The Secret of Love

Rakes & Rebels: The Raveneau Family #4

by Cynthia Wright

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Wright comes a breathtaking new full-length novel in the Rakes & Rebels series!

A STOLEN HEART
When Lady Isabella Trevarre first laid eyes on Gabriel St. Briac, she announced to her best friend: “That is the man I will marry!” Now a woman grown, Izzie has traded her girlish dreams for the independent life of an artist, but she never quite forgot the dazzling Frenchman who captivated her young heart. When he appears again in Cornwall, the seeds of desire grow between them…

A STOLEN MASTERPIECE
As Napoleon’s army loots art treasures throughout Europe, Gabriel St. Briac’s priceless Leonardo da Vinci painting vanishes from its hiding place. Bent on recovering his family’s prized possession, Gabriel sets sail for the chaos of wartime France—only to find Izzie stowed away on his ship. Though fearful for her safety, he allows her to join in his quest. But Izzie harbors a dark secret…a secret that could shatter the tender blossom of their trust. When danger puts them both to the test, will these two guarded souls dare to risk all for love?

Author's note: The Secret of Love connects to Smuggler's Moon in the Rakes & Rebels series.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Audiobook, Historical Fiction

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2021

About the author

Cynthia Wright is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, best known for her Rakes & Rebels series, 16 intertwining historical romances starring the irresistible Raveneau & Beauvisage families. Her other acclaimed series are Crowns & Kilts and Rogues Go West. Romantic Times Magazine hails Cynthia's novels as "Romance the way it was meant to be."

Cynthia lives in northern California. She enjoys riding a tandem bike and taking road trips in an airstream trailer with her Colombian-born husband, Alvaro & their corgi, Watson. She is also devoted to her two teenage grandsons who live nearby.

You are invited to visit Cynthia's website (where you can sign up for her newsletter and peruse the Books Page):
http://cynthiawrightauthor.com/

You are invited to join Cynthia's private Facebook reader group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/98606...

View her "Behind the Books" boards on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/cynthiawright77/

RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family series:
1 - SILVER STORM (André & Devon)
2 - HER HUSBAND, THE RAKE: a sequel novella (André & Devon)
3 - SMUGGLER'S MOON (Sebastian & Julia)
4 - THE SECRET OF LOVE (Gabriel & Isabella)
5 - SURRENDER THE STARS (Ryan & Lindsay)
6 - HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE (Justin & Mouette)
7 - HER IMPOSSIBLE HUSBAND (Justin & Mouette)
8 - HER SECRET ROGUE (Anthony & Frederica)
9 - HIS FIERY ANGEL (Benedict & Camille)
10 - HIS RECKLESS BARGAIN (Nathan & Adrienne)
11 - TEMPEST (Adam & Cathy)

RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family intertwines with RAKES & REBELS: The Beauvisage Family series:
1 - STOLEN BY A PIRATE: a prequel novella to RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Jean-Philippe & Antonia)
2 -RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Alec & Caro)
3 - TOUCH THE SUN (Lion & Meagan)
4 - SPRING FIRES (Nicholai & Lisette)
5 - HER DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (Grey & Natalya)

CROWNS & KILTS: The St. Briac Family
1 - YOU & NO OTHER (Thomas & Aimee)
2 - OF ONE HEART (Andrew & Micheline)
3 - ABDUCTED AT THE ALTAR (Christophe & Fiona)
4 - RETURN OF THE LOST BRIDE (Ciaran & Violette)
5 - QUEST OF THE HIGHLANDER (Lennox & Nora)

ROGUES GO WEST
1 - BRIGHTER THAN GOLD (Jack & Katie)
2 - IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE (Fox & Maddie)
3 - THE DUKE & THE COWGIRL (Geoff & Shelby)
Read less

Reviews

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75

It was so-so.

