Seductive Secrets is aptly named because it is full of people who are trying to keep something from each other. Alice has grown up in Cornwall cared for by a hired couple who are totally incompetent. The local people think she is a witch, and their gossip is fueled when her house burns down. She herself has odd dreams and hears voices, and is unable to make any sense of them.
When Alice Rufford is being taken to her guardian by her uncle and aunt, she is attacked in a roadside inn. Lord Julian saves her life, and he turns out to be her guardian’s grandson. Alice feels an unusual connection to Lord Julian, as if she has known him for a long time, but she has never met him before! Julian is an Earl and unaware of his grandfather’s ward. When he comes across the waif in an inn, he is determined to learn more about her. She is whisked away by Charles, her childhood friend and heir to a dukedom, who deposits her with his cousin Lissa.
It turns out that Alice’s father was accused of treason, but she is sure of his innocence. She sets out to prove it and will unearth a conspiracy that has been cooked up at the highest level of the monarchy. Charles offers to marry her, but he has his own deep secret. Meanwhile, Julian is also attracted to her, and intrigued. He has lost his twin brother at the hands of Alice’s father, George Hythe, and he wants to learn the truth.
The book unveils a complex plot as everyone tries to fulfill their own agenda. There are secrets at multiple levels. Alice is trying to keep her real identity secret, Charles is hiding something from the ton, Julian is attracted to Alice but also wants to avenge his brother’s death, and other powerful members of society want to curb any scandal. Meanwhile, there is hot passion between the young Alice and Lord Julian, and seduction is in the air. Alice vacillates between her duty to Charles and her intense feelings for Julian.
The mystery leads to a crescendo where many a surprising secret will be exposed, including some you will never expect. Seductive Secrets will please mystery lovers and romance lovers, and those who love historical fiction. An overall winner!
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