By Susanna Craig Pub Date Aug 8, 2020.
Four Stars****, Best Enjoyed when…well, whenever!
Thomas Sutherland, a spy for the British Army, comes home to settle the matter of an inheritance. He has no real intention of leaving his position and wishes to return to the life he is used to as quickly as possible. That is until his superior officer makes it clear that he must do his domestic duties before he will be allowed to resume his place. As it turns out, Sutherland’s inheritance is that of the entirety of the Scottish village he spent his summers in as a child, including Dunnock Castle. His plan is to quickly set the place up, find someone who can properly run the land, and head back to the foreign lands he’s spent most of his life in. Luckily, it appears that a famous author has already taken up residence in the castle and may have a secretary who can do just that for him. However, when he appears on the doorstep of his new found seat, he discovers that the secretary he thought was a man is not only decided NOT male, but is also a widowed woman, and the one he fell in love with before he took his foreign commission! This may be harder than he thought…
Ms. Jayne Quayle has lived under the guise of widowed Mrs. Higginbotham for the past six years, acting as a amanuensis to the popular and reclusive gothic novelist, Robin Ratliff. Well, that’s what she wants people to think. She’s neither a widow, nor just a simple copy editor, but the author him-well, her-self. This precarious tower of deception has kept her hidden and independent for many years. That is, until the whole guise is threatened when a certain handsome soldier she once had feelings for turns up on the doorstep of Dunnock Castle where she has been living. However, when death threats against Mr. Ratliff start to show up in the mail, Thomas feels the need to protect Jayne, and Jayne feels a passion stirring in her that she hasn’t felt in years. At the risk of toppling everything they both have at stake, they band together to find out who is threatening Robin Ratliff, while trying to protect their secrets. Someone should have also reminded them to protect their hearts.
I really truly loved this book. I could practically see the setting in the misty, cold Scottish Highlands. The characters were well-rounded. The only thing that slightly bothered me was when the author described Thomas as slipping into a deep brogue and it felt a little forced and over used. However, I truly loved Jayne. I also loved seeing a smart and creative BBW in the lead role of a romance novel.
I’m a true sucker for regency era spy romances and this delivered in spades. The quaint town, all of the side characters, and even the secret underlying plot that encapsulates the series is a bit of a mysterious delight. I’m honestly excited for the next one. Plus, look at that cover and the title! So cute!
Thank you Kensington books and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. Kensington always seems to deliver exactly what I need.
Always Lost in Words 