This was a in depth look at life at sea in the English Navy. The author does a good job of giving you a very clear picture without adding too much detail/history that would bog a story like this down. It is a slow moving romance that really was a little too slow for me. There could have been some chopping down of the first half of the story. I thought the author did a good job with the characters. I could have had a little more lightheartedness tho. There was just such a sad feeling in the first half of the book. The second half was much funner to read and had some good movement. This is a sweet story with a little violence, some fighting.

I knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I would enjoy this book. This is one of the more wholesome and authentic historical romance novels I’ve read. All of the lead characters have clear and pure intentions and their goal is to be upstanding as possible.

I loved the way Hawk penned this book. The dialogue, the slow and tense build of romance, and the subtle ways the characters expressed affection and adoration.

Georgana and Peyton were perfect characters. They found connection beyond lust as their relationship began as friendship and grew into a dependency. Their love was organic and fresh. I found this to be a much welcomed novel with the tendency for romance to deliver many lines about swelling bosoms and straining pants.

I would love to read more by this author and I’d recommend this book ten times over.

I’ll write a more much formal review with synopsis and character analysis much later.

There is SO much to love about Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks. First, the story is HIGHLY engaging. The pages flew by in this novel because the action is non-stop: there’s a strange illness onboard the HMS Deborah that’s only hitting a certain part of the crew, there are battles on the high sea with the French, and there’s mutiny. There are adventures in Antigua, learning to stand up against bullies, and a seriously sweet romance. I read 70% of this book in one sitting because I could not put it down! In addition to the storyline, I absolutely love the way characters relate in this novel. The camaraderie of most of the crew onboard the HMS Deborah is fun to imagine. The interaction between George and her father, Captain Woodall, appears stiff and formal, but in reality, it is exceptionally evident how much he cares for his child. And, how Georgana and Dominic’s relationship blossoms from friendship to romance is great. The Victor/Victoria relationship in this book works really well and progresses nicely. I especially enjoyed the intelligent journey Dominic takes to figure out who George truly is. And, the historical and nautical details are rich. The detail is written so vividly I felt like I was on board with the crew of the HMS Deborah. Working a boat in the 1800s was an insanely arduous task, and Hawks does a stellar job of portraying this.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton is an excellent hero. There is so much to love about his character. His attention to detail is wonderful. He’s not an “actions first, questions later” kind of guy. Dominic is a man who watches and listens, makes intelligent assessments based on what he hears and sees, and then moves to action. I LOVE how unselfish he is. Once he learns George’s secret he feels he must have answers, but before he confronts anyone he metaphorically steps into George’s and her father’s shoes and looks at the situation from their perspectives. What he “discovers” from standing in their shoes for a moment is that they need protection. Dominic is a protector to his core, and some of my most favorite moments in this novel are when he comes to George’s defense (both before and after he finds out who she is). This, more than the swoony kisses and heartfelt words, makes Dominic a perfect hero in my humble opinion. Swoony kisses and heartfelt words are great, but truly seeing and understanding someone is the best show of love one person can give to another.

I have to mention how much I love Georgana’s character. She is AWESOME. If I had to boil her character down to one word, that word would be resilient. Georgana is a character who gets beat up a lot, and I don’t mean metaphorically. She is the quintessential underdog. She is an 18-year-old girl posing as a boy on her father’s ship in 1811. Ironically, she is doing it for her safety. In this world, Georgana gets knocked down often but she always gets back up. She is a true fighter and she is not afraid to fight for what is good and what is right, and later she is not afraid to fight for love. Georgana is definitely the perfect heroine for Dominic.

Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks is a great historical romance that I cannot recommend enough. It’s a fun, adventurous romance that will have the reader turning pages well into the night. If you are in the mood for a swashbuckling adventure with a sweet romance and timely themes then Georgana’s Secret is the book for you!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishers, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was definitely a unique take on a Regency era book and I really loved that! Georgana sneaks on her father’s ship as a cabin boy George where she meets Lt. Dominic Peyton.

Their relationship, both the development of it and it’s continue md growth during the story was wonderfully done. Most importantly to me though was how well written they were as individual characters who not only found love and acceptance with each other, but also became stronger characters on their own as the book progressed.

The writing and characterization was fantastic so I’ll certainly be reading more books by Arlem Hawks!

"Georgana's Secret" is a Regency romance with most of the plot unfolding on a British Navy ship. While ballroom dances and rides in Hyde Park are sometimes enjoyable story events, this novel has none of those. Instead, there are battles, grave illnesses and injuries, and even an attempted mutiny.

Hawks paints a vivid picture of life on a Royal Navy frigate. This novel is well-researched and full of nautical terms. From raising sails and scrubbing decks, to tapping biscuits to remove weevils before eating said biscuits, life upon the seas was hard and demanding.

