Mr George Gardiner has recently acquired an estate & it includes a hermitage. The hermitage is without an occupant until Robbie Darkwood arrives & takes up residence. George is intrigued as Robbie seems a gentleman & his hands haven’t seen hard work.When an unspeakable secret is uncovered, threatening to destroy the Earl of Westbridge’s tranquil life, he seeks refuge while he plots an honorable course of action, as an hermit
Laurel Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner’s spirited daughter, returns from the London season bored and disillusioned, wanting nothing more than the sanctuary of her secret library in her father’s hermitage. Where she finds her sacred space occupied by a handsome and enigmatic hermit.
The Earl of Westbridge does his best to avoid Miss Gardiner, but she’s a force to be reckoned with, and soon he finds himself falling in love with her. But he knows that his love is ill-fated, for no respectable woman will have him once this unspeakable secret is revealed .
A fairly good read, the characters were well portrayed & quite likeable but didn’t seem to embrace the era. The plot was well paced but I just didn’t engage with it & I found my attention wondering quite often. I found it hard to come to terms with an Earl becoming a hermit & living off the land, I’d have thought he’d have gone abroad to come to terms with the secret.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Great book . I defenity would buy this book for a friend.

This book was nice to read even though it was a bit too forseeable and I had no problem to put it aside every now and then.
I understood that the Earl of Westbridge was distressed and even horrified when he discovered the truth, this one secret that is just too horrible to even think of it. But, well, a hermit? Seriously?
Some coincidences are really astonishing like Miss Laurel Gardiner befriending Miss Penelope Croyden...and everything that results of it. Nevertheless I really liked the characters and I enjoyed to read how every Jack finds his Jill.

A nice book, not something that I'll read again that soon, but nice nontheless.

I guess I have read too many Georgette Heyer historical romance because they have set a pretty high standard. This one felt rather tawdry. The characters jumped right into sex (too explicit for my taste) without many quams even though at that time period her reputation would have been ruined and if he had been any kind of gentleman he would have thought a bit more before defiling her. They were "in love" before they even really knew much about the other. So this was really all about lust and not love.

The story was pretty predictable and I guessed his secret before getting very far into the story. If you want real historical romance this one isn't a great choice. If all you want is a cheep, lustful, quick easy read then go ahead.

This novel was a good read. The plot contained romance and secrets. Sometimes, a person finds themselves when they become someone else.
The Earl of Westbridge, Robin Waltham, discovers a terrible secret. He leaves his estate, having his brother handle his affairs. He travels to the estate of Mr. George Gardiner, whom has placed an ad for a hermit to live at the hermitage on the estate. He disguises himself as Robbie Darkwood and lives off of the land. Mr. Gardiner tells Robbie to not speak with anyone, to be seen but not heard and to stay away from his daughter.
Miss Laurel Gardiner returns from the London season early, not happy with London society. She has received several marriage proposals, but declined all of them. She is looking for love, but several suitors want the money she would bring to a marriage. Laurel is very headstrong and determined. She discovers Robbie in her sanctuary, the hermitage when she returns home. She is upset by him living there. However, the two of them work out an agreement so she can get her books.
Laurel seeks out Robbie often, even though she is told not to. She decides Robbie would be a good man to help her friend get over from being jilted by her fiancee. Robbie tentatively agrees to meet her friend. Robbie and Laurel begin to accept their feelings of love toward each other. However, when Laurel's friend arrives, Laurel begins to put the pieces together of Robbie's true identity. Robbie loves Laurel, but must face his past and the secret he has discovered. Will Robbie be able to accept the secrets he has discovered and be free to marry Laurel or will he keep to his "promise" of marriage to someone else?