This is the first book I've read by Sandra Byrd. The Victorian setting is quite fascinating and the amount of research that it took to create the setting astounded me. Byrd places some of her research and fact vs. fiction at the end of the book, which I found informative and enlightening.

The book was intriguing. It combined many elements - a strong thread of faith (along with misguided piety and self-righteousness), a good splash of romance, intrigue and mystery, well-planned characters, a detailed storyline - that served to entertain as well as point out the social injustice and corruption that plagued the Victorian era, as it plagues our society today. The writing somewhat threw me off, however. I'm not a fan of first-person narrative and Gillian's thoughts and voice came across a bit stilted in the book. The dialogue was fine and easy to follow but Gillian's narrative was a bit difficult to follow.

Still, Thomas is a great hero who sweeps Gillian off her feet. Yes, their romance is riddled with miscommunication, misplaced letters and unspoken thoughts and feelings, but it's very sweet and tender. Gillian is a young woman who's never been in love. She's compassionate, thoughtful, prayerful, conscientious, and guided by sense of what is right. She's willing to defy others, even those in authority, to find out the truth and bring it out into the light. The secondary characters, like Ruby and Charlotte, are also delightful.

I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and its publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

I am loving this book! The series is awesome. (Daughters of Hampshire). You don't need to read them in order since they're not really connected. Each takes place in the same era & Hampshire. Each highlights another part of life during that time. This one features the Theater! Gillian is the daughter of an actress and an inspector, the granddaughter of the upper class. She supports herself as a dressmaker and costume designer! There's a bit of gothic romance as well as intrigue and mystery! I just can't get enough. I'm over halfway through and don't want it to end. I've loved each of Sandra's books! And the era's! Get it! Read it!

I have a love-hate relationship with books in the first person POV. I love getting to delve into the main character’s innermost thoughts, their fears and joys. But I hate not knowing what’s going on with the other characters. That said, a first person POV done well, makes an enjoyable read.
Sandra Byrd is a new-to-me author but I enjoyed “A Lady in Diguise.” Gillian Young has just buried her father and finds herself with a mystery to solve. With exception of a commission for a wealthy member of the ton and the promise of being the lead costume seamstress for an upcoming production of Cinderella at one of the local theaters, the rest of her life is falling apart.
Gillian is determined to discover the truth of what her father had been involved in before his death. But who can she trust? His friend and partner is suspicious and possibly threatening her. Her childhood friend might be a safe person but he’s also the son of her father’s former friend and partner. Then there’s Lord Lockwood. A man she wants to believe in but he too has kept secrets from her.
A book full of twists and turns as well as tender moments, “A Lady in Disguise” sweeps readers into the upper middle class, the plight of the pantomime children who are no longer wanted in the theaters, and the backstage of a couple London theaters. There was a lot going on in this one but all created an ending that was worth it all.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Lady in Disguise is book 3 of the Daughters of Hampshire series. I did enjoy it and would say it is my favorite of the series. Five stars

Another outstanding mystery from on of my favorite historical fiction authors. I simply devoured this book in a day as it was that page turning.,filled with outstanding characters, a thrilling mystery and rich historical detail this book was a wonderful read. I loved how it brought to the forefront so many of the big issues during the Victorian Era and incorporated true historical characters from the era..
I have enjoyed every single book in this series and cannot wait for the next one!

A gothic romantic suspense story told from Gillian's point of view. It seemed a bit slow but never lagged enough for me to loose interest. Even more of the history of fashion and seamstresses would have been a welcome dimension. I enjoyed learning about the pantomime children and their plight. It was a good read but not fantastic. I would read more of the Daughters of Hampshire series.

"A Lady in Disguise" is a very intriguing book that makes you want to read in one sitting.
The book starts right after the burial of Gillian Young's father, which is said to be an accident but further details on it has Gillian suspecting there is more to the story.
I loved how Sandra Byrd mixed bits and pieced of classics to the story to add an extra influence to the character's thoughts and actions.
There were moments in the book that were heartbreaking and I just wanted to give Gillian a hug. She was a strong and lovable character. The difficulties of her circumstances were only increasing and more and more people were turning against her by each chapter. I loved how, in spite of this, Gillian tried to be genuine to what she believed and fought for truth until the very end, no matter the threats and dangers.
The mystery was very well developed and made it impossible to put this book down.

I have wondered why there isn't that many historical suspense or thriller novels. I enjoy historical and suspense novels, so why isn't there a huge market for that genre? With I read the synopsis for Sandra Byrd's A Lady in Disguise, I got really excited. Byrd's novel would be during the Victorian Era, which is the same time period that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his famous Sherlock Holmes series.

I quickly dived into the novel and swept away in the live of Gillian Young, a young seamstress who sews together projects for The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. Gillian is a kind-hearted young lady who takes in two early teenager girls instead of allowing them to be human trafficked or sold into sex slavery. I enjoyed how Byrd made her a brave woman who wasn't afraid to step out of her station to uncover the truth about her father. Next, Viscount Thomas Lockwood is a man with many disguises. At first, I didn't know if Gillian should trust him, then Byrd starts to make him look better in light of all her other suitors. He began to warm up to me.

The romance is just like a historical romance. Meet. Argue. Fall in love. Argue. Fall out of love. A misunderstanding. Married. It was a predictable romance with nothing unoriginal. I knew that they would fall in love and be married sometime by the end of the novel.

All the research that Byrd did to bring the world of the Victorian theatre and seamstress work to life sounded efficient, and I didn't doubt her story at all. I really liked Byrd's attention to detail. She even knew what kind of fabrics would have been popular during the Victorian era.

Being an avid reader of mysteries, I knew what to expect. I like fast pace plots, which beg me to turn to more chapters and not put the book down. Unfortunately, A Lady in Disguise does not do that. It reads like a historical novel with a mystery in the background. Yes, I understand that Gillian wanted to prove that her father was truthful, but there were moments that I felt like she spent more time designing clothes, attending parties, and courting Lockwood then focusing on the mystery. Toward eighty percent in the novel, the mystery becomes the focal point and becomes what I wanted all along. But it took a while to get there.

In conclusion, Sandra Byrd's A Lady in Disguise is a great peek into the world of a seamstress trying to make her name known during the Victorian Era. I enjoyed the characters and the story, but I wish the mystery was more of the novel's purpose than a secondary subplot.

I received a complimentary copy of Sandra Byrd's A Lady in Disguise from Howard Books, and the opinions stated are all my own.