Throughly enjoyed this well written romance set in India. The book has a good plot and cast of characters.

Really enjoyed the concept of this story. Between the romance you have mystery and intrigue that keeps you engaged. Really enjoyed reading this one. Gave me a great historical feel with some great spy moments! All in all a great read!

I have read some awful books of late, this isn't quite as bad, but is still total dribble in my opinion. A simple story that goes absolutely nowhere and is totally predictable. I wonder if it was written for a very young adult.

The story is set in sunny India, gives a sense of sunshine, flowers and general welling.
This is a gripping tale which crosses both oceans and class boundaries. Set in the time of the British Empire, a time when crossing the oceans to warmer climes entailed weeks in overcrowded and unhealthy conditions for all but the rich. This story starts a young English girl who has married to a plantation owner. The story continues from this ordinary place, but moves along with intrigue adventure and Romance, we have Antony Blake who’s romance with Sophie is put on hold as he courageously becomes an undercover spy for king and country while she heartbroken travels to India in an attempt to heal her broken heart only to be forced once again into the company of Antony.

This is the first novel by Nancy Campbell Allen that I have read and will defiantly be reading more. I would highly recommend this book, it is a gripping tale, the author takes the reader to a new land and her literary expertise allow that reader to experience the elegance and drama of a bygone time .

Beautiful cover, with a suspenseful and thrilling story inside. I thoroughly enjoyed the last book written by Nancy, and was looking forward with anticipation to her next release. 'Beauty & the Clockwork Beast' was so well thought out and written, I thought for sure it be hard to beat. I prefer my historical fiction to take place in England, for homesick reasons... But after reading a recent book by Jennifer Moore, I was excited to read another story, largely set in India. With the close relationship between the 2 countries during this period, and the dominating rule of the British, I am always intrigued how they were able to coexist and at the efforts of the Upper classes to exert their influence on the Indian people.

Anthony Blake, the Lord of Wilshire has served his country as a spy, and has been relieved of duty upon the death of his older brother. Inheriting the title and the estate has opened his horizon to the possibility of settling down and he has found a fondness for Miss Sophia Elliot. A sister of his best friend. She herself has had a surprising rise in status, once a servant, she now has inheritance to thank for her new station in life. A surprise visit from the man who once gave the orders for Anthony in his previous vocation immediately halts all plans and dreams for his future with his precious Sophia. With his hands tied he sets about creating rumors that will keep his one true love safe, but threatens to loose her forever, as her heart breaks. He cannot tell her the truth.

I would have loved a book, on both of their back stories. Such interesting characters with much history and a past that we are given small snippets of, but nothing substantial. It's been two years and Sophia has arrived for a needed trip to India. To escape her country, her grief over her lost love and to make an effort to forget the past and move forward. Yet who should be there as she steps down from the carriage upon arrival at the British Residence near Bombay? Lord Wilshire himself.

I loved this story. The anguish. The torn sense of duty over self. The location descriptions. The history. The wide range of characters, of whom I felt the main supporting ones really added richness and depth to the plot. Thoroughly unpredictable, you will be left guessing 'whodunnit' right to the very end!

I would have loved to know what happened to Charlie, since so much mention is made regarding his future. Or even Charity & Beatrice. I did feel the epilogue was well done though. Sometimes there's a hurried 'wrap up' of the story, but in this case it was just right. Beautiful ending to an enjoyable read.

My favourite thing? Probably the use of the flowers & colors in the lapels. Interesting!

Thank you to Netgalley & Shadow Mountain for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

Started out a little rough—some of the prose is difficult to follow at the beginning but that gets easier as the story progresses—but ended up being completely satisfying and an altogether good read. The story itself is rather predictable (one might even say cliche), but engaging. My favorite part was the ending; I was actually surprised by the outcome. That doesn't usually happen in this genre so I was pleased! I would definitely recommend this!

Miss Sophia Elliot is smitten with her brother's friend, The Earl of Wilshire. He leaves England suddenly under the guise of needing time to adjust to his new duties as an earl, leaving Sophia heartbroken. When their paths cross again in India, she is unaware of the danger her proximity to Lord Wilshire puts her in. Forced to resume his former life as a spy, Lord Wilshire has followed clues from France to India to locate a coded document containing information about British spies and their loved ones. Amidst shaky political alliances, never-ending social functions, and strained family relationships, Lord Wilshire and Sophia work to discover the traitors responsible for the missing document and an unsolved murder.

