The Secrets of Lord Grayson Child (Cynsters Next Generation Series)

Love to read her books!

This story has a decent mystery which kept you guessing. The premise that drove the hero and heroine apart was weak, but not overly terrible. The plot itself is pretty good. As always, the places and historical details were on point and interesting. The ending is drawn out to emphasize love and family, but that's what Laurens does in books she writes like this.What really is getting to me is that Ms. Laurens has gotten away from what she excells at, which is the steamy sex scenes. Now the characters wait until marriage and we get vague references? I mean, I'm not looking for rapey bodice rippers (which Laurens has never done) but something more than this? It really makes the characters less believable. At least put a "this one is squeaky clean" note on it so we don't get out hopes up and get them dashed when we don't get another Where The Heart Leads or A Secret Love.Maybe I'm no longer the target demographic with her books. That's fine, I guess I just want to know that going in so I can temper expectations.

I loved it. I love the happier ever after and especially any story dealing with the Cynsters. There was intrigue , A murder mystery and love . I recommend this book and this author. I recommend this series, Cynsters Next Generation.

Lord Grayson Child has returned from America after a ten-year absence. He has also become very wealthy, so he panics when a newspaper plans an expose on a rich lord. It turns out the owner of the paper is Lady Isadora Descartes, the woman he was courting and left without any explanation ten years ago.I'll be honest; the romance is only so-so here. It's not steamy at all which I actually prefer in Ms. Laurens's writing because she tends to go very purple in her sex scenes. What I really enjoyed about the book was the historical descriptions of running a newspaper/press and photography in Victorian England. It seems well-researched and I very much enjoyed that aspect of the story. I thought this more of a historical fiction book rather than a historical romance. That was fine with me but may not satisfy other readers.

Izzy knelt on a cushion on the gravel path in her knot garden and busily weeded and clipped. The herbs were a riot of scent and color; everything she’d sown had taken and grown. A gurgle of laughter had her looking up in time to catch her daughter, Sylvia, almost one year old and just starting to toddle everywhere, leaving her nursemaid running in her wake. Said nursemaid, Ginny, came puffing up. “I’m sorry, m’lady—she got away from me again.” “No harm done.” Izzy hoisted Sylvia and settled her on her hip, from where the little girl could more easily see into the garden bed. “Mama is cutting mint to make a sauce for tonight’s roast lamb.” She plucked two leaves, crushed them lightly in her fingers, and held them to her nose, then to Sylvia’s. “Smell—mint.” Sylvia dutifully sniffed in lungfuls, and her button nose wrinkled, then her features lit, and she squirmed to get down. Having also heard the approaching footsteps, Izzy grinned and obliged, warning Ginny, “Stand back. His lordship is coming.” Released, as fast as her chubby legs would carry her, Sylvia rocketed toward the green archway giving access to the front lawn, simultaneously shrieking and waving her arms in the air. Forewarned, Gray walked into the garden and smoothly stooped and hoisted the little girl in his arms. “Dadda! Dadda!” He kissed Sylvia on the forehead. “Yes, my darling daughter, I am, indeed, here.” Smiling, Izzy pushed to her feet. She was pregnant again, but was thankfully having a much easier time with it than when she’d carried Sylvia. “Are you coming to help weed?” Gray glanced around. “Ah, no.” He waved the papers he was carrying. “I’ve come to ask your opinion on this bill I’m supposed to be drafting. Lord knows, you’re better with words than I am.” “Hmm.” Dusting her fingers, Izzy walked to him and took the pages. She started to read, then waved to the stone bench, set in one corner to allow her to sit and appreciate her efforts. They retreated to the spot, and she sat and read while Gray played peekaboo with Sylvia.

Another good one. Keep them coming.😘Glad the cynsters had a lot of kids so I can have books for the future... One request though, more animals please!

From the very start a mystery loomed that brought Gray & Izzy together! Figuring out how to solve the murder keeps us on our toes. The excitement took a highlight when Izzy placed her life in danger but Gray is right beside her to save not only her but the day.It's great to see characters from the Cynster's novels play a role like Drake in solving the mystery in his usual role. Therese & Louisa with their all knowing ton knowledge. And Toby & Martin as Brand's recruits.I like that the epilogue provided a good insight on the family Izzy & Gray created. However it didn't give insight on how much involvement Izzy still has on the London Crier...

