While I liked this, I felt very little emotional attachment to the characters and mainly kept reading to find out what happens. This is one of the more lackluster books of the series, in my opinion. Not enough spy daring-do, too much moping around or being seethingly resentful, and while Penelope had a backbone, I would have liked her to exhibit it much earlier and more forthrightly than she had. ( )

Back in familiar ground with a feisty female lead character in strong-willed Penelope, I really, really enjoyed the Indian setting. I was a huge fan of M.M. Kaye's historical romance novels as a teen and Willig has captured the rich exotic locale beautifully. I also enjoyed the spy intrigue and the palpable tension between Penelope and Alex, but I was left baffled as to why the title for this one refers to a blood lily considering Marigold seems to be the "flower spy" this time. Google to the rescue, I came across the following answer provided by Willig:

"Since the spy in the book is called the Marigold, the title was originally The Something Something of the Something Marigold (all of my titles start out with lots of somethings and eventually graduate to real words), but the marketing powers that be deemed “Marigold” an insufficiently sexy flower. I didn't want to change the name of the spy, so we compromised. The spy stayed the Marigold, but the title changed. Rather than naming the book after the spy, I put an SOS out on my website, asking readers which flower reminded them most of Penelope. After many suggestions and much deliberation, the blood lily won out. It had a flair that seemed to suit Penelope’s fiery spirit."

Well, good grief on the marketing folks!

I was a bit deflated by the ending to this one and I have to say, the parallel, modern day story of Eloise and Colin is just getting down right Boring for this reader. Here is hoping Willig spices things up a bit in the next installment. ( )

A marriage of convenience that is remarkably inconvenient for for all parties concerned sees Penelope Deveraux married to Lord Frederick Staines and on her way to India. Freddy has been appointed a special envoy. Freddy isn't at all qualified unless there is a secret need for someone to drink, play cards, and cavort with women not his wife. Penelope is as outrageous as possible to cover her regrets.

The journey to Hyderabad gives her a chance to meet Captain Alex Reid who is a representative of the British leader of Hyderabad. She immediately takes him in dislike and suspects him of all sort of things, not the least of which is treason.

Freddy neglects Penelope badly once they get to Hyderabad and she comes to depend on Alex for companionship. A letter from home also puts her on the alert for the Marigold, a French spy. All sorts of adventures happen including venomous snakes, long journeys through the countryside, and more spies than seem possible.

This was an engaging story set in a country and time that is new to me as a reader. I loved the descriptions. I also loved getting to know Penelope better and coming to understand why she was the way she was in the earlier books.

I am also enjoying the story of Colin and Eloise as they get to know one another better. Colin certainly has an interesting family with all sorts of conflicts. ( )

Entertaining, mostly as a romance, but not as well written or intriguing as other charming mysteries I've read recently. ( )

Romance novel set in India during the 1800s. A loveless marriage, followed by meeting the man of your dreams = a real bummer...

Charming woman (Penelope), who isn't exactly concerned with propriety. Books like these make me SO happy I was born when I was! ( )