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anke_books's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spannende afsluiter van deze trilogie. Niets is wat het lijkt en alles kan verkeerd geïnterpreteerd worden. En wat is het doel van de hoofdpersonen nou echt?
justcatherine's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I'm so conflicted about this book. I loved the history of food safety and a front-seat to the work of the Poison Squad that was begun in 1902 in Washington D. C. by Dr. Wiley. I also learned a lot about the work photographers did for the Department of the Interior as the landscape in Washington was developing during this time period. The history in Camden's novels is always phenomenal and she absolutely knows how to weave it within her stories.
The romance in this book had very Romeo & Juliet vibes from the start. The contention between the Delacroix & Magruder clans was well-established from the first book and a few reminders in this one caught up new readers who might've missed the earlier books (mostly the 1st). This book picked up the story from book 2 after Luke's Cuban imprisonment and addresses his need to rebuild his health so he's able to participate in the human trials being done to test the safety of food preservatives.
The romance with Marianne felt a bit instalove, but not wildly unrealistic. I was uncomfortable with how her home life & her father's treatment of her and the rest of the family was handled in a variety of scenarios. Same with her brother and nephew. It wasn't healthy or safe. Her Aunt Stella being cast out for (spoiler) reasons was framed as a shameful thing, and yet the way the book wrapped was framed as good and godly and right and I was flipping pages as I wound toward the end of the book and wanting so badly for SOMEONE to address things instead of glossing it all as Right and Godly to handle it like they did. This series absolutely ended on a sour note for me. :/
It was wonderful to see the couples from the previous books & a cameo from Ida McKinley. Overall this book wasn't awful, but was definitely more in the realm of okay.
CW: intentional death of a pet (off screen), domestic & child abuse that's largely unaddressed
The romance in this book had very Romeo & Juliet vibes from the start. The contention between the Delacroix & Magruder clans was well-established from the first book and a few reminders in this one caught up new readers who might've missed the earlier books (mostly the 1st). This book picked up the story from book 2 after Luke's Cuban imprisonment and addresses his need to rebuild his health so he's able to participate in the human trials being done to test the safety of food preservatives.
The romance with Marianne felt a bit instalove, but not wildly unrealistic. I was uncomfortable with how her home life & her father's treatment of her and the rest of the family was handled in a variety of scenarios. Same with her brother and nephew. It wasn't healthy or safe. Her Aunt Stella being cast out for (spoiler) reasons was framed as a shameful thing, and yet the way the book wrapped was framed as good and godly and right and I was flipping pages as I wound toward the end of the book and wanting so badly for SOMEONE to address things instead of glossing it all as Right and Godly to handle it like they did. This series absolutely ended on a sour note for me. :/
It was wonderful to see the couples from the previous books & a cameo from Ida McKinley. Overall this book wasn't awful, but was definitely more in the realm of okay.
CW: intentional death of a pet (off screen), domestic & child abuse that's largely unaddressed
acrosstheskyinstars's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
1.0
This was a DNF for me at around 50% of the way through. This was my first try at reading Christian romance and I just don't think it's for me. The thing that made me DNF was the unexpected animal cruelty/death and child abuse. If I had known that one of the characters in this book was abusive to their family, I would not have picked it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
christian_faith_and_fiction's review against another edition
5.0
Story Enjoyment Rating: 10/10 Christian Faith Rating: 2/3
This was my favourite book in the series. You definitely need to read the books in order as this series is sequential, although each book follows a different main character and has its own story, which resolves within the individual book.
The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden is a Christian historical fiction novel set in Washington, DC, in 1902. It is the third book in the Hope and Glory series.
This story follows two main characters from two different families who are at war (so to speak) with each other. It has a kind of Romeo and Juliet romance. There is a conflict surrounding the family businesses, and this story follows that, as well as concluding the wider story that has taken place throughout the series.
My favourite thing about this book was the characters and the difficulties they faced in being together. I loved the character development of the main characters. I found both their inner and outer struggles compelling. I also enjoyed meeting characters from the previous books again.
The couple's Christian faith was evident throughout the book. It changed and grew as the characters grew but it was not the main focus of the story.
I definitely want to read more series by this author.
This was my favourite book in the series. You definitely need to read the books in order as this series is sequential, although each book follows a different main character and has its own story, which resolves within the individual book.
The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden is a Christian historical fiction novel set in Washington, DC, in 1902. It is the third book in the Hope and Glory series.
This story follows two main characters from two different families who are at war (so to speak) with each other. It has a kind of Romeo and Juliet romance. There is a conflict surrounding the family businesses, and this story follows that, as well as concluding the wider story that has taken place throughout the series.
My favourite thing about this book was the characters and the difficulties they faced in being together. I loved the character development of the main characters. I found both their inner and outer struggles compelling. I also enjoyed meeting characters from the previous books again.
The couple's Christian faith was evident throughout the book. It changed and grew as the characters grew but it was not the main focus of the story.
I definitely want to read more series by this author.
forestidylls's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent and compelling, tackling family loyalty, chemicals in food, and background secrets. I'm usually not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet stories, but this was very well done.
farhana101's review against another edition
4.0
*3.75 stars
Got this as an arc, very well written and engaging. I didnt know it was the third and last book in the series but it can be read as a standalone. Cute romance, very PG (havent read a sweet innocent book in a while lol).
