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Secret Ways
No one sets fire to the page like New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin, who takes readers into the opulent world of Regency-era England with novels that shimmer with passion and linger in the heart long after the last page is turned. Vermillion Lee Durant is well versed in the art of seduction and determined to remain loyal to the destiny she was born to fulfill. But to Captain Caleb Tanner, a British officer hunting a spy who has been leaking information to the French, she may be more than the flirtatious young woman she seems. Assigned to uncover the truth about Vermillion and her aunt, Caleb poses as a groom at the Durant racing stables -- and fights an attraction to Vermillion that may cloud his judgment and threaten his heart. Both captivated and annoyed by the handsome, arrogant groom, Vermillion vows to resist him -- knowing she must choose allegiance to her family over the desires Caleb has awakened. But passion and truth cannot always be denied, even for two lovers who are masters at keeping secrets.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 1, 2003
30 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Kat Martin
189 books3,174 followersKathleen Kelly Martin (aka Kathy Lawrence, Kasey Mars)
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 3, 2021
Secret Ways by Kat Martin is about Caleb, a British spy who must pose as a stableboy to see if he can discreetly figure out if courtesans are responsible for giving out secrets to the French. Vermillion's aunt Gabby is a courtesan who holds social court among gentlemen who are privy to military information. Vermillion has been groomed by her aunt to be a courtesan, her aunt believing it to be a great lifestyle and career choice, and it is understood by everyone that upon the eve of her 19th birthday, Vermillion will choose a "protector" or what the olden days used to call a sugar daddy.
Pros:
1. The secret identity is revealed halfway through the story. This is a pro for readers that do not enjoy heroes with secret identities.
2. Things get pretty steamy and Caleb is a great jealous hero. Unfortunately, that doesn't save the story.
Cons:
1. Vermillion vs Lee.
In the other Kat Martin story I read, Innocence Undone, there is a big question mark for the hero about whether the heroine is a good girl he should respect or a bad girl that he can get away with disrespecting. It was much more frustrating in Innocence Undone because the hero only wanted to know so he could sleep with the heroine consequence-free, but it was frustrating in Secret Ways too.
Vermillion vs Lee became a shallow conversation about Lee being her "True Self" where Lee is the real self behind the Vermillion mirage. Lee is the true self because she doesn't wear make-up and rides horses while Vermillion is the fake mask because she puts on some rice powder and flirts with rich men. Lee is also a mask if you think about it (the cool girl mask). It would have been satisfying for Lee to embrace all her sides, but of course, our heroines can never embrace their wild sides...
2. Mystery was somewhat interesting so I ended up skimming the story halfway through to the end.
I guess I'm just not into the whole stableboy with a secret identity falling in love with an attractive woman who may be a harlot because she is simply an attractive woman couple in romances.
Pros:
1. The secret identity is revealed halfway through the story. This is a pro for readers that do not enjoy heroes with secret identities.
2. Things get pretty steamy and Caleb is a great jealous hero. Unfortunately, that doesn't save the story.
Cons:
1. Vermillion vs Lee.
In the other Kat Martin story I read, Innocence Undone, there is a big question mark for the hero about whether the heroine is a good girl he should respect or a bad girl that he can get away with disrespecting. It was much more frustrating in Innocence Undone because the hero only wanted to know so he could sleep with the heroine consequence-free, but it was frustrating in Secret Ways too.
Vermillion vs Lee became a shallow conversation about Lee being her "True Self" where Lee is the real self behind the Vermillion mirage. Lee is the true self because she doesn't wear make-up and rides horses while Vermillion is the fake mask because she puts on some rice powder and flirts with rich men. Lee is also a mask if you think about it (the cool girl mask). It would have been satisfying for Lee to embrace all her sides, but of course, our heroines can never embrace their wild sides...
2. Mystery was somewhat interesting so I ended up skimming the story halfway through to the end.
I guess I'm just not into the whole stableboy with a secret identity falling in love with an attractive woman who may be a harlot because she is simply an attractive woman couple in romances.
October 14, 2024
Another good example of how a cover can mislead you. Although I have to admit that the blurb doesn't actually say so, I was expecting a pirate novel or at least some action on a ship. This is not the case at all, there's not a trace of swashbuckling pirates!
Instead, a rather handsome, but also pale and dull spy gives the cavalry captain for an alleged courtesan, who isn't one and doesn't want to become one, but is mistaken for a spy. Needless to say, the daring Mata Hari lookalike and the aristocratic superspy fall in love with each other, which is not supposed to happen. Of course, that doesn't stop either of them from getting carried away and having a fling, regardless of the consequences.
In true romance fashion, the plot is full of misunderstandings and absurdities, but despite this–or maybe because of this?–is completely predictable. All in all, the book is not really bad, but far from good and as unspectacular as the main characters.
