Rating: Very Good
Source: NetGalley
Description: The moment spymaster Baron Fulkham meets the stunning Princess Anne of Chanay, he's positive her royal persona is a ruse and that she's actually Monique Servais, the mysterious actress he met three years before in Dieppe. But as he pursues his suspicions, he uncovers a plot of attempted assassination and betrayal that could very well destroy his career, expose his own secrets...and ruin the woman he's rapidly coming to love.
The Secret of Flirting is a sizzling historical romance filled with fast-paced storytelling, an enchanting heroine, and a sexy hero, perfect for fans of Regency romance.
Genre: Romance - Historical
Why I Picked This Book: I've been on a mystery kick lately and realized I was missing romance and Sabrina Jeffries is one of my favorites!
My Impression: I'm not a fan of the fake identity trope. Usually the reasons for pretending to be someone else are silly at best and the reason for keeping up the charade are even sillier. However, I wasn't too nervous going into this because Jeffries has managed to make the "secret child" trope (which I HATE) not only work but make total sense so I figured fake identity would be easy for her and it really was!
Monique is a wonderful heroine. She's smart, brave, good at her chosen profession and just trying to do her best. Her relationship with her grandmother is so sweet but also sad as her grandmother's dementia is getting worse leaving Monique desperate to figure out how to get her grandmother the best possible care. I loved her and I admired her and she was a character I really rooted for.
Gregory took me a little bit longer to warm up to. He's much more reserved and arrogant. While his behavior is explained by his past and his profession his reserved nature kept me from feeling really connected to him for quite some time.
I loved this pair together. Gregory is very dry and sarcastic with a tendency to be more than a bit blunt. Monique hold her own and puts up with nothing from him. I loved that his opinion on tragedy vs. comedy made her ranty even after quite some time had passed! They work well together as a team and I loved how equally matched they were. The political intrigue was fascinating and made me want to read up on just how Belgium was actually formed. While Gregory wasn't my absolute favorite hero I did feel like this was a couple that worked together on so many levels and I couldn't help but root for them.
Sabrina Jeffries is one of my absolute favorite historical romance authors and this book did nothing to change that. She has a strong couple that really works together in a situation with legitimate conflict as well as fascinating bits of history. I loved spending time in the world Jeffries created and will be anxiously waiting the next book.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely! Jeffries is a do not miss author for me.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you love historical romance than read this book! While it does say it's book 5 there is very little to indicate it's part of a series so you can jump in here with no problem.
I agree, Jeffries is an author you can typically count on - regardless of the tropes. This one sounds really fun and I think I would enjoy the characters. Love the title. Great Review :)
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read anything by Sabrina Jeffries! I really need to change that. I'm so glad you loved this, even though Gregory was a bit difficult to know. I recently read a book where I had the same issue with the heroine - she was hard to get to know.
ReplyDeleteI can't explain it, but I like a hero who is blunt as long as he's not abusive with his comments. Even though I haven't read a historical in quite some time, I am a fan of Jeffries. Glad you enjoyed the book, and happy Monday to you! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteDo you know I have never read Sabrina Jeffries and now I am thinking I should give her a whirl after reading your review.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read a Sabrina Jeffries novel yet. But they do sound good. While I'm not a fan of the tropes you listed either, it's worth giving it a chance. Great review. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly learning about "tropes" as bloggers have been mentioning that word.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds good and I've enjoyed a few of her previous books so it's going on my list.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad this was good! I cringe when I know it's a trope I hate, so I'm glad this worked. I haven't read Jeffries before, but like you, I've been reading too much mystery and horror lately. I'll need to check this out. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read much of this author and should probably try to read more of her work. I do like that one of the characters is dealing with a family member with dementia. Sounds like a good read.
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