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iskanderjonesiv's review
4.0
In the first in an adventurous new series, USA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe introduces the Covert Heiresses: women who by day are the talk of the ton, and by night England's top spies.
SHE WANTS REVENGE
When bluestocking Vivian Loren becomes the governess for the wealthy Spencer family, she's hunting for clues about the murder of her brother, not romance. But Vivian didn't count on one thing: James Spencer, the intrepid Duke of Abermont, who has a tortured past of his own.
HE NEEDS A WIFE
As head of Britain's elite intelligence agency, James can't afford the scrutiny the Marriage Mart would bring to his family once the Season starts. After discovering Vivian's quest for vengeance has made her a pawn in a treacherous plot of one of Napoleon's most deadly spies, James realizes they can help each other. She'll become his duchess, and he'll keep her safe.
What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly becomes anything but as the enemy spy closes in on them. When both husband and wife have dark secrets, love may be the most dangerous mission of all.
I Spy a Duke is a dark, sexy Regency romance with suspense elements. While it is book one of the Covert Heiresses series, it can be read as a standalone full-length historical romance.
**
bibliocat08's review
3.0
This book was pretty good. I may have worn myself out on regency romances and murder/spy novels though. Maybe if the past 3 regencies hadn't been of that vein, I would have enjoyed this more. The family of spies thing was cute but the novel felt a little rushed. It would have been a little more interesting if there had been a few tries by the baddie to get Vivian before the final confrontation.
Otherwise it was okay.
Otherwise it was okay.
lassarina's review
3.0
I'm having a hard time pinning down what I think of this book; I liked it well enough, but I think I'm more interested in the obvious sequel-bait than I am the book itself. I want so many stories about all of James's sisters, but James and Vivian themselves were sort of....just there? I felt in a lot of ways like their love just popped up out of nowhere--they went from "hello attractive" to "pledging devotion" and I just felt like the romance portion was disconnected. Mostly I am left going "but I want Arden's story, and Elinor's!"
sadie_rae's review
3.0
A year after Vivian's brother was viciously murdered she receives a letter from someone who says that they have information on his murder and that they would share it with her if she helps them with something first. Now six months later she discovers the heartbreaking truth that she has been working for her brothers murderer all along.
Enter James, the Duke of Abermont, who after a brief encounter with his younger brothers governess, Vivian, finds himself quite taken with her. As luck would have it Vivian decides to come clean about her spying on James and his family, this confession comes just as James discovers what she has been up to and just before he was about to confront her.
As circumstance throws these two together both James and Vivian help each other heal from there losses. But all is not safe yet, Vivian's employer(her brothers murderer, is still out there and he's gunning for the two of them. James struggles with his need to protect Vivian and his fear of not only losing her but making the wrong decision that might lead to her death.
What worked? I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The stage was set nicely, you were given lots of background information and there was no question as to what had happened to the characters before the opening scene. James was pretty awesome as well, not perfect but kinda the wounded hero that is still functioning despite of his insecurities.
What didn't work? Sigh, Vivian! In the beginning I really enjoyed her, and in the end she redeemed herself. The middle however? I just wanted to slap her up-side the head. She gets so wound up in the need for revenge that she can't even concede that James might know what hes about with out arguing with him over it. Not only that but when James spill the beans about himself and his suspicions about her brother she completely flips a lid. I just didn't get why she was so upset when finding out what her brother really did.
In the end I'm settling for 3.5 stars
Enter James, the Duke of Abermont, who after a brief encounter with his younger brothers governess, Vivian, finds himself quite taken with her. As luck would have it Vivian decides to come clean about her spying on James and his family, this confession comes just as James discovers what she has been up to and just before he was about to confront her.
As circumstance throws these two together both James and Vivian help each other heal from there losses. But all is not safe yet, Vivian's employer(her brothers murderer, is still out there and he's gunning for the two of them. James struggles with his need to protect Vivian and his fear of not only losing her but making the wrong decision that might lead to her death.
What worked? I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The stage was set nicely, you were given lots of background information and there was no question as to what had happened to the characters before the opening scene. James was pretty awesome as well, not perfect but kinda the wounded hero that is still functioning despite of his insecurities.
