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Hidden Riches #1

The Mysteries of Hawthorn Hall

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She doesn't trust him. But he is the only one who can save her.

Lily-Anne Cole never fit in with the other maids. But when she inherits an estate, she doesn’t fit in with the ton, either. Matters only become more complicated when a wild-looking man breaks into her house. Luckily, a handsome groom comes to her rescue. Or at least she believes he is there to rescue her.

Timothy Hastings has made himself into a successful, almost-gentleman by cleaning up the messes of the English ton. When he is hired to find a treasure of stolen diamonds, everything goes wrong from the beginning, and he finds himself playing the role of a groom. He only needs to deceive the mistress of the house long enough to find the treasure and receive his payment for the job. When Tim’s deceit is uncovered, he wonders if this will be the first time he doesn’t complete an assignment.

Compelled to spend more time together searching for the elusive diamonds, neither Tim nor Lily can deny the draw they feel for each other, even as they realize a connection can never be. But when others come searching for the treasure and threaten Lily’s safety, they must decide if they are better together or apart

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2021

142 people are currently reading
195 people want to read

About the author

Mindy Burbidge Strunk

25 books205 followers

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5 stars
168 (43%)
4 stars
116 (30%)
3 stars
82 (21%)
2 stars
17 (4%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Dana Michael.
1,401 reviews179 followers
December 10, 2024
This is a sweet Regency romance with some mystery to it. If you are looking for a light read that has a sweet and clean romance, then I recommend this book. I actually listened to it on YouTube. This author has several on there that you can listen to for free. There are some ads, but it didnt bother me to have to skip through since the book didnt cost me anything.
Profile Image for Nari.
1,249 reviews11 followers
May 12, 2021
This is a sweet romance and a good mystery together in one. I liked how Lily grew to have the confidence to be okay with high society throughout the book. I really liked Timothy but was a bit frustrated he didn’t trust Lily more and kept things hidden from her. The mystery kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read Tess’s story.
615 reviews
June 18, 2021
TITLE: Lily inherits a fortune, and a house full of mysteries!

SETTING: Taking an actual event, the famous theft of a necklace in France, the author weaves an engrossing web around an innocent, previously poor orphaned young woman suddenly vaulted into the position of being heiress to an unknown aunt’s home and fortune.

CRITIQUE: Ms. Strunk takes the trope of a poor young woman suddenly moved into the heady world of the “ton” in England’s 1800’s, and successfully transforms the story into an intriguing mystery, with a surprising conclusion! Just when I thought the mystery would be solved—nothing! Yet the author keeps the reader entranced, reading to find out what else is to be revealed. Not your typical Regency Romance, but so much more!
1,275 reviews12 followers
April 27, 2021
A wonderful historical mystery romance! This first book in Mindy Burbidge Strunk’s new series, is everything a reader could want. The lead characters are both from humble beginnings. Lilly is content with her life, not believing that she will ever be more then a servant. When she finally answers a letter from a solicitor, she thought to be a mistake. She comes to find out, she is the heiress to Hawthorne Hall and a large fortune with it. Tim Hastings made his way out of the stables, his father managed, to finding missing fortunes for others. He had made a good sum of money, enough to buy a small estate and a good living. The chemistry between these two was perfect. The back and forth between trust to mistrust, like to dislike, and tolerant to love, made for a fun read. The plot was good and kept you guessing what would happen next. It held me captive until the end. Looking forward to the next book in the series!!
Profile Image for Lisa.
747 reviews8 followers
May 10, 2021
This book was pretty good. The main characters both come from humble beginnings. I felt like the story dragged a little, and it was a little harder for me to get into. If you're looking for a gentle Regency mystery, then this is a good bet. It's clean and wholesome.
Profile Image for RD.
807 reviews18 followers
June 17, 2021
Good Plot but a little disappointing

I had high hopes for this book, as I have enjoyed Mindy’s other works. As much as I hate to admit it, I was disappointed and it was so hard to keep reading to the end. I feel that the story dragged but I wanted to know how the story ended —so that is one good thing. The mystery is interesting and it’s tie to French history made it even more so. Another good thing about the story was Tim Hastings; he is a very likable character.

