Ok. This book won me over. At first I was really annoyed because the hero started out really unlikable, and was constantly negging the heroine. I doubted that the the author would be able to make me like him, but she made me like him. How he behaves is pretty well rationalized, even though I think that I would have liked the book more if more time had been spent on his relationship with his family because we get an explanation, but they do not really change the way they act. The reveal was very predicable, but I don't consider that a bad thing. It was not badly executed, just weirdly paced. ( )

August 2023 update: fuck it, upping my rating to 5 stars after rereading my notes and thinking about this book daily for 4 months.

May 2023 review: 4.5 stars

Oh my god I swooned! I stand by my claim that Mallory's back-and-forths often go on for too long, for me; but the sensuality of this book made me blush to my ears. So many tender words! Tender touches! She really does know how to alight the senses with anticipation. ( )

This book opens with the heroine reading a Gothic novel and willing the novel's heroine to save herself from the dangerous, silky-voiced seducer chasing her. Predictably, the Gothic novel's heroine does exactly the opposite.

Not-so-predictably, I found myself in the exact same situation within 100 pages of this book: willing the heroine not to be an idiot, not to sell herself cheaply---to take her obviously brilliant and capable mind, shake the dust of her humble and thankless existence off her feet, and light out for better friends, better lovers, and a better life.

Alas. No such luck. Said mind was apparently reduced to pudding by the dubious blandishments of a dangerous, silky-voiced seducer. And I was left lamenting the regrettable misuse of an intriguing premise...and thanking the book gods that I had the wisdom to skip to the end and save myself the bootless agony of reading the intervening 200 pages.

( )

First, a disclaimer.

I read this shortly after an oddly similar book...one that I was 'all in' on-a titled rogue/rake with a lot of rumors and mystery...and an sexually interested but innocent woman. Also, I read the first part without a ton of concentration.

I could see so much promise in the bones of this book. But I just couldn't buy into it. Maxim came off, not as charming or arousing or mysterious, but smarmy. It didn't help that there was a hidden identity or 3 at work, I'm hoping that's not a spoiler because it was so clear--but nothing was convincing. It just felt off for about 60%. I was struggling with the attraction, the motives, and the dialogue was so laced and heavy it just weighed that whole part down. Around 60% there was more depth and relationship-building, but I felt like it came a little late in the game especially considering the characters were so invested. Still, it was at times lovely and sexy, funny and escapist. I will be reading more of Mallory. I just couldn't help feeling that first half was really oddly clinical. ( )

Seven Secrets... had a great beginning and a very good ending. However, the 'inbetween' first put me to sleep and then made me angry.
The heroine knows she is being played, but she is going to just roll-over and become his mistress? How about some backbone or respect for oneself? Still mostly an enjoyable read but it had much potential. ( )