Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep is a lovely, light read with three heavy messages of love, hope, and faith.
Each story is driven by romance, but there is also enough mystery or adventure to keep you turning pages and hoping that the characters open their hearts and their eyes to each other before something else goes wrong.
And I appreciated how each story’s character arc brought both the women and the men closer to God through their own stubbornness or willfulness or mistakes. It was a great reminder that God uses everything for the good of those who love Him.
If you’re looking for a read that is inspirational and charming, grab a copy of Ladies of Intrigue.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own!

I don't know why I didn't realize this was a small collection of short stories. Perhaps I missed the description. Loved the title! The first story had real promise, but the language the author used to describe the feelings of the characters (especially the main male character) was a real turn-off for me. I am not into any kind of sensual descriptions, and several places in the story were overboard for me. I did like the storyline, though felt it ended a bit abruptly. If this storyline was taken and fleshed out it would make an excellent book. The second story I just couldn't get into, probably knowing it was a short story, and not wanting to get invested in characters I wouldn't be spending much time with. I stopped reading and honestly can't remember what the second story was even about. I liked the author's style, apart from the sensual language. I might look for other books by her.

Michelle Griep has penned three engaging novellas in Ladies of Intrigue: 3 Tales of 19th Century Romance with a Dash of Mystery. These are all previously published novellas that have been compiled in one collection. In the last year or so, Ms. Griep has become one of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to read some of her earlier work. In my humble opinion, it is more difficult for an author to excel at world building and character development in the shorter length stories, but I find that Michelle Griep is a master storyteller regardless of length of story or historical setting.

These stories are united by a common theme of secrets or intrigue. With danger, hidden secrets, noble causes and sweet romance, each story has a strong faith element that embodies Griep's writings. I love that she gives her readers heroines with grit, who are willing to escape the confines of society's expectations for women, sometimes placing themselves in unsavory environments in order to help others.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley and the author/publisher through CelebrateLit. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Three most enjoyable stories in one cover - what a lovely way to spend an afternoon!
Set in the early 1800's, we start out in a port village in Cornwall, England. I must admit that the idea of a gentleman smuggler brought several pictures to mind, most of which were quite correct. That coupled with a staid governess and a most interesting story emerges.
A doctor with a great deal of book knowledge arrives at Fort Snelling in Minnesota. How will he fare with frontier medicine, especially when dealing with the beautiful protege of a frontier doctor? Combine that with an epidemic and native cures to indulge in a tale that ends quite unexpectedly.
Mysteries always make for a good story....at least if you are the one knowing the secret behind it. A land title, a school for underprivileged children and a boiler explosion bring plenty of questions to this storyline.
I received this lovely anthology through Barbour Publishing, Netgalley and CelebrateLit. All impressions and opinions are my own.

I prefer full-length novels, but every once in a while it’s nice to pick up short reads (novellas) where I’m not staying up late, forcing my eyes open, to finish one more page or chapter. Ladies of Intrigue is comprised of three easy to read novellas, each of which can be read in one sitting.

I’ve read some of Michelle Griep’s previous books, so I knew I’d enjoy her writing style and voice. From the title of this one, I expected a bit more suspense, but I still enjoyed each novella.

The Gentleman Struggler’s Lady tells the story of an unlikely pair. I enjoyed the whirl of emotions and unexpected turns. I also like the contrast of loss and new beginnings.

The Doctor’s Woman is my favorite of the three stories. Emmy and James are interesting characters and the progression of their relationship is believable. I especially liked the medical knowledge Emmy gained during a period of time it wasn’t conventional.

A House of Secrets as you can guess from the title, contained the most mystery. Ugh…now I’m thinking this one might be my favorite of the three. Amanda has a good heart and I loved the romantic elements.

It’s difficult to give three stories a single rating. Although the first novella didn’t fully pull me in (3 stars) the others did (4 stars.)


Author: Michelle Griep
Publisher: Barbour
Pages: 288
Opening Line (Story 1): Recreasing a worn scrap of foolscap, Helen Fletcher tucked the paper into her valise, then snapped shut the clasp, wishing most of all she’d never received such horrid news.
I received a review copy of this book and was under no obligation to post a review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book Summary (Amazon):
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.

