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    A Spy's Devotion
    A Spy's Devotion
    A Spy's Devotion
    Audiobook9 hours

    A Spy's Devotion

    Written by Melanie Dickerson

    Narrated by Anna Parker-Naples

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In England’s Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life—but behind closed doors treason and deception thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.

    At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateFeb 9, 2016
    ISBN9781511360739
    A Spy's Devotion
    Author

    Melanie Dickerson

    Melanie Dickerson is a New York Times bestselling author and two-time Christy Award winner. Melanie spends her time daydreaming, researching the most fascinating historical time periods, and writing and editing her happily-ever-afters. Visit her online at MelanieDickerson.com; Facebook: @MelanieDickersonBooks; Twitter: @MelanieAuthor; Instagram: @melaniedickerson123.

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    Reviews for A Spy's Devotion

    4/5

    92 ratings12 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A Regency era Jane Austen style story with suspense and intrigue. A must read for anyone who likes a good, well written spy story set during this time period. This is my favourite genre and where I was disappointed with Erica Monroe's foray into the genre last year, where the spying didn't get much further than the blurb, I am very enthusiastic about this new series by Melanie Dickerson.It certainly doesn't disappoint. The characters have an actual mission to complete, there is a real sense of suspense and danger and the romantic element doesn't take over the story.I liked that Julia doesn't get romantically involved with Langdon too early in the novel. She fights her attraction for much of the story out of loyalty to her spoilt cousin who is determined to marry him. Despite this, their romantic journey is romantic and sweet and at times humorous.I enjoyed the the more menacing characters as well. Julia's uncle was suitably horrible to her and added to the overall feeling of how oppressive her life was becoming under her guardian's care.Julia is a lovely character; kind and full of spark. She handles herself well in sticky situations and tries to resolve things herself rather than waiting around on a man to rescue her.Langdon is a typical English gentleman. He is bit tight lipped about his feelings as he isn't ready to marry. I loved that in his attempts to avoid encouraging romantic aspirations in young women he makes sure to dance once with every girl and never twice with anyone. A rule he is sure to break with Julia.I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The rest of the series is going on my pre-order/ auto buy list.I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      The story is really good, but the narrator... I stopped three times cos she grates at my nerves, but plowed through cos the story is good.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful story of romance and adventure! I loved it!
    • 4/5
      Title: A Spy’s Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)Author: Melanie DickersonPages: 315Year: 2016Publisher: Waterfall PressMy rating is 4 stars.This story is set in London in the year 1811. Julia Grey is the ward of Mr. and Mrs. Wilhern. She has grown up with their daughter Phoebe and been given a good education and social standing due to her association with the Wilherns. Phoebe has her heart set on marrying Nicholas Langdon and enlists Julia’s help in encouraging Nicholas to pay Phoebe attention and perhaps gain his favor. Julia has always tried to follow the rules of society and has felt indebted to the Wilherns as they took her in at a young age and raised her after the death of her parents. In gratitude for their care, Julia agrees to try to steer Nicholas in Phoebe’s direction. However, she sees Nicholas sneak out of her uncle’s office and soon learns her world is about to be changed forever.Nicholas Langdon is on leave from the army recuperating from war injuries. He is shortly due to be sent back to his unit. He has one more duty to perform before leaving and that is delivering a diary of a soldier who was in the camp hospital with Nicholas. The young soldier was dying and asked Nicholas to deliver the diary upon his return to England. Nicholas tries to deliver it, but is assaulted by two thieves who steal the diary. Fortunately, Nicholas has made a copy and delivers this. Upon deciphering the copy, the authorities discover a plot to murder General Wellington. Suspicion turns to Phoebe’s father, but proof is needed so Nicholas is granted leave from his unit to find proof.I thought the author did a good job of engaging me and holding my interest in the story. Julia is a gentle, refined woman with the best interests of others always in the forefront. She has a distant relationship with God, but as the story progresses she relies more on Him. As tensions mount, she is finally able to see how the Wilhern family really sees her. She is willing to risk her life for her country and to save Nicholas from an assassination attempt. I enjoyed the conversations between Nicholas and Julia as well as watching their romance develop. Julia’s optimism and selflessness were admirable.Disclosure of Material Connection: The above is my opinion only. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 3/5
      Predictable, but good. Happy ending of course. I liked Miss Grey.
    • 4/5
      Writer could have chosen a better narrator to promote the book, story seemed a bit stretched out,thankfully the ffwd button helped. With a good narrator this could have been so much better.
    • 4/5
      Miss Julia Grey is an orphan who hs grown up in the home of her mother's relatives, the Wilherns. She regards her cousin, Phoebe Wilhern, as a sister, and Phoebe returns the feeling.

