I absolutely adore fairytale retellings! Josi Kilpack’s The Valet’s Secret is a creative twist on Cinderella with a “prince” in disguise and a second chance love story to boot. It isn’t very often you see Regency romances with characters who are in their 40’s and I loved this more mature take on falling in love again.

Kenneth and Rebecca are both at a crossroads. Having both lost their spouses and with grown children, each is anticipating a new start in life. Kenneth is now the heir to an earldom after the death of his cousin and Rebecca is forced to live with her father after her husband’s death. The two meet when Kenneth nearly runs Rebecca down with his horse. There’s an immediate attraction that leads to a surprising first kiss, but more than anything, they see in each other the loneliness and longing for connection.

Dressed as his valet, Kenneth knows he should reveal his true identity, but he wants more than anything to prolong contact with Rebecca. As the two meet again and again, each meeting is more powerful than the last, but when Kenneth’s secret is discovered, will they risk everything to forge a life together or will society, duty, and family push them apart?

Josi Kilpack is a marvel at creating complex yet sympathetic characters. I couldn’t help but cheer for Kenneth and Rebecca to find a way. The side characters are interesting with some who are domineering and abusive and others like Baroness Konold who are delightful.

Rebecca was such an enjoyable character. She’s passionate, talented, self assured, strong, and resourceful. One of my favorite parts was when she pelts Kenneth with walnuts for deceiving her. Kenneth is not the typical earl to be. He’s artistic, sports a shaved head, and is more comfortable dressed as a valet than a peer. I love that while other women are introduced to him he can’t forget Rebecca.

I didn’t realize this was a fairytale retelling until towards the end. I appreciated that many elements from Cinderella were there but with a unique spin. With a passionate yet clean romance and enjoyable characters, this story really drew me in and touched my heart. Highly recommend to fairytale retelling and Regency romance lovers. I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and my review is left voluntarily.

Overall I enjoyed this “Cinderella “ story that featured more mature characters . We get insights into both of their POVs which was nice, but I would have preferred a bit more interaction and dialogue between the two main characters earlier on in the book.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This is the second time I read a novel of historical romance with an older couple, and I think it's really nice.
At the end of the Regency, a sweet romance between Kenneth and Rebecca, both widows, now have a second chance to find someone who will understand them.
This is a kind of Cinderella story, clean romance, well written and a lovely story.

'The Valet's Secret' was a delight for me to read. Josie Kilpack has captured the Regency era that I had grown to love through Georgette Heyer. The relationship that unfolds between the main characters was fraught with difficulties, misunderstandings and tenderness. The right touch of villainy was thrown in to provide an entirely satisfying story which end I could not anticipate turning out well. I highly recommend this book to all.

A chance encounter, a passionate kiss and a handsome man galloping away leave Rebecca to wonder what just happened. The Valet's Secret features two widowed individuals, who never felt they'd love again until that one fateful day.

This inta-love story in told from both, Rebecca and Malcom's perspectives. The heart of their love story is their loneliness, and longing for a second chance at happiness. The only draw-back is Malcom didn't share his true self. He's heir to his uncle's earldom NOT a valet.

Malcom, a gentle, romantic man wants to fight for love not "who" societal expectations deem he should marry. You easily find yourself rooting for their happily ever after in The Valet's Secret. Finally a romance novel where the heroines are in their late 40's.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advance reader copy. #TheValetsSecret #NetGalley.

I have to admit that I did not read the synopsis before reading this book- all I knew about the plot was that it was a Regency, there was a valet, and he had a secret. It was quite fun to get to know the characters, as the author is skilled at bringing them to life with depth and qualities that are easy to admire. Rebecca and Kenneth (Lord Winterton) are each at a crossroads in their lives, transitioning to new circumstances that are not comfortable but unavoidable. I loved their serendipitous moment of connection that impacts them each so greatly that it affects their choices about their futures. The undeniable chemistry between them influences their priorities, making their stolen moments together that much sweeter. I didn't make the Cinderella connection until the end of the book, and I thought the tie-in was subtle and clever. I was glad that I didn't suspect that it was a retelling, which shows how the author made it her own unique story while incorporating nods to the fairy tale. (I feel like most Cinderella retellings I've read echo the original too closely and I find them predictable and boring). The Valet's Secret is a refreshing Regency romance with characters that are mature in more ways than age, yet have all the possibilities of life and love before them, especially with the support of some rather likeable supporting characters. Highly recommend!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

I simply adored this. I admit to not knowing of the author's work but the idea of reading a regency romance with main characters in their 40's was intriguing enough for me to request an arc. I also did not realize this was a proper romance but that would never hold me back. I have a bit of a soapbox stance when it comes to proper/clean/closed door romances and being a hopeless romantic, I don't believe sex equals romance. I don't think you need the on page action to deliver what I read romance for, to fall in love right along with our couple as they do.

I loved meeting Kenneth, our hero who is 48 and suddenly the heir to an earldom. He's been a Royal Navy officer and lived as his own man for so long, never learning the ways of the aristocracy because it was never meant to be his life. When he is on his way to meet his Uncle and begin his "How to be an Earl" lessons, he decides to swap jackets, hats and shoes with his best friend and now valet, Malcolm, to ride a wild rented horse to Brenning Hall, his new home and get a small bit of freedom before the heir shackles are locked.

Rebecca who is 42, is a widowed woman of the working class who is currently living with her artist father after the death of her husband. After a visit with her grown daughter, Rebecca is enjoying a walk in the sunshine when the sound of hooves alerts her to an out of control horse with an out of control rider that causes her to dive into bushes or get run over.

This, dear readers, is our meet cute and it ends in the best possible way... a passionate kiss that neither Kenneth nor Rebecca can forget. Especially when Kenneth doesn't give his real name but that of his valet.

From there we get the push and pull between these two and their chemistry that seared my hands it was so heated. Kenneth and Rebecca like one another, they are INTO one another and both being lonely humans who have lost their spouses and children are grown, they know what a connection means. And these two have a connection.

But there is this lie between them and while Kenneth wants to come clean, he doesn't want to lose what he feels with Rebecca. But lies have a way of revealing themselves when they’re least expected and my heart broke when Rebecca learns the truth.

This book, I have the biggest smile on my face right now. I couldn't put it down. The writing first of all is so easy and comfortable. It's rare that you can pick up a book and fall into it with ease that you don't realize the time has passed because you were simply enjoying being told a story. The author has a way to paint a romance as well as Kenneth can sketch a landscape and Rebecca can create a silhouette.

I love a story of class differences in romance. It brings on this angst that is believable because we know history and how important class was to society. But we also know our fairy tales and that Cinderella got the prince in the end. Speaking of Cinderella, I couldn't help but feel this has a bit of the Cinderella to it but more in the likeness of the Drew Barrymore/Dougray Scott film version of Ever After. That isn't a bad thing because I love the holy heck out of that movie.

I feel I am already rambling and haven't said much. I just loved this story.
I loved how they met. How they meet again. I love the first scene at the walnut tree. I loved when this made me cry, made me laugh, made me sigh and made me fall in love.
This road to a happily ever after wasn't easy for Kenneth and Rebecca but they know love is worth it.

This book is so worth it.

Honorable mention to the baroness for her wise ways. She is an excellent fairy godmother. And to the real Malcom for knowing these two are hopeless yet helps them anyway.

I have to agree with other reviewers that I wish there was an epilogue. I really enjoyed Kenneth and Rebecca's story, but I wish there had been a little more to the ending. I won't say what so I don't spoil anything. Kenneth and Rebecca have quite the meet cute. Wow! They are so good and sweet together, yet it seems impossible to make it work. I really enjoyed getting to know each of these characters and their struggles, as well as their strengths. I loved the Baroness as a secondary character. This was a fun story that was hard to put down.

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

Will their differences be impossible to overcome …

I discovered the author with her previous release which I loved, so I was eager to read more of her work.
This story is so different, and so heartening, a kind of Cinderella tale’s revisit with more mature characters.
And while both have lived, lost and fought their way on life, their first fun encounter is rather unexpected from full grownups. A shared kiss and a heir masquerading as his valet.
From this stems a sort of friendship which probably would never have happened if not for the initial deceit.
Kenneth made his life in the crown navy until he had to retire as a widower to take care of his sons and estate. He just did not expect to become later the heir to an earldom. He tries to learn his future duties, but he longs for the simple and quiet life he had prior to his cousin’s passing. Why he went on a wild horse ride, to clear his head and refocus as he feels like he is drowning.
Rebecca has made do with the blows life sent her way, and as she was considering entering in a new union without much to expect from it, outside a way out of her abusive father’s household, everything is put under a new perspective after an eathshattering kiss. She learned she was still a living breathing being, able of sensations and feelings outside the tepid sentiments her current suitor arouses. What she did not see coming was that “Mr Henry” was no heir’s valet but the heir himself.
Together they face the insurmountable reality of their differences, yet before Kenneth became an heir, them being together could have been a possibility, now it is more an impossible dream.
Kenneth and Rebecca are two persons tossed by the storm of life, they keep their head above water, accepting their change of circumstances, yet Kenneth refuses to compromise his heart in the process. But what can he do against the wagging tongues and their present differences.
Luckily for them both, they have a kind of fairy godmother lurking in the shadow…

A lovely revisit of the classic fairytale with two Cinderella as the hero is also facing a change of status, one he would have happily avoided if fate had not intervened.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Romance, period, sweet
Lovely sweet romance with discussion of character and class and what really matters in life. Rebecca and Kenneth's chance meeting and subsequent moments is sweetly drawn. Their separation by class, chance encounters, secrets revealed, and building hope for their romance as they worked through the things that seemed insurmountable, was a perfect portrait of a more mature couple that were drawn to each other across class lines.
Loved the role of the secondary characters, and while this primarily focused on Rebecca and Kenneth, they helped portray both of their characters, developed the plot well, and gave the flavor and color to this novel that helped it stick in my mind and heart.
Lovely Cinderella retelling with a flip of some of the story elements that made for a fun twist. I know I will savor this and re-read it again for details and the small tender moments that make this novel shine. More of a 4.5 for me as a reader.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own.

This story took me a few chapters to get into, it’s my first book with a second-chance at love featuring older MCs. But that didn’t make it any less of a book. In fact, I enjoyed it just as much as any of my other #properromanceseries books.

I don’t want to share too many of the Valet’s Secrets (see what I did there? 🤓😏🤭🤣), but I really think you will love this once you get to the first kissing scene (because Jodi gives us MULTIPLE) 😍💋💋

Thank you @netgalley for my complementary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Valet’s Secret puts a sweet Regency spin on the Cinderella story. There’s a wonderful exploration of class differences on multiple levels, from between the couple themselves, to hierarchy among the servants.
I really like that both leads, Rebecca and Kenneth, are in their forties, and have lived life and experienced loneliness and loss, and are currently struggling due to their respective positions within their families and in society. Rebecca is a widow, but she is still dealing with an abusive father. Meanwhile, Kenneth is being compelled by his uncle to consider a prudent marriage to a society lady, but he is drawn to Rebecca instead.
The romance between them is interesting, because it seems like it starts with a moment of impulsive passion, but the more they interact, you find that it’s about them seeing kindred spirits in each other on a deeper level.
I also enjoyed insights into Rebecca’s life in service, especially given her daughter ends up in a position above her, working for the same employer. While I’ve heard quite a bit about status among the aristocracy and how people could rise and (in some cases) fall, learning more about the hierarchy there, especially when it’s crossed with a parent-child dynamic, was intriguing.
This book is a wonderful historical fairytale from start to finish. If you love historical romances with no sex, I would recommend checking this one out.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the main characters a lot. And I also really liked that there were some elements of the plot that were unexpected.

