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The Duke's Secret Heir
"This, madam, changes everything."
Years ago, in the Egyptian desert, Ellen Tatham fell wildly in love and exchanged vows with Max Colnebrooke. But, when made to believe Max could not be trusted, she fled
Now, Max is back in England to take up the reins as Duke of Rossenhall. And when he spies Ellen at a ball, the sparks are hard to contain! Little does Max know, though, that Ellen has a secret And soon, he must learn to embrace an unexpected heir, and an unexpectedand disconcertingly defiantduchess!
"
Years ago, in the Egyptian desert, Ellen Tatham fell wildly in love and exchanged vows with Max Colnebrooke. But, when made to believe Max could not be trusted, she fled
Now, Max is back in England to take up the reins as Duke of Rossenhall. And when he spies Ellen at a ball, the sparks are hard to contain! Little does Max know, though, that Ellen has a secret And soon, he must learn to embrace an unexpected heir, and an unexpectedand disconcertingly defiantduchess!
"
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2017
157 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mallory
210 books118 followersSarah Mallory is the pen name for Melinda Hammond.
Born in Bristol, England, UK, she grew up telling stories. She would make up adventures to relate to her school friends during break times and lunch hours, and she was once caught scribbling a story instead of listening to the French lesson. As a punishment, her teacher made her translate the story into French! She left school at sixteen and worked in offices as varied as stockbrokers, marine engineers, insurance brokers, biscuit manufacturers and even a quarrying company.
She married at nineteen, but continued to work until the birth of her first child. It was at that time that she decided to try her hand at her first love—writing, and shortly after the birth of her daughter she had her first book, Fortune's Lady, published under the pen name of Melinda Hammond. This was quickly followed by two more historical novels, Summer Charade and Autumn Bride, but with the birth of her twin sons the demands of family life meant that writing had to take a backseat for a few years. A compulsive scribbler, she never stopped writing and continued to work on research for her novels, experimenting with contemporary scenarios as well as writing pantomimes for her children's school. In 1989 the family moved to an isolated Pennine farmhouse in West Yorkshire, not far from Brontë country, where the family expanded to include a dog, two gerbils and a dozen chickens. The growing family needed funding and she went back to work full-time. The writing had to be put on hold.
Then, in March 2000, Sarah stepped off a curb and landed in hospital with one ankle broken and one badly sprained. This laid her up on a sofa for twelve weeks and gave her the time she needed to finish a novel. She wrote as Melinda Hammond and Maid of Honour was published the same year. Since then she has never looked back. She's published more than a dozen books under this pen name and has won the Reviewers' Choice Award in 2005 from Singletitles.com for Dance for a Diamond. Her novel Gentlemen in Question was a Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice Title in November 2006. In 2012 her novel The Dangerous Lord Darrington won the Love Story of the Year by the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is now concentrating on writing romantic historical adventures for Mills & Boon.
Born in Bristol, England, UK, she grew up telling stories. She would make up adventures to relate to her school friends during break times and lunch hours, and she was once caught scribbling a story instead of listening to the French lesson. As a punishment, her teacher made her translate the story into French! She left school at sixteen and worked in offices as varied as stockbrokers, marine engineers, insurance brokers, biscuit manufacturers and even a quarrying company.
She married at nineteen, but continued to work until the birth of her first child. It was at that time that she decided to try her hand at her first love—writing, and shortly after the birth of her daughter she had her first book, Fortune's Lady, published under the pen name of Melinda Hammond. This was quickly followed by two more historical novels, Summer Charade and Autumn Bride, but with the birth of her twin sons the demands of family life meant that writing had to take a backseat for a few years. A compulsive scribbler, she never stopped writing and continued to work on research for her novels, experimenting with contemporary scenarios as well as writing pantomimes for her children's school. In 1989 the family moved to an isolated Pennine farmhouse in West Yorkshire, not far from Brontë country, where the family expanded to include a dog, two gerbils and a dozen chickens. The growing family needed funding and she went back to work full-time. The writing had to be put on hold.
Then, in March 2000, Sarah stepped off a curb and landed in hospital with one ankle broken and one badly sprained. This laid her up on a sofa for twelve weeks and gave her the time she needed to finish a novel. She wrote as Melinda Hammond and Maid of Honour was published the same year. Since then she has never looked back. She's published more than a dozen books under this pen name and has won the Reviewers' Choice Award in 2005 from Singletitles.com for Dance for a Diamond. Her novel Gentlemen in Question was a Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice Title in November 2006. In 2012 her novel The Dangerous Lord Darrington won the Love Story of the Year by the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is now concentrating on writing romantic historical adventures for Mills & Boon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 9, 2018
The romance aspect of the storyline was eclipsed by a lot of bitterness and conflict because the MC's were an estranged married couple who had been reunited by mere chance. I preferred the heroine to the H, because she was the stronger and less whiny character. The heroine Ellie is a merchant/industrialist's daughter who had fallen in love with the H Max while on a trip to Egypt 4 yrs ago. Max is the second son of a Duke and had been stationed in the British army in Egypt. He had been on an undercover, private mission so his official status in Egypt had never been made public by the British government. This is what caused the conflict for the couple all those years ago, because the heroine believed that he had lied to her about the legality of their marriage. She thought he had conned her into a fake marriage just to have sex with her. Ellie ended up leaving him in Egypt and he ended up thinking she'd abandoned their marriage to run off with a lover. The heroine ended up finding out she's pregnant, so she creates a fake dead husband in order to make her son legitimate in the eyes of society. The novel begins 4 yrs after their separation and Max is now the Duke of Rossenhall since his older brother had died.
