This collection of novellas is a bit like a mash-up of unrelated stories, I wasn't sensing a common theme among the three. The first one is what I would expect from the title of the collection, with secrets and smuggling, although Helen was a witness of Isaac's plot, not a participant. Her natural inclination is to dissuade him from what she perceives as thievery and crime- but thing are not always what they seem. The second story didn't have a whiff of intrigue- it took us to the western US with a doctor and volunteer nurse serving the local Native Americans being held at the fort. The last story I admittedly didn't finish. The language and thoughts of the main characters were too sickly sweet which I found unrealistic, and difficult to engage with the plot.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

The Gentleman’s Smugglers Lady kicked off this trio and I was smitten from the get-go. Helen is such a spitfire! I love her tenacity and fighting spirit, and paired with the charming Isaac made for sheer perfection. I admired how much depth of character and situation there was in such a short story! Michelle Griep is masterful when it comes to the pen, and her talents are shown in the best way in this novella.

The Doctor’s Woman was my least favorite story, but it still managed to pull me in, despite it not grabbing my attention immediately. There is a certain playfulness to this tale, despite the dark and dire situation the characters find themselves in. The good natures and positivity of both James and Emmy shine through the mire and was the aspect that I admired most about this story.

A House of Secrets is the gleaming finale that was another favorite of mine. I enjoyed the fact that the main couple were already together, so the focus was on their situation, and not on building a relationship. I loved the air of mystery and adored Amanda and Joseph and their giving spirit, as this story shows the glaring divide between the social classes.

I engrossed myself in this novel and have no regrets. Michelle Griep is one of my favorite authors, as she has such a way with pulling the reader into these worlds, creating such imagery with her incredible writing, and helping you escape like no other. Such a sweet and wonderful read!

Another hit for Michelle Griep. One book three stories, the reader can't go wrong. Michelle is a wonderful writer that readers anticipate each book she writes. This is a novella, with 3 storiesof intrigue.

Three stories that will travel from 1815,1862 and 1890 takes these 6 characters through three suspenseful stories with danger and love. Melissa Griep/s The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady, The Doctor’s Woman and A House of Secrets. These stories will take three young women through danger, love, suspense, and independence to find the true love. These stories will take you from 1815 Cornwall England to Mendota and Saint Paul Minnesota. Lives will change and love will blossom in unique situations where lives are in the balance. These Ladies of Intrigue just may solve the mystery of danger and love.

Melissa Griep writes three suspenseful stories of danger and love. Three independent women find trouble and the men meant for them. These couples will work together to find the bad guys and get justice. Lives will be forever changed when these men and women meets. A smuggler kidnaps his future bride, a doctor faces of with a local healer and a woman’s plan comes up against the plans of her fiancé’s enemy. Intrigue abounds and true love survives hard times with God’s help and intervention. You’ll be surprised by who is behind all the trouble and how the heroes and heroines face their enemies. Check out this wonderful Inspirational story of love, romance and danger with a touch of intrigue. Ladies of Intrigue will hold your attention and you won’t be able to put it down.

I love Michelle Griep’s writings style. I get excited when I see she has a new book. This one is not just one page turning story but 3 nolvellas!!

Synopsis:
The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?

The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory, 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

* All three are clean novellas!!

For their short length, these stories develop characters well. The 19th-century settings in various locales are interesting and brought to lift deftly by the author. The romance is as moving as you'll get in a novella. All together, an enjoyable read and a good sampling of Michelle Griep's talents (though I do prefer her novels).

The book consisted of three stories set in the 1800s that weren't particularly related to one another but told the common story of a strong female lead that stood up for her beliefs and wasn't afraid to defend what she felt was right. I enjoyed what felt like a reimagination of Robin Hood with the smuggler and the lady and felt like this could have been expounded on. I did not realize that these stories would be centered on a Christian Fiction or spiritual belief with common themes around God. I am not typically a fan of fiction such as this, but it wasn't too preachy. Overall, it wasn't too much my cup of tea.

The Ladies of Intrigue collection combines three of Michelle Griep’s historical novellas, and it is fun to read. Blending romance, mystery, and adventure, it is perfect for readers of historical fiction.

Each novella delves into a different time period and setting, but despite these differences, their stories read well side-by-side as they feature strong women and the pursuit of truth and sweet, sweet romance. They may be short, yet the way Griep writes each story proves captivating and enjoyable.

