This latest addition to the Rogues to Riches series was so full of angst I honestly couldn't see potential for a positive end, but Erica Ridley proved me wrong. Eventually family and love overcame hand-wringing and doubts. I really am looking forward to the next in the series.

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

Lord of Secrets is the fifth book in the Rogues to Riches series by Erica Ridley. Although it can be read as a standalone story, my enjoyment of it was much enhanced from having read the other books in the series.

Miss Eleanora Winfield is a poor relation in London as a paid companion for her cousin, Lady Roundtree, who is recovering from an injured leg. Her ailing grandparents and her brother are left to struggle on the farm in the country. Nora hopes her wages will help to restore the farm and it’s profits to a point where they can afford to hire help and give her grandparents the much-deserved rest that they need. As a paid companion, Nora attends all the social events with her cousin. At one such event, she meets Heath Grenville.

Heath Grenville, heir to a baronetcy is renown for being a problem solver. If you are under the threat of scandal Heath is the man to ask for help. He will know your secrets, but he will never tell them, hence him being the Lord of Secrets. His family mean the world to him, and when an anonymous caricaturist targets his sister and makes her a laughing stock, he vows to find the man and ruin him.

When Heath and Nora meet there is an immediate attraction between them. Nora knows that he shouldn’t be paying her any attention, and has to admit to him that she is a paid companion, not an equal. That means, of course, that they shouldn’t mix, and definitely shouldn’t dance which is what he had asked her to do when they first meet.

These two are so obviously perfect for each other but there is more than just class distinctions to come between them. Unknown to Heath, Nora is the caricaturist that he despises and is determined to ruin. He can’t see that the cartoons don’t tell any secrets, that they are old news, not new gossip. He doesn’t know that her family’s lives depend on the money she makes from the cartoons. Can there be the slightest possibility of a relationship developing between them, or are the odds stacked against them?

This story captivated me from the very first pages. I loved watching a possible romance bud between Heath and Nora but couldn’t read quickly enough to see what would happen when Nora’s secret was discovered by him. I really enjoyed their non-courtship courtship!! I love the characters in this book and indeed the whole series. There is even an adorable pug puppy in a pivotal position in this story that you couldn’t help but want to reach into the pages to give a cuddle. Even the villains are perfect in as much as that you can’t help but despise them. This book definitely has the perfect mix of light and shade, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I really enjoyed this book by Erica Ridley. Heath was set to inherit a Baronetcy and Nora was a distant cousin of Lady Roundtree. Nora's family was struggling on a sheep farm and the offer from Lady Roundtree for Nora to become her companion while she was recovering from a broken foot was an opportunity that Nora could not refuse. The money would help her family which was her elderly and sick grandparents and her younger brother. As a companion she was often seen as a servant and therefore able to see and hear much gossip without anyone taking note that she was even in the room. The story of how Heath and Nora come together is sweet and not without pitfalls. I loved all the characters in this book. His sisters, even the gossips of the Ton when Nora had to interface with them was fun. I liked the way Erica worked out the problems of Nora's unacceptable background and how Nora found her voice when needed. And Captain Pugboat is a hoot.

I received a copy from NetGalley; this is my honest review. #RoguesToRiches #NetGalley
-I absolutely loved the energy between Heath and Eleanora; how they came to care for each other, the friendship and how they overcame the hurt and anger. No drama and that was perfect.
-I also loved how Lady Roundtree treated Nora, first as Winfield, then Miss Windfield, then as her cousin. The pug became the companion - that was funny in itself.
-I think all the nicknames fit so well the personality or the character of that person. In this case, Lord of Secrets could also be Lady of secrets because Nora has some too!
-It was sweet, it was so well detailed, and it was a fun read.
-The lovemaking was a bit too fast for my taste (after their second kiss) but that's just my personal opinion.
-I've read all previous books in the series so I knew what was coming and I was still confused by the timeline. At the beginning the sisters have no beau but at the end one is married and the other one has an intended. Shouldn't there be a note or something about at least the wedding?

I fell in love with Heath and Nora while reading this book. It’s an amazing story. I would have to say it is one of my favorites in this series.

This is the fifth book in the series about the Grenville siblings (and friends). The three sisters of the family are unconventional at best, and their brother Heath, in efforts to keep the family name respectable, has somehow managed to become the premier secret-keeper and investigator for Ton insider gossip.