      The elder Wilherns regard her more as a poor relation and useful companion for Phoebe.

      But all seems good until Phoebe falls violently in infatuation with Lt. Nicholas Langdon, a second son who really has to marry a woman with a good dowry--but who has already been burned once. His former fiancée, Henrietta, threw him over for a much older, but also much richer, man. She is now the widowed Mrs. Tromberg. Langdon likes Julia much better, but can't possibly marry without money on either side.

      But all that is as nothing beside the fact that he has brought home from the war a diary given him by a dying soldier who asked him to deliver it to someone at the War Office.

      After an alarming experience, he makes a copy before delivering it to the War Office, which proves to be a good thing when he is attacked on the way there and the original stolen from him.

      Who could have known what he had? He only mentioned the diary once, before he realized what he was carrying. That was at an evening party at the Wilhern residence. And only a few people could have heard him--most notably the old school friend he'd been talking to, Mr. Hugh Edgerton.

      Who is unexpectedly a suitor for Miss Julia Grey.

      Much excitement, of course, follows.

      I wouldn't examine too closely the faithfulness to the realities of Regency England, but there a few screamingly painful inaccuracies. This is a book, unlike many Regency romances, that is aware of the injustices of Regency society, and that they go beyond impoverished ladies having to work as governesses.

      And I like the characters. I'm a sucker for good characters. This isn't great literature, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable read if you enjoy Regency romance with a dash of suspense. And on that basis, recommended.

      I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      SENSUALITY RATING: NO profanity; NO Euphemistic "code words”; NO sexual encounters.GENRE: Regency, Historical, Romance, SpySETTING: London England, 1811CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: JULIE GREY: kind without regard for herself; plays pianoforte and sings well; a woman of proper manners for that day and time. CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER: NICHOLAS LANGDON: a handsome army officer; charming; able to have a respectable conversation; a benefactor.SYNOPSIS: She doted on her cousin, two years younger than her, who had to have him as her husband. He was home convalescing from war injuries prior to returning to the field. As things would have it, they were both needed to save England.WHAT I LIKED: Compassion shown during illness.WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: Julia’s tears. Crying much tooooo much.OVERALL RATING: (4) stars because too much of his dark eyes staring; too much conversation; slightly slow moving amidst all the intrigue.
    • 4/5
      As I have shared on numerous occasions, I listen to audiobooks during my morning walks and am always on the look out for a book that is easy to pick up day after day for an hour at a time. I have read several of Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale retellings and knew that her writing style is a perfect match for my reading preferences. So when I saw that she had written a Regency-inspired novel with spies, I couldn’t resist. I am so glad that I picked up A Spy’s Devotion, book 1 in Dickerson’s Regency Spies of London series. It definitely checked all the boxes — Regency romance, mysterious goings-on, and a clean and inspiring reading experience. Dickerson captures the manners and customs of the Regency period and combines them with the intrigue of the Napoleonic Wars. The characters are endearing and complex, and the romance, which is not without obstacles, still ends in a happily-ever-after. The narrator of the audiobook does a good job of capturing the time and place.A Spy’s Devotion was a great listening experience, and I look forward to reading more in the series.Recommended.Audience: adults.(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
    • 4/5
      Just so you know, this is a clean read!

      I really did find myself enjoying the book. While it's not Jane Austen, Melanie Dickerson has created a world of her own in the Regency period. The period, the clothes, and mannerisms may emulate Austen's world, but it's only because it's staying true to the time period. Julia sounds like a lovely person. She's someone I'd want as a friend. Her cousin, Phoebe, is the opposite of Julia. While Phoebe isn't necessarily mean or hateful, she is bound and determined to get her way with "the man of her dreams." And then we come to Nicholas--a man who knows his own mind and his own heart. But he's got a secret side of him that the ton doesn't know about...
    • 3/5
      I am still, to some extent in two minds about a lot of Christian Regencies. I do like Melanie Dickerson’s books generally, and so I wanted to read her new book and first foray into Regencies. My main issue with books in this genre is that they can be riddled with Americanisms, really cheesy and unrealistic and don’t do any justice to the classics they are meant to hark back to.

      In some ways I was pleasantly surprised by A Spy’s Devotion. I mean there was the occasional slip-up, like using the terms England and Britain interchangeably (this is significant, and not just pedantic-as the army in the Peninsula war was not exclusively ‘English’- there were Irish and Scottish soldiers in it as well), I really don’t think the audience needed to be repeatedly reminded of who Wellington was, and yes there were a few Americanisms in the characters speech. Yet, the book was far from the worst offender in this regard.

