguido conectar con los personajes y la trama me ha parecido aburrida y un poco repetitiva. Demasiado diálogo interior y una protagonista muy insegura que sólo tiene coraje al final de la historia.
Quizás, para mí, Rosalie ha estado demasiado tiempo quejándose cuando podría haberse enfrentado a David e intentar dialogar. Se supone que es una persona insegura y con poca experiencia en lo que se refiere a alternar en sociedad, de ahí que tampoco me parezca realista el cambio que sufre al final, donde se convierte en una mujer segura y confiada capaz de sobrellevar la angustia de su marido…sólo un par de páginas antes había estado, otra vez, quejándose de no ser suficiente para él…
El secreto, desde luego, es impactante. Normalmente, después de estar esperando durante toda la historia a que se desvele, casi siempre ocurre que es una tontería, pero en este caso no ha sido así… Justifica perfectamente la actitud de David. Y supongo que yo en su lugar tampoco querría confesarlo… pero no justifica su cambio de actitud o su “nueva fuerza de voluntad” para no volver a las andadas en cuanto conoce a Rosalie…creo…
He echado de menos un enfrentamiento con la persona que origino el problema de David, hubiese sido interesante cerrar esa herida para que el final feliz hubiese sido más creíble…
So this has been one of those stories that has not worked for me.
I have not managed to connect with the MC´s and the plot has seemed a bit repetitive and boring. It had too much inner dialogue and a very insecure heroine who just get a backbone at the end of the story.
Perhaps, imo, Rosalie has been too much time complaining about her marriage´s problems when it could have been better if she had confronted David and trying to talk but it is understandable because she is supposed to be an insecure person and with little experience in regards to mingle in society, but then, it is not look real the change she suffer at the end, where she becomes a sure of herself and confident woman able to cope with the anguish of her husband... only a couple of pages before she had been, again, complaining of not being enough for him...
The secret, of course, is shocking. After waiting throughout the entire story until it is revealed, I usually expect a silly thing but here, it was not silly at all... It perfectly justifies the attitude of David. And I guess that if I was in his shoes, I either wouldn´t like to admit it... but it does not justify his change of heart or his "new willpower" to not return to the old ways as soon as he know Rosalie... imo...
I have missed a confrontation with the person who originated the problem of David, would have been interesting to close that wound so that the happy ending would have been more realistic...
September 6, 2013
*****Five happily surprised and very enthusiastic stars*****
I read and love a lot of books, but if I could keep just 5-7 romances of the many (many, many, many----no, I don't have a life!) that I've read over the past few years, this would be among them.
You know how certain books feel almost like the custom written answers to your personal book-related prayers, incorporating nearly everything you happen to love in your literature and very little that you don't? This was one of those books that felt like a personal present from the author---the nearly perfect book that I found at the nearly perfect time. My reading experience was enhanced by the fact that I didn't expect to adore it even a fraction as much as I did.
I'd heard complaints that, at about 210 pages, this book was too short. But, see, for me that was far more of an asset than a drawback. (This may be the right time to mention that my tastes and preferences are just that---my tastes and preferences, and often different from that of my fellow HR addicts!) I think the vast majority of recently written romances are excessively and needlessly long, especially when one discovers that about 25% of the 350-400 pages consist of pretty much the same explicit sex scenes, tiresomely repetitive conversations, and contrived, desperate-to-prolong-the-plot conflicts that start to bore and frustrate more than they delight. This book proved an ideal length for me: we had ample time to get to know the themes, conflicts and characters and to appreciate their development, yet the comparatively moderate length made for more focused storytelling and less tiresome repetition.
My expectations were also tempered by the fact that the usual 'brooding, taciturn hero and the impossibly plucky, perma-cheerful heroine who finally gets through to him' aren't necessarily my favorite character types and tropes. But yet I fell deeply and immediately in love with both the hero and heroine, both of whom felt achingly 'real' to me, for lack of a better way of putting it. If I were geeky enough to compile a list of favorite heroes and heroines---and, let's face it, I am TOTALLY that geeky---David and Rosalie would both be among my 10-15 personal all-time favorites, and maybe even a whole lot higher.
I felt their connection and chemistry was conveyed more effectively in just their first, brief meeting than it's ever established with many, many of the couples with whom I've spent 400 long pages! I'm a cynical romantic, as oxymoronic as that may sound: I want to fall in love with the characters and their relationships, but yet it takes a fair amount to sell me on the fact that the H and h genuinely connect in a remotely soulmate-y way, and in many recent romances I'm left feeling the featured couple is far more in lust than in love.
David was reserved and guarded and somewhat emotionally broken, but I'm very happy to report that he wasn't a vicious jerk or a rageaholic in the name of being 'alpha.' Instead, he was shown from the outset to be a man dealing with pain and self-doubt, but one who withdrew from people for their protection and his own rather than one of those petulant 'heroes' who feels his angst gives him the right to be a nasty, selfish jerk to all who cross his path. David was also shown to be extremely smart----as opposed to our being hastily told he's smart without ever actually seeing it---and is passionate about words and language and his dearly departed dog. In other words, a man after my own similarly linguistic and canine loving heart!
I've read two Alyssa Everett books, and fell madly in love with both of her heroes. She writes heroes who are compassionate and vulnerable without seeming weak or wimpy; smart and with well-developed talents and interests outside of just the heroine; flawed enough to be complex, edgy and intriguing, yet still men who one can adore and root for without the 'ugh, but this ostensible "hero" is sort of a sociopathic jerk!' compunctions that I experience all too often these days!
Rosalie, meanwhile, is genuinely sweet and naive, but in a way that feels totally authentic and understandable rather than slap-worthy. Her determination to always be cheerful and understanding is explained early on in the story, and despite not usually loving that 'type' of heroine, I surprised myself by finding her lovable and admirable but still realistically flawed. I didn't care for the heroine in Everett's Ruined By Rumor, but felt myself immediately invested in Rosalie.
Best of all, David and Rosalie don't act like they hate each other for the majority of the novel, hurling insults and belittling each other at every turn because somehow love that looks an awful lot like hate 90% of the time is supposed to pass for 'chemistry' in many romances. (Personally, I always feel like those couples would be embroiled in an acrimonious divorce within a year of their alleged HEA!) It's clear from the outset that these two genuinely like AND love each other and are drawn to each other emotionally rather than just physically.
Speaking of 'physically': I'm not a fan of explicit sex scenes, which I tend to find singularly un-sexy. The physical scene(s) in this one have enough passion to satisfy my steam-loving bookworms, but are definitely not too graphic or prolonged and, best of all, seem to fit very naturally with who the characters are and how they relate to each other.
