swirlofspice's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded up. I know it was for the plot, but was really not a fan of the main guy’s controlling/nature and anger, so wasnt necessarily rooting for the couple.
ccgwalt's review against another edition
4.0
While I enjoyed the first two books in the series just a smidgen more, I still thought A Counterfeit Heart was excellent and a great finish to the Secrets and Spies trilogy. I think I like the other two books a little more because the characters are traveling and/or running from bad guys, often on the continent. Here, most of the action takes place in London, and a lot of it takes place at Richard's residence or at ton events, so this feels a little more ordinary. But still, it's a lovely sexy story.
sm_almon's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable end to this series - I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author.
loverofromance's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Sabine de la Tour wants a fresh start away from her past. Sabine has worked as a talented counterfeit agent for Napolean, but wants to change, to improve herself. She never wanted to be who she has become, but certain circumstances left her no choice. So along with her closest friend, they leave France and leave for England for a time. Sabine has a plan, a plan which if it works will leave her with more than enough funds to make a fresh start, but there is one problem, she must work with Richard Hampden and he is not making it easy. Richard doesn't trust Sabine, especially with her record of being a criminal, but the more they work together, the more Richard starts to weaken his resolve against her and he realizes how much he admires her and her strength and desire to keep her by his side.
I was swept away by this book, and I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Even the writing isn't five star reading for me, it was still engaging and I really enjoyed the set up of this story. Our hero having worked as a spy, and our heroine having worked creating counterfeit money for Bonaparte....it definitely adds a unique mix of chemistry and tension for sure. And even though these two are enemies of sorts, it also wasn't as angsty as I thought it would be and I was relieved by that. Their relationship seemed to progress so smootly, and we also see them grow quite a bit. Our hero learns compassion and understanding and our heroine learns about making the right choice and standing up for what she believes in. Sabine especially learns quite a bit about herself as well. I believe that this story really focused quite a bit on her journey. Sabine isn't hardened or cynical, and even though she does like her rebellious side, and seeing who she can trick at times, she is also wanting to better herself. She didn't have it easy, and was left an orphan as a teenager, and had to find her own way to survive. With the history surrounding France around this time, and we also see that she hasn't liked what she has had to do and wants to find a new way of life.
The romance that builds between Sabine and Richard was quite fun to read, I will admit. These two had me laughing so very hard. Richard is so serious all the time, and Sabine has a playful side to her character. And she tends to play tricks on Richard especially when he gets all alpha he male on her. Yeah makes for a lively and entertaining read for sure. Her counterfeit talents definitely gives her an edge in certain ways that I reveled in. It is quite entertaining to see them go at it, and the way they just work and fit so well together. Their chemistry is pretty explosive, and man can Richard make a girl swoon. Some of these scenes between them were sexy as sin and I just wanted more of this author when I finished this one.
The story is pretty exciting though, on top of the actual love story, we also have a solid suspense and dangerous plot line, dealing with criminals wanting to destroy England which definitely adds a certain edge to this book that creates a finalizing touch that is just right!! My first read by this author, and it won't be the last, I can't wait to read the previous books.
[foogallery id="38725"]
Sabine de la Tour wants a fresh start away from her past. Sabine has worked as a talented counterfeit agent for Napolean, but wants to change, to improve herself. She never wanted to be who she has become, but certain circumstances left her no choice. So along with her closest friend, they leave France and leave for England for a time. Sabine has a plan, a plan which if it works will leave her with more than enough funds to make a fresh start, but there is one problem, she must work with Richard Hampden and he is not making it easy. Richard doesn't trust Sabine, especially with her record of being a criminal, but the more they work together, the more Richard starts to weaken his resolve against her and he realizes how much he admires her and her strength and desire to keep her by his side.
I was swept away by this book, and I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Even the writing isn't five star reading for me, it was still engaging and I really enjoyed the set up of this story. Our hero having worked as a spy, and our heroine having worked creating counterfeit money for Bonaparte....it definitely adds a unique mix of chemistry and tension for sure. And even though these two are enemies of sorts, it also wasn't as angsty as I thought it would be and I was relieved by that. Their relationship seemed to progress so smootly, and we also see them grow quite a bit. Our hero learns compassion and understanding and our heroine learns about making the right choice and standing up for what she believes in. Sabine especially learns quite a bit about herself as well. I believe that this story really focused quite a bit on her journey. Sabine isn't hardened or cynical, and even though she does like her rebellious side, and seeing who she can trick at times, she is also wanting to better herself. She didn't have it easy, and was left an orphan as a teenager, and had to find her own way to survive. With the history surrounding France around this time, and we also see that she hasn't liked what she has had to do and wants to find a new way of life.
