London's Best Kept Secret: A Scandalous Regency Romance

Jeremy Lockhart, Viscount Dearing, is used to being in control, but from his first sight of Lady Charlotte, his carefully cultivated world is rocked to its foundations. Determined to best her other, more eligible suitors, he goes to great lengths to ensure his betrothal to Charlotte. A locked black leather box holds the dark secret that has assured his success. Innocent Lady Charlotte is baffled by her new husband’s behaviour, her family’s dire financial straits did not allow her the luxury of an extended courtship. Now after ten months of marriage they are still strangers. I found this to be a well written book that was well paced & it held my interest all the way through whilst I read I wondered how on earth Jeremy would get himself out of the hole he’d dug for himself & what Charlotte would do on learning the truth I must admit I was disappointed that Charlotte didn’t make him suffer far more but so saying she did act in character all the way through. I really liked Jeremy but couldn’t condone his actions to win Charlotte nor his secrets & lies. I found Charlotte to be very immature & very much the innocent debutante. I would have liked to have learnt what happened to Louisa. My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This story brought forth that amazing feeling of when I read my first historical romance. Mesmerized, enchanted and in love with the characters with the desire to read as many as I could! Yes I have the bookshelf to prove it! All of the elements of a little humor, hidden secrets, underlying desire and emotions that come off the page were woven into one of the best love stories I have read this year. Throw in a black adorable kitten and a secret the hero is having a hard time dealing with and I was hooked. Jeremy, Viscount Dearling had offered for Charlotte without her even knowing him. Her family needed the money and he satisfied that with his funds and led her father to believe he had been enchanted with her since the first time he had heard her play the pianoforte. He was a reserved quiet man confident in his ability in finance but not of the heart. Charlotte had grown up in a loving houshold with three sisters. She was ready to make her marraige a real one, but there was one problem. They had been married ten mos and he had not spent any time with her let alone touched her! You see he was hiding a terrible secret that he felt she would hate him if she knew. But as he sees other men attracted to her, he begins wooing and spending time with her. Can their marraige survive and become a real loving one? What if she find's out? Anabelle Bryant has endeared my heart and I will forever be a fan since reading this story. Her characters come alive and her writing pullsthe emotions off the pages. This will go on my keeper shelf to be reread and cannot wait for the next book in this series!! I read this through NetGallery

He sees her and must have her, and he orchestrates a financial difficulty for her father, marries her by paying off the debts, and then fixes her father's situation. It's all a secret and it wears on his heart so much, he won't touch her. She, too, has secrets. Which one will be revealed first or will it be too late for the love and HEA? **received a review copy on netgalley**