Too much instalust for me, especially for a book with a description that implies rivals to lovers. There were heavy handed coincidences to move the plot along. Hannah may be a good fighter, but we never see her not be a bumbling spy, and Killian is no better. The real culprit was clear a mile away. The mystery plot fell to the wayside and the relationship was underdeveloped. I never felt the stakes on either front. The mystery was too slow and the “love” too fast.

If you like instalust, steam, and don’t care about the terrible mystery, though, you'll like this first in a new series. Drake and Ivy piqued my interest, but I'll wait and see reviews for future books before reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC! All opinions below are my own.

A well-done historical romance and start to a series! Hannah Simmons, ward to Duchess Philippa after the murder of her mother, is our enterprising, murder-solving FMC - she's smart, she's good at fighting, and she's rapidly falling in love with a duke. Both of them are working to find this serial killer while in the midst of figuring out what to do about this attraction, given he's a titled lord who's expected to marry well -- and also is dealing with PTSD and facing families of those who've died under his command.

The war veteran/PTSD-coping historical lord bit has always been a hit-or-miss for me. I don't read tons of army/mafia romances in the contemporary world, so in general I enjoy more in historical fiction, but I'm always left wondering how realistic this is. How realistic were the torture scenes that are described - particularly with a bunch of titled lords?? I'm aware that many sons (usually second, is my understanding) pass due to infection and battle wounds but this is one of the first books that details a weeks-long torture leading to our hero's tragic background. While I thought Darcy took the time to make this past a part of who our duke is, so that it doesn't feel gratuitous, I'm also mixed on its inclusion/the details of the trauma at all.

This was overall a super well-written historical romance that was easy to fly through, with a decent mix of romance, spice, and a dash of suspense (though never enough to make you feel anxious.) I wouldn't characterize this as a murder mystery, certainly, but rather more of a historical romance with a main character who is doing and invested in interesting things, perfect for anyone who enjoys historical romance but finds the actual day-to-day lives of balls and what-not to be uninteresting. Importantly, all of the spicy scenes include a heavy dose of romance - it feels like our author took a lot of time to flesh out reasons why our characters would fall in love with another, and certainly gives our duke a lot of pretty language and compliments - this isn't a must for me to enjoy a book personally, but for those of you out there who love to highlight romantic lines in books, this book will suit your fancy!!

So...I mean it was good but sometimes it did feel like I was reading fanfiction. Now I love me some good fanfiction buuuut sometimes it can get cheesy. I do like historical fiction, especially from like the Victorian era, but the writing wasn't really for me. I would recommend but would give my opinion to see if it's for them

This was such an unexpected delight- this book had me hooked from the first chapter.

The FMC Hannah Simmons and MMC Lieutenant General Robert Killian are both working to uncover a string of murders thought to have been committed by a member of the nobility.

Both of them are instantly intrigued and attracted from the start and Hannah is such a badass character in a regency background.

I can't express how much I enjoy their banter and chemistry while both working to solve the mystery of murders!

I look forward to seeing more of this world as Millie , Ivy and Drake have thoughly intrigued me.

Hannah Simmons is a spy working for Queen Victoria (very much a Lara Croft vibe to her); Robert Killian is a spy working for the prime minister. They're rivals - and Hannah's cover is blown when Robert tackles her to the ground. But can two people who think they're on opposite sides end up working together, and will it lead to more?

Great start to a new series. Hannah's a lovely character, strong and resilent; Robert's tortured, and we can sympathise with both of them as well as willing them to just give in and fall in love with each other properly. Loved the banter between them, especially the way that Hannah makes Robert rethink what women's roles should be. (Loved the scene where her horse bolts.) Really enjoyed the relationship between Hannah and her sponsor, Duchess Philippa, plus her burgeoning friendships with Ivy and Millie; looking forward to seeing more about that. The relationship between Robert and his best friend Drake is also excellent.

Cracking pace and also a good mystery. (And the urchin. I think he stole my heart!)

Looking forward to the next in the series.

The first in a new series of historical romances. This isn't your typical historical romance as are main character in also a spy for the queen.. The plot is great a must read

"The Secret Life of a Lady" has got me completely hooked. Darcy McGuire crafted a historical masterpiece that's equal parts captivating and thought-provoking.

Now, let's talk characters. Killian and Hannah? They're the heart of the story, and their dynamic is just captivating. Killian's a complex, tortured soul with a pragmatic edge, while Hannah's strength and resilience shine through. Their chemistry? Off the charts.

But it's not just romance and intrigue here. McGuire dives deep into some heavy themes, shedding light on the struggles of women and the gritty reality of poverty in 19th century London. And the murder mystery subplot? It adds a whole new layer of excitement.

Secondary characters? They're solid, and I'm crossing my fingers for spin-offs. McGuire's writing paints a vivid picture of the era, and that cover? It's eye-catching, for sure.

