This is a book with a PoV problem. The Housekeeper’s Secret is a sprawling slice of romance that borders on historical fiction and women’s fiction. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of characters to keep track of and there is an extreme issue with undeclared points of view throughout the prose. But its central romance is well worth getting lost in.

Kate Furniss has long worked as the respectable maid at Coldwell Hall, a manor in the north of England, and has advanced to become its head housekeeper. It’s her job to keep the household humming smoothly – something that seems impossible, especially when the new footman arrives and her previous employer passes, leaving her in the employ of a less-than-reputable man and his possibly evil sidekick. Kate bears a secret she hasn’t dared reveal to anyone, which is the reason why she ran off to Coldwell.

Jem Arden is handsome and hiding a secret – he’s come to Coldwell Hall to discover the whereabouts of his brother, who has gone missing and was last in the house’s employ. Neither Jem nor Kate expects to find passion as Jem’s search continues. Will Kate feel used? Is Jem’s love true? What secrets do they both bear?

There is very little clarification on points of view at times, and when they switch confusion sets in. We have three different narrators and timelines, and they aren’t properly introduced, which makes the back-and-forth leaping frustrating.

What does work is Kate and Jem’s relationship, which is passionate and slow-growing. That and both mysteries here are genuinely surprising, as is the final twist.

If you have any fondness for Downton Abbey or you enjoyed Upstairs, Downstairs back in the day, you’re probably going to get a decent kick out of The Housekeeper’s Secret, but the problems I’ve outlined with the writing mean I can’t really offer a recommendation.