What didn't work? Sigh, Vivian! In the beginning I really enjoyed her, and in the end she redeemed herself. The middle however? I just wanted to slap her up-side the head. She gets so wound up in the need for revenge that she can't even concede that James might know what hes about with out arguing with him over it. Not only that but when James spill the beans about himself and his suspicions about her brother she completely flips a lid. I just didn't get why she was so upset when finding out what her brother really did.
In the end I'm settling for 3.5 stars
whiskeyinthejar's review
3.0
3.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Vivian's brother was brutally murdered in Seven Dials and while the Bow Street Runners have given up, she refuses. When she receives a mysterious letter from "Sauveterre" claiming to know the killer of her brother, she desperately and blindly agrees to spy on the Duke of Abermont for him. After a few months of turning up no evidence of the Duke financing a revolution in France like Sauveterre wanted her to, his letters become more erratic and Vivian begins to fear for her life. James, the Duke of Abermont, has noticed the new governess to his brother in his peripheral but when they share a tete-a- tete, she becomes front and center. He's attracted to her but as the head of Clocktower, England's premier intelligence agency, his senses tell him she may not be all she seems. Attraction, half-truths, and danger will bring our couple together but also work to tear them apart.
This was my first book by Ms. Monroe and I was a big fan of the first half, it had a darker feel to it with Sauveterre evilly lurking on the fringes and Vivian and James having a forbidden pull to one another. There was a bit of insta-attraction with James very quickly willing to do anything for Vivian but since there was a well written underlining connection between the two, I was able to roll with it. The second half is where things slowed down quite a bit for me. James dragging out telling Vivian about his spy work and his constant self-loathing about feeling responsible for one of his sister's death was rehashed far too many times.
"How quickly the tides of her life had changed. From a viscount's ward to a governess to a criminal in a few small jumps."
Having Vivian spying on James the spy was a great way to get our couple together but the leap to him marrying her was a bit rushed, a more flushed out version may have made it feel less forced. There was a feeling of kerfuffle over Vivian's handling of the Sauveterre situation but she was overall a good strong character. There were a couple times where she was a bit too modern, her speech and then attitude in the bedroom, which threw me out of the time period of the story. I loved how James started off alluring and darkly dangerous but his character didn't have a lot of growth, he felt kind of stagnant. Feeling responsible for your sister's death would be a heavy burden but his hairshirt started to make me feel itchy after the hundredth time it was mentioned. Our couple had a compelling connection; I just wish it had been the focus of the story more.
"Because you see me." His steely gaze sent a shiver of awareness up her back in that look, she saw the emotions he held at bay, shimmering beneath the surface. "And I desperately need someone who will see the man behind the title."
The Clocktower agency is named but really only discussed through James as the front leader of the spies (he answers to a head in the government) and how all of his family members are a part of it (well, expect little brother Thomas who after Vivian stops being his governess disappears forever into the nursery). James' three sisters are all spies and we are introduced to all of them here and I assume they will be the heroines of future books in the series. One scene features James, his friend Richard, and his sister Elinor, who due to her illness can only contribute her mind and is not able to go out into the field, has me dying for Elinor's story and because of some interesting tension has me anticipating Richard as the hero. As secondary characters, they were all featured beautifully, not intrusive, added to the flavor of the story, and left me curious for their own stories. Sauveterre started off deliciously villainous but fell too much into the background for a while, essentially becoming the boogeyman until he was thrust into the story. He seemed for his brief moments in the ending scenes to be crude for the sake of being crude as a way to make him seem even darker; I ended up being a little disappointed with how his storyline eventually connected with everything.
"The most important things are true. You and me. Our marriage."