Instead, a rather handsome, but also pale and dull spy gives the cavalry captain for an alleged courtesan, who isn't one and doesn't want to become one, but is mistaken for a spy. Needless to say, the daring Mata Hari lookalike and the aristocratic superspy fall in love with each other, which is not supposed to happen. Of course, that doesn't stop either of them from getting carried away and having a fling, regardless of the consequences.
In true romance fashion, the plot is full of misunderstandings and absurdities, but despite this–or maybe because of this?–is completely predictable. All in all, the book is not really bad, but far from good and as unspectacular as the main characters.
November 1, 2014
Que sí. Que no. Más no que sí.
La historia tiene la fortuna de leerse rápidamente. Y la mala suerte de tener por protagonista gente que no me logró conmover en lo absoluto. Hay por ahí una historia secundaria, que era más relleno que otra cosa, porque no fue bien planteada al principio, cuando de la nada, sale con que continua a lo largo del libro.
Entonces tenemos aquí a Vermillion y a Caleb. Caleb detesta a Vermillion por la vida que elegió vivir como cortesana y Vermillion le choca los aires de superior que tiene este mozo de caballerizas.
Es entonces, que a pesar de eso, Vermillion no quiere vivir como Vermillion sino como Lee, la chica que realmente es, no la pantalla que su tía creó para ella. Y Caleb queda enamorisqueado de Lee porque le resulta una persona que vale la pena conocer y amar.
Pero, cómo no, los chicos no dejan de toquetearse un poco, jugar con los límites de patrona y peón *si es que así se dice* y saciar la lujuria que se han despertado desde el momento que se conocieron.
No me gusta Caleb, me parece bastante rudo con Lee, cruel, insensible. Me da la sensación de que siempre tiene mala cara con ella, o vive para ladrarle órdenes.
Lee, Vermillion, queda fascinada por este muchachón, hasta el punto de hacerle dudar si debe seguir con el sueño de ser cortesana. Se encuentra dividida entre la lealtad hacia su tía, sus propios deseos y el deseo que siente hacia Caleb.
No está de más aclarar, que estos se acostaron tanto que se enamoraron. Llegado a un punto cuando ambos ven lo enamorados que están, no dejan de decir lo mucho que se aman, y todo se vuelve muy irreal, digo: ahora no solo se desean con locura, sino que se aman hasta la muerte.
Más allá de lo que Caleb hace, y los saltos de acá para allá de esta pareja, los acontecimientos finales fueron los que más me gustaron. Salvo por una cosa, si los personajes hubieran sido diferentes, si las dos primeras partes del libro hubieran sido diferentes, ese final habría valido la pena. No ese final final de telenovela, sino los acontecimientos finales al final (?).
La historia tiene la fortuna de leerse rápidamente. Y la mala suerte de tener por protagonista gente que no me logró conmover en lo absoluto. Hay por ahí una historia secundaria, que era más relleno que otra cosa, porque no fue bien planteada al principio, cuando de la nada, sale con que continua a lo largo del libro.
Entonces tenemos aquí a Vermillion y a Caleb. Caleb detesta a Vermillion por la vida que elegió vivir como cortesana y Vermillion le choca los aires de superior que tiene este mozo de caballerizas.
Es entonces, que a pesar de eso, Vermillion no quiere vivir como Vermillion sino como Lee, la chica que realmente es, no la pantalla que su tía creó para ella. Y Caleb queda enamorisqueado de Lee porque le resulta una persona que vale la pena conocer y amar.
Pero, cómo no, los chicos no dejan de toquetearse un poco, jugar con los límites de patrona y peón *si es que así se dice* y saciar la lujuria que se han despertado desde el momento que se conocieron.
No me gusta Caleb, me parece bastante rudo con Lee, cruel, insensible. Me da la sensación de que siempre tiene mala cara con ella, o vive para ladrarle órdenes.
Lee, Vermillion, queda fascinada por este muchachón, hasta el punto de hacerle dudar si debe seguir con el sueño de ser cortesana. Se encuentra dividida entre la lealtad hacia su tía, sus propios deseos y el deseo que siente hacia Caleb.
No está de más aclarar, que estos se acostaron tanto que se enamoraron. Llegado a un punto cuando ambos ven lo enamorados que están, no dejan de decir lo mucho que se aman, y todo se vuelve muy irreal, digo: ahora no solo se desean con locura, sino que se aman hasta la muerte.
Más allá de lo que Caleb hace, y los saltos de acá para allá de esta pareja, los acontecimientos finales fueron los que más me gustaron. Salvo por una cosa, si los personajes hubieran sido diferentes, si las dos primeras partes del libro hubieran sido diferentes, ese final habría valido la pena. No ese final final de telenovela, sino los acontecimientos finales al final (?).