My thoughts...If you like picking up a book that you can read in a day, pick up a novella. This book is a collection of 3 novellas, and only took me a few days of leisurely reading to complete. Each story was a little different, with "The Doctor's Woman" being completely different as it is set in the western US. The other two novellas were set in England.
Michelle Griep's full length novels are typically filled with exciting plot twists, romantic tension, and a nicely paced story line that will keep you reading from beginning to end. This novella collection is like three miniature versions of that. I personally liked "The Doctor's Woman" more than the other two because i enjoyed the characters and plot line a little more. The western setting is one I'm partial to as well, so I was quickly turning pages to see what would happen next. As with the nature of all novellas, you don't get all of the detail and the romantic aspect is usually sped up a bit. While there are times that I do like the long building up of tension, every so often it's nice to see things move along a little faster!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in order to give an honest review, which I did.**

Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Michelle Griep offers her readers three novellas that span the 19th century and include lovely settings for all three stories that will have readers wishing each story was just a bit longer.

I was interested to see how this book would be, given the inclusion of three short stories within the covers. I’m pleased to say that I really enjoyed each book separately but wished they were each slightly longer, mainly to get more background information for the characters. I would definitely say that the first story, The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady, was my favorite given it setting and subject. Helen Fletcher has come to the Cornish coast to spend time with her ailing father. But a feud between a young business man and his former employer lead to the boarding of the vessel that brings her to Cornwall. Little realizing that the handsome smuggler is her father’s benefactor, Helen is shocked when she finds out just who Isaac Seaton really is. Struggling to reconcile the two sides of this man, Helen determines not to lose her heart unless Isaac proves his reasons for smuggling are not for selfish gain. Isaac is challenged by this kind but feisty young woman’s words and faith. He will have to determine if his smuggling reasons still matter or if there is a better way to help others out. I love the British Isles and stories set there always seem to be well done. And while it was a bit hard at first to connect with the characters, I loved the action and adventure throughout the story. And the spiritual side of things was nicely done without feeling forced or annoying. The second story was really good too, with its setting in the Dakota territory. Emmy Nelson has served Fort Snelling and the surrounding communities alongside her missionary doctor father for many years, albeit without formal training as a nurse. Her more natural methods which include some Indian medicine cause a clash between her and the new doctor at the fort. But despite a bad initial meeting, Dr James Clark recognizes Emmy’s skill and her heart to help others. Requesting that she remain at the fort as his aide means spending more time with her, and leads to a good friendship and possibly more. But James will have to decide if he still wants to return to the city or if God has called him to a greater purpose than he ever dreamed. And Emmy will have the chance to fulfill her dream of ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of those in the Dakota Territory. I enjoyed this story and felt it was the most complete of the three, even though it wasn’t my favorite one. The dialogue was good and the pacing of the story was excellent. I also liked how both main characters learned lessons and grew spiritually in a realistic manner. The third story was my least favorite because it felt the most incomplete. Amanda Carston is trying to earn respect from her friends and her father and so sets out to make a difference in the lives of the poverty stricken. Knowing there are many in the city who cannot afford to educate their children, Amanda hopes to turn a dilapidated former mansion into a school for the poor. The only problem is that she cannot discover the deed holder nor can she find anyone else who knows. Joseph Blake is Amanda’s longtime friend, new beau and the secret owner of the ramshackle mansion Amanda wants to buy. Joseph works alongside a minister to help “soiled doves” escape their terrible line of work and the mansion is key to helping these women. Hoping to find a way to shut down the largest brothel in St. Paul, Joseph keeps his secret until doing so puts Amanda in danger from an evil man. Working together will require trust and forgiveness that both Joseph and Amanda must discover for the other. So, the plot is good but the actual telling of it just seemed too rushed for my taste. I did like the outcome and the characters but would have like a little more page time for the story to play out. The spiritual side of this story was also a little lacking and could have used a bit more bite. Overall, I enjoyed these stories and will certainly recommend them to others. I’m very pleased that Ms. Griep improved her writing as compared to her last book. I’m looking forward to the next work that Ms. Griep releases.

I received this E-book free of charge from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady was my favorite of the three. While all three stories were wonderful, Helen and Isaac stole my heart from chapter one. Their initial meeting was quite possibly my favorite of all time. Two things I noticed in common between the three books: grief and learning to actively trust in God. The grief was a bit more subtle in A House of Secrets but still there, in my opinion. 

