About the Book:

Title: Secrets of the Sonnets
Author: Samantha Hastings
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: January 2nd, 2023
Genre: Historical Romance

Miranda Hatch is a scholar, and at the advanced age of twenty-six, she is undoubtedly a spinster. Her single-minded ambition leads her not to seek a husband but to find the lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare. So when she discovers a connection between the Bard and the local dashing marquess, she pens a letter requesting access to papers that might secure her academic triumph.

Lord Robert Hamilton is drowning in debt and must turn things around or risk losing his ancestral home. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he has little time to bother with a letter from an M. Hatch requesting access to ancestral papers―until he realizes there may be some financial merit in granting the request. To his great surprise, M. Hatch turns out to be none other than the lovely Miss Miranda. The pair soon embarks on the trail of a centuries-old mystery, drawn together not only by their shared goal but by their growing attraction. However, someone else is seeking the priceless papers, and they will not hesitate to remove anyone in the way of glory.

Book Review:

An exciting historical romance with witty dialogue and charming characters, Secrets of the Sonnets is such a fun read! This is my first of Ms. Hastings books and it was such an enjoyable read. Miranda Hatch is a scholar, and unfortunately for her mother, at the age of twenty-six, a spinster. Her single-minded ambition to find the lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare has left her with little time to seek a husband. The connection between the Bard and a local marquess leads her to request access for papers that could secure her academic triumph. Lord Robert Hamilton has found himself drowning in debt and at risk of losing his ancestral home. The letter from an M. Hatch requesting papers from his ancestors seems small in comparison, until he realizes the financial merit it could bring. When M. Hatch turns out to be the lovely Miss Hatch, he soon finds himself following her as they seek out the trail of a century-old mystery. Their shared goal and growing attraction draws them together, but someone else is also seeking the papers and they will not hesitate to remove anyone else in their search. 

This was such an engaging and interesting story! I really enjoyed the banter especially. Miranda was so fun! I loved her intelligence and confidence. She had some difficulty in her past experience with romance, so she was settling into her “spinster” status. Robert was a surprise to her. I enjoyed reading about them getting to know each other and how they connected. I also really loved her relationship with her parents. Miranda and her father were hilarious! I loved their bonding over Shakespeare and their game! I also really appreciated how even though Miranda and her mother were very different, they still got along and enjoyed one another’s company. Miranda was able to establish herself in a new way throughout the story. She learned about her place and how a new relationship could fit into her life.

Robert was struggling with all that had been dropped on him with the inheritance of his estate. I felt so much for him. From the financial aspect, to his new responsibilities to his family, his POV made me really feel like I understood him and could empathize with him. Watching him fall in love with Miranda was also so cute, I loved the way his friends and sisters teased him too! Their journey was really interesting to follow and I was really engaged in the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy their historical romance with some adventure and history mixed in! This is a clean historical romance with some more exciting scenes of danger, but nothing graphic.

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.

Giveaway:

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