This novel contains beautiful descriptions of India and shows an appreciation of its rich culture. I commend the author for her efforts in researching Indian and British history. When I read a novel by an author who did her homework, it's evident. The descriptions are richer. The historical/cultural details are accurate and believable.

We are told the hero and heroine had a very friendly and sweet relationship before he left England. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience the depth of the intimacy they once shared. I wish the hero and heroine could have spent more time loving each other and less time being at odds with one another. More stolen kisses and tender caresses would have been nice. The investigation overshadowed the romance for me.

The Secret of the India Orchid is a clean sweet historical romance. Heroine Sophia is beautiful and feisty, and hero Anthony is painfully noble. Anthony must put country over romance and breaks Sophia’s heart just as he is on the point of proposing. Two years later they meet again in India and have a chance to work through the hurt and deception to begin again.

Underlying the romance is a mystery about a stolen document containing the names of English operatives. Although it is necessary to the story to provide the reason for breaking up and the ongoing misunderstandings, it was not a very strong plot point. There is much romanticizing of the English presence in India in the 19th century. I had a hard time believing Anthony was a successful spy. He has been posing as a rake, but he is so upright and decent it’s hard to believe anyone bought his act. To protect Sophia he tries to pretend he is not interested in her, and yet it is obvious to everyone around them.

Not a standout read, but I do enjoy the moderation and old-fashioned feel of the Proper Romance line.

There was some good characterisation in this novel but the plot left a bit to be desired. It was easy to read but ultimately not entirely satisfying. I am not convinced that Regency ladies would have been allowed to behave as did some of the characters in the book, even if they were in India.

I so ADORE this book! What a FANTASTIC read!
Anthony and Sophia are perfect characters with some intriguing interactions that you will so enjoy. This book has it all-- romance, secrets, spies, a missing person, kidnapping, exotic location, etc.
This one is a definite must-read!

When I first started this book I thought I would be reading another light Regency Romance set in India with very little plot. I was surprised! There is a plot along with the romance. I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would at first.

There are few things I really enjoyed about this book: The setting in India was well-researched, and the descriptions were vivid. The estrangement in the romance did not drag on throughout the entire book. It was resolved quickly enough to give attention to the rest of the story. The story didn't focus solely on the romance but included slight mystery and intrigue.

There were some things I didn't like as much about this book: The who-dun-it foreshadowing wasn't as strong as it could have been. A female antagonist entered the story about half way through the book. With as much attention as was paid to her, I thought she would figure more prominently in the ending than she did. The ending felt rushed with all the pieces thrown together.

Sophia Elliot is madly in love with Anthony Blake, the Earl of Wilshire. The story opens in England but quickly moves to India after Anthony has secretly left England. The only thing Anthony leaves is a letter with a silly explanation of Sophia being a good friend and that he felt the need to move on with his life in Paris or other places unknown. The truth is that he loves Sophia with all his heart but must leave to help his employer with recovering some very important government documents that were stolen from his office. Because this job is one involving espionage, he felt that the real reason should be hidden from those he loved. Sophia is so distraught that she books passage on a ship to India. Once there, she not only has a new group of acquaintances but also runs into Anthony, still in pursuit of his quest. Add murder, intrigue and romance to this well-written historical novel and you will find hours of delightful reading to the very end. I highly recommend this book to all.

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen will be available August 1, 2017 by Shadow Mountain Publishing. An egalley was made available by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a honest opinion.

I did not care for this book. I got a little over half done and just not get into the story. It did not hold my attention and was a bit of a chore to keep all of the people clear in my mind. I stopped at 56%.

When I first read the book description of ‘The Secret of the India Orchid’, I was really intrigued by this story. I love Historical Romance novels and when I read there was also a bit of mystery/ spy adventures going on. I requested this book as fast as I could.

In ‘The Secret of the India Orchid’ we meet Sophia Elliot and Anthony Blake. Anthony has been in love with his best friends sister for a very long time. He planned to ask his friend permission to officially court Sophia, but his responsibilities stood in the way. In order to protect his ally’s and the people he loves, Anthony has to find a stolen paper. To be able to do that he has to act like a flirt and playboy again.
Sophia is left heartbroken. Two years later they meet again in India. And soon Sophia finds out Anthony has a secret.

