Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks is an excellent historical fiction romance that was such a joy to read. This book was so unique, refreshing, uplifting, and truly a breath of fresh air.

I loved the concept and plot of Georgana going undercover as a young boy, George Taylor, under father’s watch on his ship, HMS Deborah. The dynamics of Captain Woodall, Georgana, the men on the ship, and newly added Lt. Dominic Peyton was brilliant. The character cast was well-developed, the plot well-thought out, and the suspense and outcome placed at the end-perfect.

I loved how both Dominic and Georgana (as well as several others) were able to learn, grow, adapt, find themselves, and find support, love, forgiveness, and acceptance in each other. There were so many wonderful relationships represented.

I loved the time: early 1800s
The place: Portsmouth, England, but mainly aboard the ship on the seas. I learned so much about the workings of a ship, the job positions, the battles, the grit and determination it took to survive, thrive, and find a satisfying life in the Royal Navy.

Most of all, I loved Georgana and Dominic. The incomplete characters with strong moral compasses, unsure of themselves and the love that they found through first friendship, truly wonderful. Both seem to bring out the best in each other. I loved the respect, the mutual interests, the loyalties, and of course the love that they developed with one another. The ending was just perfect.

Truly one of the best books I have read in a long time.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 7/19/20 a listing on BB has not been created) and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I admit I requested this book off Netgalley based off the cover alone. The fact it’s a Proper Romance was a bonus because I’ve enjoyed their books before so I trust them to put out solid reading material. Georgana’s Secret is no exception. And when I realized it had themes of secret identity and romance on the high seas I was all in! Now I just wish someone could take me sailing. 😅

I really loved this book by Arlem Hawks! It was one of my favorite reads this year! It was so different from most of the "ballroom" regencies as almost all of the action takes place on an English frigate. Speaking of action --there was a lot of it! Batten down the hatches as there are deaths, injuries, illnesses, attacks by enemy frigates, and an attempted mutiny. I am not usually attracted to books that take place on a ship, but Arlem Hawks really has a talent for describing all the activity on board a ship in such an interesting way! She wowed me with her knowledge!

Georgana Taylor has traveled with her father for three years on his father's ship the HMS Deborah, All the shipmates thinks she is a boy, as she goes by the name George, and dresses as a boy. Her father has taken her on his ship to get her away from his abusive mother -- Geogana's grandmother.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton's heart was with the sea, and he anxiously awaited his new assignment as second in command on the HMS Deborah, Dominic has compassion on George Taylor, the third-class boy, who is shoved around by the other shipmates. He teaches George how to defend herself, and takes it upon himself to watch over him! What will happen when he discovers her disguise?

This was such a unique and fun book, full of action, adventure, and romance (clean). Reading this book would be just the cure for the doldrums!

A Regency romance novel featuring a young woman disguised as a young man?! That's definitely a trope my genderqueer heart can fall in love with. Georgana's Secret follows Georgana, disguised as a cabin boy on her father's naval ship. Hawks explains Georgana's presence on the ship by folding in a quiet yet strong narrative about Georgana's experience of an abusive grandmother. The ship offers a tenuous sense of safety, but it is urgent to keep Georgana away from her abusive grandmother. After several years at sea, her effort to hide in plain sight as George the cabin boy is thrown into tricky territory when a new lieutenant, Dominic Peyton, joins the crew and takes George under his wing. As Peyton's affection for George increases and they begin to know each other better, Peyton begins to quietly question George's backstory. Then feelings develop amidst the chaos of life at sea.

A few awkward missteps and a vague sense that of wanting a bit more aside, Georgana's Secret was a lighthearted, yet emotionally thoughtful short Regency novel. I would recommend it! (Closer to a 3.5 star for me, but bumped because I ultimately did enjoy it!)

thanks netgalley for the arc!!!

Captivating! I loved watching this beautiful romance bloom! Georgana disquises herself as a boy to be able to escape the cruelty of her grandmother and to sail the seas with her Navy Captian father. Dominic catches the attention of Georgana and they form an incredible friendship. Dominic is a very caring and gentle soul perfect for the hurting Georgana. I loved watching them encourage each other and help the other face their fears/past. It was fun to watch Dominic finally fit the pieces together. Arlem Hawks' writing is incredible and you feel as tho you are facing the battles with the characters! This book is a great insight into the life at sea during the 1800's. I cannot imagine being on the sea for years on end. Beautiful book and I cannot wait to read more books by Arlem Hawks!!!

I loved this story so much!

This was the first book I read from this author and I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked her writing.

This is a Regency story but it's set on a ship, which is very different from the usual balls and halls and all those other clichés.