So, if you’re in need of a quick historical read, definitely check out Ladies of Intrigue.

Review of The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady by Michelle Griep: Set on the Cornish Coast in 1815 this is a quick novella with rance and intrigue. While I enjoyed this story it was a bit too fast for me.

It feels forever ago that I picked up this book, Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep, on NetGalley with every intention to read and review. It’s been sitting in my ebook shelf for a very long time. Recently, I decided I needed to get these older books off my shelf by reading it and reviewing for the authors and publishers. Little did I expect to find that I’ve already read it, but have since forgotten some of the details.


Therefore, I’m reading it again! It’s no less pleasurable this second trip through these pages. As I read, I recognize the names and events from before. I’ve decided I would write about each of these short stories as I read them so I don’t forget before getting to the end (and this is mainly due to my reading multiple books at a time)!

The first story in Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep is The Gentleman Smugglers Lady. Governess Helen Fletcher arrives by boat to take care of her ailing father. When the boat docks the crew is taken and the goods plundered. Ms Fletcher is taken by one of the smugglers on horseback to the place her father is staying. In this small town, she happens across this smuggler quite a few times and he surprises her by showing her his caring heart for those in the community. What will come of Ma Fletcher and this Smuggler? What happens to her father?

The second story, The Doctor’s Lady, features Emmaline Nelson at Fort Snelling. Emmy’s father is summoned to help Sarge’s injured leg. But Doc Nelson passed two weeks ago and the fort doctor was called away with his replacement hasn’t arrived yet. Ms Nelson is requested to step in to help even though she’s expected at her Aunt’s in Minneapolis. Emmy steps up for the cause and stays on when the Dr Clark arrives, who treats her at first as a nurse. They help to recover many from small pox and other ailments. Dr Clark does eventually get small pox himself, whereas Emmy already had it. She tries everything she knows, everything Dr Clark’s textbooks says, but she hasn’t tried what her new tribal friend Makawee uses. Will Dr Clark recover? What will happen next?

The third book is A House of Secrets. I suppose the title is due to the secret being held regarding ownership of what is called the Grigg House, what seems to be a long ago abandoned property. You see, Maggie is betrothed to the city prosecutor, Joseph Blake, who inadvertently is the owner of the condemned property. But Joseph keeps his ownership a secret as he has been using it to free women who want to escape from a brothel. Maggie wants to use the property to develop a school for disadvantaged children, but needs the title of the home before she can renovate. Much is revealed after Joseph is a victim to a boiler explosion at the club often frequented by attorneys and politicians. Will the secret be revealed? What will come of the Grigg House?

Sweetness and full of heartwarming events are what I feel when reading this trilogy of books. Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep was provided complimentary in exchange for an honest review. I give this book five out of five tiaras because it pulls me into each story quickly and keeps my attention throughout. It’s full of smiles, laughter, shock, surprises, fears, and everything in-between!

The Things That Change In 75 Years Will Capture Your Heart
Let’s start with locations. Cornish seaside? I couldn’t help but picture the little village of Port Isaac (called Portwenn in the Doc Martin series) as being “just around the bend” while I read. That’s one great thing about watching British shows—you get to see some of those places that you read about in other books.

Dakota Territory? The draw of my father’s ballads… rugged land, tensions between natives and military, the bitter cold of Laura Ingalls’ winters. I felt as though I walked with Emmy and saw the heartbreak and pain suffered there.

St. Paul, Minnesota? I’ve been there—sleek skyscrapers, traffic, airports… one-half of the “Twin Cities.” But in A House of Secrets, Ms. Griep showed me an older, seedier side of the town. No, I guess that part of it doesn’t “capture your heart,” but what happens there—what her Joseph does—definitely will.

There’s more, though.
As I’ve often said, I don’t usually care for novellas. They often feel rushed—incomplete. Usually, I want more, and not in a good way. When a reader wants more because they don’t want a story to end, that’s every author’s dream. However, when a reader wants more because they feel as though they’ve been left with an incomplete story… That’s how I usually feel about novellas.

Not these. While I’ve no doubt that Ms. Griep could have turned each one of these into a full-length novel, I didn’t once feel as though I was being dragged past the bullet points of a story. Instead, she wrote each one complete, even if snack-sized instead of a full meal.

