
About the Book:

Title: The Valet’s Secret
Author: Josi S Kikpack
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: March 7, 2021
Genre: Historical Romance
A passionate kiss from a handsome valet becomes a Regency Cinderella story when he is revealed to be an earl.
York, England, 1819.
As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker lived a charmed life, but now widowed and working for a living, she feels alone and living a mundane existence. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and very handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she finds herself kissing him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion in her. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales–never to an ordinary woman like her.
Still, she cannot stop thinking about Mr. Henry and the kiss they shared. The more time she spends with the earl’s valet, the more she knows she cannot in good conscience allow Mr. Timoltson to continue to court her, even though a marriage to him would provide her financial security and independence from her overbearing father’s control. The heart wants what it wants, and her heart wants Mr. Henry.
But while working in the kitchens during a fancy dinner party, she sees something strange: the valet–the valet she kissed–is sitting at the right hand of the baroness. She realizes that Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the earl–Kenneth Winterton.
Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca isn’t sure she can trust Lord Winterton, much less accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he still take a chance on her, when choosing a commoner means he might lose his inheritance?
Book Review:
This was a cute and fun read. It took me a little while to get intoThe Valet’s Secret by Josi S Kilpack. However once I really started reading it, I was very intrigued. The Valet’s Secret was different then the other books I had been reading, but it was still an enjoyable read and very interesting.
Rebecca Parker is in a new stage of life. She feels lonely and wants a break from the mundane routine of life. She never expected to meet Mr. Malcolm Henry on the road, and she never expected from him to change her life. However, what will she do when she learns that he is not a valet but the earl – Kenneth Winteron? Can their relationship ever become more? Kenneth Winteron just wants to be free, however becoming his uncle’s heir means rules and stations. He never expected to fall for a woman below his station or to lie to her about who he is. Will he ever be able to gain her trust and maybe grow a relationship?
Rebecca was such a refreshing change of character. She was older and she had lived life. I really enjoyed reading about her and reading about her finding herself. She had gotten married at a young age and raised her daughter, but when her husband died she moved back in with her father and in a way lost herself. Rebecca was so strong. She had endured much in her life, and it was cool to read about her still growing and learning. She was learning how to find herself in this new stage of life and she was falling in love.
Kenneth was an interesting character. He had to grow on me. I didn’t dislike him, but I just had to read more about him before I really understood him. He was also just trying to find his place in the world. He was a bit uncertain about his place and it was fun to read about him learning what it meant to be an Earl. However, he was kind and he truly cared about those around him. He had lived life and he valued people. Kenneth had to figure out what it would mean to love Rebecca and how to build a relationship with her.
Rebecca and Kenneth had an interesting relationship. They were of two different stations. However Rebecca didn’t know it at the time and she found a connection with him. It was definitely fascinating to read about them falling in love and interacting, trying to figure out how to make their friendship work, never expecting something to come out of it. I thought that they were such a sweet couple and they definitely balanced each other out. They also had to learn to overcome their differences in stations and work past the whispers of others.
The side characters were also fun! Rebecca’s daughter Rose was super sweet. I loved Rebecca and Rose’s relationship. They trusted each other and cared for each other. Kenneth’s Uncle was complicated but he also cared for Kenneth. The Baroness who Rose worked for was also a character
She was such a strong woman who was a great addition to the story.
The Vault’s Secret was a sweet and cute book. It was about characters falling in love and figuring out how to work with their different stations. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to those who like historical women’s fiction. The Valet’s Secret is a clean historical women’s fiction romance.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
About the Author:

JOSI S. KILPACK is the author of several novels and one cookbook and a participant in several coauthored projects and anthologies. She is a four-time Whitney Award winner—including Lord Fenton’s Folly (2015) for Best Romance and Best Novel of the Year—and a Utah Best in State winner for fiction. She is the mother of four children and lives in northern Utah.
You can find more information about Josi and her writing at josiskilpack.com