My Lord and Spymaster (The Spymaster's Lady, #2)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

My Lord and Spymaster (Spymaster #2)

by Joanna Bourne (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 820 ratings · 117 reviews

A daring beauty, she was infamous for taking chances . . .

Raised as a poor but cunning pickpocket, Jess Whitby may have grown into a wealthy young woman, but now she must once again rely on her guile. Her father's been wrongly accused of selling secrets to Napoleon, and he's going to be hanged—unless Jess finds the real traitor in the London underworld. She never dreamed h...more

Paperback, Cover by Judy York, 324 pages

Published July 1st 2008 by Berkley Sensation (first published 2008)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

My Favourite Historical Romance

329th out of 1,128 books — 1,401 voters

100 Historical Romances To Read Before You Die

237th out of 822 books — 906 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,381)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 15, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Shannon (Giraffe Days) by: http://community.livejournal.com/genrereviews/46385.html

Shelves: 2008, historical-romance, mystery-suspense

I just have to say that that hand on her back is really creeping me out. Does it not look like some kind of giant sci-fi spider? It seems out-of-proportion big. And why do the women wear the tackiest clothing on these covers? Anyway...

What we have here is a rip-snorting good adventure story, with political plot, fighting in the alleys, treason, smuggling, mystery and a shade of romance. The romance aspect is not the main focal point of the book but more like a side issue, added in for the genre...more I just have to say that that hand on her back is really creeping me out. Does it not look like some kind of giant sci-fi spider? It seems out-of-proportion big. And why do the women wear the tackiest clothing on these covers? Anyway...

What we have here is a rip-snorting good adventure story, with political plot, fighting in the alleys, treason, smuggling, mystery and a shade of romance. The romance aspect is not the main focal point of the book but more like a side issue, added in for the genre and very "soft". There's only one graphic scene, towards the end, and it's very tasteful. But there is quite a bit of good chemistry and sexual tension - though it seems a bit one-sided, on his part.

Set after the Napoleonic Wars, Jess Whitby's successful merchant (and smuggler) father, Josiah, has been locked up for "questioning" - he's the main suspect for leaked secrets to France that resulted in many British deaths. All the evidence points to him, but Jess knows he's innocent and is determined to find the proof. A very smart girl who runs the Whitby company far more than her father does, she has the allies and the resources and the intellect to figure it out. At the top of her list of possible suspects if Captain Sebastian "Bastard" Kennett, who helped put together the evidence against her father.

Circumstances see them thrown together and Jess finds her attraction to Sebastian getting in the way of her growing conviction that he could be the traitor.

This is a mystery more than a romance, and a rollicking good one at that. The setting and period is wonderfully recreated, with lots of detail and wry humour - the dirty side of London is scrupulously depicted with all its prostitutes and thugs and Secret Service agents laid bare.

Jess is a pretty spiffy heroine: brains, guts and determination set her far above the usual fare. She's canny, resourceful and has a good head for business. My only quibble is that, despite the adjectives used to describe her, she's often the loser in clever banter. I would have thought a woman like her would be able to hold her own better. I did love her ferret, Kedger, though.

Sebastian makes a great hero: the typical attributes are all there: he's tall, dark, strong and ruthless. And sexy. Let's not forget that! He falls for Jess remarkably fast but is quite endearing in it. I mentioned that the attraction seemed a bit one-sided: we get more evidence of Sebastian's interest in Jess than the other way around.

For an historical romance, My Lord and Spymaster is quite original and lots of fun. If you're not big on the romance side of things but you love these kinds of adventure stories, you might enjoy this one. I'm still not sure what the title refers to exactly, though.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

view all 7 comments

Amy In my mind, no. But I have not read any of Heyer's mysteries, only the regency romances. (Not a lack of interest- just lack of time and/or availabilit...more
Dec 16, 2008 08:57am

Sandi Amy wrote: "I read some Victoria Holt as a teen as well, and enjoyed them. But it's been so long that I can't remember them well. If I'm remembering c...more
updated Dec 16, 2008 05:20pm

Jan 03, 2010 Alana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-regency

Jess Whitby has come along way since her time as a street urchin amongst the London underworld. Always good with numbers and at seeing connections, Jess has devised an accounting system that keeps her father's shipping business running smoothly and profitably. But when her father is arrested on suspicion of spiriting British secrets into Napoleon's hands, Jess must use this system and all of her former talents and connections to clear his name and find the real culprit.

