Lynne Connolly‘s review of The Spymaster’s Lady (The Spymaster Series) by Joanna Bourne
Historical romantic suspense released by Berkley 2 Jan 08

Annique Villiers is a spy for Napoleon’s France, but recent changes in the way her country operates and changes in her personal circumstances have made her more wary of her masters. She is in possession of a secret that both sides would kill to get hold of. And she’s the prime target. 

Grey is in charge of England’s spy unit. Strong, intelligent and powerful, he’s what Annique needs. But can she trust him? Annique meets Grey when they are both captives and in a bad way, together with a young man who is in imminent danger of dying from a bullet wound. That’s the start of the adventure that takes Annique and Grey from war-torn France to war-ravaged England.

This book isn’t perfect. There are very few that are, and I suspect that if one exists, it would be a dead bore. This book is anything but a dead bore. I’ve been putting off reading it for a while, because I’ve read a few highly recommended historical romances recently that disappointed, and I didn’t want that to happen again. It didn’t. It’s a great yarn and an involving read. I enjoyed reading this book, and with only a couple of longueurs, raced through it from start to finish.

I could have done with a few less “kitchen table” scenes (when characters sit around and discuss what has just happened and what is to be come) but that was a very small price to pay. Bourne works at the border where improbable shades into impossible, one of the most exciting areas for a historical novelist, and one which is dangerous, because a few shades the wrong way and the book goes into “unbelievable” territory. Bourne never does this.

The book uses the three act structure. Act one is the journey to England, but I won’t say what acts two and three are for fear of spoilers.

While there are several improbabilities in this book, notably the existence of a separate spy network in this period  which was of little practical use outside the military in the Napoleonic period and there’s no evidence for it, but then, it’s possible so the reader can happily read on. I enjoyed it very much, even though I guessed most of the surprises before they happened. It didn’t matter. I dislike books that depend on shocks and revelations to carry a story through and while this book had its share, the enjoyment didn’t depend on them. They sprang up as needed, to push the story on.

I liked Annique. She was a complex and fascinating character, believable given her training, background and needs. Grey I found more shadowy, the alpha male who falls in love very early and is superior in spying skills to the heroine. Just what she needed, but I would have liked a few more insights into him and his needs. He had no fears, except losing Annique. Their awareness of each other and their enmity is the core of the book, the old lovers who should be enemies plot that for me anyway, never gets stale.

This book gets a B+ from me. Great story, great characters and a great read.

Grade: B+

Read other info and more reviews by following the Spymaster Series tag.

Summary:

She’s never met a man she couldn’t deceive…until now.

She’s braved battlefields. She’s stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She’s played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can’t outwit.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Lawson’s review of My Lord and Spymaster (The Spymaster Series, Book 2) by Joanna Bourne
Historical romance released by Berkley Sensation 1 Jul 08

With many words of praise for The Spymaster’s Lady, Bourne’s second book this year, My Lord and Spymaster, matches Lady in terms of characterization, style and use of dialogue. What’s different is the setting and issues the spies need to deal with. There are some appearances by some characters from Lady as well, in Doyle and Adrian, which leads me attempt to say the time of this book sometime after 1808, as there’s mention of Doyle’s daughter causing trouble in Spain for Napoleon.

Ok, so after some surfing around the author’s blog I found that it’s set in 1811. Some other surfing lead to finding pictures of people (famous and not so) that look like the characters. Adrian’s looks a bit like David Tennant to me. . . but I think that’s a pondering for another day.

The story opens with Jess Whitby and Doyle hiding in an alley waiting for Sebastian Kennett so that Jess can pick his pockets and find out if he is the traitor called Cinq. She’s hoping to incriminate someone else, as her father is currently being held as a suspected Cinq by British Intelligence on Meeks Street. Jess hopes the scheme will work, as Sebastian comes down the street drunk. Instead a gang comes out of the woodwork and tries to kidnap Jess, and though rather inebriated, Sebastian is able to fend them off and takes Jess back to his ship.

Though incoherent due to a head injury, Sebastian falls quick and hard for Jess, until Adrian, who had been with Sebastian during the attack, lets Jess’ last name out. Sebastian had been the one to turn over the majority of the evidence against her father. Since people are after Jess, most likely hired by Cinq (as Jess and Adrian both believe her father is innocent) she is ensconced in Sebastian’s house for protection.

