We are lucky enough to taking part in the blog tour for It Takes a Spy by Sheridan Jeane!
For a little sneak peak and a chance to win just keep on reading....
The Blurb
In 1851, Cecilia Paring has serious reservations about marrying her fiancé, Devin Montlake. Gone is the boy who could capture her heart with a word or a glance and in his place is a man who has made it clear that to be a proper barrister's wife, the exciting and impulsive Cecilia must change as well.
Although Devin Montlake loves his orderly life as a barrister, he's determined to follow his roadmap to achieve his goal of becoming a judge. His biggest obstacle seems to be convincing his headstrong fiancée to fulfill her social obligations with a modicum of propriety.
But when the jewelry collection belonging to Cecilia's family is stolen the night before it is to be auctioned off and Devin is framed for the crime, he discovers that following his much-loved rules won't solve this particular problem. He'll need the inventiveness of his irrepressible fiancée to catch the thief.
My Review
In the 1990's a young teenage girl with a romantic streak settled down to watch a TV programme by the BBC; that programme was Pride and Prejudice staring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This young girl was catapulted in the world of regency romance and a love of all things Mr Darcy. As a consequence she went and bought Jane Austen's book. It was her first introduction to romantic fiction with strong Alpha male and fiery heroine and it left her with a lasting love of historical romances.
Fast forward 2014 and the young teenager is now a married mother. Who, in between nappy changes and feeds, settles down to read an ARC copy of It Takes a Spy and reads it in one sitting. Now, lets get one thing straight, I'm not saying that this book is the new Pride and Prejudice. What I am saying is that it's an entertaining, period set romance.
The story takes place over one evening and follows an engaged couple, Cecilia and Devin. I found the both the main characters very likeable and well rounded. They developed over the course of the story and I found myself routing for them. The book is very well written; It reminded me of a good old fashioned romp with daring escapes and a thrilling chase through the streets of London. Not to give away any spoilers but the end chapter was rather hot and not something you would see in Miss Austen's novels!
I found it a quick and easy read, a highly enjoyable one at that.
If we had a rating system, I would give it 4 out of 5 chocolate bars.
*ARC copy received in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
“Trust you?” She narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion. “I don’t trust anyone who says ‘trust me.’ Aren’t you the boy who put frogs in my teapot when Evangeline and I were having a tea party at Sir Timton’s lawn party?”
The knot in Devin’s stomach eased at her bantering words. “Your memory is faulty,” he said, using a teasing tone that mimicked hers. “It was his daughter’s birthday party. And if you’ll put your mind to it, you’ll recall that you said you planned to kiss one hundred frogs in order to find your prince. I was simply trying to help you on your quest.”
The childhood fantasy had suited her. She’d always looked like a princess to him, with her pale hair framing her face like a shimmering crown of gold. Even though her hair was darker now, when he looked at her, he could still catch a glimpse of that child.
His princess burst out laughing. “I’d forgotten about that plan. How did you even know about it?”
“It was common knowledge.” He recalled his half-thought-out plan to appear when she’d kissed her one hundredth frog. Well, perhaps it had been more of a daydream. She’d kiss her last frog and then look up to find Devin waiting for her. The daydream ended there. After all, he’d been five years her senior.
Of course, he’d been more whimsical back then. At least, he’d tried to be. Being around Cecilia seemed to have that effect on him. She leached the rigidity from him, making him feel unconstrained and free to be himself.
Even now he was amazed at the way fate had thrown them together. Would he have even met her if she hadn’t lived so close to him? Would he have fallen in love so irrevocably? He knew Miss Cecilia Paring. He knew her deep down to the tips of her toes and the corners of her soul. He’d seen her splashing in the rain puddles after a storm until her dress was soaked all the way through. He’d seen her caring for an abandoned baby bird, allowing it to perch on her shoulder all day, leaving white droppings on her dress. He’d even seen her slamming her hand against the piano keyboard with frustration when she couldn’t move her fingers fast enough to master a new piece.
“Did you ever make it all the way to one hundred frogs?” he asked. He would have missed it, since he’d left not long after that party to attend Oxford.
She didn’t respond for a moment, and he began to think she wouldn’t, until she finally said, “Of course I did. I found my prince, didn’t I?”
About Sheridan Jeane
Sheridan Jeane writes exciting and emotion-packed historical romances set in the Victorian Era that confront issues of trust and conformity.
With the advent of the industrial age, life was changing. Many people tried to hold on to the old ways of life while others embraced the new opportunities open to them.
Join Sheridan as she explores the clash between the old and the new.
Sheridan has always loved books, history, and stories about amazing people who blaze new trails.
Despite naming their daughter Sheridan because they thought it might someday look great on the cover of a book, Sheridan's parents urged her in a more practical direction for college. Sheridan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a minor in English.
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