When Max finds out he has a son, he's angry and feels doubly betrayed. He wants the boy to be his heir and he has the legal papers to prove to Ellie that their marriage was not fake. Ellie ends up realizing what a huge mistake she'd made by not trusting him all those years ago but he's very cold and unforgiving. He thinks she's been partying it up and enjoying her life as "The Golden Widow". They're still attracted to each other but the hurt and betrayal act as huge barriers to their reconciliation. They're the picture perfect golden family of blondes.
The conflict in the MC's relationship is further exacerbated by the H's jealousy of all the heroine's many suitors but both characters have been celibate during their time apart. Max's sister in law Dorcas, the Dowager Duchess, is also a nasty piece of work. She's an entitled and spendthrift snob who had colluded with her late husband to hide Ellie's letters from the H. The situation with Dorcas was very annoying and I wished the H had packed her off to the Dower House and out of their lives because all she did was cause trouble with her bitter, jealous bitchiness. I didn't quite enjoy the style of writing in this novel and the author kept having other characters refer to Max as "Duke" which was a bit weird because I doubt people would have called a duke by that title to his face. The heroine also keeps referring to the H as "Your Grace" or "His Grace" and it merely added to the tension and lack of warmth between them. Their sex scene happened around the 75% marker of the storyline and then the H acted a bit cowardly afterwards by pushing her away. He waited too long to reconcile and open up lines of true communication. I did love the heroine though. She was very independent, smart and had a keen sense for business and inter-personal relations with the servants. She was a much better and well like duchess, when compared to sour plain Dorcas. The epilogue was nice because it's the only time the reader gets to really enjoy some romantic happiness with the MC's. They have a baby daughter and bitter old Dorcas has been consigned to live on her widow's jointure/pension in the Dower House.
I wished I had been able to enjoy this novel more. It started off well and was interesting with some nice flashback scenes but it kinda left me a bit dissatisfied and yearning for a relaxing massage.
When Max finds out he has a son, he's angry and feels doubly betrayed. He wants the boy to be his heir and he has the legal papers to prove to Ellie that their marriage was not fake. Ellie ends up realizing what a huge mistake she'd made by not trusting him all those years ago but he's very cold and unforgiving. He thinks she's been partying it up and enjoying her life as "The Golden Widow". They're still attracted to each other but the hurt and betrayal act as huge barriers to their reconciliation. They're the picture perfect golden family of blondes.
The conflict in the MC's relationship is further exacerbated by the H's jealousy of all the heroine's many suitors but both characters have been celibate during their time apart. Max's sister in law Dorcas, the Dowager Duchess, is also a nasty piece of work. She's an entitled and spendthrift snob who had colluded with her late husband to hide Ellie's letters from the H. The situation with Dorcas was very annoying and I wished the H had packed her off to the Dower House and out of their lives because all she did was cause trouble with her bitter, jealous bitchiness. I didn't quite enjoy the style of writing in this novel and the author kept having other characters refer to Max as "Duke" which was a bit weird because I doubt people would have called a duke by that title to his face. The heroine also keeps referring to the H as "Your Grace" or "His Grace" and it merely added to the tension and lack of warmth between them. Their sex scene happened around the 75% marker of the storyline and then the H acted a bit cowardly afterwards by pushing her away. He waited too long to reconcile and open up lines of true communication. I did love the heroine though. She was very independent, smart and had a keen sense for business and inter-personal relations with the servants. She was a much better and well like duchess, when compared to sour plain Dorcas. The epilogue was nice because it's the only time the reader gets to really enjoy some romantic happiness with the MC's. They have a baby daughter and bitter old Dorcas has been consigned to live on her widow's jointure/pension in the Dower House.
I wished I had been able to enjoy this novel more. It started off well and was interesting with some nice flashback scenes but it kinda left me a bit dissatisfied and yearning for a relaxing massage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2017
I've given this a B at AAR.
The Duke’s Secret Heir is a second-chance romance that is loosely related to Sarah Mallory’s previous series, The Infamous Arrandales by virtue of the fact that its heroine appeared as a secondary character in The Chaperone’s Seduction. Miss Ellen Tatham as she then was, was a wealthy heiress of just seventeen, and her good-humoured level-headedness was a refreshing change from the sort of immature tantrum-throwing-teens often found within the pages of romance novels.
Having her own fortune – albeit one that came from trade – enabled Ellen to live an independent life and she spent some time after her come-out travelling with her former teacher and friend, Mrs. Ackroyd. While in Egypt some four years earlier, Ellen met and fell in love with Major Max Colnebrooke, and after a two-week, whirlwind romance, married him. After just a few weeks, the uncertain military and political situation in the region meant that it was unsafe for Ellen to remain with Max, so he arranged for her to travel back to England with the assistance of a fellow officer, and they agreed that she would wait for Max in Portsmouth.
Unfortunately, however, amid all the confusion of the British occupation of Alexandria, Ellen and her companion were unable to adhere to Max’s plan, and instead left Egypt with the assistance of the French Consul who saw them safely to France and then arranged for them to be smuggled back to England. On her return, Ellen is shocked to discover that there is no record whatsoever of Max’s presence in Egypt; there were no regiments stationed south of Cairo and most certainly there was no military chaplain in the area. Devastated, she concludes she has been duped, believing that Max arranged a fake marriage just so he could get her into bed.
When Max learned that Ellen had left Egypt with the French Consul, he immediately assumed the worst and believed that she had deserted him for a new lover. Mired in grief and rage, Max recklessly undertook increasingly dangerous missions, many of which resulted in loss of life or serious injury to others while he himself remained unscathed and for which, years later, he now carries a huge burden of guilt.