Some of the problems I have with this book are inconsistent characters (not acting true to their circumstances or personality), an aunt who is a present but silent character until the last 1/4 of the book, and reiterating sentiments over and over. Parts of the dialogues and silent musings are far too dramatic to ring realistic.

I highly recommend Mindy’s other books: An American in Duke’s Clothing, Unmasking Lady Caroline, and Bear: A Fighter Pilot Romance.
457 reviews
July 13, 2021
This one was good mystery and romance, but had a little too much wordyness in it at times- I liked the story, and I liked the characters and their interactions and growth, good descriptions all around. But I found myself skimming a lot, trying to get back to the meat of the story. Some parts just had too much ‘telling’ I think.. don’t know how to describe it, but the story itself was a fun one.
Profile Image for Kelly.
104 reviews
January 12, 2022
I don't know why this one took me so long to finish. A good mystery and romance are two of my favorites. There were intriguing parts, a few that made me laugh, but many parts just didn't clip along at a pace that encouraged reading for extended period of time; I found myself skimming pages. The plot was good enough that it made me want to finish the book to see the conclusion.
Profile Image for Paty.
405 reviews2 followers
May 30, 2021
Wow! This was an amazing start to a new Regency Series! With a good dash of mystery, which I love! A Rags to Riches wonderful story!
This is not my first book from the author, and I have to say I’ve loved every single one of her stories, but I think this is my new favorite!
I just fell in love with the main characters! Lily and Tim felt so relatable! I loved their kind and compassionate hearts, in spite that sometimes they had a façade to maintain, their witty banter and humor, the way their friendship grows, breaks and reconnects after some events. And the mysterious and intriguing plot that kept me guessing and captivated me from page one!
Lily-Anne Cole’s life has totally changed completely overnight. Working as a maid in Wiltshire, one day she responds to a solicitor’s call, after much insistence, only to discover she’s an heiress. Of a big Estate in the village of Ryhope on the coast of Durham, England, no less! Her estranged aunt, her deceased mother’s sister, the Comtesse de Saint Rémy (Lily’s mother was french her ancestors being royal family), had bought this unique Estate, but had never lived in it. Lily, now the mistress of Hawthorn Hall, an unknown mansion to her, has no idea of how to manage it and feels insecure in her new role. So, with her aunt as companion, and getting herself a maid by helping out a girl in the streets, she travels to her new home. What she never expects is for a leering thief to burst into her own library in the middle of her first night. Nor for her rescuer to be her own groom, who appeared just in the perfect moment, scared the thief away and left her reeling about who and what intentions the burglar had. Still, her groom soon proves himself trustworthy and the only person in her staff she can rely on, because almost every single member of her staff act disdainfully and with no respect toward her. How do one do to gain the whole staff respect and trust? Is it her lower upbringing or her lack of knowledge in her role as the Mistress of the Estate?
Timothy Hastings has climbed up in life to get where he now is. Almost a gentleman, you could say, with a small but decent Estate. His job is quite particular and demanding as he is hired to clean up the messes of the English ton, with different assignments that sometimes required to find stolen goods and restore them to the rightful owner. And right now, the Comte de Motte has hired him to find a treasure of stolen diamonds hidden in Hawthorn Hall. So he, and his business partner -with lose morals Paul-, break in the Manor, thinking it mostly vacant, only to be discovered by Miss Lily in the library, and Tim feigns to be the groom that comes to her rescue and scares the thief away. Now, he has to prove himself really a groom to Miss Lily, long enough to discover where the stolen diamonds are and give them back to the Comte, the “rightful owner”, and get paid. But things gets complicated, as he can’t help himself to try to help Lily, who is being treated with disrespect and rejection by her own staff. She seems strong, yet vulnerable at the same time… And Lily, with no experience howsoever on managing an Estate, finds herself trusting Tim more and more, as he stands by her side and help her get the staff to treat her as she deserves, and as she trusts him to protect her from the runaway thief who could always come back… But what if Lily discovers Tim’s deceit? How will Tim prove to her that he’s not a thief and that he really wants to protect her? Will they find the stolen diamonds or will someone else get to them first?
This was a fabulous story! I was so hooked in the mystery of the stolen diamonds and the danger that lurked behind the mystery! There was everything in this book that I loved: a captivating plot, an intriguing mystery and suspense, relatable and endearing characters, wit and humor, a clean and very sweet romance (with its ups and downs, trust and distrust), and the sense of adventure!
The best of all were the main characters, so amiable and charming: I admired how Lily gradually overcame her insecurities of not belonging in such new high status and her inexperience, her strong determination to do what is right with her staff, demanding respect, yet with kindness and compassion. She was genuine and forthright, and she had a quirky sense of humor. Their witty banter was a delight! I loved how Tim was so charmed by Lily and how he quickly became protective of her. He was funny and charming too. I loved his constant guilt at deceiving her, and how he did his best to be honest and “fix” things, even if in this case, he had to fix his own messes, not only the ones of the Ton. I also liked how he helped Lily feel more secure in her place and show her how worthy she was because of her good heart. Both characters felt relatable: with their own fears and flaws, yet wanting to do the best thing in their circumstances.
I loved the twists of the plot and how the mystery unfolds with some unexpected turns.
This story kept me engaged from page one until the end. I loved it so much! I vividly recommend it to all Historical Romance lovers, especially if you like it with some mystery and suspense and a clean swooning romance!
Can't wait to read the next one in the Series!
Profile Image for Marilee .
1,454 reviews237 followers
May 2, 2021
A fun start to a new series! Lily-Ann is surprised to discover she is the heiress to a large fortune but after arriving at her new estate, quickly becomes entangled in a decades old mystery and has to decide who she can trust, including the handsome new groom Timothy.

