Book Review: "A Lady of Secret Devotion" by Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peteron's best historical series to date

Cassandra Stover owes wealthy widow Mrs. Jameston many thanks. She has been hired to be the companion for the elderly lady and will be able to help support her widowed mother and younger sister. Now living in a life of luxury, Cassandra starts to settle down and enjoy the nicer things in life. However just as she's beginning to relax, Mrs. Jameston's son returns to town. A selfish man who only thinks of himself, Sebastian begins to plot how to gain his mother's money even if it means killing his own mother and Cassandra.

The Ladies of Liberty series has been a delight to read. While each book in the series can be read by itself, it is very refreshing to see a bunch of strong women in a time where women were seen and not heard. I really liked Cassandra's character. She was a faithful companion and not afraid to speak her mind. She's a very good and clean character but neither is she too perfect to be unbelievable. Her chemistry with Mark is excellent. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow throughout the story. Wow, Sebastian is one of the worse villains I have ever read in a book. Just the way he treated his mother was absolutely horrible. I'm glad that while she was not able to change his ways, she did not approve of him and was even disgusted with him. I'm tired of reading in novels where the mother is oblivious to the faults of her children and then blames others for their wrongdoings. It was refreshing to see that she realized that she had helped with his downfall and that also she wasn't going to put up with his dastardly shenanigans. This has been my favorite series of all of Tracie Peterson's books and this novel makes an excellent addition to the collection. I am hoping that there will be another lady to read about in the near future.

A Lady of Secret Devotion by Tracie Peterson is published by Bethany House (2008)