Secrets of Greenoak Woods: Love, Loss and Dark Secrets

Mary finds herself in a predicament when Samuel, the man she loves, leaves her single and pregnant. Benjamin, who is shunned by the people of St. Merryn, is in love with Mary and steps up to help her. However, for Benjamin marriage is a double-edged sword, as he knows that Mary is in love with Samuel and not him. With dark secrets clouding their lives, Benjamin and Mary struggle to find stability and happiness in their marriage. When Samuel returns to claim Mary as his, things get complicated and secrets are revealed. 

This historical romance set in the early 1800s on the Cornish coast is an entertaining tale of unrequited love and dark secrets with plenty of drama. A little slow to engage the reader at the beginning, this story is infused with colloquial dialogue which stutters the flow and takes a while to get used to. That, along with editing issues that have sentences running together, cause the reader’s focus to get interrupted and has one re-reading the sentences to get back on track. Nonetheless, the characters are likeable, the descriptions are vivid, and the storyline is interesting enough to keep one following the protagonists’ struggle down the rocky path to happily ever after. This intriguing tale will appeal to historical and romance buffs alike. 

Janna Shay