As Jess tries to clear her father’s name, she starts to fall for Sebastian one day at a time as he wears down her resolve with a well planned seduction. Jess stumbles her way through London gathering all sorts of evidence and doing her best to avoid being caught, all while using her tricks of the trade (picking pockets, locks, burgling and jumping off roofs) she learned as a young poor urchin in East London.

The characterizations of Jess, Sebastian, Adrian and even Cinq’s motivations are so well layered, it took my breath away. I spent as much time thinking about these characters, their motivations and their actions I think I could probably write a dissertation on everything that came out of it. Well, maybe not that long, but tackling some analysis may make this review a bit long, so dear reader, you have been warned.

Sebastian is first, because he’s a bit less complex than Jess. Sebastian had not the best childhood, as he’s the bastard son of an earl, who made enough money in shipping to buy his father’s house from him. He was saved at the age of eight by his aunt Eunice, who lives with him, and given the chance to make something of himself. Though he’s a master trader, over time he’s become an agent for British Intelligence. Though Sebastian does tend to see the world in black and white, with Jess he easily accepts the shades of grey and pursues her even though he’s trying to put away her father for treason. As Adrian slowly convinces him of Josiah Whitby’s innocence, he falls harder for Jess and takes her foibles in stride to make her his woman.

Jess is far more complex. Though she’s 21, she’s experienced the world’s harsh realities, she is still a bit of an idealist and seems to walk through life with blinders on. She’d had to sell herself to the leader of London’s underworld at the age of eight, she’d killed a few men, had her sweetheart taken from her and redesigned her father’s company accounting system by the age of sixteen. Talented in the ways of the underworld, but raised by her father to try to be some semblance of a lady.

What Jess is though, is a woman with a child’s heart. She doesn’t see the world through rose colored glasses but she has a very defined view of what is black and white, which is different from Sebastian’s. How she behaves in trying to clear her father’s name and getting evidence shows she really doesn’t think, or that she’s afraid to think. Though she is brilliant, with the accounting system, fluency in multiple languages and the running of her father’s shipping business, she has a huge lack of common sense and perception of her personal safety. There are instances of her risking herself because she just does things without thinking of the possible consequences.

Though this is well founded as a character trait of hers from when she was a child, one would think that she had learned to take greater care with her well being. The realization is though, she’s always really had to fend for herself. She’s loyal to a great fault, as evidenced in the things she’ll do to try to clear her father’s name, but really no one has been there to care for her. They always seem to leave, her father (when she’s a child and later in conducting his shipping business before she’s involved), Adrian (he was with Jess and her father in Russia for a few years), her mother’s death, her sweetheart and probably countless other important or not important people in her life.

She inspires loyalty in caring in others though, which leads to Sebastian’s infatuation with her, Adrian’s fear of the loss of her good opinion, and her protection by Lazarus, king of the underworld, even though she has a reckless abandon with her own life in trying to fulfill her goals to complete her ends. I understood Jess, but I can’t particularly say that I liked or really respected her. Bourne’s characterization of Jess though, slowly filling in the backstory and peeling away the layers of her bravado and showing the vulnerability underneath everything is what made the story extraordinary.

So Jess I understood, Sebastian I loved and Adrian I adore to no end and I can’t wait for his story. I’d like to see what happens to Lazarus in the end, for he’s got something in store for him as well, but Adrian was wonderful and he will make a spectacular hero when his time comes. Though, if Adrian and the Intelligence Service are trying to convict or acquit Jess’ father, with the amazing amount of sources that Jess is able to help gather, some questions are never asked. If Josiah is Cinq, is he in England when those packets of information go missing? Who is his connection in those higher circles that could give him access to that sensitive information? Two things that are never brought up, unless they have already been asked and answered off the pages of the book.

The nuances of plot and story that takes these characters to the end of this story show Bourne’s writing is going to greater heights, and though I didn’t enjoy some parts, I can’t give this book any lower grade than I have due to the exceptional writing style, characterization, and historical feeling. I love a book that really makes me think and use those analytical skills in many different ways.

Grade: A-

Read more at the Spymasters series tag.

A daring beauty, she was infamous for taking chances. . .

