I really enjoyed this book. The characters are compelling and true to themselves. It has a fairytale feel to it that is fun and enjoyable. I love an underdog story.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty cute historical romance. I thought the pacing at the beginning was pretty slow but it picked up rather quickly. I was not completely sold on the instant love connection between the two at the beginning but towards the middle I kind of forgot at times that they barely knew each other. I think there could have been more interactions between the two to add more suspense to the story and their relationship but I did enjoy the interactions that are there.

I also enjoyed the difference in social standing because going against the norm creates a fun spin. I know things would have been different based on the time period in real life but I was happy with the ending.

I thought it was a little refreshing that Rebecca and Kenneth were already in their 40's during the story because I feel like I don't see that very often. I myself am young but that doesn't mean I can't connect with these characters in ways. I also got the hint of a Cinderella story towards the end but it didn't really click with me at the beginning.

This was a fun story that makes you feel good.

An enjoyable read about a mature couple that have a chance encounter that neither can forget. I have been reading romances for many years and when I find a book about a second chance at love I am drawn to it. This is such a book. The characters are nice people finding themselves a bit lost as Kenneth is to become an Earl and Rebecca finding love again after her husbands death and living with her abusive father. Both the couples children are grown. There was a bit too much of insta love and I would have enjoyed more interaction between the couple but this was difficult due to the class differences. The ending was a bit too modern in thinking that this would not have mattered more. I rate this a 3.5*

I enjoyed this Regency romance set in 1819 Yorkshire, England, especially because it involved somewhat older protagonists for once. Rebecca Parker, 42, and Kenneth Winterton, 48, were both formerly married, had children, but lost their spouses. Each of them thought they could never again feel what they had felt before toward someone else.

A chance meeting between them in the woods ends with a kiss that surprises both of them and proves them wrong. But Rebecca is a house maid and Kenneth is the heir to an earl. When they met, however, Kennth was disguised as his valet, Malcolm Henry. Being attired as a valet gives Kenneth more freedom, and Rebecca believed Kenneth was Malcolm, and therefore someone in her own social station.

As Kenneth’s Uncle Lester is trying to prepare Kenneth, Lester’s only male heir, to be the next Earl of Brenston, he insisted that marriage was an essential first step. He paraded a number of eligible young ladies in front of Kenneth, but after that kiss in the woods, Kenneth could think of no one but Rebecca, even though he knew such a liaison could never be accepted.

Meanwhile, Uncle Lester’s daughter, Lady Beth, was scheming to get Kenneth to marry her eldest daughter Jacqueline, only 19, and determined to win Kenneth’s hand. Kenneth, even had he never met Rebecca, couldn’t fathom it: “A nineteen-year-old wife? A woman younger than both his sons with no experience of life? Not in a thousand years did he want such a woman.” But Kenneth underestimated the extent to which Beth was trying to manipulate him.

The pair do have an ally, although they are unaware of it. The nearest neighbor to Kenneth, the Baroness of Grangeford, was formerly a milliner’s daughter. With the support of her husband, the late Baron of Grangeford, her past was forgotten, and finally , after early a decade, her past was forgotten. While it took a long time, in the meanwhile, the two had each other, and enjoyed their love and life together.

But can everyone’s best intentions overcome those of the scheming Lady Beth?

Evaluation: This fun romance with a bit of intrigue will satisfy readers, and have them searching for similar, more unusual Regency stories.

“The Valet’s Secret” by Josi S. Kilpack was a refreshing, light read.

Kenneth is a widower with two grown sons. He has a nice living and is content until his world is upended by the death of his childless cousin. Because of this he is thrust into the role of future earl and heir to his uncle’s title and estate.

On his way to his uncle’s he wants one last moment of freedom before beginning his upcoming role and responsibilities. He changes clothes with his valet, Malcolm and set out on a bruising horseback ride. The horse is uncontrollable and nearly runs a woman down, forcing her off the road before he can be stopped.

As he goes back and tries to help the injured woman he is instantly drawn to her. The feeling is mutual and as a result of their mutual loneliness and ignited passion they share an intense kiss, which neither of them can forget.

