Cassandra Paxton arrives in Brighton to throw light on his brother’s last letter, unfinished because of his sudden death. She means to meet all of his brother’s friends and ask them if they know something she does not about her brother’s last actions. But the first one she talks to, Lord Deverill, seems quite mysterious and tells Cassandra not to worry because her brother had no particular secrets and, most of all, not to search for the other friends because she can get herself into trouble, being a young woman with only a maid as a companion. Cassandra, however, is determined to uncover the truth and when her own life is threatened, she will find herself allying with the mysterious Lord Deverill who has also secrets of his own. The reason why I love Regency novels is basically connected to the fact that I love Regency manners. I like the way men behaved when in the presence of a lady (I am talking of real men, not scoundrels!), I like the importance they gave to propriety and I like all the things they did, such as going to balls, riding, visiting with friends. I know nowadays we still do these things, but in a different way. Men do not ask women to dance by saying “Would you do me the honour of dancing with me?”, that is what I am trying to explain. There is a great lack of elegance, at least according to my own experience. Therefore, when I have a chance to read a novel like “Lord Deverill’s Secret”, I always find myself wondering where men like Justin Deverill are (if they happen to exist).I loved Justin’s heart. He did anything to protect Cassandra and for several reasons (which I cannot tell without spoiling the story!), but I believe, besides his affection, he acted like that because of his sense of honour, and I loved that! He was the proper knight in shining armour, he was always there to help and save her, and this was utterly romantic! OK, perhaps I am gushing over him just a little bit but believe me, he was very endearing. As for the heroine, Cassandra, I loved her as well. The author depicted a lovely, nice and also brave character who faced some dreadful situations with determination and self-confidence, at least she tried by not letting the others know what there was in her heart. I liked that she made her decisions not only for her own sake but especially to protect her little sister, and I loved Cassandra’s tenderness every time her sister was mentioned.However, I was not too fond of the predictability of the story. I did not understand who the villain was (I have blamed another character throughout the whole book!), but some moments were a bit far-fetched as if the author wanted to create more suspense and add mysterious details where it was not necessary. Besides, I felt a little confused when the protagonists tried to understand who the enemy was by listing all his/her bad actions without having actual proofs. I confess I got lost in some occasions because I could not figure out whom they were talking about! There were some minor characters mentioned a few times I could not remember. Probably that is just me, though.Nevertheless, “Lord Deverill’s Secret” is a nice, light story I enjoyed reading and it helped me relax as the plot is not complicated and flows with ease. I would recommend it to Regency enthusiasts.
This was a lovely story set in Regency Brighton, and I had a great time following Cassandra through her activities and adventures around the city. She was a nice little gal who wanted to make sure that her brother had not died burying a terrible secret, as a letter she had found in his things had implied. In order to put her mind at ease, she visits Lord Deverill, a most charming man with a hint of mystery behind his appealing exterior, who happened to have been an acquaintance of her brother. As the title suggests, Lord Deverill has a secret, and cannot reveal the whole truth to Cassandra without the fear of endangering her. Events don't go as planned however, as Cassandra finds herself the victim of many "accidents", and each time Lord Deverill comes to her rescue, their mutual attraction only intensifies. I found the couple charming and the romance very cute, although the simplistic writing style did not demonstrate enough of their emotions or personality. A few events were also a bit implausible, and the final revelation of who the villain was and what he had done seemed absurd and out of place. The appearance of the hero on the scene to rescue the heroine was moreover never explained. Aside from those minor issues though, Lord Deverill's Secret was highly enjoyable, and I liked that it was set in Brighton. It made a nice change. Of course, this book is complete with an outing at the Brighton Pavilion, and brilliant descriptions of it. My review is very boring, but don't let that interfere with your decision in reading the book! :) It's worth a try, and reads extremely easily and fast. I'm a terribly slow reader, and in two days I was done, and left with a satisfied smile on my face. The epilogue was just icing on the cake! :DLord Deverill will help you and take care of you, Cassandra. Don't worry. Buddy read with Maria :)
What do You think about Lord Deverill's Secret (2007)?
this book made me laugh out loud. It was ridiculous, in a good way.The writing wasnt very gripping, but I did find it interesting. I am sure if I had been bothered to check, all the references and words would have been accurate. I thought it was interesting insights into life at that time, an interesting take as well, Loving marriages just don't seem realistic to me XD. This is what I think one of those Darcy detective stories would be like. The end had me chuckling very much, Everything I wanted to happen, happened. I am content.Now I can see why my teacher gave me such an outstanding grade when I was 15.
—Melanie
A delightful tale of romance and intrigue from the acclaimed author, Amanda Grange. Arriving in Brighton, Cassandra Paxton had one important task-to uncover the meaning of a letter she'd found amidst her late brother's belongings. She knew of only one man who could help her: Lord Deverill, who just happened to be the most eligible bachelor in all of Brighton. But what she didn't realize-until it was too late-was that the handsome earl had a secret of his own. One that might prevent him from telling her the truth-and one that made a marriage between them impossible. Which was most unfortunate, considering the way his gentle touch made Cassandra's pulse quicken.My Thoughts...This was just the kind of "Mind Candy" I needed this week, since I wasn't feeling super all week. I just wanted something that wouldn't make me think to deeply, and a story easy to follow. This book fit the bill...This was a light-hearted historical romance with a little mystery thrown in, my favorite kind of reading. It was a fast paced and easy book to read. All-in-all I found it a charming and delightful little read. I enjoyed it enough to award it 4 stars.This book is from a part of my personal library on my TBR pile. Will that pile ever get smaller? I just received a book from an author in the mail today to read and review...."So many books, so little time..."
— Gigi Ann
I enjoyed Titanic Affair, so I thought I would try something else by the same author. The book is simple and charming, but completely unbelievable. I'm not an expert on early 19th century behavior, but I just didn't believe that people in that time would behave the way some of the characters did. Endings must not be Grange's strong point because the ending of this book was almost ridiculous. The bad guy explains everything before trying to kill the heroine, who was of course saved by her "knight in shining armor." This bad guy was also kind enough to wait while the heroine and knight professed their love for each other (for two pages) and only then deal with him. And I'm supposed to take this seriously? Finally, in my personal taste, I don't like the cover. It makes the book look like a trashy grocery store romance novel...which may be all the book aspired to be...which would also explain why I didn't like it.
—Laura
