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jowithtwoiis's review against another edition
3.0
A friend gave this to me, so I can't complain to much. It was entertaining enough to finish and well written (for a romance novel) but I just want to slap the heroine upside the head through the whole thing. I think a famous fictional character said "Stupid is as stupid does". And that's Jess Whitby in a nutshell. Three stars for not being straight porn and actually having a story. Docking those two stars for the annoyance of a main character that's supposed to be smart and still keeps doing the most stupid things possible.
ayooo6767's review against another edition
3.0
A bit overdrawn but overall great story, as expected of Bourne. However, the guy creeped me out, especially when he cut off all her clothes and checked if the carpet matched the drapes, so to speak when she was completely passed out. He was just too creepy and pervy, when completely unnecessary.
bitterlina's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
Bourne creates a detailed and textured world. It is so easy to sink into and let it envelope you. I'm not sure that all of the inconsistencies in Jess's character were resolved within the novel - she was conveniently strong and then awfully weak as the narrative demanded but overall a very enjoyable read.
ktaylor1164's review against another edition
3.0
For the past couple of weeks, I've suddenly found myself taking a break from the grittier dystopias and dark fantasies and decided I needed some good old fashioned historical romance. Joanne Bourne was a fantastic find. Her Spymaster quartet (yes, I read all four) deals with French female spies and male British intelligence agents during the French Revolution, yet Bourne's lively writing and well-developed characters move beyond the cliche into truly enjoyable (though perhaps escapist) fiction. Sadly, this third installment in the series lost some of the kick of the first two--the character of Jess was supposed to be incredibly clever, but she seemed to lose brain cells the further I read. Still a fun read, but not one I would seek out the way I would the first two.
fishgirl182's review against another edition
3.0
I was really into Jess and Bastien's budding relationship. Lots of love/hate and simmering passion going on. However, the actual plot of the book moved very slowly and I found myself wishing that it would hurry along. This book isn't quite as racy as some of the other HR I have read. These two keep these hot but simmering for most of the book. I listened to this one on audio and found the narrator to be very enjoyable. I could easily tell the characters apart without the voicing getting too cartoon-y. I would recommend this for those who like their romance with a bit of intrigue.
maggienack's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Historical fiction/romance. A fun summer read.
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
Anyone want to guess what my favorite part of this book was?
This has been my least favorite of the series so far. The plot was not as well constructed as the other three books I've already read and Jess's determination to end up dead or in tragic circumstances was hard to swallow. She was just stupidly reckless. I'm rather annoyed that it took so long for me to get this from the library because once it arrived, my expectations were pretty high. I hope I'm not setting myself up for disappointment with how high my expectations for Adrian's story are.
This has been my least favorite of the series so far. The plot was not as well constructed as the other three books I've already read and Jess's determination to end up dead or in tragic circumstances was hard to swallow. She was just stupidly reckless. I'm rather annoyed that it took so long for me to get this from the library because once it arrived, my expectations were pretty high. I hope I'm not setting myself up for disappointment with how high my expectations for Adrian's story are.
tashas_books's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know. I liked this (mostly the plot, rather than the characters) but the romance wasn't very convincing (i.e. the author seemed to be telling us how they felt rather than showing us, so I didn't really feel any chemistry or compatibility).
This is the second book I've read by this author and I'm noticing a trend. Her books have good stories (plot & world-building) and characters, but the romance between the main characters is never very satisfying. The thing I like the most about her books is that they show a side of society that we don't normally see in historical romances (secret agents, spy networks, underworld organization, etc.); they almost felt like fantasy novels to me (which is good!).
Anyway, I'll give her next book a try. Hopefully the characters will have more chemistry.
This is the second book I've read by this author and I'm noticing a trend. Her books have good stories (plot & world-building) and characters, but the romance between the main characters is never very satisfying. The thing I like the most about her books is that they show a side of society that we don't normally see in historical romances (secret agents, spy networks, underworld organization, etc.); they almost felt like fantasy novels to me (which is good!).
Anyway, I'll give her next book a try. Hopefully the characters will have more chemistry.
sharonwb's review against another edition
2.0
This book was way too much adventure and not nearly enough romance! It was disjointed in trying to explain the heroine's backstory which was very confusing. Such a paltry amount of spice very unsatisfying. I will continue on as her writing is very good and the next few books are very highly rated.