Reluctantly returning to London for yet another Season, shy Nora Hamilton has nearly given up hope that she will ever find the love match she longs for. After all, the one man she does harbor feelings for—her closest friend, James—has made it perfectly clear he views her as just that: a friend. With James traveling half a world away and Nora’s father pressuring her to marry for wealth and status, … status, Nora is forced to set aside her desire for love and accept the future she has always dreaded. Until James returns unexpectedly and Nora’s feelings once again rush unbearably close to the surface. Determined to save what is left of their friendship, Nora ignores her own heart and allows herself to be swept up in the London Season, soon finding herself the object of two very different gentlemen’s affections. Though she should be thrilled, both men come with a glaring fault: neither is the one man who holds her heart. But there is much more at stake than heartbreak. When long-kept secrets are laid bare, Nora must face the fears that have plagued her all her life and decide what true love is worth.
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This is my first Joanna Barker read and it won’t be my last. I felt like I was kept on my toes throughout most of the story, because one or another little curve ball would get thrown I hadn’t expected. It made it a fun book to read!
Nora is shy and not very confident. Her best childhood friend, James, is also the man who holds her heart, but his class is far below hers and he’s off limits. This story details how Nora tries to navigate finding love and/or happiness without James. I felt like I related to Nora because I am an introvert, too. Being in social settings and expected to make conversation can be draining for me. I totally related to how Nora must have felt at all those balls and during social calls. I love how hard she tries to do what is right for her family and her relationship with her siblings was fantastic.
James is just the best kind of hero. I loved him from the very beginning.
Susanna and Harriet are fantastic confidants for Nora and I loved them both.
I have no words for Lord Worthington, but his grandmother, Lady Worthington (countess), is fantastic! I just adore her!
I feel a little bad for Mr Weston. Maybe he’s just shy, too, but he sure seemed awkward. But I guess maybe he wasn’t in it for love, or even affection. He was kind of confusing to be honest.
I loved how everything came together in the end. It’s really a great story and is written very well.
If I had to review this book in one word it would be WOW!! When I think of a Regency Romance I think of two things. Steamy Romance and a lot sex. Well if that is what you’re looking for well guess what? It is neither of those.
This book is not only well written but done without vulgar language or swear words. If you like Romances then you’ll like this one. I loved this book. JoAnna Barker has become one of my favorite authors. I hope all her books are like or similar to this one. I hated to put this book down, I liked it that much.
I recommend it highly and suggest if you haven’t yet please go buy this book and her other books. This was an excellent book.
From page one, this sweet regency romance will charm readers. The story is about high society, London, and the Season and feeling pressured to get married. But it’s also about family, friends, and finding true love amid heartbreaking and trying secrets. This novel is sweet and captivating as readers fall in love with the characters and watch their relationships develop and change throughout the story. This is the type of story that keeps readers engaged and not wanting to set the book down with the wonderful characters, romance, and storytelling. Readers will absolutely adore this delightful regency romance story!
Genre: historical, regency, romance
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: October 1, 2019
Number of pages: 256
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Nora and James
I absolutely loved Nora and James!
There are so many feelings packed into this wonderfully told story, I don’t know how to write a review. I felt all the things Nora felt. Her shyness and never wanting to cause a problem for anyone was so relatable to me personally.
I loved the long-time friendship between Nora and James.
I liked how Harriet became a good friend to Nora.
Little brother Ralph was adorable! He wanted to see the lions so very badly.
I’ve read this book twice and loved it more the second time.
This book was so good! It didn’t seem like your typical Regency romance. I loved James and Nora! It was so easy to get hooked into the story. I just didn’t want to put it down!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Joanna Barker has done it again. This is such a sweet, funny, romantic story with a strong, gentle heroine you cannot help but love. ALL of Joanna’s books are lovely, and this is a new favorite.
This is my first Joanna Barker book and it was such a treat! Secrets & Suitors is a beautiful friendship turned more story. When secrets start being revealed you discover that not everything is as it seems and that there is healing and hope beyond the hurt. As we the story unfolds, I love how Nora grows. She learns to stands up for herself, for her family, for love; something we all can connect to. If you’re searching for a satisfying wholesome regency that will tug on the heartstrings – look no further. This book will remind you that love is always worth believing in and fighting for.
A big thank you to Covenant Communications for providing this copy in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Secrets&Suitors
** This review can also be found on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon
I rarely grant five-star ratings, but this story moved me in profound and unexpected ways. The heroine was extremely relatable to me as an introvert, in particular. This was an in-depth examination of love in all of its many forms: between siblings, friends, parents and children, and of course, romance. I was startled on more than one occasion to find myself in tears; the story had me truly captivated. I appreciated the lesson that open and honest communication is so crucial to avoid heartache in all kinds of relationships, but it’s simultaneously challenging, and even crippling with seemingly impossible barriers at times. There were unpredictable twists and a well-deserved ending that made me sigh from all that the characters had endured on their journey to that moment.
*I received a free ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Beautiful
Typical me, I’m behind on my reviewing again! Yet this one sticks in the mind plenty enough for me to still be able to give my thoughts and opinions on it.
I will start by saying that I usually avoid Regency romances as, quite like contemporary billionaire romances, they can be unrelatable, reading more like a fantasy world. The description and the cover sucked me in on this one and, I am relieved to say, that the writing made the story relatable. The characters felt real, fragile yet headstrong, each with their own unique characteristics.
It is hard to understand from a modern perspective a time period where men, particularly the heads of the family, very much had a final say in anything that women did. Despite having read so much, I’d hate to live without my modern freedoms. Yet here we have a young lady who is willing to test her father’s resolve so she can marry the man she loves, rather than the one that may give her the greatest comforts.
