A Lady’s Hoyden’s Secret

Dawn
Brower
Genre: 
Historical

Despite being beautiful and the Duke’s daughter, Lady Helena Carter, is a verifiable wallflower, is still unwed. No matter how much time passes in the season or how many balls Helena attends, her enjoyment is nearly always killed by Lord Oliver Hunt, the Marquess of Dashville. In the past, Oliver was rude to Helena, who secretly liked him. Now, Helena has found a way to get back at Oliver, and Oliver has no clue. When he starts to take notice of her and plans for her to be his bride, Helena is unsure of Oliver and unable to trust him. Can Oliver prove himself worthy of Helena even when she holds a secret that could destroy his feelings for her?

This cute novella is a short, sweet, and light romance. Unfortunately, since it is a novella, there is a lot missing from the plot, and the decisions that the hero makes seem unduly rushed. The story also jumps around; one moment the hero and heroine are in the past, then suddenly it is five years later, causing the reader to wonder if the long-standing feud between the two has always happened. Obviously, there is history between them, but there aren’t a lot of details.  The reader never truly feels the deep loving relationship between the hero and heroine. Oliver, the marriage-shy hero, is quite impulsive, and indecisive making it difficult to truly feel a connection to him. On the other hand, Helena, the sarcastic witty heroine, is portrayed with much more depth.  Its flaws aside, this charming story will make anyone feel good.

Roslynn Ernst