Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal [Mass Market Paperback]

Grace Burrowes (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012

"Burrowes is an unconventional storyteller who knows exactly how to touch a reader's heart and reach deep into the soul."—RT Book Reviews

Lady Maggie Windham Has Secrets

And she's been perfectly capable of keeping them...until now. When she's threatened with exposure, she turns to investigator Benjamin Hazlit to keep catastrophe at bay. But Maggie herself intrigues Benjamin more than the riddle she's set him to solve. As he uncovers more and more of her past, Maggie struggles to keep him at a distance, until they both begin to discover the truth in their hearts...

Praise for The Soldier:

"Captivating...Burrowes's straightforward, sensual love story is intelligent and tender, rising above the crowd with deft dialogue and delightful characters."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"There is a quiet, yet intense power to Burrowes's simple prose and such depth of feelings that it will be difficult to forget this marvelous story."—RT Book Reviews 4 ½ Stars, Top Pick of the Month

"Burrowes continues her winning streak with a delicious, sensual historical romance capturing the spirit of the time."—Booklist

"With lots of humor and steamy romance, these books are always a delightful read, a treat for fans of Regency romance at its best."—Night Owl Romance

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Something about Burrowes' characters is intensely riveting, drawing the reader into the lives and struggles of each character... the characters are the truly excellent feature of Burrowes' novels." - NetGalley Reader Review

"An unconventional tale of strikingly unique characters with realistic emotions and exciting antics. It's always a delight to read one of Burrowes' creations... 4 Stars" - RT Book Reviews

"The characters are spot on, and you'll be transported back to Regency England in grand style." - Night Owl Reviews

"[A] tantalizing, delectably sexy story that is one of the best yet from an author on the way to the top. Starred Review" - Library Journal

"Grace Burrows sparkles yet again in another heartfelt story between mature characters who find love." - Bookaholic Romance Book Club

"Plenty of romance and quite a bit of mystery to keep me on the edge of my seat..." - Sisters Unedited

"Historical romance at its finest and rife with mystery and intrigue, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal is one of those books you really can't put down." - Romance Fiction on Suite 101

"Burrowes' exquisite writing style and her focus on the hero and heroine while weaving in subtle side stories make phenomenal reading." - Long and Short Reviews

"Not only hot and steamy but also sweet and tender." - Cocktails and Books

"An author every romance reader should have on their must-read list... Flat-out fantastic!" - Reader to Reader Reviews

"My favorite Grace Burrowes book to date. Light, exciting and with a happy ending that will make you smile." - Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

"Full of mystery and romance. Ms. Burrowes spins enchanting stories, that get better with each book." - Anna's Book Blog

"The Windham family that Grace Burrowes has developed with us along a wonderful series is one you won't soon forget." - Yankee Romance Reviewers

"Burrowes has the ability to have the reader, laughing, sighing, crying and simply in awe of how well the story is told." - Sugarbeat's Books

"The more I read by Grace Burrowes, the more attached I become to the Windham family... Burrowes has created an excellent historical romance with endearing characters." - Book Savvy Babe

"Burrowes once again captivates readers... This well written and moving historical romance is set in the Regency period and boasts compelling and richly drawn characters, as well as, a unexpected scandal." - Debbie's Book Bag

"A witty Regency romance featuring two engaging protagonists... " - Historical Novels Review

"A fine historical romance... Well-written and amusing, and has excellent love scenes." - Dear Author

"Beautifully written and brimming with mystery, witty dialogue, suspense, surprising plot twists and turns, secrets, scandal, passion and love, this story is a delight." - Romance Junkies

"Burrowes is a wonderful storyteller... Her stories are written with vivid descriptions and a cast of characters who will hold your heart and your attention throughout the story." - My Book Addiction and More

"Another worthy entry in the Windham family saga." - Historical Hilarity

"Another winner--and this reader will be eagerly awaiting the stories of the Duke's other daughters as well as any of their friends and relatives the author cares to introduce us to!" - NetGalley Reader Review

"I really enjoy Grace Burrowes writing and her ability to display the depths of and how genuine the characters' emotions are." - Lush Book Reviews

"I adored this book." - The Book Girl

"Burrowes paints a picture with words of a time gone by you will feel as if you are a part of the story." - RomFan Reviews

"This is not a novel about monumental moments, but of small gestures: held hands, borrowed riding gloves, stolen locks of hair, tea and creme cakes -- all infinitesimal in the grand scheme of life but utterly essential in the building of love." - Love Saves the World

"A lovely addition to one of my favorite historical romance series." - In the Hammock Book Reviews

"Grace Burrowes is quickly becoming a "go to" author for me." - Books Like Breathing

"Burrowes is at the top of her game perfectly combining great romance with a good mystery." - Laura's Reviews

"Burrowes is a wonderful story teller. She has great characters with very real emotions." - Reading Between the Wines Book Club

"Grace Burrowes can do no wrong. PERIOD! She writes stories that touch my heart and soul, and this tale is no exception." - Bookworm 2 Bookworm

"Deliciously angsty romance-building... swoon-worthy beta hero." - Insta-Love

"Simply a dazzling delight! Burrowes continues to captivate and enchant!" - Fresh Fiction

"[Burrowes] weaves a tale that will bring out emotion in you you didn't even know a book could." - Seriously Reviewed

"Emotional, witty, romantic, and mysterious... " - The Royal Reviews

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes hit the bestseller lists with her debut, The Heir, followed by The Soldier and Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal. The Heir was also named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was named a Publishers Weekly Best Spring Romance of 2011, and Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish was named Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 by RT Reviewers' Choice Awards. All of her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402263775
• ISBN-13: 978-1402263774
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 1.1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Grace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.

