The Spymaster's Lady

Author: Joanna Bourne
Published: January 2, 2008 (Berkley)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 9/10

Oh dear. It's been a while since I read a book with a cringe-worthy cover. Clearly, I didn't pick this one up based on the cover; I chose it because Jennie told me it was really good and Julia Quinn also recommended it on her site. Jennie, aware of my subway shyness in regards to cravat/waistcoat ripper covers, warned me that the cover was pretty bad. In person, it's worse. Grey's (our hero, duh) chest is bare, but he has this narrow, yet potent love trail heading into those oh-so-tight buckskin breeches and right by that riskily-placed pistol. Gah, just that was enough to make me read this one only at home, and I think my boyfriend was a little disturbed by the cover as well. As I said to Jennie, "At least they didn't emboss his pecs." I suppose I must be thankful for small things.

Scary cover aside, this was a fantastic first book from Joanna Bourne! Grey, one of Britain's best spies, escapes from a dungeon with the help of Annique Villiers, a notorious French agent, and luckily enough, his quarry. Both Grey and LeBlanc, the man who threw Annique and Grey into the dungeon, want Annique for the Albion plans, which detail Napoleon's invasion of England. Grey takes Annique into custody, and it took more than one trained man to catch her, which only goes toward her reputation as an excellent agent. I don't want to spoil anything, but she's fighting with a handicap that makes her an even more amazing heroine.

While she's being held captive by the strangely compelling Englishman, Annique never stops trying to escape, and it's no secret to Grey. They have this constant fight going, and each acknowledges the other's skills, all while being attracted to each other. I'm a very big fan of romances where the hero and heroine can't stand each other, and what better vehicle for that than spy versus spy? Their dialogue is fantastic and smart, and I loved Annique's musings on the strange things love did to a person.

The spying background, which plays rather prominently in this romance, isn't shallow at all. Annique's murky background throws twists into the fate of the Albion plans, as she doesn't want to betray France, but also doesn't want to allow deaths of innocents, both French and English.

Why didn't I give this book a 10/10? There was a point in the book where Grey deceives Annique, and I don't like those situations at all. Thank goodness it didn't last more than a few days.

Bourne is writing another historical romance set during the Napoleonic Wars, My Lord and Spymaster. I can't wait to read it!