This was an absorbing read. Starting out with some cruel treatment of a widow to a duke, a well crafted romance is described. One of the main characters has known of her sexuality since she was a teen. The duchess begins a story of discovery as she falls in love with her Irish friend. It is great to see both assume more control over their circumstance and become independent women who fall deeply in love with each other. They establish what is important in life, relationships and a sense of purpose and deny that a woman’s defining role is to be a good wife. The importance of material wealth is established, that a woman on her own is liable to end in poverty, yet true value does not lie in wealth. All in all, a thought provoking, enjoyable read

A very enjoyable Regency sapphic romance that really inhabits its setting of a seaside resort town and time period. I loved Joan and Maeve and the forbidding manor on the cliff, though I loved the plot of the duchy trying to hold all of Joan's possible assets a lot less. With just how far-reaching the attempts to keep her from having absolutely anything at all, even her mother's jewelry, were and continued to be throughout, I was expecting there to be some more personal reason other than "everything a woman has or receives belongs to her husband upon marriage".

That said, I really loved both Joan and Maeve learning to find their places and what they wanted to do when their previous senses of self were shattered, and I enjoyed watching Maeve bring Joan out of her shell to build a wide circle of friends.

3.5/5 Stars

This was another sweet regency romance from Jane Walsh. This book had the author‘s signature well-rounded, interesting and loveable characters with another charming romance. While it was overall another entertaining and immersive read from Walsh, I didn’t connect to this one as much as some of her other novels.

After the death of her husband reveals buried scandalous secrets and throws Joan into a precarious situation, the newly widowed Duchess escapes to her house along the coast to lie low. At the same time, our other heroine Maeve’s life has also been thrown off course with her mother’s marriage. A lover of fine clothes and spa treatments, for the first time in Maeve’s life she needs to find employment to keep up with the leisurely life she is used to. Thrown together in the small coastal town of Inverley, Maeve and Joan struggle to keep up appearances while their private lives are in major flux.

While Walsh’s books tend to be more heavy on the sweet romance side, this book had a much more somber side, especially with Joan struggling to maintain her freedom and dignity as a widow. This side story took centre stage at many points in this book, which definitely added intrigue to the overall story but also meant this book was heavy on tension. While I did enjoy this story for the most part, I do think it was wrapped up too quickly by the end with little pay off. I think this book struggled with the balance between the sweet and loving romance, and this darker side to the story. It made the overall mood of the romance feel dampened by the weight of the conflict in Joan’s life.

Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable story and I think Jane Walsh is definitely one of the best historical romance writers for sapphic fiction. I look forward to reading more of her stories.

This was OK but didn't grab my interest. It had a slow start detailing the separate dire circumstances of the two main characters, maybe it should have started when Joan and Maeve meet in the shop then filled in with flashbacks? The narrative kept pausing to describe clothes in detail, but it somehow didn't sell that Maeve's fashion sense was exceptional, it just sounded like she enjoyed expensive clothes.

The romance itself proceeds without obstacles, which is also not particularly involving. I'm not buying a Regency England where everyone is just ducky with women loving women.

Finally, Joan's money troubles are never resolved. As far as I can tell, she ends the book with 200 pounds per year, which is about enough for one servant. It certainly isn't enough to maintain her house and be "benefactress" of the school. That would require at least 2000 pounds per year.

So, a step down from [book:The Accidental Bride|61904986], which had pacing issues but was involving.

Joan is only 25 and the widow of the Duke of Stanmere. But instead of receiving a typical portion of his estate his will leaves her with next to nothing and his many heirs are happy to oblige in running her out of London. She takes off for Inverley to a property she purchased. There she meets Miss Maeve Balfour, a spinster at the age of 28. Maeve has been living as her mother’s companion but is left behind when she remarries. Both women need to figure out what they can do to survive in the small seaside town. Their friendship begins when Joan takes in Maeve as a boarder at her house.

This is the third in the Spinsters of Inverley series and each of the covers is more beautiful than the next. It is hard not to be outraged at the treatment Joan receives from her husband's family and frustrated by the treating women as property of their spouse laws of the time. Maeve knows she’s never been interested in men but both women are being told their only option is to find men to marry them. I’ve read the other books in the series and enjoyed the friendship with the previous main characters. But this can easily be read as a stand alone. This is a sweet romance but with hardships and obstacles to be overcome. I did especially like the epilogue with a longer than normal view into the future for the pair.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

A sapphic regency read. Joan and Maeve both come from lives of some sort of privilege. When that is taken away both women start a journey towards trying to discover how to survive on their own and discovering their true selves. Maeve convinces Joan to allow her to rent a room from her not knowing she is the missing duchess. The two become closer while secret’s still remain from Joan they learn to lean on each other and become a match. While the plot itself was not that dense I did enjoy the character development and seeing women of that time become independent. Along with the stories of the side characters.

This book is a part of The Spinsters Of Inverley series but can be read as a standalone.

Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review

After a duke’s will creates a scandal, widow Joan flees London and takes on a new identity in the seaside town of Inverley. Joan accepts fashionable Maeve as a boarder, and is soon drawn to the worldly and seductive spinster. As Maeve uncovers Joan’s secrets, can the two women defy a dukedom’s expectations and find love together?

Both Joan and Maeve are sympathetic characters. They’re each in a precarious financial situation without the benefit of a husband, and they work together to protect their future. The plot is strong and the pacing held my interest throughout. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys sapphic historical romance.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Joan has lost everything after her husband death humiliated and alone she flees to the one place she hopes no one will know her. Maeve is looking for work and at place to live when she meets Joan she convinces her to let her stay. While there Maeve and Joan gets to know each other but Joan is hesitant to let anyone in when everyone she cares for had hurt her but can they both overcome their hardships and find want they want is right there. I like that the author didn’t let Joan avenge herself even though she should had but understand why she didn’t.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙷𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻. 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴.
📚 ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠
⁠
𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈/𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃:⁠
Now, this story was a little frustrating. I don't understand why Joan had to suffer like that. And the fact that she didn't avenge herself for all that humiliation she suffered has me seething to no end. It was the perfect solution but I also loved the alternative that the author chose because had Joan taken the revenge route, maybe those children wouldn't have come to visit at the beach house.

Historical books sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) feel very clinical to me when it comes to romance and chemistry. The connection is usually there but the things that hinder the romance sometimes makes it impossible to enjoy as a reader. The plot was well-written, I have not yet read the previous books in the series and that didn't hinder my understanding for this book.


𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

The Duchess herself has lost everything after her husband’s death. Unsure of what to do and feeling helpless she runs to a place she had forgotten about.
Mauve is searching for a place to live and work. These two meet by chance and made arrangements for Mauve to rent a room at Joan’s home.
As they two cautiously get to know each other secrets will be revealed and longing for love will free them from their pasts.
This is a sweet historical romance that takes you down the road of hardships.

Thank you #Netgalley #BoldStrokesBooks #TheSecretDuchess for this ARC

A historical sapphic romance with a side of mystery and feminism. I liked the characters quite a bit, they were interesting and flawed. It took me a little to really like Maeve, but I got there. The plot with the dowry and inheritance was intriguing, but the pacing was just a little off. But overall the pacing was nice for a romance and mystery for how short it is. A fun easy read!