Georgana is on a ship captained by her father, and she's disguised as a cabin boy under the name of George. They've been doing this for three years, after her mother's death, to escape her grandmother's abuse. She guards this secret for her sake and her father's, even though this life is hard for her.

Dominic is the new first lieutenant and he loves being on the high seas. When he witnesses the other boys harassing George, he comes to the his rescue. Slowly, a friendship forms between them, with him not knowing she's a young lady. Dominic's kindness is a balm to Georgana and her feelings for him change.

The setting was amazing and I loved the interactions between Georgana and Dominic, especially later in the story.

There was adventure, and peril, and beautiful moments that were a treat to read. The epilogue was so good!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

4 stars

Good story. The Author is new to me. Nice balance of viewpoints. Some from the heroine, George and some from the hero, Dominic. Lots of descriptions of life on a naval ship in regency times. The romance was clean and fairly low key. I would definitely recommend this story and this writer. Delighful Cover.

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

Okay. If you've seen the movie Princess Bride you'll remember the conversation the grandfather has about the kind of book he was reading to his grandson. I don't know the exact lines but he talks about all the wonderful elements of the book. Swordfighting, romance, pirates, etc... The grandson replies, "Murdered by pirates is good". Ha ha. That is kind of how I felt about this book. So many elements to enjoy. I thought I'd get a couple hours of reading in before going to bed. I couldn't stop reading. My heart was pounding during the battle. I finished the book about 1:30 am. And then I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about the story for another hour.
This book has romance but is also a war story. There is conflict with the enemy and inner-crew conflict aboard ship. We have a woman dressed as a boy who has been fooling the crew for three years. And she is dealing with the inner demons of having been physically and emotionally abused for years by her grandmother.
I won't go into detail about anything except to say I really appreciated the way the author wrote the romance. And I'm not even sure I can explain my thoughts clearly on this. So often when a story is a woman disguised as a man and there is attraction between her and a man, I am left wondering how that other man feels about being attracted to a "man". If you are heterosexual and suddenly having same sex feelings, wouldn't you be questioning yourself and your sexual orientation? The books I've read with this scenario never really deal with that. But instead of having a budding romance between what appears to be two men, their relationship in this book is more mentoring. He takes the "boy" under his wing to help him stand up for himself against the bullies and they gain an affection for each other because of that. It is only later the romance really begins and he has figured out she is a woman. By writing it this way, the author avoided having to omit an obvious part of the story (why am I having feelings for a man?) Hope that makes sense.
So yes, I did really enjoy this book and can honestly say I couldn't put it down. I loved the main characters. Georgana grows and learns to stand up for herself and then was kind even to her tormentor. Dominic also grows both as a leader and a person and gives confidence to those who are weaker than he. Plus, he is good to his mother. But neither of them are perfect. They both have room for continued growth. I only hope that Georgana doesn't grow tired of the sea in time.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book through Netgalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

4.5 Stars! Absolutely delightful. I loved this one from start to finish. It was compelling, beautiful, and the cover is stunning!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication!

I've been enjoying the titles I've read in the Proper Romance line, and while I enjoyed this as well, it feels more like plain old historical fiction than a romance - for the first three-quarters, at least. The plot, that Georgeana's father has spirited her away from her abusive grandmother to live at sea with him disguised as a cabin boy, is one that does a good job of combining the "girl at sea" trope with what more of the realities of actually doing so might have entailed. The toll her grandmother's abuse took on Georgeana doesn't magically go away (to the point where her defining moment of courage feels a bit less triumphant than it might have, but it really is more believable for the character) and the strain of hiding his daughter definitely wears on her father, who believably retreats into his shell over the course of the novel. The hero, Dominic, is definitely a busybody, which trait did not endear him to me (full disclosure: I was sort of hoping she'd end up with Fitz the formerly-evil cabin boy), so I wasn't as invested in the outcome of the romance as I might have been.

But the writing is strong throughout and Georgeana is a heroine who doesn't need to be a Strong Female Character to carry her part of the story, and the real victory is over herself. That may not be traditional in a romance, but it does make the book a success in my eyes.

This is not your typical Regency romance. Georgana is 18 and has been at sea for three years serving as cabin boy to her father the captain of the HMS Deborah. She joined her father after the death of her mother and to get away from an abusive grandmother. She poses as George to all the crew. Lieutenant Dominic Peyton is new to the ship. He loves the sea and takes a friendly interest in George as he sees her mistreated by fellow crew mates.

The many details of the ship and life aboard enhance the story. During the voyage to and from Antigua there is illness, death, and cannon battles. It made for an exciting adventure. The romance was handled well, particularly in how Dominic comes to realize George's secret.

I did have a few questions that weren't answered by the end of the book. What was the mysterious illness? Why wasn't the Captain more aware of how George was treated by the crew? Could family members of the Captain travel on ship or only spouses?

Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to future books by the author. It is refreshingly clean for language and sex and has mildly graphic battle scenes. Thank you Net Galley and Shadow Mountain for the ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A different kind of tale. Georgana is the daughter of a captain in the British Navy in command of a frigate. She and her mother live with their grandmother while he is at sea. She is cold and heartless. When her mother dies, she comes aboard the ship as a cabin boy. For three years she has kept her disguise. Lieutenant Dominick Peyton is married to the sea. He adores his widowed mother and provides for her. He joins Georgana’s father’s ship aNd meets “George”, the cabin boy. A friendship develops during their voyage that leads to an HEA. Sweet story.

I love how the Proper Romance series keeps expanding its collection of authors!
This was the first time I've read this author (I'm not sure though if this is her first published book). I've read a few books where a woman was disguised as a man for some reason or another but I think this was the first where it was done with a guardians permission. It's usually that they have no guardian and therefore no other choice. I liked that Dominic figured out Georgana's secret but kept it to himself for her sake. I liked that the story had action but wasn't overly violent or graphic. Overall I would give it a solid 4 stars and would happily recommend to others.

Story in 1810 Navy ship set for Antigua from England. I enjoyed this #ProperRomance so much but I will admit, I had to Google a bunch of the sailing terms to be able to understand and get a clear picture at times.

“As a young girl, Georgana Woodall had 2 loving parents but with her father a Capitan in the Navy. However, when her mother dies, she cannot face a future under the guardianship of her abusive grandmother and instead chooses to join her father on his ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George.”

Lieutenant Dominic Payton has only one love, the sea! With his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When he sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he immediately puts a stop to it and takes the “boy” under his wing. After discovering several clues, Dominic deduces that George is really a woman. Knowing that revealing the cabin boy’s secret would put her in danger from the rowdy crew, Dominic keeps silent and hides his growing affection for her.”

Absolutely spellbinding! I could not put this book down.
Imagine being a young woman and hiding that fact from all around you except your father. Imagine hiding that on a ship of the British Royal Navy in 1810 being surround totally by a male crew. If you are discovered it would mean social ruin or worse. That is the life Georganna, or George as her father calls her, finds herself in. Escaping from a physically and emotionally abusive grandmother she finds herself in disguise on the ship her father captains. She is shielded as much as possible from the crew, assigned to be the captain’s cabin “boy”. Given lighter duties and when in battle, assigned to the safest duty area. Still the secret and fear of discovery weigh on her making her wonder if returning to her grandmother’s and hoping for a quick marriage might be preferable. Then a new first lieutenant, Dominic Peyton, is assigned to her father’s ship and as their relationship grows so do her fears and longing for release from the charade she finds herself in. But she does not want a husband in the Navy. Mix in attacks by privateers, an onboard illness that can be fatal, bullying from other boys assigned to the ship and an attempted mutiny and you have a book you won’t want to set down. I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I would enjoy this book. This is one of the more wholesome and authentic historical romance novels I’ve read. All of the lead characters have clear and pure intentions and their goal is to be upstanding as possible.

I loved the way Hawk penned this book. The dialogue, the slow and tense build of romance, and the subtle ways the characters expressed affection and adoration.

Georgana and Peyton were perfect characters. They found connection beyond lust as their relationship began as friendship and grew into a dependency. Their love was organic and fresh. I found this to be a much welcomed novel with the tendency for romance to deliver many lines about swelling bosoms and straining pants.

I would love to read more by this author and I’d recommend this book ten times over.

I’ll write a more much formal review with synopsis and character analysis much later.

"Georgana's Secret" is a Regency romance with most of the plot unfolding on a British Navy ship. While ballroom dances and rides in Hyde Park are sometimes enjoyable story events, this novel has none of those. Instead, there are battles, grave illnesses and injuries, and even an attempted mutiny.

Hawks paints a vivid picture of life on a Royal Navy frigate. This novel is well-researched and full of nautical terms. From raising sails and scrubbing decks, to tapping biscuits to remove weevils before eating said biscuits, life upon the seas was hard and demanding.

The characters are well-drawn. Georgana Woodall and Lieutenant Dominic Peyton are wonderful together, even when she was "George". He teaches her to defend herself, which is all the more touching given that Georgana's abusive grandmother called her a "mistake". While all secondary characters are multi-faceted, Fitz stood out for me.

