The Secret Life of Lady Gabriella

By Liz Fielding

Lady Gabriella March is the perfect domestic goddess--at least, that's what her editor at Milady magazine thinks In truth she's simply Ellie March, cleaner and aspiring writer, who uses the beautiful mansion she is house-sitting to inspire her. When the owner returns unexpectedly, Ellie's fledgling writing career is threatened. But even more dangerous is the man himself Gorgeous Dr. Benedict Faulkner is quite the opposite of the aging academic she imagined, and soon it is her heart, and not just her secret, that is exposed....

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373039514
• ISBN13: 9780373039517
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Harlequin Presents
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

A lady, a klutz, a housekeeper and a romance novelist all in one heroine!

Accident-prone house cleaner and aspiring romance novelist Ellie March receives rejection after rejection. When she house sits for an academic philologist at the request of his sister (and unknown to him, of course), inspiration and calamity strike. Now known as Lady Gabriella March, Ellie writes for Milady magazine as the perfect domestic aristocrat using the grand house as her inspiration. When Dr. Benedict Faulkner returns unexpectedly from his research, the trouble begins. Can she keep her secret identity, maintain her writing career and prevent an accident or two as well? When her heart is exposed in the process, will Ellie choose practicality over long held dreams? The plot is tight yet maintains the suspense and reader's pleasure. The characterization of both primary and even secondary characters is strong and memorable. By making the heroine a struggling romance author, Liz Fielding opens this romance beyond just a tender romance. The play with the stereotypical romance novel is a scream and priceless. Throughout the novel, her imagery consistently creates a world both vibrantly realistic and sensuously experienced. The reader easily imagines in sight, sound and smell the scenes of the gardens, the meals and even the accidents. The ending was just enough of a surprise to satisfy but at the same time it rang true to the characters. The Secret Life of Lady Gabriella is the perfect read for any reader who desires something a little different yet tender. Liz Fielding hits the perfect balance in this romance --- a lighthearted yet deep tenderness, complete with humorous zany complications. Not all of us can aspire to a Martha Stewart level of domestic perfection externally, but for those of us who will never succeed at this goal, this house cleaning heroine and her professor stole this reader's heart.