Title: The Undercover Heiress of Brockton
Author: Kelly Goshorn
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Release Date: August 1, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Fiction, Christian Fiction
Synopsis:
A Socialite in Disguise Seeks Truth and Justice
Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a hard-hitting investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. The catch? Etta must pen her columns under the nom de plume, Henry Mason—a fact that routinely puts a knot in her knickerbockers.
Leo Eriksson is a second-generation firefighter with a passion for rendering aid to those in need.
When Leo discovers that Henry Mason is really Henrietta Maxwell, the fire department’s wealthy benefactress, he agrees to keep her identity secret. After a sudden blast rocks the Grover Shoe Factory, Leo and Etta team up to determine if the explosion is related to a series of suspicious fires in the area.
When an unnamed source reveals Etta’s secret identity to a rival reporter, she falsely accuses Leo of being the informant. As the truth comes to light, Etta must persuade Leo to give her a second chance or lose the only man she’s ever loved.
Happy book birthday to Kelly Goshorn!
Henrietta “Etta” Maxwell is a socialite from a wealthy family. But, not content to simply dispense her inherited largesse to do good, she works undercover as Henry Mason, an investigative reporter for The Enterprise Daily. And she is deep undercover, because reporting isn’t considered a suitable occupation for women in 195. Her disguises fool everyone. But fireman Leo Eriksson sees through her disguise when she literally falls from a tree in the course of an investigation and lands on him. He pledges to keep her identity secret, though, and he also helps “Henry” talk to his father, the fire chief, about the suspicious fires that have plagued the area.
When there is a terrible explosion at the Grover shoe factory, Etta and Leo have the opportunity to work together, first to provide aid at the scene and then to figure out if the explosion and the fires are connected. As they dig into facts and theories and get to know each other, a flame of attraction begins to flicker between them. They’re both unsure of what they should do about those feelings, though, given the disparity in their social standing. And when Etta’s identity is outed by a rival reporter, she mistakenly thinks Leo is the one who let the cat out of the bag and pushes him away in hurt and anger. Can their budding relationship be restored?
Kelly Goshorn has written characters and scenes so real, so relatable, that I almost felt like I was in the book with Etta and Leo. I love Leo’s relationship with his father and brothers. The Erikssons are a family of firefighters, but when Leo’s younger brother wants to take a different direction, his family supports him. They have each other’s backs, on the job and in everyday life.
Etta is a delightful surprise, too. She’s taking a path not customarily allowed for women as a reporter, hence her need for disguise. But she isn’t a feminist firebrand, and she wonders if her desire to provide news that matters will interfere with her desire to be a wife and mother someday.
Goshorn sets her fictional romance against the backdrop of real events, and her story let me learn about a part of history I knew nothing about. I could imagine the horrific impact a disaster like the shoe factory explosion had on a town, and it just hurt my heart.
The characters’ faith is where the story really shines. Sometimes Christian fiction is Christian in name only. You might get a casual reference to prayer, or some kind of mild admonishment against behavior seen as “unbecoming.” Kelly Goshorn writes the real deal. Etta and Leo believe God has a purpose for their lives, they do their best to live that purpose, and they turn to God for answers and help when life throws them curveballs.
If you love a well-written book that shows you a little-known slice of history, a sweet slow-burn romance, and characters you can cheer for, pick up The Undercover Heiress of Brockton. It’s the second in the Enduring Hope series, but I had no problem reading it as a standalone. It was the first of Kelly Goshorn’s books that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last!
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
Fabulous review, Lisa!! I love the cover of this one as well.
Wonderful review, Lisa. This sounds like a book that has lots going on, but easy to follow it all. I liked the sound of it.