Book Spotlight: The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl by Susanne Dunlap

I’m delighted to be shining a light on The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl by Susanne Dunlap. It’s book one in the Double Dilemma Romance series. 

A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it.

The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste.

But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earl—one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augusta’s employer’s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable.

Drawn into Mariana’s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandal—she’s losing her heart to a man who embodies everything she swore to escape.

But the earl has secrets of his own. Is he truly the rogue society believes him to be?

And when Augusta’s past comes calling, will her newfound independence—and her heart—survive?

A charming, fast-paced Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the sweetly adventurous love stories of Maggie Dallen and Jenny Hambly.

The Dressmaker’s Secret Earl was released in March 2025. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble and Amazon US. 

There is a book trailer available over on YouTube. Check it out.

About Susanne Dunlap –

Susanne Dunlap is the award-winning author of over a dozen historical novels, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. Her love of history began in academia with a PhD in music history from Yale. Her novel THE PORTRAITIST won first prize in its category in the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist in the CIBA Goethe Awards and the Foreword Indies Awards.

THE ADORED ONE: A NOVEL OF LILLIAN LORRAINE AND FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, won first place in its category in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction.

Today, she lives, coaches, and writes in beautiful Biddeford, Maine.

Say hello to Susanne on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.