The Reluctant Bride

Dutiful Wives #1

by Beverley Eikli, Beverley Oakley

Can honour and action banish the shadows of old sins?

Emily Micklen has no option after the death of her loving fiancé, Jack, but to marry the scarred, taciturn, soldier who represents her only escape from destitution.

Major Angus McCartney is tormented by the reproachful slate-grey eyes of two strikingly similar women: Jessamine, his dead mistress, and Emily, the unobtainable beauty who is now his reluctant bride.

Emily’s loyalty to Jack’s memory is matched only by Angus’s determination to atone for the past and win his wife with honour and action. As Napoleon cuts a swathe across Europe, Angus is sent to France on a mission of national security, forcing Emily to confront both her allegiance to Jack and her traitorous half-French family.

Angus and Emily may find love, but will the secrets they uncover divide them forever?

Genres: Historical, Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2013

About the author

Also writes under Beverley Oakley.

Beverley writes Regency, Victorian and Georgian-set romance full of passion and laced with mystery and intrigue.

Born in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, she married the handsome bush pilot she met in Botswana while managing a safari lodge and has spent the rest of her life as a ‘trailing spouse’ doing what she loves most: writing books from sweet to steamy; and from humorous to historical romantic suspense.

Here’s more about her series.

Daughters of Sin
A very steamy, funny, witty and dangerous Regency-set ‘Dynasty’ featuring two nobly-born debutantes and their illegitimate sisters - laced with political intrigue, cheating spouses and, of course, dangerous gentlemen.

1. Her Gilded Prison
2. Dangerous Gentlemen
3. The Mysterious Governess
4. Beyond Rubies
5. Lady Unveiled: The Cuckold’s Conspiracy

The Scandalous Miss Brightwells
A humorous, sometimes steamy, matchmaking series – with some books sweeter and more sensual and poignant.

1. Rake’s Honour
2. Rogue’s Kiss
3. The Wedding Wager
4. The Accidental Elopement
5. The Honourable Fortune Hunter
6. Five Golden Rings (currently in 12 Rogues of Christmas)
7. The Courtship Caper


Fair Cyprians of London

A group of women who work in a high class House of Assignation. Ranging from very steamy to sweet, hopeful redemption stories.

1. Saving Grace
2. Forsaking Hope
3. Keeping Faith
4. Wedding Violet
5. Christmas Charity

Hearts in Hiding

Historical romantic suspense, very steamy often showing the darker aspects of Regency society, including the dependence and subjugation of women – and how, against the odds, they find their happy-ever-afters.

1. The Duchess and the Highwayman
2. The Bluestocking and the Rake
3. Duchess of Seduction
4. The Countess and the Cavalier

Scandalous: Three Daring Charades

Three sweet, yet intrigue-filled Regency historicals

Lady Sarah’s Redemption
Lady Olivia’s Butterfly
A Little Deception

You can connect with Beverley on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeverl... through her website at: www.beverleyoakley.com

Reviews

[Emmalg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually wary of reading romance by an author who is new to me and I certainly wasn't grabbed by the first page, in fact I thought I was going to hate the book, instead I couldn't put it down.

There seem to be few authors in this genre whose writing really is good and I'm pleased to say Beverly Eikli is one of those few. The plot is strong though entirely predictable and the characterisation good. I will definitely look for more books by Beverly Eikli.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/01/The...

As news of the death of Jack is delivered, Emily Micklen finds herself in a tight spot. Pregnant, alone and suffering from the loss of her fiancée she marries Angus out of convenience and not love. Little does she realize that this the turning point in her life that would reveal many secrets, truths and reality to her. Angus on the other hand isn’t completely truthful to her either, but he has loved her from the moment he had seen her for the first time. With the French Revolution rising and Angus’s duties calling to him, Emily and Angus have a long way to go before they can find love in each other’s arms.

My first impression about this book, from its cover and blurb, was that this was a romance novel. Now that I have finished reading it, I realize that it is so much more. Granted, the main focus of the story is the relationship between Emily and Angus, this book also brings doses of action and mystery with it. The plot was interesting and more so because of its setting during the French Revolution Era of which I knew only the outline.

