Miss Serena's Secret (book 2, A Promise of Hope series) by Carolyn Miller

In the 1800's, a woman's journey into the art world was difficult to accomplish. Her art would only have been seen as a hobby and not up to par with the men. This novel,  Miss Serena's Secret by Carolyn Miller, is the story of Miss Serena Winthrop who has a growing talent for art, but is also trying to protect her scarred heart from the opposite sex that would only use her to their advantage. When Serena meets Viscount Lord Henry Carmichael, she determines not to be seduced by his cunning charm. But after seeing a completely different side of him while visiting his family estate, she begins to wonder if there ever could be anything between the two of them.
The Viscount has an ugly past that is finally catching up with him. After meeting Serena, Henry knows he would never be good enough for her.  Will the longing of his heart ever go away?

This is the second book in Carolyn's A Promise of Hope (Regency Brides) series, and this series is best read in order. The first book is Winning Miss Winthrop and you can read my review of that book by clicking here.

I thought that this book continued the story line well, and I liked that Lavinia and Nicholas Hawkesbury (from A Legacy of Grace series) showed up in the story too. This story included more of the evil intentions of man's heart than the first book.  And it also addresses some of the prejudice against women during this time period. I liked reading about the art of the time and seeing how Serena grew as an artist in spite of adversity. I also liked the way the author conveyed the change in the characters lives as God orchestrated trials which were out of their control to bring them closer to Himself.  And the author's use of Scripture was encouraging. I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in the series, The Making of Mrs. Hale. So make sure to check back soon to see a review of that book too!

My Rating: ★★★★

You can check out Carolyn Miller's Website here. And take a peek at what the author pictured for the characters and the setting for this book by clicking here and visiting Pinterest.


***I received this e-book from Kregel Publications through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.