While not as good as The S ...more Jess Whitby has come along way since her time as a street urchin amongst the London underworld. Always good with numbers and at seeing connections, Jess has devised an accounting system that keeps her father's shipping business running smoothly and profitably. But when her father is arrested on suspicion of spiriting British secrets into Napoleon's hands, Jess must use this system and all of her former talents and connections to clear his name and find the real culprit.

While not as good as The Spymaster's Lady(though few novels are), Joanna Bourne once again manages to craft a wonderful story with endearing, but flawed characters. Here, belonging to the London underworld has real consequences. Lazarus is no Robin Hood, no merry kind king of thieves so common in fantasy novels. He is the ultimate crime boss - often cruel, violent and ruthless, but possibly with a smidgen of affection stored up for Jess. But Lazarus could never allow simple emotion to undermine his authority over London's most brutal inhabitants, so Jess' meeting with Lazarus is utterly harrowing - it's far from clear that there will be a happy ending.

The only thing that bothered me about this novel was that it seemed like Sebastian was constantly rescuing her from something, and I wanted Jess to hold her own a bit more obviously. Because Jess is feisty, clever and completely uncontainable. Her combined strength and vulnerability is exactly what make her such an intriguing heroine. Sebastian, himself, is quite fascinating - he's been given a back story that allows him to truly understand (at least to a degree) Jess' situation and allows for a believable acceptance and affection to grow between them (once they finally let it). But the problem with the love story was the sheer amount of suspicion and distrust (all well called for, really) that floated between the characters. It's hard to convey a believable romance when the characters constantly think the other is on the verge of betraying them.

I continue to find myself yearning for Adrian's story, though I fear I'll have to wait quite some time - next up is Maggie and Doyle's story. And I have high hopes for that one as well.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 21, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this one better than the previous one, which I had some issues with. I just had a lot of fun reading this book. The open sneaking between Adrian, Sebastian, and Jess was nicely done. I know some people are annoyed with her for making stupid choices, but I quite liked her. I thought she made sounder decisions than the men at times, and she was less annoyingly cocky about it. At he very least, apparently she ran a better business than Sebastian did, although he never does admit it, and the...more

like · see review

Sep 19, 2011 Amanda Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Redonk Nutshell: Former pickpocket hopes to root out the traitor in the London underworld in order to prove her father's innocence, unintentionally enlisting the help of the man who put him in jail

Ah, book three in Joanna Bourne's Spymaster series. The good news is that you don't necessarily have to read these in chronological order in order to understand what's happening. I can speak from experience on this one.

Jess Whitby was raised on the streets as The Hand to London's most notorious crime b...more Redonk Nutshell: Former pickpocket hopes to root out the traitor in the London underworld in order to prove her father's innocence, unintentionally enlisting the help of the man who put him in jail

Ah, book three in Joanna Bourne's Spymaster series. The good news is that you don't necessarily have to read these in chronological order in order to understand what's happening. I can speak from experience on this one.

Jess Whitby was raised on the streets as The Hand to London's most notorious crime boss. When her merchant father showed up and reclaimed her, Jess was reshaped into a presentable woman and Lady. Now an adult, Jess finds herself desperate to prove her father's innocence against the claim he is the notorious "Cinq," an English man slipping secrets to the French. The only way Jess can disprove it is to get her hands on information held by people working against her - Captain Sebastian Kennett, British Intelligence, the British army, etc. She starts out convinced that Kennet, the man who brought the proof of her father's betrayal to light, is actually Cinq. She comes up with a plan to steal documents from him, but her plan goes awry when both he and she end up victims to a band of street ruffians. Sebastian takes Jess under his wing, more or less, while she recovers from her knock on the head. Thus begins the intricate dance of "are they or arent' they, " a game of whether or not these two are friends or enemies. Jess wants to help her father, but Sebastian is convinced her father is guilty.

