I enjoyed Georgana and Dominic's story and their friendship that turns into love. The beginning was very compelling, as was the ending. I did think the middle was a tad slow, but overall a very fun read.

This was a different Regency novel with most od the story happening on the high seas. I'm grateful I had read Hawks' book Commander of Her Heart before this one because I learned a lot about sea life and appreciated having that knowledge while reading this book. These books are not related at all, but both take place on a ship.

Georgana is an incredible woman. I can't imagine living under her tyrant of a grandma and then living in disguise on the ship. I know she's just trying to survive day to day, but I still think she's incredible.

Dominic is a great guy. He cares so much for his mom, it was sweet. I wish we had more of their back story. I felt it was just alluded to, but I wanted more. He was also a great lieutenant. He looked out for those under his care. I'm sure he'll be a great captain.

I loved the relationship between Georgana and Dominic and they ways it grew and evolved throughout the book. There was a lot of adventure and moments of suspense mixed in with the romance. I really enjoyed this story.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

#BookReview: GEORGANA’S SECRET by Arlem Hawks

How lovely is this cover! I have never read a regency romance set almost entirely in the high seas. It is quite unique at that but more so that the female lead has short hair and wears breeches. It is interesting to read the daily routine and issues of the HMS Deborah. I feel Georgana’s fear of revealing her identity and all the chaos around her. The men are rough and the tension feels unbearable. Dominic is a passionate man and most especially with his first love, the sea. I like that he is caring too, which led him to help Georgana’s plight. Their time together is very sweet especially at the beach in Antigua. That moment when Dominic sees Georgana’s drawing of the waves is charming. He is indeed a keeper and so is she!

I like the character development and how Georgana manned up during a critical time! So much action and so many unexpected turns of events in this story. I am happy with Fitz and Georgana’s friendship. Being in a navy ship is not for the faint of heart. This is one unforgettable book. Please find time to read it.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Pud for the arc copy. All opinions are my own. 4.5 stars

This was an emotional and tumultuous journey that was real, raw, and full of depth. I have read books about women pretending to be men on a ship for safety, but Hawks brings it to a whole new level. Her writing evokes pain, love, yearning, and a longing to belong like I have never before experienced. This is not your run of the mill romance novel. If you want a fluff story look somewhere else. Georgana’s Secret will pull you in and feels so real, you can see the ocean for miles. I received a copy of this book for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Life isn't all ballgowns and happiness in this book, but that's not a bad thing at all. A Regency romance on the high seas during war was a very interesting way to find adventure and love. More than once, I found myself feeling very anxious over the events and I was completely invested in this tale.

Georgana is disguised as a boy on a ship that her father captain's for a few different reasons and when the new lieutenant, Dominic, takes her under his wing to help her learn the ways of Navy life, she's smitten. Between Georgana's stubborn strength and Dominic's caring determination, I was held hostage to this story.

Life on a Navy ship isn't easy at all and I felt that I was given a fairly accurate glimpse into that life. I loved the adventure, danger, and camaraderie, especially the relationship between Georgana and Dominic, but the power struggles and death were hard. I appreciated the balance of information and emotion, and felt that a very well-rounded story was delivered.

I loved the uniqueness of this book and Hawks has an excellent way of telling a believable and engaging story.

Content: mild romance; mild+ moments of danger, violence, death

(4.5 stars) - An intriguing change of pace in Regency Romance...

...and a riveting story (that would make an excellent movie)!

This was a Regency romance with an intriguing premise - a young woman disguised as a cabin boy on her father's ship. Dominic is a kind man who looks out for the weak & those in need and becomes a friend to the small cabin "boy". Their friendship grows & you know inevitably her gender will be found out - and I kept reading eagerly to see how their untenable situation would be reconciled, especially since Dominic loves the sea & Georgana very much wants a place to call home.

It's well written, with well-developed and engaging characters, plus exciting and suspenseful action. There were perhaps a few times when it felt a little laggy, but it may well have been my impatience to find out how their impossible situation would be resolved - which it does most satisfactorily!

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

Georgana Woodell always hated it when her beloved father, Captain Woodell, left aboard his ship. While he was gone, she and her mother were under the cruel thumb of the Captain’s mother who treated both of them badly.

Years later when her mother died, Georgina joined her father on his ship dressed as a cabin boy calling herself George and caring for her father. This caused some shipmates to treat her badly even though they only knew that he was assigned to care for the Captain.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton, is looking forward to sailing again and on a ship captained by Captain Woodell. When he sees George being treated badly, he steps in and chastises the young men.

