Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep is three stories of intrigue and romance set in the 19th century.

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady takes place on the Cornish Coast provides readers with glimpses of beauty and the particular peoples of the coast.

The Doctor’s Woman, set in Dakota Territory in 1862 is a harrowing tale of life in the territory with wild animals, blizzards, and grizzled untrustworthy men. And a young woman recently orphaned by a doctor father, hoping to avoid joining her snooty aunt in her home.

A House of Secrets takes place in St. Paul Minnesota in 1890 is my favorite of the three stories. Amanda Carlton is set to obtain an abandoned house to use as a school for the poor uneducated children in the city. When she discovers the owner of the abandoned property is her fiancé, she sets out to find out why he hid it from her. The answer just might be her complete undoing.

I highly recommend Ladies of Intrigue!

Three wonderful historical romance novellas.

Each of these stories is set in a different time period and setting. I thoroughly enjoyed this variety. The main characters are all fantastic and well developed. The plots are all great and kept my interest.

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady - I found that this story really looks at the necessity of taking time to not jump to conclusions about a person’s character without getting to know their motives.

The Doctor’s Woman - I loved seeing how the doctor and the daughter of the missionary doctor learned to work together.

A House of Secrets - Trying to keep secrets is never a good way to treat the woman you are engaged to.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

I love reading historical books, I love that these books are all set in different time period.



1. The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815 A very interesting story. Helen is definitely not a good horse rider. She does do a good job in caring for her dying father.

2. The Doctor’s Woman
Dakota Territory, 1862

I loved the way Emmy cared for the sick even though she wasn’t a doctor or nurse. She had assisted her father and after he passed she helped the new doctor. I really enjoyed these kind of stories.

3. A House of Secrets

St Paul, Minnesota, 1890

Amanda is in search of who owns the brothel but she is definitely in for a surprise. I loved how determined she was.

Three different stories, they were all really good. I did have a favorite one but will not say which one it was. My favorite could be different from someone else’s. Read the book and see what you think.

I received an complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.

Michelle Griep is an author that transports her reader into the time period of the story. Once again, she took me on a journey. I got to meet new friends and learn about myself through them. I love this about any book. Ms. Griep does it with such ease. The stories are entertaining and fun. Normally I don't like short stories. I feel like they're rushed and missing something. Such was NOT the case with these stories. They were well balanced and crafted to be perfect bites. I'm sure she could have elongated each story into a full book but I got just enough in the short form it didn't leave me feeling like I missed out. I loved how the stories connected through the book. I didn't feel jarred when I went from one story to the next. It's a great read for a lazy summer afternoon, a cold winter night, or any other time when you just want to escape for a little bit. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from CelebrateLit and the publisher. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

I was an immediate fan of Michelle Griep after reading my very first novel of hers. Since that day, it has been my intent to read everything she writes so I was quite happy to be given a chance to review her most recent collection Ladies of Intrigue. This particular book includes three vastly different novellas with different settings and time frames. The one thing each has in common is that at least one of the primary characters hides one or more secrets from the other. With so many secrets, how can true love overcome them?

I enjoyed all three of the distinct stories and find it difficult to choose a favorite. The dark and mysterious Cornish coast with its smuggler hero had its appeal but so did the western Fort Snelling and its city doctor. Then there was the young society lady determined to prove herself by providing a home for underprivileged children whose love interest held a few secrets of his own. Each story was a delight to read and held my interest until the end. Although I usually enjoy shorter format novellas such as these, I found myself not quite ready to let them go when I reached the last page of each one. I would say that is a testament to the excellent talent of Ms. Griep. I loved this book and would recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of intrigue.

This book is three short stories in one novel. I like the concept. I love ladies of intrigue. It was overall an enjoyable read. Something quick and easy to get through.

Oh, what fun! Three of Michelle Griep’s novellas in one book! I would have finished it in one sitting if I hadn’t started the book later in the evening and had to take a break to sleep. All of the author’s trademarks that makes her books delectable are in these novellas - smooth and easy-to-read writing, descriptive historical settings, strong and lovable characters, nicely laid-out plot, and a steady current of faith infused into the characters. If you enjoy well-written historical romance, you will enjoy this collection of novellas.

