Member Reviews

Jen Geigle Johnson not only displays enviable, established research, she seamlessly moves in and out of historical time periods with atmospheric aplomb! I loved how she bridged the worlds between prim London and a Philadelphia on the brink of social and cultural change

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Desperate to escape the marriage her father is determined to force her into, Lady Elizabeth flees to America to work as a housekeeper - despite having no idea how to undertake such a role.

Initially, Lord Barton is amused by Liz's attempts to act as a member of the working class. Taking pity on her despite his amusement, he gives her tips and helps her to prepare for the task ahead.

Anthony is less than amused, however, when he discovers that this housekeeper-in-training is in fact, his housekeeper. Especially given he hopes to impress his new neighbours.

An entertaining read.

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I thought His Lady in Hiding was a good read. I enjoyed reading it. I am giving this book four stars.

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A new to me author who certainly took me on a journey. Characters are well developed and draw you in to their plight. Liz takes her future back into her own hands and travels as a housekeeper to America. She meets Lord Anthony and the adventure begins. There is a friendship that develops into more and I like that they had to work through real issues before finding their happily ever after. The descriptions of the time period, locations and aristocracy were rich and vivid, and I enjoyed learning some historical facts along the way. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

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I loved everything about this book: The storyline; the settings in England and America; and especially the characters. I was drawn into Liz’s story from the very beginning, and admired her bravery as she escaped to America in order to avoid the disastrous marriage plans being drawn up by her father. She showed great character all the way through this book, and that made her story worth reading. The romance that grew between Liz and Lord Barton seemed to be an impossible one, as Liz felt she could not safely reveal her true identity. This was a story that kept me turning pages, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. This is a clean story with a sweet romance and no foul language.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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His lady in hiding
This book will transport you in time, to big ship sailing to America. Where two more unlikely people will try to find a new beginning.
A lot happens in this story and it’s a clean romance. I wished there had been more chemistry and romance.
I enjoyed the writing and thought the author did a good job.

This was a NETGALLEY gift from the publisher and I’ve given my honest opinion.

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His Lady in Hiding by Jen Geigle Johnson was an interesting read thanks to the topics she covers (among which there's the slavery in America and people of the ton running away and becoming servants). In this book, we follow the story of Lady Elizabeth 'Liz' Davenport, and how, after being forced to accept a Lord's proposal which would only benefit his father, runs away and becomes the housekeeper to Lord Anthony Barton, second son of a Marquess.

Now, while I liked most of the descriptions of the settings the author provided, such as the ocean, or the trees by the river during Fall, there were other things that didn't fully allow me to enjoy the book. For starters, Liz's character was so conceited at the beginning, and she really struggled with curving her tongue, that when along the way (halfway through the story) we're supposed to see she's trying, changing, or doing better, I couldn't really believe it nor could I really root for her. Second, the characters' moods and emotions changed so fast that at times I felt like they were giving me whiplash; and that's without mentioning the too convenient placement of secondary characters that'd end up helping the MC or solving the problem a bit too fast at times. Finally, I think the book could have ended by the 80% mark had Lord Barton not received a certain letter, thus leaving the reader with the feeling that the end was dragging or getting forever to arrive (especially with the piling of problem after problem till the last possible moment), and giving a too fast resolution to everything (though not tying all loose ends neatly, such as with Pinweather).

All in all, I think this sweet Historical Romance would be perfect for fans of Ms. Johnson's writing; and even though I wouldn't be personally able to recommend this book, due to the reasons explained above, I think I will stick to the author's novellas. ~3.5 stars

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In His Lady in Hiding, Lady Elizabeth Davenport's father promises her in marriage to one of his old cronies, to pay off his debts. Feeling like she has no other recourse, Elizabeth runs away to America to be a housekeeper, even though she has no experience with the duties of a servant. Elizabeth meets Lord Anthony Barton while sailing to America and their friendship blossoms as he tries to help her prepare to be a servant. There are some really cute moments between them on the ship and some laugh out loud situations. When they get to America, things start to unravel quickly when Lord Barton realizes that Elizabeth is his new housekeeper. And when secrets are revealed, Anthony and Elizabeth's feelings for each other will be tested to the limits.

