Dangerous Secrets

Caroline
Warfield
Genre: 
Historical

REGENCY:  “Dangerous Secrets” takes place in Italy in the 1820s, and the book makes good use of its setting, describing Rome in vivid detail, and adding in the conflict between the various city-states and the frequent power struggles, creating a turbulent environment for the heroine, Nora Haley. Nora travelled from England to Rome on request of her dying brother, who asked her to take care of his daughter Isabella. 

 

Isabella’s uncle, a powerful nobleman wants to keep the young girl under his guardianship though, so Nora has a tough battle waiting ahead of her. She employs Jamie Heyworth, a drunk with a pile of debts, who speaks Italian fluently and can help Nora on her quest to become the guardian of her niece. 

 

Jamie appears unlikeable at first, but the reader soon learns there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye. A harsh past has made him put up walls, but the more time he spends with Nora and Isabella, the more he lets his walls down, and starts trusting people again. He has a surprisingly deep personality, and he’s willing to risk everything for the people he cares about. In that regard, he’s very much like Nora who, despite having all the odds against her, won’t back down from her task to help Isabella, and who is brave and caring. The plot and characters make the book unique and engaging, but it’s the setting that really makes the book amazing. 

 

Majanka Verstraete