Although this story seemed to have all the things I like in a book, somehow I couldn’t really get into it. And I really tried. The writing is good, but somehow I just didn’t fell in love with this story and its characters. Thinking about it think I just needed to get to know these characters more than I did through reading this book. I missed some of that character development in this read. Anthony is a spy and has been in love with Sophia for a long time. But I just couldn’t ‘feel’ that love. And Sophia’s character also just didn’t really get to me.

The thing I probably loved most about this read was the setting in India. I haven’t read a lot of books that took place there, and I enjoyed finding out little things about that country. Although I don’t really know how accurate it is of course.

The adventures part and the spy bits were definitely fun to read. But I missed the thrill a little and I didn’t really think of this story as really that mysterious. There were also a lot of different names to remember, and like I told before.. I’m really bad with names and it got me confused a view times.

But overall I enjoyed reading ‘The Secret of India Orchid’. I just didn’t love it.

On the very day Anthony Blake plans to ask his best friend for permission to court his sister, Sophia Elliott, circumstances arise that make the relationship he has dreamed of impossible. Before coming into his inheritance, Anthony had served as a spy. Now, a valuable document with detailed information about British spies--including Anthony--and their families and associates. Anthony needs to retrieve the document in first his safety but also for the safety of those he loves. In order to resume his role as a spy, though, Anthony has to cut ties with Sophia and act the part of a playboy.
Heartbroken, Sophia sets about to forget Anthony--and when staying in London doesn't do the trick, she embarks on a trip, only to run into Anthony, whose attempts to retrieve the stolen document have led him there. It's harder than ever to pretend he doesn't care for Sophia, especially as she becomes involved in circumstances that seem connected to the stolen document--including the murder of the man Anthony believes last possessed the document. More than ever, Anthony wants to be able to give his heart to Sophia--and she wants to know what is truly going on with him.

This was a fascinating read. It gave some really interesting insights into the British experience in India and relations between the British and the Indians. The mystery element of the book was also captivating; I was very interested in finding out who had the document and who committed murder to get it. And of course, the romance between Sophia and Anthony was superb. I loved both of them in My Fair Gentleman, and I was so excited to get to read their story in this book--and I love how their story played out. Fantastic read!

Anthony is mixed in with some spy business, right before he is ready to propose to the love of his life, Sophia. Instead of risking her safety, he breaks off any relationship with her, and travels abroad to catch and apprehend the thief of some British spy secrets, and along with his attempt, the document that is stole from the British Secret Service. His task takes him to India, and it is here that Sophia and Anthony reconnect.
The intrigue, and puzzles surrounding the murder, the list with names and the family/friends of British Undercover Agents and who has it, added some suspense to this romance of two hearts. Anthony and Sophia have the attraction, and both fight it off, Sophia, because of Anthony's words to her to break off their relationship and Anthony as he worries about Sophia safety if she is known to be a romantic interest of his by other operatives trying to stop Anthony in his assignment. Anthony's feelings, his desire to keep Sophia free and safe from his entanglements, made for a lovely read.
The beautifully descriptive, lush Indian setting made for a lovely backdrop to this story, and added to the story itself. This was a fun read for me as a reader.
This is a stand alone novel, however characters from another book are referenced.
Romance, clean, series

This is a decent Regency tale spiced up with a bit of a spy mystery and set in the British Empire out in India, which added colour and flavour to the narrative.

Unfortunately, I’d spotted the villain as soon as he first appeared on the page but that didn’t spoil the enjoyment of the story and the way the plot followed through was well done and didn’t drag endlessly on.

The romance element of the book was also well crafted, with both Sophia and Anthony appearing as properly fleshed out characters. There has been, I believe, one book before this one with the same setting and characters but concerning Sophia’s brother Jack and his romance, which I hadn’t read but it didn’t interfere with my understanding of the relationships in this book.
There was a little exposition at the start and then the story set off on its own journey without a lot more and was allowed to show itself without needless telling.

I liked Sophia, she’s a slight variant on the usual Regency heroine but her personality was rounded and her actions believable. Anthony was more on the lines of the Napoleonic spy – an earl masquerading as a rake and wastrel – and, again, his actions felt true.

