Shadow of a Song
by Haywood Smith
REVIEW POSTED ONLINE: SEP 05, 2026
Elizabeth Countess of Ravenwold thought she had finally escaped an abusive marriage when her lord husband died during the English Civil Wars. However, when she travels to her sister's deathbed in Paris, she's embroiled in a scheme to help get Prince James to safety and forced to marry the notorious womanizer Garret, Viscount Creighton. Neither has expectations of a real relationship, but they are forced to lean on one another through one trial after another and realize first appearances may have been deceiving.
AUTHOR: Haywood Smith
PUB DATE: JUL 09, 2013
GENRES: Historical Romance
CATEGORIES: Forced Proximity, Found Family, Arranged Marriage, England
REVIEW
What I Liked:
About a third of the way in, I was fully engrossed in Shadow of a Song. There are a lot of historical details pulled together to create vivid world building, but also I feel like I may be more knowledgable about that period of English history now. I love that she didn't even shy away from details like having to stop on the side of the road to relieve themselves.
Fair Warning:
It is a bit on the longer side at almost 500 pages, but the last half flies by.
Overall:
If you like historical romance with realism and a lot of emotion, check out Shadow of a Song.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Heat Index: 🔥🔥 (2/5)