Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
The Spymaster's Lady
Unavailable
The Spymaster's Lady
Unavailable
The Spymaster's Lady
Audiobook11 hours

The Spymaster's Lady

Written by Joanna Bourne

Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

She's braved battlefields. She's stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She's played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can't outwit...

British spymaster Robert Grey must enter France and bring back the brilliant, beautiful-and dangerous-Fox Cub. His duty is to capture her and her secrets for England. When the two natural enemies are thrown into prison, they forge an uneasy alliance to break free. But their pact is temporary and betrayal seems inevitable as the fates of nations hang in the balance.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 4, 2010
ISBN9781101457856
Unavailable
The Spymaster's Lady

Related to The Spymaster's Lady

Related audiobooks

Romance For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for The Spymaster's Lady

Rating: 4.147660647660819 out of 5 stars
4/5

342 ratings35 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is technically classified as romance, but it's more of a historical fiction adventure story for chicks. This was recommended by Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series. If you enjoyed Outlander you'll enjoy this one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I bought this book in an independent bookstore about a month ago and I'm glad I did! This was a great book to read. Annique Villiers is an extremely interesting spy, who has developed a flair for changing herself into a particular character/role for certain situations. You might even say she's a bit of a chameleon. Her cleverness has earned her the name "Fox Cub." But no amount of experience has prepared Annique for her match in the form of Robert Gray.

    Every country has its own spy network. Gray represents England. Annique represents France. The attraction between the two is both undeniably strong and dangerous. If their "alliance" reached the wrong ears, it could spell doom for both of them and throw both nations in deep turmoil.

    Joanna Bourne allows us to wonder if it is possible for love to free us from the complicated ties that come with the job. A rogue's life is never easy, but Ms. Bourne makes it seem worthwhile.

    *Special Note*: There are a few sexual scenes, but I am happy to report that the book is primarily focused on the plot.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Seriously awesome.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book should win an award! It was one of the best romance books I have read in years, and I look forward to what Joanna Bourne writes in the future. The attention to detail, the surprising plot twists, and the depth of the characters all contributed to a solid read. Add to that the research on the thought process of spies that didn't sound like a lesson. Plus the thought-provoking dialogues that made you see the world differently, and the way the two characters fell in love with each other through respect, then admiration, for the other's abilities and character. On top of that were the love scenes that didn't use the same euphemisms and descriptions that everyone else has. The Spymaster's Lady is a rare treat to savour.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As anyone that follows me on GoodReads (or other social media) knows, I read a lot of romance novels. Especially of late. I always star them, but I rarely write actual reviews unless the book is so extraordinarily offensive/bad or good except for something I feel should be mentioned, or just a book that I love endlessly. Believe it or not, all of these are fairly rare occurrences. Even the offensive one.

    But this book. Man. Never ever ever has a book more rightly deserved the phrase, "never judge a book by its cover."

    Don't get me wrong, it is a romance novel. There are all the elements of a romance novel. But it's so much more than a muscled guy in a billow-y white shirt would have you believe. As I mentioned earlier, I read a lot of romance novels, and even the authors I truly adore, I'm not sure I would be able to pick them out of a lineup. Not to say they don't have unique voices, but for the most part, you know what you're getting out of a 19th century romance novel.

    That is not what you get with The Spymaster's Lady. To start off, Joanna Bourne's voice is utterly unique in the realm of the romance novel. The tone, cadence, and rhythm of the book is like no other romance novel I've read in memory. The heroine is a blind, French spy. The hero is a leader of the English spies. The plot revolves around Napoleon planning to invade England. But though there are elements of melodrama, there's not the distance from the ugly parts of spying and war that you would expect to find in a novel of this genre. Annique has seen much, done much, heard much and she is not left unaffected, but she is also not prone to flinging herself dramatically upon coverlets and bemoaning. She's resourceful and intelligent and fierce and humourous and wholly a unique heroine.

    The hero is far from the typical alpha male, chest-beating military hero one comes to expect. But neither is he the other option of someone that is totally undermined and defeated by Annique. Robert/Grey is resourceful in his own right, respectful of Annique's abilities, and a steady human being even when he is madly in love with his enemy.

    I will say, that for all that I've read a million of these, I actually didn't expect the twist nearish the end. I also couldn't have told you how they would conclude things. It was such a refreshing, palate cleansing, remarkable read I had to write a review for it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not so much a historical romance as a spy thriller with plenty of love interest thrown in for good measure.

    English and French special agents pursue one another across France and England on the trail of Napoleon's top-secret plans for invading England.

    The excitement and suspense are maintained by feats of derring-do reminiscent of comic book superheroes. Knives and bullets miraculously hit their mark, spymasters read the thoughts of their captives, and both goodies and baddies transcend time and space to appear in the right place at the right time.

