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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Listen, I love this book. Everyone I have handed it to has loved it. It's the perfect blend of action and adventure. I love that we see the protagonists' mutual respect and wariness of each other professionally turn into a more personal love and admiration as the book progresses. I think what differentiates this from a lot of other enemies-to-lovers books is that the protagonists always have a deep respect for each other's skills even when they are on opposite sides, which I think makes their transition to allies and lovers more of a natural progression and less of a whiplash
Gah! It's over! I'm not ready for it to end, it was far to sweet and it could have gone on for many more chapters. But all good things usually must end as this has. It was splendid. I have not read a romance novel in some time, I think I still fear my stepfather popping up somewhere to snatch the book away like when I was in high school. But he did not and I'm thankful. This book was so much fun. Joanna Bourne can really write a fantastic book. And she can write well. She has the show don't tell rule done to a science. So often did you learn how someone was reacting or acting about something by how the other characters responded. The story line was great as well. It started, as my creative writing professor put it, in medias res. You really are thrown right into the thick of things and it just goes. I love this idea of historical spies and what they go through. And I don't know anything about that era or about spies but it was all made very tangible in this story. And the love story in this... TOOK ITS TIME!!! There was no rush. No immediate love making. It was paced unbelievably well. When the characters finally come together (it's not like I can spoil that one, this is a romance novel, it was bound to happen) you know it's the right time and it feels like it is and you're happy to see it happen. It's how I'd see it actually happening. And that is important to me. I think I'm picky about my romance novels because so many times I fear it's going to be nothing but ample bosoms and throbbing members. Which there is nothing wrong with but I think I prefer a little more depth to my love stories. And this had it. And the characters were grand as well. I really fell enchanted with Adrian who was just a side character but he was played so well and really added a depth to the main characters stories. I hope he is in one of the next books to this series because I want more if him. But the main characters played well off of each other and the were both smart and independent and you were interested in them and their stories. I hope this isn't their end but if so I am okay knowing where things ended and where I can imagine them being. One last thought, don't judge this book by its over. It would really be unfair. The title really means nothing other then the spymaster part and the picture it a laugh. The book inside is far more superior to the outside. I'll read the rest of the books that come in this series, the writing was to good to say no to, and I might even purchase them because I enjoyed this one so. One last thing: I just noticed there was another book before this one, I don't know how I missed that. Oops.
I so wanted to like this book, but I was so frustrated with the writing style. I think the author was trying to have each character speak as they would in English--even though throughout most of the book all the characters are speaking French! So Grey speaks proper upper crust English, Doyle speaks lower class English, and Annique speaks fractured English (like her French is translated literally into English). I just could not deal with this distraction. And don't get me started on how quickly Annique falls in deep lust for Grey--humping him in her sleep??!!!
I listened to this book as part of the Vaginal Fantasy Book Club.
I enjoyed the book's historical setting of Napoleonic wartime as well as the all the book's characters. Annique is clever yet innocent, both young in years and old in her espionage experience. Gray is an admirable male romance lead, older, wiser, and more experienced both as a spymaster and a lover. The sexy scenes between Annique and Gray are quite steamy and satisfying. I did ship Annique and Adrian aka Hawker a bit. It seems Hawker has his own story in a subsequent book by Bourne, [b:The Black Hawk|21485183|The Black Hawk|Joanna Bourne|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411928491s/21485183.jpg|15466950].
After June's dino romance in the book club, I was very pleased to have this book as July's pick.
I enjoyed the book's historical setting of Napoleonic wartime as well as the all the book's characters. Annique is clever yet innocent, both young in years and old in her espionage experience.
Spoiler
I liked that she started out as blind. I was not expecting that. I did, however, expect her to regain her sight at one point, though I really wanted to see how the author would work through a whole book with a blind romantic lead. I haven't read other romances which had a blind main character.After June's dino romance in the book club, I was very pleased to have this book as July's pick.