The woman is Rebecca, a widow with a grown daughter. Since losing her husband she was forced back to live with her abusive father and has been considering a marriage of convenience to escape her situation. After that kiss, she knows she can never settle for less than love.

After finding out her “valet” is really the heir to an earldom she feels very betrayed and deceived. Being a commoner she sees the impossibility of their situation, as does he. But neither can forget the other and they are continually meeting unexpectedly.

Can there be a future with so much to overcome? There is the question of trust, societal expectations, a domineering uncle, scheming cousins and more. I was kept wondering how these impossible situations could be overcome. The author did not disappoint.

I would have liked to have seen their relationship explored a little longer and more time spent developing it. Also an epilogue would have been satisfying to see the fates of the “villains” in the story. There were some unexpected twists and turns and lots of tension which made it interesting. It was a great Cinderella fairytale story. It was clean, kissing only. No violence or language. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Regency and is looking for a good read. #thevaletssecret #josiskilpack #netgalley

Josh S. Kilpack has done it again! Josi is a great regency author and has delivered yet another delicious read, perfect for any proper romance lover. Being a young adult I don't typically pick up books with middle aged main characters as I just can't relate to a lot of the themes there, but this book can be enjoyed by most. I liked seeing Rebecca and Kenneth's relationship develop, and learn their motivations for their actions. Josi is good at writing not-your-average regency, and that's exactly what this delivered. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

The Valet’s Secret is a fun entertaining read with a Cinderella type feel to it. It is well written and had great characters. I really liked that the main characters in this book were middle aged. I was a nice change from the usual romances I read.

I also enjoyed the love story between Kenneth and Rebecca. They had instant chemistry and a strong desire to be in each other’s company. But the both had to come to terms with the difference between their social class and figure out how to make a relationship work between them.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves regency romances.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
2.5
I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but it didn't quite captivate me as I hoped it would. The Valet's Secret is a historical romance between Kenneth Winterton, a gentleman and soon to be Earl, and Rebecca Parker, a common artist's daughter. They meet by chance in a less than fortunate first encounter, but sparks fly between the two of them. Both widowed and not expecting to feel this way again, they meet each other again, but Ms. Parker does not know his real identity, as he was disguised as his valet when they first met. If she did, he would never see her again.
I enjoyed the plot and the forbidden romance that was explored between the two main characters. The reason the book fell a little flat for me was because I didn't connect with the main characters, and found them lacking a unique voice and personality. Rebecca is a strong and independent woman who is a little lost in the world after losing her husband, but she felt 2-dimensional and I didn't really connect emotionally. Mr. Winterton is a kind gentleman and is also a bit lost in his new world, but again, I didn't feel that emotional connection, either with him or with the romance built between the 2 characters. The character I did really enjoy was the Baroness who is confident, self-assured, and respected, and coming from a lower place in society, she is also humble and kind. This lifted the story for me as she featured more towards the end. I also enjoyed the writing itself; it wasn't anything special, but it was well done and it didn't feel like a chore to read despite my lack of connection with the characters.
Overall, this was a nice, easy read, with a good plot, and would recommend to anyone seeking a light, historical romance that crosses the boundaries of class.

3.5/5 stars
I was happy to see a book where the main characters, Rebecca Parker and Kenneth Winterton, are in their middle years with older children. It isn’t very common to have this occur and I liked that aspect because it provided more to make it an original story. Both Rebecca and Kenneth lost their spouses and each of them are lonely and eager to start a new life. How far they are willing to risk it is what drives the story.

There were several issues in the book that were tastefully addressed. In this Cinderella retelling, there is the twist of Rebecca having to be rescued by Kenneth from an aggressive, drunken father. The other thing was the societal class barrier of nobility versus the working class was well established and both Rebecca and Kenneth had to overcome this. Good for Kenneth that he realized that being nobility did not make you any better than someone else. I thought it was sweet to see how he was a determined man who chose to convince Rebecca to follow her heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy of the book. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

It's hard not to root for Rebecca and Kenneth in this short and sweet regency romance. I loved the fact that our protagonists were older in life and hoping for a second chance at love, despite their differences in station.