This Proper Romance features lovely prose and is well-edited. It is also clean. If you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, you will not find them here. However, if you want a believable romance set against a realistic, historical backdrop, this is the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this enjoyable novel.

This was definitely a unique take on a Regency era book and I really loved that! Georgana sneaks on her father’s ship as a cabin boy George where she meets Lt. Dominic Peyton.

Their relationship, both the development of it and it’s continue md growth during the story was wonderfully done. Most importantly to me though was how well written they were as individual characters who not only found love and acceptance with each other, but also became stronger characters on their own as the book progressed.

The writing and characterization was fantastic so I’ll certainly be reading more books by Arlem Hawks!

There is SO much to love about Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks. First, the story is HIGHLY engaging. The pages flew by in this novel because the action is non-stop: there’s a strange illness onboard the HMS Deborah that’s only hitting a certain part of the crew, there are battles on the high sea with the French, and there’s mutiny. There are adventures in Antigua, learning to stand up against bullies, and a seriously sweet romance. I read 70% of this book in one sitting because I could not put it down! In addition to the storyline, I absolutely love the way characters relate in this novel. The camaraderie of most of the crew onboard the HMS Deborah is fun to imagine. The interaction between George and her father, Captain Woodall, appears stiff and formal, but in reality, it is exceptionally evident how much he cares for his child. And, how Georgana and Dominic’s relationship blossoms from friendship to romance is great. The Victor/Victoria relationship in this book works really well and progresses nicely. I especially enjoyed the intelligent journey Dominic takes to figure out who George truly is. And, the historical and nautical details are rich. The detail is written so vividly I felt like I was on board with the crew of the HMS Deborah. Working a boat in the 1800s was an insanely arduous task, and Hawks does a stellar job of portraying this.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton is an excellent hero. There is so much to love about his character. His attention to detail is wonderful. He’s not an “actions first, questions later” kind of guy. Dominic is a man who watches and listens, makes intelligent assessments based on what he hears and sees, and then moves to action. I LOVE how unselfish he is. Once he learns George’s secret he feels he must have answers, but before he confronts anyone he metaphorically steps into George’s and her father’s shoes and looks at the situation from their perspectives. What he “discovers” from standing in their shoes for a moment is that they need protection. Dominic is a protector to his core, and some of my most favorite moments in this novel are when he comes to George’s defense (both before and after he finds out who she is). This, more than the swoony kisses and heartfelt words, makes Dominic a perfect hero in my humble opinion. Swoony kisses and heartfelt words are great, but truly seeing and understanding someone is the best show of love one person can give to another.

I have to mention how much I love Georgana’s character. She is AWESOME. If I had to boil her character down to one word, that word would be resilient. Georgana is a character who gets beat up a lot, and I don’t mean metaphorically. She is the quintessential underdog. She is an 18-year-old girl posing as a boy on her father’s ship in 1811. Ironically, she is doing it for her safety. In this world, Georgana gets knocked down often but she always gets back up. She is a true fighter and she is not afraid to fight for what is good and what is right, and later she is not afraid to fight for love. Georgana is definitely the perfect heroine for Dominic.

Georgana’s Secret by Arlem Hawks is a great historical romance that I cannot recommend enough. It’s a fun, adventurous romance that will have the reader turning pages well into the night. If you are in the mood for a swashbuckling adventure with a sweet romance and timely themes then Georgana’s Secret is the book for you!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishers, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I must say I am a sucker for the unconventional romance. This one was absolutely fabulous and had everything a good sea story should. Storms, battles, Privateers, and mutineers. There was illness and death, but this was not just any adventure on the high seas, this one had secrets and romance.

Lieutenant Peyton thought he was trying to protect the Captain's cabin boy, George, but there was more to George than meets the eye. George was Georgana who had been whisked away in the night to protect her from her abusive grandmother. Peyton teaches her to defend herself against the other ships boys who dislike her for the captain's favor of her.

Arlem Hawks wove a magnificent tale of adventure and deception and delivered a happy ever after that was as unconventional as the rest of the story. With so many stories of romance out there, it is refreshing when one comes along that is very different than the stories that I am used to. A little adventure always livens things up fabulously.

I received an early copy through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

The characters in this story were well written and played well off each other. I liked the character arcs in the novel. The growth in the characters was well done. I liked the tension both between the "good guys" and the villain & the hero and heroine in the story. This was my first book by Hawks, but i will definitely look for more in the future

I really enjoyed this historical romance and the authors writing style! The love story was very sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing life abroad a ship!