Notes for me: (minor spoilers)
- the H/h met before, possibly briefly in another book
- they have a meet cute in this book where the h doesn’t recognize her since it’s been 2 years
- h is 24. Not sure how old he is.
- h wears spectacles, is an artist, and is knowledgeable of Renaissance art, particularly Leonardo da Vince’s art (helpful to the plot)
- she currently lives with her eldest brother and sister-in-law
- the h has another older brother who has a gambling problem and ran away to France in shame 10 years ago
- the H is French, he’s in England to pick up a painting (painted by da Vinci) that belongs to his family
- it was stolen before he can claim it. Oh, no!
- the book takes in England then in France when the H/h goes to look for the painting
- she and her maid stows away on his ship then he had no choice to keep her with him to save her reputation
- the H has an older brother, who tries to make him jealous and admit his feelings for the heroine.
- the H has two parents who love each other
- memorable scene: the H’s mother left her husband after an argument (a common occurrence in their marriage). She becomes worried when her husband doesn’t appear immediately to kiss and make up. When he does, it was like watching a play. So dramatic these two but so very in love with each other.
- the H/h confess their feelings for each other
- previous characters in the series make appearances
- H/h are separated for awhile due to a secondary character (no spoilers there but it is related to the painting)
- I like that there’s no real bad villain, no sense of danger
- they reunite and finally make love (wow! That is late!)
- the title of the book makes an appearance lol
- HEA

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from 2017

I've given this a B- for narration and a C+ for content, so that's 3.5 stars, and I'm leaving it as 3 here.

This latest instalment in Cynthia Wright’s long-running Rakes and Rebels series is the sequel to Smuggler's Moon, which I reviewed a couple of years back. Even though it’s part of a series, The Secret of Love can be listened to as a stand-alone novel, because while some characters from other books in the series appear in this one, they have secondary roles to play and the storyline is self-contained, so there is no real need to have read or listened to any of the other instalments.

At the end of Smuggler’s Moon, fourteen year-old Lady Isabella – Izzie – Trevarre told her best friend that she had met the man she was going to marry. That man was Gabriel St. Briac, a handsome young Frenchman and associate of her brother Sebastian’s from the brief time he made his living as a smuggler. Moving on six years, we find Isabella in London at the salon of the famous artist, Madame Vigée-Lebrun, who recognised Izzie’s considerable artistic talent and agreed to be her mentor. Izzie is determined not to end up trapped in a loveless marriage like her mother and has set her sights instead on making her way in the world as an artist.

Completely out of the blue one day, Gabriel St. Briac – who has gone from merely ‘handsome’ to devastating in the intervening years – arrives at the studio carrying a family treasure, a miniature portrait of King François I, believed to have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci in his later years. This portrait is of immense value to the St. Briac family, and he is determined to prevent its being appropriated by those working for Napoléon, who is looting treasures from France and all over Europe to house in his museum at the Palais du Louvre. He asks Madame if she will hide the painting for him, but she is about to return to Paris, so Izzie – whom Gabriel hadn’t recognised at first – suggests he asks Sebastian instead. A former smuggler must have plenty of secret hidey-holes and she is sure her brother will want to help his friend. Gabriel thanks her for the suggestion and leaves for Cornwall, having no idea of the feelings his visit has stirred up in Izzie, who had thought she was over her girlish infatuation with him.

Four years later, and Izzie spends most of her days in her cottage-cum-studio on Sebastian’s Cornwall estate. In the intervening years, she has lost her habit of comfort eating and gained one of restlessness; instead of eating when she’s upset, she now finds she needs to take long walks instead, which has, of course, had a beneficial effect on her figure. (Only in romance novels…) Izzie is out walking when she glimpses an oddly familiar figure on one of the paths and on getting closer, recognises the man as her brother George, the Marquess of Caverley. In the previous book, we learned that George had run through the family fortune and fled England to avoid his many creditors, leaving Sebastian with a dilapidated estate and a mountain of debt. Even so, Izzie is delighted to see George, recalling the loving brother of her childhood who was her only real friend when her parents were too busy being miserable together to bother about her. She begs him to come to Trevarre Hall to see the rest of the family, but even though he says he wants to make amends and reconcile with Sebastian, George is reluctant to go.

Izzie gets another surprise later that evening, when a misunderstanding sees her bursting into the bedchamber occupied by a newly-arrived, half-dressed Gabriel St. Briac, who has come to Cornwall to retrieve his portrait. Once more, he fails to recognise her, surprised to discover this lovely young woman is the same one he met in Madame Lebrun’s studio –and equally unable to deny the sudden spark of attraction he feels toward her.

