The Secret Life of Lady Lucinda by Sophie Barnes

Lord William Summersby has decided to marry a nice, quiet young lady, one that is proper enough for a future earl and will provide the requisite heir.  So when he suddenly finds himself engaged to one bold Lucy Blackwell, a woman he doesn't even know until they share a dance, he knows his duty and will marry Lucy but will not be happy about it!  The only thing he asks of her is to have no secrets... Lucy has her own reasons for trapping William into marriage.  She needs the former spy to help her find her parents murderer but she knows he does not trust her, nor does she blame him for this fact, and she finds it hard to try and build a new relationship while keeping her true life secret.  When it becomes clear that the murderer has found her after all these years and takes drastic steps to ensure her silence, William notices the cracks in her composure and pressures her for the answers.  Can Lucy find a way to tell the truth while protecting all those threatened?  Will William be able to forgive another lie and find a way to protect the woman that is slowly becoming so important to his life?

I have enjoyed all of Sophie Barnes novels and this one is no exception!  The beginning will grab you and then the craziness of Lucy's plan will keep you turning the pages and watching Lucy and William attempt to find some common ground in their very unconventional marriage was a delight to read.  Seeing the horror of Lucy's past first helps you get a better understanding of her reasons to need William's help, since the plan is bold and crazy and thankfully, the family stands by her even though they distrust her initially.  William is strong, proud and underneath the gruff, caring and protective.  I liked the twist of her past catching up to her in England instead of in Constantinople.  However, when the story does travel abroad it adds quite a bit of drama and tense moments but also felt a bit over the top.  I think for me, it was just a little too much coupled with the way Lucy and William got betrothed.  I liked how Lucy and William formed a bond before anything happened in the bedroom and I liked watching them slowly fall for each other.  I also liked the strong family bond and watching the relationships change and grow stronger among them as well.  Overall, an action-packed, crazy, fun romance that will sweep you away.  3 1/2 stars

eARC provided by Avon via edelweiss

Summersby series
Can be read as stand alones but characters are recurring