Lady Rose Rutherford has accepted the proposal of the Duke of Everingham, her sister Lily and her niece George, think she should wait for love, but Rose doesn’t want love – it hurts. She is content to marry the duke and live her own life. The ceremony begins and Rose is resigned to the marriage and is floored when a filthy man charges in and demands that the wedding be stopped! She has no idea who the man is, but when he claims to be her husband and she really looks at him – Rose realizes that the man is indeed Thomas, her dead husband!!

Four years ago, Rose met Thomas Bersford in Bath and at the age of 16 married him before he set out to sea with the Royal Navy. Two short weeks later, Rose learns that Thomas’s ship was sunk and there were no survivors – Rose never told a soul that she had married and mourned in silence. But here he is – back from the dead and claiming her as his wife. When Thomas married Rose he didn’t care about her fortune, but now after living through hell, he is back and needs the money to save his men from the life he barely escaped. He would ask his uncle for help, but he turned his back on Thomas when he was first captured and held for ransom, so Rose’s fortune is his only option. But first he will have to get her to admit to being his wife and convince her family they were married. But after he talks to her, his conscience won’t let him use her just for her money and he tells her to think about what she wants to do.

Rose never stopped loving Thomas, but never told anyone of their marriage – there seemed to be no reason – he was dead. But now she has been given a second chance and there is no way she is letting him go – even when her family and oddly enough, Thomas tell her to consider an annulment – No, Rose wants a life with Thomas and won’t let him leave her again. Slowly, she learns the horrid truth of Thomas’s time away and admires his determination to save his men. Thomas is not the man she knew, but he is still the man she loved, even though he insists he is not. So, still love him she does and will do whatever is needed to help him heal. But as the events of the past four years unfold and truths come out – Thomas and Rose discover that someone is very unhappy about Thomas’s return and will stop at nothing to keep him and Rose from building a life together.

I loved this story, from the first page to the last, I loved that Rose was steadfast in her love and that Thomas for all his gruffness and denial, still loved Rose. This book really takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride of laughter, tears, love, desire, shame, horror, betrayal, anger, hope and healing with a little bit of a “whodunit” mystery thrown in. It is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone with no problems and the ending will leaving eager to read the next installment!!

Gracie's newest series started off strong for me with Marry in Haste and continued to entertain in Marry in Scandal. But, y'all, Marry in Secret just wasn't working for me. I love Gracie, but she can do so much better. The heroine was so inconsistent, in my opinion. The way her personality is described earlier in the series and the beginning of this book doesn't really match the way she acts once the hero returns. And their relationship felt like one communication misstep after another. All they did was fight and make up, over and over again! UGH. The mystery was obvious and only seemed necessary in order to flesh out the plot a little more. I expect a certain degree of predictability in historical romance, but this one tried my patience. I was So Okay With It.

Marry in Secret was my first book by Anne Gracie, and I'm sure I'll read her again, even though I suspect this story wasn't her strongest work.

I like a reunited lovers story, and I thought it was done decently here. I found the male MC to be compelling and with an interesting backstory, though I'm not a fan of mystery-elements. I'm a sucker for a hero who has been through hell and back, so I felt for him.

The heroine was more... inconsistent. She was supposed to be this stoic, practical woman, but once her long lost love returned, she flipped a switch and was this happy, ebullient person. My head was spinning. Shouldn't she have some reservations, some hesitations from her earlier experiences? She was like a different person.

The plot was good, actually, though it dragged in a few places. I found myself getting more and more engaged, and drawn into the family dynamics. Honestly, the family members and their interactions and were my favorite part of the story.

A good story, but not a great one, Marry in Secret will satisfy most readers, though I wanted a bit more.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

For a debutante on the marriage mart, success is measured by the rank of the peer that she can land. Even through Lady Rose is embarking on a marriage of convenience to the Duke of Everingham it is still a shock to have the nuptials stopped by a ragged stranger with a voice from her past claiming to be her husband. Shockwaves run through the crème de la crème gathered in the prestigious church. What an electrifying start to what I hoped was a great story from a new to me author.
As her family rallied around her over the wedding breakfast sans wedding guests, Rose remembers her past with bitter sweetness because while the claim is true, she did marry in secret and very young, the man claiming to be her husband in no way resembles the handsome naval officer she fell in love with.
Thomas Beresford, resurrected from the dead in no way resembles the dashing, handsome naval officer that Rose had once secretly married for love. Burning with vengeance, brutally betrayed by those he once believed family, Thomas only needs Rose for one thing - her fortune. Once he's stopped her marriage and finds her willing to be his wife and share her fortune with him, interestingly Thomas develops a conscience and shies away from Rose.
As the story unfolds and the two try to find a way to bridge the gap of secrets and time and emotional and physical damage but there is someone who has a vested interest in preventing this from happening. Who betrayed Thomas, the answer will definitely catch readers by surprise. All in all an interesting tale that kept me absorbed and a new voice to add to writers that I'd like to see more of in the future.