When Sebastian takes Gabriel to the hiding place next day, the portrait is missing – and Izzie has a pretty good idea of who has taken it. Gabriel is determined to get his painting back, and plans to return immediately to France, believing that perhaps it has been stolen by Napoleon’s art thieves after all. Keeping her suspicions to herself but wanting to help, Izzie stows away on his ship – but when they arrive in Roscoff in Brittany, the smarmy Lord Linton, an English customs agent with a grudge against Sebastian, is not far behind them, spreading the claim that Izzie has been kidnapped.

Izzie and Gabriel must elude Lynton and avoid raising the suspicions of Napoléon’s agents as they search for the painting, and their enforced proximity sees the attraction Gabriel had begun to feel in Cornwall growing stronger, and all Izzie’s old yearnings for him returning full-force. There’s a nice frisson of sexual tension between them as they tip-toe around each other; he because he thinks his lack of nobility means he’s not good enough for her; she because she has concealed the identity of the thief and worries he will hate her when he finds out the truth – but a visit to the St. Briac family home during which Gabriel’s brother seems intent on seducing Izzie finally makes Gabriel come to his senses and realise what matters and what doesn’t.

The Secret of Love is an entertaining enough listen, but I had a number of issues with the story and writing that prevent me from rating it more highly. For instance, we’re told that Izzie is making her way as an artist, but not once does she ever appear to have been commissioned to paint anything. And at the age of twenty four (after a year of studying renaissance artists) she’s an expert on da Vinci and his painting techniques, and is able to use her knowledge to make a copy of the portrait so precise that nobody detects it’s a forgery. I was not particularly taken with the idea that Gabriel didn’t really notice Izzie until she’d lost a bit of weight, and in some places the writing was a little creaky and the prose veered towards the purple.

Once again, the narration by Tim Campbell produced mixed reactions. I’ve reviewed him a few times now, and each time I listen to him, I hope that maybe he has managed to correct the numerous mispronunciations that have marred the other performances of his I’ve listened to. Sadly, he hasn’t – and I’m going to point to my other reviews (Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride, What A Rogue Wants and The Scottish Duke) rather than go over the same ground, because I could lift paragraphs from those reviews verbatim to describe the repeated errors. But I can’t not mention the couple that made me wince this time round; the word “quay” is pronounced “key”, not “kway”, and while “you like tom-ay-to and I like tom-ah- to”, we ALL say “pot-ay-to” and not “pot-ah-to”!

With that said though, Mr. Campbell redeems himself somewhat by virtue of the fact that his French accent is excellent. In fact, his pronunciation of the French-accented English is often better than of the English-accented English (if that makes sense!) and his portrayal of Gabriel is perfect. There is absolutely no question that this is an intelligent, confident and sexy man of action who commands attention and gets things done.

Mr. Campbell is also extremely good at voicing female characters; in fact, I’d put him right up there with Alex Wyndham in his ability to create suitably feminine characterisations without exaggeration or resorting to falsetto. Every single character in the story is clearly differentiated and portrayed according to age, station and nationality – he is even able to pull off a few convincing West Country accents – and there is no doubting his skill as a vocal actor when it comes to injecting the right degree of emotion into any given piece of narrative or dialogue. Tim Campbell is recording more and more historical romance, and, as I’m fond of saying, the genre needs more good male narrators. And he IS good. But he’d be an A-grade narrator if he would just eradicate the pronunciation issues I’ve mentioned. I’m sure he’s capable of it – given what he has done here with French and regional English accents, I can’t imagine he’d find it difficult. But his obvious talent makes the problem all the more frustrating, and while I can see myself listening to him again in future, I won’t stop nagging and hoping he will fix it.

The Secret of Love is an audiobook I can only recommend with reservations about both narration and story. I found it a bit too easy to put down, but on the upside, that made it the ideal audio for listening to while I was pottering about doing other things. And Tim Campbell’s sexy French hero is a definite plus, even though other aspects of his performance are problematic.

