The story opens on a snowy night in London, as Oliver discovers a woman and young girl huddling in a doorway. Something compels him to offer his help, and he drives them to a town an hour away. They are clearly well-bred but poor, and the woman looks like she's been on the receiving end of trouble. However, the expression in the girl's eyes stayed with him and made him think about his life.

Six years later, that young girl, Esther, is about to make her debut. After a difficult childhood and her mother's death, her aunt and uncle took her in. After the things she experienced, Esther intends to find a steady, responsible man to marry. Lord Alberton seems the perfect candidate - young, handsome, and well-versed in Society's rules. So why is she drawn to Oliver Moreland, a man known for disdaining those same rules?

Esther immediately recognizes Oliver as the man who had rescued her and her mother. He's older and harder, and she knows she should avoid him. Oliver is also drawn to Esther but does not immediately recognize her. He knows she is familiar, but why? I enjoyed their brief encounter at the ball and their forthright conversation. They part ways, with Esther returning to the ballroom and spending more time with Lord Alberton. Oliver leaves the ball, unable to put Esther out of his mind, and finally places her.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Esther and Oliver develop. The sparks fly with each encounter, but both try to resist. Esther is determined to stick to her plan, pushed along toward Lord Alberton by her aunt. Oliver knows that a man with his reputation isn't what Esther needs, so he tries to stay away from her. Their connection won't be denied, and I liked how they spoke honestly to each other. Then Lord Alberton shows his true colors during a house party at his home, leaving Esther questioning her decision.

Esther and Oliver spend a fair amount of time thinking about why they can't be together. I ached for Oliver, who could only see the worst of himself. In the years since he rescued Esther and her mother, he made significant changes in his life but kept those under wraps. We get a look at Oliver's family life and get an idea of the impact it had on who he became, with some interesting developments at the end. Esther frequently frustrated me with how wrapped up she was with the rules and how they kept her from being herself. When Esther's past becomes public, who comes through for her - the rake or the gentleman? I liked the ending and seeing how being honest with each other brings them more than they dreamed of.

Debutante Esther is drawn to Oliver, a notorious rake. Her aunt will never approve a match between them—not with half the eligible men of the Ton pursuing Esther. But Oliver is the only one who knows her dark secret, and he wants her anyway. Can they find a way to be together? Or will the past come between them?

Esther and Oliver were lovely together. The book focused a lot on propriety, so it gave us only glimpses of the couple alone, when their true natures came out.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Debutante of the season Esther Barrington-Hall is looking for a steadfast, responsible husband after her dreadful childhood with her destitute mother.
She met him when she was a child who was destitute. Now she is a debutante making her debut.
Aristocrat Oliver Moreland is a notorious rake and Esther knows it would be wrong to give up her newfound life of safety for a man like him. But he is exciting and undeniably attractive. And dangerous, too. Because he is the one man in society who knows about her past.
Oliver is a notorious rake who believes that he is destined to never marry.
This is an awesome book! Sophia James has written a good book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book by Sophia James. It was very well done and would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

The initial idea wasn't even that obvious, if it weren't for the fact that the book was slow and very little happened.

L'idea iniziale non era nemmeno poi cosí scontata, se non fosse che poi il libro era lento lento e succedeva veramente molto poco.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Oliver Moreland found a young girl and her mother huddled in a doorway against the cold and snow. He immediatelydecided to take them to their home, wherever it was. The mother looked as though she had been beaten and the little girl wore rags. He wanted to do more but was unable to help them more.

In The Debutante’s Secret by Sophia James, we pick up the story. Esther Barrington-Hall and her family were upper-class people during a time when young girls had a coming-out ball and thereby chose a husband from those eligible young men attending. Esther was the Barrington-Hall’s niece, who was found in an orphanage when she was a teenager.

Oliver Moreland had a reputation as a roué and a dissolute young man about town. He was rumored to be attached to many women, married or not…definitely not suitable for the hand of Esther.

They came together at a ball and unbeknownst to each other, recognized each other from that night long ago when a gentleman helped a young girl and her mother. Esther became enamored of him, but could not bring herself to tell him that she knew of him, because her mother was not suitable. The Barrington-Halls made every attempt to cover up Esther’s mother’s true life story. Oliver also had secrets. No one knew that he was a benefactor of the orphanage and also helped those poor people in his community.

In reading this story, I found Ms. James’ writing to be very easy to read and her story-telling was first-rate. I really enjoyed this novel and the characters’ development throughout the story.