This is a very good read. It starts off with a real shocker and then takes us on a steady ride to an HEA. Rose has never forgotten Thomas and how she loved him. Thomas is a broken man trying to find his footing in a world he left behind. We truly hope for their reunion. There are twists and surprises. I can highly recommend this well written Historical Romance.

[CW: miscarriage / loss of a child]

A new Anne Gracie novel is always cause for celebration. Marry in Secret is a wonderful story, where Gracie elegantly shows how a couple formerly in love but separated by supposed death face the fact that they still are married and have to go on with their lives. Should they take a leap of faith and work towards making their marriage a success or should they give up and seek an annulment? They have changed irrevocably in the intervening years, can they (should they?) overcome that?

What I liked best about this story is Rose’s positivity and belief in the marriage they had made. She does not take her vows lightly. She made them in good faith and in love, and while Thomas and herself have both changed significantly and irrevocably, she is willing to believe that they can seek new common ground and grow together through patience and understanding. Despite being so young, they had both been able to see below the superficial surface of each other to the real person beneath. She is of firm belief that such a love does not die and can grow back stronger than before through the assiduous care and deliberate thought of two conscientious, mature people.

She is firmly convinced of this and is willing to be diligent in her efforts to save her marriage. She simply has to persuade Thomas to rise above his despondency to fight for them also.

Marry in Secret is a wonderful look at the dedication it takes to make a marriage work, and that, “I Love You” is just the beginning.

https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-marry-in-secret-by-anne-gracie/

Rose Rutherford is about to make the marriage of the season. As she and her duke, are exchanging vows, the ceremony is interrupted by ……. her husband!

When Rose was only sixteen, she met a young naval commander, Thomas Beresford, and they fell passionately in love. They married in secret, and he soon had to return to his ship. Within weeks of their wedding, Thomas and all of his crew were reported dead, leaving Rose a widow. Heartbroken and unsure, Rose chooses to keep her brief marriage a secret, and remains at school and attempts to get on with her life. Now twenty, Rose rejects any thoughts of love, and decides that a marriage of convenience is what she needs. That will allow her to have children while avoiding any messy emotional entanglements. When a young and wealthy duke makes a cold blooded marriage proposal, Rose accepts.

Thomas did not die as reported. He and five of his men managed to survive, only to be captured and sold as slaves. The last four years have been devastating to Thomas, as his refusal to act as a navigator for pirates has caused him to be reduced to being a galley slave, the lowest of the low. He was freed, only by a miraculous event, and made his way home to Rose. His arrival is ironically on her wedding day, and a scrawny and disheveled Thomas races to the church to stop the wedding. He is so drastically changed that Rose doesn’t recognize him, until she looks into those blue eyes that she loved so dearly.

Amidst the chaos, the wedding is called off. Rose is whisked home while her brother, Cal, confronts Thomas. He can’t believe that Rose would marry in secret, much less to this beaten down, ragged man. Cal is initially very hostile to Thomas, only thinking of having the marriage, if there is indeed a legal marriage, annulled. He reluctantly agrees to take Thomas back to his home where the whole family can discuss the situation.

Though Rose is confused and still in shock, she defies her brother by stating that she will remain married to Thomas, as is her duty. Thomas is hurt by Rose’s wanting to stay only out of duty, but he’s in no position to argue. While he did marry her for love, he now has need of her fortune. Thomas made a vow to go back and find and free his five comrades, and to do this, he will need much money to pay their ransoms. He is also burning with desire to confront his uncle and cousin, both of whom refused to pay his own ransom to the pirates, which would have freed him.

Thomas is such a heartbreaking figure. Thoughts of his young wife are what kept him going, and her reaction to him is far from what he hoped for. Added to that is the blatant hostility from her relatives who are still urging her to annul the marriage. Thomas also has to find out why his beloved relatives rejected him. The navy refuses to help him rescue his men, and his body is still struggling to recover from years of abuse and malnutrition. This is more than enough to break most men, but Thomas perseveres.

