Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: His Lordship’s Secret 
SERIES: His Lordship Mysteries
AUTHOR: Samantha SoRelle
PUBLISHER: Balcarres Books
LENGTH: 329 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2020
BLURB:
London 1818
Alfred Pennington, the Earl of Crawford, knows someone wants him dead. An illicit boxing match seems the perfect opportunity to hire a champion fighter to watch his back, but Alfie is shocked to recognize the beaten and bloody challenger as his childhood friend, Dominick, one of the few people who knows the truth about Alfie’s past.
Life has been hard for Dominick, so he can’t believe his luck when Alfie—now with fine manners and a fancy title—offers him a chance to escape the slums in order to catch a potential killer. That’s difficult enough, but not falling in love with the refined, confident man his friend has become may prove trickier still.
The investigation draws the two men closer than ever, but it becomes clear that their years apart may prove too much to overcome. As the danger mounts, can they find their way through the past to a future together? Or will hidden secrets cost them their happiness… and their lives?
His Lordship’s Secret is the first title in the His Lordship’s Mysteries series.
REVIEW:
Oh I do love a good historical packed with murder and mayhem!
This one starts out with a bang – literally – as Alfie, the Earl of Crawford, has been shot. He doesn’t want to go to the police, but the doctor fixes him up. He’s got secrets and he doesn’t want them to get out. Once he decides he needs a bodyguard, his very unpleasant evening with his vile cousin Reginald may turn out to be fruitful after all. He figures he can hire the winner of the underground boxing match 🙂 The smaller combatant looks familiar but he can’t just place him. When he’s about to lose, Alfie offers to pay him. Nick, the boxer, is not happy that this stranger ha cost him the match and the money he would have made from the gamblers 🙁 But when the stranger approaches him as he dragging himself back to his dive place, he is furious and tries to choke him – before the man – who is obviously monied – fights back 😉 And that is when they realize they are not strangers after all 😀
Nick needs a job and Alfie needs a bodyguard and someone to help him find the person who wants him dead. Then the person seems to be trying their hand at blackmail as mysterious letters begin appearing in the post. As Nick and Alfie work together, the intervening years where they have been on such different paths get in the way of their rekindled friendship. Then there is the little difficulty of their mutual attraction that they are both afraid to voice to the other. Alfie feels guilty that he’s had this posh life while Nick’s life has been quite difficult. He realizes he will have to tread lightly. But as they fall back into their old banter, it’s clear that they are more than friends. But there are those who would see Alfie dead and Nick is not about to let that happen.
When the chips are down, they work together to try to figure out who is behind all the things that keep happening to Alfie. Just when things are becoming clear, something else happens that throws them off the track. And the only way they are going to escape with their lives is if they can work as a team.
Well this was a banger from the first page. I was swept up in Alfie’s tale immediately. He’s got a lot on his plate and it’s clear somebody is not happy about him being the Earl of Crawford – for whatever reason. When he meets up unexpectedly with his childhood friend under the strangest of circumstances, he thinks maybe he can get some help. Nick has to watch his own back too, but he’s not going to let Alfie down. He’s happy that Alfie’s had a good life, but it’s rough at first for them to get back to a place where they are at all comfortable with each other. They get there though. I loved Alfie’s housekeeper – his only staff left at his house. The villains are many and varied and real characters – from Alfie’s cousin Reginald and his awful set of friends to Baz and Jimmy, other former workhouse ruffians. This authors’ powerful prose really provided such clear imagery – I could totally imagine myself in the locals of London. Such great writing! The relationship between Alfie and Nick was just so well written – with the two steps forward, one step back dance as they negotiate their new circumstances upon reconnecting. It was really just tour de force. Highly recommended and I’m just sorry I haven’t read this series before now! On to the next one!
RATING: 
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