In the four years since her marriage, Ellen has made a life for herself in the Northern spa town of Harrogate, where she is widely liked and respected. But her settled existence is thrown into chaos one evening at a ball, when she is introduced to the Duke of Rossenhall – who is none other than her estranged husband, the man she had known as Max Colnebrooke. Both she and Max are completely unprepared for such an event, and their meeting is fraught with thinly veiled hostility. When they are able to have a conversation, it becomes very clear to Ellen that Max is labouring under a misapprehension about the circumstances of her departure from Egypt, and that he is extremely bitter and furiously angry. He informs her that their marriage was legal and that she is his duchess – for as long as it will take him to procure a divorce. He doesn’t care about the cost or the scandal; he just cannot countenance being married to a woman who betrayed him so easily. Ellen quickly admits that she had jumped to the wrong conclusions, but Max is adamant – until confronted with something he had not even considered, a little boy of around three years of age who addresses Ellen as “Mama”. Max knows not even a moment’s doubt; the boy’s resemblance to him is too great for him to believe otherwise than that he is looking at his son.
The existence of James – Jamie – changes everything. Max may not care about damaging Ellen’s reputation, but he is not prepared to tarnish his heir’s name with scandal, and he coldly informs his wife that they are to remain married for the sake of the boy. Ellen is genuinely repentant for having so easily believed the worst of Max and hopes that perhaps they can eventually become friends, even if there is no longer the possibility of there being any deeper feeling between them. But Max is bitter and aloof – and angry at the idea that Ellen had deliberately concealed the fact of his son’s existence from him, making the likelihood of amicable co-existence recede even further.
While the story is based around a Big Misunderstanding, Ms. Mallory doesn’t allow it to go on for too long so that after the first few chapters, both Max and Ellen know that what they believed about the circumstances surrounding their marriage and Ellen’s departure to have been erroneous. Ellen wants to apologise and move forward, but Max is unable to get past his resentment, blaming his devastation at her desertion for his willingness to throw himself into the path of danger over and over again, his despair driving him to undertake the most difficult and life-threatening missions available. He can’t deny that he is still strongly attracted to his wife, but because he blames himself – and indirectly, her – for the deaths and injuries sustained by many of his comrades, he cannot find it in himself to let go of his guilt and admit the possibility of reconciliation.
Max blaming Ellen for HIS recklessness is distasteful; his resentment has little foundation and while Ms. Mallory doesn’t try to make his position acceptable or palatable, it’s difficult to have any sympathy for him, especially in the early stages of the book when he is thoroughly disagreeable to Ellen. What the author does very well, though, is to show the real affection that grows between Max and his son, and the way in which Ellen so quickly makes herself an indispensible part of the life of his home and his estate. She is intelligent, sensible and unfailingly polite to everyone, no matter what their station; and that includes putting up with her miserable, stuck-up sister-in-law, the dowager Duchess, who believes almost everyone to be beneath her notice and does not hesitate to make it clear that she considers the daughter of a tradesman unfit to be a duchess. It’s clear that neither Ellen nor Max has stopped loving or desiring each other – but the question is whether Max can ever put his own prejudices aside and allow himself to love Ellen and make a life with her. His internal struggles are well done; the author expertly conveys how torn he is between the guilt he stubbornly tries to cling to and the truth he sees every day – Ellen’s love for and care of their son, her excellent management of his home and her essential goodness. My main criticism of this aspect of the story is that the ending is rather rushed; Max has had plenty of time, it’s true, to realise that he is tormenting himself for no good reason, but it takes him a little too long to admit it.
The Duke’s Secret Heir is well-written and the motivations and emotions of the characters are shown and explained really well; even though, as with Max’s issues, I couldn’t agree with them. I enjoyed the book, but I can’t deny that Max’s determination to shut Ellen out because of his own faults and misconceptions caused me to lower my final grade a little. Even so, it’s an entertaining, angsty read, and one that should appeal to those who enjoy second-chance romances.
The Duke’s Secret Heir is a second-chance romance that is loosely related to Sarah Mallory’s previous series, The Infamous Arrandales by virtue of the fact that its heroine appeared as a secondary character in The Chaperone’s Seduction. Miss Ellen Tatham as she then was, was a wealthy heiress of just seventeen, and her good-humoured level-headedness was a refreshing change from the sort of immature tantrum-throwing-teens often found within the pages of romance novels.
Having her own fortune – albeit one that came from trade – enabled Ellen to live an independent life and she spent some time after her come-out travelling with her former teacher and friend, Mrs. Ackroyd. While in Egypt some four years earlier, Ellen met and fell in love with Major Max Colnebrooke, and after a two-week, whirlwind romance, married him. After just a few weeks, the uncertain military and political situation in the region meant that it was unsafe for Ellen to remain with Max, so he arranged for her to travel back to England with the assistance of a fellow officer, and they agreed that she would wait for Max in Portsmouth.
Unfortunately, however, amid all the confusion of the British occupation of Alexandria, Ellen and her companion were unable to adhere to Max’s plan, and instead left Egypt with the assistance of the French Consul who saw them safely to France and then arranged for them to be smuggled back to England. On her return, Ellen is shocked to discover that there is no record whatsoever of Max’s presence in Egypt; there were no regiments stationed south of Cairo and most certainly there was no military chaplain in the area. Devastated, she concludes she has been duped, believing that Max arranged a fake marriage just so he could get her into bed.
When Max learned that Ellen had left Egypt with the French Consul, he immediately assumed the worst and believed that she had deserted him for a new lover. Mired in grief and rage, Max recklessly undertook increasingly dangerous missions, many of which resulted in loss of life or serious injury to others while he himself remained unscathed and for which, years later, he now carries a huge burden of guilt.
