Taming a Gentleman Spy (The Spies of Mayfair Series, Book #2)
Reviewed by Katie.
I loved this book! The characters come on stage with wounds,
bruises, laughter and longings that are slow-roasted over the fire of daily
life and extraordinary events that were entirely believable. No one is a modern super-character dressed in
Regency clothing, thank you Ms. Andersen!
The hero and heroine are consistent with the era that produced them and are
surrounded by family, friends, obligations, and anxieties that have produced
their unique story.
John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn and Lady
Sibella Winborne have known each other for years but not, for a refreshing
change, as an excuse to rush the romance.
Sibella has observed changes the battlefields of Spain left on Strathairn
and resolved to enjoy nothing more than his friendship … until he kissed
her. Strathairn admits he cares for her
but insists nothing will come of his feelings.
He’s a spy and though the war is over, there is still a need for his unique
talents. So, her family discourages him
from courting Sibella while warning her against hoping for Strathairn to change
professions. Being cruel to be kind, he advises
her to dismiss the thoughts his kiss stirred.
Everyone is sensible and doing just as they ought, which is not producing
the happy result expected.
Of course, romance readers will not be
surprised by this.
Bemused, courted by a gentleman her family
approves of, she first tries to convince Strathairn they’re perfectly
suited. However, she is no femme fatale
and he is nobly determined. Sibella
reluctantly accepts his decision and convinces herself it’s better to accept
the offer she has rather than waiting for an offer that will never come. Strathairn applauds her decision, even goes
so far as to encourage Sibella to put aside doubts about her fiancé.
This story could have devolved in to a
farce, or worse, angst ridden depression.
Instead, it stayed the course; the characters developed well-enough to
carry the tale.
Strathairn had valid reasons to deny
himself wife and hearth. Besides facing
his partner’s widow, he had firsthand experience of how loved ones could be
used as sources of information and pawns of revenge. Suffering from survivor’s guilt, his rest was
seldom undisturbed. He was haunted by
the loss of comrades that received no recognition for their sacrifice, just as
he has and will not. Strathairn was not able
to be anyone’s perfect anything while performing perfectly for his King and
Country. I admired his recognition of
what was inevitable even as I wanted to whisper in his ear, maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones. Wisely, he ignored me, demonstrating his depth
of care for Sibella that went beyond what he wanted for the moment to what he
wanted for her. His reasoning sold him
as both an agent of the crown and a genuine hero. Further, the fact his love for Sibellla was only
a part of the motivation to confront both his past and future instead of using
her as a magik wand endeared him (and the author) to me. That he allowed Sibella time to heal, just as
she had given him that same gift, made me want to sing hallelujah!
Likewise, Sibella was a woman confronting
her twenty-sixth year. Considering the
life expectancy of the time, she wasn’t out of line feeling pressured to fish
or cut bait, and yet, she hesitated because her heart insisted her desires
mattered. She wanted not only a husband,
but a mate - a partner, children and a family that reflected all she knew and
hoped to be. Her love for her family
that was so earnestly reciprocated, the way she made a place for herself while
maintaining her own identity in a large family was a precious depiction of a (real)
Regency woman. I was proud of her for
giving Strathairn more than a couple chances to realize how excellently they
would row together. I equally understood when she let those dreams go; there
was only so much a woman could do - without jumping the shark. Her conflict over her doubts regarding the
menace - uh fiancé were believable precisely because she knew settling for the
image of her dreams would never be as wonderful as having them. Her fears that her family would dismiss her doubts
wasn’t a trite misunderstanding or villainy on the part of her family, it made
sense in context of the situation and mores of the time.
Best of all, the secondary characters were
wonderful, in their own right, in this story, as they stood. They didn’t overwhelm the hero or heroine but
they weren’t passive, two-dimensional cut outs either. I especially adore when a mother is depicted
as a genuinely caring person, foibles and all.
The pacing allowed time for the characters to evolve, for the romance to
mature, and the need for healing to be more than a hand wave. In the end, you have no doubt this couple
will ever settle for the image of romance.
My only
complaint is the book cover that I didn’t see until after I wrote this
review. I know sex sells, but for this
book it’s misleading as far as the contents within. Thank goodness for e-readers where the only
thing exposed is the Scooby Doo band-aid on the scratched surface.
