katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
2.0
The Royal Secret is a complicated tale - full of royalty and intrigue and mystery. I was really excited to read it as I've been loving the author's Seven Sisters series. However, this one wasn't for me.
Joanna Haslam is an up and coming reporter who manages to stumble into something without being fully aware of what's going on. She's been given a mysterious letter from a woman she met at a funeral - and starts investigating to learn more. It's also clear very early that there are powerful parties who are invested in Joanna not discovering anything.
I love the premise and stuck with the story because I wanted to see how it ended. Unfortunately I felt like there was too much crammed into the story - too many twists and turns and characters and coincidences.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
Joanna Haslam is an up and coming reporter who manages to stumble into something without being fully aware of what's going on. She's been given a mysterious letter from a woman she met at a funeral - and starts investigating to learn more. It's also clear very early that there are powerful parties who are invested in Joanna not discovering anything.
I love the premise and stuck with the story because I wanted to see how it ended. Unfortunately I felt like there was too much crammed into the story - too many twists and turns and characters and coincidences.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
lese_ratte's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
marthabethanreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
books4eva1234's review against another edition
3.0
I actually read this while on vacation because it was in the villa I was staying at. It was perfect because it left me wanting to read more but it was also not too intriguing to the point that I felt like I would die if I didn´t read more. It's a great vacation read for when you want to explore the city as well as unwind and read a book. It is a simple book but it was not anything special. I do recommend this book if your looking for a slow, casual read.
elvane's review against another edition
4.5
Captivating !! I read this in one sitting, on my flight from Tokyo to Paris and it reassured me into thinking that yes I can indeed read !
The plot was well constructed, kept me on my toes and I was fully invested.
The only downside was the ending, which could have been one chapter before.
I would still 100% recommend this book, if you need something to keep you interested.
The plot was well constructed, kept me on my toes and I was fully invested.
The only downside was the ending, which could have been one chapter before.
I would still 100% recommend this book, if you need something to keep you interested.
cebaute's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t understand how this book has such great reviews. It was sooooooooooooo slow. It felt like nothing happened until the last 90 pages. That means it was 400 pages too long.
clare_snell's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Another fabulous novel by Lucinda Riley
bags_and_bookz's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books and Lucinda Riley for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.
I was very excited to get approved for The Royal Secret, however, the book did not exceed my expectations.
Joanna Haslam, a reporter, gets tangled in a Royal Secret that should not be known to public at all costs. Gossip, betrayal, murder are only a few techniques that are used to keep the story out of newspapers.
It was quite an easy read, somewhere quite a page turner, but overall, I would say it has a slow burn. I believe characters were nicely developed, especially the protagonist Joanna and her childhood friend Simon. I liked how their relationship had progressed through the story with some unexpected twists and turns. At the same time, the flow of the narrative wasn't smooth. The chapters were interchangeable between characters with the goal to show events through more eyes. I think that approach helped to understand the whole story structure. On the other hand, it was overwhelmed and confused from the start.
The Royal Secret is a little bit of everything. It is a little bit of a mystery, a little bit of a love story, a little bit of a stressful life of Royals and those who protect them, it is even a little bit of PTSD (Ian story has clear signs of PTSD). Also, few story lines were utterly predictable (love stories especially).
At the end, I never felt satisfied. Neither by the mystery side of the book, nor love story (which all were too cheesy for my liking). I tried to like The Royal Secret more. Unfortunately, I wasn't kin on it much.
I was very excited to get approved for The Royal Secret, however, the book did not exceed my expectations.
Joanna Haslam, a reporter, gets tangled in a Royal Secret that should not be known to public at all costs. Gossip, betrayal, murder are only a few techniques that are used to keep the story out of newspapers.
It was quite an easy read, somewhere quite a page turner, but overall, I would say it has a slow burn. I believe characters were nicely developed, especially the protagonist Joanna and her childhood friend Simon. I liked how their relationship had progressed through the story with some unexpected twists and turns. At the same time, the flow of the narrative wasn't smooth. The chapters were interchangeable between characters with the goal to show events through more eyes. I think that approach helped to understand the whole story structure. On the other hand, it was overwhelmed and confused from the start.
The Royal Secret is a little bit of everything. It is a little bit of a mystery, a little bit of a love story, a little bit of a stressful life of Royals and those who protect them, it is even a little bit of PTSD (Ian story has clear signs of PTSD). Also, few story lines were utterly predictable (love stories especially).
At the end, I never felt satisfied. Neither by the mystery side of the book, nor love story (which all were too cheesy for my liking). I tried to like The Royal Secret more. Unfortunately, I wasn't kin on it much.
vitorfernandes's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5