The Secret of the India Orchid

Beautiful cover, with a suspenseful and thrilling story inside. I thoroughly enjoyed the last book written by Nancy, and was looking forward with anticipation to her next release. 'Beauty & the Clockwork Beast' was so well thought out and written, I thought for sure it be hard to beat. I prefer my historical fiction to take place in England, for homesick reasons... But after reading a recent book by Jennifer Moore, I was excited to read another story, largely set in India. With the close relationship between the 2 countries during this period, and the dominating rule of the British, I am always intrigued how they were able to coexist and at the efforts of the Upper classes to exert their influence on the Indian people.

Anthony Blake, the Lord of Wilshire has served his country as a spy, and has been relieved of duty upon the death of his older brother. Inheriting the title and the estate has opened his horizon to the possibility of settling down and he has found a fondness for Miss Sophia Elliot. A sister of his best friend. She herself has had a surprising rise in status, once a servant, she now has inheritance to thank for her new station in life. A surprise visit from the man who once gave the orders for Anthony in his previous vocation immediately halts all plans and dreams for his future with his precious Sophia. With his hands tied he sets about creating rumors that will keep his one true love safe, but threatens to loose her forever, as her heart breaks. He cannot tell her the truth.

I would have loved a book, on both of their back stories. Such interesting characters with much history and a past that we are given small snippets of, but nothing substantial. It's been two years and Sophia has arrived for a needed trip to India. To escape her country, her grief over her lost love and to make an effort to forget the past and move forward. Yet who should be there as she steps down from the carriage upon arrival at the British Residence near Bombay? Lord Wilshire himself.

I loved this story. The anguish. The torn sense of duty over self. The location descriptions. The history. The wide range of characters, of whom I felt the main supporting ones really added richness and depth to the plot. Thoroughly unpredictable, you will be left guessing 'whodunnit' right to the very end!

I would have loved to know what happened to Charlie, since so much mention is made regarding his future. Or even Charity & Beatrice. I did feel the epilogue was well done though. Sometimes there's a hurried 'wrap up' of the story, but in this case it was just right. Beautiful ending to an enjoyable read.

My favourite thing? Probably the use of the flowers & colors in the lapels. Interesting!

Thank you to Netgalley & Shadow Mountain for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

Sophia Elliot is madly in love with Anthony Blake, the Earl of Wilshire. The story opens in England but quickly moves to India after Anthony has secretly left England. The only thing Anthony leaves is a letter with a silly explanation of Sophia being a good friend and that he felt the need to move on with his life in Paris or other places unknown. The truth is that he loves Sophia with all his heart but must leave to help his employer with recovering some very important government documents that were stolen from his office. Because this job is one involving espionage, he felt that the real reason should be hidden from those he loved. Sophia is so distraught that she books passage on a ship to India. Once there, she not only has a new group of acquaintances but also runs into Anthony, still in pursuit of his quest. Add murder, intrigue and romance to this well-written historical novel and you will find hours of delightful reading to the very end. I highly recommend this book to all.

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen will be available August 1, 2017 by Shadow Mountain Publishing. An egalley was made available by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a honest opinion.

India, a grand setting for love, betrayal and threat.

Sophia Elliot is distraught when her brother's best friend unaccountably takes himself off to the continent with his only word being some idiocy about them being best friends.
For Sophia, their time together had been more than that. Indeed she'd thought Anthony Blake, the Earl of Wilshire felt likewise. The signs were all there.
Anthony, is in reality an English spy and he's been called back into service on the eve of him declaring his intentions towards Sophia. The task he's charged with reveals that Sophia along with many others are in danger. A coded document detailing the English spy network, their names and their loved ones has been stolen. The whole network maybe compromised unless Anthony can track it down.
Two years later Sophia decides to join the Fishing Fleet for Bombay (This was the name given to the annual exodus of young women to India seeking husbands each season).
And it's here that Sophia unexpectedly comes face to face with Anthony. Can Sophia survive this test? Can Anthony? And what of Anthony's task? A task that's dragged him across the continent all this time and now here. Why has his path led him to Bombay?
The mystery continues as Sophia and Anthony try to take up the reins of a relationship defined as friendship, with the beating heart of love barely disguised.
Allen brings alive the times and the colour of India, all underscored by the heady secrets revealed. Alongside this Allen hints at the disparagement and clashes between these two cultures.
To my mind the title, Secret of the India Orchid reflects the exoticness, the culture, the flora and fauna of a setting that the finále of Anthony's search deserves, bringing the secrets of love and betrayal that intertwine to a satisfying conclusion.