Rose is ashamed of her lack of welcome for Thomas, though the truth is that she was truly in shock. As she finally begins to really accept that Thomas is genuinely alive and back in her life, she gains back some of her fire, and determines to create a home and life with her husband, whom she never stopped loving. Their passion for each other is still burning hotly, and they slowly move forward, though Thomas is determined to go back to Mogador and rescue his friends. Then the mysterious incidents begin to happen, and it’s clear that someone is out to permanently remove Thomas or Rose -- or, possibly, both.

MARRY IN SECRET is heartbreaking, emotional, and compelling, with several of the scenes bringing tears. Thomas and Rose are so vividly portrayed that I could feel their anguish. The romance and then the small steps that they take to rebuild their marriage are believably and realistically portrayed. The mystery only added to the overall allure of this book, which I literally could not put down. I love this well written book, and this couple, who endured so much, and who finally found a way to their happy future together.

Lady Rose Rutherford has accepted the proposal of the Duke of Everingham, her sister Lily and her niece George, think she should wait for love, but Rose doesn’t want love – it hurts. She is content to marry the duke and live her own life. The ceremony begins and Rose is resigned to the marriage and is floored when a filthy man charges in and demands that the wedding be stopped! She has no idea who the man is, but when he claims to be her husband and she really looks at him – Rose realizes that the man is indeed Thomas, her dead husband!!

Four years ago, Rose met Thomas Bersford in Bath and at the age of 16 married him before he set out to sea with the Royal Navy. Two short weeks later, Rose learns that Thomas’s ship was sunk and there were no survivors – Rose never told a soul that she had married and mourned in silence. But here he is – back from the dead and claiming her as his wife. When Thomas married Rose he didn’t care about her fortune, but now after living through hell, he is back and needs the money to save his men from the life he barely escaped. He would ask his uncle for help, but he turned his back on Thomas when he was first captured and held for ransom, so Rose’s fortune is his only option. But first he will have to get her to admit to being his wife and convince her family they were married. But after he talks to her, his conscience won’t let him use her just for her money and he tells her to think about what she wants to do.

Rose never stopped loving Thomas, but never told anyone of their marriage – there seemed to be no reason – he was dead. But now she has been given a second chance and there is no way she is letting him go – even when her family and oddly enough, Thomas tell her to consider an annulment – No, Rose wants a life with Thomas and won’t let him leave her again. Slowly, she learns the horrid truth of Thomas’s time away and admires his determination to save his men. Thomas is not the man she knew, but he is still the man she loved, even though he insists he is not. So, still love him she does and will do whatever is needed to help him heal. But as the events of the past four years unfold and truths come out – Thomas and Rose discover that someone is very unhappy about Thomas’s return and will stop at nothing to keep him and Rose from building a life together.

I loved this story, from the first page to the last, I loved that Rose was steadfast in her love and that Thomas for all his gruffness and denial, still loved Rose. This book really takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride of laughter, tears, love, desire, shame, horror, betrayal, anger, hope and healing with a little bit of a “whodunit” mystery thrown in. It is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone with no problems and the ending will leaving eager to read the next installment!!

I enjoyed the first two books in Anne Gracie’s Marriage of Convenience series – in fact, the first, Marry in Haste, was a DIK – but this third book proved to be something of a disappointment. The premise – a young woman about to make an advantageous, but loveless, marriage is unexpectedly confronted by the man she married years before and believed dead – sounded as though it might make for a good read, but sadly, after the initial excitement of the opening chapters, things fizzled out. The main characters were bland and didn’t grab my interest, and instead of a rekindling relationship, I got a couple who, after a bit of angsting over whether they wanted to be together, resumed their marriage and shagged a lot, and a story that revolved more around a rather weak whodunnit than a romance.

Twenty-year-old Lady Rose Rutheford is due to marry the Duke of Everingham in what has been hailed as the match of the year. Her sister Lily and cousin George (Georgiana) aren’t happy about the match; Everingham is handsome, wealthy and titled, for sure, but he’s a cold fish and they think Rose is making a huge mistake. But Rose is adamant. She doesn’t want a love match and she and the duke have reached an agreement – she will give him his heir and he will give her the freedom to live as she wants. When, however, the ceremony is interrupted by a gaunt, dirty and dishevelled man insisting that Rose is already married – to him – the reasons for Rose’s choice become apparent. When she was sixteen and still away at school she met and fell in love with Thomas Beresford, a young naval officer. They married secretly just a couple of weeks before Thomas was was due to go to sea – and just a few weeks later, Rose learned that his ship had been sunk and everyone aboard had died. Numbed with grief, and concerned for her sister Lily, who was recovering from a serious illness, Rose doesn’t tell anyone about Thomas or their short-lived marriage, and the more time passes, the more she thinks there’s no point in saying anything.

