Today’s post is the newest book in The Beckett Files by Laura Beers!

About The Book

Hiding from the horrors of her past, Miss Martha Haskett is content living her days serving as a lady’s maid to her friend Eliza, the Marchioness of Lansdowne. But then her father, the new Earl of Waterford, shows up, with the shocking news that she is now a titled lady. Further turning her life upside down, he proposes a bargain. She will have a single Season in London, and if she does not marry by the end of the Season, she will be gifted with her dowry and a small estate. Despite her mistrust of her father, Martha accepts his offer, but can’t seem to let go of the anger that has been festering inside of her, or her discomfort with a position in Society where she feels she does not belong.

Dr. Emmett Maddix is tired of the frivolity of the ton and spends his time atoning for his past sins by providing medical care to the poor. His life takes an unexpected turn when he is recruited to be an agent of the Crown. He is assigned to run a charity hospital as a front to collect information about a vicious band of smugglers known as The Cursed Lot, who have managed to overtake the entire town of Gravesend with a reign of murder and oppression.

As Emmett delves further into The Cursed Lot’s domain, he quickly discovers that not everything is what it seems, and it will take far more than one new agent to take down this ruthless gang. While the tangled web of intrigue begins to unravel, Martha and Emmett battle an undeniable but unspoken attraction that grows between them. But before either can be ready to share their hearts, they must overcome their past mistakes, and find their own reasons to keep fighting. With more than just their hearts at stake, surviving the mission will be more difficult than either of them could ever imagine.

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed another clean romance by Laura Beers – I can’t get enough of them. But, Martha does have a difficult back story that some may find a trigger point (physical and sexual abuse). However, I think Laura does a great job bringing the seriousness of the issue and Martha’s healing without allowing the burden of her story to burden the reader. While I wouldn’t place the story in the inspirational genera, Laura offers the reader solid advice about healing and being at peace with your past through the development of her characters.

On the lighter side, the story is filled with cameos from already loved characters and their antics. While Laura offers enough back story to read this novel stand alone, I’d recommend reading the previous books in the series as it will enhance your enjoyment of this story and because they’re just good stories.

Other books in the series: #1 and #2,  #3

I received a copy of this book from the author but was not required to give a review. I did it because I really love them.

About The Author

Laura Beers spent most of her childhood with a nose stuck in a book, dreaming of becoming an author. She attended Brigham Young University, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. Many years later, and with loving encouragement from her family, Laura decided to start writing again. Besides being a full-time homemaker to her three kids, she loves waterskiing, hiking, and drinking Dr. Pepper. Currently, Laura Beers resides in South Carolina.