Customer Reviews

The Spymaster's Lady (The Spymaster Series)

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Consequence brings together two enemies who are forced to become tenuous allies in the most perilous circumstance. Annique Villers , the elusive Fox Cub, is the most brilliant, beautiful and dangerous French Spy. Robert Grey, the Head of the British Section, is a ruthless spymaster. One holds the key to the fate of two countries. The other, the will and determination to unlock those secrets. Both are serving two conflicting masters; one of the world and one of the heart.

Let the Game begin.

An utterly romantic and riveting novel set against the backdrop of France and England during the Napoleonic Wars. Its simply astonishing that this is a debut. I have found when reading some supposedly 'spy' romance books, much of what is the actual daily *life* of a spy is not included. This ENTIRE book is just that -what they do, how they survive and accomplish their mission. This is not ballroom and parlor espionage. Rather its treacherous field operations with weapons, disguise and cunning. The book is full of rich historical detail which completely absorbs the reader. I actually felt like a voyeur, right there in every scene. There wasn't too much nor too little, just enough to keep me hooked. Bourne (author) has an uncanny ability to make even the mundane fascinating. Her characters are full bodied and well defined. And most importantly they DON'T compromise their own beliefs, which makes this novel even more astonishing. How exactly are two enemies going to end up together? Well you'll just have to read it to find that out!

I really think that this book defines what a 'spy' romance should be. If your going to write about spies then please WRITE about spies! Show me what they do and how they do it and I think this book more than does that.

Excellent. Highly Recommended.

Edit- apparently this is technically not a debut. Bourne wrote 'Her Ladyship's Companion' (1983) as well. Unfortunately it is not currently available. The hero is Giles, the young nephew of one of the secondary characters in TSL.

The heroine of this beautifully written novel is a clever French spy named Annique Villiers and her story begins in a dark French prison where she is being tortured by her own countrymen. It is here that she meets hero and British spymaster, Robert Grey, and then, wow--thus begins one wild and wonderful journey from France to London, England. This is the best historical romance I've read in years, no kidding. The plot is incredible with no less than four surprises I did not expect, the first one really shocking and so well written, I had to go back and reread the beginning to see it all laid out on the page. Incredible writing skills. And a very romantic read. I would compare the psychology of the characters to the first Judith Ivory novels, even the earlier Judy Cuevas. These are fantastic characters. It's also a story edged with a real sense of impending danger and yet, there's wit.

One last praise. I know this time period and the writer has really respected her story and setting. Very detailed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I am awed that this is Bourne's first novel. I was blown away by the intricate details and actually felt I was in the story. The spy element has been done so many times, however, not this convincingly. No detail was spared. I loved Bourne's use of languages and Annique was brilliant.

The reason I didn't give "TSL" 5 stars is because while Annique's character was well-developed and delightful, I felt Grey's was not at all fleshed out. In fact, I found myself liking Adrian more as he seemed to have more substance and personality. Also, though there was sensual tension and hero jealousy it was a bit too subtle for me. The ending tied itself up much too easily as well.

I did enjoy 'The Spymaster's Lady' and have put Joanna Bourne on my auto-buy list. Add this one to your keeper shelves.

I bought this for the reviews and D.G.'s blurb. It was definitely better than other debut author's that I have read, and the writing had some definite high points.

The characterization is fantastic. Annique is French inside, outside, upside down. Her thought processes are perfect. I really enjoyed getting into her. The other characters were equally memorable and came to life just as much. I particularly liked Doyle and Adrian. I also liked the names she gave her characters (minus the hero). They didn't have that used and reused feel of so many regency's.

There were somethings that were less than stellar to me. First, I found the story plodding. There was one point where I rather desperately wanted Annique and Grey to stop talking, stop fighting and DO something. I checked the page length and the conversation (admittedly in the bedroom, but still) lasted 25 pages.