The primary conflict stems from David's titular 'secrets' and both characters' relatable, authentic insecurities about whether they're able to meet each other's needs and make each other happy. Normally, the protracted storyline about David's frequently referred to secrets would drive me all kinds of crazy, but I actually didn't mind it here, because 1) I prefer explorations of how our haunted pasts and lingering inner turmoil affect how we live and love rather than contrived external conflicts and 2) We don't learn David's secrets until Rosalie does (though you may figure it out!), so it's not one of those books where the reader already knows the answers to every question and is left to impatiently wait for the heroine to figure out what we've been privy to from the outset.
In short (too late!), I found this a sneakily engrossing, subtly insightful, achingly real romance featuring two of the most lovable (yet flawed!) H and hs I've been lucky enough to read about and a nearly perfect balance between lightness and poignancy. The characters and themes grabbed both my head and heart and still haven't let go. I was a little more ambivalent about this author's Ruined By Rumor (though the uniquely wonderful hero makes it well worth reading!), but this book puts Alyssa Everett on my surprisingly short list of auto-buy authors. Enjoy!
I read and love a lot of books, but if I could keep just 5-7 romances of the many (many, many, many----no, I don't have a life!) that I've read over the past few years, this would be among them.
You know how certain books feel almost like the custom written answers to your personal book-related prayers, incorporating nearly everything you happen to love in your literature and very little that you don't? This was one of those books that felt like a personal present from the author---the nearly perfect book that I found at the nearly perfect time. My reading experience was enhanced by the fact that I didn't expect to adore it even a fraction as much as I did.
I'd heard complaints that, at about 210 pages, this book was too short. But, see, for me that was far more of an asset than a drawback. (This may be the right time to mention that my tastes and preferences are just that---my tastes and preferences, and often different from that of my fellow HR addicts!) I think the vast majority of recently written romances are excessively and needlessly long, especially when one discovers that about 25% of the 350-400 pages consist of pretty much the same explicit sex scenes, tiresomely repetitive conversations, and contrived, desperate-to-prolong-the-plot conflicts that start to bore and frustrate more than they delight. This book proved an ideal length for me: we had ample time to get to know the themes, conflicts and characters and to appreciate their development, yet the comparatively moderate length made for more focused storytelling and less tiresome repetition.
My expectations were also tempered by the fact that the usual 'brooding, taciturn hero and the impossibly plucky, perma-cheerful heroine who finally gets through to him' aren't necessarily my favorite character types and tropes. But yet I fell deeply and immediately in love with both the hero and heroine, both of whom felt achingly 'real' to me, for lack of a better way of putting it. If I were geeky enough to compile a list of favorite heroes and heroines---and, let's face it, I am TOTALLY that geeky---David and Rosalie would both be among my 10-15 personal all-time favorites, and maybe even a whole lot higher.
I felt their connection and chemistry was conveyed more effectively in just their first, brief meeting than it's ever established with many, many of the couples with whom I've spent 400 long pages! I'm a cynical romantic, as oxymoronic as that may sound: I want to fall in love with the characters and their relationships, but yet it takes a fair amount to sell me on the fact that the H and h genuinely connect in a remotely soulmate-y way, and in many recent romances I'm left feeling the featured couple is far more in lust than in love.
David was reserved and guarded and somewhat emotionally broken, but I'm very happy to report that he wasn't a vicious jerk or a rageaholic in the name of being 'alpha.' Instead, he was shown from the outset to be a man dealing with pain and self-doubt, but one who withdrew from people for their protection and his own rather than one of those petulant 'heroes' who feels his angst gives him the right to be a nasty, selfish jerk to all who cross his path. David was also shown to be extremely smart----as opposed to our being hastily told he's smart without ever actually seeing it---and is passionate about words and language and his dearly departed dog. In other words, a man after my own similarly linguistic and canine loving heart!
I've read two Alyssa Everett books, and fell madly in love with both of her heroes. She writes heroes who are compassionate and vulnerable without seeming weak or wimpy; smart and with well-developed talents and interests outside of just the heroine; flawed enough to be complex, edgy and intriguing, yet still men who one can adore and root for without the 'ugh, but this ostensible "hero" is sort of a sociopathic jerk!' compunctions that I experience all too often these days!
Rosalie, meanwhile, is genuinely sweet and naive, but in a way that feels totally authentic and understandable rather than slap-worthy. Her determination to always be cheerful and understanding is explained early on in the story, and despite not usually loving that 'type' of heroine, I surprised myself by finding her lovable and admirable but still realistically flawed. I didn't care for the heroine in Everett's Ruined By Rumor, but felt myself immediately invested in Rosalie.
Best of all, David and Rosalie don't act like they hate each other for the majority of the novel, hurling insults and belittling each other at every turn because somehow love that looks an awful lot like hate 90% of the time is supposed to pass for 'chemistry' in many romances. (Personally, I always feel like those couples would be embroiled in an acrimonious divorce within a year of their alleged HEA!) It's clear from the outset that these two genuinely like AND love each other and are drawn to each other emotionally rather than just physically.
Speaking of 'physically': I'm not a fan of explicit sex scenes, which I tend to find singularly un-sexy. The physical scene(s) in this one have enough passion to satisfy my steam-loving bookworms, but are definitely not too graphic or prolonged and, best of all, seem to fit very naturally with who the characters are and how they relate to each other.
The primary conflict stems from David's titular 'secrets' and both characters' relatable, authentic insecurities about whether they're able to meet each other's needs and make each other happy. Normally, the protracted storyline about David's frequently referred to secrets would drive me all kinds of crazy, but I actually didn't mind it here, because 1) I prefer explorations of how our haunted pasts and lingering inner turmoil affect how we live and love rather than contrived external conflicts and 2) We don't learn David's secrets until Rosalie does (though you may figure it out!), so it's not one of those books where the reader already knows the answers to every question and is left to impatiently wait for the heroine to figure out what we've been privy to from the outset.
In short (too late!), I found this a sneakily engrossing, subtly insightful, achingly real romance featuring two of the most lovable (yet flawed!) H and hs I've been lucky enough to read about and a nearly perfect balance between lightness and poignancy. The characters and themes grabbed both my head and heart and still haven't let go. I was a little more ambivalent about this author's Ruined By Rumor (though the uniquely wonderful hero makes it well worth reading!), but this book puts Alyssa Everett on my surprisingly short list of auto-buy authors. Enjoy!
July 23, 2016
I gave this an A- at AAR, which also means it's a DIK. So that's 4.5 stars here.
Alyssa Everett is an author whose name on a cover is already guaranteed to make me take at least a second look, even though she has only (so far) published two books. I listened to the audio version of her earlier Ruined by Rumor a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the fact that it relies on several misunderstandings between the hero and heroine for much of its dramatic impact – something I don’t normally enjoy. But Ms. Everett made it work. This book worked, too. She tells a good story, her characterization is strong, and she has a deft touch with humour and dialogue.