The first quarter or so of the story captured my interest. Rose, shocked beyond belief, doesn’t know how to feel or what to do while her brother Cal and her snooty Aunt Agatha insist Thomas is nothing but a liar and schemer out to get his hands on Rose’s fortune. When Rose fails to acknowledge him – to be fair, she doesn’t deny him either – Thomas is hurt and angry, and is determined to stand his ground and claim his wife. But after Rose says she doesn’t want the marriage annulled and that she will honour her marriage vows, he starts to see that perhaps he’s wrong and that staying married to him – especially give how much he’s changed over the past four years – isn’t the best thing for Rose. After this, Thomas tries to discourage Rose from her determination to remain his wife while Rose – who has miraculously turned back into the lively, headstrong and flirtatious young woman he met four years earlier (and whom her family believed had disappeared) – seems to grow only more intent on remaining by his side (and getting him into her bed!)

While Thomas continues to be torn over his relationship with Rose, we learn something of what happened to him in the years he was gone. He and a number of his crewmates were captured by Barbary pirates and sold as slaves after Thomas’ plea to his uncle for ransom was denied. It took him years to escape, but now he has, he’s determined to find the men who were captured with him and free them – and to find out why his uncle denied him. When Thomas visits his bank in London and discovers a number of irregularities in his finances, he realises that something underhand is going on; someone is stealing from him and it’s obviously been going on for some time. But who? And why?

Thus, what could have been a second chance romance about two people who married impulsively getting to know each other after their enforced separation and really learning to love each other turned out to be a not-very-mysterious mystery with no romantic or character development whatsoever. Thomas indulges in a lot of hand-wringing of the I-do-not-wish-to-sully-your-purity-with-my-degradation sort, while Rose is relentlessly cheerful and pretty much bulldozes her way through everything he says. Thomas’ experiences as a captive and slave have obviously affected the way he treats servants and others who are regarded by those of his class as beneath them, and he clearly feels shame about what happened to him, but there’s not much depth to his character or Rose’s; neither is especially memorable or engaging and I didn’t connect with either of them. I liked the relationship between Cal and Ned (heroes of the previous books) and the one that was developing between them and Thomas, but the ladies were thinly sketched and the identity of the wrong-doer was obvious.

Marry in Haste is an exercise in wasted potential in just about every way. The romance is non-existent, the mystery is weak and the characterisation is uninspired. I may pick up the next (and final) book in the series because I’m intrigued at the prospect of the pairing of the cold fish duke with the I’m-never-getting-married-and-handing-over-control-of-my-life Lady Georgiana, but I really can’t recommend this instalment.

Grade: C

Marry in Secret is an emotional, heart-tugging reunion romance with all the feels. Secretly married at the young ages of 16 and 23, Rose and Thomas are quickly separated when he's recalled to his ship. Scant weeks later, news comes that the ship has sunk with no survivors. Devastated by her husband's death and another soul-crushing loss on its heels, Rose never shares the news of her marriage with her family or anyone else. Four years later, after declining numerous proposals, she's about to enter into a loveless marriage with a duke when her bedraggled, but very much alive, husband crashes into the church and brings everything to a halt.

Captured by Barbary pirates, Thomas has endured unspeakable cruelty as a galley slave for the past four years after his uncle refused to pay his ransom. The only thing that kept him going was his determination to return to Rose. Finally escaping, he's made his way back to England with two goals: reclaim his wife and gather the necessary funds to return to the Barbary Coast to rescue the members of his crew still held captive. Of course, he doesn't expect to find his wife at the altar with someone else. Or determined to stay married to him when he offers to set her free. A lot of things have changed in the past four years, Rose among them. Will they find their way back to one another or be separated for good?

I adored this couple. We've seen Rose grow over the first two books in the series and she's finally ready to stand on her own and fight for what she wants. I love her steadfast support of Thomas, her determination to help him overcome the effects of his captivity, her love and appreciation of the man he's become, and her unwavering belief that they belong together. I also love how she goes toe to toe with him and refuses to be left behind. She's grown into a woman who is determined to stand beside her husband and protect him just as he protects her. I just wanted to hug Thomas. He's a good, decent man who tries to do the right thing but he's been through hell and the struggle to overcome it is real. He's been betrayed by those he thought loved him; suffers with not knowing if his crew still lives or how he'll get them home, and, after all he's been through, doesn't think he's worthy of Rose's love any longer. But he wants it. Oh, how he wants it.