<b> 3.5 stars </b>

<b> Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. </b>

This was a cute book if you like proper romances, but the plot dragged in some paces, and the romance was a little too cheesy for me.

It reminded me of a regency era She's the Man, honestly. I kept picturing Channing Tatum as the love interest, and that was enough to keep me going.

One part of this book that rubbed me the wrong way was the abusive grandmother. I felt like her character was just textbook evil. She was a horrible character, but more in an eye-rolling, irritating sort of way. Her horribleness was very exaggerated. I honestly didn't find it very believable that Georgana's only option to escape her was to go aboard the ship with her father.

Georgana's Secret a quick and easy read for summer, though!

Georgana must find a way to escape Lushill House and the cruel Grandmother she lives with while her father is at sea. With no other options she finds herself aboard her father’s ship disguised as his cabin boy, “George”.

Life on board is difficult for George who does her best to stay in the shadows away from everyone who likes to make her life miserable as a lowly ranked shipmate. That is until Lieutenant Dominic Peyton shows up and decides to teach George how to stand up for “himself” and be more than just a 3rd class ship’s boy. After spending time together Dominic uncovers Georgana’s secret. A secret that would be more dangerous for everyone if anyone else found out.

I cannot give enough praise for Georgana’s Secret. It is one of the best books I have read in a long time and definitely makes my top 10 list of favorite proper romance books and is 100% re-read worthy! The writing is descriptive, the flow is perfection, and the characters will make you feel all the feels. I stayed up late to finish reading and happily put life on hold because I couldn’t, and didn’t want to put it down.

This will be a book that I will need in all formats because the cover is gorgeous and with an electronic copy I’ll be able to take it with me wherever I go.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Georgana's story is one full of heartache and hope. Ms. Harlem has written a beautiful story that strays from the typical stow away female at sea. Instead, Georgana is knowingly on the ship by the captain her own father, as a away to protect her from more dangerous family troubles on land. Of course the sea is a dangerous place in it's own right for a female, so Georgana assumes the role of George and no one is the wiser. That is until Lieutenant Dominic Peyton catches on to who George really is. You will not be able to put this book down and you will love every minute of how Dominic comes to care deeply for Georgana and her for him in return. The tension of battle will have to on the edge of your seat, hopeful and fearful all at once. Such a lovely story that provides a great escape for any Regency novel reader.

#netgalley #georganassecret

This book was tricky for me. I think the storyline is cute and unique, the characters were well developed. I quite enjoyed this story!

Really entertaining book. I loved the secrecy, the camaraderie, and the courage. It was a fun journey with the main characters.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Georgans’s Secret by Arlem Hawks

The author has masterful creativity with her characters and the flow of the book. She doesn’t miss out on how to grow them or her pull to keep the readers enticed to keep turning the pages!
I wanted to know how the relationship between “George “ and Dominic was going to happen amongst all the sailors and go undetected. What happened to the evil grandmother? Stay tuned because as you know the wicked come back time and time again! How will her father protect her without letting the crew figure out that she is a girl. You all know that daddy’s are partial to their little girls.

Can you imagine being stuck on this ship with nobody to commiserate with other than your father who I am sure is busy and can’t be spending time with a crewman. How lonely for this girl, but then Dominic comes aboard!
The author takes it from there and you will not believe what adventures take place for a lonely Boy!
Excellent book!

Thank you to the authors and publishers who work diligently for us the readers.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

This book deserves applause! This is my first time reading Ms. Hawks and her fantastic novel on the high seas has put her squarely on my list of favorite authors to watch. I love Georgana and Dominic. Georgana is real and vulnerable and brave. Dominic is sweet and kind and strong. I love the dialogue and believe "a sound English cannon" may forever be one of my favorite literary lines. There's adventure and heartache, likeable friends and enemies you love to hate, and a driving plotline. This one was one I had trouble putting down. Definitely give this one a try; I'm heading to read her other books now.

Rated PG-13 for some war-time violence
--some violence with mild gore
--intense situations
--clean romance
--very mild language

I received this ebook free from NetGalley in return for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I really liked this story. I enjoyed the plot and the characters and the action and romance. I’ve liked every story I’ve read by Ms. Hawks and look forward to more...

Georgana's Secret by Arlem Hawks is a lovely nautical historical romance with a sweet and protective Lieutenant and a brave but frightened third-class cabin boy (actually, a girl).

Georgana was the daughter of a Royal Navy Captain and suffered her whole life the abuse inflicted by her paternal grandmother every time her father was at sea.

Seeing her after a severe beating, her father decided to take her with him to his ship. To keep her safe and preserve her reputation, her father disguised her as a third-class cabin boy.