The eponymous Lord is David Linney, Marquess of Deal. He has a reputation for being aloof and anti-social, deliberately keeping himself to himself and wanting to keep it that way. On a voyage from New York to London he meets Miss Rosalie Whitwell and her cousin, Charles Templeton. Rosalie has travelled extensively over the past nine years with her father and while she yearns for a permanent home, and perhaps a family of her own someday, she is content to be her father’s companion and amanuensis. As she says at one point, her father loved to travel and she loved her father – and that was enough for her.
But when Lord Whitwell dies suddenly during the voyage, her life is turned upside down. Not only is she distraught at the loss of her only parent, she has to face the prospect of either taking employment as a ladies’ companion, or making her home with her only remaining family, her uncle, who is a drunkard with a very unsavoury reputation.
On discovering her father’s body, Rosalie, in her despair, sought help from the first person she came upon, which happened to be Deal. They had previously conversed briefly, and Rosalie had in fact made a couple of attempts to draw him into the limited society aboard the ship, but Deal insisted on maintaining his distance. Yet he is the one who makes the funeral arrangements and deals with the various other practicalities which arise as a result of a sudden death. After this, he and Rosalie begin to spend a little more time together and he learns of the options that remain open to her as an impoverished single woman.
The truth is that Deal has been taken with Rosalie since he first saw her, but tried to remain aloof from her, believing himself to be completely unworthy of the friendship – and more – of a lovely, innocent young woman.
But while he tells himself not to get involved, he can’t help doing so; their slowly growing friendship is beautifully written and reveals them to have various interests in common. It’s rather sweet when they bond over Lord Whitwell’s terrible puns. Deal is clearly very attracted to Rosalie, even though he is trying desperately to ignore it – and she is not immune to him either. The more he thinks about her and her situation and the more he hears about her uncle, the less happy he is at the prospect of Rosalie’s having to go to live with him. But when it seems she has no other option, Deal suddenly realizes that he can provide the home and security Rosalie needs – and proposes marriage.
Rosalie is stunned. Although she is more than half in love with David, she had never envisioned such a thing happening, but, as she artlessly tells him, she has feelings for him – and accepts.
Rosalie is a really engaging heroine. She’s honest, sensible, caring and not at all missish; all she wants is to be useful, and she believes she can be useful to Deal by providing companionship, perhaps breaking down some of the barriers that exist between him and his neighbors and, at some future point, providing him with a family. But once they are married, David wants to retreat from her. He won’t consummate their marriage and gives Rosalie no explanation as to why.
She doesn’t have much idea about that aspect of married life, being a respectable virgin, but she shows him affection and tries to encourage him, at first thinking that perhaps he’s not very experienced, or that his past sexual experiences have been unpleasant ones. But when she finally learns that Deal in fact has a reputation for being somewhat promiscuous, she begins to think that she must be the problem, and that he has bound himself to a woman he does not find at all attractive.
As the story progresses it becomes apparent that David’s titular secrets must be very dark indeed as he is filled with self-disgust and tormented by a deep inner loathing, desperate to keep Rosalie from finding out the sordid truth about the man she has married. He vowed to himself to tell her about his past before allowing them to become lovers, but as time passes and he finds himself falling more and more in love with her, he keeps putting it off, fearing that she will despise him utterly once she knows the type of man he truly is.
Things come to a head when Rosalie confronts David about why he won’t bed her – and the truth is harrowing. It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the story, so I’ll just say that while I had my suspicions, the truth still came as a shock. It’s not a storyline I’ve come across before in a historical romance, and I have to give Ms Everett full credit for dealing with a difficult issue in a sensitive manner.
This is Ms Everett’s second or third novel, and I certainly hope she’s going to continue to write historical romances. Her writing is clear and intelligent and she has the ability to people her stories with engaging characters who relate to each other very naturally. Both Rosalie and David were very well-rounded, and their relationship as it developed on the voyage was sweet and deftly done. As the story progressed and Rosalie began to doubt herself as David started to distance himself from her, her bewilderment and disappointment were palpable. I found myself tearing up several times in the final section of the book – it was very emotional, but never melodramatic or over the top.
In short, Lord of Secrets is an enjoyable – even if not always comfortable – and emotionally satisfying read, and I’m giving it a wholehearted thumbs-up.
Alyssa Everett is an author whose name on a cover is already guaranteed to make me take at least a second look, even though she has only (so far) published two books. I listened to the audio version of her earlier Ruined by Rumor a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the fact that it relies on several misunderstandings between the hero and heroine for much of its dramatic impact – something I don’t normally enjoy. But Ms. Everett made it work. This book worked, too. She tells a good story, her characterization is strong, and she has a deft touch with humour and dialogue.
The eponymous Lord is David Linney, Marquess of Deal. He has a reputation for being aloof and anti-social, deliberately keeping himself to himself and wanting to keep it that way. On a voyage from New York to London he meets Miss Rosalie Whitwell and her cousin, Charles Templeton. Rosalie has travelled extensively over the past nine years with her father and while she yearns for a permanent home, and perhaps a family of her own someday, she is content to be her father’s companion and amanuensis. As she says at one point, her father loved to travel and she loved her father – and that was enough for her.
But when Lord Whitwell dies suddenly during the voyage, her life is turned upside down. Not only is she distraught at the loss of her only parent, she has to face the prospect of either taking employment as a ladies’ companion, or making her home with her only remaining family, her uncle, who is a drunkard with a very unsavoury reputation.
On discovering her father’s body, Rosalie, in her despair, sought help from the first person she came upon, which happened to be Deal. They had previously conversed briefly, and Rosalie had in fact made a couple of attempts to draw him into the limited society aboard the ship, but Deal insisted on maintaining his distance. Yet he is the one who makes the funeral arrangements and deals with the various other practicalities which arise as a result of a sudden death. After this, he and Rosalie begin to spend a little more time together and he learns of the options that remain open to her as an impoverished single woman.
The truth is that Deal has been taken with Rosalie since he first saw her, but tried to remain aloof from her, believing himself to be completely unworthy of the friendship – and more – of a lovely, innocent young woman.
But while he tells himself not to get involved, he can’t help doing so; their slowly growing friendship is beautifully written and reveals them to have various interests in common. It’s rather sweet when they bond over Lord Whitwell’s terrible puns. Deal is clearly very attracted to Rosalie, even though he is trying desperately to ignore it – and she is not immune to him either. The more he thinks about her and her situation and the more he hears about her uncle, the less happy he is at the prospect of Rosalie’s having to go to live with him. But when it seems she has no other option, Deal suddenly realizes that he can provide the home and security Rosalie needs – and proposes marriage.