April 15, 2017
Me encanta Kat Martin. Es una de mis autoras favoritas. Éste fue el primer libro que leí de ella. Caminos del corazón nos cuenta una historia de amor bonita aderezada con una trama de espionaje muy interesante y bien llevada. Creo que se resuelve un poco rápido el final, pero en general es una historia muy entretenida, con situaciones algo peculiares , unos personajes muy bien construidos y con la que pasar una rato estupendo
March 10, 2025
✿ LECTURA DE BIBLIOTECA ✿
Déjenme decirles que no es tan terrible como otros libros a los que les he dado esta puntuación, pero es que simplemente no podía darle la nota mediocre de aprobado a un libro donde el interés amoroso masculino es abusivo (y se justifica diciendo que "era brusco, pero ella sabía que él era un caballero y se detendría, a ella le gustaba y por eso no le decía nada", ¿ah?), es egoísta y soberbio, un libro donde la tensión sexual comienza como algo divertido pero una vez que se acuestan los dos parecen perder lo que tienen por cerebro y solo pueden pensar en eso (a él se le vive parando, les juro) y blablabla...
Incluso resolví rápidamente quién era el asesino que anda suelto por ahí. Creo que era muy obvio y para que yo, que soy un queso en lo que respecta a adivinar culpables se trata, le acierte, pues... meh.
La premisa era interesante, pero se ejecutó muy mal. También hay cosas muy convenientes, como comparar a un hombre con un caballo y asistirlo en base a ese conocimiento XDD pero bueno, supongo que en ese momento peor es nada.
No le pongo una estrella porque no me hace entrar en bloqueo lector y tiene unas frases que son unas joyas (como cuando hablan de la "verga" de él, sí, hay muchas joyitas por ahí que reflexionan en base a su aparato reproductor), pero es un libro de esos que los lees para reírte y ya. No creo volver a leer a esta autora.
Déjenme decirles que no es tan terrible como otros libros a los que les he dado esta puntuación, pero es que simplemente no podía darle la nota mediocre de aprobado a un libro donde el interés amoroso masculino es abusivo (y se justifica diciendo que "era brusco, pero ella sabía que él era un caballero y se detendría, a ella le gustaba y por eso no le decía nada", ¿ah?), es egoísta y soberbio, un libro donde la tensión sexual comienza como algo divertido pero una vez que se acuestan los dos parecen perder lo que tienen por cerebro y solo pueden pensar en eso (a él se le vive parando, les juro) y blablabla...
Incluso resolví rápidamente quién era el asesino que anda suelto por ahí. Creo que era muy obvio y para que yo, que soy un queso en lo que respecta a adivinar culpables se trata, le acierte, pues... meh.
La premisa era interesante, pero se ejecutó muy mal. También hay cosas muy convenientes, como comparar a un hombre con un caballo y asistirlo en base a ese conocimiento XDD pero bueno, supongo que en ese momento peor es nada.
No le pongo una estrella porque no me hace entrar en bloqueo lector y tiene unas frases que son unas joyas (como cuando hablan de la "verga" de él, sí, hay muchas joyitas por ahí que reflexionan en base a su aparato reproductor), pero es un libro de esos que los lees para reírte y ya. No creo volver a leer a esta autora.
November 5, 2023
Fantastic book.
I loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. Caleb is trying to find a spy and goes undercover as a lead groom. He is captivated by Vermillon ( she’s Lee to her friends). She’s a surprise to him and he can’t help falling for her. She’s planning on picking a suitor on her 19th birthday but falls for him. What to do? Loved being so involved and was shocked by the betrayer. Did have some tears but thankfully there’s a very happy ever after. I highly recommend this book.
I loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. Caleb is trying to find a spy and goes undercover as a lead groom. He is captivated by Vermillon ( she’s Lee to her friends). She’s a surprise to him and he can’t help falling for her. She’s planning on picking a suitor on her 19th birthday but falls for him. What to do? Loved being so involved and was shocked by the betrayer. Did have some tears but thankfully there’s a very happy ever after. I highly recommend this book.
January 5, 2020
3.5 / 4 stars. Good book with a good plot. I would have liked a little more at the end when the traitor is revealed that summed up how/why the events all played out as they did. Not a big deal though as the story held my attention all the way through. This is my 3rd book by KM she writes quite well and I purchased at least a dozen more of her books and I’m looking forward to reading more of them!
October 10, 2021
Secret Ways
I have never read this book. Maybe a long time ago but not recently so even though it was a good book I have not recently read this book. Kit Ryan
I have never read this book. Maybe a long time ago but not recently so even though it was a good book I have not recently read this book. Kit Ryan
April 13, 2023
I was obsessed with this book.like I too much love it
March 9, 2016
Surprisingly good
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is well written and has a great plot. the characters are well developed and both H and h are unforgettable. It is a passionate love story, with alot of underlying spy intrigue. I would defintely recommend.
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is well written and has a great plot. the characters are well developed and both H and h are unforgettable. It is a passionate love story, with alot of underlying spy intrigue. I would defintely recommend.
February 20, 2012
Book #69 read in 2007
Gave to a friend
Gave to a friend
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews