Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook.

This is book 3 of the Enterprising Women series, and is the story of the rather mysterious Drake Fletcher. Here we find out much more about his history and motivations. His past comes back to haunt him when he runs into an old friend Jocelyn Kirk. She is now a madam, running the successful brothel, the White Rose.

Drake left his past as part of a gang of child smugglers, run by Jocelyns' father along the coast, and pulled himself up from nothing, to become a successful investor and businessman, now taking pride in supporting female entrepreneurs, and helping other young lads from the street by providing a safe home and a chance at education and a future. Jocelyn is the daughter of the man who took the young Drake and taught him to be a successful smuggler and thief. While he gave Drake and other children a home, Drake eventually saw past that and know that Malcolm Kirk did not care for anyone but himself, and exploited his young workers, including his own daughter.

Jocelyn, however, adored her father, and after he was caught and imprisoned, took herself to London and scrabbled to do what she can to help him and seek his freedom. This lead to her becoming the madam of the famed White Rose, a premier brothel. But she is dealing with more than selling pleasure, she also winnows out valuable secrets from the pillow talk of her clients and uses that as leverage with powerful men to seek her beloved father's freedom.

Despite being caught up in the lucrative sex trade at the time, to benefit her father, Jocelyn is a good woman who cares for those working under her, and works to protect them by making sure they are safe, have a doctor helping her, and when girls in the house want to seek something else, she helps them. In this way, she and Drake are similar So she cannot be cold hearted when one of her girls seeks her help with a friend running in fear because she witnesses a gruesome crime.

Drake ends up being drawn to Jocelyn when they find each other again, and compelled to help his old friend, despite his not wanting anything to do with her father and his past again. They work well together as a team. They kindle an attraction as they rekindle their friendship.

This was a good dramatic intrigue and romance, with Drake and Jocelyn conspiring together to out a high ranking abuser of women, and murderer. They lay a trap for him, while trying to avoid the dangers he sets out as he tries to hide his tracks. Characters from the previous two books pop up too and are involved in the story line. Also, as Jocelyn and Drake revisit their past, they also have to learn to resolve past trauma and misconceptions, and learn to trust each other again. As their relationship grows, Jocelyn is also forced to face the reality of her past and her relationship with her father, ultimately ending with her having to make a difficult choice.

Very compelling and enjoyable story, with the angst of past trauma, a murder-political intrigue, and the tug of conflicting relationships.

4.25 stars out of 5

Um yes! This book was so much fun. Jocelyn and Drake are quite the pair and you'll laugh along with them as you follow this adventure.

This is the third installment of the Enterprising Women series. Ever since she was a child, Jocelyn has learned to fend for herself. And that includes becoming madam of The White Rose. Drake has a criminal past, but he has worked hard to put that behind them and has a reputation of being a respectable businessman. He has built his business by helping women rebuild their lives in exchange for secrets on the most influential men in Britain. He wants to help Jocelyn, too, but Jocelyn doesn't want help. She is trying to secure her father's release, Britain's most notorious smuggler, and letting Drake in on any secrets she may learn will jeopardize that. But when she is caught up in a dangerous situation, she turns to Drake for help and they discover a passion that exists between them that neither can deny.
An exciting and intriguing read filled with danger, romance, and passion. The storyline flowed smoothly and I really enjoyed the characters interactions and the witty banter between them.
Great addition to the series!
My thanks to Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

No way is this a boring romance!
The death of a young prostitute brings Drake Fletcher and Jocelyn Kirk, two friends from the past, to work together to discover her murderer. As clues and evidence are revealed, it's more complicated than they imagined. It will take careful planning and a lot of connections to prove the identity of the murderer. A fated love story and a puzzle solved in a murder.
Open bedroom door. HOT!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Romance, Secrets, and Intrigue

Jocelyn and Drake knew one another as children. Now, she is an infamous madam, and he is a respected businessman. Jocelyn thinks she wants nothing to do with Drake, but her heart has other plans. When danger knocks on her door, Drake is the man she calls. Their passion is inevitable. Can they fend off a murderer and find happiness despite the obstacles in their way? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like historical romance with suspense, treachery, and intrigue.

