Lady Adele Prescott is dead. At least that’s what the whole of London society believes. After recovering from her injuries in secret, she knows she should remain in hiding. But nothing will keep her from taking a position as a maid in the home of the lord she believes murdered her family. Christopher Underwood, former military man and amateur inventor, wants no part of society or his newly … newly acquired title. He spends his time in seclusion hiding from the ghosts of his past. When he discovers his new maid bears a striking resemblance to the dead daughter of his former partner, a dangerous plan takes root in his mind.
Secrets and lies may bind them, but only the truth will set them free.
Author’s Note: This is a stand-alone Neo-Victorian romance with a heat rating of three. There is sex in this book as well as mystery and steampunk elements.
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Lady Adele Prescott died in the fire that killed her parents. At least that’s what the whole of London society believes. After recovering from her injuries in secret, she knows she should remain in hiding. But nothing will keep her from taking a position as a maid in the home of the lord she believes murdered her family. Christopher Underwood, former military man and amateur inventor, wants no part of society or his newly acquired title. He spends his time in seclusion hiding from the ghosts of his past. When he discovers his new maid bears a striking resemblance to the dead daughter of his former partner, a dangerous plan takes root in his mind.
I found myself lost in this book of two damaged people, both physically & mentally. The story flowed well but took a little while to build momentum but when it did the pages flew by. It was quite a dark read but there were lighter elements that made you smile especially Otis. Adele wants to find the truth behind the fire & she soon learns Christopher does too. Their attraction grows & their relationship shifts. A very enjoyable read & I look forward to more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
A story full of secrets, danger, mystery, elements of steampunk, and love. Both Adele and Christopher have experienced loss, but their common goal brings them together. I enjoyed the tale as things unfolded, although I kind of knew who did it before the end, and the chemistry between Adele and Christopher was well worth the read. I recommend this story.
I received a copy of this story as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
I really enjoyed this story! This is my first with elements of steampunk and I had never really understood what that was but I am hooked! One of my favorite tropes is of the damaged hero and in this case physically and emotionally who finds love and acceptance. But it was a tangled road to get there! The heroine, Lady Adele Prescott is presumed to be dead when all her family perished in a fire. Her father was an inventor/scientist with his main partner being Christopher Underwood. Adele escaped with some wounds but was determined to find who set the fire and was responsible for the deaths. Thinking that person was Christopher, she got hired on as a maid (oh course she dyed her hair,etc) to find out if he was truly the culprit. What was fun is that Christopher had hired all the staff from her house that had been misplaced so they knew of her deception and played along. There were some contraptions of an electric dumbwaiter they called Otis and some other inventions. As the two start to interacting together and find an attraction, there are a lot of secrets that come out and outside characters that wind themselves into the story. As Adele decides she does not think it was Christopher who set the fire, who could it be? This will keep you guessing until the very end and there are some very strong emotions and sentiments that warm your heart. I cannot wait to read more by this author. This was such a good story I encourage you to read!!
This was a new author to me and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was one of those books you want to read in one sitting. It had suspense, mystery, adventure and romance. All things to make a good read. All the characters were well developed, and you felt for them, each in their own way. I am not much of a paranormal story reader but enjoyed the small amount in this book, giving it an edge to keep you reading. The story is set a little later than my usual historical reads and it was great to read about some then, modern inventions. Over all I will be reading more of Ms Blacketer’s books. There was a moderate amount of sex in this book and as usual this reviewer skipped it, but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of this book. I received this as an ARC on the suggestion of another and am so glad I took up the offer.