My second issue was that the book seems to be mainly about Annique being captured by someone, trying to escape, and getting caught again. I expected better from a super spy. I expected the story to be more driven by her rather than reactionary by her. And it really bugged me that she tells her entire life story to every person she meets (speaking dramatically on my part). What kind of spy tells the truth?

And while I know being overcome with lust is bread and butter to this style of book, I felt it was lathered on a little too thick. Or maybe it is just that I expected more from Annique herself. I expected her to have more common sense than she did. I don't know.

In summary, this book was great for a debut author. I'll probably keep an eye on J.B. to see if her stories improve, but The Spymaster's Lady is not a keeper for me.

I maintain a certain skepticism about the adjective "resourceful" when applied to any romance heroine. Too often the word has less to do with the character's actual ingenuity, than with her ability to sit in the maw of a deus ex machina and say all the right words about how this turn of events confirms the slender few choices she's made in the course of the novel --chief among these being her surrender to the hero, some chapters earlier.

Fortunately, Annique Villiers, heroine of The Spymaster's Lady, is not that sort of lady: tossed into a cell and left to wait for fates worse than death, she calmly constructs a cosh out of a silk stocking and a few fistfuls of scavenged gravel, plays one of her captors for a fool, and then efficiently bashes the man unconscious. It's a hell of an introduction, and the rest of the book only improves upon those first few pages: Annique is simultaneously devilishly ingenious, consistent, and pragmatic --and, for a bonus, beautifully written by author Joanna Bourne, who gifts her heroine with a distinctive, delightful voice. Even the syntax of her thoughts echo Annique's French origins persuasively.

Similarly excellent are Bourne's supporting cast, all blessed (again) with distinctive patterns of speech and thought; for my tastes, Adrian is the standout, but Doyle is thoroughly enjoyable and even the master spies Galba and Soulier are engagingly written. The great secret of the story, although subtly foreshadowed, is by no means obvious, and the plot moves along at a clip, helped along by Bourne's superb prose. Many romance authors these days seem to write in Reader's Digest prose --serviceable but undistinguished. Bourne, to her credit, sounds distinctly and only like herself: her descriptions are evocative without venturing into the self-conscious and her dialogue is crisp, both realistic and entertaining.

My only major quibble is with the character of Grey/Robert Fordham, and that may simply be personal preference: I find it hard to be enthusiastic about the serious and dutiful sort of hero, especially when he keeps such colorful company. (It is noteworthy that Fordham is the only character without a distinctive "voice," which may contribute to my sense of his having been underwritten.) Still, Grey suffers mostly by contrast, and there are many aspects of his character (his frankly middle-class origins, his solicitousness of his men) which reward re-reading.

IN SHORT: One of the best books I have ever read in this genre. I find myself hoping, rather frantically, that Bourne will continue to write in this vein for some time.

Whatever you have heard about this debut author's writing is true. This historical romance goes beyond all conventions of the genre and will expand your understanding of what 'romance" has to offer. This was a top notch thriller, with brilliant evocative wordplay. Bourne's use of language is unsurpassed. The way she structures the character's dialog lets you hear the nuances of French language in your head. Really. The heroine is so very finely drawn that you will feel that she is sitting next to you. I do not exaggerate. Go buy this book. You'll love it.

Annique Villiers is a French spy who, as the book opens, is being held prisoner in a French dungeon by a couple of villains who believe she holds the so called Albion Plans - Napoleon's plan to invade England and they want it. She does know the secret plan (as it is plain from the very beginning) and her inner struggle to decide what to do with them is the underlying plot for most of the novel - will she keep quiet or will she warn the British about it? If she does tell the British she will be avoiding death and destruction but at the cost of giving away France's secrets (number of weapons, men, ships etc) and this is why she is torn. She may not agree with Napoleon but she is French and she is loyal.

