⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. This exciting spy-drama/murder-mystery romance gripped me right from the start and it was difficult to put down.

The utterly charming Emily Leverton has a dark past and is determined to leave it behind in her respectable new role as a governess. But when she is recruited by a secret network of governesses who spy on the ton, it may just be a way to redeem the dark secrets of her past. Straddling the worlds of the ton and the working class, as an ex-solider turned railroad magnate, Zach hunts killers for the Metropolitan Police by day and dutifully attends balls at night. In neither world has he met a woman with the brazenness to mock him. So when a saucy governess blows him a kiss he is determined to catch her, never expecting that when he does he will find an intelligent, quirky woman hiding more than her true name. As Zach peels back the layers of Emily’s lies, he falls for the street-wise woman who handles a dagger like a pro and kisses like a mistress. But when his affair with Emily intertwines with his hunt for a killer, he discovers Emily is hiding an explosive secret, one that could destroy them both.

MY THOUGHTS

Zach was this charming combination of sweet and a bit naïve, but also confident and highly successful. And once he decided to commit to Emily, he focused a lot of attention and energy on convincing her that he was worth the risk. Emily was understandably wary of trusting anyone, let alone Zach. She had to overcome so many hurdles to reach her current position, it made complete sense that she was very protective of it. And when her colourful past caught up with her, Zach was able to accept most of it. I think the mistakes they both made just emphasized the fact that sometimes their fears got the better of them. Zach had to find a way to reconcile his feelings for Emily with his sense of right and wrong related to his job as policeman. I liked the way their relationship developed, especially as Emily became more involved in Zach’s investigation.

At times the scenes with Mrs. Hill and her daughters felt a bit unnecessary. And that ending was completely unexpected. I liked The Dove and her collection of spying governesses, but they made far too few appearances. This definitely has a lot of potential for future books and I am looking forward to seeing it unfold.

I can highly recommend this if you like steamy historical romances with some mystery and intrigue.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: January 23, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Secret Society of Governess Spies