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret of Love is the third book in the Rakes & Rebels series by Cynthia Wright. I have had the pleasure of reading other books in this series. I thoroughly enjoyed them, and hoped that this one would be just as good. I wasn't disappointed.

This is the story of Lady Isabella Trevarre. She has little confidence in herself thanks to the way her father and younger brother always talked down to her and made her feel bad about her looks and her weight. She is often heard saying that she is an independent woman of 4 and 20 years old, and an artist. She may have had a crush on a certain man in the past, even telling her friend that she would one day marry him, but the years have progressed and Isabella is quite happy with her life the way it is. That is until once again she is reacquainted with that man from years ago.

That man is Gabriel St. Briac. He is a friend of her brother Sebastian. Years ago Gabriel asked Sebastian to hide a very valuable heirloom, a portrait of the King of France painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Living in Cornwall and once being a smuggler, Sebastian knew of the perfect smugglers hidey hole for the painting. Now Gabriel has returned to collect it.

As soon as Isabella sees Gabriel all her old feelings for him come flooding back, not to mention the more grown up feelings of desire she starts to feel. As for Gabriel, he doesn't even recognise Isabella, she has lost some weight, lost her spots, become curvy in all the right places, and he is shocked when he flirts with her to have Sebastian introduce her once again to his sister!! There is an instant attraction between the couple, but it's something that needs to be put to the back of Gabriel's mind when he discovers that his portrait has been stolen. Sebastian is just as shocked at the news and can't fathom how anybody could have found the hidden place.

What follows next is the search for the painting. Gabriel believes that Napoleon's men will have been instructed to steal the art work for his collection. Isabella believes that she knows who the middle man might be, but she keeps it a secret until hopefully the painting is found. Gabriel refuses Isabella's offer to help him search for the painting, even though she said that she would be invaluable for her knowledge of da Vinci's work, and could confirm for him upon finding the item, if indeed it is one of his works.

She might have been refused, but Isabella is determined to have her way, and she stows away on Gabriel's ship. From the minute he discovers her sparks fly, both of desire and of anger at her audacity to follow him.

Will they find the portrait, and if they do, will Gabriel ever be able to forgive Isabella for holding the secret he will discover if they do find it? Their relationship develops during the story, with both of them realising they have more feelings for each other than just desire. Will all that has built between them end up burning to the ground if Isabella's secret is found out?

This was such an exciting story with just the right amount of adventure and intrigue. The romance that builds up between Gabriel and Isabella holds just the right amount of resistance leading to letting go. The passionate scenes between them were fabulous, enough detail been given to make a reader swoon, but not too much so that the reader won't get put off by too much detail. Between the passion of the couple, and the search for the heirloom the book is one that you want to read in one sitting. It's fast paced, it's funny, a little sad here and there, but for the most part it is joyous and a real delight to read.

Although it is part of a series, this book can easily be read as a stand alone one, but I believe that once you read this book, if you haven't read the others, you will be itching to do so.

[Eileen Dandashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

This multi-layered story of laughable moments, suspenseful scenes, and engaging characters is part of a series you should not miss.

Isabella is a powerhouse young lady. Gabriel St. Briac is captivated and intrigue by her beauty and outrageous behavior. She’s a free spirit much like he is. They will bring you lots of smiles!

Lady Isabella Trevarre admires Gabriel St. Briac, a man she met when just a child. She was a shy, young girl, slightly embarrassed about being plump.

Since gaining her independence from her family, she has grown into a woman of spirit, following a profession as an artist, as her mentor, Madame Le Brun, had achieved. Nor does she want marriage—it would prevent her from doing what she wants to do—paint. She has turned into a beautiful, curvaceous woman who Gabriel St. Briac can’t keep his eyes off.

Gabriel St. Briac is a man of adventure, smuggler, rake and a bastard child, but connected closely to the King. His only proof of this relationship is a painting said to be painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. Napoleon is seizing the treasures of Europe in his trek across Europe. Rather than lose this precious painting, Gabriel leaves it in good keeping, or so he thinks!