I really enjoyed Lily Ann's character! I loved her growth as she found the confidence to stand up for herself and admired her generosity and compassion. The slow burn romance between her and Timothy was very sweet. The plot dragged some in the middle and felt a little repetitious but I was glad to see it picked back up and ended with some fun plot twists!

If you enjoy sweet regency romance with mystery and intrigue, this book is for you!

I received a complimentary copy of the book but a positive review was not required.
Profile Image for Lorraine.
165 reviews6 followers
May 11, 2021
Where is it?

How mysterious! I enjoyed the characters of Lily-Anne and Tim and found that the variety of secondary characters only increased my interest. I enjoy traditional regency stories, I adore less traditional stories which is what this is. Lily-Anne is a young woman who was raised by a French emigrè mother and a tenant-farmer father. (Non typical) She is working as a maid when she gets letters from an attorney that she's an heiress, but doesn't believe it until they continue for 6 months! Finally, with her aunt in tow, she meets the lawyer then embarks on an adventure.
I enjoyed this book very much, especially how Lily looks for adventure in her life and how Tim helps her find new adventures. I look forward to the next book.
6,131 reviews28 followers
May 7, 2021
Upstairs, Downstairs with a treasure hunt.

I found I quite enjoyed The Mysteries of Hawthorn Hall. Lily-Ann Cole, a maid, has an extreme change of circumstances when she inherits her aunts estate.

Tim is crafty, a chameleon, and on a treasure hunt at Hawthorn Hall.

What I really liked is that Lily and Tim were working class people. In Lily’s case she’s suddenly won the lottery (or seven thousand pounds per annum) and Tim has been working to improve his situation by being a sort of fixer.

Trust definitely plays a factor, along with class.
Recommend.

958 reviews5 followers
May 15, 2021
Clean romance

I hated for this book to end! Not only that but I was grabbed from the start.

The author does a marvelous job of taking a rag to riches story and threw in a mystery with a handsome man and suspense and created a tale that kept me turning page after page.

I really enjoyed the characters and how well developed they were. They seemed like real people and they were so much better for knowing each other even through the hard parts.

I am excited to read the next book in the series as I am sure it will be as well written as this one is!
Profile Image for Megan.
105 reviews3 followers
May 23, 2021
Absolutely wonderful!

Mindy has done it again... I laughed, I cried, I’m pretty sure I made my husband concerned for my well-being at one point. The storyline of this book was unique and daring! Laced with true facts from history, it gives the perfect ending for this French mystery.
There was a point in the story where I figured our heroine MUST give up, I was proven wrong and she rallied all of her courage and EARNED her spot in the world! I loved the characters and their development. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out!
Profile Image for Richelle .
410 reviews33 followers
May 5, 2022
Romance - Clean
Language - Clean
Violence - Mild
Series - Book 1

This was a fun mystery story, better actually than I was expecting. No spies; just theives, lies, and misunderstandings.