Raised as a poor but cunning pickpocket, Jess Whitby may have grown into a wealthy young woman, but now she must once aga rely on her guile. Her father’s been wrongly accused of selling secrets to Napoleon, and he’s going to hang-unless Jess finds the real traitor in the London underworld. She never dreamed her search would begin by waking up naked in a rude captain’s bed. Or how little she’d mind. . .

Now she’ll risk everything for love.

When Captain Sebastian Kennett prevents a kidnapping on the London docks, he takes the headstrong would-be victim home. He’s infatuated with her courageous spirit. Shes enthralled by his commanding strength and the sexy spark in his eyes. Then she discovers something else about the spellbinding seaman: he could be the traitor she’s hunting, the man whose next move could determine her father’s fate-and her future as well.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of The Spymaster’s Lady (The Spymasters, Book 1) by Joanna Bourne
Historical romance released 2 Jan 08 by Berkley

To say that the dialog in this book was “clever” is to say that Paris is “pretty”. Paris is Beautiful and this book’s dialog is more than Clever – it’s downright Brilliant. It was so easy to get completely lost in this book. I totally believed the characters, their world, and what was going on. I never once doubted the author and, by the end, was oh-so-thankful Bourne deserved the trust I put in her. This book was a treat to read.

Annique Villiers is the best kind of heroine – savvy, smart, capable, deadly, and beautiful. The hero, Grey, is the yummiest of yummy heroes – large and in charge. They’re both spies who play on the canvas of early 1800′s European politics – a time very fraught with intrigue and peril. These elements of the story are fascinating and, obviously, very well researched. I loved both characters and loved that they were able to come together. I had a few moments of doubt – wondering if they’d be able to overcome the hurdles in front of them, but they make it in the end.

I loved all the secondary characters and felt they were integral parts of the story. In fact, they’re essential in several cases; there are a few plot twists that throw everything for a complete loop and use the secondary characters to full potential. I loved the villains – I wanted to skewer them soooo many times I can’t count, but I’m more bloodthirsty than our heroine, though less capable.

I can’t say much about this book other than if you like good dialog and a terrific plot, this is the book for you. Forget it’s a historical (unless that’s your thing) and just read it for the dialog. Here’s my favorite snippet from the book – remember the heroine is French and speaks in a very French manner:

He would ask. Not demand. Just ask. She did not know how to fight such cunning. “Can I say no?”

“Of course you can. There are five or six empty bedrooms, one right across the hall. I can put you in there.” He took back the space between them till they were almost touching. “I’ll leave my door unlocked. Will you come to me?”

“I am very stupid.”

“I think that means yes.” He was smiling.

She gave him his victory. “I would come to you sometime in the night, tiptoeing down the hall, and open the door and crawl in beside you. Already, I am listening to the argument your body makes to mine. If you carried me to the bed, even without taking a moment to be persuasive, I would want you like flames.”

“The hall gets chilly. Sleep with me tonight, in that bed.”

He cradled her cheek into the warm hardness of his palm. He was so aware of her… even the infinitesimal nod of her head, he felt.

“You have to say it.”

“Yes.” She was without shame.

Isn’t that amazing? The book is full of passages like that. Happy sigh… I love romances like this, and I’ll be reading the next book in the Spymaster series, My Lord and Spymaster, as soon as I can get my mitts on it. It came out 1 Jul 08.

Happy sigh…

Grade: A

Click on the Spymaster series tag below for more reviews and information.

Summary:

She’s never met a man she couldn’t deceive…until now.

She’s braved battlefields. She’s stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She’s played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can’t outwit.

Read an excerpt.

Here and here are very interesting outtakes that I think are important to read AFTER you read this book – they explain a couple of things.

Other books in the series:

The ever delightful Jo Bourne was kind enough to provide TGTBTU a pond exclusive excerpt to her much anticipated novel The Spymaster’s Lady (in November 2007). Sadly it was never posted and I know you have all bought this book already and most of you loved it.

After reading Lawson’s recent review I remembered just why I fell in love with this novel. And asked Jo Bourne to be one of our Valenduckies. Sadly Jo, much like Jo Goodman, seems to delight in making my life difficult and was hard at work on finishing up her next novel, My Lord and Spymaster, which is scheduled for July 2008. I am sure Jo will be shortly sharing a wonderful excerpt from this upcoming novel, right Jo? But until this as this is Valentines and we are celebrating all the things we love… and for the few of you left who haven’t bought The Spymaster’s Lady, I give you a much too short excerpt (yes Jo that is a subtle sybilish hint to make the next one long *eg*).

