Long-Kept Secret

"e;Insightful and compelling observation on human nature during influential eras."e; Professor Barbara WagnerDoctorate of English An alive and moving love story with an authentic 19th century setting. A real page-turner. Francesca HuneeusMasters of Education & Great-granddaughter of President Balmaceda of ChileWill True Love Be Revealed?Alexandra Lamour s The Long-Kept Secret is a romance fiction novel based on the Montgomerys during and after the American Civil War, and the mid-Victorian Era. The story commences with the love story of Lord and Lady Montgomery who emigrate from England to America for a great business opportunity. Their lives end during the war leaving their daughters Fuchsia and Suzanna to rebuild their Charleston tobacco plantation to an even more spectacular site.Suzanna Montgomery becomes the sole survivor of the family s fortune after her sister dies of scarlet fever taking the long-kept secret with her to the grave. As Suzanna battles against many obstacles, including heartbreak, her astounding beauty, wit, and determination lead her to the man of her dreams-one of the most sought-after bachelors in all of England, Lord Richard Waterford.The couple s regal marriage in England, an invitation to the notorious Queen Victoria s high society ball and partaking in a fox hunt add enchantment and adventure to the story. The plot thickens when the mischievous Lady Merisel, Suzanna s bitter and jealous sister-in-law uncovers the long-kept secret. Suzanna is forced to come to grips with the new revelation of her identity and to make a heartbreaking choice as true love is tested withstanding the truth of the long-kept secret.Suzanna s stamina and indomitable will make her a role model for any woman of the past or present. Throughout the story, the reader feels that there is a little bit of Suzanna in every woman if we take the time to examine the human condition.