It is discovered after four years of being hid away, the painting has been stolen. Isabella, known as Izzie by her family, feels somewhat responsible since she surmises who stole the painting. With her rebellious and spirited self, she hides away on Gabriel St. Briac’s ship, to accompany him to France, to help to retrieve his painting. But hide where? This is where you’ll be laughing! She hid in a coffin in the hold of the ship. The coffin had been used for contraband tea on the sail to England. But her thoughts lead her to panicking, particularly when something heavy has been put on the coffin, keeping her from getting out if she wants. Poor Izzie!

Sebastian, Izzie’s brother, is married to Julia. They have their story in Smuggler’s Moon, and play a role in this story, too. Andre and Devon from Silver Storm are also participants in the story. This story can be read as a stand-alone, but because I’ve read both book one and two, it enriched the backstory the author provides. Besides, it’s just good fun meeting characters you already know.

Narrator Tim Campbell moves from American accent to English and then to French accented English with flawless ease. At the same time his inflection, tone and voice-pacing change in perfect synchrony in dialog. His talent most definitely enhances the pleasure and entertainment of the story.

[Lilmissmolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm an avid historical romance fan and it was very refreshing to see a hero who was not a Duke, an Earl, or some other form of nobility. The hero in The Secret of Love by Cynthia Wright is a stunning Frenchman named Gabriel who became friends with the Raveneau family when they were engaged in a shared smuggling venture between France and England during the Napoleonic Wars.

Lady Isabella is a bookish artist who has secretly held a crush on Gabriel for at least 10 years. After Gabriel's priceless Leonardo da Vinci painting vanishes from its hiding place where Isabella is living in Cornwall, Gabriel follows a lead back to wartime France only to discover Isabella stowed away on his ship. Needless to say, sparks fly between the two primarily because Gabriel is a sworn bachelor who'd rather be on the high seas than tied to the land. Despite his valiant attempts to thwart off his feelings for Isabella, he eventually succumbs, acknowledging that he admires her smarts, talents, and loyalty.

There are several great secondary characters in this story, including Gabriel's brother who makes blatant overtures toward Isabella, but only for the purpose of getting Gabriel to realize his true feelings for her. When Gabriel finally acknowledges how he feels to his brother, I couldn't help but be reminded of Jane Austen's famous quote from Pride and Prejudice, "I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook and recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance.

[Gator Girl Eaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed Kindle Unlimited
3 stars

It was ok. Wanted to read since I had just read about Justin St. Briac and Mouette.
This story takes place like 10 years before Justin and Mouette.
Gabriel St. Briac is Justin’s younger brother. And Isabella is the sister of the ruined George and Sebastian, the son of Andre Raveneau (which is sort of a secret).
Isabella had decided she wanted to marry Gabriel at the age of 14. 10 years later they run into each other at her art teacher’s house. Gabriel was trying to have a painting authenticated. George ends up stealing the painting later on. Isabella stows away on Gabriel’s ship to help Gabriel in France, since she knows that it was her brother George who stole it. Of course they fall in love and it’s at their wedding that Justin and Mouette meet.

The couple are ok. Their personalities work together. But they were sort of boring (?) to me for some reason. Like they both tried to be these crazy and wild people but they’re really not. Shrug…

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets

Secrets in families, between friends, and more secrets between lovers. One of the most interesting books of this series to me. Reading of The great Leonardo da Vinci and the wars of Napoleon, as well as how England suffered because of their selfish king was a treat to help bring my many, many years ago World History lessons to life. The secrets Gabriel and Isabella kept from one another during their budding romance and the secrets their respective families were not fully aware of come to the fore to bring the lovers closer in mind and heart as well as class than they ever dreamed. Can't wait to get to the end of this series before I go back to read the story of Gabriel's ancestors, Thomas and Aimee. Ms. Wright, I am thoroughly enjoying your Pinterest boards for each of these books as they help to understand the places and fashions described in your stories.

[Freda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything with Cynthia's name on it is worth reading. I'm in the process of acquiring and reading the rest of her books. The Rakes and Rebels series has been an education about America, France and Britain. She draws you into the story so it feels like you're actually there taking part in it. Her descriptions of her characters and locations are so detailed it only proves how much research she has done. This is not a standalone book - in order to get the best out of it you have to read the rest of the series which is an education. Why bother learning history in school when we've got Cynthia to help us out? This story is an example of 'be careful what you wish for'. Absolutely brilliant xxx

[Aurora Harner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book!

