When the youngest daughter of the Hawthorne family, Lydia, discovers a dusty diary in the attic of Hawthorne Hall, she has no idea that she is opening the door to a long-kept secret. The handwritten notes tell of a forbidden love between one of her ancestors and a mysterious stranger whose passion was overshadowed by dark intrigues.

Fascinated by history, Lydia delves deeper and deeper into her family's past -- but with each secret revealed, the shadows of the past become dangerous for her own present. At the same time, the charming and mysterious Oliver Blackwood enters her life, a guest staying on the neighboring estate. His connections to the Hawthornes' past are as mysterious as the feelings Lydia soon develops for him.

As Lydia follows the trail of forbidden love, she not only gets caught up in a web of betrayal and passion, but is also faced with the question of whether she can really trust Oliver -- or whether his presence at Hawthorne Hall is more than just a coincidence.

"The Secret of the Hawthornes" is a gripping historical novel about love, betrayal and the power of the past. With a touch of mysticism and romance, it takes readers into a world full of unfulfilled longings and new, dangerous feelings.