I really enjoyed the heroine, Lady Elizabeth. She got herself into a lot of scrapes throughout the book, but was really trying to do her best in the situation, which was endearing. She does come across as quite young, with all her giggling and sometimes awkward moments. Since Lord Barton seems so much older, the romance between them was harder for me to root for at times, but I wanted Elizabeth to get her happy ending. Our hero, Lord Barton, was a man of his times, but the way he treated the heroine made him difficult to like. He could be tender and loving one moment, then unkind and rude to her the next. He also has a moment near the end of the book when he could have redeemed himself and how he's treated Lady Elizabeth, but instead takes the cowardly way out and is truly awful to her in her most vulnerable moment. It was hard to like him as a romantic interest after that, but there is a happy ending. The author does a wonderful job with a memorable secondary cast and her descriptions of the sailing conditions were very well done. There was also a bit of intrigue included when old villains resurface that will keep readers up to see how it all turns out!

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Lady Elizabeth Davenport is desperate. Her hand in marriage has been offered to the highest bidder, a distressing proposition in and of itself but made all the more repulsive when she meets her father’s first choice for her hand: Lord Pinweather. When her parents refuse to hear her pleas, Liz is forced to take drastic measures—she will impersonate her maid and begin anew in America on her own terms.

Once on board the ship to America, another passenger, Lord Barton, almost immediately discovers her true status as a noble. After listening to Liz’s highly modified version of her life and her plans to begin again, Barton has compassion on her and teaches her how to abandon her noble mannerisms. Upon disembarking, however, Barton’s generous spirit quickly dampens when he discovers Liz has indeed found work—as his own head housekeeper. Suddenly, the tender feelings they hid from each other on the ship are inescapable, but their difference in station makes romance impossible. As misunderstandings abound and a shocking character from Liz’s past looms, she knows she can’t hide her true identity forever. But as her deception begins to unravel, will her charade cost her the man she loves?

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His Lady in Hiding had a lot of similar themes and pieces as some other books that I have read and enjoyed over the last year. A Reluctant Bride and The Work of Art are two such books that come to mind. Escaping terrible situations or cruel potential fiances. Traveling to America in hopes of new opportunities and a new life. Add in forbidden romance and you've got the making of an interesting story.

Liz flees her home after her father basically sells her hand in marriage to the highest bidder. Initially, Liz is mostly put off physically by her intended, but she comes to learn that he can be quite cruel as well. She quickly makes the decision to assume a new identity, take a job as a housekeeper in America, and board a ship the following day. Traveling alone as a woman isn't entirely safe and Liz takes to sleeping in one of the rowboats stored on the deck of the ship to avoid the horrors of steerage as well as a fellow passenger who is attempting to get handsy. After a meeting with Lord Barton on the ship, the two begin to form a friendship. Lord Barton can tell that she is gentry and not the serving class almost immediately and he decides to try to help her with learning her new role as a housekeeper. In the process, the two become friends.

Lord Barton is the second son of a Marquess. As such he doesn't have the duty or responsibility his older brother has, but he hopes to make an impact for the family by creating a shipping business. He needs to make connections with the local Philadelphia community to make his business successful. And having a relationship with his housekeeper isn't the best way to go about doing that. Usually I connect to the male lead easier than the female lead, but ol' Barton needed to be popped in the head a few times.

His Lady in Hiding had several twists and turns in the plot. I know there was one part where I felt the characters were getting their "happy" too quickly. And I was right. Many more obstacles were in the way and it wasn't until the very end of the story that each piece was finally overcome.

His Lady in Hiding was a fun, light read with a lot to recommend about it. The twists and turns weren't completely without issues, but overall, I did like the characters and their story. I read it quickly which is always a good thing. His Lady in Hiding gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read His Lady in Hiding? What did you think? Let me know!

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Oh how I adored this story! Lady Elizabeth Davenport is funny! She's not going to let anything stand in her way of choosing to be happy. Especially when her father agrees to a betrothal between her and Lord Pinweather, a very odious man. So what else is a girl to do but to take matters into her own hands and escape the country on a ship, dressed and acting like a servant, contracting herself to be the housekeeper of an English Lord in America. Perfect solution!

I loved Lady Elizabeth. From the beginning of the book I laughed over her antics. For someone supposedly hiding as a servant she forgets herself and lets her tongue take over before her mind catches up. But I was so glad she did because she was a breath of fresh air and became friends with so many of the characters that she interacted with. And it's a good thing she did, otherwise she might not have had such a good group of people to help aid her in her endeavors and rescues.

