Many folks know I am a Bronte uber fan. I have read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre more times that I could possibly count, and if there is a new version of those books in film or wherever, I'm there!

I have heard of author Meadow Taylor. A new vibrant author who knew how to write a great yarn. And I heard that Taylor made an homage to the Bronte Sisters in the beginning of the book, I jumped at reading this book.

I was thrilled!!!!

The Billionaire's Secret is everything you need in a book - mystery, romance, and I kept thinking the Brontes would be writing a review themselves - it is touched by a Bronte - ish atmosphere. And it is a great read, different from the fare we have seen for a while.

Chloe was in a relationship in the Bay Area when everything went bust. Her lover sabotaged her teaching position and she was fired. The economy being what it is, she couldn't go to her parents for help - they had lost everything and were working to make ends meet. She finds an ad that sounds interesting.

It is an ad to be a teacher to a young girl, in Newfoundland, and she calls the local agent who is handling the job search. She is given the position and packs up her bags, and goes on to this big adventure to be a teacher.

She is not expected and arrives earlier than the employer, Gaelan Byrne had stated, but that was a mistake on Marcus' Byrne's agent's part.

She confronts Byrne on a darkened street where he nearly mows her down with his car! After seeing she is ok, he gruffly tells her to go to the house and will deal with her when he returns.

She finds Windy, a sweet housekeeper at the door, and meets the child, Sophia, age 6, and immediately falls in love with the child.

But she is not sure she even has a job - she must wait for Byrne to return...

So starts a wonderful love story full of mystery, love, treachery, and hold your breath action.

It is indeed an homage to Jane Eyre - and if you have read Jane Eyre, you will marvel how Meadow Taylor wound the story to parallel that story, only in a modern setting.

I look forward to many more books from Meadow Taylor. Enough balance between action, human contact, dare I say, sensuality?, mystery, and the atmosphere of Newfoundland to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

To see the journey that Chloe, Byrne, and Sophia take from strangers to - well, it's for you to see. It is very well written and leaves you satisfied and the true romantice you are - at least I am!!!

An excellent read - very much recommended.

ellen george, author and reviewer