She stayed on the ship for three years, but things were getting difficult because she was bullied by the other cabin boys that understandably resented the special treatment she received from the captain.

When the second Lieutenant of the ship died, Lieutenant Peyton came in his place.

Peyton saw in Georgana a frightened boy and decided he would help him defend himself from the bullies. He also noticed the boy did not enjoy life at sea and put on his mind to convince the captain to place him somewhere on land after their journey was over.

Slowly Georgana started to open up to Peyton's care and affection, but she knew he only saw a boy while she began to have romantic feelings towards him.

Georgana's Secret is a lovely slow-burn romance. It was so sweet to see them getting to know one another, establish a strong friendship bond, and then connect in the deepest level.

I loved how all the story takes place onboard a ship—the daily struggles, the companionship, the illnesses, the sorrow, the deaths, the pain.

Lieutenant Peyton is the perfect hero. Lovely, sensible, honorable, and kind. Georgana is a person marked by her life experiences, but strong and determined to make a better future for herself.

I loved every page of this lovely tale, and I'm looking forward to reading other books by this author.

Highly Recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 01/12/2021*

Georgana has a lot of experience keeping secrets. She has had a pretty tough life. Through it all she has tried to keep a fairly positive attitude and a low profile. When she is befriended by Lieutenant Peyton after he sees her being mistreated by some of other boys on the ship, things get a bit complicated. She is drawn to him but she also needs to keep her distance so he doesn't figure out her secret. This is an interesting look into life at sea and the hardships faced. It is also a wonderful story of overcoming a difficult life and thriving. I really enjoyed this book. This is a clean romance.

George is a 3rd class ship's boy on a British warship in the 19th century. By all accounts, George is the Captain's favorite, but not good for much else. But is there more to George than meets the eye? What if the other sailors were to discover that George is not a ship's boy at all, but is rather very much a young lady? In Georgana's Secret the only way that young Georgana can escape the abuse of her grandmother is to steal away on a British warship with him. The ruse of her appearing as a ship's boy works well until Georgana meets the dashing and kind Lieutenant Peyton. Will Georgana manage to keep her secret? Fans of young adult historical fiction will enjoy this entertaining tale.

I enjoyed this book. The slow burn friendship to love between Georgana and Dominic was lovely. The “disguised as a boy on a ship” trope always stretches the imagination, but the author made it believable. When her mother dies, Georgana disguises herself as a boy so she can live with her father on his ship (he is a navy captain) - she cannot remain in town. Dominic, one of the ship’s officers, befriends her and ultimately guesses she is the captain’s daughter.

The descriptions of life in the navy, for both officers and families, and life aboard the ship brought the story to life. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Naval Battles, Beautiful Antigua Beaches, and Hidden Love

Georgana Woodall escapes to the sea in disguise to live with her father, the captain, all in an effort to be protected from her evil abusive grandmother. As a ship’s boy, she meets the admirable and handsome Lieutenant Dominic Peyton who befriends “him” (Georgana) and teaches him to fight his battles instead of fleeing. Throughout the book, Lieutenant Dominic finds out her secret, and obviously things happen to make this a beautiful romance.

This book truly takes you through the real life of a navy frigate during the French and English quarrels of the 1810s. Arlem Hawks shows in her book how disease could ravage a ship, how battles destroyed families, and how mutinies occur. I learned so much from reading her book, and truly loved every minute of it! The only thing I would have liked is an image of a naval frigate in the book so that I could understand what each of the decks were. I had to do my own research to understand why the walls of the captains rooms could come off, and where on the boat all of the different things were located.

I enjoyed living through Georgana’s eyes, and the trials she faced living at sea with only men. I enjoyed seeing the beauty of a beach for the first time through her eyes. I enjoyed the love that was built through trust and loyalty. I could not put this book down! Truly one of the best ocean books I have read in a long time!

A special thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Arlem Hawks for the digital ARC provided by Netgalley. All opinions are my own and in no way biased.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars for this fabulous read that I literally could not stop reading. This is the first book I've ever read by the author so I had no expectations of the book. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did, it exceeded my expectations. The story felt like an original concept with some Twelfth Night vibes but with a smarter leading male protagonist. The story had two interesting main characters, great chemistry, and great individual growth. The story had a lot going for it, there were lots of events and changes that kept the story fresh and enjoyable. There was growth for several characters and the story was not exclusively about the romance, alyhohgh I loved this romance! This story was so captivating, I've decided I need to read more books by this author very soon! Many thanks to netgalley for a free advanced copy of this book.

