Georgana’s Secret

by Arlem Hawks

Page Count: 320

Proper Romance / Regency

Synopsis

A Regency romance on the high seas.

1811, HMS Deborah

Georgana Woodall dreams of freedom—freedom from her past and freedom from her secret. She has been living on her father’s ship for years, disguised as a cabin boy named “George.” But hiding her true self is becoming more difficult, and she yearns to break free of her life on the sea.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the boy under his wing.

Georgana quickly loses her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care, but needing to maintain her disguise as a cabin boy, she is convinced nothing can come of her affection.

Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.

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Praise

“Fans of sweet love stories as well as readers who fondly remember those marvelous old traditional Signet Regencies will quickly succumb to the siren song of Hawk’s expertly crafted novel, which delivers the perfect blend of Jane Austen-smart romance and Patrick O’Brian flavored seafaring adventure. Teen romance readers will cheer on the plucky heroine as she finds the courage to forge her own path in life and love.”  -Booklist, starred review

“Hawks crafts a spellbinding tale featuring rich characters and raw emotions set against the atmospheric backdrop of sea life in all its danger and beauty. Georgana is a tough protagonist holding her own in a world dominated by men, while Peyton’s charm and sensitivity marks him as a true gentleman. A hidden identity, flirtation, and treachery make for a rousing tale to captivate lovers of historical romances.”  -Publishers Weekly

Review

This is a sweet romance filled with adventure on the high seas.

Georgana is taken away from an abusive home with her grandmother after her mother passes away. Her father, grief-stricken I’m sure, feels like she would be better off with him on the ship he captains. Of course, women aren’t allowed on the ship, so she is disguised as a cabin boy. This is good and bad because the other cabin boys notice something is amiss and are not above creating awkward situations for “George.” She and her father have to be very careful to not reveal her true identity to the rest of the crew.

Dominic ends up on this ship as the First Lieutenant much to the chagrin of other crew members. He is level headed and notices George receiving abuse from other cabin boys and takes him (her) under his wing. He teaches her to stand up for herself and perhaps regain a little respect from the others.

The day to day adventures of the crew and the ship will delight and also keep you on the edge of your seat during battles and other tense scenes.  The descriptive text will lure you in and you will feel like you are in the middle of the action. I enjoyed watching the love for Georgana and Dominic unfold especially once he realized she wasn’t a boy after all. I was surprised it took him as long as it did to uncover that truth.

This was my first book by this author but won’t be my last. We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

ARLEM HAWKS began making up stories before she could write. Living all over the western United States and traveling around the world gave her a love of cultures and people and the stories they have to tell. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications, with an emphasis in print journalism, and she lives in Arizona with her husband and three children.

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