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pyiab's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nighteyes82's review against another edition
2.0
it's not that it was bad. It was just blah...
lukewarm? :/
lukewarm? :/
33p3barpercent's review against another edition
2.0
Guh. Oh, man was this one not good.
This is one of those "we used to know each other, fell in love a long time ago, he left, and I had a crappy life" stories. But, instead of filling us in on their backstory a little at a time, a huge chunk of this book is a flashback. That drove me NUTS. She could have told us all we needed to know in a couple of paragraphs, not 200 pages.
Also, I hate that he called "BETRAYAL!" when he came back from war two years later and found out, after not having sent her any letters or anything (just flowers), that she got married. HOW COULD SHE? You left! Ugh!
When we finally make it back to present time, the two main characters don't have a scene together until page 265! WAYYYYYY too late! They have to fall in love again! They have to like each other again! They have to learn to forgive each other again! Two years is a long time to be apart.
On pg 325, the Hero finds about about The Boy. THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE. Now, from the summary on the back, I thought the kid would be the impetus for the getting together, but is he? NO. He's barely even a plot point. Honestly, I don't even know why he's in this.
And then, as if not knowing the Hero at all, much less liking him, wasn't enough, as soon as he finds out about The Boy, he tries to take him away from the Heroine! WHAT? I get being upset about what he thought the circumstances were, but no. That I cannot forgive.
In the present part of the story, the Hero and Heroine had about four scenes together. FOUR. No joke.
Also, the "demmed" and "gel" got on my nerves.
Skip. Skip hard.
This is one of those "we used to know each other, fell in love a long time ago, he left, and I had a crappy life" stories. But, instead of filling us in on their backstory a little at a time, a huge chunk of this book is a flashback. That drove me NUTS. She could have told us all we needed to know in a couple of paragraphs, not 200 pages.
Also, I hate that he called "BETRAYAL!" when he came back from war two years later and found out, after not having sent her any letters or anything (just flowers), that she got married. HOW COULD SHE? You left! Ugh!
When we finally make it back to present time, the two main characters don't have a scene together until page 265! WAYYYYYY too late! They have to fall in love again! They have to like each other again! They have to learn to forgive each other again! Two years is a long time to be apart.
On pg 325, the Hero finds about about The Boy. THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE. Now, from the summary on the back, I thought the kid would be the impetus for the getting together, but is he? NO. He's barely even a plot point. Honestly, I don't even know why he's in this.
And then, as if not knowing the Hero at all, much less liking him, wasn't enough, as soon as he finds out about The Boy, he tries to take him away from the Heroine! WHAT? I get being upset about what he thought the circumstances were, but no. That I cannot forgive.
In the present part of the story, the Hero and Heroine had about four scenes together. FOUR. No joke.
Also, the "demmed" and "gel" got on my nerves.
Skip. Skip hard.
shogins's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the setting and the characters, but I didn't like the structure and thought the end was really rushed. I don't mind flashbacks usually, but I just found the timing odd. And the end was really, really rushed - it seemed like there was as much plot in the last few chapters as there was in the rest of the book.
bibliobabe94's review against another edition
3.0
Lucy helped her father train the Earl of Clifton to be a spy, and fell in love. Now, years later, he's back. Nice easy read, but not the best in the series. Some of the scenes with the three dowager duchesses are quite funny.
jessicareadsit's review against another edition
3.0
A Regency spy romance featuring a headstrong mischief-making Duchess and the spy who left her? Why yes, please!
Lucy Ellyson, daughter of infamous spymaster George Ellyson has worked alongside her father training men to serve in His Majesty's secret service for years but nothing could have prepared her for the feelings Justin Grey aka Earl of Clifton ignited within her. After a night of rapture, he promises to come back for her, but as Lucy's father has drilled into her head, "Men like Clifton don't love women without bloodline or title like her."
If you aren't following along with the series from its inception, the beginning is slightly jarring as you acclimatize to the various characters. This story is more of a flashback of Lucy and Clifton's past but it does tie nicely into current-day activities.
Years roll by and Lucy is left to make difficult choices both for herself and the only remaining family she has left. As one of three Lady Standon widows, Lucy has garnered quite the reputation and Felicity "Duchess" Langley has grown tired of Lucy and the other Lady Standons draining her coffers, so she presents an ultimatum, get married or else (yikes).
To make matters worse Clifton waltzes back into Lucy's life and kindles the long-lost flame between them, only now Lucy isn't an untitled peasant girl, but a widow with secrets that could rip her world apart.
I enjoyed the easy banter and the mystery surrounding the entire novel, my only qualm was that I wished the author spent less time with the detailed flashback and gave us more relationship drama and interaction with our two MCs.
Lucy Ellyson, daughter of infamous spymaster George Ellyson has worked alongside her father training men to serve in His Majesty's secret service for years but nothing could have prepared her for the feelings Justin Grey aka Earl of Clifton ignited within her. After a night of rapture, he promises to come back for her, but as Lucy's father has drilled into her head, "Men like Clifton don't love women without bloodline or title like her."
If you aren't following along with the series from its inception, the beginning is slightly jarring as you acclimatize to the various characters. This story is more of a flashback of Lucy and Clifton's past but it does tie nicely into current-day activities.
Years roll by and Lucy is left to make difficult choices both for herself and the only remaining family she has left. As one of three Lady Standon widows, Lucy has garnered quite the reputation and Felicity "Duchess" Langley has grown tired of Lucy and the other Lady Standons draining her coffers, so she presents an ultimatum, get married or else (yikes).
To make matters worse Clifton waltzes back into Lucy's life and kindles the long-lost flame between them, only now Lucy isn't an untitled peasant girl, but a widow with secrets that could rip her world apart.
I enjoyed the easy banter and the mystery surrounding the entire novel, my only qualm was that I wished the author spent less time with the detailed flashback and gave us more relationship drama and interaction with our two MCs.
prettylightsandcitynights's review against another edition
3.0
I couldn't get into the beginning of the book, but the second half was very good.
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
Lucy Sterling fell in love with Justin Grey, Earl of Clifton, when he came to her father to be trained as a spy. But then he never returned for her and she married the Marquess of Standon to become one of the three infamous Standon widows. Now that the head of the family, Duke Hollindrake, has married Felicity Langley ("Love Letters from a Duke,")the widows are being gathered together to stem the tide of gossip created by all three.
Lucy has a plethora of potential scandals. But now Justin is trying to figure out why his brother left one of the Ladies Standon in control of his fortune. And his feelings for Lucy haven't changed. But she has a secret that she's not sure she can share.
Lucy has a plethora of potential scandals. But now Justin is trying to figure out why his brother left one of the Ladies Standon in control of his fortune. And his feelings for Lucy haven't changed. But she has a secret that she's not sure she can share.