And of course her first meeting with Lord Barton was quite an adventure. And her comments towards him afterwards were hysterical. Because of course that's what a normal person would say after rescue. Actually, it was probably what a highly bred and trained lady would say. So that made it humorous as well.

Lady Elizabeth and Lord Barton are in a bit of a predicament when their friendship develops and they start feeling sparks and then discover she is his housekeeper. Oh my! Talk about trying to tip toe around each other and working with each other and keeping up appearances. I loved it!

And don't forget that odious Lord Pinweather. He keeps showing up and making a nuisance of himself. Oh, spiteful, hateful, odious man! Pssshhh! Let's all decide to give him the cut direct. That will surely teach him. ;-) If you're looking for a delightfully fun and enjoyable Regency story with humor and wonderful characters then I hope you enjoy this one. I've enjoyed this author's previous historical novels and I loved that she added some fun joyful humor into this book. And my final warning...Lord Barton beware of water when Lady Elizabeth is around. Just saying! Enjoy!!!

Content: Clean

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

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I really enjoyed this book! I like the two main characters and the rapport they develop. I really liked the introduction and information about Richard Allen and his wife.
I only wish that the villain had gotten more of a comeuppance!

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Loved every page of this book. Amazing storyline; Jen Geigle Johnson has a wonderful voice; and tells a wonderful story.

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His Lady in Hiding is a really great story! Liz meets Anthony on a ship to America, not knowing that the housekeeper job she is going to is actually for his house. She is just running from a forced engagement and marriage to Lord Pinweather, a man she despises. She hides her true identity from Anthony, but he suspects she isn't really a housekeeper. He does eventually find out that she is a noble woman, but he learns that both his father and brother are killed and he must return to England to take care of the family estate, He has to choose between a lovely girl his brother was betrothed to, or will he have a chance with Liz? Wonderfully written I enjoyed this story very much!

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This book has many interesting components such as a girl being pressured by her parents to marry someone who is completely loathe-worthy and her escape to Philadelphia. It was a distracting read.

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I've been looking forward to reading this book because I've been hearing good things about it. I'm glad a finally got to sit down and read it for myself.

I love the way this book progressed and the many places it took me. I went from England, on a boat to America and back again. There were a lot of characters in this book but I never felt overwhelmed or confused. The author did a great job of introducing characters in a way that felt easy and natural. I had a clear vision of everyone and that always feels good as a reader. I liked Elizabeth so much. And Barton. But mostly Elizabeth. 😊 She is someone I would like to be friends with. Her kindness drew people to her and in the end it was that kindness that saved her because those people rallied around her. I loved that.

This was a good diversion for me this week and I enjoyed the journey of Lady Elizabeth very much.

Content: mild peril, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

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This was a fun read! I will admit it took me a while to get into it. The language was more relaxed than many other regency books. But the story was delightful. The way that Liz chose to change her life and make something new was refreshing. I love the double she came across and the way that she grew. Her strength of character was wonderful. The ending was well worth the read!

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This is a clean, historical romance. While it had a somewhat slow start, it did pick up as the book went along. I really didn't like Liz's character to begin with. She seemed spoiled and entitled. I really did the the growth of her character. It was not instant, which is appreciated, and she turned into a really neat person. Anthony did not change much, but he was a decent character from the beginning. There were several loose ends, but otherwise a very good novel.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. Thank you NetGalley and Covenant Communications. These opinions are my own.

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Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This novel was a clean historical romance with main characters Liz and Anthony both part of British nobility--except for when they first meet Liz is running from an ill suiter and is posing as a servant. She ends up as Anthony's housekeeper in Philadelphia. The book is a bit slow paced for me and many scenes seemed to contrived only for the author's purpose. Liz's character grows and changes in the book but Anthony remains fairly stagnant. I wanted some full closure on the Pinweather character and never really got that....and that he kept showing up at all the "right./wrong" moments is one example of things seeming contrived. Over all a decent read and an author I would be willing to try again.

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His Lady in Hiding
By
Jen Geigle Johnson

I have to start out by saying this is the first book by Jen Geigle Johnson I've read and it defiantly will not be the last. This book was a great page turner with several twist and turns. The story just pulls you in to the point you are wondering "What's Next". "His Lady in Hiding" is a great regency period piece. The main characters are very likable. The only negative part was I didn't want the story to end.

I will recommend this book to other's

Rating is 5 out of 5

This complimentary e-book copy was given to me from the author and netgalley for a honest review. All thoughts are mine and mine alone.

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