Got this as an arc, very well written and engaging. I didnt know it was the third and last book in the series but it can be read as a standalone. Cute romance, very PG (havent read a sweet innocent book in a while lol).
farmfreshlisa's review against another edition
4.0
Very good but Grays story I think is my favorite! But loved the challenge to label food and identify long term harm in preservatives.
rusticreadingal's review against another edition
4.0
What a great ending to this awesome series! The Prince of Spies was another fantastic historical romance from Elizabeth Camden.
One of the things I love most about Camden's books is the fact that they're filled with little known historical facts. And I love that it's always presented in a way that makes me want to learn more about the subject. It always takes me longer to read one of her books because I'm constantly looking up information about the subject and trying to learn as much as I can about it. I love it when a book can make history fun.
Similar to book one, The Prince of Spies takes a look at the food industry in the early 1900s. This time around we're introduced to the Poison Squad. I had no knowledge of the Squad beforehand so learning about them was extremely interesting. A group of brave young men put their lives on the line as human test subjects to ensure food safety. They were fed countless amounts of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, borax, benzoate, salicylic acid, etc. These chemicals were routinely used in food production and the Poison Squad was testing to see if they were safe to eat and what the side effects might be. They were crusaders in the fight for food safety and I'm forever grateful for what they did.
There's a bit of a Romeo and Juliet feel to this book. The Delacroix and Magruder families had been feuding for decades. To say there was bad blood between them is an understatement. So even though there was an attraction between Luke and Marianne, a relationship between the two seemed like it was destined for failure.
I've loved Luke since book one and I was so excited to get his story. He's a wild and restless soul but the very best guy out there. He's just an all-around good, upstanding, God-fearing man fighting for what's right.
Marianne... Oh where do I begin? I struggled with a lot of her decisions. I could understand where she was coming from but there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her and tell her to open her eyes and see the truth about her family. The Magruders absolutely infuriated me. They were downright despicable at times and I wanted her as far away from them as possible.
I've greatly enjoyed my time with the Delacroix family and am sad to say goodbye to them. If you're a fan of historical fiction, this series is a must read. These books are top-notch, impeccably researched romances. I can't recommend them highly enough.
One of the things I love most about Camden's books is the fact that they're filled with little known historical facts. And I love that it's always presented in a way that makes me want to learn more about the subject. It always takes me longer to read one of her books because I'm constantly looking up information about the subject and trying to learn as much as I can about it. I love it when a book can make history fun.
Similar to book one, The Prince of Spies takes a look at the food industry in the early 1900s. This time around we're introduced to the Poison Squad. I had no knowledge of the Squad beforehand so learning about them was extremely interesting. A group of brave young men put their lives on the line as human test subjects to ensure food safety. They were fed countless amounts of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, borax, benzoate, salicylic acid, etc. These chemicals were routinely used in food production and the Poison Squad was testing to see if they were safe to eat and what the side effects might be. They were crusaders in the fight for food safety and I'm forever grateful for what they did.
There's a bit of a Romeo and Juliet feel to this book. The Delacroix and Magruder families had been feuding for decades. To say there was bad blood between them is an understatement. So even though there was an attraction between Luke and Marianne, a relationship between the two seemed like it was destined for failure.
I've loved Luke since book one and I was so excited to get his story. He's a wild and restless soul but the very best guy out there. He's just an all-around good, upstanding, God-fearing man fighting for what's right.
Marianne... Oh where do I begin? I struggled with a lot of her decisions. I could understand where she was coming from but there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her and tell her to open her eyes and see the truth about her family. The Magruders absolutely infuriated me. They were downright despicable at times and I wanted her as far away from them as possible.
I've greatly enjoyed my time with the Delacroix family and am sad to say goodbye to them. If you're a fan of historical fiction, this series is a must read. These books are top-notch, impeccably researched romances. I can't recommend them highly enough.
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I love Elizabeth Camden’s books! She really makes history come alive through her fabulous characters and stories. I thoroughly loved this series and was sad to see it end. The Prince of Spies is Luke’s story. Luke is the mischievous handsome rogue whom you can’t help but love. He’s a little too daring and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. His family has a long standing inter generational feud with the Magruders.
When Clyde Magruder becomes a congressman, Luke’s main goal is to bring him down. When Luke helps a beautiful woman rescue her nephew’s dog from icy waters, he is immediately smitten. Unfortunately, the beautiful woman turns out to be Marianne Magruder, the daughter of his sworn enemy. Will love prevail, or will a bitter family feud prevent these two star crossed lovers from being together?
If you love the rogue with a heart of gold, you’ll definitely enjoy this series and especially The Prince of Spies. The characters are richly drawn with several layers. This could be read as a stand alone, but it is much more enjoyable to read as part of the series in order to fully appreciate the plot and the mentions of other characters from the previous two books. Highly recommend this series!
When Clyde Magruder becomes a congressman, Luke’s main goal is to bring him down. When Luke helps a beautiful woman rescue her nephew’s dog from icy waters, he is immediately smitten. Unfortunately, the beautiful woman turns out to be Marianne Magruder, the daughter of his sworn enemy. Will love prevail, or will a bitter family feud prevent these two star crossed lovers from being together?
If you love the rogue with a heart of gold, you’ll definitely enjoy this series and especially The Prince of Spies. The characters are richly drawn with several layers. This could be read as a stand alone, but it is much more enjoyable to read as part of the series in order to fully appreciate the plot and the mentions of other characters from the previous two books. Highly recommend this series!