It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.

While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")

Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)

To contact Grace, email her at [e-mail].

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent characters and a touching romance May 1, 2012

By Heather Davis TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The more I read by Grace Burrowes, the more attached I become to the Windham family. I read the first book in the Windham sister's series (Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish) late last year and met Maggie Windham. When the opportunity arose to read Maggie's book, I found that I was looking forward to learning more about this seemingly independent woman. I really enjoyed Maggie's story, she is a protective, loving woman who is willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of those she loves.

In Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Grace Burrowes has created an excellent historical romance with endearing characters and a touch of suspense. This romance read will draw readers in with an independent heroine, a determined hero, and an unexpected scandal.

Maggie Windham is the oldest daughter of a Duke, and a bastard at that. She comes from humble beginnings and her parentage affects her life's choices. When her reticule goes missing, Maggie hires Benjamin, an investigator, to help find her reticule and the damaging contents before scandal can come to her family. Maggie is very protective of her secrets and tells Benjamin the bare minimum needed to find her belongings. The more time Benjamin spends with Maggie, the more determined he is to discover her secrets and protect the woman who has become quite important to him.

I really liked Maggie as the heroine of this book. She is a woman full of contradictions, she is independent but lonely, loyal but secretive, brilliant and wealthy but leads a very modest lifestyle. She is also a beautiful woman, firmly "on the shelf" because of her age, but secretly she dreams of having a family of her own. She sacrifices all of her wants to protect her family, the Duke and Duchess and her siblings. She is very stubborn about protecting her family, almost to a fault. When Benjamin steps in and tries to help, her stubbornness to deal with scandals in a different way almost ruins her dreams. Thankfully, Benjamin is the perfect match for Maggie. He is brilliant in his own way, he has the ability to read people, situations, and uncover truths. The pair are an excellent couple and I loved reading their story.

Grace Burrowes writes a believable and enchanting story with Lady Maggie's Secret Scandals. While the characters are perfect for each other, they are not actually perfect characters. Maggie is sweet, smart, but overly stubborn. Benjamin is also a smart person, but he hides from his own family's problems. Through Maggie's story and the resolution to her problems, both characters have to confront their pasts to move forward. I was very happy how the story unfolded, and I find that I am very eager to read the next book in the series. I am become attached to the entire Windham family, with the protective brothers, caring parents, and the sisters whose actions are never predictable.

I highly recommend this entire Windham family series to historical romance readers. If you enjoy the familial nature of historical romances, such as Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, you will highly enjoy the Windham family series as well. Even though Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. Grace Burrowes does a wonderful job of describing the story and characters from previous books so that new readers will not be lost.

*I received this book for review*

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Too many inconsistencies November 12, 2012

By Jennifer Reed

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The writing for the most part was crisp,speedy and interesting (until the fluff at the end). However, the period norms weren't followed, and that is always irritating. Regency era Dukes don't adopt their by-blows,and their daughters don't live on their own, run around unescorted, and earn their own income through money management. But the biggest disappointment was that 15 years of "secret scandal" could all have been avoided had the (money-genius financial manager) heroine been able to do some simple calculations. So, while the writing itself was good, there were too many misses to make this a recommended read.

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars no chemistry October 18, 2012

By romance lover

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I'm no novice to romance novels, and I also don't believe you need to finish the entire book to write a review. If you only get 1/3 into a book and don't like it, I think that merits a stop to your reading.

I didn't get any sense of chemistry between our two characters. Early on in the book, I also get no sense of what the 'issue' is between Maggie and Hazlit. He's obviously into her, and she is into him, contrary to what she tells others. She's now 30 years old and 'on the shelf'. Not any kind of impediment to marriage, certainly.
Also way too much emphasis on the siblings and the other characters from past books. When you open a book and see a freakin' family tree right there in the beginning, you know it's going to be annoying like that. I'm not a fan of those sort of books. Sure you can bring some characters back. But keep it really, really minimal. Their stories are over.

The author has absolutely no desire to research etymology, I'm guessing. I was left with the vaguest of vague ideas when this book took place, but I'm guessing it's regency. the use of the word keyboard to reference a piano didn't take off until 1819. the use of the term 'hot pink' didn't start until the 1940s.

And other thing that bugs me- the cover shows a girl with brown hair, not red hair. Does anybody give a crap about these kind of details anymore? I'm seeing worse and worse cover 'art' out there, and all the while these books are getting more and more expensive.

Of course I expect some 'unhelpful' votes from those readers who had the patience to get through this book, but you know what- I'm someone who had read at least a thousand regencies. And I just didn't feel this one.