Secrets [Mass Market Paperback]

Bethany, on the other hand, has her own secrets. Bethany had, before her brother returned home triumphant, in order to save her younger sister been compelled to become the mistress to a member of the ton. Becoming pregnant, she was abandoned and her child stillborn. In order to cover up the truth and provide a way for her to make a suitable marriage, her family had Bethany posing as the widow of wealthy sea captain. For Christian, the circumstances of Bethany's past did not make any difference to him as he was totally in love with her goodness, kindness and gentle ways and now the way was clear for him to declare himself properly. In the meantime, strange accidents began to occur to Christian as he was fast discovering that the person he had been in the past was not the person who had emerged after his experiences as a slave.

The plotline here was really quite good, and the character development of Christian and Bethany was extremely well done. I especially liked the way Christian came to realize that he was now a better person after having the life altering experiences as a slave rather than the privileged life as heir to a Duke. The secondary characters were warm and engaging, especially Christians brother and sisters. While I felt that the villain could have been developed more, it was easy to figure out who it was. The romance angle and the warm familial affection was very well done and certainly engages your emotions so that, as a whole, I feel confident in recommending this both as a very nice sequel or stand alone regency romance for lovers of the genre. *** Marilyn, Official Reviewer for www.historicalromancewriters.com

Then a miracle happened during a party. Someone recognized him. Not only was Christian unmarried, but he was also Marquess of Northwick, believed to have been killed by pirates at sea. But finding out he had a title and was unattached did not solve all his problems. Christian's memory was still mostly blank. Bits and pieces popped up at strange times. In addition, his family did not want him to marry Bethany, a commoner. They had another deb picked out for him. And if things could not get worse, he kept having "accidents" that nearly kill him!

As much as Bethany loved Christian and was happy that he found his family, she knew she could not marry him. Her past was marred and her family kept her secret quiet. Christian knew the truth of her past, well as much as her own family knew, and did not care. But Bethany withheld a vital name from her past. A name that could easily get Christian killed and her family shamed.

**** This is the second in Heather Cullman's Regency trilogy. Fans of this author get to see how Gideon and his family are doing since the previous book. It began with such a bang that I was enthralled from the first page. Readers see just a bit of what poor Christian went through while he was being sold as a slave.

This is a provocative tale that I was hard pressed to set aside when my reality intruded, and I could hardly wait to get back to the story. Recommended! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Bethany keeps her own secrets intentionally. Horrendous circumstances once forced her to exchange her body for the care of her younger sister. She had become the mistress of a member of the aristocracy, but her subsequent pregnancy resulted in rejection. Tragically, the child was stillborn. Now she passes as a widow but knows her past does not bear scrutiny. When Christian proves to be a member of the ton, she believes she must give up all hope of their ever being together.

Author Heather Cullman pens a tender tale of love in Regency England with SECRETS, which explores the era's sordid side while delicately maintaining the rich emotional nuances of a finely crafted love story. Christian's transformation from rake to gentleman in the wake of his time in slavery reveals the power of second chances and the genuine goodness of his heart. Bethany's profound challenges expose the difficult challenges of her era as she struggles to overcome her shadowy past. SECRETS comes recommended.