It can be difficult to give your life over to God, to trust in Him despite your circumstances, but when done, it is a most treasured blessing.

As I've come to expect from Michelle Griep, the writing was poetic with a vivid clarity for detail. I love living vicariously through characters, and the adventure in Ladies of Intrigue met that need with equal parts adventure and romance. Strong female characters made better by the love and protectiveness of the men God placed in their lives made Ladies of Intrigue an absolute pleasure to read. Their growing faith in God gave the characters depth and humility as they learned to navigate a course not of their choosing but of God's.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I was not required to leave a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book contained three wonderfully different stories from the 1800s. None of the stories are related to each other but the common thread is that in each story there is a strong woman who stood up for what she believed and felt was right. My favorite of the three was the first story with the Robin Hood smuggler and his lady. All three of these stories could be developed into a full-length novel that would be intriguing stories to read.

If you are looking for a story that has suspense, romance and that keeps you up late into the night reading, this book would satisfy your need. These stories are sweet and clean stories with no foul language and in each story, the characters refer to a belief in God and it is wound into the story and doesn't feel preachy at all.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I offer my honest review willingly.

Each of these stories contains mystery and action, along with sweet romance. With well developed characters, all three stories are enjoyable reads. The stories are set in the 1800s and are true to the time. Author Michelle Griep gives us plenty of descriptions so we understand the “why” of things, along with being able to see the settings.

With faith threaded throughout, the characters learn to lean on God through the storms of life. However I would in no way call these stories preachy. I always enjoy Griep’s books, and this one doesn’t disappoint. I’m already looking forward to her next release. If you enjoy historical fiction then you’re sure to enjoy Ladies of Intrigue.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

I discovered Michelle Griep in 2018 and since then found that I enjoy her stories. She has a unique entertaining way of bringing characters to life and her characters are unique and interesting.

This was the same with this set of novellas. Each novella brought interesting characters, some mysterious event and a sweet love story. The three female characters were quite independent, feisty characters who found themselves in interesting situations where they needed a dashing hero. The plot of each novella was also interesting with some thievery, medical emergencies and a haunted house mystery.

Recommended for fans of Christian historical fiction.

Three stories, involving three women with very different settings and backgrounds, yet they manage to fit together by their main character's pluck and dedication. Helen, in "The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady," has come to England to care for her ailing father, with the generosity of the Seaton family enabling her to have left her job as a governess to do so. However, she isn't sure she can trust her host, as her first experience with him has him kidnapping her off her newly arrived ship after having looted it. "The Doctor's Woman," Emmy, is just about to travel to her aunt's home after her father, the town's doctor, has died, to return to a "civilized" life of dining and dancing. Instead, she finds herself being called upon to use her medical experience within the nearby fort. A temporary doctor arrives, and together, they see to the needs of the fort's occupants, and the large group of Sioux which has been led into the fort for temporary containment. The third woman, Amanda, is happily betrothed to the city attorney, Joseph, in "A House of Secrets. Yet, as she attempts to please her father by taking on a large charity project, she soon finds that the titular house is not the only thing hiding secrets.

I enjoyed this collection of stories more than I expected, with Helen and Isaac, perhaps, being my favorite characters. I enjoyed the banter, and how the women in all three stores were strong, and spoke their minds, yet meshed well with the men who admired their spunk. All three women were looking to serve, putting others' needs above their own. The men in their lives supported and enhanced these pursuits, with encouragement and enthusiasm, rather than condescension or apathy.

I give this book 4 stars. It's really hard to feel invested in characters in such a short space, but I feel that this author did a service to her Ladies, and I wish only that there was more to their stories so I could read more about them!

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

GREAT READs!
An enjoyable collection of reads that are have intriguing storylines with suspense, a touch of mystery, passion and emotionally charged. An amazing must read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Ladies of Intrigue. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Three very different stories--filled with love, romance, and chivalry. I enjoyed all three, but I think I prefer the ones where the first meeting of the couples is a part of the events. I just love watching the chemistry bloom--or distain morph--into something more substantial. Michelle Griep is adept at this! (Because of this, my true favorite was the The Gentleman Smuggler's Lady!!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Michelle Griep for the ARC!

