A Trick of Fate

Agents of the Convent #4

by Rebecca Connolly

If secrets lead a fool to love...

Hunter Mortimer, known in the operative world as Trick, is only doing his duty when he steps in to save a young woman in the streets of London. Thinking she is a fellow spy, what else could he do? But when the victim proves to be just an ordinary young woman in dire straits, everything in his world grows more complicated. To add to that complication, she is beautiful, fiery, and makes him smile far too easily.

Lucy Allred did not intend to be a problem for the man who saved her but being lost in London left her helpless. When her father's new lodgings prove difficult for Trick to find, she must remain in his care and company for her safety. The more time she spends with him, the more her eyes open to a world that she had never imagined. And her heart opens to all new possibilities.

Genres: Regency, Romance, Espionage, Suspense, Historical, Mystery, Historical Fiction

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

I was born once upon a time, and I started making up stories right away. Eventually, I started writing them down, and never stopped! I have a day job, which gets in the way of my writing, but it pays the bills so I CAN write, so I guess that's okay! I am a bookworm, which I think is key to being a writer, and I am always looking for inspiration! I live in Indiana, am obsessed with hot chocolate, and I am on track to be the best aunt in the world.

Reviews

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book!
This book grabs you with first page and doesn’t let go. With wonderful characters, danger, twist, turns and surprises aplenty. A young woman, Lucy, is to be taken off the streets of London with no one the wiser but Trick, an undercover agent for the crown, happens to be there and see the attack, stepping in and saving Lucy. The problem is Lucy was on her way to her father’s home and she has no address of his new home. As Trick and Lucy begin their search to locate her father and carry on with his assignment they meet with an assortment of people, problems, and puzzles to solve. Leading to threats, danger, deceit, new friends, and romance. A wonderful read you are sure to enjoy. I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so fun stepping back into the world of the Agents of the Convent! The setting is Regency London, but this is not your average ballroom romance. The author takes us on a suspenseful adventure in the London underworld, where secret agents are working together and individually to take down the worst villains and uncover plots against the country. While Lucy ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time, Hunter is in the right place and time to rescue her from an abduction- one that they can't figure out the reason for. As Hunter cares for Lucy and searches for her father while simultaneously pursuing his own case, he falls hard in spite of his misgivings. His angst over his romantic feelings for Lucy is somewhat humorous, especially when the other agents learn of it and offer ribbing and advice. Lucy undergoes some wonderful character growth as she learns to stretch her wings beyond what she was raised for, and finds freedom and love in her new circumstances. Exciting suspense, danger, and sleuthing solved some mysteries only to discover more!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Trick of Fate is full of secret, covert agents and spies to fill your heart’s content! I never tire of this amazing crew and found it positively delightful that London League and Agents of the Convert intersect so seamlessly in Trick’s story. Trick is fun because there is so much more to him than meets the eye. I particularly enjoy his banter with Hal and the additional nuance that relationship brings. Lucy steals the show in this quick paced romance filled with plenty of intrigue. She has believed so many false messages about herself and meeting her through the eyes of others is just charming. She is incredibly observant and very clever, all assets as she finds herself immersed in the bowels of London with Trick. I especially enjoyed how Trick and Lucy balance and compliment one other. The side characters are purely delightful and add an element of humor the whole way through. As things heat up between Trick and Lucy, the pull between love and duty is admirable and I love how it all plays out. I wasn’t ready for it to end as I was fully immersed in the characters, the setting, and the story! I am thrilled there is more to come and cannot wait! I received a complimentary copy from the author and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that this book not only had characters from the Agents of the Covenant series, but also the London League series. I loved seeing them all work together in this one. I have to admit I did not see the twist coming in this book. It was a really great mystery. Besides that it was a great falling in love story for trick and Lucy. First rate meet cute!
Rating: PG, clean romance mystery adventure

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy and Hunter's story was so much fun to read! From their first meeting until the ending—and everything in between—you're going to love reading this mystery/suspense/spy novel. Rebecca Connolly is a master when it comes to writing Regency Spy novels! If you haven't read any, you're in for a treat! This one was fun because we get to see several characters from previous books. But don't let that worry you if you haven't read the previous books. I haven't read them all, but it was very easy to follow along. And it had me excited to read the ones I haven't read yet.