We get to see some recurring characters - Doyle, Adrian (yay Adrian!) - who all happen to know Jess in some way or another. The attraction between Jess and Sebastian is only amplified by their shared acquaintances, as well as the increasing danger each are encountering as they dig deeper into documentation around her father's supposed treason.

I enjoyed My Lord and Spymaster. Once again, Bourne writes a romance that happens to also be a mystery and adventure. The sexual tension between our two characters winds up predictably, but I didn't really mind since there was so much else going on. Jess is stubborn in her quest, leading her to make several decisions that put her neck on the line more than once. If a rescuing hero isn't your thing, then don't bother picking up this book. We start and end with a rescue of our heroine by our hero, both instances a result from her bad decision making.

Regardless, it's a fun read. The history is fascinating and Bourne's storytelling is top notch.

My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne, 324 pgs, 7/08

Rating: C

Romance: 2/5 Raunch: 2/5(less)

like · see review

Jun 05, 2010 Sandy Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, 2009

I wish I hadn't read Dear Author's review of this book before I finished it. DA had a problem with the writing. She admitted it was good and she liked the style, but something bothered her. Well, I know exactly what that was. Part of the author's style is reversing sentences and repeating things for emphasis. I don't have the book in front of me, but an example would be something like: "Not in a good mood, the Captain." Or "She was thirsty, she was."

Those are terrible examples, but hopefully, t...more

like · see review

Mar 09, 2010 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, historical, romance, series, spy

I read the first book of this series, The Spymaster's Lady, and really enjoyed it. I don't know why I never bothered to pick up the next book in the series when it came out. I finally decided to get it off my wish list and order it. I really wish I hadn't. Everything that I loved about the author's style in the last book was repeated here, but it really didn't work for me.

What I really liked about the last book was the flow of the language. The heroine was French and her thoughts and dialogue re...more I read the first book of this series, The Spymaster's Lady, and really enjoyed it. I don't know why I never bothered to pick up the next book in the series when it came out. I finally decided to get it off my wish list and order it. I really wish I hadn't. Everything that I loved about the author's style in the last book was repeated here, but it really didn't work for me.

What I really liked about the last book was the flow of the language. The heroine was French and her thoughts and dialogue really felt authentic to me. The wordiness didn't bother me because it was all part of the experience of Annique (most of the book was from her pov). That same style was duplicated in this book. What was wonderful and had a great feel for Annique was horribly tedious for Jess.

I thought Jess was going to be really interesting. I mean, with her past she had to have some interesting character motivations. Unfortunately she wasn't anything special. Her actions made no sense to me and even though she was supposed to be some genius mind I honestly couldn't see it. She was a very weak character (even though we're told again and again that she's strong) and caved to whatever pressure was placed on her. It was irritating to read about.

I really didn't like Sebastian's character. He was basically a carbon copy of Grey from The Spymaster's Lady. Grey too was overwhelmingly dominant. He was very much so an "I know best" kind of guy. It worked for him because of his position as spymaster. I didn't mind him overwhelming Annique and controlling her actions because she was the enemy and to act otherwise would be stupid. That does not mean it was ok for Sebastian though. Why exactly is he acting that way? His controlling, egotistical behavior was so irritating.

Now, why exactly did these people fall in love? I really have no idea. One moment they're lusting and hating each other and then the author tells us they're in love. I just disliked the characters and couldn't get into the book.

One thing I do have to admit though... I really want to read Adrian's book. I liked him in the last book and I liked him in this one. I truly hope that he won't be a carbon copy of the other two male leads though.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2010 Mfred rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-historical, romance

Here's the deal: for all that Joanna Bourne subverts genre conventions with her surprising character choices and action-filled plots, she also embraces some of the worst.

By the time I finished My Lord and Spymaster, I just wanted to throttle Jess Whitby. She is really, really, um, REALLY just almost too stupid too live. Any stupider, and the book would have been a tragedy, not a romance.