Reading the three novellas, I had a question for author Michelle Griep - do you like the smell of Sandalwood? At least two of the gentlemen main characters in these novellas wore a sandalwood scent.

Michelle Griep does an excellent job of appealing to the senses - from the mention of scents to descriptions of how things looked - readers can almost see and smell what is happening in the stories. The stories appear to be well-researched. Her characters are engaging and like-able. The female main characters are strong and spur the men in their lives to do what is right. By the end of the stories you want to know what happens next, leaving room for possible continuation of each of the stories. The stories involve learning to trust those you love as well as working for what you know to be right. Faith in God is evident in these stories.  I enjoyed these three novellas, which were an easy-read.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book.

Ladies of Intrigue is a book with three short stories by Michelle Griep. I actually am very fond of short stories, they are my favorite because they are fast paced and usually have a unique premiss, so I was very happy to receive an e-arc from Netgalley! And there is some serious cover envy going on. That blue is spectacular! Anyway, let’s get to the main feature: the words itself ;)

The Gentleman Smuggler starts of with a bang, where our two protagonists meet at opposite ends of a robbery. Though if it’s really a robbery remains to be seen. When Helen meets her gentleman robber again, she might give him in to the authorities... or maybe hear his side of the story. The idea of this story is great and I liked the writing, but i have to admit the ending fell a bit falt for me, there were a few things I thought very unrealistic, but I would be spoiling it. But it doesn’t ruin the story at all, it’s still very enjoyable! Oh, and awesome side characters!

The second story is about a doctor and the daughter of a doctor, ending up working together in a fort alongside Nativr Americans. The build up of this story is very well done, and I’ve grown to care for the characters. There was not much mystery here but enough romantic moments to make up for it!

The third story is my favorite! There are a few secrets in this one, and the question is if it will drive Amanda and Joseph apart... the romance and courtship between Joseph and Amanda is epic, I love how she can be totally herself with Joseph even though she very much seeks and is denied the approval of her father, and society. Joseph is an amazing man and tries his best to right every wrong even at his own cost. I’ve never liked a politiciam before, lol!

Overall I really enjoyed the stories. There wasn’t a dull moment, the pacing was right and the words flowed. There was much cute banter, which I adored! The only downside is that it’s more romance than mystery, though mystery is promised on the cover. For me that is not an issue, I’m not reslly a fan, but if you’re looking for a “who dunnit” story this might not be it. If you’re a fan of romance with a strong plot going on, this is totally for you!

This book was a lot of fun to read. Who doesn’t love a heroine who knows her mind? Everyone in each story is so unique and I would’ve happily read a full length novel about any of them. It’s also nice to be able to finish a story and grab another cup of coffee before you dig into the next one. Griep kept my interest the whole time, and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. Knowing your mind and letting it get you into trouble often go hand in hand. I loved seeing these ladies grow and learn to lean on others instead of just themselves. A prime example of how we are often better with a helpmate. From a nurse to a lady of society everyone can make a difference, and I enjoyed being along for the ride. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Romance with intrigue mixed in. Some story’s started with the main characters butting heads, while in another they were already in love, but had secrets that can hurt even the strongest bonds. I enjoyed every moment of it. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Books and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was about a quarter of the way into The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady, the first in this three-book collection, when I started getting an unsettling feeling of deja vu. A few more pages and I was sure I’d read the book before, though it took a close look at my Goodreads library before I figured out where. It was part of a box set called The Regency Brides Collection, published in 2017. Obviously a limited time run, that set is no longer available and the author has bundled this story with the other two books to create a collection of her own. The story doesn’t appear to have been revised or expanded for this re-issue, since I did read it through completely and the issues I had with it still stand. I’m reproducing my original review of the story here:

If you like Poldark, you’ll enjoy this one set on the rugged Cornish coast with smugglers and excise men aplenty. While nicely written, I quibbled with a few things such as Helen’s becoming engaged immediately after her father’s death with no mourning period, and the fact that there was no real resolution with the invisible antagonist of the plot. Enjoyable but probably needed to be about double the length. Four stars.

The second two books in this set are new to me, and both American pioneer romances rather than English historical.