When a new caricaturist with access to the highest of inner circles sets the upper class aflutter, Heath is determined to unmask the owner of the wickedly cruel pen. It’s inconceivable that Nora, quiet companion to Lady Roundtree, could be the artist. She’s too kind to poke fun… isn’t she?

Of course, what Heath doesn’t know is that Nora needs the money. Five pounds per caricature is far too much to pass up for a girl whose brother and grandparents are struggling to keep food on the table at the family farm. Except, when she realizes she’s falling in love with Heath, sworn to hunt down and unmask her own secret identity, massive inner conflicts overwhelm her.

I’m sure you can guess that Heath manages to find out the truth and there’s a huge confrontation. Which was absolutely my favourite part of the book, because Nora is not even remotely the kind of girl who is going to take reproach lying down. She gets right back up in Heath’s face and turns the argument back on him; why is he so angry about the caricatures? How dare the poor see how their betters behave, and laugh at them? It was the most wonderful piece of social commentary as Nora made Heath take a good hard look at himself, and discover he’s no better than some of the most idle and useless aristocrats he professes distaste for.

As part of a series, this does have an interwoven timeline with some of the others, but it can be read reasonably comfortably as a standalone. I’m giving it five stars, for two lead characters I liked immensely and one of the best set-down scenes I’ve read in a Regency-era romance since Jane Austen’s legendary Hunsford proposal.

Heath Grenville is a man who is heir to a Barony. Until he inherits the title, he spends time trying to help the ton by stopping gossip and keeping their secrets. When someone starts drawing unflattering caricatures of the upper class and they are being printed, he must uncover the name of this scoundrel. After promising his mother that he would be married this year, he meets a very interesting woman. He finds out she is a paid companion and of course he cannot marry her, but he is very drawn to her. Nora is a country girl and a talented artist . She wishes for just one dance with this man who holds so many secrets . Can they overcome the difference in upbringing and will he ever uncover the one sending these drawings to the paper. I loved this book because it wasn't about only marrying into the same set but loving someone who you believe is beneath you. One more great book in the Rogues to Riches series. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review and no compensation otherwise.

This book is part of a series. Heath Grenville is the fixer for all of his friends who are in need. He meets Nora Winfield who is from the country and a temporary companion to Lady Roundtree, her cousin. Nora loves to draw but some how her drawings have become the talk of the Ton. Heath is falling in love but can they be together when she is below his class. He does not worry for himself but for his family. Can a Lord find true love at a time when the nobility does not marry for love? Read this interesting story to find out.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

Lord of Secrets is part of the Rogues to Riches series - which I haven't read, in my opinion it can be read as a stand-alone. Our hero and heroine meet at a ball, but not as equals in the eyes of the society: Heath Grenville is a guest at said ball, Nora Winfield a paid companion to a lady. The whole "beneath his/her station" is a theme I quite enjoy in HR, so I immediately got intrigued. Nora is a farmer's daughter (and a distant cousin to the lady she is serving as a companion) - but she also is quite a talented artist of infamous caricatures. Heath is supposed to find and uncover the artist behind these caricatures, not knowing that he already met and found her enchanting....I really enjoyed this plot, both hero and heroine are endearing and very likeable.

This is a riveting, romantic and amusing story. Heath is kind, generous, sweet and disciplined. Nora is sweet, determined, artistic and snarky. They met when she literally bumps into him, and as soon as her eyes met his, she was a goner. He is fascinated by her, even when he finds out that she's just a companion, not someone he can marry, yet he can't stop thinking about her. Gradually they become friends and learn that they have a lot in common. Heath knows that he can't marry her, there is enough drama involving the people in his family and he won't add to it. Heath is everything that Nora wants in a husband, but she knows that she's not the kind of woman he needs to marry, and she has a secret. The suspense in the storyline, the warmth of the characters and the love they share makes this a must read book. I loved it and couldn't put it down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

I really enjoyed this book. Very engaging characters. Very good pace. Very good writing. I'm not surprised because Erica Ridley is a Gem in this genre.
Copy provided in return for an honest review that's my own.

This is a true HEA story, about an heir to a Barony and she is a common country farm girl, but when love comes to town nothing will stop it. I would have liked to see a little more interaction between the two main characters but once the story progressed it had me turning the page and finding it hard to put down. I also loved the secondary characters in the book whom we have meet before. I find it hard not to enjoy Ms Ridleys books and very much look forward to the next as I am sure there will be some sparks flying. This can be read as a standalone book and has a small sex scene which this reviewer skipped as usual and it in now way impacted my enjoyment of the book. Once you have read one of Ms Ridleys books I am sure you will be back for more. I received this as an ARC and did this review because I enjoy reading her books although this wasn’t my favourite, don’t let it stop you from trying this and others.