A NetGalley ARC
(August 2017)

I really do love the Proper Romance line from Shadow Mountain. This book is an excellent addition to this collection and I just love Nancy Campbell Allen's writing.

This book is set in India during the regency era. Yes, this is a romance but it's got some swirling intrigue as well. There are secrets everywhere and Sophia is caught in the middle of them all and she doesn't even know it! Well, eventually she does. And then she is in trouble!

Poor Anthony. His heart beats and yearns for Sophia but hello? Spy? Yeah, that puts a damper on the whole I love Sophia thing. It was rather fun watching him squirm and clench his jaw and fist his hands in frustration as he watched and interacted with Sophia. There was some good tension and build up between the two of them.

So enjoyable!

I absolutely LOVE this book. The setting is amazing and everything is so easy to visualize. Allen paints India in a dreamy light without glazing over the poverty that is ever present. Sophia and Anthony make the most darling couple and their relationship is one for the books!

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Finally! I’ve read a book. This has been a bizarre summer and I’m getting no reading done.

However, The Secret of the India Orchard by Nancy Campbell Allen is being released this month, and it sounded like a good candidate for bringing me out of my reading slump.

I’ve read a few books in the Proper Romance line published by Shadow Mountain. They are clean romances that are consistently a cut above. The Secret of India Orchard is no exception.

Sophia Elliot, sister of the Earl of Stansworth, has caught the eye and the heart of her brother’s best friend, Anthony Blake, the Earl of Wilshire. He has determined to court her formally. Unfortunately, on the same day that he plans to ask her brother’s permission, he is contacted by his old employer, Lord Braxton, head of spies in the War Department. Although Anthony felt himself happily out of the business when he inherited his title, Braxton has another job for him. A top secret document, naming all the important spies as well as their habits, families, and acquaintances, has been stolen from Braxton’s office. Anthony is the only one he trusts to hunt down the document before it is sold to the French or some other enemy.

Anthony does not like Braxton and wants to refuse. However, that would put all his former colleagues at risk, as well as his friends. Sophia is named in the document. To keep her safe, he must take the job.

The onerous duty requires that he leave immediately, dumping Sophia in a letter which stresses the brotherly friendship he feels for her, to return to the continent and resume his previous undercover activities, which include acting like a devil-may-care playboy.

Sophia is heartbroken.

Two years later, the document is still not recovered. Anthony has traced it to India. Sophia has also decided to go to India for an adventure to take her mind off her continuing heartbreak. There is an alternative marriage mart there for Englishwomen who haven’t had success in London. (Sophia would have had great success but for her continued devotion to Anthony, despite her best attempts to forget him.) Sophia wants to move on. On the other hand, she knows Anthony will be there. . .

Naturally, they are thrown together and the feelings they had for one another blaze back to the fore. To the book’s credit, the love story does not bog down in mutual misunderstandings and petty recriminations. They care for and respect one another too much for that.

In addition to a thoughtful, mature, sweet Romance, there is a page-turning mystery for the two to solve. Who stole the documents and why? There is abundant danger, a little bit of clashing of cultures, and despicable villains–something for everyone! For those who enjoy historical mystery/Romance, this one comes highly recommended.

I was really looking forward to this book because I enjoyed the previous book in the duology, and it did not disappoint! This book reminded me of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Around the World in Eighty Days (which I love), and it kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense, especially for the last few chapters. As always, I appreciated the clean romance and exciting plot which are characteristic of Shadow Mountain's proper romances. Despite the mild violence, I believe most people who enjoy mystery, suspense, sweet romance, and different cultures will love this book, and I highly recommend it!