Emily is an interesting character with many different shades. At the very beginning of the book we see her as this free spirit with a streak of rebelliousness in her. Soon the character grows as she is faced with much sufferings, betrayal and shocking (to her) revelations. She comes across this naïve girl who is perfectly fine at taking everything at its face value till she is forced to grow up and look around. And the best quality about her is that she is not afraid to admit when she is wrong. Angus on the other hand is this strong character with a soft spot for Emily. He rescues Emily and loves her so much that it would make any girl sigh!

The narration and descriptions are good enough and suits the setting of the plot. The romance and adventure in the story kept the pages turning. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE RELUCTANT BRIDE by Beverley Eikli is an interesting Regency Historical Romance. Fast paced and filled with spies,traitors,danger,secrets,lost love,Napoleon's swathe through France,grief,treachery,and love. The story of Major Angus McCartney and Emily Micklen,their struggle to find love and happiness. Emily struggles with the lost of her fiancee,pregnant,disowned,abandoned and married to Major Angus a man she doesn't know,but who was in the Military with her beloved Jack. Emily will soon learn what she thought she knew was all a lie,her family,her lost love and her own life.
"The Reluctant Bride" has engaging characters, a unique storyline that involves English as well as French spies,traitors to both the English and French,finding love, healing,and finding forgiveness. While, Emily fills disloyal to Jack's memory, she finds herself attracted to her new husband, Angus. Angus in the meantime has loved Emily from afar for a few years,never thinking he would become her husband and trying to atone for his past,he finds no hardship in marrying Emily to protect her unborn child. "The Reluctant Bride" is filled with secrets,and spies. "The Reluctant Bride" may soon become a most cherished bride,with a most cherished husband. If you enjoy a good spy story,passion,a bit of romance,adventure,and a great read than this is the story for you to read. An engaging story from first to finish. Received for an honest review from the author.

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: MILD

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to describe this one? It was not one of those typical historical romances and therefor I would not want to call it that. It was the book in between H and HR. Also with a dose of mystery, spies and suspense.

The heroine, oh Emily, you were hard to like you ungrateful idiot. I get why she was like that, but she lived in a time where she had no rights so at least be civil to your husband and not a shrew. Yes I confess that at one time I wish Angus had throw that ungrateful strumpet out on the street to fend for herself. But I am not gonna be totally evil because she changes, there is romance there after all.

Angus, awww Angus, he was so kind, he waited, he hoped, aww my heart. A perfect man. Sure he too had made mistakes before, but how he adored her.

As you can see they really really have to work for the love to grow. It's not easy, it's hard, almost impossible. But slowly things fall into place and they find what they want.

As for the suspense. There are spies, secrets, and the ongoing conflict between France and England. The book gave me a few surprises.

A different sort of love story.

[Julia Ibbotson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this was a book of two halves. The first half was interesting, quite riveting, and I was driven to carry on reading even late at night. Set in 1813,against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, the mirroring conflicts between Emily, still in love with the memory of the "love of her life" Jack, and Angus, the Major who rescues her from social infamy, were absorbing. The gradual development of their relationship and Emily's growing realisation of the truth about her engagement to Jack, is well done. There are, nevertheless, issues about empathy with Emily who is portrayed as a spoilt ungrateful "hussy" who could be interpreted as only really becoming attracted to Angus when he turns out to be heir to a fortune and able to house her in a grand hall with servants at her beck and call! But somehow the reader still feels drawn to her - fair enough so far. The second half of the novel, however, fell apart for me. Although potentially interesting in its plot development about the spies and intrigues of the Napoleonic era, in fact it became rather silly. There were parts where suspension of disbelief was simply not possible, and frankly I struggled to finish the book.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only write reviews for the books I really like, because I need to be inspired in order to find the words.

I often read with my editing head on, and am distracted by the apparent no-nos, such as head hopping, over-use of adverbs etc. etc. This can often spoil my enjoyment of a book. I doubt there's any of those 'sins' in The Reluctant Bride, but the story is so engrossing, I wouldn't have noticed - or cared. It's a fabulous read, wonderful escapism, and it has a hero to die for. I'd thoroughly recommend this book, and I can't imagine that anyone who buys it will be disappointed.

[Diane Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a struggle for me to decide how to rate The Reluctant Bride. I felt that there were both strong pluses and strong minuses. Weighing both sides, I arrived at 3 stars. I loved the beginning of the book. The hero and heroine were placed in a difficult situation and I was totally intrigued to see how things would work out. But in the second half of the book the story became very complicated and the flow of the book became bogged down. Author Beverly Eikli paints very descriptive pictures with words, but she allows the hero and heroine to do a lot of ruminating. Too much thinking and too little action. When the action did occur it seemed weighted down by an overabundance of words. In spite of these difficulties, I truly enjoyed the book.

Angus McCartney is a military man with a sad past. Emily Micklen is beautiful, happy bride-to-be. When Emily’s fiancé, Jack, is killed Angus brings the news to Emily. Several months later he decides to check on her (because he is very attracted to her and feels somewhat responsible for Jack’s death). He discovers that she is pregnant and offers to marry her. Emily agrees because she feels that she doesn’t have any other choice, but she is resentful of the situation. Will she be able to put aside her love for Jack and accept her new husband? The later parts of the book involve Angus’s espionage work against Napoleon and a connection to Emily that no one knew existed.

You have to love a hero like Angus McCartney. He was a deep-down good guy, loyal, giving, and reliable. Emily was extremely ungracious and pouty throughout the first half of the book. At times it was hard to imagine why Angus loved her. Oh, I do understand why he was attracted to her, but love needs some positive back-and-forth to survive. He would have been justified in giving up on her during their early weeks together. Emily had a long road to learn to love her husband and then to convince him that her feelings were real. She gradually became more likeable, but it was a slow trip. The espionage story was fairly complex and slowed down the flow of the book, in my opinion. There were some steamy scenes, but they didn’t fill me with a rush of emotion or excitement. I was never deeply engaged with the characters. Some of Emily’s actions at the end did not seem well thought out and there were some gigantic coincidences that were hard to believe. Still, I enjoyed the book and do not regret reading it.

[Lucinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from Pride and Prejudice, this is my second foray into regency romance and I thoroughly enjoyed Beverley Eikli’s novel of secrets and spies. There are quite a few authors who write regency romances, and as I got sent The Reluctant Bride for review, I was intrigued and excited to how my first experience with a modern author would be like.

Thankfully, I was engrossed by the story the second Emily and Angus agree to marry each other. I know I would certainly be a ‘reluctant bride’ if I were in Emily’s boat; if situations such as these were the norm back then I wonder how many women actually married for love. Angus was definitely a sweetie and sounded like the perfect kind of guy a girl could marry back then.

Emily Micklen comes from a wealthy family and is shocked to find out her fiancé Jack has been killed in battle. As she is pregnant, she and Major Angus McCartney, who delivers the news, agree to marry each other, as it would be the most convenient way of settling the situation.
Angus and Emily grow closer as they spend more time together, and the both uncover secrets about people close to them.

I found the writing style really easy to understand, although at time I was a bit slow to catch up on all the details of Napoleon, I guess it’s because I don’t know that much about the French Revolution and everything that followed, but still, I will probably read more books about it now. Ms Eikli lets you sympathise with the characters and thankfully I liked both Angus and Emily a lot.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed my foray into regency romance, and will definitely check out more books by the author and more works in the genre in the future.

[Megan Readinginthesunshine · Rating 5 out of 5]

After her loving soldier fiance Jack dies, Emily feels she had no option other than to marry Major Agnus McCartney. But while Emily is torn by her loyalty to her fiance, Angus is determined to win his wife with honour and action. But will they find love together? And what will happen when secrets and lies come to light?

I felt I understood Emily, I could sympathize with her loyalty to her late fiance who she loved so much, and therefore her reluctance to marry Agnus. But at the same time I was keen to find out what would happen between her and Angus, and I was really rooting for them together!

I LOVED Agnus – he seemed so lovely and I found myself thinking that had I been living in that time, I would have married him!

I enjoyed the historical aspect, I liked the detail that Beverley put in and for me this helped the scenes come to life. The plot line was very interesting and I always wanted to read on to find out what would happen next. I liked that it wasn’t straight-forward – I enjoyed having something to hope for and rooting for the characters as they developed and grew together.

I also liked that there were moments of tension, suspense and secrets involved, those in particular drew me further into the story and had me turning the pages to find out more. Nearer the end of the book, I was racing through the pages. I don’t want to spoil it but it wasn’t what I expected when I first started the story and I really loved that the book turned into a bit of a faster-paced story filled with action and secrets.

The Reluctant Bride is intriguing, compelling and one that I really enjoyed – I’m very much looking forward to more from Beverley Eikli.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Reluctant Bride” is a complex, well thought-out web of French spies, English traitors, family loyalty and double crosses.