Gracie is a master at bringing characters to life, as she's done with each and every one in this book. They all spring from the pages with vitality - from Rose and Thomas, to Rose's overprotective brother, Cal, to their haughty great-aunt Agatha, to Thomas's whiny cousin, and more. She creates such a realistic dynamic that I feel as if I'm right there with all of them, sharing experiences and emotions. There's humor, hope, poignancy, redemption, desire, and love and I was immersed in it every step of the way.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this family and eagerly anticipate seeing more of them in each book of the series. There's one more story to go. George is the forgotten daughter who was left to raise herself in the country and has little to no use for the society she's been thrust into since her family discovered her existence. She's more at home on a horse than in a ballroom, in pants than a gown, and prefers her dog's company to just about anyone else's. I'm pretty sure I know who her hero is going to be and if I'm right, oh boy, is this going to be fun. I can't wait!

4.5 Stars

3,5- 4 STARS

This was a great read, I loved the storyline and I enjoyed the characters.The romance was nice you could feel their attraction and the chemistry!I wish we had a little bit more of the back story though.It was emotional and intense but there are also some light scenes! I can't wait to read more books from this author!

**4.5 stars**

This book kind of took me by surprise! I was immediately sucked into the story from the beginning. I definitely didn't expect that to happen. I figured it would take a couple chapters for me to get into the story.

"But falling in love was the very last thing Rose wanted. She couldn't explain why to Lily or George -- or anyone else. Not without stirring up... things better left untouched."


Thomas has been gone for years. Rose truly thought that part of her life was over. She grieved and moved on and was ready to start a new chapter of her life. Then he shows up just seconds before committing to another.

I seriously couldn't put this book down. It had just that touch of drama elements to keep me sucked in. I wanted more of Thomas and Rose. I just really wanted to learn more about Thomas since he was gone for soo long and he just seemed like an interesting character!

"Thomas," Rose murmured in a warning voice as they came together in the dance.
"What?" Had he made a mistake?
"Careful, your enjoyment is showing."


So, like I said. This book was amazing! I am excited to backtrack and read the other 2 in this series. This was my first time reading Anne Gracie's books and most certainly not my last!

We meet up with Rose when she’s about to be married to a duke, a marriage of convenience, not a love-match, but as you gather from the book description that’s not going to happen. Rose married four years ago, but thought her husband died at sea while taking her heart with him.

I really enjoyed Marry in Secret, Rose had a heart of gold and was patient and supportive of Thomas. He went through a harrowing experience, something I didn’t really know happened to seamen at the time, but the author’s note explains Thomas’s experience was based on a real-life account and it’s heartbreaking. It definitely took more time to unravel all of Thomas’ situation and feelings, but I never doubted that he loved Rose, and she didn’t either. There’s a mystery about Thomas’ family and some danger that comes from it, adding a bit more excitement that kept me turning those pages to get to the bottom of things.

Following Rose and Thomas as they sort out the past, get to know each other and savor their reunion was touching, emotional and a pleasure! This is my first Anne Gracie novel, but it won’t be my last! I think Rose’s cousin Georgiana is up next and I can’t wait!

Series: Marriage of Convenience #3
Publication Date: 7/30/2019
Number of Pages: 336

I absolutely loved this book! There was no “Oh, woe is me”. No navel-gazing. No page-after-page of angst - even though both of these characters had every reason to do those things. I know – it is odd to love a book for what it doesn’t have, but I do get so tired of books where the main focus is nothing but those things. This one was refreshing, romantic, steamy and just a lovely read.

There are some heartbreaking subjects in this novel, particularly that of the slave trade on the Barbary Coast. It doesn’t touch on or deal with the African slave trade (to the Americas), only that of the Ottoman Empire.

Lady Rose Rutherford is one of the best heroines I’ve read in a long time. She’s smart, steadfast, loyal, faithful and loving. She fell head-over-heels in love at sixteen and never doubted, never faltered, never stopped – even in the face of some of the worst heartache you’ll ever see.

Thomas Beresford followed in his father’s footsteps and purchased a commission in the Navy when he was sixteen. He loved the navy and rose through the ranks over the next seven years to the rank of Commander. Then, at the age of twenty-three, he met, fell in love, and married Rose Rutherford. They married in secret and then he sailed away. His ship sank with all hands reported lost – and his four-year nightmare began.

Thomas was a wonderful hero. After all that had happened to him, he was still the most honorable and caring of men. He was truly a hero in every sense of the word. He was totally unselfish and bent on rescuing the other members of his crew who were enslaved.

