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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This book was surprisingly entertaining. It wasn't half as vacuous as most romance novels. Like many good historical fiction novels, it pulled me into the setting. 3.5 stars.
Thanks I hate it. Kidnapping is not the basis for a good romance. I did not like the guy and certain choices made the girl kind of pitiful. I think this is just not my kind of romance book.
Spoiler rant.
The guy sucks. He has the chrisma of a rock. He kidnaps her, drugs her, physically attacks her, among a long list of other things. There is no reason for her to fall for him. He sucks so much. Like sure he did not have sex with her while she was drugged by him but you don't get points for that. You lose points for slapping her out of his drug induced slumber. I wanted her to fall for someone totally new in the 2nd half of the book. This dude is scummy and does not get better.
Why is she blind in this book? That is the thing that totally killed it. The reveal she is blind then the sudden magical unblinding. Like why? Just so you can have like literally 2 chapters where said Hero lies to her more and she falls for it.
Why has she not had sex if she has been in the game so long. That is such a weird choice. Why is her first time in a tub. The sex in this book is like it is coming from someone who has only had it described to them.
Discovering that you were born in England does not magically change you life experience. It's like you doing a 23 and me and now you are suddenly Scottish and have to go live their because of a dumb test. Like sure invading bad and there were bad actors in France but she does not have a strong reason to commit treason because she was suddenly born across the channel.
<\spoiler>
Spoiler rant.
Spoiler
The guy sucks. He has the chrisma of a rock. He kidnaps her, drugs her, physically attacks her, among a long list of other things. There is no reason for her to fall for him. He sucks so much. Like sure he did not have sex with her while she was drugged by him but you don't get points for that. You lose points for slapping her out of his drug induced slumber. I wanted her to fall for someone totally new in the 2nd half of the book. This dude is scummy and does not get better.
Why is she blind in this book? That is the thing that totally killed it. The reveal she is blind then the sudden magical unblinding. Like why? Just so you can have like literally 2 chapters where said Hero lies to her more and she falls for it.
Why has she not had sex if she has been in the game so long. That is such a weird choice. Why is her first time in a tub. The sex in this book is like it is coming from someone who has only had it described to them.
Discovering that you were born in England does not magically change you life experience. It's like you doing a 23 and me and now you are suddenly Scottish and have to go live their because of a dumb test. Like sure invading bad and there were bad actors in France but she does not have a strong reason to commit treason because she was suddenly born across the channel.
<\spoiler>
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Reread: July 2017
I realized that I still haven't finished this series so I'm planning to do it before the new book comes out. I reread The Forbidden Rose before this one and basically swooned every time William Doyle appeared on the page. Still want to marry Grey and have his babies tho.
First read: Nov 2015
OKAY so I read this one early this year and I loved it
and I rated it 3????? why @ past!Lisa, why did you ????
after finishing this, I decided that this deserved a solid 4 just because THE CHARACTERS. still love Annique with all my heart. still want to have Grey's babies. all is good
I'm in a mad reading slump right now if you can call it that because all I can read these days is historical romance and nothing else
old review:
3.5-4 stars; I can't decide.
Annique is such fun to read about, and Grey...GREY THO. I WILL HAVE HIS BABIES.
I realized that I still haven't finished this series so I'm planning to do it before the new book comes out. I reread The Forbidden Rose before this one and basically swooned every time William Doyle appeared on the page. Still want to marry Grey and have his babies tho.
First read: Nov 2015
OKAY so I read this one early this year and I loved it
and I rated it 3????? why @ past!Lisa, why did you ????
after finishing this, I decided that this deserved a solid 4 just because THE CHARACTERS. still love Annique with all my heart. still want to have Grey's babies. all is good
I'm in a mad reading slump right now if you can call it that because all I can read these days is historical romance and nothing else
old review:
3.5-4 stars; I can't decide.
Annique is such fun to read about, and Grey...GREY THO. I WILL HAVE HIS BABIES.
After reading a string of nonfiction books over the last few weeks, I wanted to indulge in something entertaining and romantic. Unfortunately [b: The Spymaster's Lady|959745|The Spymaster's Lady (Spymasters, #1)|Joanna Bourne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345986088s/959745.jpg|944648], much like an overly frosted cupcake, turned out to be one of those indulgences that seems sweet at first bite but quickly becomes sickening.
Bourne falls into a romance trap I strongly dislike, of forcing her characters into an unlikely sexual attraction under circumstances that would not ordinarily promote romance--in this case, a prison break that turns into a kidnapping. For the first several chapters, the lead characters alternately use sex to entrap and intimidate each other. After 80 pages, I disliked both of them and saw no reason to continue. Back to the shelves.
Bourne falls into a romance trap I strongly dislike, of forcing her characters into an unlikely sexual attraction under circumstances that would not ordinarily promote romance--in this case, a prison break that turns into a kidnapping. For the first several chapters, the lead characters alternately use sex to entrap and intimidate each other. After 80 pages, I disliked both of them and saw no reason to continue. Back to the shelves.
3.25; the pacing of the romance was kind of weird to me. I felt more like they lusted after each other rather than in love. I was hoping it was going to be funny but it was more serious. Also didn’t like the disappearance of that one major plot point just randomly
I bought this one on the recommendations off of Amazon and I think I saw it on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and immediately went out and bought the rest for the Kindle app for my iPad. I cannot wait for Hawker's story, which apparently will be out in November.