I’m a big lover of all things romance and historical fiction and I’ve been an avid fan of Downton Abbey for years and more recently Bridgerton. So if you love those two you definitely need to read this book as it has everything you expect from a Downton or Bridgerton Tv episode

I love everything about the Regency era and I found myself reading this book all afternoon as the hours past me by. I am going to research the author and discover more about her other books as i know they’ll all be just as good.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me an ARC of The Valet’s Secret to read and review.

Josi Kilpack has mastered writing Regency romance novels with unique stories that make you fall in love with the characters and their love, and she has done it again with “The Valet’s Secret”. Rebecca and Kenneth get a second chance at love and companionship later in life in this Cinderella retelling. It was different than any I’ve read before and I enjoyed the journey of love and pursuing your path in this proper romance story.

I had not read the description or the reviews before requesting and reading this arc...

Was a bit reluctant when I saw that the male MC was 48 years old...  within the first few pages we get to know he is nearly bald (oh no i don't have any problems with bald MCs just that I thought it might be about a middle aged person but still in his prime with all hair and hot body etc. So this changed my mental picture - that's all)..

I definitely did not want the other MC to be  muchhhh younger than him (again i don't mind age gap romances just that my current mood isn't preferring it). She's also in her forties - so that eased my mind.

Am glad that I did not stop reading and super happy that I picked this up..

A different storyline written differently. It had all the required aspects fun, drama, love, secrets and twists. A well paced and interesting story.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

A second chance historical romance that felt like a Hallmark movie, which are great to enjoy every now and then to pass the time. Just don't go in expecting characters with depth and flaws or award winning plot twists. This is a palate cleanser. A wholesome, quick, and easy read that I finished in one sitting. The author's writing was great, albeit predictable, and I'd suggest it as beach read. A book you don't need to throw all your attention in to follow along with. The romance is mild and something I would expect my mom would enjoy.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Thank you so much to NG and the publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed how the main characters were mature in age! They were very well developed and I really enjoyed reading about them, Their circumstances couldn't be more different but ultimately bring them together in their loneliness!

If there is any one reason to read this book (and there are certainly more reasons than that!), it would be due to the fact that the characters are both in their forties. Historical romance tends towards younger characters, ostensibly in the name of accuracy, but love doesn't have an expiration date and in Romancelandia, no one needs to be on the shelf unless they decide to be there. (I'd argue this is true for contemporary romance as well, but that's a different discussion.) Josi S. Kilpack's charming story explores love coming to its protagonists later in life with the same attention to detail and warm heart that I've seen in her other works, and if you're looking for a nice, clean Regency, this is worth your reading time.

Title: The Valet's Secret
Author: Josi S. Kilpack
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

York, England, 1819

As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker had a good life, but now widowed, working for a living, and her only child grown, she feels invisible, tired, and lonely. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she kisses him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.

She sees Mr. Henry again and feels the possibilities growing until, while working in the kitchens during a dinner party, she sees the valet she kissed sitting at the right hand of the baroness. Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the heir to the earldom—Kenneth Winterton.

Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca does not trust Lord Winterton and refuses to accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he take a chance on her? He needs a wife to help him in his place in society, and nothing about Rebeccas life does that . . . except how he feels when she is with him.

This was a solid read. There are a lot of class dynamics at play here, and somehow I find it difficult to believe that an earl and a maid ending up together would be even an option in this society…but I wasn’t there. Rebecca becomes much surer of herself when dealing with her father—thankfully—in part because of her friendship with Kenneth. He is also conflicted about his new role in society, and he’s not sure he likes it, but Rebecca’s support helps him take a stand for what he wants and believes, instead of just going along with the wishes of everyone around him.

Josi S. Kilpack is an award-winning author. The Valet’s Secret is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

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