A gothic tale that lives up to its genre. There is a deary castle, deary weather especially when Angelica, our heroine first arrives, secrets, a villian, and of course, a required ghost. Randolph, Viscount Sterling has sent out invitations to young ladies who have been deemed unmarriageable.  He makes it clear that he will chose one of them to be his wife. His first wife died under curious circumstances after betraying him. Although, he did not expect or want to feel anything for any of the young ladies, he is immediately attracted to Angelica. Enter Katrina's ghost. Is she trying to tell Angelica something or is she there to prevent her growing relationship with Randolph. The tale holds the readers interest, even though the villain is pretty obvious very early on. I do love a good gothic.

The Secrets of Colchester Hall is a standalone novella from Sophie Barnes. I typically enjoy reading novellas from Sophie Barnes as they are a quick read but still have a good and captivating romance. This one is unfortunately not one of my favourites.
Lady Angelica has been invited to Colchester Hall as one of six ladies vying for the affections of Viscount Sterling over a weeklong stay at the Manor. Sterling is a widower who lost his wife in a tragic incident and is now ready to find another women to take his place. For me this sounds like such a weird situation as its basically a 19th century Bachelor episode with six women fighting for his attention. On meeting Angelica and Sterling have an attraction and Angelicas honest tongue does not discourage his affections. But when Angelica is woken in the night with a weird cold feeling and is alerted to a presence that leads her through the Manor stuff starts to get weird and Sterling gets angry.
I did enjoy the unravelling of the Secrets and mysteries of the place but it was super predictable. I did not like Sterling at all though. I understand his reaction is partly to do with what happened in the past but it was also just plain rude and entitled.
It was interesting to have the paranormal aspect in this novella which I don't often see in romance novels. 
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Sophie Barnes for my complimentary eARC copy.

Liked the fast pace. Yes a bit of paranormal and dramatic. A little predictable but enjoyed it nevertheless.

I love a good Sophie Barnes' book!  This novella is no exception.  It felt a little like the Bachelor meets the Scooby gang!  Due to the fact that it was a novella, it was of course short and moved at a faster pace, but it was still an excellent read.  The characters were fleshed out and I never felt like something was missing or it was moving too fast.

Viscount Sterling has been a widower for a few years now and decides it's time to find a new wife in order to get an heir.  He invites six women to his manor and can't find one who sparks his interest.  Until... that is, he meets Lady Angelica.  

Lady Angelica is smart, honest to a fault, and ready to take on anything.  But she quickly finds that even as her interest in the Viscount grows, his manor is definitely giving her a creepy feeling she can't shake.

A ghost, a gothic manor and a love story all wrapped up in a novella is a big undertaking, but Ms. Barnes handles it easily!  Definitely a worthwhile read!

My opinions are my own and freely given.

The story wasn`t that interesting sadly. He choose the woman he wanted to marry very quickly without thinking about telling her about the secret that was there. It was over so fast i didn`t get to care much about the characters and let them build and develop before the story was over.

Widowed for two years, Randolph Benedict Scott Trevarian, Viscount Sterling, is hosting a house party to find a new bride.  He has invited six young women, including Angelica Florence Northbridge, and their chaperones to this party.  As soon as Randolph decides he will choose Angelica, strange things begin to happen.  In a perfect Gothic setting, cold spots and vaporous visitors makes Angelica sure that someone does not want her to wed Randolph.  Is it the ghost of his first wife or someone among the living who’s causing trouble and trying to prevent a happily ever after?  A quick entertaining read with interesting characters, including a ghost.  I enjoyed and recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.  My review is voluntary.

A Gothic Regency Romance story that kept me turning pages. Lady Angelica and Viscount Randolph Sterling's story of suspense, drama, danger, evil closer than he realizes, murder, and romance. A story that was well worth reading. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Widowed Viscount Sterling, still needs an heir so after an appropriate amount of mourning he invites six women of good standing to his home for a house party, with the intent of picking one of them as his next bride. Among them is Lady Angelica. She feels something eery in the house as soon as she arrives and can't get over the feeling that she is being watched. Sterling is attracted to Angelica, and she is attracted to him. but she can't get past the weird feeling she has. Then she encounters the ghost of his previous wife who is trying to tell her the truth of her passing. Was it an accident, as everyone claims or was she murdered. Angelica knows she will never find peace with sterling until they unravel the mystery. and is willing to risk her own life to do it.