This story tells the tale of Annique Villiers, a top spy for the French, also known as the Fox Cub. And the hero is Grey, the Head of Section (aka spying) for the British. I hid this whole review because of spoilers, but seriously, do not read this review before you've read through the book! Especially don't read this next paragraph.
* * * SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER * * *
I was amazed and surprised when Annique's disability was revealed. I had totally missed it on the first read, due to me not expecting it and the author's awesome misdirection and ability to engage the reader in the story, so that when it's revealed, you pretty much have to gasp in surprise and want to reread the book from the start again immediately, to see all the clues you missed. That said, I'm sure some people will see it because they're looking for it, or they just aren't as engaged as I was.
I found her losing the disability sad, because I really liked how she compensated for it, but the author set up the possibility well, and carried it out in a believable manner.
* * * SPOILER END * * *
I loved Grey, especially that he wasn't a gorgeous, handsome hero. Honestly, in his line of work, being noticed would be the LAST thing that would help him spy for England. I will admit to some tediousness on his part with mistrust of Annique, but it is explained well in the story, especially with her constant attempts to escape and hurt/maim him. I mean, wouldn't you, if you were being kidnapped and brought to a foreign country, and you couldn't go to your countrymen for help, as they would kill you, or worse, rape you and drop you in a brothel for a few years to serve out some manner of "penance" for getting caught? She literally has nowhere to turn and no one who she can trust to help her.
I was sad that information given at the beginning of the book to us readers was kept from her (re: Vauban) until the last few pages. If only that had been stated earlier, much of the book's Albion's plans plot could have been averted. Then again, we wouldn't have had such a lovely long story, so I guess it's okay. And Grey did say he thought she knew, but really, how could she have? She'd walked from the south of France to Paris when it happened! Think!
Lastly, the final reveal and her connection to Galba was a bit over the top, but I was able to reconcile it within the story and not linger on it over long. It wrapped up her conflict of loyalties a bit too well, but it still made sense for the story. And I'm sure this sort of thing could likely have happened back in the day.
Highly recommended if you like spy books.
This story tells the tale of Annique Villiers, a top spy for the French, also known as the Fox Cub. And the hero is Grey, the Head of Section (aka spying) for the British. I hid this whole review because of spoilers, but seriously, do not read this review before you've read through the book! Especially don't read this next paragraph.
* * * SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER * * *
I was amazed and surprised when Annique's disability was revealed. I had totally missed it on the first read, due to me not expecting it and the author's awesome misdirection and ability to engage the reader in the story, so that when it's revealed, you pretty much have to gasp in surprise and want to reread the book from the start again immediately, to see all the clues you missed. That said, I'm sure some people will see it because they're looking for it, or they just aren't as engaged as I was.
I found her losing the disability sad, because I really liked how she compensated for it, but the author set up the possibility well, and carried it out in a believable manner.
* * * SPOILER END * * *
I loved Grey, especially that he wasn't a gorgeous, handsome hero. Honestly, in his line of work, being noticed would be the LAST thing that would help him spy for England. I will admit to some tediousness on his part with mistrust of Annique, but it is explained well in the story, especially with her constant attempts to escape and hurt/maim him. I mean, wouldn't you, if you were being kidnapped and brought to a foreign country, and you couldn't go to your countrymen for help, as they would kill you, or worse, rape you and drop you in a brothel for a few years to serve out some manner of "penance" for getting caught? She literally has nowhere to turn and no one who she can trust to help her.
I was sad that information given at the beginning of the book to us readers was kept from her (re: Vauban) until the last few pages. If only that had been stated earlier, much of the book's Albion's plans plot could have been averted. Then again, we wouldn't have had such a lovely long story, so I guess it's okay. And Grey did say he thought she knew, but really, how could she have? She'd walked from the south of France to Paris when it happened! Think!
Lastly, the final reveal and her connection to Galba was a bit over the top, but I was able to reconcile it within the story and not linger on it over long. It wrapped up her conflict of loyalties a bit too well, but it still made sense for the story. And I'm sure this sort of thing could likely have happened back in the day.
Highly recommended if you like spy books.
3 1/2
I think I'm bumping down because I was expecting... more. Not so much story but chemistry. This is on some of the top 100 romance lists but I don't really feel like it should be. The romance was a bit secondary. The ability of them being together too convoluted because they were spies on opposite sides of a conflict. The ending didn't satisfy me because I didn't agree with the actions.
Still I really did like the two characters. I thought she had a lot of spunk. The "truth" that comes out in the end, and makes her question herself, is quite a twist. The two have a bit of chemistry but they don't sizzle for me. Good story, nice romance, not great.
I think I'm bumping down because I was expecting... more. Not so much story but chemistry. This is on some of the top 100 romance lists but I don't really feel like it should be. The romance was a bit secondary. The ability of them being together too convoluted because they were spies on opposite sides of a conflict. The ending didn't satisfy me because I didn't agree with the actions.
Spoiler
She leaves and goes to turn herself over to one of the top men that she trusts on her side. She doesn't want to give away the secrets that she has, yet they already know much of it. What if Gabriel did follow? She wouldn't have known about the death of her superior, who she was trying to protect and she would've been shot because they lost control of the other.Still I really did like the two characters. I thought she had a lot of spunk.
Spoiler
The surprise of her blindness and then her cure was a little much to swallow.
Totally delightful, but I seriously felt like I needed a book cover for reading it in public. Washboard abs on my book, no thank you. If I want a book about N*SYNC I will read one.