I finally get the first book in a series?!?! AND ITS HISTORICAL ROMANCE?!?! I am deceased! I cannot get enough of historical romances lately and this one did not disappoint! It’s in my top 3 for sure! I cannot wait to read the rest of the series when they come out!!

I loved this book - I flew through it in one sitting, I was completely hooked!
Hannah was extremely likeable and I loved that we had a strong FMC 'femme fatale' in a historical romance. The chemistry between Hannah and KIllian was certainly steamy and the 'spicey' scenes were perfect.
Paired with the romance we have the subplot of the murder mystery which kept things fun and interesting. The lack of 'filler' meant that the pace was extremely fast, - unlike many other historical romances I have read.
The use of the Victorian Era was extremely clever, it reminded me of Bridgerton in all the best ways without being too similar in terms of the high society and spice.

***Thank you NetGalley***

NO SPOILERS.

"The next time a woman issues a warning...pay attention."

I LOVED this.

I was a little concerned at first with how quickly the story jumps into itself but as the book progressed I was so hooked. This is a really fast paced read which I appreciated (I get bored pretty easy) and the writing flows beautifully.

The FMC is so fierce and I loved that while her character evolves as the story goes on, she doesn't lose that side of herself.
The MMC is just *chefs kiss*, seriously. I don't even really need to say more than that.
Lady Phillipa also really makes me think of Lady Danbury from Bridgerton and I am living for it.

If you like a period romance with murder, mystery, spice, banter, and that little something that means you just can't put it down - this is the book for you.

The Secret Life of a Lady is the first book in a new series of historical romances. Miss Hannah Simmons may appear as a wallflower to society, but she leads a double life as Queen Victoria’s top spy, on a mission to apprehend a dangerous killer. When she crosses paths with damaged yet irresistible war hero Duke Robert Killian (now Private Investigator to the Prime Minister), they find themselves competing on the same task, sparking both frustration and desire.

I quickly devoured this historical romance and I loved the balance of plot and romance. There's absolutely no filler in this book, and there's always something exciting happening - new information uncovered in the murder mystery plot, or developments in Hannah and Killian's relationship. Hannah is a really strong character and her relationship with Killian was perfect (and very sexy!).

I also loved seeing Hannah's relationships develop with her new friends, and I'm very intrigued to see whether the future books in this series continue to focus on Hannah and Killian, or whether the focus will shift to her new friends. I hope that the other ladies get their own books but either way, I am definitely going to carry on this series! There are so many interesting side characters and stories to be told in this world that I just can't wait to see what's next.

So, I loved the historical setting, the spy/investigator mystery action, and the romance between the main characters - it was everything I wanted!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.