Unlike many historical romances, Jess is not a lady, a countess, a duchess, etc. She's not a virginal weeping...more Here's the deal: for all that Joanna Bourne subverts genre conventions with her surprising character choices and action-filled plots, she also embraces some of the worst.

By the time I finished My Lord and Spymaster, I just wanted to throttle Jess Whitby. She is really, really, um, REALLY just almost too stupid too live. Any stupider, and the book would have been a tragedy, not a romance.

Unlike many historical romances, Jess is not a lady, a countess, a duchess, etc. She's not a virginal weeping wallflower, either. The daughter of a merchant, she runs her father's business importing stolen or black market goods with great skill. She invented a bookkeeping system that beats all the boys' versions. She's been to Russian prison. AND, she is a reformed street urchin- the former right-hand-man of London's most notorious kingpin.

So when Capt. Sebastien Kennett (the slightly piraty bastard son of a nobleman) proves that her father is Cinq, a French spy for Napolean responsible for the deaths of many Englishmen, Jess decides to use her considerable intelligence and cunning to prove Kennett is the spy and hang him instead of dear old dad.

And in doing so, makes so many stupid decisions and risks her damn neck so many frickin' times, I kinda wanted her to just die already. Bourne is great at twisting the story's plot until maybe, just maybe, you might agree that Jess's only option is the stupidest possible choice in the universe. The one that requires her to basically die until Sebastien steps in for the grand heroic rescue, at considerable risk to his own life.

You might.

If it wasn't such a stupid fucking choice in the first place.

In fact, the story BEGINs and ENDS with Sebastien rescuing Jess. By the end, I kinda had to question her intelligence and cunning-- and wonder, instead, if her whole extraordinary life was really just the luck not to DIE FROM MAKING SO MANY STUPID CHOICES.

Mediating on this book and Bourne's first, The Spymaster's Lady, it dawned on me that these books are not that subversive or that different. Yes, they are well written. Yes, they are wonderfully romantic. But gawd, do the heroine's get rescued over and over and over. And that is traditional, conventional, and also fairly disappointing.

I want a heroine who doesn't need to be rescued, because she is smart enough and strong enough to stand side-by-side with the hero. Do it, Joanna Bourne. I believe in you. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 30, 2009 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was this year's RWA Rita winner in the Regency Historical category, so I thought I'd take a read, since I wasn't familiar with this author.

A very intense story about a captain and a young woman who grew up in the London East End slums, pickpocketing to survive, but who is now an educated young lady running her father's shipping firm.

Sexual tension galore from the moment hero and heroine meet. They each think the other is guilty of being a master spy, Cinq (pronounced the Franch way, I assum...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 18, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-and-historical-romance

Several lines had me chuckling, but the plot and romantic development were lacking.

The character Annique in the first book "The Spymaster's Lady" was exciting and interesting. For some reason, I was not drawn to or interested in Jess in this book. She used to be a thief and later turned respectable. She brilliantly manages and does the accounting for her father's shipping company. When her father is arrested for suspected treason, she applies her thieving skills to search for evidence to clear h...more Several lines had me chuckling, but the plot and romantic development were lacking.

The character Annique in the first book "The Spymaster's Lady" was exciting and interesting. For some reason, I was not drawn to or interested in Jess in this book. She used to be a thief and later turned respectable. She brilliantly manages and does the accounting for her father's shipping company. When her father is arrested for suspected treason, she applies her thieving skills to search for evidence to clear him.

The plot didn't work for me, described in SPOILERS below. I also felt the romantic development was lacking. Sebastian sees her and falls in love immediately. I didn't see her reasons for falling for him other than later in the story he saved her from danger.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
Three or more government agencies had information and or evidence that eventually solved the mystery. These agencies should have compared information, but they didn't. Jess was the one who arranged to obtain a list of dates from one agency showing when spies shipped information to France. She then sat down with the shipping companies and the naval people, and they compared notes to discover which ships went to France at those times. This was the key for solving the mystery. She shouldn't have had to do this. The British Intelligence Service, Military Intelligence and other agencies were in a better position to do this. This part of the plot didn't work for me. She's running around town and putting herself in danger to investigate, while the agencies do nothing other than follow her around. I could accept the weak plot if her activities were clever, exciting, unexpected or entertaining, but they were not.