In the four years since her marriage, Ellen has made a life for herself in the Northern spa town of Harrogate, where she is widely liked and respected. But her settled existence is thrown into chaos one evening at a ball, when she is introduced to the Duke of Rossenhall – who is none other than her estranged husband, the man she had known as Max Colnebrooke. Both she and Max are completely unprepared for such an event, and their meeting is fraught with thinly veiled hostility. When they are able to have a conversation, it becomes very clear to Ellen that Max is labouring under a misapprehension about the circumstances of her departure from Egypt, and that he is extremely bitter and furiously angry. He informs her that their marriage was legal and that she is his duchess – for as long as it will take him to procure a divorce. He doesn’t care about the cost or the scandal; he just cannot countenance being married to a woman who betrayed him so easily. Ellen quickly admits that she had jumped to the wrong conclusions, but Max is adamant – until confronted with something he had not even considered, a little boy of around three years of age who addresses Ellen as “Mama”. Max knows not even a moment’s doubt; the boy’s resemblance to him is too great for him to believe otherwise than that he is looking at his son.
The existence of James – Jamie – changes everything. Max may not care about damaging Ellen’s reputation, but he is not prepared to tarnish his heir’s name with scandal, and he coldly informs his wife that they are to remain married for the sake of the boy. Ellen is genuinely repentant for having so easily believed the worst of Max and hopes that perhaps they can eventually become friends, even if there is no longer the possibility of there being any deeper feeling between them. But Max is bitter and aloof – and angry at the idea that Ellen had deliberately concealed the fact of his son’s existence from him, making the likelihood of amicable co-existence recede even further.
While the story is based around a Big Misunderstanding, Ms. Mallory doesn’t allow it to go on for too long so that after the first few chapters, both Max and Ellen know that what they believed about the circumstances surrounding their marriage and Ellen’s departure to have been erroneous. Ellen wants to apologise and move forward, but Max is unable to get past his resentment, blaming his devastation at her desertion for his willingness to throw himself into the path of danger over and over again, his despair driving him to undertake the most difficult and life-threatening missions available. He can’t deny that he is still strongly attracted to his wife, but because he blames himself – and indirectly, her – for the deaths and injuries sustained by many of his comrades, he cannot find it in himself to let go of his guilt and admit the possibility of reconciliation.
Max blaming Ellen for HIS recklessness is distasteful; his resentment has little foundation and while Ms. Mallory doesn’t try to make his position acceptable or palatable, it’s difficult to have any sympathy for him, especially in the early stages of the book when he is thoroughly disagreeable to Ellen. What the author does very well, though, is to show the real affection that grows between Max and his son, and the way in which Ellen so quickly makes herself an indispensible part of the life of his home and his estate. She is intelligent, sensible and unfailingly polite to everyone, no matter what their station; and that includes putting up with her miserable, stuck-up sister-in-law, the dowager Duchess, who believes almost everyone to be beneath her notice and does not hesitate to make it clear that she considers the daughter of a tradesman unfit to be a duchess. It’s clear that neither Ellen nor Max has stopped loving or desiring each other – but the question is whether Max can ever put his own prejudices aside and allow himself to love Ellen and make a life with her. His internal struggles are well done; the author expertly conveys how torn he is between the guilt he stubbornly tries to cling to and the truth he sees every day – Ellen’s love for and care of their son, her excellent management of his home and her essential goodness. My main criticism of this aspect of the story is that the ending is rather rushed; Max has had plenty of time, it’s true, to realise that he is tormenting himself for no good reason, but it takes him a little too long to admit it.
The Duke’s Secret Heir is well-written and the motivations and emotions of the characters are shown and explained really well; even though, as with Max’s issues, I couldn’t agree with them. I enjoyed the book, but I can’t deny that Max’s determination to shut Ellen out because of his own faults and misconceptions caused me to lower my final grade a little. Even so, it’s an entertaining, angsty read, and one that should appeal to those who enjoy second-chance romances.
November 10, 2017
Got to be a little boring and went on way too long
The H was so mean to the h even after she told him she was sorry and why she didn't believe they were married. It dragged on way too long and really bothered me. It was safe, neither had been with anyone else during the separation. I liked that. I liked that his son called him Duke instead of Papa. It was cute. The sister in law was just horrid and should have been sent to the Dower House post haste!!! I loved the h and her strength and kindness. It was a good story for sure.
The H was so mean to the h even after she told him she was sorry and why she didn't believe they were married. It dragged on way too long and really bothered me. It was safe, neither had been with anyone else during the separation. I liked that. I liked that his son called him Duke instead of Papa. It was cute. The sister in law was just horrid and should have been sent to the Dower House post haste!!! I loved the h and her strength and kindness. It was a good story for sure.
February 7, 2017
Sarah Mallory merges two romantic tropes together surprisingly well in her latest release, The Duke’s Secret Heir. A big misunderstanding separates our main characters for a time and their secret baby plays a major role in their strained reconciliation. What could have been a frustrating read becomes quite interesting as we see how a couple can overcome such difficulties to form a lasting relationship.
During a warm summer in Egypt, Miss Ellen Tatham and Major Max Colnebrooke fell in love. It was an instant attraction and a whirlwind courtship but Max and Ellen knew that it was meant to be and said their “I Do’s” in front of the army chaplain before consummating their marriage. Unfortunately the instability in the region pushes Max to arrange passage for his new wife and her companion back to England with another officer. Those plans unexpectedly change when Ellen is separated from the English forces and they are rescued from Egypt by a French diplomat who uses his connections to get her back home. The lines of communication between Max and Ellen are further complicated when she writes to the Home Office to locate her new husband and is told there is no record of a Major Colnebrooke stationed in Egypt. Fearing that she had fallen prey to a scoundrel and was now ruined for another, Ellen retreats back to her home and hopes her family will help her start over.
In the four intervening years Max and Ellen have become very different people from who they were in Egypt...
