Book Review: "The Spymaster’s Lady"

Title: The Spymaster's Lady
Author: Joanna Bourne
Sub-Genre: Historical/France and Regency England
Series: Spymaster series, Book I

Take my advice: Don't read "The Spymaster's Lady" just because it's whooshed onto the romance scene like a breath of fresh air. And don't read it because it'll top lots of "Best Books of 2008" lists. Certainly, avoid reading it only because it's the perfect romance to recommend to your non-romance novel book club.

Instead, read "The Spymaster's Lady" because you then can call me a big, silly, lying liar.

You see, for years now, I've been saying romance is all about the heroes. I'm on record as only tolerating heroines as "placeholders," slipping into their fictional skins so I can feel I'm the one falling in love with — and being ravished by — men who are in all ways larger than life.

I know, I know. I'm supposed to be inspired by heroines who use their smarts, paramilitary training and mad kung-fu skills to save the day. But those caricatures of "competent" chicks always leave me cold. Besides, I kinda dig my caricature heroines blushing, virgin and willing to take a little hero crap before the boy falls to his knees and grovels for his happily ever after.

But that was before I made a liar of myself — before I met Annique Villiers, admirable and extraordinary heroine of Joanna Bourne's brilliant, witty and deeply stirring debut novel, "The Spymaster's Lady."

Annique Villiers uses her genius, beauty and spying expertise to steal secrets for her beloved France. She's been doing this since she was a young girl, and plays any role necessary to complete her missions. Now, she's got to save her life by escaping from a horrid jail cell and former colleagues who want to kill her because she knows too much.

Rather than save just her own hide, Annique frees a British spy imprisoned with her, and helps lead him to safety. In actuality, she places herself in the hands of British master spy, Robert Grey, who couldn't be happier that the "Fox Cub" has fallen into his lap — secrets, lovely body and all.

Yet Grey respects Annique's skill and intellect far too much to underestimate her as an enemy — and he's far too attracted to her to treat her indifferently. So while he may use seduction to help win her compliance, he refuses to break her spirit to gain for England the important secrets she hides.

Annique has shouldered alone great burdens for far too long. So even a little kindness from Grey is enough to tempt the woman of heartbreaking vulnerability deep within her. Soon, Annique must decide whether she can trust Grey with the greatest secret she possesses — one far more powerful than any which could topple rival nations.

The heart of "The Spymaster's Lady" is its relentless sensuality. One always is exquisitely aware of the desire and emotion enmeshing Grey and Annique, even during portions of the book concerned mostly with the thwarting of bad guys.

But the soul, ah, the soul of "The Spymaster's Lady," is Bourne's writing. She creates magic in the form of words painstakingly crafted in English, but absorbed by the reader in exotic accents and rhythms. Her prose weaves an enticing tale of intrigue and betrayal. Then, like a master of espionage, Bourne easily and subtly erases any trace of what one thought to be reality.

When you enjoy the stunning experience that is reading "The Spymaster's Lady," you'll have the great honor of meeting Annique Villiers, in all her easy-to-identify-with strength and vulnerability. Your delight in the remarkable heroine will be well worth hearing you call me, "liar." So, please, do take my advice:

Buy the book.

Learn more about Joanna Bourne's Spymaster series at http://www.JoBourne.blogspot.com/