    All good fun, as long as the reader doesn't stop to think about the plot holes and implausibilities.

    The first volume in the Spymaster series had me hooked from the opening pages and I was more than happy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the action — for the most part. One or two elements of the story were way over the top and had to be brushed aside as minor annoyances.

    Kudos to Ms Bourne for avoiding the easy way of representing foreign English (with nonstandard spelling and punctuation) and going with the far more difficult option of imitating foreign sentence structure. It's a pity she didn't go the extra mile and clean up her frequent lapses into modern English idioms.

    A splendid page-turner and a perfect antidote to bleeding-heart romances or serial killer procedurals.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A very good and enjoyable book, although I didn't 'feel' the relationship developing (lack of romance and therefore 4 instead of 5 stars). Good plot, wonderful historical atmosphere.
    This author is now on my auto-buy list.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fascinating historical romance full of subterfuge that held my attention throughout. I liked how the romance evolved as the hero adjusted his beliefs. I thought all the characters were powerful and will be reading other books in this series. French spy Annique is trapped in prison with British spymaster Grey.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The story was fun and reminded me of The Three Musketeers at times, but I couldn't figure out why the h/h fell in love -- it felt more like instalust and a very convenient secret identity than like a HEA to me.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was a turgid read.

    Not only that, but I thought the heroine was slightly foolish, until she (this superclever spy-type person) turned the corner into TSTL territory when she started blabbing her secrets to a dude she couldn't see while on a lovely stroll through the south of England. Who, you know, happened to be a spy--for the other side. Kinda. But how would she know? She's fucking blind. But not mute. Sadly.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I liked, but didn't lurve, this book. Probably because I don't especially care for espionage stories, although this one was very well plotted. Call me frivolous, but I like my historical romances with a little more glamour -- balls and dresses and matched pairs of greys.

    This book though is very well written, and as others have mentioned the author has a sharp ear for dialogue. I will probably read Hawk's story, as he was a delightful secondary character.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love romances, but this book should not have a chest on the cover. It is not a typical romance in any way. It is extraordinarily unique, haunting, gripping, and achingly sad at times.

    The writing is choppy like you'd expect if you were watching a dubbed foreign film, and yet at times, the prose is positively poetic. The author has woven an incredible tale through the darkest of times, and I am not surprised that there's a quote from Diana Gabaldon on the front cover.

    I bow in awe of Ms. Bourne's writing skills. Bravo!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I liked this more as it went along. The hero and heroine are both brave, smart, capable, and likable people at their core (though they definitely do unlikable things from time to time), and they have interesting jobs, and a very complex relationship. This kept my interest. I also really liked how the French characters had believable word choices and perspectives and that Bourne didn't just write "she said in a French accent" and call it a day.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is rather outside my usual reading lists, although I do like a good historical fiction from time to time. It was a combination of a comment from a friend and a hilarious takedown of the ridiculous cover that made me throw caution to the winds and take a chance on the book. Overall, I liked it all right, although I was from time to time very annoyed with each of the main characters for acting foolishly or inexcusably. The best parts of the plot were the history and the intrigue; it's worth reading for that.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It's clear the currently reading shelf in my world. This was like a 3.75

    That...sounded bad. It's just that I mostly listened to the audio which was addicting for this book but I am terribly slow at.

    There's some aspects that just didn't work crazily well for me. We knew Annique so well, but I felt less of a sense of Robert, even though frankly, I was pretty hot for him. I felt like certain plot points were so well developed and others weren't.

    I was a little disappointed in how neat the ending becomes. I have lots of quotes but not a lot of time, so I'm not sure why I started this whole thing...There was some beautiful writing, but I'm not sure the whole captive to lovers while trying to kill each other and love each other thing worked for me.

    To be continued, if I feel like it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the good ones, I mean this is one of the books worth rereading.

    Yes, I really enjoyed this book. It was witty, intriguing, suspenseful and I loved the characters. Moreover, I loved the fact that the heroine was an intelligent, competent and strong willed woman.

    The cover doesn't do it justice though, because this is not your average romance novel. The expression "Never judge a book by the cover" has been invented for this one, (though the male lead is pretty attractive, guess what? He's got brains too and the female has brains also)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    good spy story. could have been a little shorter.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is a great bodice ripper (and delightfully enough, the front cover shows a man falling out of his shirt for a change). I love the beginning, the heroine kicks butt, and despite an extremely far-fetched ending, I know this one will end up on my "re-read" list for years to come.

    It's been awhile since I last re-read, love this story.