I loved the opening scene. Rose had finally agreed to marry because it would, with agreement from the groom, be a totally loveless marriage based solely on procreation. Rose would never love again, but she did want children, so a marriage of convenience would suit her fine. At the wedding ceremony, during that tensest of statements “If anyone has a reason this marriage cannot take place” – there is a shout from the back of the church. The man is unkempt – with long hair, beard, ragged clothing, and a stench – and he had just claimed that Rose was his wife.

After Rose’s initial shock – and wouldn’t that be a shock – she embraced her marriage to Thomas and her love for him. She never, ever wavered even when he tried to dissuade her. Her initial reaction might not have been everything he had hoped for, even he recognized that his appearance and his return from the dead was enough to shock her for a while. But boy, once that shock wore off, she was a very determined lady.

I highly recommend this book and hope you love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

I did not enjoy the first two books in the Marriage of Convenience series, so I was a little unsure about reading Marry in Secret. I wasn't going to bother continuing this series, but I couldn't resist the synopsis for Marry in Secret. I'm glad I gave it a chance because it was so much better than the previous two books.

Contrary to its predecessors, Marry in Secret was not terribly boring, mostly because of the premise. I was actually pretty engaged with the story and I breezed through the first half. That being said, Anne Gracie takes an awful lot of time to set up the story. It takes a long time for Thomas and Rose to finally meet again after he bursts into church to prevent her marriage. I find that I didn't mind the long wait in this book because it actually built my anticipation and made the reunion that much sweeter. I really enjoyed Thomas and Rose as individual characters and as a couple. I wasn't Rose's biggest fan in the previous books, but I surprisingly really liked her here.

Keeping all of this in mind, I really wish the author had given us at least one flashback scene. We are told that Rose and Thomas fell in love four years ago, but it was barely described. I wish we were shown how they fell in love, instead of just being briefly told about their young love. Instead of extending the set up, the author could have used that space for a few flashbacks instead. I think this would have made the book and the love story stronger overall.

The mystery in this book was so painfully predictable. It could have been resolved much early on, but was deliberately delayed until the climax, which was a little frustrating because it was so obvious who the culprit was! The only thing that wasn't predictable was the culprit's motive, which was quite interesting now that I think about it. It provided an intetesting parallel that I didn't see coming.

Anyway, overall, not a bad book. I liked it for the most part. While I didn't enjoy the first two books in this series, each book has gotten progressively better than its predecessor. So maybe George's book will take the cake for me.

Rose is an heiress, attractive, and still unwed.  Her termagant Aunt has her made the match of the year...marriage to a wealthy Duke.  But nope, this isn't one of those sexy, wealthy, and charming Dukes.  This guy is a cold fish.  But don't worry, he doesn't last long.

This is the third in a series, but I have not read the others and worked fine as a standalone.  Rose has given up on romance and love and agreed to marry a Duke for convenience and to get on with her life.  Her family urges her to hold out for love, but for reasons she won't reveal, she has decided that love is not for her.

Ready to endure a brilliant match but cold marriage, Rose marches down the aisle.  But as they say their vows, the ceremony is interrupted by an unkempt stranger who claims to be her husband.  The mean Aunt wants to toss him on the street, Rose's brother wants to smack him around, and Rose is terrified until she looks in the stranger's eyes.

Thomas was thought to be lost at sea.  Back on British soil, his mind is focused on two things: getting his wife back and returning to rescue fellow survivor ship mates.  He will leave no stone unturned to rally the resources.

Truly a second chance romance of two former lovers relearning each other, Rose and Thomas have chemistry (and lots of sex) but their inner lives are wrought with turmoil that slowly serves to drive a wedge.  Much of the book focuses on how they navigate their past traumas and try to move on.

There are some light and fun scenes (redecorating a dusty old townhouse is kind of my jam) but there is also plenty of seriousness.  There are themes of slavery, abuse, and illness which may be difficult for some readers.  Because the H/H are already married, the thrust of the book is looking for the HEA...after the I dos.  That can be really refreshing for a reader sick of the HEA = wedding that sometimes Reg Roms can end on, and readers hungry for a look at how past loves find love anew amid personal trauma, this will be a welcome read.

Rose is pretty outspoken, single minded.  Thomas is a man possessed by sense of duty and loyalty.  I think this pair well when dealing with tough material.  I would have liked a bit more backstory to really understand what drew these two together, but then again they were both young when married, so maybe that is less interesting then how they find their feet again in the marriage.  Rose is a very grown up 20, and Thomas seems like a man much older than his 27 years.  So even though they seem like a young, love match kind of couple there is a lot of growing up that has happened in their years apart.

