Secret of the Sonnets by Samantha Hastings

Secret of the Sonnets
by Samantha Hastings

ISBN-13: 9781524419585
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Released: January 2nd 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Miranda Hatch is a scholar, and at the advanced age of twenty-six, she is undoubtedly a spinster. Her single-minded ambition leads her not to seek a husband but to find the lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare. So when she discovers a connection between the Bard and the local dashing marquess, she pens a letter requesting access to papers that might secure her academic triumph.

Lord Robert Hamilton is drowning in debt and must turn things around or risk losing his ancestral home. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he has little time to bother with a letter from an M. Hatch requesting access to ancestral papers―until he realizes there may be some financial gain in it for him. To his great surprise, M. Hatch turns out to be none other than the lovely Miss Miranda. The pair soon embarks on the trail of a centuries-old mystery, drawn together not only by their shared goal but by their growing attraction. However, someone else is seeking the priceless papers, and they will not hesitate to remove anyone in the way of glory.


My Review:
Secret of the Sonnets is a romance set in 1812 in England. Miranda loves literature and is a scholar with ambitions of finding original documents written or signed by Shakespeare. Robert has inherited a crushing load of debt from his father and sees no way to pay back so much debt...especially as his family continues to spend his money so freely. They suggest he engage in a loveless marriage with an heiress, but he's intrigued by a letter from Miranda. She thinks he may have a document with Shakespeare's signature if he'll search for it. It'd sell for enough to help pay back his debts. Though they have different interests and backgrounds, they're attracted to each other.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. Though they didn't share many interests, Robert started reading more to understand the quotes that Miranda and her father tossed around in their lively banter. She's terrified of horses but gamely allowed Robert to not only drive her around but even teach her a bit about driving his beloved horses. They supported each other during their adventurous search for the valuable Shakespeare signature. I cared about what happened to them and wanted them to marry. There was no bad language or sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.