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    Arlem Hawks’ Georgana’s Secret is enjoyable romance

    2
    By Jessica on January 12, 2021 Adult Crossover, YA review, young adult
    Georgana's SecretGEORGANA’S SECRET, by Arlem Hawks, Shadow Mountain, Jan. 12, 2021, Paperback, $15.99 (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)

    Two lives are unexpectedly changed forever on the high seas in Arlem Hawks’ Georgana’s Secret.

    As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George.”

    Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. While trying to adjust to a new crew, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the “boy” under his wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy’s secret would put her in serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.

    Georgana is quickly losing her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care but is convinced nothing can come of her affection. She cannot continue to live her life on the sea, and having already missed too many seasons in London, her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband are quickly slipping away. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain

    Georgana’s Secret is one of the more enjoyable Proper Romance novels I’ve read in a while. That comes, in part, because of the change of venue. Instead of stuffy parlors and stiff societal rules, readers are instead thrown onto the deck of a ship with nothing but miles of water surrounding them.

    Though Georgana’s sensibilities are dictated by general norms, by pretending to be a boy, she’s more often than not able to move throughout the ship without being hindered by them. Her problem comes in her lack of confidence. Her weakness makes her perhaps a bigger target and teaches her lessons she would not have learned otherwise.

    Dominic is weighed down by his past and by his present responsibilities. He takes his role as lieutenant seriously and Georgana’s presence upends everything he thinks he knows.

    Georgana’s Secret is a quick read that ebbs and flows well, making it a good choice for a weekend read.

     

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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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    2 Comments

    1. Laurel Ann Nattress on January 14, 2021 4:35 pm

      Lovely review, Jessica. I agree that the premise of the story set on a ship was unique to this genre and I enjoyed it too.

      Reply
    2. Pingback: Arlem Hawks' Across the Star-Kissed Sea is fine Regency romance - www.crackingthecover.com

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