I Spy a Duke may feature the ever popular tropes of spies and Dukes but the overall feel of the story is different enough to keep it from feeling tired. There were not actually a lot of spy antics besides James training Vivian and talking about how he is responsible for everyone and besides a few "Your Graces" our couple never visits London, so James' rank isn't a central feeling either. James' self-loathing, his drawn out hemming and hawing over telling Vivian his was a spy, and the rushed feel of their attraction and why they married, were the most problematic for me. The alluring and dark feel of the story, however, hit a high note and will have me looking to this author's backlist and watching for future books in this series.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Vivian's brother was brutally murdered in Seven Dials and while the Bow Street Runners have given up, she refuses. When she receives a mysterious letter from "Sauveterre" claiming to know the killer of her brother, she desperately and blindly agrees to spy on the Duke of Abermont for him. After a few months of turning up no evidence of the Duke financing a revolution in France like Sauveterre wanted her to, his letters become more erratic and Vivian begins to fear for her life. James, the Duke of Abermont, has noticed the new governess to his brother in his peripheral but when they share a tete-a- tete, she becomes front and center. He's attracted to her but as the head of Clocktower, England's premier intelligence agency, his senses tell him she may not be all she seems. Attraction, half-truths, and danger will bring our couple together but also work to tear them apart.
This was my first book by Ms. Monroe and I was a big fan of the first half, it had a darker feel to it with Sauveterre evilly lurking on the fringes and Vivian and James having a forbidden pull to one another. There was a bit of insta-attraction with James very quickly willing to do anything for Vivian but since there was a well written underlining connection between the two, I was able to roll with it. The second half is where things slowed down quite a bit for me. James dragging out telling Vivian about his spy work and his constant self-loathing about feeling responsible for one of his sister's death was rehashed far too many times.
"How quickly the tides of her life had changed. From a viscount's ward to a governess to a criminal in a few small jumps."
Having Vivian spying on James the spy was a great way to get our couple together but the leap to him marrying her was a bit rushed, a more flushed out version may have made it feel less forced. There was a feeling of kerfuffle over Vivian's handling of the Sauveterre situation but she was overall a good strong character. There were a couple times where she was a bit too modern, her speech and then attitude in the bedroom, which threw me out of the time period of the story. I loved how James started off alluring and darkly dangerous but his character didn't have a lot of growth, he felt kind of stagnant. Feeling responsible for your sister's death would be a heavy burden but his hairshirt started to make me feel itchy after the hundredth time it was mentioned. Our couple had a compelling connection; I just wish it had been the focus of the story more.
"Because you see me." His steely gaze sent a shiver of awareness up her back in that look, she saw the emotions he held at bay, shimmering beneath the surface. "And I desperately need someone who will see the man behind the title."
The Clocktower agency is named but really only discussed through James as the front leader of the spies (he answers to a head in the government) and how all of his family members are a part of it (well, expect little brother Thomas who after Vivian stops being his governess disappears forever into the nursery). James' three sisters are all spies and we are introduced to all of them here and I assume they will be the heroines of future books in the series. One scene features James, his friend Richard, and his sister Elinor, who due to her illness can only contribute her mind and is not able to go out into the field, has me dying for Elinor's story and because of some interesting tension has me anticipating Richard as the hero. As secondary characters, they were all featured beautifully, not intrusive, added to the flavor of the story, and left me curious for their own stories. Sauveterre started off deliciously villainous but fell too much into the background for a while, essentially becoming the boogeyman until he was thrust into the story. He seemed for his brief moments in the ending scenes to be crude for the sake of being crude as a way to make him seem even darker; I ended up being a little disappointed with how his storyline eventually connected with everything.
"The most important things are true. You and me. Our marriage."
I Spy a Duke may feature the ever popular tropes of spies and Dukes but the overall feel of the story is different enough to keep it from feeling tired. There were not actually a lot of spy antics besides James training Vivian and talking about how he is responsible for everyone and besides a few "Your Graces" our couple never visits London, so James' rank isn't a central feeling either. James' self-loathing, his drawn out hemming and hawing over telling Vivian his was a spy, and the rushed feel of their attraction and why they married, were the most problematic for me. The alluring and dark feel of the story, however, hit a high note and will have me looking to this author's backlist and watching for future books in this series.
critterbee's review
2.0
A tortured hero, a heroine desperate for answers, a family deeply immersed in espionage in Napoleonic times, and love!
This book starts off darkly and dangerously, in the thick of a mission gone awry. IT proceeds towards recovery and healing, but never veers too far from intrigue while it follows the path towards love. At times fluffy, but always exciting, this is a quick read with consistent pacing and plenty of angst and tension.