DATA:
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: two. Setting: around 1800 London. Copyright: 2008. Genre: mystery and historical romance.

OTHER BOOKS:
I've reviewed the following Joanna Bourne books.
5 stars. The Spymaster's Lady. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 7-07-08.
2 stars. My Lord and Spymaster. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 7-11-08.
2 stars. The Forbidden Rose. Copyrt 2010. Review Date 6-14-10.(less)

like · see review

Mar 28, 2009 chanceofbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-read, 2009-keepers, top-100

I enjoyed book 1 a little more, but this was still a very enjoyable book. I love the unusual heroines she chooses. I was a little disappointed to not see more of the characters from the first book. There's an interesting timeline going on in this series where Adrian is a youngish-man in book 1, much older in book 2, and then in the upcoming book 3 he's a teenager again. I'm hoping that she clarifies the timeline at some point b/c my confusion detracted a little bit from my enjoyment of the book....more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 24, 2009 Wicked Incognito Now rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent. Don't let the stupid title fool you, this is a truly unique and well-told historical romance.

My Lord and Spymaster is the sequel to The Spymaster's Lady. I have to give The Spymaster's Lady the edge here, just because the dialogue is so beautifully done in that book that it had me sighing over phrasing again and again.

However, the language and pacing is elegant in this book as well. I love the characters and plot. Everything was just so very interesting, I didn't want the book to end....more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, favorites

I am so happy that this book had Adrian! He is a sweetheart and I loves him :D Lazarus is an intriguing character also...

Quotes I love:
“I want that woman out of my house.”
Adrian shrugged. “I want reliable mail service to St. Petersburg in the winter. We must both live with disappointment. ”

Adrian joined him at the window. “I’ll see you in Garnet Street at midnight, outside the Whitby warehouse. What does one wear to ransack a warehouse? Black, I think, and the charcoal waistcoat. Tasteful, yet u...more

like · see review

Jun 14, 2010 Nadine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, napoleanic-wars-and-spies, spies

This book has the most ridiculous title, and I was prepared to be underwhelmed. I loved Bourne's first book SO much, it was just such excellent fluff, I just didn't see how she could pull that off again. But she did.

Jess's father, a successful sea-merchant, is accused of treason. Sebastian, a slightly less successful sea captain and merchant, believes her father is guilty. Jess believes Sebastian is the traitor, and while investigating him, she is injured, and he cares for her, they find themse...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2012 Juliet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, bad-cover, mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 stars. I would give this a solid 4, but I hated Sebastian too much. Even though I loved Jess, his character kind of ruined it for me. It started in the beginning, because he kept cutting her off when she spoke and just spoke right over her. All of her sentences were 1-2 words, like, "I am--" or "You--" and then he would cut her off and not listen to anything she had to say. It's disrespectful, like he doesn't believe that he might have anything to learn from her. I can't stand people like th...more 3.5 stars. I would give this a solid 4, but I hated Sebastian too much. Even though I loved Jess, his character kind of ruined it for me. It started in the beginning, because he kept cutting her off when she spoke and just spoke right over her. All of her sentences were 1-2 words, like, "I am--" or "You--" and then he would cut her off and not listen to anything she had to say. It's disrespectful, like he doesn't believe that he might have anything to learn from her. I can't stand people like that. It's one thing to listen and then dismiss, and another thing to dismiss before even bothering to listen and consider the words.
The plot of this was not as good as The Spymaster's Lady. I guessed who Cinq was from very early on, although I didn't guess about the partner. It really annoyed me that when Sebastian found out who Cinq was, he didn't apologize for being a clueless dumbass. He should have apologized to Josiah, but instead he just criticized him for not sending Jess away and keeping her safe. Rrrrr!