I enjoyed this book.  It grapples with some challenging subject material, and I can see some readers being turned off by it.  But if you are looking for a departure from the lighter Reg Roms, you should check this one out.

Intimacy is pretty vanilla but frequent, there are some mentions of violence and a fight scene or to, and lots of adult subject matter that won't be for all readers.

Book is out July 30th.

ARC from Netgalley

I enjoyed Gracie's 2nd book in the "Marriage of Convenience" series, and was looking forward to reading the story of elder sister Rose's romance. But I found myself more disappointed than overjoyed by this latest installment. The book opens with Rose at the altar, about to marry a duke whom she's chosen because he, like she, doesn't want to marry for love. But when the wedding is interrupted by an unkempt but well-spoken man, it turns out that Rose had once, and secretly, married for love, when she was an adolescent. Rose hadn't told anyone in her family about the secret wedding; at the time, her beloved sister Lily was ill with a dangerous case of the mumps, her favorite brother was away at war, and her father and eldest brother would only have had the marriage annulled, since she was underage and married without permission. And since her husband was soon reported dead at sea, she had no reason to tell anyone later.

Rose's reaction to the sudden reappearance of Thomas Beresford (he was 23, she was 16 when they married) is unexpected; rather than embrace him with joy after his four-year absence, as Thomas had imagined, she's upset and standoffish, surrounded by female relatives who want to protect her from this apparent interloper. At first, Thomas insists Rose is his no matter what her male relatives say. But, worried that perhaps Rose no longer wants him, and that he is no longer worthy of her, he has a sudden change of heart and abruptly agrees to her family's wishes for an annulment. As soon as he does, however, Rose decides she wants to abide by her marriage vows, even though the engaging, open man she married is far from the abrupt, taciturn near-stranger who faces her now.

Both Rose and Thomas have experienced trauma in the four years since they've been apart, but while Rose confides her difficulties and hurts to Thomas, he keeps the details of his hidden, although it is revealed fairly early on in the story that <spoiler>he was captured by Barbary pirates and sold as a slave</spoiler>. The two have a lot of sex, but beyond that there isn't much to show them getting to know one another again, or any events that bring them emotionally closer. Rose is cheerful, Thomas is taciturn, the story is amused by all the "female" bustling about decorating their new house and preparing for the ball announcing Thomas's return to society. And then there's some melodrama about someone trying to kill Thomas...

Perhaps because I'm in the midst of doing research about the British in West Africa during the Regency period, reading a lot about British involvement in the African slave trade, I found myself frustrated by the awkward combination here of lighthearted narrative (cute dog, men laughing at the way their women bulldoze over their wishes, etc) with the backstory of Thomas's enslavement.

It made me wonder: how many historical romances have featured Europeans coming back from being enslaved by Barbary pirates, vs. those that have featured Englishmen who were actively involved in the African slave trade (even as villains)? So many real Brits were involved in the latter, even members Brits of the aristocracy (37 members of the House of Lords received compensation from the West India Slave Compensation Commission in 1833, as did 80 of the 650 MPs in the House of Commons). And many newly wealthy members of society had made their money from their involvement in slavery or its allied trades (see https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b063db18). In contrast, while thousands of Europeans were enslaved by the Barbary pirates, most were from southern Europe, which suggests that, at least during the Regency period, the number of Brits who benefited from the Atlantic slave trade was far higher than those who were the victims of the Northern African slave trade.

Though it was surely not the intention of Gracie or other white authors of historical romance to minimize the severity of the Atlantic slave trade, those who feature protagonists who experienced enslavement at the hands of the Ottomans and ignore the participation of Europeans in the Atlantic slave trade can inadvertently suggest that Europeans were the ones most harmed by enslavement during the English Regency period, and contribute to unthinkingly to white supremacist rhetoric and discourse.

Thomas Beresford could hardly believe he was married to Lady Rose Rutherford, a sixteen-year-old impetuous young lady. Their attraction was immediate and they spent a short blissful time together before he shipped out with the Royal Navy. When Rose learns the tragic news that Thomas and the entire crew died at sea, she saw no reason to tell her family about their secret marriage. Now four years later, Thomas has returned, but he's not the Thomas she married. Can they rekindle their love or has Thomas's horrifying experiences left him barren of any emotion, even for his sweet Rose.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Gracie and I've definitely found a new author to read. She is a master storyteller, reigning in the reader with descriptions that jump off the page and make you feel what the characters are feeling. The story of Thomas was horrifying and tortuous and I wondered how Ms. Gracie would give him back his emotional well-being and I was not disappointed. Though I had figured out who the villain in the story was, I had not figured out the "why." This well written regency romance will certainly delight and enthrall fans who like some "meat" to their stories.

