A review by gemmalaszlo
The Beauty and the Spy by Gayle Callen
4.0
I actually liked this one. It's hard to find captor/captive romances that don't stray into abuse.
From the back cover:
Over her head...
Charlotte Sinclair is seeking a bit of adventure in her life--but that doesn't mean she relishes being kidnapped by a traitor to England! Straying innocently from a crowded ballroom, she overhears a conversation, and suddenly she's a captive of Nicholas Wright. Now Charlotte is forced to go on the run with a devil who's far too attractive for his own--and Charlotte's--good.
Head over heels...
Nick can't believe his bad luck! His mission for the Crown requires that he pose as a criminal, and now this meddling beauty threatens to muck everything up. The last thing he needs is to be saddled with a willful, spirited, and utterly bewitching woman whose stunning sensuality is driving him to distraction. And as duty draws them deeper into peril, Nick is discovering that the greatest danger is one he seems powerless to avoid: falling in love!
And my review:
I've enjoyed Gayle Callen's work before, and this book was no exception. I was a little worried about the whole captor / captive plot, as many authors use this for an excuse to write an abusive hero into the story. But that didn't happen here. Callen never even comes close to the "he rapes her and she loves it" theme. The hero was always honorable. Anything physical between them was completely consensual.
I really liked the heroine in this one. I felt that she was strong and spirited, and never came across as shrewish. Very few authors are about to manage a spirited heroine without having her come across as witchy, but this author did it. I was impressed. A lot of romance heroines are always weak, wailing and helpless. I liked to read about one who had a head on her shoulders and a strong will. It was a welcome change.
I really liked watching the gradual change from adversaries to lovers. I felt that it was really well done and never rushed. It was believable. It was as if the love came along so gradually that it was impossible to pinpoint where it started. Only the very best romances are like that, and I really enjoyed finding another one. I also liked that while the hero and heroine were physically attracted to one another, they didn't just rush into bed together.
However, I did feel that the "spy" storyline was a bit weak, which is why I gave this book four stars instead of five. This book's greatest strength lay in the relationship between the hero and heroine. Whenever the spy plot took over, I found myself skimming, just a little, in order to get back to the romance. The intrigue just didn't capture my interest the way the romance did. But that could just be a matter of personal preference; you'll have to decide for yourself. However, I never felt like the romance was pushed so far away that it was lost in the shuffle. That often happens in these kinds of books, but it didn't happen here.
While this is the second book in a series, you can also read it on its own. I hadn't read the first book, yet I never felt lost. I will be on the lookout for more of this author's books. While it wasn't one for my keeper shelf (very few books are), BEAUTY AND THE SPY was one I never regretted buying, and it was very difficult to put down once I got started. Recommended.
From the back cover:
Over her head...
Charlotte Sinclair is seeking a bit of adventure in her life--but that doesn't mean she relishes being kidnapped by a traitor to England! Straying innocently from a crowded ballroom, she overhears a conversation, and suddenly she's a captive of Nicholas Wright. Now Charlotte is forced to go on the run with a devil who's far too attractive for his own--and Charlotte's--good.
Head over heels...
Nick can't believe his bad luck! His mission for the Crown requires that he pose as a criminal, and now this meddling beauty threatens to muck everything up. The last thing he needs is to be saddled with a willful, spirited, and utterly bewitching woman whose stunning sensuality is driving him to distraction. And as duty draws them deeper into peril, Nick is discovering that the greatest danger is one he seems powerless to avoid: falling in love!
And my review:
I've enjoyed Gayle Callen's work before, and this book was no exception. I was a little worried about the whole captor / captive plot, as many authors use this for an excuse to write an abusive hero into the story. But that didn't happen here. Callen never even comes close to the "he rapes her and she loves it" theme. The hero was always honorable. Anything physical between them was completely consensual.
I really liked the heroine in this one. I felt that she was strong and spirited, and never came across as shrewish. Very few authors are about to manage a spirited heroine without having her come across as witchy, but this author did it. I was impressed. A lot of romance heroines are always weak, wailing and helpless. I liked to read about one who had a head on her shoulders and a strong will. It was a welcome change.
I really liked watching the gradual change from adversaries to lovers. I felt that it was really well done and never rushed. It was believable. It was as if the love came along so gradually that it was impossible to pinpoint where it started. Only the very best romances are like that, and I really enjoyed finding another one. I also liked that while the hero and heroine were physically attracted to one another, they didn't just rush into bed together.
However, I did feel that the "spy" storyline was a bit weak, which is why I gave this book four stars instead of five. This book's greatest strength lay in the relationship between the hero and heroine. Whenever the spy plot took over, I found myself skimming, just a little, in order to get back to the romance. The intrigue just didn't capture my interest the way the romance did. But that could just be a matter of personal preference; you'll have to decide for yourself. However, I never felt like the romance was pushed so far away that it was lost in the shuffle. That often happens in these kinds of books, but it didn't happen here.
While this is the second book in a series, you can also read it on its own. I hadn't read the first book, yet I never felt lost. I will be on the lookout for more of this author's books. While it wasn't one for my keeper shelf (very few books are), BEAUTY AND THE SPY was one I never regretted buying, and it was very difficult to put down once I got started. Recommended.