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
During a warm summer in Egypt, Miss Ellen Tatham and Major Max Colnebrooke fell in love. It was an instant attraction and a whirlwind courtship but Max and Ellen knew that it was meant to be and said their “I Do’s” in front of the army chaplain before consummating their marriage. Unfortunately the instability in the region pushes Max to arrange passage for his new wife and her companion back to England with another officer. Those plans unexpectedly change when Ellen is separated from the English forces and they are rescued from Egypt by a French diplomat who uses his connections to get her back home. The lines of communication between Max and Ellen are further complicated when she writes to the Home Office to locate her new husband and is told there is no record of a Major Colnebrooke stationed in Egypt. Fearing that she had fallen prey to a scoundrel and was now ruined for another, Ellen retreats back to her home and hopes her family will help her start over.
In the four intervening years Max and Ellen have become very different people from who they were in Egypt...
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
October 6, 2022
More properly this is lovers to enemies to lovers.
This was a good story overall (I see you poor grammar and fade-to-black). I found the plotline to be really the saving grace of the tale. But, as per usual, Harlequins always seem to be lacking in one way or another. Particularly, the grammar and spelling made me cry. Also the miscommunication trope and refusal to hear one another out made this story far longer than it truly needed to be. Nonetheless, it was ok.
This was a good story overall (I see you poor grammar and fade-to-black). I found the plotline to be really the saving grace of the tale. But, as per usual, Harlequins always seem to be lacking in one way or another. Particularly, the grammar and spelling made me cry. Also the miscommunication trope and refusal to hear one another out made this story far longer than it truly needed to be. Nonetheless, it was ok.
November 9, 2017
Blame and a little gaslighting There have been a few books I've read where I honestly wanted to take the hero out and beat some sense into him, this is one. Yes talking is good but it took several people telling him for him to pay attention. A trip behind the stables with a cricket bat could have speeded things up.
In the Egyptian desert Ellen Tatham falls in love and marries Max Colnebrooke, working under secret orders with the army. When she arrives at the English Representative in Cairo he tells her that it's all a lie and refuses to help her. She resorts to a friend of her companion to help her escape and hides under a false name, pretending to be a widow, to hide her shame. She has written twice to Max to try to contact him but she has received only nasty letters back from his family.
Then he comes back to her life and he blames her for everything, for betraying him, for "making" him be reckless with himself and his men, putting his friend in the line for a bullet. Basically blaming her for it all, instead of trying to see her point, what happened to her, how she has managed to avoid scandal and other connections. How loyal she has been. Nope, she's evil and bad and the only reason he's tolerating her is because they have a son.
Yeah, a great starter for a relationship. Even when she cries, terribly upset by everything while she is organising a party for him, he rebuffs her. This guy isn't a prize.
It's all resolved at the end, of course, but if I was her I wouldn't trust that he wouldn't have another irrational moment and heap misery on me again. I wanted to knee him at one stage and would have cheered her on if she had. Cold drink to the head would have been a useful retort too.
Romance has a problem with problem relationships and this is a prime example.
In the Egyptian desert Ellen Tatham falls in love and marries Max Colnebrooke, working under secret orders with the army. When she arrives at the English Representative in Cairo he tells her that it's all a lie and refuses to help her. She resorts to a friend of her companion to help her escape and hides under a false name, pretending to be a widow, to hide her shame. She has written twice to Max to try to contact him but she has received only nasty letters back from his family.
Then he comes back to her life and he blames her for everything, for betraying him, for "making" him be reckless with himself and his men, putting his friend in the line for a bullet. Basically blaming her for it all, instead of trying to see her point, what happened to her, how she has managed to avoid scandal and other connections. How loyal she has been. Nope, she's evil and bad and the only reason he's tolerating her is because they have a son.
Yeah, a great starter for a relationship. Even when she cries, terribly upset by everything while she is organising a party for him, he rebuffs her. This guy isn't a prize.
It's all resolved at the end, of course, but if I was her I wouldn't trust that he wouldn't have another irrational moment and heap misery on me again. I wanted to knee him at one stage and would have cheered her on if she had. Cold drink to the head would have been a useful retort too.
Romance has a problem with problem relationships and this is a prime example.
June 2, 2017
Four years ago in Egypt, Ellen Tatham fell in love with an English soldier named Max Colnebrooke and married him. But on returning to England, no record can be found of their marriage - the Chaplain and Max's regiment were not even supposed to be in that part of Egypt. Was she tricked by a conman? Ellen writes to Max's family, to tell them she is pregnant, but they dismiss her as a fortune-hunter. Utterly ruined, Ellen is forced to create a new identity for herself, that of a wealthy widow with a young son. Now she is the toast of Harrogate - which is the exact moment Max reappears in her life - as the Duke of Rossenhall.
From Max's point of view, Ellen ran away from Alexandria under the protection of the French Consul - so naturally he assumed she was having an affair with the other man. When he meets Ellen again, to demand a divorce, he finds her living with her son - who is obviously his. How dare she keep his child a secret from him?
I have a bit of an addiction to historical romance but even I get fed up of seeing the same tropes over and over again - wicked rake falls for innocent debutante who changes him, etc - so it's particularly refreshing to read something so completely different. Ellen and Max were mad for each other but now, through a series of misunderstandings on both sides, they actively dislike each other. In addition, the obstacles they have to face are very real, not something that can be easily overcome by one short conversation.
I love how the characters spark off each other, that first Ellen has the upper-hand, and then Max. Ellen is very independent, and has money of her own, so she's not easily bullied, while Max has to get over his past (and himself!). Their son, Jamie, is beyond cute and I loved the way Ellen dealt with her horrible sister-in-law - and not in a way I was expecting. The strength of the story is definitely in the characters and I was really rooting for them to find their happy ever after. Definitely recommended. Fans of historical romance will love it!
Note: Ellen appears as a secondary character in Sarah Mallory's novel The Chaperon's Seduction, but you don't have to have read that book to enjoy this one.
From Max's point of view, Ellen ran away from Alexandria under the protection of the French Consul - so naturally he assumed she was having an affair with the other man. When he meets Ellen again, to demand a divorce, he finds her living with her son - who is obviously his. How dare she keep his child a secret from him?