    Update: I purchased the paperback version of this book, just to applaud their change in cover!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Solid historical romance. Good, long, slow build up.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fun read! It had a bit of a slow start, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it was worth it in the end. The spy/suspense/intrigue elements of this book actually overshadow the romance, which I wasn't expecting but ended up enjoying. If you're looking for straight up historical romance, though, this may not quite do it for you. I've always had a "thing" for spies, however, so this book was right up my alley. The accents in the audio version were very well done and really added a lot to my appreciation of the book. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The books I like the most are often the hardest for me to review - I put this one off for a while, because I've got nothing to criticize and gushing isn't exactly informative. I don't give out a whole lot of five star reviews, but THE SPYMASTER'S LADY felt just about perfect to me.

    It's worth mentioning that the book appeared on All About Romance's 100 best romances of all time list in 2010. Deservedly!

    THE SPYMASTER'S LADY has twists that will blindside you. It's just jam-packed with plot, very dense. It pits two skilled, ruthless, dedicated spies against one another. Annique and Robert are good at their jobs, which means they're too disciplined to let feelings override professional obligation. Since Annique spies for France, and Robert for England, it's hard to imagine how a romance would work between them. It's no easier for the reader to solve the problem than it is for Annique and Robert.

    It's also wonderfully, intensely emotional. It's raw and rough around the edges. This isn't a light romance, or a sweet one - it's not exactly angsty, either, since Annique and Robert are both too well seasoned to give into angst. Annique and Robert have a relationship built on mutual respect and edged with violence and deception.