Bottom line? "The Secret Life of a Lady" is a must-read. McGuire's storytelling had me hooked from start to finish. Big thanks to Darcy McGuire, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the early copy. You guys nailed it.

***** I will post this review on social media (Instagram, Facebook) , Goodreads, and Amazon.

What a fantastic blend of historical romance and spy thriller! I can't decide what I loved more - the relationship between Hannah Simmons, companion/secret agent, and Robert Killian, Duke/secret agent, or the mystery plot, which has both trying to track down the person responsible for a murder. Hannah and Robert have similar jobs, but report to people who have different views on justice. They each have trauma in their pasts that drive them. These traumas come out and bring them closer as their relationship develops.

The pace is fast and characters are compelling. I truly hope the secondary characters get their own books. This would be a great start for a series!

An intelligent historical novel with sensible, believable characters, “The Secret Life of a Lady”, by Darcy McGuire, is about romance and passion but also encompasses themes as women subjugation, and poverty in 19th century London.
Killian and Hannah are wonderful characters, both credible and relatable. The building of attraction and intimacy was excellent, beginning with mutual care, respect and gentleness.
Killian is a tortured soul, but also a very resolute and pragmatic duke, aware of his duties and responsabilities.
I enjoyed how he assumed his classism and prejudice and how he evolved to a more modern approach due to his feelings for Hannah. A humble alpha male…
The heroine is strong and determined, a warrior, but has a soft core.
The sensuality, passion, and humor between the romantic couple, and how they partner in a common mission are also interesting.
I liked the secondary characters, hoping some will have their own story.
I also liked the writing style and how the author described some dramatic aspects of 19th century London poverty, while bringing some resolution and compassion.

Thank you to Darcy McGuire, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

It was almost a 4 star for me, I thought so until half way through the book, but in the end I missed several things.

I don't like it when the romance develops too quickly. Here, by the second chapter they're practically smitten with each other. That might not have been a problem but the author tried to create an enemies to lovers or at least rivals to lovers relationship and it didn't work.

Then I missed tension. It's a mystery that our protagonists are trying to solve but there's not that much searching for clues or stakes in the end. There are far more intimate moments between them than mystery. And honestly, it was pretty clear from the start who the culprit was (and I'm normally terrible at guessing).

Underneath the desire to write historical fiction with spicy scenes, we lose the stakes of a mystery genre and that's a shame because apart from these points, I enjoyed my reading, the style is fluid and the characters have personality.
A few passages pulled me out of my reading (the use of modern-day words when we're in the early 19th century) but apart from that it's a fairly solid novel and most of the points that bothered me are personal preferences.

Two competing agents are trying to crack a case of a disturbing murder in Victorian England - Lady Hannah, a secret agent for the Queen acting as a dowdy lady’s companion within the Ton, and Duke Robert Killian, back from the war and a brooding investigator for the Prime Minister.

Hannah’s cover is blown when she’s tackled to the floor by Killian while snooping for evidence, and the resulting story is a fun twist on the enemies to lovers trope as well as a good murder mystery.

I really enjoyed Hannah as a strong woman protagonist - she’s physically strong, impressively skilled and resilient - but she knows nothing of the ways of love. I think we can all guess what happens next, but it was refreshing for Duke Killian to be respectful of Hannah as a woman but also one who came with a difficult past which needed to be carefully handled.

I also thought the friendship between Hannah and her sponsor/mother-figure Lady Phillipa was great, as were Hannah’s burgeoning friendships within the Ton with some supporting characters which seem like they’re ripe for a few more books! All in all, a great debut and I’m interested to see what McGuire does next.

Thank you to the publishers and the author for an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.

I will post reviews on Instagram & Goodreads on publishing day and Amazon and any other retail sites the day after. Thanks again!

A couple that fights crime together stays together…
I loved this book so much. It was funny, romantic, spicy. It was the perfect book to read while I (im)patiently wait for Bridgerton season 3.
There were so many things to enjoy in this story. Dual POV, Hannah’s relationship with Philippa, her friendships with Ivy and Millie (I can’t wait to know more about them), and the main couple. THE BANTER!! I was screaming, giggling, kicking my feet. But also, the FMC and MMC where complex characters, with a dark past, who found the perfect person in each other, someone who understood them and didn’t judge them. I just loved them.
The crime investigation was great, maybe a little predictable, but I think it will develop more in the next books in the series, that I will obviously continue.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!

Let me first say that I absolutely love the book cover. It is different and fun. A good reflection of what is to come. Hannah Simmons and Lord Killian both had secrets and a great deal of regret. Working together to catch a criminal, they found love as well. The book had a very good and serious story, but it also had the witty banter throughout between several characters. I am hoping more of the characters get their own books because I enjoyed them and would like them to have a happy ever after as well. There are a few spicy scenes that are well written that definitely isn't for those that prefer innocent kisses.
This is the first book I've have read by Darcy McGuire, but it won't be my last. The book pulled me in from the very first page and held my attention throughout.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for this ARC!