I have a bit of an addiction to historical romance but even I get fed up of seeing the same tropes over and over again - wicked rake falls for innocent debutante who changes him, etc - so it's particularly refreshing to read something so completely different. Ellen and Max were mad for each other but now, through a series of misunderstandings on both sides, they actively dislike each other. In addition, the obstacles they have to face are very real, not something that can be easily overcome by one short conversation.
I love how the characters spark off each other, that first Ellen has the upper-hand, and then Max. Ellen is very independent, and has money of her own, so she's not easily bullied, while Max has to get over his past (and himself!). Their son, Jamie, is beyond cute and I loved the way Ellen dealt with her horrible sister-in-law - and not in a way I was expecting. The strength of the story is definitely in the characters and I was really rooting for them to find their happy ever after. Definitely recommended. Fans of historical romance will love it!
Note: Ellen appears as a secondary character in Sarah Mallory's novel The Chaperon's Seduction, but you don't have to have read that book to enjoy this one.
December 3, 2024
4 1/2 stars. The only thing missing for me was some OW drama. The h and H meet in Egypt and marry two weeks later. Two weeks into their marriage the H is dispatched on a secret mission. He gives the h directions for returning to England to wait for him. The h and her companion are helped instead by the French consul. This was not appreciated by the H as this was during the time of Napoleon. Finding herself pregnant, the h tries to find the H and was told that there are no records of either the H or the chaplain who married them being in Egypt. She interprets this to mean that the marriage is a sham. Four years later, the h is living a quiet life with her now three year old son. The H comes to the same area to stay with a dying friend. The H is angry and hurt feeling that the h abandoned him and kept his son hidden from him. Much of the story describes the H's cold detached treatment of the h whose kind, sweet nature is appreciated by all others. The H's reasons for blaming the h are hard to understand and accept. No groveling.
October 22, 2018
The secret baby trope is one of my all time favorites. This book had a great build up and reveal. The H was understandably angry. It always angers me when a hero immediately forgives the heroine and moves on immediately. Max does punish Ellen and struggles with whether to forgive her eventually. Ellen also felt she had been wronged, but she was a little too perfect of a heroine so of course she didn't hold her grudge as long. She was adored by everyone and was kind to those who maligned her. She threw parties for laborers, etc. A bit too goody-goody for my tastes. The book is too long and things are dragged out but it has a sweet HEA. All the love scenes are fade to black which i wasn't expecting for a HQ romance novel.
June 14, 2022
Sarah Mallory has written an intriguing second chance romance. Max and Ellen met in Egypt where he protected her from guerrilla fighters, fell i. Love and married her. Worried about the French army’s invasion of Egypt, Max urged his new bride to return to England where she would be safe.
Ellen returns home pregnant and is unable to verify her marital state. When Max returns to England he is unable to find his wife until four years later he when he sees her and meets his son.
I enjoyed this book and felt the angst experienced by Ellen and Max.
Ellen returns home pregnant and is unable to verify her marital state. When Max returns to England he is unable to find his wife until four years later he when he sees her and meets his son.
I enjoyed this book and felt the angst experienced by Ellen and Max.
August 17, 2025
A hero and heroine, swept up in a whirlwind romance, marry on the spur of the moment in a dangerous foreign country. To protect her, he secretly sends her back to England. Unaware of his life as a spy, she searches for him, only to be met with silence and deception. Convinced he has left her, she embraces the life of a widow and raises their child alone. The core of the story's interest and raw angst comes from their painful reunion, as he returns years later, mistakenly believing she betrayed him, setting up a deeply emotional and compelling conflict.
November 12, 2019
Lovely
I did not like how the story was not believable about how they were apart for four years, but I enjoyed the book because of the sexual tension between them even before they hooked up again. This is my first time reading anything by this author, but I will probably read something else. I chose this story because it was about a Duke, that is priority 1 when deciding to purchase a book, wait priority 2, the first priority is, SEX.
I did not like how the story was not believable about how they were apart for four years, but I enjoyed the book because of the sexual tension between them even before they hooked up again. This is my first time reading anything by this author, but I will probably read something else. I chose this story because it was about a Duke, that is priority 1 when deciding to purchase a book, wait priority 2, the first priority is, SEX.
July 1, 2024
Secrets
Long ago military secrets, even Royalty was kept in the dark. A child kept a secret for four years. No military secrets today—cell phones and media plus people who leak information. Hard it keep military secrets today—undercover opps don’t work today—someone’s always talking. Alls well that ends well(now where have I read that before?) only thing missing, I kept thinking someone was surly going to get shot.
Long ago military secrets, even Royalty was kept in the dark. A child kept a secret for four years. No military secrets today—cell phones and media plus people who leak information. Hard it keep military secrets today—undercover opps don’t work today—someone’s always talking. Alls well that ends well(now where have I read that before?) only thing missing, I kept thinking someone was surly going to get shot.
July 9, 2024
I enjoyed the prose and the dialogue in this book. It is hard to describe, but it felt more elegant as I read along. I also picked up a couple of new archaic words to add to my vocabulary. I was disappointed that, at first, all the blame seemed to be laid at Ellen's feet. Later, Max did take part of the blame. Unlike some other stories where there is a lot of general angst preventing the couple from reconciling, these characters each had real tangible issues and misconceptions to overcome first.
June 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow at times... too many little details.. however, all the characters were brought to life even the secondary characters. I gave it three stars because I felt that their backstory could have been told better and it got a little slow in the middle, but the last part was excellent. Definitely recommend.
November 26, 2017
An interesting and enjoyable story. The plot was unusual and well done, though I felt the heroine was just a little too perfect and long suffering, prepared to accept all the blame for the circumstances the couple found themselves in. The author blended lots of nice period detail into the story and I always enjoy reading stories set in places I know, in this case Harrogate.