I’ve so enjoyed Sophie Barnes books and while this one is a bit different it was a pleasure to read. If you love gothic stories this is the one for you. While it’s short, it’s fulfilling and grabs your attention from the start.

Randolph Trevarian, Viscount Sterling Has invited six passed over ladies to his home in search of a bride to begat an heir. Angelica Florence Northbridge Was reluctant to go but her mother insisted. Right from the start Angelica felt something cold and sinister was there but she was drawn to the handsome Viscount. He in turn found her blunt and outspokenness refreshing. 

This is a great story that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Randolph and Angelica were well suited to one another but he was somewhat of an angry man who felt guilt that could stand in the way of his happiness. 

Sophies imagery was captivating and as well written story. The dialogue was befitting the characters and her character development was just wonderful. I was happy to see Randolph and Angelica find their way to one another. This was a great story to read and you can feel Angelica’s trepidation throughout, a credit to the author.

Thank you so much Sophie for such an entertaining tale and romance.

I received this book from Netgalley. Randolph Benedict Scott Trevarian, Viscount Sterling, a widower, decides that inviting 6 wallflower debutantes, and choosing one from among them is the best way to choose his new wife. He is immediately attracted to Angelica Florence Northbridge. Unfortunately,  she has no desire to wed him as she feels super uncomfortable at the castle due to  a cold air, possibly a ghost that is constantly around her. Sophie Barnes has done a commendable job in writing her first supernatural story.

Loved the suspense! Great characters, Angelica is so strong!  Randolph is interesting, and seems like a good man. I won't tell you the plot, but it's good! Really liked Lucy and hope things work out for her. The story reminded me a wee bit of Rebecca...

It’s not illogical that the result of a man discovering that his late wife was unfaithful would be for him to ensure that his next wife wouldn’t be tempted. Or in the case of Viscount Randolph Sterling’s search for a new bride, wouldn’t be tempting to others.

The problem is that his next viscountess really does need to be tempting to him.

It’s a conundrum that he intends to solve by inviting six women who are “on the shelf” to his home, with their chaperones, in the hopes that one will strike his fancy – even if it seems that the entire ton has labelled them as unmarriageable for one reason or another.

Three are shy to the point of paralysis, which explains their lack of previous offers. One is a bit shy, but is mostly disqualified because she’s already in love with someone else, who of course doesn’t seem to notice that she exists. (I really liked Lucy and wouldn’t mind seeing her story!)

One of the eligible ladies has the personality of a narcissistic velociraptor. And I might have just insulted velociraptors. It’s clear upon first meeting that the reason no one has offered marriage to Lady Seraphina is because she’s a vicious bitch. And again, that’s an insult to both vicious people and bitches. She’s a piece of work.

That leaves our heroine, Lady Angelica. She’s not shy. In fact, many might say that her lack of shyness, certainly her lack of what was considered decorum and proper behavior for ladies, was the reason that no one – at least so far – had wanted to marry her. Angelica speaks her mind, to the point where she is considered to be blunt to a fault.

Angelica is exactly what Randolph Sterling has been looking for. Over the course of a week where he “interviews” all of his prospective brides, he already knows that he has made his choice.

If Angelica will agree. And if the malign spirit that seems to haunt Colchester Hall will let her live long enough to reach the altar.

Escape Rating B+: For a surprisingly short book, The Secrets of Colchester Hall manages to encompass some seriously creepy Gothic chills while solving the mystery of those titular secrets and leading to a satisfactory – and heated – romantic happy ever after.

Of course, the protagonists need the heat of that HEA to get over the chills induced by those terrible secrets.

The Secrets of Colchester Hall is billed as a gothic romance, and was originally published as part of an anthology of gothics. Gothic romances are a subgenre that isn’t as popular as it was once upon a time, so it was fascinating to read one that invoked some of the classics of the genre.

There are hints of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, to the point where that story is deliberately lampshaded in the bookstore when the hero recommends the book to the heroine. A heroine who is a fan of such gothic romances, as is the heroine of Northanger Abbey herself.