I love this Proper Romance line because it's a guarantee I'm going to get a fun and clean read.
There's something about India during the Regency times that is so fascinating. The exotic location and foreign people and customs almost force these people to band together, as they strive to maintain their upper class identities. It's very interesting to see single women go there in hopes of securing a match when England proves fruitless.

Sophia is a very strong-willed and self-reliant young lady and when a potential suit with her brother's best friend doesn't materialize, she heads to India, only to discover that Anthony is there too. Of course, Anthony has his reasons for abandoning the blossoming relationship, but he can't tell Sophia.

My favorite moments of the book are found in the intrigue and mystery, as well as in the flirtatious interactions between Anthony and Sophia. The intrigue and mystery is well done and I couldn't figure out the who and whys surrounding it. I almost felt like I was playing the game Clue. As for the rest of the story, it is sweet and gentle, but I had a little trouble fully engaging. There are many instances when the characters are mourning the loss of what could've been, which is understandable, but I wanted to feel a little more connected to the emotion.

This is a pleasant read, especially for those who enjoy a Regency story out of the norm.

Content: mild, non-descriptive violence (murder, etc); mild romance (kissing).
*I received a copy to review, which did not influence my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own.*

Author Nancy Campbell Allen has written a fantastic historical regency romance novel with a touch of mystery that readers will absolutely love. Filled with excitement, intrigue, espionage, adventure, and heart throbbing romance, readers will at once be pulled into the story and not want to come out. Not only is the story enticing and well-written, but the characters are brought to life in Allen’s unique way of writing. This is an exciting new story that takes place in British India that readers will not want to miss!!

Series: Proper Romance
Genre: historical, regency, romance, mystery
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date: August 1, 2017
Number of pages: 320

Nancy Campbell Allen is one of my favorite authors and she has really outdone herself with this one!

Anthony Blake believes he has found the love of his life in Sophia Elliot. She is kind and thoughtful, smart and beautiful. She's everything he could ever want and after the war and the spying he was asked to do, he's ready to settle down and reach for happiness. But when the Crown comes calling with another dangerous assignment, he can't turn it down---everyone he loves is in danger, including Sophia. Anthony is forced to throw away the one chance at love he's had and it breaks his heart. Yet, two years later, he's thrown together with Sophia and his feelings haven't changed. But his dangerous assignment isn't over and Sophia is right in the middle of it now. Can he protect her from those who want to cause her harm without revealing his true feelings? Or will he be forced to push her away again and lose any shred of happiness he might have found?

I loved this story. Anthony is a strong hero who isn't perfect, but tries his best to take care of his responsibilities, no matter how distasteful. I love how much he valued Sophia for more than her beauty or talents, but for the things her background had taught her, her observant tendencies, and how much trust he placed in her during dangerous situations. I thought their relationship was very believable and I felt all the emotions swirling around them as they tried to figure out if they could ever be together. The setting is outstanding, the author is able to convey the feeling of India with the tastes and scents, along with the scenery. She definitely did her research and incorporated it seamlessly into the story.

This is also a mystery and I could not for the life of me figure out who the villain was until right before it was revealed! I had my suspicions, of course, but you know it's a good mystery when there are several people who could be the culprit and each one had motive and means!

I really didn't want this story to end and it will definitely go on my rainy day shelf to be read again. I highly recommend it for those who love a good mystery mixed with an even better romance.

This is a very well written novel, rich in detail and packed with information about India during colonial times. I love a historical read which is about more than 'just' a romance, and this book has so many different threads all adding up to a mesmerizing read!

At the heart of this book is the romance - or, rather, the non-romance - of Miss Sophia Elliot and Lord Wilshire, Anthony Blake who happens to be the best friend of Sophia's brother. As they meet again after an absence of two years, mystery and adventure surrounds them and draws them into the political situation in India. Whilst the social events continue, intrigue grows and we find ourselves suspecting all and sundry of being the guilty party - well, at least I did!