September 14, 2018
This book was pretty unpredictable. It didn't even seem like Ellen and Max were going to make it. Max just couldn't forgive her. The end is so shocking (or rather when the truth is revealed).
I swear, I was waiting the whole book for them to make up.
Their son, Jamie, is so cute but he talked like a six year old, not a three year old.
I swear, I was waiting the whole book for them to make up.
Their son, Jamie, is so cute but he talked like a six year old, not a three year old.
February 25, 2019
4.5 stars.
A good read and quite moving in places.
Max was perhaps a little too stubborn with a somewhat distorted point of view but tried to do what is right and Ellen had the patience of a saint, especially dealing with her difficult sister-in-law. The child Jamie was endearing and made me smile.
recommended
A good read and quite moving in places.
Max was perhaps a little too stubborn with a somewhat distorted point of view but tried to do what is right and Ellen had the patience of a saint, especially dealing with her difficult sister-in-law. The child Jamie was endearing and made me smile.
recommended
January 24, 2022
I’ve read a couple of the author’s works under the pen name Melinda Hammond (Autumn Bride and Dream Chasers) and loved both of them. This didn’t resonate with me in quite the same way, but it’s still an absorbing, powerful read that I tore through in a day.
Here’s the premise: wealthy cit’s daughter Ellen Tatham and duke’s son Max Colnebrooke met, fell in love and married in a whirlwind romance in Egypt. But the fortunes of war meant that Max had to send his bride away to safety, and in the confused circumstances they both came to believe that the other has betrayed them. She ran away to Harrogate, pretending to be a widow to account for the birth of her son, James, while Max hurled himself into ever riskier enterprises, only returning when the unexpected death of his elder brother makes him the Duke of Rossenhall. Now he finds himself in Harrogate visiting old friends and meets up with Ellen again.
Now this is a delicious situation, because the two are thrown into any number of public meetings (what a lot of balls they had in Harrogate!), yet no one knows they are married, and there are reasons (of course there are!) why the secret can’t be revealed immediately. And there’s a big surprise for Max - he has a son and heir. So there’s a huge amount of tension between the two protagonists right from the start, both bitter about the apparent betrayal of the other, and yet still very much drawn to each other.
And this is, fundamentally, the whole plot. The two circle with stiff Regency politeness around each other, accepting that they have to live superficially as husband and wife because of their son, but trying very hard not to give way to the desire that lurks just below the surface. They don’t always manage it, so there’s the occasional passionate kiss and even a whole night of passion before they revert to that oh-so-restrained politeness. When they arrive at the ducal estate, there’s a malicious sister-in-law to contend with (widow of the older brother), and Ellen sets about making herself charming and duchess-like to servants, the steward, the tenants and the local residents.
And that is one of the problems with this book - Ellen is just a little too perfect. She’s beautiful, clever, a great manager, a wonderful mother and everyone loves her. I like a little more grit in the oyster, frankly. Max is pretty damn perfect, too, except for the whole guilt trip, which he places entirely on his wife’s shoulders. I suppose to be honest, the one problem they both have is pride - too much pride to confess what they really feel, or even to sit down and have a proper conversation. After all, there’s surely one subject they ought to be discussing openly, and that’s whether they intend to have more children. That’s what marriage is for, after all, if you’re a duke with a title and vast wealth to pass on. One heir really isn’t enough. But they never address the issue at all.
The story is a fairly simple one. There are no great mysteries or backstory revelations to unfurl, the minor characters are either out and out villains like the sister-in-law, or they’re saccharine sweet. Only Ellen’s old friend, the globe-trotting Miss Ackroyd, shows some spark of an interesting character (interesting to me, anyway; these things are deeply personal). And I have to say, I was a little unsettled to see the fresh widow jump immediately into a new romance. It seemed a little tasteless to me.
But none of these minor grumbles interfered very much with my enjoyment, and as I say, I romped through the book in no time, neglecting a lot of essential tasks to keep reading, which is always the sign of a good book. This one is deeply satisfying at the emotional level as the two main characters work through their bitterness to reach a rapport, although it took them perhaps a few chapters too many to get there. There’s some sex, but it’s tastefully done, and the writing is superb. Happily, not a single historical inaccuracy dinged my over-sensitive pedantometer. A good four stars.
Here’s the premise: wealthy cit’s daughter Ellen Tatham and duke’s son Max Colnebrooke met, fell in love and married in a whirlwind romance in Egypt. But the fortunes of war meant that Max had to send his bride away to safety, and in the confused circumstances they both came to believe that the other has betrayed them. She ran away to Harrogate, pretending to be a widow to account for the birth of her son, James, while Max hurled himself into ever riskier enterprises, only returning when the unexpected death of his elder brother makes him the Duke of Rossenhall. Now he finds himself in Harrogate visiting old friends and meets up with Ellen again.
Now this is a delicious situation, because the two are thrown into any number of public meetings (what a lot of balls they had in Harrogate!), yet no one knows they are married, and there are reasons (of course there are!) why the secret can’t be revealed immediately. And there’s a big surprise for Max - he has a son and heir. So there’s a huge amount of tension between the two protagonists right from the start, both bitter about the apparent betrayal of the other, and yet still very much drawn to each other.
And this is, fundamentally, the whole plot. The two circle with stiff Regency politeness around each other, accepting that they have to live superficially as husband and wife because of their son, but trying very hard not to give way to the desire that lurks just below the surface. They don’t always manage it, so there’s the occasional passionate kiss and even a whole night of passion before they revert to that oh-so-restrained politeness. When they arrive at the ducal estate, there’s a malicious sister-in-law to contend with (widow of the older brother), and Ellen sets about making herself charming and duchess-like to servants, the steward, the tenants and the local residents.