I love Anne Gracie’s books. I came across her books when a friend posted about how much she loved her stories so I immediately grabbed one and couldn’t stop reading. Marry in Secret is the third book in the Marriage of Convenience series, and it focuses on Rose.

Rose is looking for some freedom and has come to a decision that the only way she will get it is if she marries. Just as she is walking down the aisle to wed one of the most eligible bachelors in London, someone she never expected walks back into her life and stops everything…her husband! We find out that Rose secretly married Thomas, a naval officer, just before he headed out to sea and for the last four years has thought he was dead. Of course, his turning up not only stops the wedding but also puts these two in a situation they never thought they would be in. As they determine what is the best course of action for their marriage, they also have to overcome the danger because Thomas was clearly betrayed, and someone is still trying to get rid of him.

I loved Rose. Despite the initial shock of seeing Thomas return, she knew immediately what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to push Thomas to acknowledge they should still be together no matter how much he tried to push her away. I thought Thomas was a great character as well. He has had a rough time since he was thought lost at sea but his motivation to find out why he was betrayed and to get back to Rose are what drove him to find his way back. I loved that once he was back, he never gave up on trying to find the men that survived with him. His desire to bring them home no matter what showed his true character.

If you have read the other two books in this series, you know the typical cast of characters. I loved that we got to see how their relationships were progressing and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series so we can see what happens next for George.

As always, another great historical romance by Anne Gracie. Consider checking her books out if you haven’t already. I love how she develops her characters, builds out the story, and keeps me turning the pages so I can get to the HEA.

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Lady Rose Rutherford secretly married Thomas Beresford when she was still a schoolgirl but before she could adjust to married life, the young naval officer was presumed dead. Four years later and Rose is going to marry the Duke of Everingham but on her wedding day a grungy, bearded man bursts into the church and reveals Rose’s secret marriage, to him. Thomas is back, bitter, furious, and seeking revenge for the betrayals and suffering he’s endured for four years and he doesn’t care if he has to use Rose to get what he wants but Rose isn’t afraid of Thomas, in fact, she’s determined to find out just what happened to Thomas and if they can find a way to fall back in love with each other after so long.






Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? It’s been a spell since the last book in the Marriage of Convenience series so I had to revisit the previous books. Not a hardship in the least to be honest. Thomas and Rose’s romance reminded me why I enjoy Anne Gracie’s writing style. She takes the time to introduce her characters without making the pace sluggish or the plot boring. Through every day rituals and events, I got the chance to get to know both Thomas and Rose, reunite with the Rutherfords, and meet a few new characters along the way.

At first Rose could be mistaken for a silly, weak heroine but she’s actual a brave, resilient woman. Her strength is not in how loud she protests but in how quietly she just goes her own way. She’s the type of character who will look an oppressive matron in the face, smile, and nod but as soon as she’s left, Rose will do exactly what she thinks is best for herself. Her quiet determination spoke much louder than a character outright rebelled. It worked for Rose. She’s the total opposite of her niece, Georgiana.

Thomas was a force to be reckoned with for sure. It would have been easy for him to be the domineering, cruel type just based on what he had been through. He had moments of being a bit on the jerk side but buried deep inside where the tender feelings he had for Rose and no matter how hard he tried to convince himself of it, he couldn’t stop loving her. His sweet moments started out as few and far between but Rose is the type of character that is impossible not to love and soon enough, the real Thomas started to show. That’s when I could see why Rose fell so in love with him and married him in secret. His reasons for wanting revenge are totally valid, but in a surprise twist, Thomas’ belief of who is responsible is turned upside down.

For me though it was the second chance romance that made Marry in Secret a total win. Thomas and Rose essentially had to get to know each other all over again and the author gave them the chance to do that. Anne Gracie built a relationship I could believe in. She gave Thomas and Rose a real chance to make their marriage more than just a convenient one. Their conversations weren’t simply a tool to move a scene along but doorways for a deeper understanding between them. I was moved by the tenderness the grew between them and that doesn’t happen very often.

Click It or Skip It? Click It. Marry in Secret will be hard to beat, even though George has been my favorite character from the beginning.


* Review will be posted on Amazon on release day