A Stranger's Secret by Laurie Alice Eakes

★★★★★

As a grieving widow, Morwenna only wants to make a life for herself and her young son at her murdered husband’s estate. Until an unconscious man washes up on her shore, entangling her in a web of mysteries that threatens everything she holds dear.

Still grieving the loss of her husband, Morwenna Penvenan fills her days preserving her son’s heritage: the dilapidated estate his father left them. But all attempts at restoration are thwarted when she is accused of deliberately causing ships to crash on her shore in order to steal their cargo. While seeking clues to the true culprits, she finds an unconscious man wearing a medallion with the Penvenan crest enameled upon it.

Upon learning of his father’s death, David pursues answers to the many questions left in his father’s wake: Why was his father in Cornwall when he said he would be in Scotland? Why did he die in possession of a medallion belonging to a prominent Cornwall family? Why did his father take money from the family’s ship-building business? And why did someone kill him? Only after waking up at the Penvenan estate under Morwenna’s care do the pieces start falling together.

As David recovers in Morwenna’s house, they grow to care about one another, while knowing each have reasons to distrust the other. The closer they work together, the more they learn how their lives – and mysteries – are entwined. As the past continues to intrude on their lives, they must learn to ask the Lord and others for help or risk losing each other and maybe even losing their lives.

Morwenna Penvenan, a character previously introduced in A Lady’s Honor, becomes the dynamic center of attention in Laurie Alice Eakes’ second Cliffs of Cornwall novel, A Stranger’s Secret. Her story fascinated and captivated me, and I loved it, just as much as I remember enjoying A Lady’s Honor. With the similar secret-laden suspense, between-the-classes romance and introspective character reflection and growth, A Stranger’s Secret provides a great follow-up story and is an entirely addictive and intriguing historical read. Fans of the genre cannot go wrong in picking up this novel - I recommend it and cannot wait to read more from Laurie Alice Eakes in the future.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of A Stranger’s Secret and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

About the Author

Recipient of the National Readers Choice Award, Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of nine books and a novella, with four more books and two novellas scheduled for release. She is a writing teacher and speaker and has her master’s degree in creative writing. She also writes articles on writing, including “Writing from the Heart While Writing for the Market” for the ACFW Journal.

Visit her at her website, Facebook and Twitter.