Her Secret Lover by Sara Bennett
First line: ”Antoinette Dupre closed her eyes behind her spectacles, shielding them from flickering light as the sun dipped lower through the trees.”
In Her Secret Lover, Anoinette is on her way to the depths of Dover, far removed from London. An unsavory friend of her late father’s has taken it upon himself to force her into marriage because he needs her fortune. He set her up in a compromising position to force her hand. But she is stubborn. Unfortunately, she has a sister he is threatening her with, which ups the stakes.
On the way to the depths of Dover, a highwayman holds up her carriage. You see, she has a letter she believes can destroy the man. The highwayman knows about the letter and wants it. The unsavory man is vengeful and has taken the highwayman’s rightful home and future inheritance. He knows she has it hidden and rips her dress – in the front! When she finally gets to the manor house she believes all the servants are loyal to the unsavory subject.
Unfortunately, I was somewhat put off by an almost rape scene in the beginning when desire, rather than fear/anger hit both parties, which I found not so believable. However, I liked the characters as they were mostly consistent throughout the story. Thankfully,the villain did get what was coming to him which, of course makes it okay in the end.
For: Readers who want something to pass the time. The heroine’s stubborn nature makes it a fun read. -Kathy Wheeler