And that is one of the problems with this book - Ellen is just a little too perfect. She’s beautiful, clever, a great manager, a wonderful mother and everyone loves her. I like a little more grit in the oyster, frankly. Max is pretty damn perfect, too, except for the whole guilt trip, which he places entirely on his wife’s shoulders. I suppose to be honest, the one problem they both have is pride - too much pride to confess what they really feel, or even to sit down and have a proper conversation. After all, there’s surely one subject they ought to be discussing openly, and that’s whether they intend to have more children. That’s what marriage is for, after all, if you’re a duke with a title and vast wealth to pass on. One heir really isn’t enough. But they never address the issue at all.
The story is a fairly simple one. There are no great mysteries or backstory revelations to unfurl, the minor characters are either out and out villains like the sister-in-law, or they’re saccharine sweet. Only Ellen’s old friend, the globe-trotting Miss Ackroyd, shows some spark of an interesting character (interesting to me, anyway; these things are deeply personal). And I have to say, I was a little unsettled to see the fresh widow jump immediately into a new romance. It seemed a little tasteless to me.
But none of these minor grumbles interfered very much with my enjoyment, and as I say, I romped through the book in no time, neglecting a lot of essential tasks to keep reading, which is always the sign of a good book. This one is deeply satisfying at the emotional level as the two main characters work through their bitterness to reach a rapport, although it took them perhaps a few chapters too many to get there. There’s some sex, but it’s tastefully done, and the writing is superb. Happily, not a single historical inaccuracy dinged my over-sensitive pedantometer. A good four stars.
July 5, 2024
Loved the characters!
I really enjoyed this book, and found myself reading late Into the Night. Ellen was such a wonderful person, a great mother, and able to handle almost any situation. She was well liked by everyone except Max and his nasty sister-in-law. Max took way too long to lose all of his irrational excuses, but the HEA was very satisfying.
I really enjoyed this book, and found myself reading late Into the Night. Ellen was such a wonderful person, a great mother, and able to handle almost any situation. She was well liked by everyone except Max and his nasty sister-in-law. Max took way too long to lose all of his irrational excuses, but the HEA was very satisfying.
April 22, 2025
It was a sweet read but i am not sure why the H was so angry with the h, he was equally responsible for the debacle.
h was a sweetheart and a lovely person.
The dowager duchess was a bitch.
I am not sure if the society too the news of them married as easily but then he was duke and the author has done a commendable job of keeping up with the language and somewhat the mannerisms of that period.
h was a sweetheart and a lovely person.
The dowager duchess was a bitch.
I am not sure if the society too the news of them married as easily but then he was duke and the author has done a commendable job of keeping up with the language and somewhat the mannerisms of that period.
June 30, 2024
most enjoyable book
such an enjoyable book. well drawn plot, real-feeling characters, and engaging twists and turns. at times, it all seemed lost, but the author never gave up. well done!
such an enjoyable book. well drawn plot, real-feeling characters, and engaging twists and turns. at times, it all seemed lost, but the author never gave up. well done!
September 3, 2017
3.5 stars.
August 18, 2018
good read...misunderstandings have to be sorted before they get to their HEA!
May 15, 2019
Similar to several titles by Gayle Wilson but still a good story, well-written and better than many of the newer titles being published today.
May 17, 2020
This is the 1st book I read by Sarah Mallory. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story at chapter 3 because it didn't grab my interest.
September 19, 2025
love and much more.
Simply wonderful story. I loved from start to finish. Underlining great love. Didn’t want it to end. Ellen was so wonderful. Duke so sensual, and more.
Simply wonderful story. I loved from start to finish. Underlining great love. Didn’t want it to end. Ellen was so wonderful. Duke so sensual, and more.
January 17, 2026
romance
The usual regency romance with all the angst and misunderstandings. The heroine and hero are so afraid of rejection and being vulnerable that they can’t say what they really feel.
The usual regency romance with all the angst and misunderstandings. The heroine and hero are so afraid of rejection and being vulnerable that they can’t say what they really feel.
March 18, 2017
I enjoyed this book. A little more risque than I expected, but an enjoyable read. It was a little slow at times tho.
June 19, 2021
This was a sweet story about those who loved at one time come back to one another.
Ellen and Max met in Egypt and had a whirlwind romance and subsequently marriage. Until Ellen found out some things about Max that had her questioning who she really married. So she leaves and comes back to London. But she also never got to tell him face to face about the baby. She wrote letters but they went unanswered so she felt Max wasn’t interested in pursuing her in his life anymore. Max has come back to London to take on the role of Duke. His brother and father have passed and now he has to marry and produce an heir. Although no one knows he is already married. He spots Ellen one night at a ball and is raging mad cause he never heard a word from her all these years. He tells her he will file for divorce but then he sees a boy. His boy. He then changes his plan and tells Ellen he wants to be a father to him and they move into his home. What follows is Ellen and Max sorting through all the miscommunication that has happened in past years. They still have the passion and feelings for each other so Max decides to court Ellen.
Ellen and Max met in Egypt and had a whirlwind romance and subsequently marriage. Until Ellen found out some things about Max that had her questioning who she really married. So she leaves and comes back to London. But she also never got to tell him face to face about the baby. She wrote letters but they went unanswered so she felt Max wasn’t interested in pursuing her in his life anymore. Max has come back to London to take on the role of Duke. His brother and father have passed and now he has to marry and produce an heir. Although no one knows he is already married. He spots Ellen one night at a ball and is raging mad cause he never heard a word from her all these years. He tells her he will file for divorce but then he sees a boy. His boy. He then changes his plan and tells Ellen he wants to be a father to him and they move into his home. What follows is Ellen and Max sorting through all the miscommunication that has happened in past years. They still have the passion and feelings for each other so Max decides to court Ellen.
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