Rosalie is stunned. Although she is more than half in love with David, she had never envisioned such a thing happening, but, as she artlessly tells him, she has feelings for him – and accepts.
Rosalie is a really engaging heroine. She’s honest, sensible, caring and not at all missish; all she wants is to be useful, and she believes she can be useful to Deal by providing companionship, perhaps breaking down some of the barriers that exist between him and his neighbors and, at some future point, providing him with a family. But once they are married, David wants to retreat from her. He won’t consummate their marriage and gives Rosalie no explanation as to why.
She doesn’t have much idea about that aspect of married life, being a respectable virgin, but she shows him affection and tries to encourage him, at first thinking that perhaps he’s not very experienced, or that his past sexual experiences have been unpleasant ones. But when she finally learns that Deal in fact has a reputation for being somewhat promiscuous, she begins to think that she must be the problem, and that he has bound himself to a woman he does not find at all attractive.
As the story progresses it becomes apparent that David’s titular secrets must be very dark indeed as he is filled with self-disgust and tormented by a deep inner loathing, desperate to keep Rosalie from finding out the sordid truth about the man she has married. He vowed to himself to tell her about his past before allowing them to become lovers, but as time passes and he finds himself falling more and more in love with her, he keeps putting it off, fearing that she will despise him utterly once she knows the type of man he truly is.
Things come to a head when Rosalie confronts David about why he won’t bed her – and the truth is harrowing. It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the story, so I’ll just say that while I had my suspicions, the truth still came as a shock. It’s not a storyline I’ve come across before in a historical romance, and I have to give Ms Everett full credit for dealing with a difficult issue in a sensitive manner.
This is Ms Everett’s second or third novel, and I certainly hope she’s going to continue to write historical romances. Her writing is clear and intelligent and she has the ability to people her stories with engaging characters who relate to each other very naturally. Both Rosalie and David were very well-rounded, and their relationship as it developed on the voyage was sweet and deftly done. As the story progressed and Rosalie began to doubt herself as David started to distance himself from her, her bewilderment and disappointment were palpable. I found myself tearing up several times in the final section of the book – it was very emotional, but never melodramatic or over the top.
In short, Lord of Secrets is an enjoyable – even if not always comfortable – and emotionally satisfying read, and I’m giving it a wholehearted thumbs-up.
February 18, 2017
This one is kind of hard to rate. Very different, ultimately, from the usual Regencies. I love Everett's characters—LOVE. I guessed Deal's secret very early on, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
Not exactly a feel-good romance, but an interesting one nonetheless.
Not exactly a feel-good romance, but an interesting one nonetheless.
February 7, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up. An astonishing and powerful character-led romance that I fell hook, line, and sinker. I’ve sampled more than my share of books where a gamine waif teaches an antisocial man to love and trust. Just how life-altering can love and marriage be when an eternally-optimistic idealist encounters a profoundly unhappy misanthrope? Ms Everett’s dedicated writing and pulled me along their individual thoughts portrayed a couple possessed of radically different beliefs about themselves and degrees of self-love. I saw the initial chess pieces of fate conspiring to move these two drifters together into a hasty marriage of convenience. I also saw the intellectual connection and the safe harbours they instinctively became for each other. Oh, I had some skepticism believing that no secret could be just quite bad to justify the inexplicable, inviolable distance that David had set between himself and Rosalie. I was only in the eye of the storm. I totally did not see the twist of this aptly-titled book coming. When the sky came tumbling down from the ugly injustice of life and the depraved depths of cruelty in humanity, it was all the more powerful for it. I found myself hurting in their reflected sorrow. I then found myself instantly relieved by David’s climactic emancipation from his secrets. Like the wild seas on which this unlikely couple met, the tempest that tore through their lives met an untimely end, leaving them ashore with a brave new life of sunlit happiness ahead of them.
I was struck by the Shakespearean characters, scenarios and of course the potential for romantic comedy to emerge from selfish and bad situations. The tension was well-managed and the characters’ motivations were powerfully authentic, not merely plausible. Rosalie behaved the way she did, with irrepressible optimism and almost naive idealism, because her beliefs were fundamental to her survival. She had no alternative in an uncertain life following her father’s journey to outrun his emotions across the world on the seven seas. She cared, and defined herself by her ability to love and care for others before herself, because she needed to be needed. David behaved the way he behaved because his beliefs were disrupted, degraded and never allowed to develop. The portrayal of his experience and confusion at the events that shaped his life, guilt, shame, refusal to believe he was a victim, was heartrending. Being Lord Deal and being materially endowed, he developed the way he did because there was no one he allowed to disrupt his stunted beliefs of himself. They both had to let go of their perfection-oriented and destruction-oriented beliefs to come together, and the slivers of change in their married life was very rewarding to read.
I deducted 0.5 stars because I was left unsatisfied in the aftermath of the reconciliation. I wanted to read more fully-fleshed emotional and sexual healing between the couple, and not simply mentions in passing. Yes, it’s sex in writing, but sex in this story is transformative. I wanted to read more of how David and Rosalie’s dynamic changed for the better after they let go of the dictates of their psyches. I can live without poetic justice, which Ms Everett unmercifully did not mete out. If you are looking for a romance that makes you reflect on the grace and redemptive potential of adult love, this is a great read.
Trigger warning:
I was struck by the Shakespearean characters, scenarios and of course the potential for romantic comedy to emerge from selfish and bad situations. The tension was well-managed and the characters’ motivations were powerfully authentic, not merely plausible. Rosalie behaved the way she did, with irrepressible optimism and almost naive idealism, because her beliefs were fundamental to her survival. She had no alternative in an uncertain life following her father’s journey to outrun his emotions across the world on the seven seas. She cared, and defined herself by her ability to love and care for others before herself, because she needed to be needed. David behaved the way he behaved because his beliefs were disrupted, degraded and never allowed to develop. The portrayal of his experience and confusion at the events that shaped his life, guilt, shame, refusal to believe he was a victim, was heartrending. Being Lord Deal and being materially endowed, he developed the way he did because there was no one he allowed to disrupt his stunted beliefs of himself. They both had to let go of their perfection-oriented and destruction-oriented beliefs to come together, and the slivers of change in their married life was very rewarding to read.
I deducted 0.5 stars because I was left unsatisfied in the aftermath of the reconciliation. I wanted to read more fully-fleshed emotional and sexual healing between the couple, and not simply mentions in passing. Yes, it’s sex in writing, but sex in this story is transformative. I wanted to read more of how David and Rosalie’s dynamic changed for the better after they let go of the dictates of their psyches. I can live without poetic justice, which Ms Everett unmercifully did not mete out. If you are looking for a romance that makes you reflect on the grace and redemptive potential of adult love, this is a great read.
