The Secret of Studborne Abbey

By: Emmanuelle de Maupassant

Narrated by: Gareth J Davies

Does something wicked lurk within the ancient walls of Studborne Abbey?

Find out in this Historical Romance duology!

The Lady's Guide to Deception and Desire:

Are the Duke of Studborne's motives for courting Rosamund all they seem?

She must uncover the truth, and only one person in the abbey can help her.

The handsome but penniless Benedict!

The Lady's Guide to Scandal:

Determined to find a love match for her brother Ethan, Rosamund organises a Christmas house party.

Arranging a fake fiancée to help him endure the ordeal, Ethan has no idea of the fun he'll have with bluestocking Cornelia, nor the adventures they'll have, discovering the secrets of the Abbey's hidden crypt!

Discover more in The Lady's Guide series: historical romance brimming with adventure, mystery, and intrigue:

• The Lady’s Guide to a Highlander's Heart
• The Lady's Guide to Mistletoe and Mayhem
• The Lady’s Guide to Escaping Cannibals
• The Lady’s Guide to Tempting a Transylvanian Count
• The Lady's Guide to Well-Endowed Dukes
• The Lady's Guide to Being Snowbound with a Scottish Laird
• The Lady's Guide to Egyptian Curses

Each can be enjoyed as a standalone and in any order.

©2021 Emmanuelle de Maupassant (P)2022 Emmanuelle de Maupassant

Wonderful listen

I enjoyed listening to these stories. I was surprised how the stories unfolded. I do not think you will regret getting this book.

I was provided a copy

Enchanting!

Rosamund Burell and her mother have come to Studborne Abbey as guests of The Duke and his nephew, Benedict. The duke is still suffering greatly from the loss of his wife and child. Benedict is drawn to Rosamund, but it's his uncle who interests her, so he thinks. There is something strange going on around the abbey and Rosamund is determined to find out what it is. There is a twisted mystery and equally twisted characters that give this story its intensity. After some deep sorrow, Rosamund finds her HEA with "the right man." 
Rosamund's brother, Ethan, has spent the majority of his adult life searching for antiquities and hidden treasures in Mexico. While he's in London for an exhibition, he meets a fascinating woman who shares his interest in relics of ancient times. Ethan's sister, Rosamund, is doing her best to find him a wife and to thwart her best efforts, he asks Rosamund to pretend to be his wife. When he finds that she can go toe to toe with him regarding love of the ancients, the ruse doesn't seem to be necessary anymore.
The narration is wonderfully done by Gareth Davies. His clear, dynamic voice gives each character a distinct personality and brings them to life with just the right emotion. 

Two audiobooks in one!

I enjoyed these books by Emmanuelle de Maupassant. They are not my normal romance trope to listen to or read. I'm glad I took a chance. They had great storylines and likable characters. There was some mystery and suspense as well.

Gareth J Davies is a new narrator to me. He did a great job narrating this audiobook. He was easy to listen to. I'd definitely listen to another book narrated by him.

Mysterious and Fun!

There are two stories contained in this audiobook!

“The Lady’s Guide to Deception and Desire”
In the first story, two women from Texas, end up in England husband-hunting for the daughter, Rosamund. Meeting one of the residents of Studbourne Abbey, they are invited to visit for several days. During their visit, Rosamund finds her “happily ever after”!

“The Lady’s Guide to Scandal”
In the second story, Rosamund invites her brother Ethan (who has grown up in Texas) to visit her in England. Rosamund has a house party designed to find her brother a wife. In spite of his determination to deflect the interest of the young ladies and their promoting mamas, he is captured by a woman who originally was as uninterested as he.

The Abbey is a “character”, in both stories, that is old, mysterious and rather creepy!

You’ll enjoy this it's a fun listen with interesting characters, setting and even sound effects!!

Two wonderful novellas!

I loved both novellas! The first one has a much more gothic feel, while the second made me laugh out loud many times. Together they make a wonderful read, with the right amount of steam and much romanticism. The narrator was very good with the different voices. I enjoyed this audiobook very much!