I have been reading Cynthia's books for a little while now and I have never been disappointed. In every book I read there is always some type of adventure and colorful characters along the way to keep you entertained and this book was no exception. I loved the hero and heroine. I also love the return of beloved characters from other books I've read and even though this book can stand on it's own no problem I would recommend reading previous books in the series too because they are just as good. I fully intend to read more in this series, and any other series written by this author.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and great book

Let's see. We have art theft, stowaways, kidnapping, and more. A lot of history went into this book. At the end, you learn that Cynthia Wright visited the area and spent a lot of time learning about the history. That makes this book all the more interesting.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet story in the Rakes & Rebels series! I loved that Gabriel St. Briac loved Isabella Trevarre just as she was... with glasses, and not the skinny women of the time. I also love how the author, Cynthia Wright, writes her lady characters with smarts, charm, and feisty independence! On to the next book in the series! Enjoy

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful love story

I have finished this book. I have enjoyed your stories because you put so much history in them. I have been reading about my ancestors and they were from so many of the places in the stories, but not France.

[John Boles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret of Love

Each book that I read in this series is so good I think it is better than the last. I loved the intrigue and suspense that made this book so enjoyable. It makes you sleep well when the story has a happy ending. I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Crystal Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret of Love

When Lady Isabella first saw Gabriel St Brian she told her friend he would be the man she marries. Years later when his painting of King Francois I was stolen by her brother George Isabella stows away on Gabriel’s ship to France. A lot of excitement happens.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret of Love (Rakes & Rebels: The Raveneau Family Book 4)

Isabella stowed away on St. Brian’s ship to help him find King Francois’s painting. Although she felt one of her brothers stole it. Author Cynthia Wright made twists and curves to find it.

[Kimberly K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars

I really liked this one. It’s only loosely a “Ravineau” novel. To me it more strongly a Beauvisage addition. But that’s neither here nor there. I did like. Gabriel is probably my favorite leading guy of the series so far. And I really liked Isabella as well. They had good communication, and the story was just enjoyable.

I was worried about returning to this series after reading the first one. But these later ones have been great.

[Patricia Halligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable but Not Great

I found the characters interesting and well developed. I liked the overall storyline and thought the pacing was pretty good. However, the editing was terrible which was distracting and affected my enjoyment of the book.

[Teresa Carkeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

book 4.

It gets so excited about the parts that I think I know the answer and yet there’s still surprises in store. I love Miss Wrights stories.!! They make me giggle and cringe and sometimes even shed tears

[Barbara R. Cady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third in the series

This was a fun book. Adventure, pirates, love. What more can you ask??? The characters were charming . I had read others by This author and was not disappointed.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it immensely. A pleasure to read such an intriguing plot, which flowed effortlessly to a happy conclusion.

[Audry Wichelns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not know it was in a series but that's OK, I just have to read all the others!

[Lita · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely story and a charming love story. This is the story of Isabelle (Izzie) Trevarre and Gabriel St. Briac.

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The background on France under Napoleon was most enlightening. The intrigue within the family kept me looking for more.

[sally r hotchkiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful continuation!

Loved everything most especially your descriptions of Cornwall and St Malo. I visited c Cornwall years ago and only wish I had had your book with me!

[Elizabeth Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story

I love Cynthia Wright's characters. Strong women, intense, brave and direct. Intelligent men that seek a real woman as a partner in life not arm candy. Lots of drama and excitement. My kind of story.

[Holly Lenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret of Love is an entertaining period romance that is centered around a stolen painting. The characters come alive in the pages and the story keeps the reader engaged. Contains sex scenes.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

She fell in love with Gabriel as a young girl 'I am going to marry him she tells Moette.

Let me just preface my review by saying that you must get the Audible narration to play along as you read. The French Tim Campbell has flawlessly created the characters-and ladies there is nothing like this voice a-la French.

He did not recognize the lady who had been on the plump side, had become a striking beauty and accomplished landscape artist. Four years ago she suggested he hide his portrait of King Francios I in a remote smugglers underground locker on her brother, Sebastian's, Trevarre estate. Now he's back to retrieve it and return it safely to France.