This was a riveting book. It had a great plot and a mystery that lured me in and I couldn't put it down. The relationships between all of the characters added an extra layer of depth. I didn't just want to get to know the main characters I wanted to know all of the characters. That was quite a feat. The book didn't just describe, it lived! I will definitely find more books from this author.

If you like a story with little romance and no steam then this is the book for you!Most of this story concentrates on detailing the process of producing a weekly newspaper and, much like the description of developing steam engines in The Designs of Lord Randolph Cavanaugh, this is far too detailed and dull, dull, DULL (although I’m guessing not to Ms Laurens).I was so looking forward to reading Gray’s story and, based on his character in The Games Lovers Play, I was hoping for a nice amount of romance, spice and steam - what a disappointment. The first kiss doesn’t happen until about 50% of the way through, the second kiss about 67% of the way through and all of the discussions between Gray and Izzy about revisiting their relationship (which was abruptly ended 10 years previously) were so rational and unemotional that I felt no real connection between them.In one of the last sentences in this book (after a somewhat tepidly described love scene) Izzy says that it was worth waiting 10 years for. I have to say I find that very hard to believe and this book definitely wasn’t worth waiting 4 months for.Apart from the odd exception, I’m finding Ms Laurens books to be increasingly disappointing, so much so that I will be removing her from my auto-buy list of authors.

I Love they way this is so different from the Georgian novels. When Drakewas conceived about forty years ago his mother's worry would her husband be faithful. CAN YOU SEE Louisa wondering that with her friends. No Drake would know what his behaviour should be. Dukes in his father's day had everyone bowing in terror. An earls daughter would ot tell him to move, hewould not talk to a young employee, his wife would not expect to join a business meeting.what a change in society photographs trains policemen etc.The change in attitude to people in trade. This was so knowledgeable. The hero and heroine were perfect. In the previous novel we briefly met humans it did wet your appetite for the novel. You were drawn into the plot rightful the start. Every page hands some new piece of information.You just cannot put this book down.

The heroine and hero have been estranged for about a decade. He has been racketing around America losing and restoring his fortune while she has been forced to find an occupation to support her widowed mother and orphaned siblings. She is now the proprietress of a successful weekly newspaper:- (this would be a quite unlikely thing to happen, but S.L glosses over how she achieved this) Lord Grayson has gone to the printing works to confront her about a series of exposees she is running, and while the are talking her free-lance photographer is fatally stabbed in his darkroom. The police are convinced that she is the most likely suspect. They combine forces to find the real culprit, and the motive behind the killing. The solution involves national security, so the reader encounters several old friends en route. We are also treated to an extensive course on Victorian printing and early photography. Someone has the novel idea of involving the readers and offering a reward for information. Despite the obligatory race to the finish there was not much suspense as the outcome seemed inevitable. The narrative is fast and informative so there is little time for sexy interludes, and it all ends satisfactorily.

Lord Grayson Child has returned home to England only to find speculation and rumours among the pages of the newspapers. Intending to persuade the owner to stop or misdirect any information.Waiting for the newspaper staff to leave for the day, Grey then enters the building to confront the owner, only to be surprised.Getting ready to leave, the proprietor Lady Isadora Descartes does not to find an old aquaintaince in her building. Agreeing listen speak with him, they lock up for the night, only for Isadora to realise that someone is still in the building. As they check, they find that one member of staff has met with an unfortunate accident. The alarm is raised and it is discovered to have been deliberately done.The question of who, why and how the deed was done has to be investigated theories are numerous. Add the possibility of treason and appearances of familiar characters before it all becomes clear and brings a happy ending.

This is the first book of Stephanie Laurens' that I have not really enjoyed.. Disappointing because I have tho ought enjoyed all the Cynster family stories, The Bastion Club, The Black Cobra etc.Unfortunately the first two thirds of this book concentrated on the workings of the printing press and the story only evolved in the final third of the book.If I were a school teacher marking this work my comment would be " Content needs more work!"