Secrets Between Lovers
by Charlie Lane
Release Date: Available Now
My review:
“Secrets Between Lovers” is book 4 in the ‘London Secrets’ series by Charlie Lane. Characters from the previous books in the series make appearances in this one, but it’s definitely a stand-alone story. I started reading this book late in the evening, planning to just get through the first couple of chapters and continue the next day. Well, like digging a fork into a decadently delicious double-chocolate cake, once I got started I just couldn’t stop.
Lady Maggie and Tobias are the two lead characters in this well-written historical romance. Her father is a Marquess, a high title in the British peerage. Together, her parents are what we, in modern times, would call hippies or free spirits. They spend all their money on sponsoring different types of artists. Her brothers try to earn money however they can, and Maggie manages to collect secrets about people. She plans to use those secrets to blackmail certain unsavory people so she can get money to help pay the household staff and keep the creditors away. Tobias is charming man with secrets of his own. He hides his heart and his dreams behind a carefully constructed façade that convinces people that he’s flashy and shallow. When Maggie and Tobias encounter one another, there’s an instant connection between them. They start revealing secrets to one another day by day, and eventually discover their own true selves
I thought the dialogue in this book was extremely well-done. Every word fits the characters’ respective personalities. The references made within their conversations are appropriate to the time period. The banter is clever, and where appropriate, very funny. Don’t think that this is just a lighthearted story, because there’s a lot more depth to it than that. It’s about how people can project an image to protect who they are inside, how our limitations are often self-imposed, and how we should never give up on ourselves or the world. There’s some excellent, pertinent information about the textile industry during the time period. This was a very entertaining book, and I will definitely be watching out for the next one from this author.