Lady Isabella 'Izzie' Trevarre is hiding secrets. One is her renewed attraction for Gabriel St. Briac, smuggler and rogue. Four years only made him more handsome and exciting. The second is her knowledge of who stole the portrait of the king of France, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. She reasons that her knowledge of art, especially da Vinci, will help Gabriel locate his only claim to family without revealing all she knows. She, and her dedicated maid, stow away on his ship only to be discovered before making landfall in France. And the journey commences across land to his home, all the while being pursued by Lt. Lynton, Customs Agent. He claims she has been kidnapped but he is vengeful after she repeatedly refused his addresses.

As their journey continues, they stop at his brother, Justin's, home where he brazenly attempts to seduce Izzie-all the better to get his little brother's ire up and open his eyes to love. Mother and father St. Briac are hilarious. Mother's intuition sends them on to Chateaux du Soleil, castle of King Francios I, where they learn that fairy tales sometimes do come true. But first the true culprit takes Izzie and Gabriel must save her because she means more to him than the da Vinci.

The author eloquently created characters and flawless physical descriptions. The story moved and presented exciting twists and turns. Her plotlines will stand the test of time and you will want to re-read this fine manuscript frequently

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret of love

A great book to read and follow the rest of the books. I love these kinds of books. Easy readinh

[Mhollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and audio-book was given to me by the author for an honest review. I would like to thank the author, Cynthia Wright, for the opportunity of reading and reviewing this book/audio-book.

I really enjoyed this story, as it was not your usual Historical Romance.
I’m not going to diagram this story for you, read it if you want to know what happens to this unlikely pair…
Gabriel, a dashing seafaring rogue, pits his wits and his sanity against the independent, opinionated artist, Isabella. Who will cave first during their many travails?

On a personal note: I really appreciated the fact that Isabella wasn’t some waif that the wind would blow away. She was a Rubenesque heroine. A win for females everywhere.

[Julie Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no "secret" that every book written by Cynthia Wright is guaranteed to be a fantastic read. This latest in the Rakes & Rebels collection is no exception. As I read her books filled with familiar characters that continue to surface throughout the various series, I feel like I'm submerged in a living, breathing world. Unlike many in the historical romance genre, this author's books are full of real-life settings and characters that make them feel even more believable and real. Her meticulous research and attention to detail is evident in every chapter, start to finish.

In "The Secret of Love" she submerges us in the world of Napoleonic France. Lady Isabella Trevarre, an aspiring artist determined to live her own life her own way, is not interested in romance and marriage. She saw her mother suffer in a loveless marriage and has no interest in following that path, even if it is expected that a daughter of a marquis would settle down and live life in the ton. The only man that even had remotely stirred feelings in her was the rakishly handsome Frenchman Gabriel St. Briac, a friend of her brother from his short-lived career as smuggler. But in Isabella's mind she would always be the plump girl "covered in spots" that St. Briac had first met years ago, and no one that he would even notice, let alone desire.

Fate and a stolen family heirloom painting bring them together and sparks fly. Gabriel is desperate to recover his painting, the only possible nod to his family's noble beginnings and has to accept the help of Lady Isabella because he needs her expertise on the works of Leonardo da Vinci. It quickly becomes evident to the free-spirited and unfettered adventurer, though, that he needs much more from her. But he knows that his bastard lineage makes her unworthy to kiss even the hem of her noble gown. Of all the women to finally capture his heart, why did it have to be someone out of his reach?

Their quest to recover the stolen art takes them on an exciting and dangerous journey through France as they look not only for clues to lead to finding the painting, but also to finding true love.

I have read every book written by this author, most many times, and they are all firmly and permanently placed in my "keeper" collection on my Kindle. To me, Cynthia Wright's novels are the gold standard of historical romances, against which I judge all others. Many authors write historical novels that will get a reader's blood pumping, but very few can create an entire world that draws you in completely the way she does. They feel real, from start to finish, and stay with you always. Her powerfully male Andre Raveneau of "Silver Storm" drew me into the historical romance genre years ago, and her dashingly dangerous heroes just keep bringing me back, page after wonderful page.