Her job is to find the truth. His is to keep it from her…

Seven years ago, budding journalists Declan Treharne and Mara Schuyler had a sizzling fling…one that was abruptly extinguished when he stole her scoop.

Now Mara’s just lost her job, and Declan is offering her the opportunity of a lifetime—if she can trust him.

But the attraction they once shared is as fiery as ever, and Mara and Declan give in to it.

Only Mara doesn’t know that Declan is one of the Lochlainn billionaire heirs. And their rekindled passion is about to face the ultimate test of ambition and greed…

Titles in the Heirs of Lochlainn duet/series include —  More Than Rivals… —♥—  Seven Years of Secrets —♥—

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Booksprout ARC

Title:  Seven Years of Secrets
Series:  Heirs of Lochlainn #2 (duet)
Author:  Susannah Erwin
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  June 27, 2023
Publisher:  Harlequin Desire
My Rating:  4.5

Seven Years of Secrets concludes the Heirs of Lochlainn duet with a romance full of secrets, misunderstandings, passion, and falling in love all over again.  Oh.  And complications… how could I forget to mention those complications that Declan isn’t being all that straightforward about with Mara?

There was a time when Declan and Mara were close, even in love with who they were at that moment in time.  But everything changed between them when Mara believed that Declan had stolen her story out from under her.  Crushed and disheartened, she cut him out of her life.  It’s ironic that right now, she’s just been let go from her current job… and along comes Declan with an offer almost too good to be possible, especially between them.  Yet, not everything was what it seemed so long ago, and this couple is about to be handed a second chance to get things right between them… and perhaps discover that the love they once felt for each other had never really faded away at all.

Seven Years of Secrets is full of misunderstandings, a puppetmaster pulling strings, betrayal, and hidden information.  I loved watching Declan and Mara put aside (as much as possible) the pain of their shared past and move forward with unraveling this mystery.  Declan needed her expert touch, and Mara needed to discover secrets that not only related to their mission but to the puzzle of why Declan betrayed her in the past.  It’s complicated.  And, really, it’s simple once explained.  It’s funny how explaining rarely occurs to people, isn’t it?  They should just magically “know” what’s going on, right? If only life (and romance) were that simple.

I enjoyed this second part of the Heirs of Lochlainn duet.  We’ll solve that puzzle with surprising results.  Watch two people resolve the past and discover a future that is far different than they could have imagined.  Learn a bit more about the puppetmaster… and that ending was “chef’s kiss” perfect.  If you love a well-written romance with passions, intrigue, and puzzles to figure out, then you’d enjoy this one.  I had fun here and wish there were more but cannot wait to see what the author brings us next.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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