Young, widowed, and penniless, Lily Andrews, the Countess of Merrill, has strong opinions on marriage. When she spots a certain engagement announcement in The Times, she decides to take action. She will not allow another hapless girl to fall prey to a man—particularly the scoundrel who broke her heart five years ago. Anonymously she writes and distributes a pamphlet entitled "Secrets of a Wedding Night," knowing it will find its way into his intended's innocent hands.
Devon Morgan, the Marquis of Colton, desires a good wife and mother to his son—someone completely unlike Lily Andrews, the heartless beauty who led him on a merry chase five years ago only to reject him. When Devon's new fiancée cries off after reading a certain scandalous pamphlet, he vows to track down the author and make her pay. But when he learns it's his former fiancée Lily, he issues a challenge: write a retraction or prepare to be seduced—to find out how wonderful a wedding night can be . . .Download and start listening now!
"I really shouldn't like this book. This debut author used two weary tropes that should probably not be used any more: the BIG misunderstanding and the virgin widow. BUT in spite of this I really enjoyed the book. What saved it was breezy writing and good dialogue. I also enjoyed the characters. Valerie Bowman will have a good career as an author, I predict. Waiting to read the next one."
— Kellianne (4 out of 5 stars)
“This fast-paced, charming debut, sparkling with witty dialogue, and engaging characters, marks Bowman for stardom…Bowman’s entertaining style and colorful descriptions will entice readers to keep turning the pages.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)Bowman's engaging sense of characterization, gift for creating sexual chemistry, and graceful writing style give her debut romance a splendidly satisfying emotional depth.
— Booklist Starred Review" Excellent. I loved it! Can't wait for the next book!!! "
— Marcy, 2/19/2014" a great story the twist and turn and excellent. can't wait to read the next "
— Annetta, 1/20/2014" I devoured this book. Compelling situation with an intriguing mystery to the main characters' mutual past that unfolded naturally through the story. I could identify with the heroine and loved the hero. Brava, author Valerie Bowman! "
— Virginia, 12/3/2013" Very good debut! I liked the characters + motivation but in the second part the tension kind of dissolved and you didn't really feel for them reaching these realizations they were supposed to. Very promising though for the rest :) "
— Vasilena, 11/26/2013" DNF... They have a wink-off. A wink-off! Barely started before I knew I hated it. "
— RIF, 10/26/2013" The author of this book is a friend of a friend which is why I read it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was an enjoyable, fun book. (The last historical romance novel I read was dreadful.) I will be looking for the next book in the series. "
— Gevera, 10/23/2013" Great first novel for Valerie Bowman! Can't wait to see her writing get even better though. Second half of the book was better than the first half. I am excited to read the second book in the series, she sets it up quite nicely. "
— Katie, 10/17/2013" Meh. It was an ok read, fast paced. Somewhat predictable and cliched, but alright. Not much to the love scenes, only a few and very short. "
— Susan, 9/1/2013" The whole plot was stupid & made me dislike the heroine. The writing of the pamphlet seemed pointless to me & the way the heroine handled her sister was obviously asking for it "
— Linda, 5/24/2013" I hope it was just my state of mind, going in to it, that put me to sleep literally five minutes after I tried to read this book, all the time. Also, very modern phrasing going on. "
— Jen, 5/14/2013" "Secrets of a Wedding Night" grabbed my attention in the first pages. I loved the character development and descriptive scenes. The author kept me intrigued and entertained throughout the book, and I can't wait for the second in the series. "
— Rachel, 4/1/2013" More like 4.5 stars... brilliant debut.. cannot wait for the next book in this series. "
— Sheryl, 3/26/2013" I loved this book. It's has two people who love eachother, but are wary of eachother. I couldn't put it down. "
— Michele, 3/23/2013" Okay, so I had the privilege of getting to read this as an ARC and I cannot tell you how much I loved Valerie's characters. They are just so great. SECRETS is funny, frothy, and will make you smile...and immediately go online to buy her next one :) "
— Romily, 2/20/2013Valerie Bowman is an award-winning author who writes Regency-set historical romance novels. Her debut novel, Secrets of a Wedding Night, is the first in the Secret Brides series. Bowman has a BA in English language and literature with a minor in history from Smith College. Originally from Rantoul, Illinois, she lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her family, including her rascally rescue dog Roo.
Justine Eyre is a classically trained actress who has narrated many audiobooks, earning the prestigious Audie Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She is multilingual and known for her great facility with accents. She has appeared on stage, with leading roles in King Lear and The Crucible, and has had starring roles in four films on the indie circuit. Her television credits include Two and a Half Men and Mad Men.