The romance that builds between Sabine and Richard was quite fun to read, I will admit. These two had me laughing so very hard. Richard is so serious all the time, and Sabine has a playful side to her character. And she tends to play tricks on Richard especially when he gets all alpha he male on her. Yeah makes for a lively and entertaining read for sure. Her counterfeit talents definitely gives her an edge in certain ways that I reveled in. It is quite entertaining to see them go at it, and the way they just work and fit so well together. Their chemistry is pretty explosive, and man can Richard make a girl swoon. Some of these scenes between them were sexy as sin and I just wanted more of this author when I finished this one.
The story is pretty exciting though, on top of the actual love story, we also have a solid suspense and dangerous plot line, dealing with criminals wanting to destroy England which definitely adds a certain edge to this book that creates a finalizing touch that is just right!! My first read by this author, and it won't be the last, I can't wait to read the previous books.
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="38725"]
bananatricky's review
4.0
Although this is the third in a series it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
Sabine de la Tour is a french counterfeiter. She and her best friend Anton have fled to England en route to America to escape a corrupt official who wanted to keep the counterfeit currency she had created. Her cunning plan is to blackmail the English spy who had relentlessly pursued her to prevent her destabilising European currencies by flooding the market with counterfeit money.
Richard Hampden, Viscount Lovell will do anything for his country but the greatest regret of his life is that he couldn't catch the notorious counterfeiter Philippe Lacorte. When a beautiful Frenchwoman arrives at his door late one night claiming she is Lacorte at first he is incredulous but she quickly proves her credentials. They strike a deal, Sabine will help Richard uncover a group of English Bonaparte sympathisers and in return he will pay her £10,000. Oh, and she won't flood England with millions of pounds of counterfeit currency.
As plot and counterplot intertwine with blackmail and coercion Richard and Sabine become ever more involved with each other. But when both are harbouring secrets what chance does love have?
This definitely passed the Georgette Heyer sniff test for me (for the bemused, this means that it seems to have the same sort of historical accuracy/inaccuracy eg use of conge lack of modern colloquialisms etc).
I liked this very much. The plot was fast paced and furious, there were numerous strands interwoven and each of the characters was engaging and interesting. I haven't come across K.C. Bateman but I would say this was just as good as the books I read recently by [a:Elizabeth Hoyt|16202|Elizabeth Hoyt|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1478279465p2/16202.jpg].
Highly recommended if you liked the scheming of [b:The Scarlet Pimpernel|136116|The Scarlet Pimpernel|Emmuska Orczy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406764899s/136116.jpg|750426], the dastardly French and the plucky Englishmen who outwit them (and fall in love with complex Frenchwomen).
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Sabine de la Tour is a french counterfeiter. She and her best friend Anton have fled to England en route to America to escape a corrupt official who wanted to keep the counterfeit currency she had created. Her cunning plan is to blackmail the English spy who had relentlessly pursued her to prevent her destabilising European currencies by flooding the market with counterfeit money.
Richard Hampden, Viscount Lovell will do anything for his country but the greatest regret of his life is that he couldn't catch the notorious counterfeiter Philippe Lacorte. When a beautiful Frenchwoman arrives at his door late one night claiming she is Lacorte at first he is incredulous but she quickly proves her credentials. They strike a deal, Sabine will help Richard uncover a group of English Bonaparte sympathisers and in return he will pay her £10,000. Oh, and she won't flood England with millions of pounds of counterfeit currency.
As plot and counterplot intertwine with blackmail and coercion Richard and Sabine become ever more involved with each other. But when both are harbouring secrets what chance does love have?
This definitely passed the Georgette Heyer sniff test for me (for the bemused, this means that it seems to have the same sort of historical accuracy/inaccuracy eg use of conge lack of modern colloquialisms etc).
I liked this very much. The plot was fast paced and furious, there were numerous strands interwoven and each of the characters was engaging and interesting. I haven't come across K.C. Bateman but I would say this was just as good as the books I read recently by [a:Elizabeth Hoyt|16202|Elizabeth Hoyt|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1478279465p2/16202.jpg].
Highly recommended if you liked the scheming of [b:The Scarlet Pimpernel|136116|The Scarlet Pimpernel|Emmuska Orczy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406764899s/136116.jpg|750426], the dastardly French and the plucky Englishmen who outwit them (and fall in love with complex Frenchwomen).
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
starkling's review against another edition
4.0
Weak last third of the story. But pretty good beginning and middle. I was looking for a change of pace where the female lead had no blue blood or wealth. This fits the bill perfectly.
manth1975's review
5.0
Sabine and Richards story was fast paced and captivating, with plenty of humour. I liked how the relationship spiralled beyond their control and love was a pleasant suprised. A griping and exciting book.
s_brina's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
A bit of a let down after To Steal A Heart but entertaining enough.
chymerra's review
4.0
I find the times around the French Revolution very fascinating. I haven’t read a lot of books, romance and otherwise, that even touch upon it. If I do happen to read a book in that time frame, references are given but nothing is really talked about. So, when I read the blurb for A Counterfeit Heart, my attention and interest were immediately caught. I was also really happy to see that it was book 3 in the Secret and Spies series. Having read A Raven’s Heart, I was curious if Richard would get his story and who his love interest would be. I wasn’t disappointed.