I love romances, they are a fantastic escape read, but I have decided to only read good ones. And I mean ones that move me, that don't have silly contrivances, silly plots, silly characters, and are poorly written. I wanted to like this one and almost decided to finish, but the writing turned average and a bit stilted so I walked away in the second chapter. I have read enough to know when the author's style is going to work for me and suck me in or when it is not. I thought the characters interesting and a the story a very good setup, but decided to move on to other possibilities.
2.5 stars
I'm disappointed in this book. The good rating raised my expectations far too much. The beginning of the book was fantastic (SO MUCH POTENTIAL), it diminished into fall-in-love-unbelievably-quickly and a stupidly stubborn heroine that talks about doing all these fabulous things (which one would love to see), but rarely does anything fabulous while we're watching and rather just leans on the male characters surrounding her. And when a secondary character is more compelling that the hero and heroine combined, we've got a problem. Also the romance between the hero and the heroine was not developed very well.
I liked the uniqueness of this story as well as all the research the author clearly did. However, I'm not sure what happened, but I got bored. Once they got to London, I pretty much didn't care anymore. I agree with other reviewers that the writing was beautifully descriptive. However, the story was a little flat for me. I had a very hard time liking any of the characters except Adrian and Doyle's wife Maggie. Those two I would rather read about.
Overall, an interesting concept.
I'm disappointed in this book. The good rating raised my expectations far too much. The beginning of the book was fantastic (SO MUCH POTENTIAL), it diminished into fall-in-love-unbelievably-quickly and a stupidly stubborn heroine that talks about doing all these fabulous things (which one would love to see), but rarely does anything fabulous while we're watching and rather just leans on the male characters surrounding her. And when a secondary character is more compelling that the hero and heroine combined, we've got a problem. Also the romance between the hero and the heroine was not developed very well.
I liked the uniqueness of this story as well as all the research the author clearly did. However, I'm not sure what happened, but I got bored. Once they got to London, I pretty much didn't care anymore. I agree with other reviewers that the writing was beautifully descriptive. However, the story was a little flat for me. I had a very hard time liking any of the characters except Adrian and Doyle's wife Maggie. Those two I would rather read about.
Overall, an interesting concept.
This story is smacking far too much of dubious consent. I hate how Grey just uses his superior physical force to overpower Angelique and keep her hostage. On top of that, she keeps asking him to provide her with decent clothing, to stop touching her, to just give her some space. At least if you're going to keep her prisoner treat her with some respect! Ugh.
It's a world of blatant misogyny. It's characters who gleefully use their physical strength to force women into sticky situations under the guise of 'hey she's a spy, we can do what we want'.
I am not liking this. I love the idea of a Napoleon spy novel, but this book is not that.
It's a world of blatant misogyny. It's characters who gleefully use their physical strength to force women into sticky situations under the guise of 'hey she's a spy, we can do what we want'.
I am not liking this. I love the idea of a Napoleon spy novel, but this book is not that.
The first time I tried this book, it was a DNF; this time, I finished, and it was quite all right and a nice escape. I guess I just need to read things ten years after they are published...
TERRIBLE COVER.
Most romance books talk about how intelligent and independent the heroine is and it’s utterly unbelievable because then the rest of the book is her losing any sense of agency and just getting saved by the guy. And it’s generally the same wooden characters and ideas in every book.
If you want to read a book where both characters are actually intelligent and don’t loose their personality or integrity once they realize their attraction to each other then give this ago.
Only reason I give it 4 stars is at the end, there is some parts where I question Annique’s intelligence but what the hell... everything else was great.
Most romance books talk about how intelligent and independent the heroine is and it’s utterly unbelievable because then the rest of the book is her losing any sense of agency and just getting saved by the guy. And it’s generally the same wooden characters and ideas in every book.
If you want to read a book where both characters are actually intelligent and don’t loose their personality or integrity once they realize their attraction to each other then give this ago.
Only reason I give it 4 stars is at the end, there is some parts where I question Annique’s intelligence but what the hell... everything else was great.