We have a great main character, accompanied by a slew of side characters who make the story even more colourful. I especially like the Countess – quiet and calculating, with a great sense of duty, but with an even greater sense of humour.
All in all, I have to say that I’m very glad that I picked this up!
Final rating: – Loved it/couldn’t put it down
I enjoyed this book. The characters were multifaceted and endearing and the plot was unique and well written. I would recommend any book by this author!
This was such a sweet coming together and finding of true love! I enjoyed it very much!
I loved this book! This was so romantic and the relationship between the main characters felt so real and believable. Joanna does a great job of making you feel exactly what Nora feels.
Original, compelling, and full of heart-felt emotion. I found myself engaged in this story at every turn. Norah and James’ love story is one for the ages.
What a wonderful book! I could kind of relate to Nora, as I am quiet and timid, especially in social settings. But if I am passionate about something I can usually stand my ground! This made Nora a strong but not overbearing women! I loved the twists and turns in this book! The characters were well thought out. It flowed really well and kept moving along at a good pace. Which means I stayed up too many late nights reading! But so worth it! I highly recommend this book. It is a clean regency romance. I have read all of Joanna Barkers books and loved them all!
I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a time and place where young men and women were supposed to marry someone who could give a better social standing or had a large dowry.
Nora is faced with this dilemma. Her father has picked out her suitor and she is to fall in line and obey. Her head cannot reconcile this with her heart. She tries to look at Mr. Weston objectively, but he doesn’t compare to her childhood friend. In order to buy time with her father, she strikes a bargain. Now, she needs to figure out a way to extricate herself from a delicate situation.
This book is a pleasure to read. I love how Joanna Barker is able to pull me into her story. I had great empathy for the characters and loved the descriptions. Regency Romance is one of my favorite genres because of the pageantry, societal expectations, and love finding a way in spite of roadblocks.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own,
“Secrets & Suitors” by Joanna Barker
Yes this story is loaded with “Secrets and Suitors”. I requested and received an ARC from the publisher. My opinion of this story is as follows. I mostly liked this sweet clean romance story. My problem with the story was that it seemed long. Maybe it was just me being impatient, which happens sometimes. Happy Reading ! !
Secrets and Suitors is a very appropriate name for this book. The very shy, and demure Nora Hamilton finds herself at the age of 21 finally with more suitors than she knows what to do with. There are also many secrets being hidden by her, her best friend James, and other family members. I loved how this Regency Romance played out as a mystery at times. The novel is told solely from Nora’s perspective, so the reader is finding out secrets along with her.
My heart was fully aching for Nora as she is being pressured by her domineering father who wants her to marry ASAP. Nora’s biggest problem is she hasn’t fully acknowledged to herself or others that she is in love with her best childhood friend, James. Of course, James is the type of man any woman would want but he isn’t wealthy enough to gain her father’s approval. Many scary and embarrassing situations could have been avoided if only Nora and James had been honest with each other a year before.
Though Nora and James are wonderful characters, many other characters bring such light and life to this novel such as the wealthy Lady Worthington and her vivacious granddaughter Harriet. I also adored Nora’s siblings, sister Susanna and younger brother, Ralph.
The beauty in this novel for me lies in the family bonds that are mended, love that is found, and the overall idea that being honest will always win out over being secretive. This book is another winner for author Joanna Barker.
How sweet was this book?! I really fell in love with both Nora and James (through Nora’s eyes). Nora’s family is so important to her and that is the motivating factor for most of her decisions and filled the majority of this story line. Difficult circumstances and bring out the best and the worst in people and this book does an excellent job of highlighting that. Nora finds herself on a bumpy road, trying to navigate her family’s expectations and desires, her third London season and her conflicting feelings for the different men in her life. Poor Nora and her tender heart, trying to do the right thing all the time, but getting knocked down repeatedly. She was so easy to root for and I found myself silently cheering when she spoke up, defended, acted and followed her heart. I love when I feel invested in a story, it’s characters and it’s outcome! I loved this one.
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
One of the things I love most about Ms. Barker’s novels is how her words have the power to completely transport me into the story!
Poor Nora Hamilton has been in love with her best friend James since childhood, but unfortunately, he doesn’t return her feelings. Though I rooted for the pair to end up together, I also enjoyed reading about her adventures with the other suitors. There were times I wished the secrets would be revealed, I will admit that this only added to the story’s tension and had me staying up late to see them exposed. I loved how Nora grew throughout the novel and how her personal growth deepened their relationship with her and James.
Which brings us to James. Swoon. Oh how I love James! I can’t say too much without giving things away, but he was so deserving of Nora’s love. I loved every second he was on the page and I know other readers will too.
This is a fab addition to Ms. Barker’s collection and I can’t wait to read more from her. I highly recommend this sweet regency romance!
Poor Nora! I really struggled with the first part of the book because Nora feels hopeless and resigned, and the author did a great job of connecting the reader to her emotions- so I was feeling sad and frustrated as I read. Things picked up when the setting moves to London and Nora begins to develop hope for another plan for her future. I found the evolving dynamics of her family interesting and I appreciated that we got to see the more complex layers of her parents and especially her father, who is not the villain he seems to be in the beginning. Nora has a strong bond with her sister and brother, and it added a nice element to the story. Nora also evolves and grows through her experiences and she is a much stronger person for it by the end, where she refuses to let the secrets stay hidden so she can grasp the future she wants with both hands- not just who she marries, but a warm and loving family.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)