Trigger warning:
January 10, 2018
This is a worthy read but you do need to have a lot of patience to get to the HEA. We have a caring, nurturing and rather innocent young woman, Rosalie Whitwell, who's traveling by ship back to England when her father dies of a heart attack. She's left in rather straitened conditions, forced to choose between trying to make her way in the world as a paid companion or living with her father's heir, her drunken and unpleasant uncle.
Fellow traveler on the ship is hero Lord Deal. He's an aloof, reticent, rather antisocial marquess who, for some reason, feels compassion for Rosalie's plight and asks her to marry him. So they marry and this marriage of convenience is awkward and strained, since Deal is uncommunicative and apparently friendless and also because he refuses to consummate the marriage.
Rosalie is a warm, nurturing person and manages, at least, to get Deal to be less aloof with his tenants and neighbors but is unsuccessful at reaching real emotional and sexual intimacy with him. Now, I had pretty much figured out what Lord Deal's problem was halfway through the story so I really wanted Rosalie to be in on it with me, but no. It just keeps going on and on with her being clueless and feeling helpless in the relationship and him not at all forthcoming about his past.
Things don't get straightened out until the end of the book and that's why the reader needs to have a lot of patience. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story. The author even throws in some interesting tidbits about language and etymology with regard to American and English vocabulary (since Deal is a linguist of sorts). Her writing style is pleasant and the characters are well developed. You learn to like the H and h and really hope for them to work everything out. There are some poignant moments that are well written.
My problem was, as already stated, that it took too long for the secrets to be revealed and then Deal's emotional healing is perhaps too quick and easy and pat. BTW, another good historical romance with a similarly-tortured hero is Liz Carlyle's The Devil You Know. That's from several years ago but worth the read.
Fellow traveler on the ship is hero Lord Deal. He's an aloof, reticent, rather antisocial marquess who, for some reason, feels compassion for Rosalie's plight and asks her to marry him. So they marry and this marriage of convenience is awkward and strained, since Deal is uncommunicative and apparently friendless and also because he refuses to consummate the marriage.
Rosalie is a warm, nurturing person and manages, at least, to get Deal to be less aloof with his tenants and neighbors but is unsuccessful at reaching real emotional and sexual intimacy with him. Now, I had pretty much figured out what Lord Deal's problem was halfway through the story so I really wanted Rosalie to be in on it with me, but no. It just keeps going on and on with her being clueless and feeling helpless in the relationship and him not at all forthcoming about his past.
Things don't get straightened out until the end of the book and that's why the reader needs to have a lot of patience. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story. The author even throws in some interesting tidbits about language and etymology with regard to American and English vocabulary (since Deal is a linguist of sorts). Her writing style is pleasant and the characters are well developed. You learn to like the H and h and really hope for them to work everything out. There are some poignant moments that are well written.
My problem was, as already stated, that it took too long for the secrets to be revealed and then Deal's emotional healing is perhaps too quick and easy and pat. BTW, another good historical romance with a similarly-tortured hero is Liz Carlyle's The Devil You Know. That's from several years ago but worth the read.
August 4, 2014
Lord of Secrets was a much darker historical romance than I was expecting. With this one we see the tried and true marriage of convenience trope; however, the groom, Davd Linney, Marquess of Deal, is very reluctant to consummate the marriage despite his growing feelings for the bride, Rosalie Whitwell. David intrigues Rosalie, yet she is unsure of his reluctance towards her and questions her own desirability as a wife. It is obvious that David is holding something back from Rosalie that has caused him to treat her the way he does; yet, the truth may shatter they're growing relationship.
I have mixed feelings about this one after finishing it. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the marriage of convenience concept and I liked that David and Rosalie’s relationship progressed to something more realistic prior to the inevitable consummation. Everett spent a lot of time giving background information about the hero and heroine and gave us well-drawn characters. However, at the same time I felt that it took FOREVER for David to finally come clean with Rosalie. I’m not trying to undermine the seriousness of what David had gone through, I just think I would have liked the confession to come a bit sooner so that readers could get more interaction between David and Rosalie after everything comes out into the open. What David is hiding is not something that can easily overcome and I would have liked a little bit more about the aftermath rather than a quick wrap up.
Overall, I enjoyed this one despite the dark tone and angst that played a large role in the plot development. If you’re looking for a lighthearted historical romance, I would say that this one isn’t for you, but if you like a good helping of angst you will be sure to like this one.
I have mixed feelings about this one after finishing it. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the marriage of convenience concept and I liked that David and Rosalie’s relationship progressed to something more realistic prior to the inevitable consummation. Everett spent a lot of time giving background information about the hero and heroine and gave us well-drawn characters. However, at the same time I felt that it took FOREVER for David to finally come clean with Rosalie. I’m not trying to undermine the seriousness of what David had gone through, I just think I would have liked the confession to come a bit sooner so that readers could get more interaction between David and Rosalie after everything comes out into the open. What David is hiding is not something that can easily overcome and I would have liked a little bit more about the aftermath rather than a quick wrap up.
Overall, I enjoyed this one despite the dark tone and angst that played a large role in the plot development. If you’re looking for a lighthearted historical romance, I would say that this one isn’t for you, but if you like a good helping of angst you will be sure to like this one.
October 12, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this one. I had wondered about David's issue, and as I kept reading along, I found that I was on the right track...wow. I'll just say that some people need to die a horrible death for what they do to others...
Even though David was mostly miserable and dying inside, he remained a veritable, although aloof, gentleman. I liked him a lot, and his love of the history of the English language was adorable (yeah - I like the hot brainy ones ). I also loved the sweet and curious Rosalie as well, and rooted for their HEA.
Even though David was mostly miserable and dying inside, he remained a veritable, although aloof, gentleman. I liked him a lot, and his love of the history of the English language was adorable (yeah - I like the hot brainy ones ). I also loved the sweet and curious Rosalie as well, and rooted for their HEA.
October 29, 2013
Most important point, far better-read reviewers loved this, so I'd take their word for it if I were you.
If you're curious what I thought, there was plenty of angst and self-doubt but when relief finally came, it seemed too quick and easy.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters, though I found the abrupt resolution too sketchy to move me deeply, what with all the build up to what could possibly be such a depraved, evil act in his past that he didn't deserve the love of a good woman. When it was revealed, I was astonished how quickly he healed from the years of self-torment. And so I felt short changed. A lot of the story occurs in the heads of the H/h, so I assumed it would take some getting used to -- even resistance -- before he came to terms with her wise but unaccustomed perspective on his shame. But no, she makes her observations and it changes everything for him overnight.