The plotline of A Counterfeit Spy was surprisingly action packed. Mostly, when I read a historical romance, it follows a set plotline and this one deviates from that. Which made it very enjoyable for me to read. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a historical romance that is standard…meaning that the heroine is sweet but weak, the hero is strong and tortured and there is a dastardly villain that is easily defeated thrown in. With this book, though, those stereotypes are rewritten. The heroine is most definitely not weak and thinking about it, she really wasn’t sweet either…lol. The hero is strong but I wouldn’t say that he was tortured. He held guilt over several incidents in the past but, for the most part, they didn’t carry over into the present day. The villain was not easily defeated either. He was actually carried over from the 2nd book and I believe he started in the first one (didn’t read it).
Sabine, I liked. For that time, she was an anomaly, a woman who didn’t need a man to survive. She only went to Richard because she needed the money to escape to America and build a new life for herself. She was also very sassy and wasn’t afraid to put Richard in his place. She also was very secretive but she needed to be. She had some pretty powerful people who were after her alter ego, Philippe Lacorte. I thought it was pretty refreshing to read about a heroine who was a criminal and who was honest about it. I mean, she did approach Richard about working for him and had no shame about admitting about her criminal past.
I couldn’t get that into Richard in the beginning of the book. I think it was because he came across as so harsh in the beginning of the book when Sabine appeared on his doorstep. But he did grow on me as the book went on. I think the reason I didn’t really like him was that he was so intense, so focused on getting that group arrested but he wasn’t afraid to use Sabine to make that happen. But he did grow on me during the book. I could tell that he had growing feelings for Sabine and that his actions were being influenced by them.
The romance between Richard and Sabine was a slow burn. I mean, you know that it was going to happen but I love how the author chose to stretch it out. Feelings were conveyed with a look and a touch. Everything was built up so that when they finally kissed (and had sex), my pages just about combusted. And it didn’t stop with that one scene. Every scene after that was the same way and I was pretty impressed by that. It is very rare that an author can have sex scenes that are as good as the first one.
The end of the book kept me on my toes. So much went on in such a short amount of time that I did have a small issue following everything. There were a couple of plot twists. One I saw coming and one took me by surprise. But still, even with the twists, I was very happy with the ending.
How many stars will I give A Counterfeit Heart: 4
Why: A wonderfully written historical romance that had a great plotline and relatable characters.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes
Age range: Adult
Why: Violence and sex
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
The plotline of A Counterfeit Spy was surprisingly action packed. Mostly, when I read a historical romance, it follows a set plotline and this one deviates from that. Which made it very enjoyable for me to read. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a historical romance that is standard…meaning that the heroine is sweet but weak, the hero is strong and tortured and there is a dastardly villain that is easily defeated thrown in. With this book, though, those stereotypes are rewritten. The heroine is most definitely not weak and thinking about it, she really wasn’t sweet either…lol. The hero is strong but I wouldn’t say that he was tortured. He held guilt over several incidents in the past but, for the most part, they didn’t carry over into the present day. The villain was not easily defeated either. He was actually carried over from the 2nd book and I believe he started in the first one (didn’t read it).
Sabine, I liked. For that time, she was an anomaly, a woman who didn’t need a man to survive. She only went to Richard because she needed the money to escape to America and build a new life for herself. She was also very sassy and wasn’t afraid to put Richard in his place. She also was very secretive but she needed to be. She had some pretty powerful people who were after her alter ego, Philippe Lacorte. I thought it was pretty refreshing to read about a heroine who was a criminal and who was honest about it. I mean, she did approach Richard about working for him and had no shame about admitting about her criminal past.
I couldn’t get that into Richard in the beginning of the book. I think it was because he came across as so harsh in the beginning of the book when Sabine appeared on his doorstep. But he did grow on me as the book went on. I think the reason I didn’t really like him was that he was so intense, so focused on getting that group arrested but he wasn’t afraid to use Sabine to make that happen. But he did grow on me during the book. I could tell that he had growing feelings for Sabine and that his actions were being influenced by them.
The romance between Richard and Sabine was a slow burn. I mean, you know that it was going to happen but I love how the author chose to stretch it out. Feelings were conveyed with a look and a touch. Everything was built up so that when they finally kissed (and had sex), my pages just about combusted. And it didn’t stop with that one scene. Every scene after that was the same way and I was pretty impressed by that. It is very rare that an author can have sex scenes that are as good as the first one.
The end of the book kept me on my toes. So much went on in such a short amount of time that I did have a small issue following everything. There were a couple of plot twists. One I saw coming and one took me by surprise. But still, even with the twists, I was very happy with the ending.
How many stars will I give A Counterfeit Heart: 4
Why: A wonderfully written historical romance that had a great plotline and relatable characters.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes
Age range: Adult
Why: Violence and sex
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
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