The book was a poignant reminder of the lack of choices un-titled women had during this era. Despite being humiliated upon learning Kenneth's true identity, Rebecca is a strong, proud and admirable woman who carries herself with all the grace of a countess!

This book was an excellent addition to the genre and I recommend reading it upon its release in early 2022.

The Valet's Secret was an exciting read with a well-developed plot, interesting characters, and a strong romance. Rebecca Parker has lived a life of hard work and deals with abuse from her father, both of which make her the more practical of the two protagonists. Kenneth Winterton, however, is also grounded and must learn to balance his identity with his future title of Earl. The pair bond well and have excellent chemistry, making the romance aspect very enjoyable.

I loved how Kilpack laced in tiny details about the time period, from class structure to everyday life aspects. I also loved all the Cinderella elements that really came together in the last act. The "rags-to-riches" concept is present throughout the entire novel and only enhances the characters' interactions. However, I have a few critiques. For one, the pacing was a little fast for my taste. I would have liked to get to know the characters some more before truly diving into the rising action. All their backstory was dumped within the first few chapters, and then they met and it was love at first sight (which I guess makes sense considering the fairy tale theme). There was also this recurring statement that Kenneth's wife, whom he is being forced to find and pick for the Earldom, had the primary job of making *him* a better man and propping *him* up. I understand this ideology is realistic for the time period, which I appreciate, but it was a tad uncomfortable to read when used in context of the leading romance. Lastly - though technically not about the novel itself - the synopsis is somewhat misleading. From my understanding, Kenneth is not the Earl yet but his heir. Also, the summary is worded in a way where it sounds like the novel is from Rebecca's perspective. It's actually in both Rebecca and Kenneth's perspectives, almost every other chapter, in the third person.

Overall, this was a fun and entertaining read! I would definitely recommend it to any Regency fan.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are my unbiased opinion.

This was such a fun read with great writing. The story flowed well and the characters were well written. Rebecca Parker is a widow trying to decide what to do with her life now that her daughter is grown. Then Kenneth comes pounding into her life and they share a life changing kiss. Little does she know Kenneth is next in line for a lofty title and belongs to a world out of her reach as an artist's daughter. What follows is a whirlwind romance with twists and turns thrown in their way.
#TheValetsSecret #NetGalley.

When I first started reading this book I was not sure I was going to like it. It seemed there was no way for this story to end well. I kept reading because the story is well written and I was pulled into it. I really liked the story by the end and would highly recommend it.

#thevaletssecret #netgalley

This was a cute storyline with neat characters. I loved the premise and the mystery, with a little romance thrown in.

Kenneth Winterton, heir presumptive to the Earl of Brenston, and widower, is taking a ride in disguise wearing his valet’s clothing to have a little freedom, without restriction. On this ride he runs Rebecca Parker off the road. Rebecca is a widow, mother of a young woman, who lives with and works for her father in his silhouette business. Rebecca is slightly injured from the accident, and Kenneth helps her clean a scratch from her face that he caused. As her helps clean up the injury, the two are drawn together and are joined together in their want and loneliness in a kiss, and then another kiss. This was an amazing first kiss scene; and I loved it that it happened right at the beginning of the book; that was a fun surprise! Kenneth describes it as a kiss for the ages.

Aside from the fact that they had never met before, which it was totally appropriate for them to be kissing, there are two tiny little problems: 1) Rebecca thinks Kenneth is a valet to Mr. Winterton, not Kenneth Winterton, the heir presumptive to the Earl of Brenston, and 2) Kenneth is the heir presumptive, and Rebecca is of the working class. This chance meeting and swoony kissing was a great beginning to the Valet’s Secret.

I have to say that I am gushy in love with this novel. It is a beautiful second chance love story that shows that second chance love can be a possibility, and that with true love you can overcome obstacles. It gives hope for all of those looking for a second chance at love. The novel also nods to the great story of Cinderella, which was a nice touch! I loved the author’s dedication, “Dedicated to everyone who is wanting, fearing, and hoping for a second

5 stars

An excellent read. I didn't expect to like it. It's a clean read and the hero is a balding 48 year old. His would be wife, a widow in her 40s with a daughter in her twenties.

