His Lordship's Secret (His Lordship’s Mysteries #1) by Samantha SoRelle

Someone's trying to kill Lord Alfred Crawford, and he has secrets to hide but he finds someone to guard his body and his heart when he reunites with his childhood friend Dominick. A start of a new series in a historical setting, where sacrifice and loyalty bring two men together again for adventure and love. SNik is reading through the series in preparation of the release of book 3. The series starts with His Lordship's Secret. 

From the blurb:

London 1818

Alfred Pennington, the Earl of Crawford, knows someone wants him dead. An illicit boxing match

seems the perfect opportunity to hire a champion fighter to watch his back, but Alfie is shocked to recognize the beaten and bloody challenger as his childhood friend, Dominick, one of the few people who knows the truth about Alfie’s past.

Life has been hard for Dominick, so he can’t believe his luck when Alfie—now with fine manners and a fancy title—offers him a chance to escape the slums in order to catch a potential killer. That’s difficult enough, but not falling in love with the refined, confident man his friend has become may prove trickier still.

The investigation draws the two men closer than ever, but it becomes clear that their years apart may prove too much to overcome. As the danger mounts, can they find their way through the past to a future together? Or will hidden secrets cost them their happiness… and their lives?

His Lordship's Secret is the first title in the His Lordship's Mysteries series.

SNik's Review:

First in series (His Lordship’s Mysteries). Historical romance mystery. Childhood friends. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

Lord Alfred Crawford doesn’t know why someone is trying to kill him, he does have his secrets, so maybe hiring a bodyguard will help him survive. 

After a chance reconnection, hiring Nick seems to be the answer, Nick was his protector when they were children and he steps easily into the job of being companion and guard. The friendship between Alfie and Nick blooms again, Nick being a self-sacrificing and loyal friend and Alfie being able to share his darkest secrets with the only person he ever trusted. 

The closeness of their friendship in their youth swiftly turns to deeper emotions as adults and Alfie yearns to have Nick in his life, even though there are class differences, as well as the things Nick has had to do in order to survive over the years. 

I liked the second chance aspect, the continued feelings of willingness to sacrifice after enduring hardships in their youth and that each man felt the struggle with how they could make a relationship work. 

There was a lot of action, mystery, personal introspection, and steamy interactions and it worked for me. 

His Lordship's Secret is an entertaining start to a series by a newer author, the mystery was secondary to the relationship development and that was overall sweetly done with an adventurous HFN. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

His Lordship's Secret is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription