Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
The Pretender (Liar's Club #1)
Rule #1: Never fall in love.
Celeste Bradley captivated critics and readers alike with her unforgettable novel Fallen, which was nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America for Best First Book. Now, she brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun, exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both featuring irresistible heroes who are out...more
Celeste Bradley captivated critics and readers alike with her unforgettable novel Fallen, which was nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America for Best First Book. Now, she brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun, exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both featuring irresistible heroes who are out...more
ebook, 384 pages
Published
April 1st 2007
by St. Martin's Paperbacks
(first published June 16th 2003)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,801)
This was a simply delightful romance - I really loved it! It was a rollicking roller coaster ride of a story, funny, charming, exciting, mysterious and sexy - plus, a happy ending! What more could you want?
I loved Agatha, our heroine. She was so spunky and strong willed! Yet, she was ingenuous and delightful - not to mention she had a delicious figure, and knew how to use it to her advantage when out to get information (or her way) from men. Whether dancing with overstuffed generals or dealing c...more
I loved Agatha, our heroine. She was so spunky and strong willed! Yet, she was ingenuous and delightful - not to mention she had a delicious figure, and knew how to use it to her advantage when out to get information (or her way) from men. Whether dancing with overstuffed generals or dealing c...more
This book was alright. It didn't blow me away but it kept me entertained. I'll look for the other books in the Liar's Club and see if any of them do better for me.
I had a problem with Simon's spy business right away. He thought that Agatha was her brother's mistress (which I can believe) and that she might be a spy too. He kept remarking that she put everything together too well to be anything but a spy. I really started to doubt his intelligence. Agatha's logic didn't really strike me as anythi...more
I had a problem with Simon's spy business right away. He thought that Agatha was her brother's mistress (which I can believe) and that she might be a spy too. He kept remarking that she put everything together too well to be anything but a spy. I really started to doubt his intelligence. Agatha's logic didn't really strike me as anythi...more
Aug 02, 2009
Nisha
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historicalromance,
spies-do-it-better
A spy regency. I should have known. I should have known better than to let my fascination of how chimney sweep/thief/spy Simon Rain would look, if I caught him and dragged him around to be my husband. Delicious, is what I think. Ms. Bradley really did try hard to make something of the spy business, but with a name like the 'Liar's Club' I couldn't really get past a schoolboy clubhouse. And it was Simon's incredible consuming obsession with Agatha, that held me from truly respecting this novel. I...more
re-read July 2010
Oh how I love a good regency spy novel lol
This book was a true comedy of errors. Everyone has their own secrets and machinations and they all keep inadvertently mucking up everyone else's plans.
Simon and Agatha had such chemistry! Even when they were telling themselves to stay away from the other, the tension between the two simply sizzled.
A very light hearted, fun read with just enough angst to keep you from gagging ;)
5 Stars.
Oh how I love a good regency spy novel lol
This book was a true comedy of errors. Everyone has their own secrets and machinations and they all keep inadvertently mucking up everyone else's plans.
Simon and Agatha had such chemistry! Even when they were telling themselves to stay away from the other, the tension between the two simply sizzled.
A very light hearted, fun read with just enough angst to keep you from gagging ;)
5 Stars.
The Pretender was a book that I had picked up on a whim, but having finished it after no more than a day, I am so glad I did get it! I've always been a big fan of strong, intelligent women in books, and our heroine, Agatha Cunnington, fits that bill--and then some.
It takes a sharp mind, nerves of steel, and a bit of a flare for danger to leave everything you know behind you to take on the role of a married woman in regency London, but that's exactly what Agatha does to find her brother Jamie. Hi...more
It takes a sharp mind, nerves of steel, and a bit of a flare for danger to leave everything you know behind you to take on the role of a married woman in regency London, but that's exactly what Agatha does to find her brother Jamie. Hi...more
Wow! I loved the banter between the couple! In fact, I loved Agatha's banter with almost everyone around her. She was different than most of the heroines you find in historical romances, because even though she wasn't worldly, she never missed a beat when confronted with a strange situation. She thrived on the adventure of being thrust into a world of espionage, and even surpassed two of the best spies in England when it came to fitting the pieces of the puzzle together. Even though she was cons...more
Jul 05, 2012
Shannon Hiner
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Regency Romance
Shelves:
regency-romance
I enjoyed this start to the Liar's Club series. Having previously read The Rogue (yep, all out of order) I had high hopes.
A few things bugged me and kept me from rating this 5. First, the heroine, Agatha Cunnington. Most things about her bugged me, but at the top of the list was/is her name. I know I should be more open-minded about character names, but this one really puts me in mind of a chubby spinster aunt. It was so agonizinly distracting that I spent whole portions of the book wincing eve...more
A few things bugged me and kept me from rating this 5. First, the heroine, Agatha Cunnington. Most things about her bugged me, but at the top of the list was/is her name. I know I should be more open-minded about character names, but this one really puts me in mind of a chubby spinster aunt. It was so agonizinly distracting that I spent whole portions of the book wincing eve...more
Jan 02, 2009
Jacqueline
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who enjoys a suspensful historical plot mixed with romance.
Recommended to Jacqueline by:
Owned in personal library
I had orignally read this novel several years ago, yet had stumbled up the book once more, read the synopsis of the book, and bought it without remembering I had read the novel previously. The book was long forgotton, read before I keep track of titles, and while it was not as thrilling to read the secondtime around, I definatly remember why I enjoyed it so much before.
In this novel, the plot is extremely detailed and intricate, quite more so than in your standard historical romances. Containing...more
In this novel, the plot is extremely detailed and intricate, quite more so than in your standard historical romances. Containing...more
This was a really good story, well paced with appealing characters. I was continually delighted with the heroine Agatha and Simon was a wonderful blend of alpha male and indulgent lover.
The single flaw that kept me from giving this a 5 star review is that in the version I read on my Nook, there was a paragraph from another book that was accidently inserted at various scene breaks. It was distracting the first time, amusing the second, and I stopped counting after the fourth. Given that this is...more
The single flaw that kept me from giving this a 5 star review is that in the version I read on my Nook, there was a paragraph from another book that was accidently inserted at various scene breaks. It was distracting the first time, amusing the second, and I stopped counting after the fourth. Given that this is...more
Gönlünü Kimseye Kaptırma / Celeste Bradley(03.07.12)
Ah! Bu kitaba dolu dolu bir yorum yapmak istiyorum.Ama anlatılmaz okunur cinsinden bir kitap olduğu için fazla bir şey söylemek istemiyorum.Bu seneki favori 2. Hist. Kitabım oldu.Okurken çok eğlendim , her satır her cümle beni kahkahalara boğdu.Yazarın mizacı çok eğlenceliydi.Karakterlerini öyle güzel yaratmış ki kitabın konusunu kurguymuş gibi hissetmenizi imkansız kılıyor.Bir solukta bitebilecek bir kitap ama ben okurken gülmekten sürekli kit...more
Ah! Bu kitaba dolu dolu bir yorum yapmak istiyorum.Ama anlatılmaz okunur cinsinden bir kitap olduğu için fazla bir şey söylemek istemiyorum.Bu seneki favori 2. Hist. Kitabım oldu.Okurken çok eğlendim , her satır her cümle beni kahkahalara boğdu.Yazarın mizacı çok eğlenceliydi.Karakterlerini öyle güzel yaratmış ki kitabın konusunu kurguymuş gibi hissetmenizi imkansız kılıyor.Bir solukta bitebilecek bir kitap ama ben okurken gülmekten sürekli kit...more
I've liked Celeste Bradley books in the past. Unfortunately, this first part to the Liar's Club series made me not want to read the rest of the series.
The primary reason for my dislike - the fact that the male lead, a supposed expert in the spy game, made SO MANY assumptions and idiotic mistakes that it was hard to believe that he was supposed to be one of the best. Additionally, the information about which he made assumptions and mistakes could have been easily verified by any novice in the inv...more
The primary reason for my dislike - the fact that the male lead, a supposed expert in the spy game, made SO MANY assumptions and idiotic mistakes that it was hard to believe that he was supposed to be one of the best. Additionally, the information about which he made assumptions and mistakes could have been easily verified by any novice in the inv...more
I describe this book as a romantic suspense in the 1800's. I am not a historical reader, they don't usually hold my interest, but The Pretender had a great mix of the old world, plus introduced the readers to the Club of misfits that protect the crown at all cost, even at the cost of their own lives. Agatha was a complete fun to read, she has sass with smarts and wits. Simon was enough to make you swoon. If I had one complaint about this book is at times, it seemed a bit descriptive for me, but...more
Jul 08, 2012
Kristen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2012,
historical-romance
If you enjoy great historical romances, this is the one. Celeste Bradley does it best here, when she introduces us to two different people cut from the different cloth: Agatha Cunnington, who's looking for her brother, and Simon Raines, someone who works for the Liar's Club, a prestigious club for men to gather information and spy for their country. Two world do collide when Simon and Agatha meet. It's not an easy relationship. Once they stop, they can't get enough with each other. There's dange...more
Really, really good book. I'm so happy to finally read a story where the hero isn't born a lofty lord, yet is a bastard chimenysweep. I also love how strong Bradley made her heroine. Now, a lot of heroines end up having some redeeming qualities, they can usually be counted upon to swing whatever is near them in event of attempted capture, and most don't swoon on site of thieves and bandits. But Agatha was a haroine I could be proud of. She's very clever and was an enjoyable person to spend a day...more
I liked "The Pretender." Simon and Agatha are great characters, especially Agatha. Simon's incredibly hot, and it's fun to see their relationship develop and how much Simon grows to respect Agatha's talents and abilities.
If I had one complaint, it seems like the plot points are driven too much by coincidence -- and sometimes Agatha seems just silly instead of resourceful and clever.
It's great being introduced to the other member of the Liars Club that I hope to read about in the remaining books...more
If I had one complaint, it seems like the plot points are driven too much by coincidence -- and sometimes Agatha seems just silly instead of resourceful and clever.
It's great being introduced to the other member of the Liars Club that I hope to read about in the remaining books...more
อกาธาเป็นลูกกำพร้า เมื่อพี่ชายของเธอหายตัวไป เธอก็ถูกบังคับให้แต่งงานกับเพื่อนบ้านที่หวังจะฮุบสมบัติของเธอ ดังนั้นเธอจึงหนีเข้ามาในลอนดอนเพื่อตามหาพี่ชายของเธอ
อกาธาปลอมตัวเป็นหญิงที่มีสามีแล้ว แต่เมื่อต้องไปเข้าร่วมงานเลี้ยงต่างๆ การไปคนเดียวคงไม่เหมาะ ดังนั้นเธอจึงต้องหาคนมาเป็นสามีกำมอละของเธอ
ไซม่อนเองก็ตามหาเจมส์ พี่ชายของอกาธาอยู่เช่นกัน แต่ด้วยเหตุผลที่ต่างกันโดยสิ้นเชิง เขาคิดว่าเจมส์คือสายลับที่ทรยศ เขารู้ว่าอกาธาเกี่ยวข้องกับเจมส์ด้วยเหตุผลบางอย่าง แต่ไม่รู้ว่าเธอคือน้องสาวเจมส์ ไซม่อนปล...more
อกาธาปลอมตัวเป็นหญิงที่มีสามีแล้ว แต่เมื่อต้องไปเข้าร่วมงานเลี้ยงต่างๆ การไปคนเดียวคงไม่เหมาะ ดังนั้นเธอจึงต้องหาคนมาเป็นสามีกำมอละของเธอ
ไซม่อนเองก็ตามหาเจมส์ พี่ชายของอกาธาอยู่เช่นกัน แต่ด้วยเหตุผลที่ต่างกันโดยสิ้นเชิง เขาคิดว่าเจมส์คือสายลับที่ทรยศ เขารู้ว่าอกาธาเกี่ยวข้องกับเจมส์ด้วยเหตุผลบางอย่าง แต่ไม่รู้ว่าเธอคือน้องสาวเจมส์ ไซม่อนปล...more
I always enjoy a good series opener and this one was excellent! I really enjoyed the character of Simon because he was so funny, I loved his chimneysweep ruse, and he had that alpha personality. I liked how he was a good leader and I enjoyed his back story because it helped put in perspective why he was the way he was. Although I enjoyed his loyalty to his country I thought at times it was a bit much. He should have made more of an effort to be with Agatha. Our heroine on the other hand I had is...more
Took me a bit, mostly because I got smacked down by a vile headache, but...
Ms Bradley, where were you 20 years ago, when I was so desperate for humor in my romances that I read Catherine Coulter of the moronic heroines and asshat heroes because they were occasionally funny? Gaaah....
So our h is on a mission to figure out where her brother has gone and avoid marriage to a douchebag. She's using one of THOSE names (most kids blame it on the dog, she and her brother blamed it on an invisible person...more
Ms Bradley, where were you 20 years ago, when I was so desperate for humor in my romances that I read Catherine Coulter of the moronic heroines and asshat heroes because they were occasionally funny? Gaaah....
So our h is on a mission to figure out where her brother has gone and avoid marriage to a douchebag. She's using one of THOSE names (most kids blame it on the dog, she and her brother blamed it on an invisible person...more
Aug 25, 2008
Mojca
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
celeste-bradley,
historical-romance,
regency,
part-of-a-series,
series-liars-club,
georgian,
own
Miss Agatha Cunnington is in dire need of a man. In search of her missing brother, James, she has ventured to London as Mrs. Applequist, but needless to say, her dear Mortimer does not exist. Now, with callers banging on her front door demanding to meet this elusive, adventurous Mortimer, Agatha snatches herself the first man available – a chimneysweep, Simon Rain. He’s an immediate success and the newlyweds promptly receive a pile of invitation for social gatherings.
Agatha has no intention of d...more
Agatha has no intention of d...more
I am currently reading The Pretender by Celeste
Bradley.
The Pretender
Celeste Bradley
Historical Romance
358 Pages
Rule #1: Never fall in love.
Celeste Bradley captivated critics and readers alike
with her unforgettable novel Fallen, which was
nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance
Writers of America for Best First Book. Now, she
brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun,
exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both
featuring irresistible heroes who are out to steal
their leading...more
Bradley.
The Pretender
Celeste Bradley
Historical Romance
358 Pages
Rule #1: Never fall in love.
Celeste Bradley captivated critics and readers alike
with her unforgettable novel Fallen, which was
nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance
Writers of America for Best First Book. Now, she
brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun,
exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both
featuring irresistible heroes who are out to steal
their leading...more
Apr 25, 2012
Desiree
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-romance,
voluptuous-curvy-heroines,
favorite-covers,
heroine-bad-girl-improper-wild,
hh-spy-secret-agent,
2-star-reads,
books-i-sold-or-donated,
dhasg-challenge-2012,
fams-bf-gf-friends-bf-gf-sibs-bff,
forbidden-love-offlimits-jailbait,
hero-mix-of-alpha-and-beta,
heroine-past-rape-assualt-attack,
heroine-scandal-rumors-gossip,
heroine-virgin,
hh-hostage-captive-kidnapping,
mistaken-id-secret-id-impersonation
2 stars.
This was a disappointment and I don't think I'll be trying this author again. I might but it's unlikely.
I read the first 40 pages and I got bored. So from there I skimmed and skipped the next 150 pages. After that I started reading it more completely.
The last half of the story was good and entertaining. However I did have a problem with one major thing. Simon and James are spies but they both (mostly Simon though) seemed really stupid. There were so many moments where neither Simon no...more
This was a disappointment and I don't think I'll be trying this author again. I might but it's unlikely.
I read the first 40 pages and I got bored. So from there I skimmed and skipped the next 150 pages. After that I started reading it more completely.
The last half of the story was good and entertaining. However I did have a problem with one major thing. Simon and James are spies but they both (mostly Simon though) seemed really stupid. There were so many moments where neither Simon no...more
The first in the Liar's Club series, The Pretender is an enjoyable read with humor and light intrigue. There's a strong hero who is intelligent and patriotic, and a strong heroine who is intelligent and resourceful. There are some really great secondary characters, such as Feebles the pickpocket, Button the very sartorial valet, and Robbie the chimneysweep. A quick, fun read, but not a keeper for me.
One of my favourites, this sweet tale is unusual for Regencies in that the hero is not titled but baseborn. Simon Rain was a chimneysweep as a child who through fortunate circumstances becomes a spy for England.
While looking for a traitor he comes across Agatha, who is searching for her brother.
Both delightful, sweet and with a bit of danger there as well this tale has everything you need in a romance.
While looking for a traitor he comes across Agatha, who is searching for her brother.
Both delightful, sweet and with a bit of danger there as well this tale has everything you need in a romance.
May 30, 2008
April
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Readers of Romance Novels
Shelves:
historicalromances
The Pretender is the first book in the Liar's Club series by Celeste Bradley. I was browsing the romance section at my local Barnes and Noble and found myself interested in the storyline (plus, it didn't hurt that it was on sale for $4.99). When I got it home, I started reading it, but didn't get too involved because I had other things going on (I'm a school media specialist and the last days of school are a busy time). Once school was over, I picked the book up and didn't stop until I finished...more
The crux of this story is love of country, intrigue, sabotage, spies and a bit of romance. Combined they make for a wonderful story that keeps you guessing at who is really the traitor. Agatha Cunningham is working to find her beloved brother, following an obscure clue of the “Griffin” left in his papers. Simon Rain is the head of the Liar’s Club, an establishment whose sole purpose is to find and destroy traitors to the crown. Unfortunately James Cunningham, Simon’s best friend and Agatha’s bro...more
I quite enjoyed this entire series, but for those of you who would like to know whether or not sex scenes were included, I'm sorry that I can't tell you because I not only skip any parts like that, but I also forget because I read so much. Sorry...
Jul 09, 2011
penelopewanders
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-romance
A delightful heroine - smart, resourceful and lush... A winning hero - from modest (read gutter) beginnings, smart, resourceful, loyal.. a good tale (ok, a wee bit obvious, but so what?) good read, fun. Now I have to try to get a hold of the next in this series!
I would have given this 5 stars (I'm giving it 4.5 stars) but I think it moved a little slowly in the middle. In any case, Simon is a great hero (loved him) and I highly enjoyed it. Great book. Can't wait to read the next.
4.5 stars
A great book that I thoroughly enjoyed even though light romances are not really my kind of thing. Still, Bradley's humor works for me just right. Plus, I just adored the hero and heroine; they were perfect for each other and had great chemistry. And the secondary characters, from the buttler and the valet to the enigmatic lord Etheridge were all incredibly intriguing. Had me laughing and had me emotionally invested. What more could I ask?
Still, I had a problem near the ending that luck...more
A great book that I thoroughly enjoyed even though light romances are not really my kind of thing. Still, Bradley's humor works for me just right. Plus, I just adored the hero and heroine; they were perfect for each other and had great chemistry. And the secondary characters, from the buttler and the valet to the enigmatic lord Etheridge were all incredibly intriguing. Had me laughing and had me emotionally invested. What more could I ask?
Still, I had a problem near the ending that luck...more
Kitap fena değildi karakterleri sevdim ama tekrardan okuyacağım tarzda değil.Değişikti eğer Amanda Q.seviyorsanız biraz onun havası vardı sanki, ama çok değil:)
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Celeste Bradley is the author of Fallen, which was nominated for a RITA in 2002, and The Pretender, the first book in the Liars series. According to Bradley, the best thing about writing is that she finally gets to use the brain full of trivia she's collected over a lifetime of living in eight states, residing in over twenty homes, and changing her major five times. "It was research for my writing...more
More about Celeste Bradley...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