Having read the previous books in this series, I was looking forward to this one. However, I found it quite confusing until I was about a third of the way through, after which it began to make more sense. Jocelyn and Drake have known each other ever since they were children, when her father took a band of ragamuffins under his wing, seemingly to protect them and give them shelter. Unfortunately, that was not always the case. Coming face to face as adults, Drake is shocked to find Jocelyn the Madam of the White Rose, and decides that keeping his distance would be the best solution. However, circumstances push them together and before he can turn his back on her, there is a death to investigate, because he knows that if he does not protect her, she will leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the matter. Jocelyn will do whatever it takes to obtain her father's release from prison, not realizing that he is still pulling her strings like a master puppeteer. With the help of some friends, Drake and Jocelyn finally get the answers they need, and this standalone novel does come to a good conclusion in spite of the heartache and pain suffered along the way. I received a copy of this book as a gift and through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

Good book but I now finds that it's part of a series and I've missed the first two! Joss is the madam of a brothel. Drake was a childhood friend through her father's criminal network. Her father is in prison and Joss is trying to release him. Drake is sceptical because he blames Malcolm for the death of a friend and feels her father is a user. He believes Joss understandably can't see it. A young prostitute from another brothel seeks sanctuary with Joss and she realises she can use the hideous behaviour of a peer as leverage to get Malcom released. We meet Drake's financial friends and colleagues who I realise are the hero/heroine's from the first two books.

It's tempting to go an read the other two books in the series as I liked this one but for my huge tbr list!

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

"His Secretive Madam" is the third in Peri Maxwell's "Enterprising Women" series. After loving the first installment and finding the second middle of the road, this installment falls much closer to the love category. Drake Fletcher played a role in each of the first two books (but note that this book works fine as a standalone) and I liked getting further into his backstory and seeing him get his own HEA. Jocelyn and Drake spent part of their childhoods together, each a member of her father's apparent gang of child thieves. Tragedy drove Drake to leave Joss and it is not until he stumbles upon her at the White Rose, the brothel of which she is now the Madam, that he sees her as all grown up. The two end up working together to bring a murderer to justice, with the anticipated romantic results.

Maxwell does a good job of showing Jocelyn's character development over time - she starts the book as smart and strong but also a little (knowingly?) obtuse but learns over time how to better consider others, and how to better value herself as measured against her father. It is never quite clear if Joss was ever actually a sex worker or simply took lovers during her pivotal trip to Paris, but because it doesn't matter to Drake (after a time anyway), it doesn't matter to the reader either.

It was fun to see past characters make cameos. The murderer was wrapped up in an interesting and perhaps overly simplistic way, especially since it was pivotal for certain peers to believe Jocelyn's story, which seems highly unlikely given her position as a madam. Overall, a good and recommended read.

4 solid stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Jocelyn and Drake knew each other as children when they were used by her father to help retrieve and smuggle goods. Many years later their paths converged again. Jocelyn is now a madam in a brothel using any means necessary to get her selfish father out of jail. Drake is working to rescue and raise lost boys. But when Jocelyn needs help, he is there for her but can he allow her father into his new life?
Happy for the romance but sad at the topic.
Third in a series with intertwined characters, worth reading.

3.5 Stars

I've been looking forward to finding out more about Drake as soon as he was introduced in book 1 and this book really delivered as far as his backstory. I also really liked getting to see him working with the boys he was taking in off the streets - we already know he's a good guy from the previous books so it was just nice to get another example of that (if Peri Maxwell wants to write a series about the Fletcher boys I would definitely read that, I am so curious what happens with all of them in the future). This fact about him was also evident when he jumped on Imogen's idea for her to run a hat shop - he's all about helping people find the work they are passionate about no matter what their current circumstances may be. A big piece of Drake's backstory involves Jocelyn so it was really great getting to know him through her eyes as well. And to get to know her through his eyes. I enjoyed watching them fall back into their old relationship while also learning about who each other were in the present. The ways in which the characters from the previous novels made appearances here made sense and it was so much fun to see them all interacting with one another. The part of the story involving Violet ended up being so much sadder when you have all the facts. However, I thought the big reveal for the killer was a little too easily done. I can't believe that guy was able to get away with anything because he let his anger rule his behavior so easily.

Suspenseful, delightful, loved every page!! There are so many wonderful things I can say about this book, but it would not do it justice. You just need to read it to see what I mean!! The author kept me enchanted by her imagination and humorous writing with characters that where lovable and witty.