Sari RobinsBesprekingen

Prescott Devane grew up in an orphanage run by the late, saintly Headmaster Dunn. Devane moves among Society as an escort for ladies, but the lack of a title means everyone insults him. Naturally, he resents that. The widow Lady Edwina Ross, daughter of a snobby earl, needs Devane to help her find the Society man who is blackmailing her friend. She proposes that they pose as an affianced couple. That's what passed in the first 172 pages of the novel. Also much gnashing of teeth, labeling the blackmailer "that knave" and many musings of the saintliness of Dunn. I'm not sure that I'll bother to read more. I recommend the book only if you're having trouble sleeping.

A romance with mystery that had great potential. Wrapped up a little too quickly with no reaction from her when she found out who he was.

Nick and Lillian were great, time line coinsides with More than a Scandal the next in the series.½

The story between Dagwood and Abigail was great! I love Sari Robins's books, and will continue to keep her on my must buy list. I love the fact that while this is in a series it is completely stand alone, and if you read out of order you will be fine.

**Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques**

Tess had not seen Heath in years, not since her family had fired Heath’s father as her tutor. Now she seems to run into him everywhere, and she wants to know what he’s up to. Is he back for revenge over what her part in his father’s dismissal so many years ago, or has he discovered her secret life as a spy for the foreign office? Tess is determined to find out, but she ferreting the truth of his return proves harder than it seems when she consistently loses her head to passion whenever he is near…

Heath can’t believe that his childhood friend is really a thief, as her accusers state. Yet, as he investigates her in secret, he realizes she is definitely hiding something, and it certainly seems as if there is more to her than meets the eye. But his investigation is thrown off balance as he loses his heart and soul to the beautiful but scandalous Lady Tess Golding.

I have a penchant for historicals, and love those that star strong heroines who can stand independent of the story’s hero. Sari Robins’ heroine in When Seducing a Spy is just such a woman. Having been the center of several scandals, betrayed by her now deceased husband, and left to pull herself up by her bootstraps after finding herself penniless and cut off by her domineering father, she has finally found her backbone after a lifetime of doing what is expected of her, and cowing to the wishes of her father and husband. While we aren’t a part of that growth process, we experience it in her memories, and find admiration for the woman that has grown out of such adversity.

Heath is as aggravating and clueless as they come, but these traits make for a great plot, of course! Truly, if readers did not find Heath aggravating, then the author would not have done her job. Robins ably engenders feelings in the reader that mirror those of Lady Tess as she deals with Heath. While definitely not a bad guy, his ambitions have him working against his better judgment, with the bait of a promising legal career and an advantageous marriage leading him astray.

But Heath soon redeems himself, as his feelings for Tess override his ambitions, and he finally does right by her, no matter the cost to his personal goals.

I’d certainly recommend When Seducing a Spy to anyone who loves historicals with a strong woman cast as the heroine and a few unsuspected twists in a suspenseful plot.

½