Okay, so the characters in these books will capture your heart as well. Seriously, I loved all of them, which is pretty cool. With three books and three time periods—not to mention three locations, the chance that I wouldn’t like one of them was high. Didn’t happen. The only people I didn’t like were ones I wasn’t supposed to. And Ms. Griep did a great job of making me dislike them.

There’s something else about Ladies of Intrigue that you should know.
I said this was about things that did change. But things that didn’t were even more interesting. Each girl had similar attributes. They were all strong without being ridiculously so and each knew her own heart. That was such a nice thing after reading several recently where the girls couldn’t possibly guess what was happening in that important organ! Whatever could this be!?! Gag.

Ms. Griep didn’t do that to me. I’d plop down five stars for that right away. Just sayin’.

Still, with similar elements to their personalities, the girls didn’t feel like a more modern, carbon copy of the previous one(s). Each girl had her own unique story, her own personality, her own reactions to what happened to her. This takes a killer understanding of human nature, and the author showed that beautifully.

Another thing that didn’t change was her phenomenal writing.
Ms. Griep first intrigued me with her ability to take a scene and describe every bit of it that I need to know—and with as few words as possible. Unlike some authors who spend pages describing a single room, *cough, Dickens* she wields her word brush with delicate care. Turns of phrases capture your attention without slipping into personal prose.

In fact, the only thing about the writing that tripped me up was both the second and the third characters, about thirty years apart, used the exclamation, “La!” It jarred me out of the second story a bit. I don’t know if it’s just something incredibly popular among young ladies of the latter half of the 19th century, or if she got into that habit and didn’t realize she’d done it twice in a row.

Seriously, though, if that’s all I have to complain about, well… I’ll take it. I’m so glad I requested a review copy, and I’ll be looking forward to her next book.

Recommended for lovers of historical fiction, books about plucky girls who aren’t determined to prove their superiority to men, and novellas! Three in one, folks!

Three stories in one; the first is longer followed by two novella length.

The first story starts in a gripping manner with your classic kidnapping, but it's quickly apparent that things are not as they seem. Isaac is a loyal man who I liked for forging a way through tough times and working hard to provide for those dependent on him. Helen has no problem telling Isaac what she thinks of his actions and she gradually comes to understand Isaac's heart, but also isn't afraid to push him to be a better man. Each page kept me turning as I wanted to see their story unfold. The style is what I would term an easy suspense; provides mystery and action but does not get intense. I was surprised when it ended earlier than I thought it would, but it was a good spot to end the story. I would've happily continued reading about them.

The second story did not resonate with me as much. While I enjoyed the developing romance and the sexual tension written into the story line without even a kiss, I struggled to believe in their developing relationship as the story mostly revolved around their internal thoughts and the medical actions, not as much about them getting to know histories, likes, dislikes, etc. I think this was a function of the limited length.

The third story features an already engaged couple. It's not often that we get a romance with a couple in this stage of the relationship which was refreshing. I liked Amanda and Joseph immediately. Joseph for his clear adoration of Amanda and good heart. Though I don't agree with him hiding something from her, I do understand and his motives are so honorable, you can't help but love him more. I admire the way Amanda is determined to break the mold from an overbearing father, but still clearly loves him while doing it.

Each story brings a unique perspective to being an intriguing lady and I encourage you to give it a read.

I received a complementary copy of this book. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are honestly my own.
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Ladies of Intrigue is a perfect combination of romance, mystery, and women who just won’t quit (which could be a bad thing). The length of each story is just right for chilly evenings by the fire. There would be no putting this book down if you make a plan to hunker down for the night.

Michelle’s ability to pull the reader into the story in the first paragraph is what made this more enjoyable. She has a way of putting words together in such a way that all your senses work in tandem to heighten the story experience.

If you can not tell, I loved this collection.

Thank you CelebrateLit for making it possible to read this beautiful book so that I can honestly rave about it. 😁

Sometimes, a novella is just what you need; I especially love them as palate cleansers between heavier reads. This novella collection from Michelle Griep serves that purpose perfectly.