Georgana's Secret is one of my most anticipated reads in months. It did not disappoint. I savored it over several days simply because I refused to let it end. I love how much detail and research it entails. Arlem Hawks has a handful of self-published books that I have read and her style is perfect for me.
Georgana has a secret. Her father is a captain in His Royal Navy and she's disguised as a cabin boy. For three years, she's not touched land and is alone in the midst of hundreds of men. When Lieutenant Dominic Peyton joins the crew, Georgana can't help but be enamored with his joie de vivre and his offer of friendship.
I cannot express how much I love this book. I think the bulk of its power lies in the setting. Georgana and Peyton have lovely moments individually and together.
There are so many regency novels to choose from and more published every week. This is one that cannot be missed and I am eager to have a copy on my bookshelf.
Thank you, Shadow Mountain and NetGalley, for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Georgana's Secret
by Arlem Hawks
Shadow Mountain Publishing
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Shadow Mountain
Romance
Pub Date 12 Jan 2021 | Archive Date 26 Jan 2021

This was a truly awesome book. I will be looking for more from Arlem Hawks. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC.
4 star

I would recommend this book as I very much enjoyed it! I spent one full day reading it with barely a pause. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

The plot is not on the most original ones: a young woman disguised as a boy embarks on a ship and falls in love with a member of the crew - I've already read that kind of story a few times. However, that was unusual was that it was the daughter of the captain which was here to espace her abusing grandmother, and it added an interesting element as she to hide her relationship with the captain and find her place on the ship. Unfortunately, I found it sad that both Georgana and her father were unhappy with their lives - the captain since the death of his dear wife, and Georgana because she regrets being aboard the ship. I regret that she did not enjoy it more (I personally am fascinated with all historic stories aboard ships so I regretted her lack of enthusiasm - thankfully, Dominic made up for it with his love of the sea.). Dominic was a wonderful character, highly likeable, generous, with a interesting back story, a deep love of the sea and the navy. To be honest I'm not really sure why he liked Georgana so much but I understand why she did ;)

As the book was quite long, I felt that the story was quite complete and detailed. I am quite impressed with how much the author has had to research to write such a complete book with so many technical details. The length of the book also allowed for Dominic and Georgana's romance to develop in a credible way, although I didn't find there wasn't a real chemistry between the characters (hence why I found the end slightly bittersweet too).

One last detail that annoyed me all along the book: Georgana's name. I understood in the book that it was supposed to be pronounced "Georgeana" (with a soft 'g', or [ʒ]) so I don't understand which it's spelled "Georgana" (which would be pronounced with a hard 'g', or [g]). This distracted me every time her time was mentioned...
Overall, I really liked this book and will probably read it again in a few years!

*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion*

I very much enjoyed reading history woven into the story and explained in an intersting way. Majority of the story took place on a ship. I thought the battle scenes were exciting and description of ship life felt real and natural. I know nothing about brisitsh naval history or life on a ship but I didn't read anything that seemed fanciful. Some bits were an intersting surprise.
The hook in the beginning was great and after 1/2 way into 1st chapter I was wanting to clear my schedule. Throughout I felt there was a nice flow to the story. The H's parents marriage was touched on. I wish I knew more since it seemed to really shape him. As well as his older brother.

I love this book. It is so well written and I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the characters. Georgana faces so much hardship and has no one to turn to for comfort. Don't get me wrong her father acts out of protection and love to save her in his own way and that's beautiful. But a girl just needs a hug every once in a while. With all that she faces, I find her so strong.

Now, Dominic is brilliant. I love his reactions to everything!

Reread worthy!

When her mother died, Georgana Woodall escaped her abusive grandmother by disguising herself as a cabin boy and joining her father on his ship. Several years later, she’s of the age to come out in society, attend fancy balls, and find a husband. There’s one problem — everyone believes she’s a boy called “George,” but revealing her secret could ruin her reputation forever.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has eyes for one lady only — the sea. He has no time for women. On land, they are nothing more than a distraction and added responsibility, and sailing the oceans is no place for them. So he’s better off alone.

When Dominic witnesses the captain’s cabin boy being harassed, he steps in to aid the “boy.” However, it isn’t long before he realizes that some things don’t add up and before long deduces that “George” is in reality a young woman. To protect her, Dominic keeps the discovery to himself. But keeping quiet becomes increasingly difficult as feelings for her develop.