    Books like THE SPYMASTER'S LADY only come along every so often. I'll be re-reading this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a tale this author weaves. I was hooked into the plot after the first couple of pages. The plot unfolds with delicacy and great skill. The writing is superb. The tale that is told is enthralling that keeps the reader mesmorized from beginning till the last page is turned. I recommend this book with a thumbs up.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well, you know. I'm sure there are problems with this book, like the fact that it's crack instead of a, you know, nutritious meal. But it is particularly fine romance-adventure crack, and it lifted the burdens of a heavy day off my shoulders. I had to laugh at some of the things the main character got up to. The other characters describe her as ruthless and wily. They understate the case, I assure you. I ended up turning on Les Mis throughout :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As a spy, he's trained to learn everything about the enemy. He knows the colour of her eyes, the village she was born in, the occupation of every member of her family, the way she tilts her head when she smiles, the lilt of her voice when she speaks, the quick spasm of muscles in her back when she primes herself for battle, and even the flash of acceptance in her eyes when she knows she is defeated. Yet Robert Grey longs to know the feel of Annique's hair between his fingers, the taste of her lips as he presses his mouth to hers, the curve of her hip as he strokes her longingly....but this cannot be. He will never know these things...he cannot, for they are enemies.Annique Villiers is a cunning, young french spy. She finds herself captured by an enemy and imprisoned with two British spies, one of them being the infamous spymaster, Robert Grey. They forge an alliance to escape, thus setting in motion an adventure that moves across France and into England....an adventure filled with danger, deceit, spies, murder, secrets, betrayal and loyalty. Annique holds some secrets that can tear apart a nation, secrets she knows can get her killed. She is good at what she does....but she has met her match in Grey. Soon enough, Grey comes to realize he wants more than Annique's spy secrets...he wants her, and she knows it.Annique is a heroine like no other. Born into a family of spies, she has been playing "the game" since she was ten. She is intelligent and witty, sly and tenacious, strong and independent, yet somehow, the author has managed to portray a sweet and innocent side to this heroine. Annique is truly french in her actions, mannerisms, speech and romanticism, making her character even more believable, and the author, a very talented one. For once, I believe that the heroine is better developed than the hero. Grey is a good man, and a formidable spy, and he truly does love our heroine. But it is Annique that steals the story and becomes my favourite character.This is the first book I've read involving spies as central to the plot. I must say, I truly enjoyed the action and intrigue. The plot was cleverly developed with several surprises that left me gasping in disbelief. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, who were witty in their dialogue and charming in their loyalties. I was captivated and enthralled by this story and I now have another author to add to my favourites list.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an outstanding historical romance in large part because of the tense times the hero and heroine lived in with Bonaparte threatening to invade England. Bourne makes you feel as if you are there living this history with them.Annique is the most memorable heroine I have encountered to date (after reading more than 100 historical romance books), and that is putting her ahead of Claire in "Outlander" who held that spot for me before this book.The setting is rich with authenticity, the plot complex and never predictable, and the romance simmers at a deliciously slow pace at first, then boils over in a sensual explosion. The love scenes are not erotic, tough not fluffed over either - perfect for this story.I seldom re-read books, but I am likely to do that with this one in the future. It's a keeper.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book. Annique is my favorite type of heroine; clever, warm and brave. Her relationship with Grey was remarkably believable, with all of its twists and complications. And boy were there a lot of twists and complications! But the hero and heroine get their happy ending and I was left eagerly anticipating the stories of the supporting cast. This book is very well-written and plotted and I highly recommend it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Rating: 4 out of 5 StarsThis is the debut novel for Joanna Bourne, who has since penned a second book in the series. I was drawn to this book because Diana Gabaldon, one of my favorite authors, wrote the cover blurb, and she doesn't do many of those. When it came in the mail I picked it up intending to read the first page and then set it aside for later, but I found that hard to do! This is a very well-written, better-than-average historical romance with original characters and an engrossing, exciting story with a few unexpected twists. Annique is a fascinating heroine, a nineteen-year-old girl who has been employed as a French spy since she was a child. She is cunning and clever, strong and resilient, yet for all her ability to integrate and survive in virtually any situation, she is endearingly sweet and innocent. Grey is not as well developed as Annique, as this story tends to focus much more on the heroine, but he is of course, as strong and smart and brave as she is.This is a smart book that seethes with sexual tension as Annique and Grey play a sensual cat and mouse game across France and into England, joined along the way by two of Grey's fellow spies and pursued by Annique's enemies. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me guessing right up to the last page.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyed this; the heroine (though very irritatingly young) was sassy, resourceful and interesting. A bit of a suspend your belief novel, but enjoyable all the same. The H/H have good sexual chemistry and Bourne manages to carry the reader along with them on their adventure. All in all I would recommend it and will be looking forward to more from this author.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As a historical romance, 'The Spymaster's Lady' is better than most, but based upon the many superlative reviews here and on Amazon, I found this novel to be bit of a disappointment. Perhaps I was expecting too much.The story is fairly formulaic. There are two 'twists' to the tale -one that surprised even me - which serve to hook the reader, but both are quickly and neatly resolved like soap opera devices without any consequences or impact. The intrigue of a French spy and a British spymaster working together falls behind the main plot of their powerful physical attraction to each other, which is unfortunate - the reader is given little chance to connect with either Annique or Grey, and their 'romance' therefore feels forced. He is a standard alpha-male, all flinty eyes and muscles, whereas as she, thanks to the narrative 'voice' given her by the author, sounds very immature. (Grey is also meant to have his own 'voice', but is merely a vaguely British type of hero whose dialogue constantly lapses into American English.) So instead of falling in love with an experienced counterpart, Grey seems merely to dominate and overwhelm the poor child!Annique herself would be a fine heroine, capable and vulnerable in turn, if it were not for the incessant ego-boosting from others that accompanies her throughout the novel ('Damn, he was proud of her!') Sadly, her reputation as a 'cunning', 'formidable', and 'deadly' spy exceeds her. The one valid appraisal comes from a British military man hoping to torture her for information: 'Idiot, idiot woman. What the hell were they thinking, everybody who went around praising her to the skies and calling her a master agent?' My thoughts exactly! Her only talent is for running into traps, and her supposedly heightened senses fail her ridiculously at one point. Rather, she is merely competent and determined in her dealings with the enemy, and blessed with a photographic memory and various exotic talents (juggling and knife-throwing) in the field. But perhaps, as with many heroines, fancying herself in love merely distracts her - as she admits to herself, 'Being in love made her an idiot'!An entertaining story from an author who has obviously done her background research (bar the occasional slip - socks and sweaters in the early 1800s?), but it is the plot carrying the characters and not the other way around. Once the punches have been pulled, the novel is easily forgotten. Indeed, some of the secondary characters are more intriguing than Annique and Grey - Joanna Bourne's upcoming novel 'Maggie', about the French wife of one of Grey's men, will be worth a try! And the cover - please can the UK publishers of these books remember that man boobs are not as appealing over here as in the States? I had to stick a sheet of paper over the front of my copy so that I could read it in public! Really, how old and frustrated do readers have to be to actually be enticed by such blatant illustrations?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My purchase of this book was based on the many rave reviews I hadread. As is sometimes the case when a book seems to be universally beloved, I was reluctant to actually read the darned thing.This time of year is very quiet at my job, and I found myself bored out of my tree yesterday (a Sunday). It seemed like a perfect time to fire up the CyBook and give "The Spymaster's Lady" a try.Fast forward an hour and I am snapping at any poor soul who dares approach me (including my dear father, who is bored and wants to chat). Leave me alone! I. Am. READING!!Holy cow, this was awesome.Okay, I admit that there were some plot points that made me snicker, but Bourne is just a fabulous writer that I could just sit back and relish the occasional absurdity.J'adore Annique.That is all.