♦This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, and I make a small commission.♦

♦Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.♦

Book Review of Georgana's Secret by Arlem Hawks

How beautiful is the cover art on this book? I LOVE this cover! It’s seriously so beautiful! This is one of my favorite book covers, I think. It has the correct colors and tone and mood. I also think the characters depicted match my vision of them really well, and that doesn’t always happen. When I first heard about this book and a new-to-me author, I couldn’t turn it down. I was very excited to read it, and it did not disappoint! Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks is definitely the most action-packed proper romance I’ve ever read!

Blurb:

“A Regency romance on the high seas.

1811, HMS Deborah

Georgana Woodall dreams of freedom—freedom from her past and freedom from her secret. She has been living on her father’s ship for years, disguised as a cabin boy named “George.” But hiding her true self is becoming more difficult, and she yearns to break free of her life on the sea.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the boy under his wing.

Georgana quickly loses her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care, but needing to maintain her disguise as a cabin boy, she is convinced nothing can come of her affection.

Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.”

My Book Review:

What a ride! How often do I get to say that about a proper romance? Ummmm, never? Until now, that is! I love the idea of romance on the high seas. Secrets, deception, treason, love, battles, fighting, war, weather, sickness, beautiful scenery, mutiny, and everything else that accompanies time at sea make for one fun story!

This book is well written. I love the writing style, especially because it hooked me from the beginning! The story is exciting and action-packed, but also has a quiet tenderness to it that is so endearing. The secret feelings that Georgana and Dominic have for each other are so sweet. I enjoyed the descriptions in the book, the flow of the story, and the way it all came together in the end.

Another reason I enjoyed this book was the characters. They are well-written and developed. Each character has a unique voice, attributes, personality, and history. Did I like all the characters? Ummmm, no. There are several characters that deserved what they got, for sure. It makes the book more exciting to have a little mutiny and some rotten characters to contrast the sweetness of the love story.

I am not sure if Georgana’s secret is plausible in real life, but it didn’t matter as I read the story because Ms. Hawks did a great job making it seem believable in the moment. I love it when a story can come together like that. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is very entertaining and the perfect distraction from everything that is going on right now (pandemic, political unrest, etc.). I highly recommend this book! If you enjoy proper romances, you will love this one. If you like action and adventure, you will also love this book.