Review: The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Anthony Blake is in love with his best friend's sister, Sophia Elliot. But his plans to court her are put on hold when he is forced to resume his role as an undercover spy for the Crown. A secret document listing the names of the entire network of British spies-including his own-has been stolen. To protect Sophia, Anthony cuts off all ties to her and exchanges his life as an honorable earl for the façade of a flirtatious playboy.

Heartbroken and confused, Sophia travels to India, hoping to find healing in one of the most exotic regions of the British Empire. But the exotic land isn't as restful as she had hoped. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery of a missing sea captain, a possible murder, and a plot that could involve the prince of India. And when Anthony appears at the British Residency, asking questions and keeping his distance from her, she is stunned.

She still loves him, and, in her heart, she knows he loves her too. But how can she rebuild her relationship with him if he won't confide in her? Does she dare offer her heart to him a second time, or will their love be lost under the India sun?

My Review

This is a lovely Regency romance, set in India and including a plot of espionage and secret identities. Of course, Anthony's work to recover the stolen document comes between him and Sophia, and he can't tell her a thing about it. Much of the book is the couple angsting over their feelings for each other that they think they cannot act on. There are also many details about the company they keep, shared in a formal manner, but I didn't find it interesting since it didn't relate to the main characters or show me more about them. I found myself skimming to get to the parts where things progressed in the spy plot or Anthony and Sophia's relationship. I didn't find myself connecting to their emotions but rather felt like an observer as they go through the motions of being just friends when they each secretly wish for more. Overall it was somewhat entertaining but I wished for something more that would compel me to care more about the characters and their future together.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)