But it feels like the real inspiration for this foray into those secrets at Colchester Hall is Dame Daphne du Maurier’s classic creeper Rebecca. The story has several similar elements, enough to let a reader predict at least some of the outcome. But it stands more than well enough on its own to keep the reader shivering and turning pages to the very last.

What makes this one stand out is the character of Angelica. Her bluntness and plain-speaking make her easy for contemporary readers to identify with, and her willingness to say what she really thinks, no matter the social cost, provides the story with many of its best and most lighthearted moments – as well as providing Sterling with all the reasons he could ever want to ask Angelica for her hand.

Like most gothic romances, there is more than a bit of willing suspension of disbelief involved. The actual villain of the piece is flesh-and-blood and certainly among the living, and that person’s machinations are plausible. Sinister, murderous, manipulative, but still plausible. But there’s an element of paranormal woo-woo involved in most gothics and this one was no exception. Angelica is receiving messages from the beyond and those messages are getting her attention – as well as the attention of the villain. That the story requires her to believe those messages and for the hero to believe her and not have her committed, is a bit of a stretch.

A stretch that works, and chills the reader right to the bone.

Awesome book!! I enjoyed the plot and characters. I thought the pacing was good. Sophie Barnes writes a great book.

I really enjoyed this quick read. I was pleasantly surprised by the fully developed and complex story told in such a short book.I really enjoyed the hero and heroine and their path to finding love and solving this mystery. I think you will like this book? Give it a try.

A very entertaining historical romance novella - well written. Angelica and her mother have gone to a creepy, gothic style manor house to participate in a week long house party. Turns out there are 6 young ladies and their chaperones invited, a la Bachelorette. Viscount (Randolf) is searching for a new bride after his previous wife died two years ago. Are there ghosts? Is Angelica imagining the cold, strange breeze swirling about her and the glimpses of shadowy figures. What about the attractive, yet mysterious housekeeper. Who will win the hand of our handsome hero? A fun read with a slow burn romance - or as slow burn as a novella can be. My thanks  go to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for my opinion.

A Recluse. A Lady. A Mystery. 

The Secrets of Colchester Hall is a novella by Sophie Barnes. Viscount Sterling is a man who knows his duty is to marry and pass along his title. His first wife died under mysterious circumstances and he has finally decided that it is time to marry again. He invites six young ladies to his house to be considered for his wife.  

One of these young ladies is Lady Angelica. Lady Angelica is the last unmarried female in her family. If she doesn’t marry Viscount Sterling, her mother will lose her home. As Lady Angelica gets to know Sterling, strange things began to happen. 

Viscount Sterling and Lady Angelica are drawn to each other through spending time together. They know that they are attracted to each other, and yet strange occurrences cause them to question each other.  

Secrets have a way of being found out and truths will be revealed. Will the truth that haunts Colchester Hall be exposed before tragedy once again strikes? 

This story had me guessing who or what was behind the strange happenings at Colchester Hall. It was a good paranormal novella with a satisfying end.

At only 113 pages, I breezed right through this short novella, folks. If you pay close enough attention you will likely pick up on subtle clues that reveal the actual facts behind a certain someone’s previous death before all is confirmed. I must admit I did. The paranormal element did add an intriguing touch, btw, especially when Randolph experienced a slight dose of it himself. 

Inviting a pack of passed over ladies from the Ton’s marriage mart to select a bride was Randolph’s ruse of trying to play it safe. However, you could also look at it from a positive perspective that at least this guy isn’t so shallow he’s completely hung up on looks alone. I got to say at least in my mind I chose to envision Angelica, the heroine, as a lovely, breathtaking vision, at all times and not as Randolph more than once described her and the others as being not particularly pretty. At least her outspoken personality won him over first, foremost, and pretty much from the get go. His angry demeanor and lashing out when something was said or done that he didn’t like had me raising my eyebrows in concern a time or two regarding his attractiveness. Naturally, of course, he is quite the handsome, wealthy catch. 

Angelica seemed to roll with the punches and everything else thrown her way. Too forgiving and quick to let Randolph off the hook even comes to mind. With how short this novella is, the author was wise not to overly complicate the plot. Claims of feelings when they really had not spent that much time together yet wasn’t overly surprising either since the clock and page count were ticking away.