Lucy finds herself dropped off in a very shady part of London, in the dark and all alone. Not where she was supposed to be taken. Thankfully Hunter happens upon her and mistakes her and saves her. Their first meeting is pretty comical and was such a fun set up for their relationship! I just adored watching them get to know each other better and falling in love. Oh Hunter! He doesn't know what hit him!!!

So many great and fun secondary characters. Especially the portrait artist. There's more behind who that character is but I don't want to spoil any of the fun and humor behind that one. So there's a surprise waiting for you. Well, many surprises throughout this book.

I loved the mystery throughout this one. I always enjoy trying to figure out the whodunnit and the why when I read mystery/suspense. I'm happy to say I figured this one out! Woohoo!!! Big pat on the back for me. Can you figure it out before the end? Did you figure it out at the beginning or the middle of closer to the end? Or not at all? ;-) Regardless of when you figure out the whodunnit, you'll enjoy the ride and adventure throughout this one.

And the chemistry! Yes! There is great chemistry and you're going to love it!!! It was so sweet. I hope there will be more to come with these characters.

Content: Clean. Some kisses but nothing further. Some moments of mild peril and suspense.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[RD · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line of this series is great. I’ve enjoyed reading each of the books. This book has a good plot and advances the overall narrative but it is low in action. There is too much internal dialogue for my liking. There are too many pages devoted to dress fittings. There are some inconsistencies and contradictions. But, all that aside, the characters are great and the story is clean with uplifting themes.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This is my opinion.

[Laramee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Hunter and Lucy's story! I am definitely in my Spy era and this series is hands down one of my favorites!

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.

[Monica Ahlström · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so thrilled to read about the elusive Hunter Mortimer, known in Rebecca Connolly's spy world as Trick, who we have heard about again and again but only met briefly in To Sketch a Sphinx, where his sister Hal is one of the main characters. His whole world is pretty much his missions, working alone in different covers, having no life of his own, being perfectly happy about that. Well, maybe not happy (what is that anyway?!) but quite content.

Meeting up with a colleague in the dark of night, he stumbles into something unexpected and suddenly finds himself responsable for a woman that not only needs him but make him think thoughts that have never earlier entered his mind!

Poor Lucy Allred, that had to, to some degree, take her life into her own hands when she didn't dare trust her father with it anymore, is suddenly thrown into a horrible situation, but are lucky enough that a mysterious man called Trick rescuses her. She get to see strange things and meet some interesting people (many of which are dear old friends to us fathful readers). But most of all she tries to figure out this unusual and intreeging man.

Who cares that Trick is not an Agent of the Convent, at least Lucy is actually working as a teacher at Miss Master's Finishing School and that is good enough for me! And besides that I just love all about this book!

[Star-Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An undercover operative, Trick, rescues a seemingly defenseless lady, Lucy Allred, from two would be kidnappers thinking she is another undercover operative, Briar, whom he was supposed to be meeting in about the same spot to find out that she is indeed a lady who has just been dropped off in one of the most dangerous parts of London instead of delivered to her father’s new home. Now Trick, whose real name is Hunter Mortimer, has tasked himself with being Lucy’s protector until they can locate her father. This is the story of their adventures as he leads her through his daily life of gathering intel from various sources on his own undercover assignment for the Crown, meeting other operatives, helpful friends, and family, and surviving on the dangerous streets of London while searching for her father and slowly falling in love. I absolutely love how Rebecca Connolly portrays her characters. They are vibrant, witty, cheeky, colorful and occasionally very romantic. The fascinating names for the spies just add more intrigue to their stories and their backstories and how they end up with their spouses is always an amazing tale. The author has an unique and gifted way of describing the surroundings and events to make one feel they are right there in the steamy dirtiest parts of London feeling the grim on your skin and smelling the putrid smell of the streets watching pick-pockets work their craft and street vendors peddle their goods while little street urchins hide in the shadows. This is a clean spy mystery but with passionate kisses and very romantic dialogue and scenes that will make your heart swoon. I received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book but was given no monetary compensation. I read for the enjoyment and voluntarily review so that others may know what to expect and authors may be helped by critique and encouragement.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Trick of Fate
Agents of the Convent #4
By Rebecca Connolly

Lucy Allred is returning home for the holidays. This is her first visit to her father's home since he retrenched. The carriage takes her into an area of London Lucy is unfamiliar with. Her father has sunk lower than she imagined if the condition of the streets were to indicate the society they would be keeping. When she is suddenly left adrift on the streets of London at night, she finds herself in a precarious situation.

