I really enjoy secret identity stories, and this was a great one! When Kenneth and Rebecca meet, Kenneth tells her he is a valet, rather than the heir to an estate and Countship.
The two characters in this story are more mature than many historical romances I have recently read, and I liked it! They have both loved and lost, making them a bit hesitant. When Rebecca discovers that Kenneth is not who he said he was, she struggles with the idea of the two of them being together. The society rules of the time would look down on a match such as theirs. I liked that the entire story wasn’t about the secret, but that it followed the indecision after finding out as well.
Overall, I was quite happy with this story. There were some moments that were a bit slower than I would have liked, but that does tend to happen sometimes with this genre. The romance was endearing, and I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two characters!
Content Warning:
This story does feature an abusive relationship between Rebecca and her father. This could be a trigger for some.
Where to Find This Book:
A passionate kiss from a handsome valet becomes a Regency Cinderella story when he is revealed to be the heir to the earldom.
York, England, 1819
As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker had a good life, but now widowed, working for a living, and her only child grown, she feels invisible, tired, and lonely. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she kisses him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.
She sees Mr. Henry again and feels the possibilities growing until, while working in the kitchens during a dinner party, she sees the valet she kissed sitting at the right hand of the baroness. Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the heir to the earldom—Kenneth Winterton.
Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca does not trust Lord Winterton and refuses to accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he take a chance on her? He needs a wife to help him in his place in society, and nothing about Rebeccas life does that . . . except how he feels when she is with him.
Trust, love, loneliness, and passion collide in this story about a man who will risk it all to fight for the woman he loves and a woman who does not believe in fairy tales—until she finds herself living in one.
Just the Facts:
The Valet’s Secret by Josi S. Kilpack
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pub Date: March 8, 2022
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
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