I thought the most interesting and coolest part of this book was Lazarus' criminal network. The whole idea of the name Lazarus, the Dead Man rising with a new leader, and the Hand, was fascinating. I have always had a thing for master thieves. As a child, I dreamed of becoming one, descending through a skylight on a rope and grappling hook, dressed in black, to steal jewels. Going through the laser trip wires, etc. Ah the dreams of childhood heeheheehehe.
I loved hearing Jess' back story, about her growing up on the streets and how she took over Josiah's business and made it successful. Geniuses are always attractive. It's like reading about people with psychic powers, or master sword fighters, etc. You wish you were like that. Jess is cunning and brave and capable, and a heroine to admire like Annique in Spymaster's Lady. I thought she deserved better than Bastian. I would have liked it if the hero in this story was another master thief or something. Sebastian struck me as an arrogant clod.

I loved Adrian in this. LOVE. (I can't wait to read his book.) I loved the part when Adrian and Bastian steal the list from Col.Reams (which is an awesomely apt name). That was probably one of the only parts I liked Sebastian. I love when the individuals in a team have different strengths and work together. I adore capers and schemes. I thought Adrian was 10 times more interesting than Bastian in this.

As a whole, I enjoyed this despite Sebastian. There wasn't much romance, as much as lust, but the rest of the story made up for it. I think it would benefit from a specific timeline, dates, so you could tell when this book takes place after the first, etc.

About the cover: Isn't Jess supposed to have blond-gold hair? And what's with the creepy hand? Although that is actually a perfect illustration of how unlikable Sebastian is, IMO.(less)

like · see review

Jun 20, 2010 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-victorian, historical-romance, captain-naval-pirate, butt-kickin-spitfire-heroine, bad-boy-badass-s-o-b-rake-hero, mystery-thriller-spies-suspense, series

I really enjoyed this read. Maybe not as much as The Forbidden Rose, but only just slightly less. I love the way the hero remains an s.o.b. and the heroine is as needed in the plot for her intellectual skills in solving a mystery as for the romance. That's one of the things I particularly enjoy about the author's style. The main protagonists don't miraculously change their personalities after falling in lurve. The hero and heroine each have their own purpose, and are determined to fulfill them,...more

like · see review

Dec 12, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-historical

This second book in the Spymaster series was good, but not nearly as intriguing or romantic as the 1st and 3rd. Don't get me wrong, I liked Sebastian (I've loved that name since Never-ending Story) all cutthroat and sexy, as well as Jess, whip-smart and a thief at heart. Is it because I'm getting used to her writing? Maybe, but I think that there were too many different foci, with Aunt Eunice and her mission, Lazarus and Jess' history, and the many many shipping references. Plus I figured out wh...more

like · see review

Sep 28, 2009 Kathleen Burket rated it 3 of 5 stars

Joanna Bourne is fascinated by spies and spymasters and this is the second book that she has written set during the period of the Napoleonic wars (early 1800's). Her heroines in both books are strong women who are actively engaged in espionage, but for completely different reasons. The books are not sequels, but do have a lot of parallels. And despite the fact that I adore a strong heroine, I didn't find the role for these women in the era of history in which Bourne has set her stories believabl...more Joanna Bourne is fascinated by spies and spymasters and this is the second book that she has written set during the period of the Napoleonic wars (early 1800's). Her heroines in both books are strong women who are actively engaged in espionage, but for completely different reasons. The books are not sequels, but do have a lot of parallels. And despite the fact that I adore a strong heroine, I didn't find the role for these women in the era of history in which Bourne has set her stories believable. Since this is not a review of The Spymaster's Lady, Bourne first Napoleonic espionage thriller, I'll concentrate my comments on My Lord and Spymaster (MLSM).

In MLSM, Jess Whitby is the daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate whose father has been accused of passing secrets from an unknown government mole in London to Napoleon's forces in France. It just so happens that years before when Jess was eight years old her father was arrested in France leaving her mother and her destitute. Mother and daughter ended up in one of London's slums without a source of income. Jess became a pickpocket to support them both. Jess came to the attention of Lazarus, the leader of London's criminal underground in that era. Lazarus recruited and trained her as one of his people--no mention what mom was doing during this period. Her father gets back to England three years later, and kidnaps his daughter back (still no mention of mom). Josiah Whitby, her father, and Jess spend many years overseas building his shipping empire which insiders know that Jess is actually responsible for creating because of her aptitude with finance and mathematics. Jess has never forgotten the skills that Lazarus taught her and uses her burglary background to attempt to prove her father's innocence.