An historical romance that encompasses an excellent group of people. It has a crossover of characters and events that will be familiar to readers of other stories by this accomplished author. All's well that ends well and this tale ends well for all concerned parties. The hero is untarnished and the heroine is beautiful and compassionate.

I has rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased opinion.

Lord of Secrets⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Erica Ridley

Eleanora Winfield, a distant cousin of Lady Roundtree has been hired as her companion while the Lady convalesces from a broken leg. Nora is a farm girl and new to the ways of London. She has taken the position to earn money for her brother and grandparents. Her relatives are suffering from poverty and need money to retain their farm.

Nora cannot read very little and write even less. So to communicate with her family she sketches caricatures of the people of the ton she encounters. Her brother decides to send her sketches to the newspaper to see if they can be published. Her caricatures become an overnight success.

Heath Grenville the keeper or secrets and problem solver of Londo meets Nora and becomes infatuated with her. Nora too begins to fall for him. Nora desperately needs the money earned from her sketches by must remain anonymous to all. Although their love blooms Heath has no idea of her secret.

Ms Ridley, as only she can, brings humors and romance into this story. Her characters are so artfully crafted you feel they can walk off the pages. I am an admirer of Ms Ridley’s work and she never disappoints.

This was a very enjoyable addition to this series even though it did become a bit disorienting in parts (which I will get to in a moment). I will say that this, as is the same of the other novels in this series can be read as a stand-alone.

Now let me begin with the part that was slightly disorienting - Heath's story runs alongside those of his sisters (books two and three respectively) - meaning there are certain elements that overlap in this one. This is perfect for someone who hasn't read the prior novels before, but for someone who has its a bit like having skipped to the end of a novel. We already know what happens.

Aside from that, I found this story to be a complimentary addition to this series. The characters while flawed, were endearing and their happily ever after well earned despite the trials thrown at them. I found the overall plot to be a bit cliched - after all Cinderella stories are a bit commonplace - however the author's choice to make Nora a skillful caricature artist and the drama surrounding that - gave this story a push into new territory. I would have loved to have seen more of her brother and their grandparents, but I felt even without that the author managed to end this story on a high note. I am looking forward to the next book in this series Lord of Vice (tentatively scheduled for September 2018).

I believe this novel will appeal not only to fans of the series, but those who enjoy well written and engaging historical romance novels.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I found this author by accident and loved the story, an earlier book in this series, so much that I read the rest of the series.

This is Heath's story. Heath is the only son and heir to the barony. He is the peacekeeper in his family and serves as a confidante to the members of the ton. He is the secret keeper. He is fiercely protective of his sisters and mother.

Nora was brought to town as a paid companion for Lady Roundtree, a distant cousin, after Lady Roundtree breaks her leg. Nora lives with her brother and grandparents on a sheep farm. She is grateful for the position because her family desperately needs the money she is being paid. She is stunned by the opulence of the life of the ton. She has a secret that she guards closely. Because of it, she sends her family caricatures of what she sees as a way to show them what is going on. She is a gifted artist. Her brother winds up selling them to a tabloid, which publishes them as a mockery of the ton. Nora doesn't like it but her family desperately needs the money.

Heath sees Nora at a ball and is taken with her. But when he realizes she is a paid servant he knows there cannot be anything between them. That didn't stop the feelings that the two of them have for one another.

This is a good story. We learn a lot about the characters and their lives. We see that the ones who seem to have it all really don't have as much as those who have very little.

I highly recommend this book. You can read it as a stand alone but you'll miss out on some of the background stories.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a great plot. I love the characters. I already can't wait for the next book. Heath Grenville is the London's elite problem-solver. When he is trying to unmask someone it leads to a lady. Miss Eleanora Winfield is a paid companion. She also goes by Nora’s and does sketches of the infamous penny caricatures rocking high society. I hope everyone enjoys the book as much as I did.

Lord of Secrets is the fifth book in the Rogues to Riches series by Erica Ridley. Although it can be read as a standalone story, my enjoyment of it was much enhanced from having read the other books in the series.

