Veena’s review of In Bed With A Spy (Spy in The Ton, Book 2) by Alyssa Alexander
Historical Romance published by Berkley 02 Dec 14
Their eyes had first met across the battlefield of Waterloo. Now two years later their eyes meet again across the battlefield of the ton. Fortunately, this time they’ll actually be able to meet in person and see what lies beyond the chemistry of the eyes. This is Ms. Alexander’s second book which I find much more compelling and well crafted. It’s like she’s found her groove.
More than the suspense, which is definitely well thought out at a detailed level and keeping the reader guessing, this book really got to me at the visceral level, especially Angel and his relationship with his mother and his sisters-in-law and most particularly his niece. Talk about precocious. the stuff that comes out of her mouth will keep you rolling. Similarly, Lilias and her mother-in-law and their relationship grips at your heart, while her advice definitely will put a smile on your face at times.
Lilias is ready to embrace life again. She loved her husband and upon his death she took up his sabre and horse and fought on the battlefield of Waterloo, seeking vengeance for his death. Two years later she’s finally come to peace, bid him a final goodbye, and is ready to seek out a sexual liaison. Unfortunately for her, the person who answers a chord within her is Angel and he has his own agenda outside of the sparks of chemistry between them.
Angel mounts his seduction, catching Lilias in his net. Unfortunately he soon finds out that she’s innocent and doesn’t actually have the answers he’s seeking. In the process, however, he’s awakened the angel of vengeance and nothing must suffice but she become his partner in seeking out the truth.
Lilias is a modern woman trapped in the skirts of a meek regency female. She likes to ride astride and is not shy in seeking lessons on fencing and shooting as she exercises her very robust sexual appetite. Her activities, though, have placed her in danger and now she’s become the target of a band of assassins. Can Angel and his team keep her safe as they attempt to root out the villains?
The story is fast moving, playing out in the ballrooms of the ton or in the seclusion of Angel’s townhouse. I have my suspicions about who the villain might be, but that in no way takes away from the thrill of the chase as Angel and Lilias hunt down clues, interrogate people, and eliminate suspects. I like reading love stories because one is assured of a happy ending, no matter how it looks while the story is playing out.
The jury was out for me after the first book, but this one has definitely made a fan of me and I can’t wait to read the next in line, which definitely looks to be quite exciting, from the brief glimpse the author has afforded us of her characters.
Grade: A
Summary:
Revenge has never been so seductive.
When her husband is killed at Waterloo, Lilias Fairchild takes up his cavalry sword and boldly storms the front, earning herself the nickname Angel of Vengeance. But there is another angel on the battlefield who is just as single-minded, and just as ruthless…
Alastair Whitmore, the Marquess of Angelstone, is a British spy. Code name: Angel. Still haunted by a first love felled by assassins, his mission draws him to Waterloo, where he is captivated by a beautiful and mysterious woman fighting amongst the men—a woman who becomes his most intoxicating memory of war.
Passion has never been so dangerous.
Two years later, Lilias and Angelstone lock eyes in a crowded ballroom and the memory returns in an exhilarating rush. The history they share, and hide from the world, is as impossible to ignore as the heat of their attraction. But it’s that very connection that spells doom for their scandalous affair. When someone from the shadows of their past proves a dire threat to their lives, passion might not be enough to save them.
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