Granted, he learns some of his other perceptions were based on false information and assumptions, but the big issue central to the plot lasts for much of the book and is resolved in very little space at the end.
So, either the issue should've been of shorter duration for the quick fix ending; or the resolution longer to play out in appropriate measure how he comes to terms with what has haunted him, and frankly tired me out, for entire book. I'd vote for longer resolution because I liked the characters and wanted to see how they dealt with his coming to terms with his past.
If you're curious what I thought, there was plenty of angst and self-doubt but when relief finally came, it seemed too quick and easy.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters, though I found the abrupt resolution too sketchy to move me deeply, what with all the build up to what could possibly be such a depraved, evil act in his past that he didn't deserve the love of a good woman. When it was revealed, I was astonished how quickly he healed from the years of self-torment. And so I felt short changed. A lot of the story occurs in the heads of the H/h, so I assumed it would take some getting used to -- even resistance -- before he came to terms with her wise but unaccustomed perspective on his shame. But no, she makes her observations and it changes everything for him overnight.
Granted, he learns some of his other perceptions were based on false information and assumptions, but the big issue central to the plot lasts for much of the book and is resolved in very little space at the end.
So, either the issue should've been of shorter duration for the quick fix ending; or the resolution longer to play out in appropriate measure how he comes to terms with what has haunted him, and frankly tired me out, for entire book. I'd vote for longer resolution because I liked the characters and wanted to see how they dealt with his coming to terms with his past.
April 9, 2014
This was recommended to me when I was in desperate need for a story with a decent 'realistic' male hero who was not the usual utterly boring alpha-male. Historical romances are not really my thing, and at first I was a little dubious, but it was delightful.
Rosalie is a little too 'wimpy' at first, but there again she was in a difficult situation. Lord Deal is utterly fabulous; sensitively written, his past sins undisclosed until nearly the end of the novel. And the author did a wonderful job of keeping his secret hidden from us. And it is so sympathetically written, without any unnecessary drama. At one stage I thought he might be gay, but that would have been too easy. The truth was far darker and also so completely fitting to his character.
A wonderfully readable book, tender, sensitive, emotional and without resorting to ridiculous super-stud alpha-males! Thank you for the recommendation Steelwhisper, I loved it!
Rosalie is a little too 'wimpy' at first, but there again she was in a difficult situation. Lord Deal is utterly fabulous; sensitively written, his past sins undisclosed until nearly the end of the novel. And the author did a wonderful job of keeping his secret hidden from us. And it is so sympathetically written, without any unnecessary drama. At one stage I thought he might be gay, but that would have been too easy. The truth was far darker and also so completely fitting to his character.
A wonderfully readable book, tender, sensitive, emotional and without resorting to ridiculous super-stud alpha-males! Thank you for the recommendation Steelwhisper, I loved it!
April 10, 2013
There are no steamy sex scenes, but it does have suspense that keeps the story interesting. The entire book is a beautiful story about finding love and how secrets can keep you from loving someone fully. There are a lot of different emotions in this story, and tragedy’s that each character had to face in life. The book does require patience as it takes almost the full book before Lord Deal tells his secrets. Overall a very good book
February 21, 2013
I am usually a fan of tortured heroes, characters who do not think they are good enough or unworthy of love. There's just something about those types of characters and their journey to self-acceptance that gets me every time. Given my love of a good tortured hero, I really expected to like Lord of Secrets. Instead I found that the buildup to the big secret to be overly drawn out, causing me to lose interest along the way.
The book got off to a pretty good start, with Rosalie and Deal meeting aboard a ship returning to England. Lord Deal is a solitary figure, seen as haughty and moody by his fellow passengers. However, Rosalie sees a different side to him, one that is reinforced after the sudden death of her father, when Lord Deal becomes a confidant and friend. He surprises her even more when he proposes to her.
I thought that Lord Deal and Rosalie has some very promising chemistry. Their interactions were sweet and a little awkward. Though it appears as if Lord Deal doesn't like people, it becomes clear in his interactions with Rosalie that perhaps some of that is due to some social awkwardness and also need to conceal his big secret. They finally arrive in London and get married, despite Deal's warning to Rosalie that he will only hurt her.
Now this is where it kind of went south for me. They two get married and it's clear that something is up because Deal will not consummate their marriage. There's a lot of inner dialogue from Deal and he is consumed with guilt - from this secret and also from keeping his secret from Rosalie. It started to become clear to me that we weren't going to learn what Deal's secret was for some time. I held out hope at the 50% mark, then 60%, 70%...
We don't learn what the big secret is until about 80% in and, by that time, I was a fed up with both of them. Deal was very moody - attentive and charming one minute but aloof and cold the next. Keeping his secret resulted in him treating Rosalie very poorly and I was mad at him for it. It was no wonder that Rosalie started having doubts about his feelings towards her. And Rosalie, while very sweet and understanding, was a little too understanding at times. I wanted her to get mad and yell at Deal for acting like an ass. She didn't show much gumption but, when she did, sparks flew.
Since most of the book is the buildup to the revelation of the big secret, I really wish we had gotten more time to see the characters deal with it. I felt like it just wrapped up too quickly and we missed a chance to really get at the heart of these characters.
While it has some sweet and funny moments, overall, Lord of Secrets was a bit of a letdown for me. The chemistry of the characters fizzled while we waited to learn the big secret and the payoff wasn't worth the wait.
The book got off to a pretty good start, with Rosalie and Deal meeting aboard a ship returning to England. Lord Deal is a solitary figure, seen as haughty and moody by his fellow passengers. However, Rosalie sees a different side to him, one that is reinforced after the sudden death of her father, when Lord Deal becomes a confidant and friend. He surprises her even more when he proposes to her.
I thought that Lord Deal and Rosalie has some very promising chemistry. Their interactions were sweet and a little awkward. Though it appears as if Lord Deal doesn't like people, it becomes clear in his interactions with Rosalie that perhaps some of that is due to some social awkwardness and also need to conceal his big secret. They finally arrive in London and get married, despite Deal's warning to Rosalie that he will only hurt her.
Now this is where it kind of went south for me. They two get married and it's clear that something is up because Deal will not consummate their marriage. There's a lot of inner dialogue from Deal and he is consumed with guilt - from this secret and also from keeping his secret from Rosalie. It started to become clear to me that we weren't going to learn what Deal's secret was for some time. I held out hope at the 50% mark, then 60%, 70%...
We don't learn what the big secret is until about 80% in and, by that time, I was a fed up with both of them. Deal was very moody - attentive and charming one minute but aloof and cold the next. Keeping his secret resulted in him treating Rosalie very poorly and I was mad at him for it. It was no wonder that Rosalie started having doubts about his feelings towards her. And Rosalie, while very sweet and understanding, was a little too understanding at times. I wanted her to get mad and yell at Deal for acting like an ass. She didn't show much gumption but, when she did, sparks flew.