Miss Eleanora Winfield is a poor relation in London as a paid companion for her cousin, Lady Roundtree, who is recovering from an injured leg. Her ailing grandparents and her brother are left to struggle on the farm in the country. Nora hopes her wages will help to restore the farm and it's profits to a point where they can afford to hire help and give her grandparents the much-deserved rest that they need. As a paid companion, Nora attends all the social events with her cousin. At one such event, she meets Heath Grenville.

Heath Grenville, heir to a baronetcy is renown for being a problem solver. If you are under the threat of scandal Heath is the man to ask for help. He will know your secrets, but he will never tell them, hence him being the Lord of Secrets. His family mean the world to him, and when an anonymous caricaturist targets his sister and makes her a laughing stock, he vows to find the man and ruin him.

When Heath and Nora meet there is an immediate attraction between them. Nora knows that he shouldn't be paying her any attention, and has to admit to him that she is a paid companion, not an equal. That means, of course, that they shouldn't mix, and definitely shouldn't dance which is what he had asked her to do when they first meet.

These two are so obviously perfect for each other but there is more than just class distinctions to come between them. Unknown to Heath, Nora is the caricaturist that he despises and is determined to ruin. He can't see that the cartoons don't tell any secrets, that they are old news, not new gossip. He doesn't know that her family's lives depend on the money she makes from the cartoons. Can there be the slightest possibility of a relationship developing between them, or are the odds stacked against them?

This story captivated me from the very first pages. I loved watching a possible romance bud between Heath and Nora but couldn't read quickly enough to see what would happen when Nora's secret was discovered by him. I really enjoyed their non-courtship courtship!! I love the characters in this book and indeed the whole series. There is even an adorable pug puppy in a pivotal position in this story that you couldn't help but want to reach into the pages to give a cuddle. Even the villains are perfect in as much as that you can't help but despise them. This book definitely has the perfect mix of light and shade, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

London - 1817

Miss Eleanora (Nora) Winfield, 26, is the companion to the Baroness Roundtree. It is a temporary post for Nora until the Baroness heals from a leg injury. Nora is also the lady’s cousin but she doesn’t refer to her as such. Nora is a talented artist who anonymously sketches caricatures of people in society showing them in humorous or scandalous situations. Nora uses the money from this to send home to help support her brother and aged grandparents. The money is helping to keep them from starvation. While she feels bad embarrassing or making someone a laughing stock from her caricatures, she knows she has to continue to draw them to send money home. She knows too that if she is ever discovered to be the anonymous artist, it could ruin her.

Heath Grenville, 32, is heir to a Baronetcy. He has many friends and is also known as a scandal fixer. When someone gets in the middle of a scandalous situation, Heath knows how to make it go away. He has three younger sisters whom he loves dearly. Heath’s mother is pushing him to get married, but he has yet to meet a woman he cares to marry. Sadly, Heath’s father is a very busy man and Heath rarely, if ever, gets to have any time with the man.

One evening, Heath sees Nora at a soiree and is very intrigued to know who the beautiful young woman is. Heath is very kind to all women at dances and tries to ensure that he dances with all of the wallflowers as well. When Heath asks Nora to dance, she refuses him telling him that she is a paid companion. They both know it would not be proper for him to dance with her.

As Heath and Nora encounter each other, they are more and more drawn to one another, but they know that it cannot be. As Heath will one day be a Baron, the woman he marries must be higher up on the social ladder than Nora.

When Nora draws a caricature that includes Heath’s sister, the man is livid and hell bent on finding the artist. Nora realizes that she has now pushed this too far. What will be the outcome?

This is a very nice, book with one brief sex scene. I enjoyed the story and how people can be torn about the things that they do. How wrong is something if your loved ones are starving?

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC to read and give my honest opinion.

The blurb is what caught my eye since I read parts of this in the last book of this series. The cover was cute and the author one I have read from before.

Nora is a poor relation and a paid companion. She bolsters her money drawing harmless but funny caricatures of the Beau Monde. To support aging grand parents and a brother she left behind at the farm.

Heath is a paid problem solver of the elite crust. If you have a secret he can keep it. He is quite the dutiful kind, but he longs for something he can't have. He meets Nora and quickly discovers her simple roots. He needs a marriage that won't ruin his standings.

This was a fantastic read. I enjoyed it immensely and could not put it down. The elegant Nora and her fiery spirit that couldn't be crushed. The handsome Heath that longed to be more than the Lord of secrets. The chemistry between the two was pleasant and surprisingly fun. I even enjoyed the pugnacious pug. The world building in this book was incredible and it is in my opinion the author's best work to date that I have read. Five stars of entertainment! Loved it.