The characters are well-drawn. Georgana Woodall and Lieutenant Dominic Peyton are wonderful together, even when she was "George". He teaches her to defend herself, which is all the more touching given that Georgana's abusive grandmother called her a "mistake". While all secondary characters are multi-faceted, Fitz stood out for me.

This Proper Romance features lovely prose and is well-edited. It is also clean. If you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, you will not find them here. However, if you want a believable romance set against a realistic, historical backdrop, this is the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this enjoyable novel.

I must say I am a sucker for the unconventional romance. This one was absolutely fabulous and had everything a good sea story should. Storms, battles, Privateers, and mutineers. There was illness and death, but this was not just any adventure on the high seas, this one had secrets and romance.

Lieutenant Peyton thought he was trying to protect the Captain's cabin boy, George, but there was more to George than meets the eye. George was Georgana who had been whisked away in the night to protect her from her abusive grandmother. Peyton teaches her to defend herself against the other ships boys who dislike her for the captain's favor of her.

Arlem Hawks wove a magnificent tale of adventure and deception and delivered a happy ever after that was as unconventional as the rest of the story. With so many stories of romance out there, it is refreshing when one comes along that is very different than the stories that I am used to. A little adventure always livens things up fabulously.

I received an early copy through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

The characters in this story were well written and played well off each other. I liked the character arcs in the novel. The growth in the characters was well done. I liked the tension both between the "good guys" and the villain & the hero and heroine in the story. This was my first book by Hawks, but i will definitely look for more in the future

I really enjoyed this historical romance and the authors writing style! The love story was very sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing life abroad a ship!

A Regency romance novel featuring a young woman disguised as a young man?! That's definitely a trope my genderqueer heart can fall in love with. Georgana's Secret follows Georgana, disguised as a cabin boy on her father's naval ship. Hawks explains Georgana's presence on the ship by folding in a quiet yet strong narrative about Georgana's experience of an abusive grandmother. The ship offers a tenuous sense of safety, but it is urgent to keep Georgana away from her abusive grandmother. After several years at sea, her effort to hide in plain sight as George the cabin boy is thrown into tricky territory when a new lieutenant, Dominic Peyton, joins the crew and takes George under his wing. As Peyton's affection for George increases and they begin to know each other better, Peyton begins to quietly question George's backstory. Then feelings develop amidst the chaos of life at sea.

A few awkward missteps and a vague sense that of wanting a bit more aside, Georgana's Secret was a lighthearted, yet emotionally thoughtful short Regency novel. I would recommend it! (Closer to a 3.5 star for me, but bumped because I ultimately did enjoy it!)

thanks netgalley for the arc!!!

4 stars

Good story. The Author is new to me. Nice balance of viewpoints. Some from the heroine, George and some from the hero, Dominic. Lots of descriptions of life on a naval ship in regency times. The romance was clean and fairly low key. I would definitely recommend this story and this writer. Delighful Cover.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Captivating! I loved watching this beautiful romance bloom! Georgana disquises herself as a boy to be able to escape the cruelty of her grandmother and to sail the seas with her Navy Captian father. Dominic catches the attention of Georgana and they form an incredible friendship. Dominic is a very caring and gentle soul perfect for the hurting Georgana. I loved watching them encourage each other and help the other face their fears/past. It was fun to watch Dominic finally fit the pieces together. Arlem Hawks' writing is incredible and you feel as tho you are facing the battles with the characters! This book is a great insight into the life at sea during the 1800's. I cannot imagine being on the sea for years on end. Beautiful book and I cannot wait to read more books by Arlem Hawks!!!

I loved this story so much!

This was the first book I read from this author and I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked her writing.

This is a Regency story but it's set on a ship, which is very different from the usual balls and halls and all those other clichés.

Georgana is on a ship captained by her father, and she's disguised as a cabin boy under the name of George. They've been doing this for three years, after her mother's death, to escape her grandmother's abuse. She guards this secret for her sake and her father's, even though this life is hard for her.

Dominic is the new first lieutenant and he loves being on the high seas. When he witnesses the other boys harassing George, he comes to the his rescue. Slowly, a friendship forms between them, with him not knowing she's a young lady. Dominic's kindness is a balm to Georgana and her feelings for him change.

The setting was amazing and I loved the interactions between Georgana and Dominic, especially later in the story.