**eARC netgalley**
This book starts off darkly and dangerously, in the thick of a mission gone awry. IT proceeds towards recovery and healing, but never veers too far from intrigue while it follows the path towards love. At times fluffy, but always exciting, this is a quick read with consistent pacing and plenty of angst and tension.
**eARC netgalley**
readingwithmerb's review
3.0
A cute historical romance about spies. James, the Duke of Abermont, begins to fall for his families governess, though little does he know that she is actually spying on his family, in hopes of providing a group with information in exchange for information on her brothers murder. But the governess Vivian does not realize that James and his family are also spies, and she’s become a pawn in a much bigger game than she thought.
This was a fun story, with all the plot twists and action working alongside the simmering romance. It wasn’t a favorite of mine as I prefer romances where I get to watch people fall for each other, but James and Vivian were pretty much halfway there when the story began. I think this could have had a fun enemies to lovers aspect, but it went a different way, which is fine. It’s a shame it’s been years and still no more books have been released in the series.
I read this for the historical romance readathon
This was a fun story, with all the plot twists and action working alongside the simmering romance. It wasn’t a favorite of mine as I prefer romances where I get to watch people fall for each other, but James and Vivian were pretty much halfway there when the story began. I think this could have had a fun enemies to lovers aspect, but it went a different way, which is fine. It’s a shame it’s been years and still no more books have been released in the series.
I read this for the historical romance readathon
whitneywillis20's review
4.0
3.5 stars
I went back and forth between a 3 and 4 throughout this book. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. I just felt it could be spruced up a bit. It was very slow moving the first 50%. I know that historical's typically move to a slower pace but this one was slower than usual. The actual romance was a tease. Maybe that makes me a bad person but I like some action throughout the whole book. Now, the premise of the story was intriguing. A ducal family made up of spies and we get to see them move through the ton for covert operations. I would say that this book is a nice baseline for an interesting series. Overall, I liked the characters and can see myself continuing the series.
*** A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
I went back and forth between a 3 and 4 throughout this book. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. I just felt it could be spruced up a bit. It was very slow moving the first 50%. I know that historical's typically move to a slower pace but this one was slower than usual. The actual romance was a tease. Maybe that makes me a bad person but I like some action throughout the whole book. Now, the premise of the story was intriguing. A ducal family made up of spies and we get to see them move through the ton for covert operations. I would say that this book is a nice baseline for an interesting series. Overall, I liked the characters and can see myself continuing the series.
*** A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
jandmterry's review
5.0
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
If you are a fan of regency spies then this is a book for you to check out.
Vivian Loren has been working as a governess in the Duke of Abermont's home. She took the job so she could find out information about him and his family. She is desperate to find out who killed her brother and giving this information is the key to finding his killer.
James Spencer, the Duke of Abermont's is the head of an intelligence agency called the Clocktower. He and his sisters inherited responsibility for it upon the death of their father. They are a family of spies. He has been grieving for over a year after the death of his youngest sister at the hands of a madman. He feels responsible.
Vivian and James share this connection in the loss of their loved ones. When she finds her life in danger, she automatically turns to him for help. Marriage is the answer to both of their dilemmas. He needs a wife and she needs protection.
This is a book of spies and forgiveness and what happens when you let love into your heart.
If you are a fan of regency spies then this is a book for you to check out.
Vivian Loren has been working as a governess in the Duke of Abermont's home. She took the job so she could find out information about him and his family. She is desperate to find out who killed her brother and giving this information is the key to finding his killer.
James Spencer, the Duke of Abermont's is the head of an intelligence agency called the Clocktower. He and his sisters inherited responsibility for it upon the death of their father. They are a family of spies. He has been grieving for over a year after the death of his youngest sister at the hands of a madman. He feels responsible.
Vivian and James share this connection in the loss of their loved ones. When she finds her life in danger, she automatically turns to him for help. Marriage is the answer to both of their dilemmas. He needs a wife and she needs protection.
This is a book of spies and forgiveness and what happens when you let love into your heart.