“One does not love one’s jailer. It is a fallacy jailers have, that their prisoners like them, but it is never true. If you had not trapped me, I would have walked away by now. In a week I would have forgotten you altogether.” Or in a month, or a year. Or never. “There is nothing between us except a hunger of bodies.”

“There’s that, too.”

“I do not want to feel anything for you. Do you understand? Can you imagine what it is to have not even a shift to wear? To be so dependent upon a man that I must ask him for clothing? This is not a good basis for friendship.”

“I know. It makes it harder. Will you sleep with me tonight?”

He would ask. Not demand. Just ask. She did not know how to fight such cunning. “Can I say no?”

“Of course you can. There’s five or six empty bedrooms, one right across the hall. I can put you in there.” He took back the space between them till they were almost touching. “I’ll leave my door unlocked. Will you come to me?”

“I am very stupid.”

“I think that means yes.” He was smiling.

She gave him his victory. “I would come to you sometime in the night, tiptoeing down the hall, and open the door and crawl in beside you. Already, I am listening to the argument your body makes to mine. If you carried me to that bed, even without taking a moment to be persuasive, I would want you like flames.”

“The hall gets chilly. Sleep with me tonight, in that bed.”

He cradled her cheek into the warm hardness of his palm. He was so aware of her … even the infinitesimal nod of her head, he felt.

“You have to say it.”

“Yes.” She was without shame.

“I’ll hold you to that.” He drew her against him, body to body, and nuzzled into her hair, breathing the scent, making a growl deep in his throat. It grappled at her heart – he desired even her smell.

Copyright © 2008 Jo Bourne
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I love this novel. If you haven’t yet, go get it. And if it is sitting on your TBR – READ it! And tell us what you think.

Now we wait for Jo to send the excerpt for My Lord and Spymaster…
From her Blog:

My Lord and Spymaster is the story of Jessamyn and Sebastian. Set in London in 1811. Adrian plays a secondary part. Doyle has a walk-on. (release July 2008. Berkley)

Lawson’s review of The Spymaster’s Lady (The Spymasters, Book 1) by Joanna Bourne
Historical romance released 2 Jan 08 by Berkley

There was a lot of hype surrounding The Spymaster’s Lady and I wasn’t really interested in reading it because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by the story, the characters and everything else in Spymaster’s Lady. Bourne has written a wonderful historical romance and I was glad to be taken along for the ride.

Annique is a young spy who is doing everything she can to survive. A woman doing well in a world of male spies would have been a hard thing to do, especially in Napoleonic Europe. Though she’s 18, she never does anything TSTL and never acts anything other than she is. She’s had a hard life so far, being used as a spy and forced to dress as a boy a time or two, but she’s smart enough to work her way out of problems and have something for herself as well.

The Spymaster is Robert Greyson Fordham, called Grey by the British secret service to help hide his identity. Grey is one of the higher ranking spies and controls a network in France. He and Annique are in the same dungeon cell at the beginning of the book and thus that’s where the story starts. From there they make their way from the outskirts of Paris to the coast, then into England.

Bourne made sure to pay attention to detail, and it shows in many ways. The history is well researched and used in the right spots as part of the plot and not only as a setting. The dialogue is well written to not only show characteristics of the characters, but also what language is being spoken, whether the crisp grammar of English, the different dialects that exist in French, or the cadence of German.

One thing that seemed a bit odd was the fact that Grey uses a lot of tactics on Annique to get her to tell some secrets that, though not brutal, would not inspire tender emotions. He does feel guilty about it though, and Annique does get the best of Grey from time to time. Another that was just a personal dislike, was Grey was about 36 (I think) and Annique being 18, granted a wise 18, seemed a bit young for him. That’s pretty accurate though, given the time period and there are people that do have that age difference and do make it work.

With realistic details, excellent dialogue and well drawn characters, Spymaster’s Lady will be a hard historical to beat this year.

Grade: A-

Blurb:

She’s never met a man she couldn’t deceive…until now.

She’s braved battlefields. She’s stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She’s played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can’t outwit.

Read an excerpt.