Audio: The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie

Series: Book 4, The Brides of Bellaire Gardens

Release date: 02-11-25

Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Categories: Historical romance

Received for a review

Narrated by: Christine Rendel

This one was sort of different in the way it was built. Zoe pretends to be a servant named Vita and she goes to look for her families estate in France. And there she meets a painter who travels in a carriage, Reynard is freespirited and they end up travelling together. So much of the book is about them travelling in France. He is painting, they fall in love.

But then comes the drama. Moving forward and the rest of the book takes place among the Ton in England. Zoe and Julian meet again.

So the concept was fun and different, they were themselves (while they were actually lying). It was this whole other feel to the book with them there.

Zoe has her issues being a bastard and all. While Julian wants more freedom and not being the lord all the time.

I am so curious about her sisters books! There is also a tiny sidestory about a neighbor.

I enjoyed this story.

Great narration. Good feeling for the characters, especially the annoying ones, lol.

Orphaned Zoë Benoît has spent the last three years in Paris learning how to be a lady. But Zoë is torn—as an independent spirit and a talented artist, she cannot help but want more than the tightly controlled life of a society lady.On an impulsive visit to the château where her mother lived, Zoë, disguised as a maidservant named Vita, meets a handsome wandering artist, known simply as Reynard. One blissful week with the charming Reynard convinces Zoë that this is the man and the life for her—until she discovers what he’s been hiding from her, and she flees, heartbroken.Longing for the chance to redeem himself, Reynard searches far and wide for the woman he knows as Vita, to no avail. Disheartened, he returns to England to reluctantly resume his role as Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton. However, when he sees one of Zoë’s paintings, he realizes she’s in London, and becomes desperate to find her before it’s too late. But even if they reunite, can he convince Zoë he’s worthy of her trust and prove to her that, with him, she can be a free-spirited artist and a countess?