The Secret Wedding

Jo Beverley writes another beautiful novel with lots of interesting twists! I have read, and enjoyed, all of her books.

Heiress Caro Hill believes she is a widow, but has no definitive proof her spouse died. Since the wealthy Caro is considering remarrying, she needs to learn whether Jack Hill died as she assumes he did. Army officer Christian Hill, Viscount Grandiston, is concerned as he hears rumors about someone asking questions re Jack Hill. He can answer the probe personally since a decade ago back in 1754 in Yorkshire he as Jack Hill married Dorcas Froggatt after killing her fiancé Moore; he admits to himself he never gave his bride a second thought until now as he believed he was a widower. Now he wonders whether Dorcas is alive. In London going by the name Mr. Grandiston he investigates the investigator looking for Jack Hill while Caro masquerades as several people to thwart any threat to her owning a cutlery business. The second not so "Secret" Georgian romance (see A LADY'S SECRET) is a fabulous intelligent tale starring two lead characters masquerading as others in order to conceal their true identity while falling in love with their spouse. A comedy of manners, misconceptions and mistakes, Jo Beverly provides an amusing historical with a touch of suspense and a hint of scandal as you like it. Harriet Klausner

The premise is that a husband and wife don't recognize each other after ten years of "marriage" because that each has been told the other is dead. This is way out there to be sure but it is great fun. I always have a problem with a romance novel that has the hero and heroine apart and I now I don't mean the 10 years. To my thinking good romance requires that the two interact and have lots of great "dialogue." I do think that travel separations are a problem as are machinations of the various friends. Still this is a satisfying romance and good Beverley.

I'm a huge Jo Beverley fan. I have been waiting for this book to come out since last year. I read it in 5 1/2 hours, while ignoring all the other stuff I have to do, including eating lunch :-)Honestly, I couldn't put this book down. Jo Bev has done it again, creating an entrancing romance with interesting characters. And the story line was lovely. A husband and wife (though married only due to unusual circumstances) meeting each other after a decade and falling in love with each other while not recognising each other sounds weird. But it has been written so well that it was such a fun and pleasurable read. I liked the Malloren series by Jo Bev as well and they're featured prominently in this book as well. Of course the book did have minor faults in the plot, but but they didn't bother me, as it made up for them in all other aspects. This one is definitely on my keeper shelf and I am impatiently waiting for Thorn's story to come out in 2010. (Why does it have take so long!).If you are a job Bev fan and/or like georgian/regency romances with spunky heroines and brave sexy heroes you will probably like this book. I LOVED it!

The Secret Wedding brings Jo Beverley back into the winner's circle. Her last few efforts were good - but not great. This book, however, is written with style, intelligence and good old-fashioned fun. It's why I originally started reading Jo Beverley all those years ago. I'm not quite sure what the previous reviewer meant about "tired" hero and heroine. Christian and Caro are two of the most exciting, energetic, fun characters Beverley has created in a long time. Many of her recent books seem dark and serious. This romp is full of mistaken identities, a chase through the countryside, highly-charged chemistry between the hero and heroine and a completely satisfactory conclusion. I found "The Secret Wedding" to be a fun, thrilling ride. There was never a dull moment in the novel. Instead of getting this book at the library, as the other reviewer suggested, this is one novel I'm glad I purchased. We must have read two completely different books. I say buy it. You won't be disappointed.