      For the most part, the characters were quite authentically and believably British, and yes, it had many of the elements we have grown to love in Regency Fiction, balls and mansions, gowns and gallant suitors, lords and ladies. I did feel that the sub-plot about spying and the plot against Wellington could have been more prominent. At times, it seemed very much in the background, and was overshadowed by the romance aspects, and relationship between Julia and Nicholas Langdon, as well as her cousin and some of the minor characters. There was not too much mushy stuff, which puts me off stories like this, until the end at least, and the characters did seem to genuinely grow and develop, with Julia becoming more brave and self-reliant.

      So yes, there was plenty of intrigue and romance and plenty to keep the reader interested, but I could not help being troubled by the treatment of certain themes and subjects. It’s quite common in books like this for the social expectations of polite society- especially those which applied to women- to be disparaged as ‘stupid’ and ‘repressive’.
      Now, Julia and Nicholas care for the poor and despised in society was entirely commendable- but I cannot say I agree with the depiction of this as somehow exceptional to the ‘goodies’ or Christian characters which one sees in many books. I think even nineteenth century British society was imbued with the idea that charity was a duty, and rich ladies were expected to patronise charities, visit the poor etc.

      It seemed absurd to me the way that Julia seemed to blame all her problems on trying to meet social expectations rather than obeying God’s laws. It was her Uncle’s treasonable activities that bought the family down, and put her in danger, not social expectations. I felt there was too emphasis on ‘following the heart’- which just conveniently happened to line up with God’s will for the main characters, whilst conforming to social expectations was claimed to be opposed to it. I for one don’t believe that social expectation were always irreconcilable with Christian teachings, or that anything which does not line up with modern notions of personal freedom is inherently bad. I think authors need to be more mindful in their treatment of this subject, as they could be- inadvertently condoning morally questionable and dubious behaviour.

      Overall, A Spy’s Devotion was an enjoyable and satisfying read. Not too cheesy so that it insults the intelligence, but also not too heavy-going or demanding. It’s a solid Regency with plenty of merits, and I think Mrs Dickerson has succeeded in making a name for herself in this genre. I would certainly consider reading any follow-up novels in this series. I just didn’t think it was in the same calibre as the books by other regency authors such as Julie Klassen. It’s possible that future books might raise the bar higher though.

      I received a Kindle Edition of this book free from the Publisher for review, and also purchased an Audiobook version of my own volition. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      Title: A Spy’s Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)Author: Melanie DickersonPages: 315Year: 2016Publisher: Waterfall PressMy rating is 4 stars.This story is set in London in the year 1811. Julia Grey is the ward of Mr. and Mrs. Wilhern. She has grown up with their daughter Phoebe and been given a good education and social standing due to her association with the Wilherns. Phoebe has her heart set on marrying Nicholas Langdon and enlists Julia’s help in encouraging Nicholas to pay Phoebe attention and perhaps gain his favor. Julia has always tried to follow the rules of society and has felt indebted to the Wilherns as they took her in at a young age and raised her after the death of her parents. In gratitude for their care, Julia agrees to try to steer Nicholas in Phoebe’s direction. However, she sees Nicholas sneak out of her uncle’s office and soon learns her world is about to be changed forever.Nicholas Langdon is on leave from the army recuperating from war injuries. He is shortly due to be sent back to his unit. He has one more duty to perform before leaving and that is delivering a diary of a soldier who was in the camp hospital with Nicholas. The young soldier was dying and asked Nicholas to deliver the diary upon his return to England. Nicholas tries to deliver it, but is assaulted by two thieves who steal the diary. Fortunately, Nicholas has made a copy and delivers this. Upon deciphering the copy, the authorities discover a plot to murder General Wellington. Suspicion turns to Phoebe’s father, but proof is needed so Nicholas is granted leave from his unit to find proof.I thought the author did a good job of engaging me and holding my interest in the story. Julia is a gentle, refined woman with the best interests of others always in the forefront. She has a distant relationship with God, but as the story progresses she relies more on Him. As tensions mount, she is finally able to see how the Wilhern family really sees her. She is willing to risk her life for her country and to save Nicholas from an assassination attempt. I enjoyed the conversations between Nicholas and Julia as well as watching their romance develop. Julia’s optimism and selflessness were admirable.Disclosure of Material Connection: The above is my opinion only. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”