Customer Reviews

The Falcon and the Sparrow

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dominique Dawson seems like a timid sparrow when she turns up on Admiral Chase Randal's doorstep as his son's new governess. Still mourning the death of his beloved wife, Chase has no use for timid women. He wants only to retreat to his life at sea where he's most at home and where memories of his wife don't haunt him quite so much. Appearances are deceptive, for her courage displays itself in ways that surprise both him and his worldly friends. And she brings joy and light to himself, his servants, and most of all, his young son, who quickly comes to adore her.

Dominique indeed feels like a timid sparrow, frightened of her own shadow, when she contemplates what she has come to London to do---to spy on the unsuspecting Admiral and steal any war secrets he might have on the premises. Reluctantly she has agreed to commit treason against England in order to save her beloved brother, Marcel, who is imprisoned by the French. But the more she comes to love her young charge, William, and more alarmingly, his father the Admiral, the more anguished she is at the pain her betrayal will cause them both.

This is an exciting, page-turning romance. The author, Marylu Tyndall, is incredibly skilled at making you feel caught up in the same tangle of deceit that Dominique is facing. I enjoyed the internal struggles and morality questions, as well as the romance. A worthy story. Two thumbs up!

Dominique didn't want to do what she knew she must. She stepped her feet on England's soil knowing that she would have to betray her. Her brother (Marcel) was being held by the French and if she didn't cooperate her French cousin would see to it that he didn't live to see another day.

She arrives at Admiral Chase Randal's home and is surprised to find such a young and handsome man. She some how pictured him to be more around her father's age. There is an attraction between the two and the Admiral's son likes his new governess very much. She tries to keep an emotional distance but as each day passes she finds that more and more difficult.

The Admiral knows that there is a spy is his house but doesn't suspect that it might be his timid little governess. His sister and friend don't like Dominique and try everything to turn the Admiral against her to no avail. What will happen when he finds that Dominique has betrayed him? And what will happen to Marcel?

The Falcon and the Sparrow kept me turning pages right up to the close of the book. I felt Dominique's anguish of knowing she had to do something that went against her character. I loved all the secondary characters in the story as well. They were all so different and yet well defined. There were some twists and turns that were unexpected and that is always a treat to this reader.

I highly recommend this book and any other book by MaryLu Tyndall. She has a great way of presenting people as they really are with things we all struggle with. So take flight with The Falcon and the Sparrow, you won't be sorry.

Set in 1803 London, we follow Dominique Dawson back to her homeland. But it is far from a joyful homecoming. With her brother imprisoned in France, she has been sent -against her will - as a spy to the house of Admiral Chase Randal to procure information regarding the Royal Fleet. Betrayal does not come easy for her and she questions if it is something she is capable of. But with her brother's life hanging in the balance, she wills herself to do the unthinkable.

As the governess to William, the son of the admiral, she is immediately betwixt by what she must do. She is quickly losing her heart to her young charge, and that of his stalwart, but dashing father. Knowing selfishness will mean death to her brother, she puts her feelings for William and Chase aside to carry out what she was sent to do. The perplexities of her task and the tugging of her heart become Dominique's biggest foes.

THE FALCON AND THE SPARROW by M.L. Tyndall is filled with fear, faith, intrigue, and of course, a smoldering romance that nearly ignites the very pages you turn. I am not usually a fan of period pieces, but MaryLu's style and wonderfully crafted characters transcend time and draw the reader in regardless of setting. Congratulations, MaryLu, you have done it again!

M.L. Tyndall is known for her popular King's Pirates series. However, in The Falcon and the Sparrow she draws inspiration from the intrigue and elegance of the Napoleonic era.

Miss Dominique Dawson, is the daughter of an English admiral and a Frenchwoman. After her parents die, she is left financially destitute and adrift in Paris. She turns to a distant cousin for help, but her hopes of returning to a comfortable life are crushed, when she is forced to make a terrible bargain. To save her younger brother's life, Dominique must agree to spy on her homeland.

Admiral Chase Randal is landlocked, a temporary replacement for a member of the Admiralty board. Despite the honor, he would much rather be at sea. Ashore he finds too many reminders of the wife he lost.

Though struggling with overwhelming grief, Admiral Randal is trying to be a good father to his bright, affectionate son, William. To that end, he hires Dominique Dawson as a governess for the boy. Chase finds the new governess inexplicably timid, but decides to give her a chance for her father's sake.

Dominique quickly bonds with her young charge, and her heart goes out to his stern father. Against her will, she comes to care for the members of the Randal household--especially her employer. Still her brother's life is in jeopardy, and Dominique faces her greatest struggle of all in turning her future over to God, and trusting his plans for her.