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady takes place in 1815 England as Isaac works secretly as a smuggler to help his impoverished tenants and Helen accidentally discovers his identity. The Doctor’s Woman takes place in 1862 Minnesota as James starts a new position as the fort’s physician and Emmy helps as his assistant after her own physician father passes away. A House of Secrets also takes place in Minnesota but in 1890, as Joseph, the city counsel, works to covertly help women in need but the secrets become a bit too entangled when his fiancée Amanda unwittingly becomes involved in the situation. There is a bit of intrigue in each story with plenty of historical fare and sweet romance.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

Ladies of Intrigue is a wonderful read by Michelle Griep. It features three separate stories set in the 19th century. Each story has fascinating characters and tons of mystery and romance. I really enjoyed each story, which came as no surprise coming from this amazing storyteller. I highly recommend it! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This is the 3rd book I have read by Michelle Griep and I absolutely love her writing.. the way she weaves a story, just the right pace. Just the right details at the perfect moment makes you want to read more. I loved this book because all three stories were different but with a happy ending. I cannot wait to read more of her works.
Thank you to Barbour Publishing for this complimentary copy.

This is a very good book of three separate stories. Each story is a very enjoyable historical romance . My favorite of the three was A House of Secrets. These were my favorite characters. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit and Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

When I saw the book coming up with Celebrate Lit, my first thought was ... "Oh I really like this author. She's written some books that I have enjoyed. The second thought was "Intrigue, yes! looks like mystery and page turning.) Was I right? Yes and no!

But first, let me say, most of my positive review goes to the story writing. Michelle Griep has a fantastic way with words. There is a beauty to her use of words that excels beyond many authors. And she doesn't resort to cheesiness to get us through her stories.
But was it intriguing, full of mystery .. exciting? Yes and no!

The intensity of the stories went from a little low to high. The first was the least intense. It pulled me in the least of the three. So, I should say here, either read it all and know better ones are coming or skip to the others and come back. Don't drop the book all together. There are no related threads, so you can read them in any order. As for intrigue, the last was the one that best portrayed my idea of intrigue. The others two were more about women who were out of their element, and facing hard challenges. Their personalities were the intriguing part and some of the other people in the stories, like a mysterious smuggler and a cranky fort doctor.

Go ahead and get this little triad of stories and enjoy a bit of past history.

From Dublin to the shores of the Emerald Isle this story has mysteries, secrets and friendships that all together span two decades. I really enjoyed the stories of these three strong and determined women. . Yes, they all tied together, were wonderful stories and fascinating facts of Ireland that I enjoyed, but, I really didn’t like how often the stories jumped back and forth between the women’s lives. I was sometimes having to go back a few paragraphs to see who we had left and now we were into. I did really enjoy the story and if you enjoy history full of mysteries, secrets and strong friendships you should enjoy this one.

Ladies of Intrigue is a collection of love stories set in the 1800s. The novella’s are cute and romantic and enjoyable. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and found each one to be brave in spite of difficulties. I like how Michelle Griep weaved the Lord’s truth throughout each story.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.
I received this book from the publisher to read and give my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. The stories were excellent and I adored the writing as usual. I think my favorite of these was the final one. I could not put it down!

My first introduction to Michelle Griep was through one of her novellas, so it’s fitting that Ladies of Intrigue is a compilation of three formerly published novellas.

Each story features women who stand for what’s good and right as well as a man who, while it takes some time, come to admire that attribute about them. From an English governess to a healer in the wilds of Minnesota to a high-society ladies’ auxiliary chairwoman, Griep quickly immerses he r readers into each of her story settings while sweeping them away in the adventures of these three couples.

I had previously read a couple of these novellas, but it was sure fun to visit those people and places again. And that is the mark of a favorite author.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

This is a perfect weekend read collection! I loved each of the three stories and their characters. I could have seen Helen and Isaac’s story go on for much longer! It was engaging and well written with a fun meet between the two. Emmy and James had great chemistry with snappy dialogue. The danger of the fort and Indians was a perfect setting. Amanda and Joseph each have their honorable intentions towards people they want to help, but have quite the obstacles to overcome. Great intrigue and romance in this one! A truly lovely collection that I can see myself reading over and over again. I got this from Celebrate Lit Team and was not required to write a review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Ms. Griep's style of writing and word usage just plops you right down in whatever setting the story takes place.
The romance happens quickly in the first two stories (in the third the characters are already engaged), but such is the nature of novellas.
I was confused by the title women of intrigue, I was expecting spy stories, they are not, but rather women of strength standing against all that life can throw at them. I love the lessons of first impressions are not always what they seem. I also loved the variety in the historical timeline. All three stories have elements of humor and adventure.
I’m not a novella fan, I always feel that the story should have been deeper and longer, but these were fun and quick. I did learn that these three stories are not new, but are repackaged from other novella collections. Since, I had not read them previously, this was not a problem for me.
My favorite story is the last one. It felt the most intriguing and kept my interest. Plus I preferred in such a short story to have to characters already "in love" than meeting for the first time.
And while the last story involves shutting down a brothel, everything is dealt with very tactfully, so I would recommend this book even for teenage readers. I think history lovers and those with only a short amount of reading time will love these novellas.

Michelle Griep is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to read Ladies of Intrigue. Although a repackaging of previously published stories, I had not read these novellas before and am glad that I took the time to do so now. Griep has a way with words and knows well how to tell a story. I enjoy the imagery that she uses to draw a reader into her characters' stories. One example that I especially liked is, "Most of the shameless maples had already disrobed for their coming marriage to winter, but a few discreet maidens refused to shed their orange and red leaves." These three stories were set in the 1800s and spanned the globe from Cornwall, England to Minnesota in the United States. Each of the novellas has strong, vibrant characters that are likable and realistic, and is a sweet romance that is fraught with tension, a little mystery and adventure and yet has a satisfactory happily ever after conclusion. Readers who enjoy sweet romances with a touch of mystery and adventure will not want to miss this collection of romance novellas. I received a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

4 stars- I have enjoyed the books I have read by Michelle and was interested in reading this one. It is made up of 3 novellas all set in the 19th century, the first in England and the last 2 in Minnesota. The first novel, “The Smuggler’s Lady” had a good storyline. It captured my attention and I really liked the two main characters. But I thought the relationship between the main characters moved a bit fast for me considering they only knew each other for a very short period of time before they seemed to be “in love”.
The second story, “The Doctor’s Woman”, was a nice story. I really liked Emmy Nelson although I did think the male protagonist, Dr. Clark was a bit mule headed and close minded. Thankfully, he did seem to soften up some over time. I really liked the end and thought it was a sweet romance.
The third story, “A House of Secrets” was a good story as well. I haven’t read too many romance stories where the main characters are already engaged to each other at the start of the story. This story focused less on the characters falling in love rather than proving that love to each other. It was a well rounded story with likable characters. There was one scene in particular where I rather cringed at the choice a character made towards the end but overall it was an enjoyable story.
I look forward to reading more by Michelle Griep. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th-Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery” by Michelle Griep has been a much anticipated read for me as I love Ms. Grieps’ books! This particular book is a collection of three of her novellas. Each novella can be read as a standalone, but you might as well read them all since each one is amazing!

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady

Fans of “Poldark” will swoon over this novella that takes place on the Cornish Coast and deals with smuggling. I love the main character, Helen, and her spunk. She may seem like a fragile governess, but she quickly shows that she has another side to her personality. I appreciate the moral dilemma that Isaac (our hero) runs into concerning smuggling. Both characters learn about trusting in God’s provisions. Isaac needs to try to not enact his own justice but to leave it to God. Helen learns about surrendering instead of just pretending. This was my favorite of the novellas because I love the setting and time period.

The Doctor’s Woman

I like the hate-to-love story between the two main characters (Emmy and James) in this novella. Ms. Griep does a great job with the setting and time period (Dakota territory, 1862). Emmy and James both let emotion get the better of them at times and run ahead to help, instead of waiting for God to lead. This often leads to dangerous situations. The characters learn to believe that God is in control.

A House of Secrets

I really enjoyed the cute romance in this story. It also has a nice message that the only good opinion we need is God’s and that we are loved by Him.

Content: Overall, I give this collection a PG rating. Some examples of the content are: Mention of people cursing, but the word isn’t actually written; mention of ale and drunkards; the word “Sheol” is used; men sing bawdy drinking songs; the words “hell” and “devil” are used; some medical descriptions of blood and gore; Native Americans are referred to as “Injuns;” mention of harlots and brothels (in the 3rd novella).

Rating: I give this book 4 stars!

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Novellas; Romance

I want to thank Celebrate Lit, Michelle Griep and Barbour Books for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.