Read full review in the November 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[One Sentence Audio Critic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this series with MAID OF MILAN, and while it is well written and provides background, I needed to do some research. It is actually #2 in a 2 book series. I recommend starting with #1, RELUCTANT BRIDE. Both are well performed audiobooks. I would have preferred more history, politics or worldview, but well done series. So read series in order.

[sharon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

Keeps you glued to the pages. Hard to fall asleep, want to continue to find out what happens next! Good development of characters, both main and secondary. Margarite, mom to Emily was hard to resist, made you want to rescue her.

[Stephen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificent start to the series

This is a magnificently created start to this very promising series. The emotional suspense and the thrilling characters, make this steamy story a really exciting read.

[Erwin J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reluctant

It started out all touchy feely, but fortunately it turned out all right. Thankfully I don't know all of the manners of the time period. It was a good story.

[michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a historical romance reader but Beverley Eikli's The Reluctant Bride kept me reading and I enjoyed it :)

I'm not a historical romance reader but The Reluctant Bride kept me intrigued, and reading. The characters were well developed – to the point that I found myself angry with Emily, and siding with Angus. I loved Angus – he was strong yet sensitive – definitely someone I could be attracted to in real-life. Throughout the novel, my interest was piqued by how the author weaved romance and espionage into a story that flowed well and kept me reading.

A good read if you’re into historical romance with a taste of espionage.

[Suzanne Sabol · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't know. I felt like i read two different books; the first half a regency romance and the second was a napoleonic spy novel.

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The actual rating is 4.5.
It is not often that I read something other as chick lit but from time to time there comes a book that belongs to other genre that I'd like to read. And it was the case with "The Reluctant Bride" which is a historical romance.
I was also a little "reluctant" at the beginning. I was much confused about what's going on in this book and who are all those people, and even further in the book when a name appeared I must have often think hard who is this and what is he / she doing here. But then it has all suddenly fall into place and I was taken on a real joy - ride, book full of adventures, spies, dark secrets and betrayals.
At the beginning I must admit I didn't like Emily too much. I could understand her, her reluctance, perhaps admire her loyalty but having known she's wrong I just couldn't help the anger feeling and I wanted to slap her really hard, shake her and tell her wake up, baby. Angus was for sure a great guy, so helloooo? But later on Emily proved that she actually has balls herself and I thought, well, my girl, I like it.
The other characters were also very engaging and I think they were brilliant representatives of people living in those times. I don't know if those people had less scruples but the betrayals, the conspiracy, plots, all those things showed that they had hearts made from ice and they actually put their well - being before all other things. Although I guess it is the same in our time, it's only that now it is done in white gloves.

When I read such books I can't but think that those times, having been really cruel and unfair, were also in some ways much more honest than our times. People were direct and they said what they thought. Not like now, all the problems that we have in present chick lit or romance books are the result of not speaking and understatements, simple like that.
The writing style serves the times the book is set but even this, it is easy to follow. There are moments the narration was a bit slow and I skipped some of the longer descriptions or conversations but lost nothing. The plot was also very well thought over, full of turns and twist and I was often taken by surprise. When the story of the two main characters was a little predictable, the rest of the book was just a great lesson in history and regency times, engaging and brilliantly written.

I received a copy of this book from publisher in exchange for a review.

[Kate E. Stephenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So Ms. Eikli has won the Choc Lit Search for an Australian Star competition with The Reluctant Bride; was shortlisted for the 2012 Australian Romance Readers Award for her novel Rake's Honour and was the finalist in the 2011 Australian Romance Readers Awards for her novel A Little Deception. These honors are no small feat. But I have to admit the improbable web that Eikli weaves in The Reluctant Bride is just a bit too convoluted for this reader. Having said that I gobbled up this romance in two days flat. While I actively scoffed at some of the too neat plot devices, I also couldn’t put the book down. I needed to know what the next crazy turn would be. And there were many.

The widowed fiancé turned scorned woman protagonist Emily is at turns taciturn and childish, then wise and daring. Her complexity and contradiction makes it easy to stay interested in the character. Eikli hits just the right balance, never allowing Emily to become too maudlin or overbearing.

Then the ever serious Angus, who anguishes over delivering news of Jack’s demise to dear Emily. He is the strong silent type, who really when you get to know him isn’t at all what he first seemed. Every bit the kind of man I swoon over, Angus is a super hunk. The man who can look fabulous in a suit or in his boxers. An able man—able to chop wood and to caress your skin to perfection, and to make you laugh at the most unexpected moment. Angus is a man after my own heart.