Chase is quickly enchanted by his new governess, but fearful of loving again. He cannot bear the risk of losing someone else. At the same time, the Admiralty is informed that Chase has a spy in his home and he lays a trap to catch any would be traitor.
The plot thickens as Dominique and Chase navigate the treacherous seas of society and espionage, and the clock is running out.

Anyone who enjoyed Ms. Tyndall's first series won't be disappointed with this new offering. Her writing is a deft blend of romance and adventure, with an interesting setting and unique characters. In particular, she works hard to make her characters real--with very human foibles and feelings. I definitely recommend The Falcon and the Sparrow.
lisakaronrichardson@blogspot.com

MaryLu Tyndall creates another romantic historical fiction masterpiece in "The Falcon and the Sparrow". This tale of espionage, intrigue and romance will take the reader captive from the first page! In the time of Napoleon's rise to power as Emperor or France, Dominique Dawson is caught between two worlds: her homeland of England and the homeland of her Mother, France. When her brother is captured by Napoleon's men, she is forced to return to England to spy for France. She secures employment in the home of an Admiral in the British Royal Navy, caring for the young and handsome widower's son. Will Dominique betray the country she loves, sacrificing the only family she has left on the earth? Or will she learn to love a new family and start over again?

MaryLu writes so masterfully, you can smell the Thames River and the staleness of the London underbelly. The characters she creates have such depth, they can almost be heard breathing. The locations are tantalizing, a vicarious vacation for the reader. Her well-woven situations will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page! She even manages to weave Biblical truths throughout the story about doing God's will, being persistent, and offering/accepting forgiveness. Tyndall's use of historical figures such as John Newton, adds a dash of credibility to the tale. I highly recommend this wonderful novel!

I've always been a fan of historical romance but I was tired of the ever increasing explicit scenes in the books available. I eventually stopped reading the majority of them and turned to the Christian fiction market. For many years I wasn't too impressed with what I found, and as a writer myself, I saw and heard about the 'rules' of what was acceptable. Many lacked any sort of sexual tension between hero and heroine (and unless they are brother and sister, I really like to know they are attracted to each other!).

The Falcon and the Sparrow was just what I was looking for. Unforgettable characters, great plot, suspense and pacing...and a perfect chemistry between Dominique and Chase. This was the first of Ms. Tyndall's books I read and it may always be my favorite.

Dominique has lost both her parents and is forced to become a spy for France. She's sent to the home of Admiral Chase Randal to steal documents from the British and hand them over to the French, or else they will murder her brother. Dominique starts to fall in love with the admiral and love his son like her own. When it comes time to betray them and her country, will she be able to?

I love this book! Out of all of MaryLu Tyndall's books, this one flows the most. It has romance, danger, humor, and history all bundled up into one of her best books!

Out of all her books, this is the one I recommend you read first!
Chase is such a gentleman, he lost his way and turned away from God, but Dominique helped show him truth again. Isn't this our story?

Have you ever read a story so real and so intense that you lost sleep over it? You get to the end of a chapter and can't help but turn the page and keep reading? This novel will have you captivated from the beginning. It deals with a personal struggle that tugs at your heart. Loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness, love......THE BEST MOVIE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN.

One bad decision has put Dominique Dawson's and her brother's lives at stake. Now, she will do whatever is necessary to prevent her brother's untimely death. When she is hired as a governess for the young son of Admiral Chase Randal, she has an opportunity to save her brother's life. Unfortunately, it will mean betraying her country as well as the admiral. Dominique must choose between the family she has quickly come to love or the brother that she has loved for years. Will her faith open a door for her to have both or is she destined to lose all those she loves?

The Falcon and the Sparrow by M.L. Tyndall is an excellent book choice for someone who likes romance, mystery and a little suspense. I enjoyed this book and even stayed up reading it until 2:00 am one Saturday night. I simply had to know what happened. Admiral Chase Randall was an intriguing character to me. One moment he would be teasing; another he would be angry or brooding.

I did not care for the title of the book. I can see why the author chose it because it describes her two main characters. However, it sounds too much like Lori Wick's book series which is set in the same time period and has titles such as The Hawk and the Jewel.

The Falcon and the Sparrow is a wonderful book. I read it in one day. This book has a bit of history, war, mystery, intrigue, love and of course deceit. The author has the ability to make the reader feel the emotion of the characters. I felt like I was a friend but could not protect the female character from harm while she is trying to save her brothers life. I could feel the pain of Chase at the loss of his wife. I could feel the love between the governess and the young boy, William. This book is filled with fast paced emotion.

I love to read stories about the past. This book was filled with information about the state of France and England in the early 1800's. I loved the bits of history that are added to the story. They seem to make the story more real.

I give this book a 5 Star and recommend it to anyone who likes to read a good book without foul language. It is filled with adventure