I won't give spoilers, but I will say the Romance development between Tim and Lily was good. Not love at first sight (I actually rarely like those), but more of the gradual, believable kind.

I absolutely love Tim and the way he helps Lily ❤️

I am looking forward to the next in this series.
661 reviews5 followers
May 7, 2021
Wonderful

What a delightful story. I loved it from the beginning to the end! Totally worth the loss of sleep, I started the book in the evening and couldn't put it down until I had conclusion that I needed to be able to get to sleep! Another success for Mindy! Excited for Tes's story!
316 reviews8 followers
May 15, 2021
4.5*  I loved the element of adventure in this story!  The romance was sweet and the characters were engaging and refreshingly from a different background than many regency romances.  Strunk has written an engaging story with hints of history and abundant adventure!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are completely my own.
1,716 reviews7 followers
June 1, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this regency mystery with a side of clean romance. I couldn't wait to see how it ended! I liked the character ARCs as well. I was excited to find out that this was the first book in a brand new series! I can't wait to see what comes next!

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Elda.
1,203 reviews6 followers
June 5, 2021
Not you’re typical regency romance

Throw in a mystery, hidden rooms, diamonds, thieves, an heiress, disrespectful staff, a slow burn romance....this one has it all. Furthermore, it is all written by an excellent author who pulls it off fantastically. I could not anticipate what was to happen next. All in good fun. Very enjoyable.
41 reviews2 followers
January 25, 2025
Entertaining Tale

I enjoyed Lily and Tim’s story. Lily finding her place in a new role. I loved how her staff came to love her. Tim’s journey of seeing who he’d became and fixing it was good too. The book drug at the beginning. Near the halfway point it picked up. There weren’t really any twists or turns. It was a decent read.
Profile Image for Julie.
775 reviews6 followers
April 30, 2021
I really liked this book. The characters are so well written. I felt like I knew each one, including supporting characters. I love the rag to riches subplot. The mysteries are fun to see play out. I am looking forward to the next book.
514 reviews2 followers
May 11, 2021
The Mysteries of Hawthorne Hall

Mindy writes a compelling story of regency romance. The characters are realistic and interesting as they try to solve the mystery of missing diamonds. A good book!
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,191 reviews15 followers
June 10, 2021
Great suspenseful romance

This was a fun read with some adventure, romance, suspense and moments of peril. I loved Lily and Tim. They were such sweet people trying to find their way in the world. I love how Tim supported and strengthened Lily.
1,793 reviews1 follower
July 21, 2021
A standout among Regency novels. Mindy gifts us a story beyond the typical Regency setting. You'll dive into a mystery mixed with characters not raised in a gentle setting. The character growth and romance is sweet and developed well. Definitely a wonderful story!
Profile Image for Connie Skief.
911 reviews4 followers
December 28, 2021
Excellent treasure hunt story

Lily Anne is most forgiving. A truer pure spirit could not be written. Twists and turns, betrayal, lies, mystery, and trickery turns to the truest confidant. Interesting story. Highly recommended for all readers.
Profile Image for Holly Faith White.
41 reviews2 followers
May 10, 2022
What an adventure!

This book had so many twists and turns. It was impossible to put down. I remained on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what would happen next. And the ending was truly satisfying!
Profile Image for Kristy Q.
386 reviews2 followers
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June 10, 2022
I’m so excited for this series! This first book had me mad every time I had to stop reading! Loved the relationship between Lily-Anne and Tim. Such a fun storyline filled with adventure, mystery and the perfect amount of romance.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,077 reviews52 followers
October 21, 2022
Fun Book

I enjoyed this historical romance of a hunt for a fortune in diamonds. With false clues and many people vying for the fortune, Lily will have to trust her heart to find the truth.
Profile Image for Kendall.
442 reviews
August 24, 2024
It always gives me anxiety when one of the main characters lies to the other, so I'm so glad the break up moment didn't last very long and they figured everything out quickly. The mystery was a bit predictable, but still fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews

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