Wow, I really enjoyed this book! This was super fast-paced with quite literally zero filler; there was always something happening!

Loved the MCs; we love a broody hero & no-nonsense heroine <3 The central mystery was really interesting to follow. That + some of the secondary plotlines wrapped up in a way that will easily spill over into the next books in the series. I already can't wait to read them.

What a strong debut novel!! I will definitely be reading more Darcy McGuire books in the future :)

Thank you for the chance to read this book!!

I enjoyed this story, it gave me that bridgerton era feel which I really enjoyed

I struggled with the 3rd person point of view but that’s just personal preference!

Overall this book was good and an enjoyable read!

Not a huge fan of the virgin trope but felt it was done well.
Loved their bantering and her skills as an assassin. The ending was a bit odd with who the murderers were and why - was hard to understand their motivations.
Sex scenes were good.

The Secret Life of a Lady is Darcy McGuire's debut novel and it was so much fun to read!

Hannah Simmons is a total rockstar of a main character, she is a spy for Queen Victoria in real life, and as far as society knows, is "just" a wallflower hiding on the edges of ballrooms.

She is put on the same task as Duke Robert Killian, a private investigator for the Prime Minister, and finds herself competing with him to get the job done first.

Their antics to distract and deflect each other is a delicious kind of foreplay that had me rooting for them both from the beginning. The book just jumps right into the thick of the plot and I loved that!

I can't wait to read more from this author, she has a way with words that had me hooked from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Secret Life of a Lady is an entertaining and swoon-worthy historical romance by debut author Darcy McGuire. Hannah Simmons is a wallflower who also works as a spy for the Queen. When her mission to investigate a recent murder, Hannah crosses paths with the dashing and tortured Duke Killian, who investigates for the Prime Minister. Hannah and Killian are both fantastic main characters and a well-matched pair. They have fantastic chemistry from the start, and their banter is amazing. I actually think all of the dialogue is well done. The banter between friends, enemies, lovers, and more is clever and funny, sexy and sometimes whimsical, and it makes for an engaging read.

Hannah is a fantastic FMC who shows from the very first scene how badass she is. And Killian is fantastic! A brooding and tortured hero with a heart of gold, he's the perfect complement to Hannah. They both have heartbreaking backstories, and the murder they're investigating is terrible, too, but I think this makes their love story stand out even more. It's positively swoon-worthy, and scenes like the one where Killian teaches Hannah how to dance made my heart melt. My word, that man can charm a woman! lol

I also really liked the friendships and the abundance of strong women. Hannah has strong relationships with new and old friends, and Killian's friendship with Drake is comical. Drake is so grumpy, and the banter between the two of them is as funny as the banter between Hannah's boss and the butler. I so need a story with them as the main characters and another where Drake is the MMC!!

This was a fun and fast-paced read with an intriguing murder mystery, action, suspense, and great characters. I would definitely recommend it to historical romance readers and am thankful to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐜𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞

‘𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴.’ 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘳. '𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.'

𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐜𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞’𝐬 debut book was such a delight. Hannah was such a bada** female lead. A female spy working for the Queen?! I was hooked. The entire book is filled with strong women.

General Robert Killian, Duke of Covington, made for the perfect tortured hero. He is struggling with what took place during the war and he doesn’t believe himself to be a good man. As he works to solve a murder under the direction of the prime minister, he encounters a beautiful and fierce woman that defies all the rules of society.

There is so much angsty tension and banter between Killian and Hannah and I ate it up! Killian helps Hannah explore her sexuality. The spicy lessons were great. This is one of my favorite tropes!

The mystery and suspense of who the killer is, was great. This story also leaves the door open for future books. I have my fingers crossed that broody and love hating, Drake, will get his own book!

If you love spicy historical romances with a dash of murder mystery and espionage, this book is for you!

'𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴? 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘴? 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?'

'𝘈𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦.' 🫠

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 releases on June 14!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
💖 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
🎭 𝘌𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦
🩶 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰
🥵 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳
🫶🏼 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘖𝘝
🔥 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘺 (2🌶️)

Read if you like:
Blackmail, spies, a badass fmc, mystery and action
3.5 ⭐️

The plot was great in this book! It was very fast paced and had lots of action. I was hooked the whole time trying to figure out who the murderer was.

This book wastes no time, it gets straight into the mystery and there’s no filler chapters.
The romance was fast too, I felt like they developed feelings for each other too quickly (despite it starting with an enemies to lovers vibe). I would’ve loved to see more time together, conversations and more flirty touches.

If you want a fast paced action read and you don’t mind a fast developing relationship, I’d give this book a go!