Combining elements of Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Swiss Family Robinson, this delightful tale of love and adventure emerges. With a lieutenant who thinks that women don’t belong at high seas (does that not sound like Captain Wentworth?!), a woman disguised as a man, privateers, swords, and gunfights Arlem Hawks’ Georgana’s Secret offered me an escape I desperately needed. Maybe it was the marriage between components from two of my favorite childhood stories, but I devoured the story and stepped away feeling light and happy. I’d been granted a respite from everything going on around me.

The protagonists are fun and lovable. The villain, well, you wish they would just toss him overboard. However, then there wouldn’t be a story, so it’s good they didn’t. A beautiful friendship forms between “George” and someone on the ship, but I won’t say more due to spoilers though I wish I could dedicate at least an entire paragraph to it. Watching it progress definitely kept a smile on my face. Actually, the book as a whole had me grinning a lot.

I absolutely loved the setting had me spending almost the entirety of the novel off land. Despite never leaving my landlocked room, I sailed far away on a ship surrounded by the blue expanse of the ocean, inhaling the clean, salty air. But in spite of all that open space, Hawks also knew how to turn the ship claustrophobic in an instant. Just wait until you meet the privateers and villains. The author threw in a few twists and turns along the way which surprised me. At the same time, she set them up so perfectly that they made sense.

Some of the characters do seem to become too active too quickly after incurring horrid wounds. It did pull me out of the story briefly as I wondered how they could do what they were doing in their condition.

If you love regency romances, strapping lieutenants, stories set at sea, and adventure galore, do yourself a favor and pick up Georgana’s Secret.

The book was way more than I was expecting. The story has a lot of depth to it. I was pulled in by Georgana’s and Dominic’s story and I could not stop reading. I stay up late into the night reading to find out how story would go.

For some reason, I have always been drawn to stories where the main character has to disguise herself as a boy for one reason or another, so the premise of this story drew me in right away.

The author did a wonderful job of bringing all of the characters to life, and giving the reader a taste of what life might be like as a cabin boy who doesn't quite fit in with any group on board.

Every time I read a story that takes place on a ship, I'm always amazed at just how many people are in board. I guess I just can't grasp the size of the ship, because I'm always shocked when there are more than 50 people on board.

Anyway, the reader obviously doesn't get to know everyone, but we do get to know a handful, and I enjoyed getting to know them all, whether it was to love them or hate them.

Definitely a well-written, enjoyable story that I plan on rereading more than once.

This was the first book I had read from this author and it won't be the last. I loved the story and the relationship between the main characters. I would highly recommend this story!

I'm in awe of the descriptive writing of Arlem Hawks. 'Georgana's Secret' was a difficult book to get through to someone who gets deathly seasick. I was decidedly uncomfortable until the Deborah was back to land. This was not a lighthearted book in any way, with themes of abuse, death and abandonment. A great effort was made to balance that with the joy of a seafarer's heart, but it missed the mark with me. It just seems that even love wouldn't be enough of a reason to choose this hard lifestyle.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is about a girl who is forced to impersonate a cabin boy on board her father's ship in order to have somewhere to live. It gives a very interesting behind the scenes look at life on board a Navy ship in Regency England.

This book was a very entertaining read. I loved learning a little more about nautical terms and how ship life was at that time. I really liked the relationship growth from friendship to more. It was fun to watch it blossom as the story was told. This book had it all- romance, adventures, and action. I definitely recommend this book

i had a lot of fun reading this historical novel, the characters were great and I felt like the main characters romance worked. It was a enjoyable read.

When he becomes aware of how his mother abuses his only child, Captain Woodall makes the only decision he thinks is open to him to protect his daughter: he dresses her up as a boy and brings her with him on board his ship. For three years, "George" and her father keep the secret. When lieutenant Dominic Peyton arrives on board,it isn't long before the secret comes out. A ship at war is never safe. What chance does love have when mutiny is in the air?

This was a funeral. I especially loved the detail of life on ship. The setting really came to life with those details. It was interesting to read how life on a ship might have been like, especially when the Admiralty decreed no women on board. It's this reason that is given for Georgana becoming "George."

However, the fact that captains could choose to enforce that rule on their ships made the plot seem unlikely. Captain Woodall could have taken his daughter and few would have batted an eye.

Of our two leads,I found Dominic the most interesting. He is concerned with his mother and refuses promotion to captain to ensure he has the pay he needs to provide for her. He is kind to "George", seeing a boy who needs to learn how to defend himself and earn respect.

One other detail annoyed me: any time she was unsatisfied with one of her sketches, she would throw the paper out into the ocean. For a time when paper was precious, doubly so on a ship in the middle of the ocean, this came across as careless and wasteful. I would rate this 4.5, but I am rounding it up.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I would recommend it to readers looking for a Regency romance with a hint of adventure.