The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady
I enjoyed this story, though I wish it would've been longer. Griep does a great job of building the chemistry between Helen and Isaac, but I couldn't help but feel that their relationship moved far too quickly. During that time, an engagement could've conceivably happened that quickly, but would they really have been that in love after such a short time? Also, the conflict resolution seemed a little too easy. As I said before, this as a full-length novel would've been wonderful. As a novella? Nice, but not my favorite. 3-1/2 stars. (Note: This novella previously appeared in the Regency Brides Collection.)

The Doctor's Woman
Though this novella was actually shorter than The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady, it felt more complete. Some of it, I'm sure, is due to the fact that it covers several months, allowing Emmy and James time to build a relationship. Their chemistry is off the charts, and I enjoyed getting to know some of the minor characters, as well. This is a great example of a novella that is perfectly satisfying in spite of the short length. 4-1/2 stars. (Note: This previously appeared in the Courageous Brides Collection.)

A House of Secrets
This novella is different from the others in that it's not as much of a romance. Amanda and Joseph are already engaged at the novella's beginning, and it's not about them falling in love—it's about learning to trust each other while fighting for the downtrodden. I enjoyed the story, and I wouldn't mind seeing the two of them pop up in future stories. 4 stars. (Note: This previously appeared in the Of Rags and Riches Romance Collection.)

Overall, this was a nice novella collection and a quick, easy read.

The description may not be clear because it doesn't include previous publishing dates, but these are all repackaged books, so you may have read them in the past. I've noticed this pattern—repackaging older novellas into one volume, but not telling readers. That said, thankfully I hadn’t read any of these stories, so it was a good way to learn about her writing.

Full disclosure, I only read the first two in this novella collection. I found myself growing weary of the voice—the fact that there were a lot of overly told emotional reactions without the opportunity for readers to feel them along with the characters. Repeated melodramatic descriptions of cries “tearing from her throat,” etc. (cliché; melodrama; telling) There were POV issues as well. I noticed these issues in a more recent novel I read by this author, so I may not read more of her work for a while.

On the positive side, there were moments of strong, insightful prose. Some relatable conflicts—will the hero choose the future or the past? If he chooses vengeance, he is choosing to focus his energy on the past. If he chooses his future, he can focus ahead. Those are choices everyone must make.

I write and prefer reading contemporary romance, but sometimes it's fun to immerse myself in a historical world of formality and different customs. That's what I was hoping for with this collection. Though these stories didn't appeal to me, perhaps other readers will enjoy the escape these stories offer.

I love novella collections, so this was the perfect read for me. This lovely book contains three novellas all by Michelle Griep. Each piece is set during the 1800’s, and each story has a dash of intrigue and mystery to it. It is difficult to review novellas without giving anything away, but just know, if you enjoy reading novellas, you will love this book! I highly recommend it. Happy reading friends!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."

Three novellas with a HEA.

The first, strangely, read like a retelling of Poldark. Whereas the last story read like the last chapters of a long romance novel. All of them were well-written, but not outstanding.

Did not care for this book at all. Couldn't get into any of the stories. Just not enough there to even hold my attention. May have been wonderful to have all 3 stories as full length.

For all my historical fiction lovers, Ladies of Intrigue is a fabulous read following three women looking for love in the 19th century. The book is set up in three parts with each section being a completely different story with a different protagonist which makes it an easy quick read. Each of the stories is equally as interesting and well developed that each could have been its own book on its own. If you love historical fiction and are looking for a romantic book this Valentine's Day season then I highly recommend Michelle Griep's newest book.

Danger looms for three Ladies Of Intrigue...

Over the last year or so I've really come to enjoy Michelle Griep's historical romance so when I saw Ladies Of Intrigue it was a must read for me. I was curious to see if she could write novellas as well as she does her full length novels.

While the title indicates suspense I found that Ladies Of Intrigue was more historical romance with a healthy dash of adventure. What could be more adventurous than smugglers, a Native American uprising, and a haunted house with many secrets...?

One thing that I would like to note is that those who have difficulty with smaller print will not have that problem with this book. The font size is really nice and easy to read.

I found Michelle Griep's novella collection to be a fairly quick and easy read. The settings, Cornwall, Dakota Territory, and St. Paul, Minnesota, were quite interesting. And I really liked the fact that the stories covered the length of the 1800s, 1815, 1862, and 1890. So, if you are looking for a trio of adventurous and romantic novellas from a talented author Ladies Of Intrigue would be a great choice.

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)