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fresholivebread 's review for:

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
4.5
adventurous emotional tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Two spies on opposing sides found themselves thrown together on a journey of intrigue where stakes are high, and trust is precarious. This is an entertaining spy adventure with a solid plot and two very strong lead characters, although caricature villain is a disservice. The hero wholly alpha, smart, and kind of an asshole (did not like
how he drugged her
) but fiercely loyal and protective. But the heroine is the star of the book for me. 

She's brilliant, cunning with nerves of steel, takes everything thrown at her in stride and devises ways to face all of it. And I love how unfailingly honest she is with herself about her feelings, conflicting as they may be. The romance is a bit of a slow burn despite insta-attraction, with fair amount of fighting and tussling before they finally get there. Despite it being a bit Stockholm Syndrome-y, the romance is believable to me, and I like how matter-of-face they are in confessing their feelings, yet acknowledging the fragility of it. Love the ending!