‘There is nothing unusual about me, I assure you. Now, if you would please get off..’
The insufferable man raised a condescending eyebrow. ‘On the contrary, Miss Simmons. I find you shockingly unique.’
The Secret Life of a Lady is a fun and witty Regency romance with a good mystery twist.
Lady Hannah Simmons is a quintessential wallflower, unassuming, dowdy yet ignored by most.
But underneath her plain exterior, Hannah is hiding a thrilling secret! Unbeknownst to the rest of the ton, she is Queen Victoria’s leading femme fatale, slipping unnoticed through the streets of London and listening to scandalous whispers from lords and ladies. But with daggers in her stockings and pistols in her pockets, Hannah’s mission is to apprehend a deadly killer.
Private Investigator to the Prime Minister, damaged, yet devastatingly handsome ex-war hero Duke Robert Killian always puts duty first. However, when he finds himself competing with the intriguing Lady Hannah on the same daring task, his blood boils with frustration – and desire! Is it possible to seduce this vexing woman whose not afraid to put herself in danger and achieve the upper hand?
Hannah enjoys Killian’s attempts to distract and tempt her, but she has never faced an adversary she couldn’t overthrow. And Killian has never met a challenge he couldn’t conquer…until now. The gauntlet has been thrown, can they finish their jobs and resist the temptation?
Keep your friends close…and your enemies even closer!
I love this new trend in Regency romances, which often includes a mystery component. I love a good mystery and, of course, adore romances, so having the two come together is this bookworm’s dream come true. I enjoyed this story. The dialogue is so witty and sharp. You find yourself just devouring the words on the page, and before you know it, you are almost done with the book. The mystery part of this book is good. I found it interesting; it had me guessing at times, and those twists and turns were well-placed. It also works well with the romantic aspects of the story. The pacing of the story was great. Things moved along briskly, which meant my attention never wavered.
I loved the characters. Hannah is smart and capable and knows how to take care of herself. The only thorn in her side is Duke Robert Killian. But despite how much she might grumble about the man’s presence and how he often ruins her carefully laid out plants, she cannot deny her attraction for him. The same can be said for Killian, who knows he shouldn’t be harbouring such lusty feelings for Hannah, who is not titled, but he cannot deny that he is drawn to her. Watching these two interact was a lot of fun, mostly because they constantly befuddled each other. They keep each other on their toes, and not knowing what to expect is catnip to this bookworm’s soul.
Overall, if you are looking for a fun and fast Regency read with a clever mystery twist, you should give this book a try.
Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