But as it turns out she is sharing the cell with two British spies: Grey and Adrian (who has a gunshot wound and is barely alive) and together they manage to escape from the prison but Grey knowing that the Annique is this ultra famous spy, plans to capture her and take her to England as soon as they are out of the dungeon. And hence beings a game of cat and mouse where we are never sure who is the mouse or who the cat is. They are both extremely skilled in their profession, cunning and smart but eventually Grey is the winner for he has the only thing that can subjugate Annique - physical strength.

And so they go about trying to leave France, fighting common foes and fighting each other all the way. Are they allies or enemies? The boundaries of their relationship keep moving as they go along - there is the undeniable attraction between Grey and Annique as well as their growing respect for each other's skills .

And what skills! This is where I say that this book is unbelievably COOL. There is no other word for it. As they shift from French and English to The Courtesan, to The Innocent, to The Master , to The Seducer, through all the fighting sequences that were so thrilling, my heart skipped a few beats a couple of times, I must admit.

But enough about the plot - I cannot talk about much of it as to not spoil the many twists - there is one in particular that left me gasping "Holy Guacamole, did I just read that? Are my eyes deceiving me?" - for where this book really shines is in its writing.

The storytelling is amazing but the writing is simply superb. Joanna Bourne managed to convey the accents of each person and how they speak in such a way, that you have no doubts about who is talking and when. You read Annique's speech and thoughts and you know that she is French. There is also such a cadence in her writing, it is almost like reading poetry:

"He did not touch her, but something in her body reached out and greeted his body as if the two were old friends who had not seen one another for a long time. She did not like it that her body chatted to his in this fashion".

I was awed by the writing, captivated by the heroine, thrilled by the plot , intrigued by all the secondary characters and I can not praise this book high enough. It is hard to believe this is her first book and I have only one question: what's next?

I bought this book because it received mostly positive reviews. I had mixed feelings about it. The first half was a bit slow and there wasn't much romance going on. The second half picked up and was more enjoyable. I felt it was more of a look into the spy world than a romance book. The spy parts were interesting but I buy these books for the romance aspect. I didn't feel these two characters had much chemistry. However the first love scene was very good, but she didn't go into detail about any of the other scenes...just cut to the next day in bed together. If you're interested in spy books with a hint of love story get this, but if you like a lot of romance with a hint of backstory, don't get this book.

Annique Villiers is a French spy and Robert Gray is a English spy - both have been thrown into cell - they decide to work together to escape. When they find out each other identity things get interesting. Lots of intrigue, romance and some real surprises. Enjoy ! Can't wait for her next novel 'My Lord and Spymaster' by Joanna Bourne (due out - Jul 1, 2008)

Before reading The Spymaster's Lady, my favorite romance author was Marsha Canham. I like (accurately) historical romance. I like lots of action. I like heroines who actually DO stuff (besides moan). I like plots that go places. But most of all, I enjoy an author who can actually write. Who understands the art of description (rather than simply loading up on adjectives and adverbs), who builds a scene with tension, and who can write dialogue that is fun, quick, and actually sounds like something someone might say (rather than the kind of garbage you find in bad Lifetime movies). Marsha Canham is good. Joanna Bourne is GREAT. For me, romance novels are to reading what candy is to eating. Not terribly nourishing and, in excess, troublesome, but always guiltily delicious. However, Ms. Bourne's novel came darn close to being nourishing as well as delicious. She's borderline literary to me, with some seriously gorgeous writing and some deeper issues at stake than the "will he kiss her, violently at first, but long enough that she eventually melts and likes it?" fare found in your average romance novel. She maintains a fantastic pace and her prose is delightfully rhythmic. The result was that I stayed up till 3am to read the book in one night when I had to get up to go to work at 7am. Life-wise, not the most sound decision, but I don't regret it in the least. I can't wait to read her other two novels, and look forward to many more.

Note: My only *tiny* complaint is that Annique loses a noticeable amount of competency in the latter half of the novel. In terms of agency, she did better blind!