There was adventure, and peril, and beautiful moments that were a treat to read. The epilogue was so good!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Okay. If you've seen the movie Princess Bride you'll remember the conversation the grandfather has about the kind of book he was reading to his grandson. I don't know the exact lines but he talks about all the wonderful elements of the book. Swordfighting, romance, pirates, etc... The grandson replies, "Murdered by pirates is good". Ha ha. That is kind of how I felt about this book. So many elements to enjoy. I thought I'd get a couple hours of reading in before going to bed. I couldn't stop reading. My heart was pounding during the battle. I finished the book about 1:30 am. And then I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about the story for another hour.
This book has romance but is also a war story. There is conflict with the enemy and inner-crew conflict aboard ship. We have a woman dressed as a boy who has been fooling the crew for three years. And she is dealing with the inner demons of having been physically and emotionally abused for years by her grandmother.
I won't go into detail about anything except to say I really appreciated the way the author wrote the romance. And I'm not even sure I can explain my thoughts clearly on this. So often when a story is a woman disguised as a man and there is attraction between her and a man, I am left wondering how that other man feels about being attracted to a "man". If you are heterosexual and suddenly having same sex feelings, wouldn't you be questioning yourself and your sexual orientation? The books I've read with this scenario never really deal with that. But instead of having a budding romance between what appears to be two men, their relationship in this book is more mentoring. He takes the "boy" under his wing to help him stand up for himself against the bullies and they gain an affection for each other because of that. It is only later the romance really begins and he has figured out she is a woman. By writing it this way, the author avoided having to omit an obvious part of the story (why am I having feelings for a man?) Hope that makes sense.
So yes, I did really enjoy this book and can honestly say I couldn't put it down. I loved the main characters. Georgana grows and learns to stand up for herself and then was kind even to her tormentor. Dominic also grows both as a leader and a person and gives confidence to those who are weaker than he. Plus, he is good to his mother. But neither of them are perfect. They both have room for continued growth. I only hope that Georgana doesn't grow tired of the sea in time.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book through Netgalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

4.5 Stars! Absolutely delightful. I loved this one from start to finish. It was compelling, beautiful, and the cover is stunning!

Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks is an excellent historical fiction romance that was such a joy to read. This book was so unique, refreshing, uplifting, and truly a breath of fresh air.

I loved the concept and plot of Georgana going undercover as a young boy, George Taylor, under father’s watch on his ship, HMS Deborah. The dynamics of Captain Woodall, Georgana, the men on the ship, and newly added Lt. Dominic Peyton was brilliant. The character cast was well-developed, the plot well-thought out, and the suspense and outcome placed at the end-perfect.

I loved how both Dominic and Georgana (as well as several others) were able to learn, grow, adapt, find themselves, and find support, love, forgiveness, and acceptance in each other. There were so many wonderful relationships represented.

I loved the time: early 1800s
The place: Portsmouth, England, but mainly aboard the ship on the seas. I learned so much about the workings of a ship, the job positions, the battles, the grit and determination it took to survive, thrive, and find a satisfying life in the Royal Navy.

Most of all, I loved Georgana and Dominic. The incomplete characters with strong moral compasses, unsure of themselves and the love that they found through first friendship, truly wonderful. Both seem to bring out the best in each other. I loved the respect, the mutual interests, the loyalties, and of course the love that they developed with one another. The ending was just perfect.

Truly one of the best books I have read in a long time.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 7/19/20 a listing on BB has not been created) and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I'm not sure how to review this. The writing was excellent, the characters well formed and the story held its own throughout. However, there were so many little things that niggled at me, such as Captain Woodhall not actually disciplining his crew at all, Georgana so rapidly changing her mind from not wanting anything else to dk with the navy to living on a ship, the complete loss of the father/daughter relationship from the beginning of the book... I could go on.
Overall, I liked it but there are several things I would change to make it more enjoyable.

I admit I requested this book off Netgalley based off the cover alone. The fact it’s a Proper Romance was a bonus because I’ve enjoyed their books before so I trust them to put out solid reading material. Georgana’s Secret is no exception. And when I realized it had themes of secret identity and romance on the high seas I was all in! Now I just wish someone could take me sailing. 😅

I really loved this book by Arlem Hawks! It was one of my favorite reads this year! It was so different from most of the "ballroom" regencies as almost all of the action takes place on an English frigate. Speaking of action --there was a lot of it! Batten down the hatches as there are deaths, injuries, illnesses, attacks by enemy frigates, and an attempted mutiny. I am not usually attracted to books that take place on a ship, but Arlem Hawks really has a talent for describing all the activity on board a ship in such an interesting way! She wowed me with her knowledge!

Georgana Taylor has traveled with her father for three years on his father's ship the HMS Deborah, All the shipmates thinks she is a boy, as she goes by the name George, and dresses as a boy. Her father has taken her on his ship to get her away from his abusive mother -- Geogana's grandmother.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton's heart was with the sea, and he anxiously awaited his new assignment as second in command on the HMS Deborah, Dominic has compassion on George Taylor, the third-class boy, who is shoved around by the other shipmates. He teaches George how to defend herself, and takes it upon himself to watch over him! What will happen when he discovers her disguise?

This was such a unique and fun book, full of action, adventure, and romance (clean). Reading this book would be just the cure for the doldrums!