Trick (aka Hunter Mortimer) never expected to rescue a young woman while waiting for a meeting with a fellow operative. Clearly a lady of refinement, Lucy is ill-suited for the streets of London's underbelly. Trick has no choice but to be her protector until her father can be found.

Lucy is introduced to a whole new world, one not so far away from the one she has spent most of her life in. A world filled with danger, false names, and independently thinking women. Lucy has never seen herself and the life she had lived quite so clearly. How can she return to it if and when her father's new lodgings are located.

This is the fourth book in the Agents of the Convent series, but it can be read as a standalone title. The reader would truly experience Lucy's situation without any foreknowledge of previous cases. That being said, reading the previous books is recommended just to enjoy it.

For those who want to know about the content, there are scenes with kissing, kidnapping attempts, suggestions of violence, some mild language, and drinking, all of which are to be expected given the setting and storyline. None of which would make my grandma blush or burn the book. (Yes, she did burn books she felt were garbage and unfit to be read ever again)

I was provided an ARC of the book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

[Leann Arave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to Trick’s story, and it did not disappoint. The series is Agents of the Covenant and A Trick of Fate is the latest edition. Trick is a spy for the crown, and while staking out a lead in the slums of London, he comes across what looks like kidnapping. He quickly intervenes to find a lovely young woman.
Lucy is a teacher at a finishing school for young women. Her father invited her to come home for holiday, he even sent her a carriage. She quickly realized that the driver had taken her to a shady part of town. She knew her father had relocated, and he had not been frugal with his money, but she hoped that he did not live in this part of town. When the driver stopped and helped her out of the carriage in a dark desolate area, she was about to complain when she realized that the carriage was racing away. He didn’t even have the courtesy to leave her valise. Suddenly two men were upon her, trying to pull her to who knows where. When someone intervened and rescued her. This is a great beginning to this story. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot. It was suspenseful and intriguing yet sweet and charming. We met Trick (Hunter is his real name), in a previous book and now we get to have his story. The whole series is wonderful, and I encourage you to read all of the books. It would be better if read in order, but each story can truly stand on its own.

[Margaret Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great opportunity to continue delving into this Regency world of covert operatives seeking to protect England from being overrun by English traitors & French spies! Rebecca Connolly’s London League and Agents of the Convent operatives converge in this book and I loved revisiting characters from both series. Although Trick has been referred to since the start of the London League series, the exploration of who Trick is brings added depth to this Regency world, having been so deeply under cover for so long. I love Lucy’s character growth as she develops from a sheltered innocent to fully utilising her intelligence, resilience, sensibility and strength of convictions. There is a sense of darkness and evil contrasting with light and innocence, and adventure, honour, duty and intrigue, along with growing courage and resilience, abound throughout the book. As always with Ms Connolly’s work, there is strong character development as well as plot twists keeping the reader on their toes, giving hope that the next instalment will come quickly to tie up all the loose ends.
I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical romance with a strong infusion of espionage and political intrigue, and I cannot wait to see what happens next! I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the author and all the opinions expressed in this review are my own and freely given.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a captivating blend of espionage, romance, and suspense. We're introduced to Hunter Mortimer, a skilled operative known as Trick, who finds himself entangled in a dangerous game of love and lies.

When Trick rescues Lucy Allred, a young woman caught in a perilous situation, he assumes she's involved in the shadowy world in which he lives. However, as he digs deeper into her life, he discovers a different truth: Lucy is an innocent caught in a dangerous web.