Last, the families! Oh, the families. If you think yours is dysfunctional just wait until you get into this twisted and sick family tree. I won’t spoil it for you. Needless to say many of these relatives made me quite grateful for my odd uncle and crazy aunt.

For me, The Reluctant Bride wasn’t the best book I’ve read this year—but it certainly will be one of the most memorable. So, it’s a toss up. If you aren’t the type who can suspend disbelief and just go with the absolutely improbable flow, I’d say this probably isn’t the book for you. But if you can shut down those barriers of disbelief, this is a fun romp. Angus alone is worth saying, “To hell with sense.”

(As published on ChickLitPlus.com; I received a copy of The Reluctant Bride by Beverly Eikli in exchange for an honest review.)

[Shaz Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

1813. Emily is reflecting on her father’s beliefs and how Jack has liberated her from the strict confines of her life. She meets Major Angus McCartney on the road who is seeking directions for Micklen Hall, her home. Dressed in one of the two Rifle battalions uniforms, Emily is hoping to see Jack behind him … that hope is soon replaced with grief when a short while later she sees him in her home and he brings the news of Jack’s death. Emily doesn’t know it but from Angus we learn that Jack is not all Emily believes him to be.

Turned out of home by her father, Angus offers her marriage. Still in love with Jack, she does accept his offer because of the situation she is in. She becomes his reluctant bride.

Angus is such a wonderful character! He could tell Emily the truth but not only does he think she wouldn’t believe him, he doesn’t want to gain her love this way. He is so considerate of her, such a ‘gentleman’ with principles (and he’s hot!).

You know when you get that feeling about a character who makes your skin crawl but at that time you have no reason for the way you’re feeling? Stick with it. There is one character who from the beginning didn’t ring true for me.

As Emily and Angus’ relationship change, we get to uncover other secrets … political and familial. This is a time when people wanted to see a Bourbon monarchy reinstated so there is plenty of plotting and falseness. This leads to tension in the UK and adventure in France. Emily undertakes an exciting mission herself to show Major Woodhouse that what he believes is false and that she is loyal.

I loved the way the secrets interlink. A fabulous plot! There is a lot of action besides the romance which kept me turning those pages. I was quite tense at the scene Emily watched from the sliding panel. I wasn’t able to predict the outcome and was eager to find out who …

Add The Reluctant Bride to your reading list if you like your historical romances with action, excitement and suspense.

I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rhoda Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read historicals (I may have mentioned this before?), but the espionage angle to this book interested me enough to download it.
Emily is pregnant and unmarried, and therefore ruined (Ruined! I tell you!). Angus has been in love with her from day one, but hasn't got a lot of prospects. He marries her to 'save' her. She resents him. So far, so routine. What sets this book apart is the background and the detailed spy plot that runs through it. By the time you get to the climax of the story you're all in knots with agents, double agents and intrigue. It keeps you reading, just so you can find out what happens - which is a great thing in a book.

The characters are well rounded and develop through the book. Emily is irritating as hell, but realistically so. You can see where her attitude comes from, so you don't feel the urge to slap her (much). Angus is a bit of a love. [He reminded me of Sparhawk, the scarred but wonderful hero from the David Eddings books. Anyone who reminds me of Sparhawk is always a Good Thing!]. He's honest and brave and extremely practical. I really enjoyed reading about him.

All in all, it's a great read. If you like your heroes to have a capable pair of hands, you could do worse than Angus.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pros and Cons of The Reluctant Bride

Pro: It is one of those marriage of convenience stories, which I always love, and set in a fascinating point in history.

Con: The main character, Emily, is (in my opinion) bratty and naive. As is so correctly titled, she is reluctant to give her trust and affection to a man who seemingly adores her for the memory of her dead fiance who actually cheated on her.

Pro: Angus McCartney is a true gentleman, and no one is afraid to call Emily out on her coldness.

Con: He is really the only person I liked in this novel.

Pro: There is plenty of mystery and suspense. As far as a historical thriller goes, this is pretty good.

Con: There is very little romance. Emily tolerates this guy for half it, starts to like him, and then things get complicated.

Pro: Those complicated things are splendid to see all come to a head.

Con: It did get confusing at times.

Pro: It was free.