Farfetched, over-the-top, ah . . . regrettably, yes. I like imaginative, but I want my fantasy labeled fantasy on the spine. If Bourne would have peopled it with fairies, goblins, elves, and such, and placed it on an earth-like planet, this would have been a great fantasy novel and I would be urging everyone to seek it out. Sadly, this is suppose to be a historical. I think that the RITA committee was tired of all those Regencies with endless ton events and matchmaking mamas. This book is very different from most Regency historicals, but I just couldn't make the leap of faith to buy into it.

I am giving this book three stars. It flows smoothly, has snappy dialogue, and a mystery in which all of the dots are connected at the end. The hero, Sebastian Kennett, is tall, dark, and handsome, and Adrian Hawkhurst, spymaster, is a sweetie as a supporting character. Adrian is in both books, and was a favorite character of mine both times. Conversely, it is not realistic and the back story needed a little more work. (What happened to mom?)
(less)

like · see review

May 13, 2011 Quinn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, regency-victorian-romance, i-own

4.5 stars

The Spymaster's Lady is destined to be one of my top reads for 2011, so I was really interested to see if it was a fluke, or whether Joanna Bourne is one of those too rare, extremely talented authors. There's some good news and some bad news in the answer to that question.

The good news is, The Spymaster's Lady wasn't 'beginner's luck'. I loved this one too. The bad news is, there is no backlist for me to glom. How incredibly exciting to have found a new favourite author, and how disapp...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jul 07, 2008 Heather McCubbin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the first one better as it deals more with the storyline and less with the romance. This one is definitely a romance and not as much historical information as the last book.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historic-romance, 2012

Even though this book took me FOREVER to read - a case of pick it up, read a few pages, put it down - because it was so well written, I had that urge to keep reading. Many other books have failed me when I've done this in the past.

I enjoyed the characters, setting, story but at time was a bit confused as to what the greater picture was as far as the 'who is Cinq' question went as this is the first book I've read by this author.

I loved the dialogue, it felt like the characters were right in fro...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 22, 2011 Margaret H. rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think I like this one least of the three I've read so far. The villain was even more of a dead giveaway than usual, and that rendered the espionage plot significantly less compelling than usual. It also weakened the appeal of the characters; if they are both as savvy as Bourne wants them to be, how they could have missed such an obvious solution? If the romantic connection between the characters had been stronger, I think I would have overlooked the medium-bad plotting, but it too was a bit ha...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2010 Elena rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

Disappointing, after how much I loved The Spymaster's Lady. I thought I'd finally found a historical romance author who wouldn't cause me to rail against the all-too-common hero who thinks that the only appropriate place for the woman he loves is under his thumb, where he makes all the important decisions and protects her from life's evils. But no.

Though I do appreciate the fact that Bourne isn't as obsessed with the nobility as most romance authors who set their books in this period usually are...more

like · see review

Nov 17, 2009 Rose Lerner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I LOVED this book. As with Spymaster's Lady, the hero was a little more alpha than I usually prefer, but also as with Spymaster's Lady I adored the heroine so much it didn't matter. Jess is tough and smart and funny, and she gets to use her talents to do important plot things. I loved her backstory, all of it, and the ways it made her the person she is. And the two of them were adorable together. The bit where they're in bed together and he's showing her how to tie sailors' knots in her hair was...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 20, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was all right - it probably would have gotten a higher review if I didn't love Joanna Bourne's first novel so much. This one had less of a plot to string me along, and not as much personality in the hero and heroine. That being said, it was still a good read - better than a lot of the regency romances I've picked up. It's fun because the heroine is a former pick pocket, and the plot resolves around spying and intrigue rather than fancy balls and debuts into London's Ton, which is traditiona...more

like · see review

Dec 20, 2008 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I liked this book better than the first. I found the heroine to be really interesting and liked her kind-of mad, spacey genius qualities.