The Doctor’s Woman is set in the Dakota Territory in 1862. Emmy Nelson was her doctor father’s assistant for many years, and after his death, finds herself roped into assisting the new doctor at the military fort, Dr. James Clark, in caring for the soldiers and an encampment of friendly Sioux close by. With measles, smallpox and injuries to deal with, James acts like a complete idiot. Despite claiming to Emmy that he’d read her father’s books and respected them a great deal, he considered his book-only education far superior to her hard-won experience and hands-on training and discounted every word she said. The really disappointing part, though, after he fell deathly ill with measles and then pneumonia, was that Emmy still had to get help from a ‘magical Indian’ friend to save him. With an arrogant hero I wanted to strangle and a racist trope thrown in, this one was a bit of a disaster. I can’t give it more than one star.

The third story, A House Of Secrets, is set in St Paul, Minnesota, in 1890 and is easily the best of the three. Amanda is the socialite daughter of a wealthy businessman, engaged to Joseph, the city attorney. Determined to turn a ruined, abandoned mansion into a school for underprivileged children, Amanda runs into the unexpected obstacle of her fiance while trying to obtain the deed. While James comes across as officious and judgmental at first as we meet him in the act of trying to shut down a brothel, he turns out to have good reason for despising prostitution and is doing his altruistic best to help young women who want to leave that life. This did read very short, though, perhaps because we start off in the middle of Amanda and Joseph’s romance. I’d have enjoyed this more with a full novel, because I wanted to read more of their love story and see them interact more. Four stars.

Overall I’m giving this three stars; bookended by two solid stories which would nevertheless have been improved by some more length to flesh out the plots and relationships, they were dragged down by one in the middle I thoroughly disliked.

I've read and enjoyed several other books by the author before, but I found this one somewhat disappointing. It consists of three novellas (the first of which I had previously read in some other collection, though I didn't realise it until I started reading) that would all be great as full length books but felt rather too rushed and abrupt as the lengths they were. All in all, though each one was good as far as it went, none of them went far enough, and the last one in particular I ended up a bit confused about one scene, which a novel-length story would have been able to clarify. If you like shorter stories, these may suit you, but personally I wasn't thrilled and probably won't re-read them - though if the author ever expands them to the length they felt like they should be and publishes them, I'd happily read them.

Summary: Clean and well-written, with interesting storylines - but not meeting their full potential in any one of the three stories. 3.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Summary: Ladies of Intrigue is a novel containing three short stories by Michelle Griep set in the 1800s.

The first story, The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady, is set in 1815 England. Helen Fletcher is grateful, but worried. A stranger has paid her passage to be at her dying father’s bedside. Before she even arrives however, her ship is boarded by smugglers. Will she make it to her father’s bedside in time, and what kind of man is Isaac Seaton really-her mysterious benefactor?

The second, The Doctor’s Woman, is set in 1862 Dakota Territory. Emmy Nelson is struggling with the death of her doctor father, and the demands of an overbearing aunt. Her dreams have been crushed, and she has no choice but to pack her things and move away from the place she loves.

Before she can leave, she is suddenly summoned to Fort Snelling for a medical emergency. Relying on all of her father’s training, she is pushed into action to help save the patient.

But she isn’t the only one who arrives. Dr. James Clark has arrived as the new fort doctor, and has very strict beliefs in regards to medicine. Can the two work together-especially when a dangerous illness begins to spread throughout the fort?

The third story, A House of Secrets, takes place in 1890 Minnesota. Amanda Carston is happy. She is going to marry the man she loves, and as Ladies Aide Chairwoman, she has a fantastic idea to begin cleaning up downtown, and hopefully gain her father’s approval in the process. But why is her fiance so set against her plans? What could he be hiding? And will she finally be able to do something that will make her father proud of her?

My Thoughts: This book was wonderful. I was sucked in right away with The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady-the writing was fantastic (almost poetic), and it was the perfect blend of roguish Robin Hood hero, and damsel in distress. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only complaint was that I wished it would have been longer so I could keep reading! I would love a sequel starring Isaac’s sister-there could be so much more to cover. HINT. HINT. Anyway, I think you can tell I liked it.

Both of the other stories were also well-written, and had interesting characters and storylines. I very much enjoyed the book, and it is worth the read. I look forward to reading more books by Michelle Griep in the future as well.

As always, I would like to thank Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.