I liked the interaction between the two characters and the wider community. Some of the others in the story were scheming, some misunderstood.

I thoroughly recommend this book and I'll be looking out for more from this author, what it lacks in erotic scenes it more than makes up for in characterisation and dialogue.

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

The Valet’s Secret by Josi S. Kilpack, 288 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $16.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Kenneth is pretending to be his valet when he meets -- and kisses -- Rebecca. Despite the best of intentions, Kenneth’s deception hurts Rebecca when she discovers the truth because she is a maid and he is heir to an earldom, a combination that is socially unacceptable. With every reason to say no, why do they want to say yes?
Kilpack quickly informs readers that her main characters are in their forties (48- and 42-years-old, respectively), and I nearly put down the book in my surprise, unsure that I could relate to such characters. Despite the age difference, I found myself understanding their conflicts between what they wanted and they were told they should do. I became invested in their lives and wanted to see things turn out well, and I enjoyed the details reminiscent of Cinderella stories.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Valet's secret was delightful. The two main characters in their 40 meet on the road without knowing each other's identity and share an impulsive kiss and the rest is history. Had quite a bit of a Cinderella feel toward the end. The characters could have used more depth and I would have enjoyed more of their conversation. It was implied that they talked for hours several times but we only get a snippit of the conversation. A quick read.

This was a cute and fun read. It took me a little while to get intoThe Valet’s Secret by Josi S Kilpack. However once I really started reading it, I was very intrigued. The Valet’s Secret was different then the other books I had been reading, but it was still an enjoyable read and very interesting.
Rebecca Parker is in a new stage of life. She feels lonely and wants a break from the mundane routine of life. She never expected to meet Mr. Malcolm Henry on the road, and she never expected from him to change her life. However, what will she do when she learns that he is not a valet but the earl - Kenneth Winteron? Can their relationship ever become more? Kenneth Winteron just wants to be free, however becoming his uncle’s heir means rules and stations. He never expected to fall for a woman below his station or to lie to her about who he is. Will he ever be able to gain her trust and maybe grow a relationship?
Rebecca was such a refreshing change of character. She was older and she had lived life. I really enjoyed reading about her and reading about her finding herself. She had gotten married at a young age and raised her daughter, but when her husband died she moved back in with her father and in a way lost herself. Rebecca was so strong. She had endured much in her life, and it was cool to read about her still growing and learning. She was learning how to find herself in this new stage of life and she was falling in love.
Kenneth was an interesting character. He had to grow on me. I didn’t dislike him, but I just had to read more about him before I really understood him. He was also just trying to find his place in the world. He was a bit uncertain about his place and it was fun to read about him learning what it meant to be an Earl. However, he was kind and he truly cared about those around him. He had lived life and he valued people. Kenneth had to figure out what it would mean to love Rebecca and how to build a relationship with her.
Rebecca and Kenneth had an interesting relationship. They were of two different stations. However Rebecca didn't know it at the time and she found a connection with him. It was definitely fascinating to read about them falling in love and interacting, trying to figure out how to make their friendship work, never expecting something to come out of it. I thought that they were such a sweet couple and they definitely balanced each other out. They also had to learn to overcome their differences in stations and work past the whispers of others.
The side characters were also fun! Rebecca’s daughter Rose was super sweet. I loved Rebecca and Rose’s relationship. They trusted each other and cared for each other. Kenneth’s Uncle was complicated but he also cared for Kenneth. The Baroness who Rose worked for was also a character
She was such a strong woman who was a great addition to the story.
The Vault's Secret was a sweet and cute book. It was about characters falling in love and figuring out how to work with their different stations. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to those who like historical women's fiction. The Valet’s Secret is a clean historical women's fiction romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

This was a sweet Regency romance about two people in their 40’s who are living very different lives. Kenneth has recently become heir to an earldom after the untimely death of his cousin. Rebecca assists her drunken, violent father in the making of intricate silhouettes of the local Yorkshire gentry and had been a maid in one of the great houses. Rebecca and Kenneth meet accidentally and fall in love. In spite of tradition and custom of the time, can they overcome all and help each other take on the future?
It’s refreshing to have the romantic leads to be older but the story felt contrived, especially the ending.