The writing flows so smoothly that you race through this book with your brain assimilating the events and trying to sort out who is where and when. This is a marvellous mystery, an awesome adventure and a red-hot romance which not only doesn't disappoint but is an entirely exciting tale and, I'm delighted to report, is all neatly finished off in the final pages.

I loved the amazing setting, the well-rounded characters, the way proprieties of the time were acknowledged whilst the women were brave and fearless and not afraid to use their brains to solve a puzzle. This is a story which will stay with me, and I shall certainly look out for more from Nancy Campbell Allen.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Anthony Blake has finally decided to openly court the lovely Sophia Elliot and put his life as a spy for the British crown behind him. When a document goes missing that puts all British spies and their families in danger, though, Anthony decides he must once again don his unreliable and flirtatious playboy facade and find the critical document. He breaks ties with Sophia, but fully intends to undo the damage his lies have caused the very minute he finishes his last mission.

As years go by without word from Anthony, Sophia decides to take a trip to the very edge of the British Empire and spend time healing in India. Still heartbroken and confused, Sophia's plans to forget her former suitor come crashing down when she discovers that Anthony is also in India. The pair soon find themselves amidst a swirling mystery that involves leading figures in both England and India. To ultimately save her, will Anthony finally tell Sophia the truth and allow her to help him recover the missing document? After so many lies and disappointments will Sophia ever learn to trust again? Or will the dangers of Anthony's former life catch up to them both?

Nancy Campbell Allen gives readers a fascinating glimpse into British Imperial India in The Secret of the India Orchid. While I'm growing a bit tired of the "British spy has to break up with his love in order to save her and the country" plot line, the exotic setting and compelling mystery made up for the slightly unbelievable context. I also appreciated that Anthony didn't keep Sophia in the dark for the entirety of the novel, but shows her the courtesy and respect to eventually treat her as an equal. Both characters, as well as the many secondary characters, are well-developed and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the love story, as well as a look into a country and time-period I've not often explored. I look forward to more from Allen in the future.

I received a free copy from the publisher. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own

This is the story of gentle, sweet and loving Sophia. She adores Anthony, who is all she could want in a man. He is kind, masculine and very much in love with her.
The story is mainly in India, with it's lush forests and unusual animals. The descriptions lead you to feel, the heat and humidity, the way the tree roots twist, oh, and elephants. The characters are full bodied and so believable. The way they speak, their attitudes, even the way they act with each other seems, very real. The plot takes all these parts and fuses them into a truly marvelous tale. The hunt for papers that are so delicate, many people could die.. Anthony must find them. I so very enjoyed this book, there were several twists to the plot and some surprises. I believe the author put a lot of thought into it and came out a definite winner, It was an amazing read. I received this from Net Galley for an honest review.

Nancy Campbell Allen introduces Anthony, Earl of Wilshire, former spy for the British government, who was recalled to find a missing Janus document with the names of English agents; if it falls into Napoleonic hands those agents could die. Anthony follows the document to India where he reunites with the love of his life. Sophia Elliott. Between them romance reignites and intrigue and murder follow the Janus document in this excellent regency romance, Secret of the India Orchid.

This was an enjoyable story. I felt for the hero as he couldn’t tell the heroine the truth about his situation or his job, and had to hide his true feelings from her. There was a sweet heroism in this act of nobility (being a military man of his word, but secretly loving her, all while unable to disclose either secret). The book is aptly named.

The hero and heroine were likable, and I sympathized with each of them. In a subtle way, one of the themes in this story was choosing to do the difficult task even when it hurts, just because it was right. The pain of that choice kept me wanting to get back to this story.

There’s a great conflict as the story progresses, which I will not disclose here as it would be a spoiler, but it throws another challenge into their relationship and is rather humorous.

This publisher's "Proper Romance" collection is one of my favorites. I recommend this book. Such a pleasure to read.