LORD AND LADY SPY

Author: Shana Galen ISBN: 9781402259074 9/2011 HISTORICAL Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA
Time Period: Regency 1815

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

There are some authors that do ‘angst’ romance well (i.e. Laura Kinsale); some that do ‘humor’ well (i.e. Julia Quinn); and then there’s Shana Galen, who, in my humble opinion, is so, so, very good and can do both so very, very well.

Lord Adrian Smythe is a very good spy, employed by the Barbican group, which is a branch of Home Office; but after a successful job, he’s forced to take an early retirement, and that does not sit well with our hero. After all, the life that awaits him is not something that he’s looking forward to. After five years of marriage to Lady Smythe, he’s yet to know this woman he married out of duty. On the other hand, his life as a spy is something he is extremely good at, something that he needs in order to define and absolve him, so he is determined to get himself reinstated and will do anything to that end.

Lady Sophia Smythe has been a spy since she was twelve years-old, and is likewise employed by the Barbican group, who, after her last and only failed job, is being forced into an early retirement. She has been living this double life for so long that her identity of a meek and submissive Lady Smythe persona is something that she is not sure she can deal with for the rest of her life, and as a daughter and sister of spies, she will do anything to get reinstated by the Barbican group.

Lord Liverpool’s brother is brutally murdered, and he decides that he will meet with two retired spies and ask them to investigate the murder, with a proposition that neither Lord nor Lady Smythe can refuse: only one of them would be reinstated! And with that, our hero and heroine are put in very close proximity of each other. The fun doesn’t stop as they’re always trying to outwit, outthink, and outdo each other. Working together also gives them the opportunity to get to finally know each other and to work through some issues that are painful to both.

The author pulls out all the stops in order to bring us a story full of mystery, adventure, and passionate and tender romance, with dialogue between Adrian and Sophia that will have you laughing out loud while keeping up with their antics!

For a fast paced, sensual adventure with a witty and entertaining couple that will bring tears to your eyes, LORD AND LADY SPY delivers BIG TIME!

Melanie Friedman