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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love books about spies! And this book was about spies during the Napoleonic era, which makes it all the more intriguing.
The book opens with French spy Annique Villers and English spies Grey and Adrian locked up in a French prison to most likely await their deaths. Using her abilities, Annique manages to get them all out, not really knowing why she is helping English spies, and soon regrets it once Grey brings her along on their way back to England.
I really enjoyed the first parts of the book, such as all the times Annique tried to kill Grey. Some were clever, some were not so clever. However, as the story wore on, I tended to find her a bit unbelievable. I can't really explain why without giving much away. And at times I found her ridiculous. I couldn't figure out why she talked the way she did. It annoyed me. She talked a like a child at some points.
As for the hero, Grey, I didn't take too much to him. I don't take too much to heroes who keep thinking the heroine is 'theirs,' as if she were property. Perhaps I'm reading the wrong genre, then. I quite liked his friend and fellow spy Adrian. He was loyal and intelligent and very amusing. I'd like to see a book written up with him as the hero.
Overall, I liked The Spymaster's Lady, but didn't love it. It has it's exciting moments where I couldn't read fast enough. And it has had some great side characters, which I ended up loving more than the main two. I do plan on reading the next two books in the series, which are also about spies.
The book opens with French spy Annique Villers and English spies Grey and Adrian locked up in a French prison to most likely await their deaths. Using her abilities, Annique manages to get them all out, not really knowing why she is helping English spies, and soon regrets it once Grey brings her along on their way back to England.
I really enjoyed the first parts of the book, such as all the times Annique tried to kill Grey. Some were clever, some were not so clever. However, as the story wore on, I tended to find her a bit unbelievable. I can't really explain why without giving much away. And at times I found her ridiculous. I couldn't figure out why she talked the way she did. It annoyed me. She talked a like a child at some points.
As for the hero, Grey, I didn't take too much to him. I don't take too much to heroes who keep thinking the heroine is 'theirs,' as if she were property. Perhaps I'm reading the wrong genre, then. I quite liked his friend and fellow spy Adrian. He was loyal and intelligent and very amusing. I'd like to see a book written up with him as the hero.
Overall, I liked The Spymaster's Lady, but didn't love it. It has it's exciting moments where I couldn't read fast enough. And it has had some great side characters, which I ended up loving more than the main two. I do plan on reading the next two books in the series, which are also about spies.
The beginning of this book is totally five star. Then about two thirds of the way through, the up until that point super awesome heroine suddenly becomes unforgivably stupid and seems to change personality entirely. It annoys the heck out of me, and loses the book points.
Okay now I want to read more books about spies and the Napoleonic Wars. The setting intrigues me beyond belief. Different than most regency spy thrillers, the story takes place in both France and England. Not to mention, both the hero and the heroine are spies. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The Spymaster's Lady was about trust, conspiracies, love, passion, and truth. I fell in love with the prose which I think bothered other readers. However, it made sense to me that Bourne wrote the prose the way she did because Annique is French. So, she's going to think like a Frenchwoman. Thus, the prose is going to be reminiscent of the French language and still be accessible to readers. While reading this book, I thought the author brought a new and innovative type of historical romance. I've never read one like it before now. I want more regency spy thrillers. Publishers, authors make. this. happen.
This was so great--the perfect action-historical-romance novel that I'd been wanting. Spies depicted realistically! Great historical context! A couple that is angsty and suffers from really serious complications! Secondary characters I can't wait to read about! I'm in love.
Even better than book one. The female character is so good, so incredibly good. Loved this.
Annique Villiers is unlike any heroine in any historical I have ever read. She is so fully formed that her character is felt in every word of this book. She is brave, strong, witty, intelligent and incredibly vivid. Yet, she is not infallible- she makes assumptions that lead to mistakes and she often doesn't say what she is feeling. She's a spy and a great one at that. I loved everything about her. Whilst the book isn't perfect and is a little predictable it gets five stars purely for introducing me to this wonderful character.
CW:threatened rape (including by the hero, though I think it's a tactic and not something he would actually do, though I'm not certain that makes it better), use of the g* racial slur (heroine always says Rom, but no one else does), consent issues (she is unwilling in their custody when they have all their firsts)
Really enjoyed the first half of this, but it did lose steam once they got back to England. There's really great tension here, both in terms of danger and a frisson between the characters, so much so that I didn't really mind in this case that it was a "mysteriously-drawn-to-each-other" kinda romance. The first half was so dramatic and spy adventure that the second half, which was more psychological, was a bit of a let down. To work fully for me, the ship would have had to pick up steam, but the character development stays at the same level.
A romance of this nature invariably has consent issues, but I do think the book is aware of those and very intentionally wrestling with them. That aspect didn't bother me because of the clear respect between Grey and Annique and the other English spies for most of the book. She's in their custody most of the time, but there's a constant sense of her strength and power, even when she's pretty much helpless. That's a tricky thing to pull off, and I'm impressed by that.
This was a fun departure from my usual sort of romance reads. It wasn't perfect for me, but it was exciting, and I'm excited to read more of this series.
Really enjoyed the first half of this, but it did lose steam once they got back to England. There's really great tension here, both in terms of danger and a frisson between the characters, so much so that I didn't really mind in this case that it was a "mysteriously-drawn-to-each-other" kinda romance. The first half was so dramatic and spy adventure that the second half, which was more psychological, was a bit of a let down. To work fully for me, the ship would have had to pick up steam, but the character development stays at the same level.
A romance of this nature invariably has consent issues, but I do think the book is aware of those and very intentionally wrestling with them. That aspect didn't bother me because of the clear respect between Grey and Annique and the other English spies for most of the book. She's in their custody most of the time, but there's a constant sense of her strength and power, even when she's pretty much helpless. That's a tricky thing to pull off, and I'm impressed by that.
This was a fun departure from my usual sort of romance reads. It wasn't perfect for me, but it was exciting, and I'm excited to read more of this series.
I have no idea what the naked chested man is doing on the cover of this book, beyond serving as an object decoratif. That said, many reviewers cite this as their absolute favorite Joanna Bourne book. It's not bad at all, I can see why they like it. The heroine in particular is so talented, so determined, so skilled, so extraordinary, that it's a pleasure to read about her. The very opposite of a Mary Sue.
I also like how the heroine's thoughts and use of language feel so very French, although written for us in English. It's clear Ms. Bourne lived abroad, probably speaking French herself for quite a while, to have such a good innate sense of it.
Plus, it's just plain funny, there are witty asides, small bits of humor woven into nearly everything, even as very serious things are occurring.
A lovely book, despite how very much disbelief one must suspend.
I also like how the heroine's thoughts and use of language feel so very French, although written for us in English. It's clear Ms. Bourne lived abroad, probably speaking French herself for quite a while, to have such a good innate sense of it.
Plus, it's just plain funny, there are witty asides, small bits of humor woven into nearly everything, even as very serious things are occurring.
A lovely book, despite how very much disbelief one must suspend.