Overall I enjoyed this book but it’s nothing I’ve not read before within this genre so it didn’t stand out as being new or a novel concept.

This book is a quick, glitzy and glossed over romance that, while an easy read, is touched by absurdity in both the historical aspect and the plot line.

Anthony Blake is forced to ditch his plans of courting his best friend's sister Sophia when his previous work for the War Department comes back to haunt him. Two years later, the still-heartbroken Sophia boards a boat for British-occupied India where she encounters him again, him still in the throes of his spy-related responsibilities. The romance and the adventure progresses from this point.

There may be some minor spoilers after this point.

For me, this book came off as unbelievable from the start. The main characters seem too polishedly perfect, with him being desperately faithful but full of angst over his secret and her being a paragon of womanly virtue (with of course feminine fire) while also coming from beatifically humble origins. When they meet again after two years, nothing in the writing or their relationship really support or create a sense of time ever passing. All problematic issues related with the time period - Sophia remaining unmarried for two years, neither of them really speaking about her brother ever despite the fact that ostensibly his permission would have been required if they decided to pursue a courtship, etc. - are conveniently glossed over and disregarded, making the characters seen one-dimensional and without growth.

Perhaps most upsetting for me is the way Regency India is glorified with casual mentions of what are described as the most horrible aspects of Indian culture - the practice of sati, the shaming of widows - being vilified while everything British is beautiful and shiny. Despite some meager attempts at addressing the fact that the British were invaders of an already existing civilization, the novel treats a disinterest in Indian culture with a flippancy that astounds me. And perhaps this is reflective of the thoughts of the historical period, but there are apparent attempts to portray the main characters as worldly and conscienscous of the intrusion while failing to actually do so.

The plot itself seemed choppy and unbelievable, with the main adventure mystery dying away for long whiles before bursting back into full force and then fading again. It all seemed a bit too far of a stretch and didn't run smoothly in my opinion.

I normally love historical romances, but this one seemed unrealistic and a bit absurd. The main purpose for it being set in India seems to have been to allow for greater freedom to write in strange character relationships and a rather wild and disjointed plot. If one chooses to gloss over inaccuracies and plot holes, this can be a quick and easy read with unchanging characters and a gilded finish.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

This book was rich with history, intrigue, and sweet romance! It's interesting as a Christian novel, because I think it's one that touches on another religion with so much feeling and knowledge that you get to see perspectives that aren't typically acknowledged in the average inspirational romance. Being the first book I have read with the setting in India during the British occupation, I found myself engaged not just with my heart but also with my history-loving mind.

Anthony Blake, the Earl of Wilshire, is on a mission to recover stolen documents which endanger the security of government operatives and their families. Two years ago, he was forced to say goodbye to his love, Sophia Elliot, who he was going to begin formally courting on the evening he was assigned his mission. Now they both find themselves in India - one to find a thief and the other to escape the heartbreak in England. Sophia has been desperately trying to get over Anthony for two years, but she has been unable to get past the letter he sent her dissolving their friendship. Both angry and sad, she has no idea what to make of Anthony's sudden reappearance in her life, let alone the mixed signals she gets whenever they are in the same room together. When Anthony's mission collides with Sophia's safety, they join forces to find the thief before he escapes again.

I loved every aspect of this book! From the richness of life in India during that time to the interactions between the characters, I was thoroughly engaged the entire time. The author does a splendid job of not only making sure the reader understands the cultural differences between Indians and the British, but she also creates empathy in the reader and a genuine eagerness to learn more. Sophia and Anthony were amazing as well. Anthony was a romantic who had to battle his desire to be with Sophia in order to keep her safe, and Sophia was torn between making him pay for the heartbreak he caused and learning what caused the spark in his eye whenever she mentioned their past friendship. I especially enjoyed the art of flower language that the author introduced to the story, which enriched their relationship further.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history and suspenseful romantic novels! I look forward to reading more books by this author soon. She has a true talent for drawing a reader in and never letting go.

I love regency romances. I also love India. I have watched so many Bollywood films I feel like I know quite a bit about India and their culture and their relationship with England. This book's setting was one of the things that made this story apealing. This is a romance, and quite "proper" in its cleanliness but most of the story is really about solving a mystery and seeing how all the people and pieces fit together. There were hints of the ending sprinkled about but there is still a bit of a twist that suprised me. A great addition to the Proper Romance series.