Maggie Blackbird

Today, I am hosting and reviewing author Kate Ellington’s latest release The Secret Cottage, a historical romance. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Title: The Secret Cottage
Series: N/A
Author: Kate Ellington
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: January 22, 2024
Length: 330 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Blurb: Isabel Tate yearns for the simple pleasures she took for granted before scandal rocked her family two years ago. On May Day, she’s determined to forget her troubles and enjoy herself at the Claremont family’s annual festival.

Meanwhile, Robert Claremont steels himself to begin courting the haughty heiress next door, but his bashfulness is only one obstacle to winning her hand. Despite a deep sense of family obligation, he dreams of choosing his own bride.

Captivated by each other from the moment they meet, Robert and Isabel are kept apart by a misunderstanding until a chance encounter leads to friendship and more.

With opposition on all sides, they must overcome inconceivable odds to claim happiness.

Goodreads | Amazon

When Robert reached the manor he crossed the echoing great hall and mounted the curved staircase to the second floor. He strolled through the long gallery under the painted eyes of the many Claremonts who had lived here before him. Thornwood Manor had been home to Robert’s family for generations. Originally a mere fortress, it had undergone countless changes over the centuries. At the end of the gallery Robert pushed aside a tapestry and followed the corridor leading to his father’s rooms in the most ancient wing of the house. The dark stone walls and perpetual chill suited his father well.

Mr. Claremont didn’t look up when Robert entered the room but remained sitting at his desk, reading a letter.

“You wanted to see me, Father?” Robert prompted after some minutes.

His father tucked the letter into a drawer and removed his spectacles, fixing his gray eyes on Robert. With his dark hair, tall stature and rugged features there was no mistaking who Robert took after. His brother William had inherited the fair hair and almost unearthly beauty of their mother.

“I’ve engaged an artist to paint your and William’s portraits. He writes that he’ll arrive next week.”

Robert nodded. “I presume that’s not all you summoned me here to tell me?

Mr. Claremont stood and walked to the fireplace, hands clasped behind his back. After gazing into the flames for a moment he turned to Robert. “Margery Penrose will be here today. I want you to win her.”

“Win her? Surely she’ll have some say in the matter.”

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I love historical romances.  So I had to read and review this book when the opportunity presented itself.  Kate Ellington is a new author to me and she did not disappoint.  I love her writing style and the world she created for this novel.

Let’s start with Isabel Tate.  Her character is true to historical times, which I much enjoyed, just by her insistence that Robert seek out her uncle to call on her.  And how she worries about her reputation.  A scandal could ruin a family, and Isabel knows this firsthand after her father’s death.  So she’s very cautious about getting caught in another one.

Robert Claremont is the responsible twin.  Therefore, his father naturally sees Robert as his heir, and the one who will inherit the estate, and his father wants Robert to marry their neighbour so they can join their estates.  Robert does not wish to since he has no feelings for the girl.

Robert and Isabel catch each other’s eye on May Day.  I liked this part of the story because I’ve heard much about May Day, and it was great to get a glimpse into how this day plays out.  And this day also plays an important part in the story.

The author does a great job building chemistry between the two since Isabel is visiting her aunt and uncle for the summer, sent away by her horrible stepfather.  Although she is expected to marry a man her stepfather chose for her, Isabel has no intention of seeing the marriage through.  She is aware of her mother’s sorrow of being married to a man she does not truly love, and Isabel yearns for a match her mother and father had before his death that rocked the family in scandal.

The budding romance is wonderfully captured by the author’s writing.  The dialogue is true to each character, from the main cast, right down to the secondary ones.

The tension also keeps building, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next to the duo because everyone is against them.  There is also plenty of action that I enjoyed which kept the novel exciting.

As for the last three-fourths of the story, this took a big twist that I did not see coming.  I must say at first I felt confused, but the author did such a great job handling this delicate situation that I actually became very comfortable with what happened.  I know I’m being vague, but I don’t want to spoil the novel for others.  Let’s just say that I rooted later on for what happened until what I had a hunch might happen did happen (again being vague for spoiler’s sake).  How did the author handle this twist?  Again, she pulled it off.

Not only did she give us a powerful ending, wrapping everything up, but she also made sure everyone got an HEA.  I highly recommend you give this novel a read.  It’s a sweet romance filled with faith, hope, and undying love.  Do yourself a favour and get a copy.

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Kate grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college with an art degree she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

Follow Kate: Facebook

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