2 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2011 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery, romance

First Line: "Once you get a taste for thievery, you never lose it."

This was another great addition in Bourne's Spymaster series. I very much enjoyed meeting the heroine, Jess - a woman who as a child worked for London's top criminal as a well-trained thief and then helped her father establish a successfull smuggling business. I never did grow too attached to Sebastian, our hero. He was a captain (usually one of my favorite types of sexy male) and his relationship with Jess was sweet. I didn't ha...more

like · see review

Sep 14, 2012 Maria Haile rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a terrific and exciting Regency romance with a compelling mystery. I adored the heroine- she was brave and accomplished in the art of staying alive in the slums of London and later in the thwarting of secret agents and criminals while trying to clear her father from charges of treason. The hero was also endearing and irresistible while falling in love with her! The characters are finely drawn and the tension, romance and otherwise, kept me turning the pages as fast as I could! I loved t...more

like · see review

May 31, 2012 Cynthia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Couldn't get past halfway and skimmed the rest. Seemed like a weak attempt to recreate the magic of the first (Lion King 2 anyone?) with good moments here and there but nothing to draw you in. Would be fine if this was just some ho-hum run of the mill author but to have this come after The Spymaster's Lady? Ridiculous. It's ok, Joanna, I still love you and am willing to try more in hopes you can reach TSL's brilliance soon again.

like · see review

Dec 12, 2008 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

After reading The Spymaster's Lady, I was really excited to read the sequel. That book is outstanding! It has a complicated plot, excellent writing, and fun characters.

This book falls short on all marks. The male lead did not seem so much "romantic" as "obsessed to the point of getting a restraining order". The female lead is okay, but somewhat of a twit. She's doesn't fall into the Disney Damsel archetype, as she displays some brains and initiative in getting herself out of trouble.

It felt like...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 19, 2010 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical-fiction, favorites, beachreads

When Jess's father, wealthy trader Josiah Whitby, is arrested on the suspicion of being notorious French spy "Cinq", Jess starts to do some digging of her own to clear her father's name. When she lands on Captain Kennett as the most likely suspect she concocts a brazen plan to pick his pockets in search of information. Jess's little escapade rapidly escalates into a street brawl and near-kidnapping and Kennett must spirit the feisty Jess to safety. Sparks fly, romance follows, as well as one of...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 46 47 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (9)

More editions...

Genres

Romance > Historical Romance

96 users

Spy Thriller > Espionage

14 users

Historical Fiction

13 users

Regency

11 users

Mystery

10 users

Suspense

6 users

Historical Romance > Regency Romance

5 users

Romance > Romantic Suspense

4 users

European Literature > British Literature

4 users

Adult

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Joanna Bourne

Joanna lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge with her family, a medium-sized mutt and a faux Himalayan cat.

She writes Historical Romances set in England and France during the Napoleonic Wars. She's fascinated by that time and place - such passionate conviction and burning idealism ... and really sexy clothes.

More about Joanna Bourne...

Books by Joanna Bourne

The Spymaster's Lady (The Spymaster's Lady, #1)

The Forbidden Rose (The Spymaster's Lady, #3)

The Black Hawk (The Spymaster's Lady, #4)

Her Ladyship's Companion (The Spymaster's Lady, #0)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About My Lord and Spyma...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from My Lord and Spymaster

“I want to climb on top and lace my fingers right down into the marrow of your bones and cast off and fly. I want to sail you like a kite in the sky. I want you holding on to me for dear life.” — 7 people liked it

“I don't know if tea really helps when one feels precarious, but it does give one something warm to hold on to. A kitten would work just as well, but we don't have one at the moment. They will grow into cats.” — 6 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: My Lord and Spymaster
avg rating	preview: My Lord and Spymaster Goodreads rating: 3.89 (820 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2281319.My_Lord_and_Spymaster?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1332796158l/2281319.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2281319.My_Lord_and_Spymaster?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne[/url]

My Lord and Spymaster (Spymaster #2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website