Since most of the book is the buildup to the revelation of the big secret, I really wish we had gotten more time to see the characters deal with it. I felt like it just wrapped up too quickly and we missed a chance to really get at the heart of these characters.
While it has some sweet and funny moments, overall, Lord of Secrets was a bit of a letdown for me. The chemistry of the characters fizzled while we waited to learn the big secret and the payoff wasn't worth the wait.
April 25, 2013
For this review and more my blog
I was not expecting much from this one if I am honest, I liked the sound of it but the cover is a little cheesy and I was unsure. Luckily I gave this one a shot because Lord of Secrets is actually quite impressive.
I find that most romances like this rely too heavily on the romance and the back story is left hanging unfulfilled. That is not the case here, Lord of Secrets is a lovely romance but it is also a well-rounded story with real emotional impact and relatable characters.
The storyline is interesting and touching. It moved along at a fairly slow pace but that suited the story. This is not about passion and action it is about human nature. There are parts of this that are extremely serious and it tackles a tough and horrible subject. I felt that the author handled the subject with extreme care and consideration and it didn’t feel over done at all.
The characters were great and I loved that it focused more on the male character and his issues rather than the woman. David is a complex character and I wasn’t really sure what to make of him until the end. I liked him but knew he has some extreme self-esteem issues it was only when his history unravelled that I understood him completely. I loved that he wanted to protect Rosalie from what he considered the worse of himself I thought the author did well not to let the reader in on his secrets straight away, you share Rosalie’s concerns and fears with her until the very end.
Rosalie is also a great character; she is quite plain no simpering beauty but a good woman with a good heart. She handles herself with grace even when she hits rock bottom. I love the way she stands by David even when she doesn’t understand, she is compassionate and sweet.
Lord of Secrets is not perfect and if I wanted to pick holes in it I could but I really appreciate the author for making this not just another romance. There is depth here and I applaud that.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 2, 2015
The audio book was just as good as the written version, my review of which appears below. Courtney Patterson is a new-to-me narrator, but I would gladly listen to her performance of other books. I suspect that she may be an American, as her English accent occasionally wandered away. That did not detract from my enjoyment of the audio, however.
This is a lovely story about a true marriage of convenience, where both the husband and the wife consider themselves unworthy of the other.
Rosalie believes herself to be unattractive, unsophisticated, and a poor match for her husband, the toplofty, dour and reclusive Lord Deal. Deal has cut himself off from society and considers himself to be "utterly depraved" and no fit mate for a sweet innocent like Rosalie. Deal has enough honor left that he has promised himself that he will not consummate the marriage until he has confessed all to Rosalie, at which point he expects her to flee in horror. She, on the other hand, has no idea why he shows no interest in making love to her in the days and weeks after their marriage.
Deal's secret, which goes back to his youth, is indeed shocking, yet when he finally confesses, Rosalie is horrified only by what he has had to endure. In return for Deal "rescuing" her aboard ship after her father's sudden death, she helps rescue him from his demons.
The story is beautifully written, without the intrusion of modern language or attitudes. Extreme patience is required,however, as the reader does not learn about Deal's secrets any sooner than Rosalie does, which is near the end of the book.
Definitely recommended. I plan to go back and read AE's two earlier books, now published by Carina Press. I'm so pleased that she was finally able to extricate herself from the mess left by Dorchester Publishing's sudden demise
This is a lovely story about a true marriage of convenience, where both the husband and the wife consider themselves unworthy of the other.
Rosalie believes herself to be unattractive, unsophisticated, and a poor match for her husband, the toplofty, dour and reclusive Lord Deal. Deal has cut himself off from society and considers himself to be "utterly depraved" and no fit mate for a sweet innocent like Rosalie. Deal has enough honor left that he has promised himself that he will not consummate the marriage until he has confessed all to Rosalie, at which point he expects her to flee in horror. She, on the other hand, has no idea why he shows no interest in making love to her in the days and weeks after their marriage.
Deal's secret, which goes back to his youth, is indeed shocking, yet when he finally confesses, Rosalie is horrified only by what he has had to endure. In return for Deal "rescuing" her aboard ship after her father's sudden death, she helps rescue him from his demons.
The story is beautifully written, without the intrusion of modern language or attitudes. Extreme patience is required,however, as the reader does not learn about Deal's secrets any sooner than Rosalie does, which is near the end of the book.
Definitely recommended. I plan to go back and read AE's two earlier books, now published by Carina Press. I'm so pleased that she was finally able to extricate herself from the mess left by Dorchester Publishing's sudden demise
March 19, 2015
4.5
I always say to those that ask that romance is about the journey. And in this one it is even more true then many others.
We meet the hero coming across as initially cold and off standoffish and quickly realize he is socially awkward, and guilt ridden. He thinks of him depraved. He rescues the heroine from a lonely life after her father dies on a ship they all are residing on, back to England.
She then has to deal with her husband not being willing to consummate the marriage and her quest and heartbreak to get to the bottom of it all. The one thing I absolutely loved about the heroine is that she just didn't give up on the hero. There was one moment she about did, but came out of it again in short time later in the novel. But throughout she wants him, likes him and loves him.
And she saves him too by not turning her back on him and bringing out the truth. Wonderful story. Wonderful characters. Wonderful journey.
I always say to those that ask that romance is about the journey. And in this one it is even more true then many others.
We meet the hero coming across as initially cold and off standoffish and quickly realize he is socially awkward, and guilt ridden. He thinks of him depraved. He rescues the heroine from a lonely life after her father dies on a ship they all are residing on, back to England.
She then has to deal with her husband not being willing to consummate the marriage and her quest and heartbreak to get to the bottom of it all. The one thing I absolutely loved about the heroine is that she just didn't give up on the hero. There was one moment she about did, but came out of it again in short time later in the novel. But throughout she wants him, likes him and loves him.
And she saves him too by not turning her back on him and bringing out the truth. Wonderful story. Wonderful characters. Wonderful journey.
April 4, 2013
I am most likely in the minority of romance readers, but I tend to shy away from stories with a truly tortured Hero. I usually prefer Heroes with smaller misfortunes or obstacles in their past that they must overcome to embrace love. But the men with REALLY awful backstories just break my heart! My compassion level goes off the chart and I find it difficult to believe that one woman has the power to save him from all the pain in his life. However, when a story finds a great balance of tragic backstory for him with a truly special kind of heroine it makes for quite the engrossing read. In her latest book Lord of Secrets, author Alyssa Everett created a believably good heroine in Rosalie Whitwell; one that I could see being a catalyst for change within the closed off and emotionally guarded Lord Deal.