There is a lot of on-ship routine described, including the work by each person, the illnesses they faced, the bad food, and danger from weather and other ships. This is described in explicit detail. I think if I was a male, I would have enjoyed this more, but as a female, I was bored by much of it. Quite often the story is harsh and brutal. Without giving too much away, suffice to say that Dominic is enamored by the Navy for the “adventure and glory.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t sit well with me. I know I will catch flack for this, but for any man to expect a woman to marry him and accept the adventure and glory he seeks while she waits patiently at home for him, is unacceptable. Yep. I know many, many people do this, but I would not be one of them. Having written all that, I must say that Georgana is a brave soul and withstood a lot. In addition, the author obviously did a lot of research to write this book and, thus, I have given the book 4 stars instead of three.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a sweet romance filled with adventure on the high seas.

Georgana is taken away from an abusive home with her grandmother after her mother passes away. Her father, grief-stricken I'm sure, feels like she would be better off with him on the ship he captains. Of course, women aren't allowed on the ship, so she is disguised as a cabin boy. This is good and bad because the other cabin boys notice something is amiss and are not above creating awkward situations for "George." She and her father have to be very careful to not reveal her true identity to the rest of the crew.

Dominic ends up on this ship as the First Lieutenant much to the chagrin of other crew members. He is level headed and notices George receiving abuse from other cabin boys and takes him (her) under his wing. He teaches her to stand up for herself and perhaps regain a little respect from the others.

The day to day adventures of the crew and the ship will delight and also keep you on the edge of your seat during battles and other tense scenes.  The descriptive text will lure you in and you will feel like you are in the middle of the action. I enjoyed watching the love for Georgana and Dominic unfold especially once he realized she wasn't a boy after all. I was surprised it took him as long as it did to uncover that truth.

This was my first book by this author but won't be my last. We give this book 4 paws up.

The long awaited day is finally here for @arlemhawks! Release day is this week for her new book, Georgana’s Secret! I had the opportunity to read an ARC and all I can say is: Wow! First, let’s start with this: I can’t even imagine the research and time that went into this proper romance because it is so much more than a sweet, clean romance! I learned so much about the Royal Navy, ships and oceans. I was blown away by the knowledge and groundwork this must have taken.
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The synopsis let’s you in at the beginning, Georgana is disguised as a cabin boy on her fathers ship. But I couldn’t figure out how this was going to play out with Dominic, I loved how it all came together and the ending half was super fast paced and I had a hard time putting it down!
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If you are a fan of the @properromanceseries this is one book you won’t want to miss! Also: I’ve read almost all of Arlem Hawks’ other books and enjoyed them all, give her a follow, you won’t be disappointed.
Five stars!
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#properromance #bookstagram #historicalromance #properromanceseries #bookreview #georganassecret

Georgana's Secret is a sweet book by Arlem Hawks (Rachel Hawks)- the first book I've read by this author. The plot is a young woman hiding as a ship's boy serving her father, Captain Woodall for 3 years following the death of her mother. 'George' meets the new Lieutenant Dominic and their relationship grows over the ship's travels. The book is a nice diversion and uncomplicated, though the reader must suspend reality in some of the particulars (a woman hiding on a small british ship in 1800). The end is nice and wraps up with a little nod to women enjoying life beyond their home.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. If you are a fan of the Proper Romance series and regency stories then you must pick of this novel. To hide from her abusive Grandmother, Georgana must pretend to be George, a cabin boy, on her father's ship, where she meets with adventure and love. Along the way she learns to love who she is, and others.

A sweet tale set on the high seas. Georgana is a heroine that you can’t help but cheer on. She’s been an overlooked underdog who finally gets a chance to pursue her own HEA. The question is, what will she have to compromise to attain said HEA? Dominic is passionate about one thing, until he meets George Taylor. I love the slow build of how these two develop a relationship and the eventual exposure of all secrets. The secondary characters add delightful and charming plot developments. There is mystery, intrigue, and sea faring adventures that range from common to intense. The progression of this story was just right to hold my attention and introduce new twists until the perfect conclusion for this tale. You will not be disappointed in this clean, historical regency tale set on the open seas. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

Georgana is the daughter of a captain of a ship in His Royal Majesty's Admiralty. She has lived most of her life with her father's abusive mother, but for the last three years, she has been the cabin "boy" on her father's frigate--the HMS Deborah. There are a few boys on the ship who make life hard for "George," but the new lieutenant on the ship sees something in George and wants to help "him" fit in better by teaching George self-defense. The more they work together, the more the lieutenant likes "him" and wants to figure him out.

This is the first book by Arlem Hawks that I've read, and I have to admit that I was intrigued from the very first page all the way through to the end. I wanted to read ahead and see how things worked out with several of the characters, but I disciplined myself to read straight through. Georgana's Secret reminds me of a book I've read by Lori Wick, Wings of the Morning. The time frame is similar and the heroines of the books have many comparable characteristics, and their heroes are analogous in their miens. Both authors have excellent talent in developing their characters, settings, and plot movements. This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a right hook "like an English cannon."

Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored this book! The setting drew me in, written in a way that immersed me fully into the life of living on a ship, and the characters were realistic and flawed. For several days I stayed up late into the night reading, eager to read more about Georgana and Dominic. They were a couple I won't soon forget, especially with how their story began and how it ended. It was filled with drama and humor, grief and romance, and my emotions were on a roller coaster as I moved through the story. It was a sweet romance, without any steamy scenes of intimacy, but the quiet intimacy was so romantic that I didn't need anything else to feel the love between them. I think it may have even taken away from the story, as the focus would have shifted.

Georgana Woodall has been hiding for three years, after her mother died leaving her in the care of her abusive grandmother. After her father witnessed her being beaten, he stole her away to live on the ship he captains for the Royal Navy, However, women aren't allowed, so she has been forced to disguise herself as a boy, risking all to remain safe. It's been working well until Lieutenant Dominic Peyton is assigned to the ship. Dominic loves the sea and has been resisting his mother's attempts at marriage for him. The sea is no place for a wife, and he refuses to be landlocked the rest of his life. He befriends the young boy they call George, and soon they are in each other's company often, as companions, looking out for each other. Georgana knows it's a dangerous game she plays, but as she spends more time with Dominic, she begins to fall in love with him. If her truth were to come out, however, she would be removed from the ship, and she can't chance being put in danger again.

Georgana and Dominic were just an amazing couple. I was worried how the story would go at first, since Dominic thought she was a boy - how could he go from that viewpoint to thinking of her as a love interest? However, he had received word from his mother regarding his captain's missing daughter, and he is not a stupid man. I won't give away how the discovery came about, but just trust me that it was handled really well and will make your heart flutter with romantic sighs. Georgana was such a strong heroine, determined to live her life the way she wanted but also understanding that she had to listen to others at time to survive. She stuck up for herself, followed her heart and dreams, and I was so proud of her by the end of the book. Dominic was a brave man with a beautiful heart, and that's a hero we can all enjoy. He wasn't intimidated into backing down from his beliefs, and he ensured those under his care remained safe. His relationship with Georgana, even before he found out her true identity, was wonderful, because he was making sure a boy could not only defend himself but also feel confident in his abilities. He was just a really nice person, as was Georgana, and they fit together like two puzzles pieces.

This is the first book I have read by Arlem Hawks, but it certainly won't be the last! I really enjoyed this book from start to finish and highly recommend it to all lovers of historical romance.

Georgana's Secret was a beautifully written tale with wonderful nautical details and sympathetic characters! Plus there were many adventures at sea to be had including battles and discord in the ranks! Well done!

Georgana's Secret is an incredibly well-written, well-researched, beautiful adventure. I really admire Georgana's quiet determination to survive in the midst of hardships and to do whatever she must to take care of the people she loves. Her kindness and respect for the others on board the ship, even those who are unkind to her, is absolutely incredible. The author's descriptions took me away to new and exciting places.

Set on a ship in the English Royal Navy in 1811, this book tells the story of Georgana who is disguised as a cabin boy, George, upon her father’s ship to hide from her abusive grandmother. Georgana may be safe from grandmother but she must struggle daily to hide her identity from the other men on the ship because if her secret was found out her reputation would be destroyed. When a new first officer comes on board he becomes a mentor to George they form a friendship and Lieutenant Peyton eventually discovers that George is in fact Georgana. He keeps this secret to himself while he figures out just why this is happening and how he can protect her.

Admittedly, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover, then when I saw it takes place during the Regency era and was a Proper Romance, I was all in. I’ve read books from Proper Romance before and I trust them to have top-notch reading material.

It was unique to see a Regency romance set upon a ship instead of in grand estates and ballrooms. There was a lot of action in this book: dangerous weather, a mysterious illness and I found time just flying by. The pacing is excellent with this book and we have a hero and heroine we can really root for.

The author managed to throw in technical details about life on a ship without bogging the book down or making it boring. This is the first book I have read by Arlem Hawks but I look forward to reading anything this author publishes Especially if it is with the Proper Romance line.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Net Galley and Shadowmountain Publishing.

This book was something I absolutely haven't expected and got so much more.

The simple but utterly hard life on a ship's deck while cruising the seas is difficult enough for a boy yet more so for a young woman to pretend to be a ship boy and not the captain's daughter. 

The struggle, the rough life, the hatred of other crew members because of somewhat better treatment she's received against obtaining of understanding, friendship, and falling in love while trying to stand for herself. 

The fear of losing something dear to sea or to further live the life on deck wasn't meant to be her future so she's wanted to leave this life behind but what if....her heart was telling her something else.

Like I said this story was so much more and I loved every single word.

Loved this book, from the beginning to the end.

This book has it all, adventure, romance, mystery, and intrigue. And best of all, it has a happy every after. I've found a new author to watch.

thank you Shadow Mountain for the ARC.

Review To Come close to my stop on the this book tour
1811, HMS Deborah

A Regency romance on the high seas.

As a young girl, Georgana Woodall dreamed of beautiful dresses, fancy balls, and falling in love. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George.”

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the “boy” under his wing. After discovering a number of clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy’s secret would put her in serious danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.