My Lord and Spymaster

Truly, I feel so sorry for those readers who feel they absolutely have to dash through every book they pick up --reading it as fast as they can--and wanting it to contain sex, sex, and more sex! Those readers should not read this book, as they just won't appreciate it. As someone mentioned to me just recently, you shouldn't rush ragtime music--and neither should you rush through a book by Joanna Bourne. You need to turn the pages slowly, savoring the beauty or her descriptions, the wit of her writing, the magnificence of her plots, the intelligence of her characters (especially those of the female persuasion) and above all, the feelings that the two main characters have for each other. There is an enormous amount of sexual tension in this story, but it's cleverly disguised as longing. One doesn't feel battered by it, but rather is comforted by the lyricism of the author's prose as she demonstrates her skillful use of the English language, whether she's writing about adventure, history, romance, mystery or a travelogue. How can you not appreciate an author who writes this sentence? ||Outside, one bird woke up to sing ten or twenty notes and then rolled over and went back to sleep.|| I loved her previous book and was practically counting the days until this one was released. I was not in any way disappointed by it, either. It's very different, but also very fabulous! Yes, there are a few little places where the language is perhaps a tad more modern than it needs to be--but they're few and far between. This is a ||real|| swashbuckler. I can't wait for the next one! You go, Joanna Bourne!

No need to rehash the plot for this book as others have done. In a word this book is an "exceptional" read. For the more seasoned romance reader who is tired of the typical "regency/georgian" period romance, what makes this book great is the heroine, Jess. She is not a sappy gentry miss who is looking for love in all the wrong places but a young survivor who has had a chilling past that helped to shape the stunning heroine she is. For this to be a romance she needed a hero who is brave enough to accept her for who she is and to help tear down her defenses so she doesn't have to go it alone. Sebastian is just that kind of alpha male who has strong beta tendencies but will let his heroine be who she was meant to be. They were a perfect couple, each playing off the other in a game that could have both winners and losers. Although there isn't the same kind of intense intimate scenes of Bourne's first book, the sexual tension in the book could be cut with a knife and went long to provide the "ah" moment for this unique couple. But the plot is so intense that one doesn't miss the more typical sexual scenes. Bourne's books aren't your typical Regency period romance and she writes with a style that is fresh and at times challenges the 'typical" romance genre to be more than it is. But with so many historicals just carbon copies of like period books on the shelf, it is exciting to have stories that go outside the box with unique characters and plots (clearly the fact that agencies couldn't work together could be taken right off today;s front pages). For this reader MY LORD AND SPYMASTER was a much more enjoyable read than Ms Bourne's first book in this series because she created such memorable character's conflict and journeys. She kept the plot tight and the tension high: both sexual and suspense. Not all romance readers may enjoy Ms Bourne's style, but for those who are looking for new authors who aren't afraid to step up and take a chance on something new, then this book and her voice is for them. I can't wait for more books by Ms Bourne who could very well be creating a unique subgenre in historical romance.

As far as romances go, this story definitely earns 5 stars. It is truly an unusual romance. The setting is so accurately drawn and the characters so well developed, I was very much engaged throughout and I'm not a romance reader. Each character is complex and intriguing. The attraction between the leads is believable and never melodramatic--a lot of sparks fly. Ms. Bourne's deep knowledge of the English vernaculars and levels of society gives this story the feel of a Dickens novel. Even subordinate characters are fully formed and add multiple layers of depth. And this is superbly done by the author in astonishingly few words. Quite a skill. One could picture the thieves' warren, the ships' recesses, the shipping warehouses stacked with everything from the most basic items to the exotic. Problem with such lush description is they'll have to work hard to capture it all in the movie because fans will have expectations! Highly recommended to those who want a smart, complex, fast moving tale that is out of the ordinary and memorable.

I've been eagerly awaiting this second book by author Joanna Bourne and it didn't disappoint. Great book. Loved it almost as much as her first one, "The Spymaster's Lady", which I have to say is one of my favorite books in recent memory. What an excellent author we have here. While the plot was not as fascinating to me as the first book (to me this story focuses more on the h/h's interaction and somewhat less on an intricate story line and secondary characters, compared to the first book), the main characters are amazing, their interaction with each other so interesting to read and very satisfying, and the overall writing is wonderful. Ms. Bourne says so much but presents it to the reader so indirectly. You really understand what the main characters are feeling without it being spelled out for you, and yet the people in the story still seem so beautifully drawn. Ms. Bourne seems to know how to reach into her characters and, with seeming ease and thru fascinating dialogue between the h/h and other characters (including a ferret in this one!), shows the reader the h/h's deepest fears and hopes, including feelings of stark terror, moments of great bravery, and levels of great romance. This book is highly recommended. 5 stars! Loved it. Kudos to Ms. Bourne.

After a magnificent debut with The Spymaster's Lady, Joanna Bourne shot straight to our keeper shelves. If you love Samantha Saxon and Jo Beverely, then discover the daring adventure, well-crafted plots and compelling romance of this great new author. After her father is wrongly accused of selling secrets to Napoleon, lovely Jess Whitby infiltrates the London underworld for the real traitor only to end up naked in the bed of a rude merchant captain. Not only is she falling in love with him, but he may be the scoundrel she's looking for.Don't miss her debut:The Spymaster's Lady