Category: Regency Era (1811-1820)

The Regency in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV. The term Regency can refer to various stretches of time; some are longer than the decade of the formal Regency which lasted from 1811–1820.
Preceded by: Georgian era
Followed by: Victorian era
Monarch: George III, George IV, William IV

The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Secret Daughter (The Brides of Bellaire Gardens Book 4)The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: The Brides of Bellaire Gardens

Release Date: December 24, 2024

Zoe Benoit grew up in the slums of London, the daughter of an aristocratic French emigrant and an unknown English gentleman, and when her mother died, she was sent to an orphanage. But her life changed when Clarrisa Studley found her and claimed her as a sister. Clarrisa along with her other half-sister Izzy, realized that they all shared the same father and decided to introduce Zoe to society. They sent her to France with their dear friend Lucy and her husband to learn to be a lady away from the prying eyes of the ton and planned to launch her once she returned. While in France Zoe attends a house party not far from her mother’s former home and when there is an incident that leads to her leaving the party early, she decides to use it as an opportunity to visit her mother’s home. She switches places with her maid and calling herself Vita, she sets out on her own. But it isn’t long before she realizes that it isn’t safe for a young woman to travel alone, lucky for her she meets a vagabond painter named Reynard, who gives her a ride to her mother’s old home and then later offers her shelter. She plans to return to Paris immediately, but after spending time with Reynard, she decides to stay and even helps him with his painting. She falls in love with him and can envision a life with him, but a misassumption of his character has her fleeing without a word. Back in England, she tries to forget him, but it seems impossible and when he finds her, it is clear that she was not the only pretending to be someone else.

Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton never expected to inherit the earldom and never wanted it. But he takes his responsibility seriously, but that doesn’t mean he is willing to give up his freedom or his passion for painting. So, he takes a sojourn to France for three months and then plans to return to England to assume his responsibilities. What he didn’t plan on was falling in love and then losing her, all without knowing who she really is. He tries to find her but has to accept that she is gone. He returns to England and is stunned to see a painting that he is sure was done by his Vita. He tracks her down and discovers that he was not the only one hiding something, but that doesn’t matter to him, can he convince Zoe that her secrets don’t change the way he feels?

This was a well-written, interesting story with wonderful characters, and while I did enjoy this book, but it was not really the story I was expecting and while I definitely felt the connection between Zoe and Julian, I found myself wishing they spent more time together and let the reader experience the development of their romance. I loved catching up with Clarrisa, Lucy, Izzy and Lady Scattergood and enjoyed the secondary storyline with Millie, but it ends rather abruptly, and it really needed an epilogue to give readers a bit of closure. Overall, this was a good book, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it, but it is not a book I would read again. This is the final book in the series, it could be read as a standalone title, but I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Review: The Matter of the Secret Bride by Darcie Wilde

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Matter of the Secret BrideBarbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Useful Woman Mystery #8
Publication Date: 12/24/24
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 448

London is awash in political intrigue with everyone choosing sides in the divorce proceedings between King George IV and his Queen. Some will go to any lengths to help their side win – even murder. Rosalind Thorne, a useful woman who makes her way in the world by assisting ladies with delicate problems, wants no part of any political intrigue. However, it is dumped in her lap and she has to deal with it. If Rosalind is dealing with it, so are her close friends, and it was a delight to visit with them.

I thought the mystery of the disappearance of Mrs. Fitzherbert’s proof of her marriage to the king was good, but things quickly spun out in so many tangents that it was hard to keep up with it all – and I love convoluted mysteries. All the factions pulling one way or another was almost like buckshot – going in every direction. Because there was so much buckshot, I found it difficult to ‘feel’ the stress, doom, and sense of urgency Rosalind felt for herself and her friends.

I enjoyed the page time with Rosalind and Adam and was glad to see some movement there – even if it did wait until the epilogue. This romance has been entirely too slow-burn for my taste and it still isn’t satisfyingly settled after eight books.

I was disconcerted by the portrayal of Stephen Lavender in the book. He was a real-life, renowned Bow Street principal officer frequently in the news because of the cases he solved. This story portrays him in a very unflattering light, so I’m not sure if this author just chose a name from history and didn’t do much research on him – or if she thoroughly researched him and just got a different view. There is another author who writes a historical mystery series based on his real-life cases and the two presentations of the man are very different.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery and will probably read the next book to see how Adam and Rosalind’s relationship grows (or doesn’t). The mystery had a great premise, but too many tentacles to keep them all straight. It also appeared to me this author might have some sort of hang-up with race, though I fail to see what it might be. Upon introduction, every character is given a race or color, and those labeled ‘white’ get the word with the capital ‘W’. If you are an avid fan of historical mysteries, as I am, you will probably enjoy the basic mystery but will lament the labyrinthine twists and turns it takes. As for me, I wouldn’t read the book a second time and probably wouldn’t purchase it as a gift for a friend without giving explanations.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.