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
February 5, 2016
I liked this one but I do agree with other reviewers - the secret the H was hiding took too long to reveal. However, it did highlight the guilt an abuse victim carries throughout life. The H's aunt (guardian) lures a very young H (10 years old) into a relationship. She is definitely a predator. The H believes it was him and his "depravity". The author did a good job in how the reveal was done. 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2013
A very unusual and rather dark Regency novel that tackles a difficult subject with tact and finesse. I love David's damaged soul and Rosalie's gentle one. Bravo Ms. Everett!
March 12, 2014
Well rounded characters. I enjoyed the development of the H/h relationship. The heroine was a bit of a Mary Sue, but not obnoxiously so. The hero was a tortured soul who, naturally, is redeemed by the heroine. It was a good. I recommend it.
April 27, 2013
Alyssa Everett is a new author and this is her second regency novel. I haven't read her first one but after reading Lord of Secrets I would be interested enough to give it a try.
Rosalie has traveled with her father since she was twelve years old. She is not sophisticated like a lot of the company she hangs around with on the ships. She knew not to make herself up to look to good being a female on a ship and always tried to find older female companions to hang out with. Lord Deal has intrigued her since she first set eyes on him coming on the ship, but he is so allusive and prefers to be alone. Rosalie just thinks he needs some encouragement to be a part of things.
Lord Deal always makes it an appoint to stay away from others. Ever since his father took his own life he has been alone, nobody ever gave him the time of day. He finds he rather likes being alone and then Rosalie came banging on his door in hysterics the night her father died. Now he feels that he needs to watch over her and before their time on the ship is over he has proposed marriage.
Lord Deal has a lot of nasty secrets that he has bottled up inside of him. He even tries to get Rosalie to not marry him, to beg him to tell her his secrets, but she doesn't. She marries him on trust that he will care for her. Then on there wedding night he doesn't come to her room, nor does he ever seem to want to consummate the wedding. Rosalie thinks it is because she is not desirable but will his secrets disgust her and make her want to leave like Lord Deal fears?
I liked Rosalie she was a very kind and considerate young lady. She always sees the best in people and she brings out the best in Lord Deal. Once she gets Lord Deal out and about talking to people he really seems to enjoy it. She makes a great lady of the house. Lord Deal, I really felt sorry for him when you find out his secrets, I pretty much had most of it guessed but there was some of it I didn't. I wanted to smack the same lady that Rosalie wanted too. Lord Deal was very easy to fall for even though sometimes I wanted to yell at him.
I absolutely love the cover! Most romances have the heroine on the cover but I like it when it has the hero on the front. Lord Deal looks so dashing and it was really the reason I wanted to read this book.
Over all if you love historical romances then I would suggest you give this one a try.
Rosalie has traveled with her father since she was twelve years old. She is not sophisticated like a lot of the company she hangs around with on the ships. She knew not to make herself up to look to good being a female on a ship and always tried to find older female companions to hang out with. Lord Deal has intrigued her since she first set eyes on him coming on the ship, but he is so allusive and prefers to be alone. Rosalie just thinks he needs some encouragement to be a part of things.
Lord Deal always makes it an appoint to stay away from others. Ever since his father took his own life he has been alone, nobody ever gave him the time of day. He finds he rather likes being alone and then Rosalie came banging on his door in hysterics the night her father died. Now he feels that he needs to watch over her and before their time on the ship is over he has proposed marriage.
Lord Deal has a lot of nasty secrets that he has bottled up inside of him. He even tries to get Rosalie to not marry him, to beg him to tell her his secrets, but she doesn't. She marries him on trust that he will care for her. Then on there wedding night he doesn't come to her room, nor does he ever seem to want to consummate the wedding. Rosalie thinks it is because she is not desirable but will his secrets disgust her and make her want to leave like Lord Deal fears?
I liked Rosalie she was a very kind and considerate young lady. She always sees the best in people and she brings out the best in Lord Deal. Once she gets Lord Deal out and about talking to people he really seems to enjoy it. She makes a great lady of the house. Lord Deal, I really felt sorry for him when you find out his secrets, I pretty much had most of it guessed but there was some of it I didn't. I wanted to smack the same lady that Rosalie wanted too. Lord Deal was very easy to fall for even though sometimes I wanted to yell at him.
I absolutely love the cover! Most romances have the heroine on the cover but I like it when it has the hero on the front. Lord Deal looks so dashing and it was really the reason I wanted to read this book.
Over all if you love historical romances then I would suggest you give this one a try.
October 17, 2013
LORD OF SECRETS by Alyssa Everett is an exciting Regency Historical Romance set in 1820 London. A Lord with dark secrets,David Linney,Marquess of Deal and a Lady with mothering skills, Rosalie Whitwell, two lives connect where secrets are revealed and love blossoms. Fast paced with passion,secrets,past regrets,learning the truth of why one adapted a solitary life,a glimpse into the sexual abuse by a loved one and the effects that abuse has on the person. Emotional but passionate! Deal and Rosalie will capture your heart and soul as they navigate the waters of marriage, secrets and love. Passion is more than just about the desire,and lust it is also about feelings and loving someone through all their secrets. A must read! As "Lord of Secrets" is emotional,it is told with compassionate and thought. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Net Galley.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
May 2, 2014
3.5
your typical story man stand up for women after she is left alone in the world, marry her yet remain distanced from her thinking he does not deserve her.
Rosalie is all that innocent and kind, sometimes too kind. If it was me I would take my gloves back from that horrid woman.
As for David well you'll see a tremendous change in him as you get to know him yet there is still this dark secret I thought like any other historical romance they were just making it bigger while its really not that worth it, turns out yes it's BIG be prepared
your typical story man stand up for women after she is left alone in the world, marry her yet remain distanced from her thinking he does not deserve her.
Rosalie is all that innocent and kind, sometimes too kind. If it was me I would take my gloves back from that horrid woman.
As for David well you'll see a tremendous change in him as you get to know him yet there is still this dark secret I thought like any other historical romance they were just making it bigger while its really not that worth it, turns out yes it's BIG be prepared
June 30, 2018
The heroine doesn't find out the hero's big secret until the end of the book. That means there is no real relationship or character development in the story at all. We don't see any of the healing process the hero is going to need before he can reach his true HEA.
I hate it when authors write major trauma into their characters' backstories without bothering to engage with the impact of that trauma and all the work people need to do to heal and recover their mental health. The kind of trauma the hero experienced is too big to be trivialized as some plot device or puzzle to be solved.
I hate it when authors write major trauma into their characters' backstories without bothering to engage with the impact of that trauma and all the work people need to do to heal and recover their mental health. The kind of trauma the hero experienced is too big to be trivialized as some plot device or puzzle to be solved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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