It’s weird to feel the dead wife is the one who really, and I mean REALLY, got the short end of the stick here. Knowing Randolph did love her and then circumstances took the turn they did was like a tough, dry piece of cracker I had no choice but to swallow without a drop of water to help it go down. Without a doubt, he’d still been with his first wife if she’d not died. Supposedly, he did develop strong feelings for Angelica and emphatically embraced those and the notion he now loved her, even found her to be exquisite by the end. I certainly hope so, folks, was my final thought.They certainly seem happy to now be together.

All in all, I enjoy this author and look forward to future releases. 

Title: The Secrets of Colchester Hall, Author: Sophie Barnes, Pages: 113, pub date: 1/12/21, short novella, stand-alone, paranormal element, widow hero looking for a bride, impulsive, outspoken, speaks her mind heroine, big reveal, OW never much of a competition, only one steamy scene. Rating: 3 - 3.5 stars

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author, publisher, NetGalley, or PR firm.)

This novella packed quite the punch.  It had a great deal of information tucked into fewer pages than a normal book.  However, I didn't feel as if I missed out on anything in the storyline.  It felt fleshed out and complete in its story telling.  I suppose that it's possible there could have been a bit more character development.  Yet I didn't feel as if it took away from the story any.

Angelica is one of several eligible young ladies invited to Viscount Sterling's estate for a "bridal competition" of sorts.  The viscount wants to marry again and brings these ladies there to meet and hopefully find a candidate to wed.  He is instantly taken with Angelica.  She quickly notices a feeling of unease at the estate and soon suspects it may be haunted.  Unfortunately for her, she also finds herself attracted to Randolph (aka Viscount Sterling) which means she may have to overlook the haunted estate or find out who or what is haunting it.

Several mysteries are uncovered over the course of this short novella.  It was an quick and enjoyable read.  Ms. Barnes is most certainly a talented writer of historical romance.  This book blended the period writing well with a touch of paranormal and it was a great combination.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.  I chose to voluntarily review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Lady Angelica Northbridge has been invited along with her mother, Rose, to the home of Randolph Trevarian, Viscount Sterling.  He has also invited several other young ladies and their mothers for him to meet and from which to choose a bride.  His first wife, Katrina, passed away some years ago.  Upon arrival, each lady is shown to her room by Mrs. Essex, a lovely woman who is the housekeeper.  Angelica immediately thinks something is strange about her.

Most of the young ladies act properly, but one, Lady Seraphina, is quite forceful and thinks that she already will be the one he chooses.

Randolph meets with each young lady alone to chat.  He is amused to find that Angelica is quite frank when talking to him, even saying she did not care for the dinner that had been served and suggested other dishes instead.

Angelica who has always been a gothic novel enthusiast which may be why she seems to feel someone looking at her and other creepy feelings.  As she gets to know Randolph better, she also learns from the housekeeper that his wife had died in a very horrific way.  She can’t help but feel evil surrounding her and is sure something menacing is after her as well.

I believe this is the author’s first gothic type book I have read and it certainly sent chills down my spine.  It doesn’t help that it’s also a chilly day here in Florida!  As always, Sophie Barnes has written yet another delightful novel.  She is definitely a favorite of mine and I hope she’s a favorite of yours as well.

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

3.5 stars 

I received an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I did not intend to read another Sophie Barnes book again any time soon, given my issues with her last several releases and my promise to stop faithfully reading authors in hopes they’ll be good and letting myself suffer. But The Secrets of Colchester Hall is one of those rare examples of her stepping outside her wheelhouse, and I just had to check out her take on Gothic romance, despite my own complicated feelings about the genre. 

And while I’m not in love with it, as it’s still too short to be substantial and has some of the same pitfalls of other SB shorts or not having enough room to fully flesh out her high concept ideas, it’s definitely better and more interesting. While the genre is new to her, Barnes captures the Gothic atmosphere well, with a mysterious undertone that kept me on the edge of my seat. 

While I didn’t find myself overly invested in the characters, I enjoyed them for what they were, finding myself in their relationship in the midst of the odd things going on around them. 

This is a nice short Gothic read, capturing the best of the genre, that will appeal to ardent fans. And even if you’re not, it will scratch the itch for an atmospheric historical romance novel.