Con: Grammar and spelling mistakes and a book that could've been richer historically.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily's fiancé dies a week before the wedding. Unknown to her she is pregnant. His comrade-in- arms offers for her. She does not make it pleasant for him. Emily marries Angus McCartney who then becomes the replacement for her late fiancé in a plot to save England and restore the monarchy to France. I loved Angus from the moment he appeared. Emily was a lot harder to take. I wanted to put her over my knee and spank her. She was so bratty. I was halfway through the story before I could find her likeable. There are secrets all over the place here. Emily has hers but they involve her husband. Angus has them and slowly reveals them. Then there are other characters whose secrets affect Emily who do not reveal them but these must be solved so she and Angus can be comfortable together. I liked how well Beverley Eikli did the time period. She got the feel of it right. Most of the secondary characters were horrible people. I definitely knew who I was rooting for through the whole book. I also liked how the beginning of the story circled into the end of the story.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprisingly tantalising and intriguing read Beverley Eikli’s The Reluctant Bride is.
While definitely satisfying my need for the development of a deeply emotional and lustful love, it also skilfully intertwines suspense and action that kept me guessing right to the very end.
I found the writer struck a good balance between making me work to understand the intricacies of the story line, and ensuring the plot was easy enough to follow so I could still blissfully escape into Emily’s and Angus’s worlds during the Napoleonic wars of the early nineteenth century.
The Reluctant Bride gave me so much more than I expected – an historical romance but one laced with intrigue. Highly recommended.

[Jen Rattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t have high hopes for Emily in the beginning of the book. I thought she was going to be a simpering, daddy-did-me-wrong girl. She had fallen for the bad boy, was disdained by her father and un-protected by her mother because she was just as much a victim as Emily. Tragedy upon tragedy strikes and Emily loses everything. In walks Angus. He saves her, loves her and tries his best to protect her. This book has a slow boil. It starts as a romance story and ends in a fantastic mystery/action storyline. I was blown away at how much I liked this book. I really thought I wouldn’t. The author has a way of snaring you before you even realize. This is a great read. Definitely for the historical romance buff like myself.

[Angela Britnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this very different sort of Regency romance. I was instantly pulled into the story of Emily who is left pregnant and alone when her much loved soldier fiance is killed. With no other choice she marries Angus who offers her his protection out of a sense of guilt. His involvement in the war against Napoleon and the secrets he must keep all conspire against his life with Emily. When she discovers that so much of what she thought was true is in fact a lie the question of who she can trust looms large. Emily and Angus’s struggle towards love is a heart-wrenching one that will have you on the edge of your seat and keep you reading

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a good historical and with spys and a hero to die for in this one it is very good. Angus is a poor soldier but has loved Emily since her saw her at a dance many years before but when her fiance is killed and he comes to inform her the spark is still there but Emily has a lot to overcome with a cruel father and then shunned by her family Angus marries her and the rocky journey begins with traitors and many secrets this one will have you with tears and smiling I loved it and I highly recoomend this one.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had the potential to be a good book, but unfortunately I was sadly disappointed. Emily, the main character, was just not likeable at all and it was lacking in historical accuracy. The whole spying and intelligence aspect to this story was highly unrealistic and unbelievable. "Secret" information was spread about far too much for it to stay secret and there is no way the number of English people who went to France on secret missions would have been able to pass as French having not spent that much time in the country before.

[Cup a tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Micklen has no option after the death of her loving fiancé, Jack, but to marry the scarred, taciturn, soldier who represents her only escape from destitution. Amidst family secrets, treason, war Emily learns to love her Angus, her husband and hero.



Not my usual kind of book, but I liked it because of the way the story was developed. I don't like romance with spy plots, however, Eikli moves the story along.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I tried….oh how I tried, but Emily and Angus failed to engage or hold my interest and attention.
Emily in particular was unpleasant, mean-spirited, and ungrateful to Angus not showing a speck of gratitude. Although her attitude changed, for me it was too little too late. Angus deserved better, poor chap. The mystery/danger felt contrived, and certainly gave a few ‘eye roll’ moments. Eventually I skim-read over much of it.
Read if you must.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars: It could have used some editing but an overall decent read. I realize that Angus had strong feelings for Emily from the beginning, but I would have thought her behavior would have changed them eventually. An overwhelming amount of connections but that leads to the intrigue. All's well that ends well and most of the stories lines are cleared up except Miss Delon.