A Scandalous Secret is the perfect way to start your holiday reading. I think author Laura Trentham could write a grocery list and make it sweet, sexy – and steamy. While A Scandalous Secret is a novella and part of the Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal anthology, it packs the punch of any of her full-length novels. The plot is rich and intricate, the characters well-developed and multi-layered, and the excitement and danger enthralling. Not to mention the heart, humor and heat we’ve come to expect from this skilled author.

Thomas and Victoria drew me in from the beginning. They are so attracted to each other that even though they haven’t confessed their feelings to each other and think they’ve hidden them from the world, it’s probably obvious to everyone except maybe Victoria’s mother, who is determined that this Christmas season Victoria will finally choose a husband and “marry up” to improve their position in society. Thomas is certainly not a suitable candidate to be that husband. He is her spymaster father’s personal guard, more than just a servant but not a man with acceptable prospects.

But then the independent, willful, reckless, loyal-to-a-fault-to-her-friends Victoria gets herself in serious danger and needs rescuing. And we’re off on a wild, sometimes quite funny, sometimes quite nerve-racking ride with these two that doesn’t stop until the very, very satisfying conclusion. There are secrets and surprises – and a cozy little stay in a cottage in the woods. Oooh, I get shivers just thinking about it.

Thanks to Laura Trentham for providing an advance copy of A Scandalous Secret for my reading pleasure and honest review. It was a pleasure indeed, as is everything from this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it without hesitation. ( )