I love regency romance and suspense which is one reason I love the Agents of the Convent series. Give me all the spy stories! The chemistry between Trick and Lucy is palpable, and as they navigate a world of danger, the growing connection between them feels authentic. I loved watching Lucy's transformation from a lost, vulnerable woman to one who finds excitement in her new surroundings, as she sees more of Trick's world and how thrilling it is.

It was fun to see characters from the previous books but no worries if you haven't read them, you don't need to read those in order to enjoy Trick and Lucy's story. This one will probably make you want to read the others, which you definitely should if you love historical suspense.

I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I eagerly anticipated the release of this novel and I was not disappointed. I have been a big fan of Rebecca Connolly's for a long time and any time there's a new release I jump on it. One thing I love about her writing is her characters. They are real, flawed, fun, and can banter like the best of them. Hunter and Lucy are no exception. I was cheering them on from the start. I loved Lucy's independence and personality. And it was fun to watch Hunter grow over time, leaning into the light that is Lucy. I truly loved these characters, and loved seeing old friends from other London League and Agents of the Crown books (I'm looking at you, Gent and Tilda). Definitely a great read. My only small complaint is that it ended to abruptly for me. I needed a little bit more to feel fully satisfied. But it's not enough to knock of a star, or even taint the book. I will definitely be re-reading it, as well as all of her other novels because I want to be in those worlds again. I received an ARC from the author with no requirement to write a review but chose to do so and the opinions stated are all my own.

[sassygirlreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Trick of Fate is the fourth book in the Agents of the Convent series, and it is a wonderful addition. As a huge fan of the London League and Agents of the Convent books, I was excited to finally get Trick’s story.

This is a right place at the right time kind of story for Trick and especially Lucy! Trick is the dashing hero that rescues Lucy during her abduction.

Trick and Lucy’s romance is delightful and filled with humor, fun banter, adventure, and intrigue as they move through London trying to locate Lucy’s father while Trick is also trying to find a traitor to the Crown. I loved meeting up with characters from the London League again (Gent, Rogue, Rook, Cap, Trace, Sphinx, Sketch, Iris, Tilda to name a few).

A Trick of Fate did not disappoint! Loved the characters, the adventure, and the romance!

Things about Lucy: Independent, sunshine personality, innocent, naïve but smart, not a simpering maiden, and trusting.

Things about Trick: Honorable rogue, loyal to the crown, so protective, and devilishly charming.

- Regency romance
- Spies and intrigue
- Dual POV
- Forced proximity
- Honorable MMC
- Sweet FMC
- Adventure

[Annie | A Bookish Romantic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment in the Agents of the Convent books.

I've been interested in getting Trick's story ever since he was first introduced during the London League series, so it was fun to get to see him fall in love and get to know him better.

Lucy was a sweet FMC, and I enjoyed her character and her growth.

The two leads had some fun banter and tension that helped the story feel fast-paced and exciting, not to mention the action of what was going on around them.

Of the Agents of the Convent books, this one wasn't my favorite, as it felt slower and less cohesive than the other books. There were some things that felt inconsistent and pulled me out of the story.

That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the overall story and the plot. I'm definitely looking forward to more books in this series.

General Notes:
Genre: Historical romance/spy romance
Language: None
Romance: Kisses
Violence: Mild
Trigger/content warnings: Death of a parent (past), parental neglect

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh man I do not want to write this review. I have put it off for days! I love everything Connolly writes, I hardly ever give out 5 stars and several of her books have gotten them from me. I love her books because they all feel different, they have a couple of super swoony scenes between the couple, they always have fun banter. This book didn't have these elements. There was a lot of inner dialog, the couple was in love before they really talked or spent time together- it got lost in there somewhere. This felt like a book I have read before.
I still enjoyed it! I still love this series and all her other series! I am a loyal Connolly fan this will just be one I don't go back and read like I will ALL her other books. This just wasn't my thing. Maybe I was PMSing! I don't know, I still love you girl, don't hate me!
All her books I would share with me teens. Her books have awesome swoon but still appropriate.
No religious content. No swearing or substances,

[Becky M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always amazed at how quickly these stories move from just met to marriage and this is another one. Is this truly indicative of the time period, or is it a limitation of the page numbers. Either way, Rebecca Connolly tells an exciting story. Part of the plan is uncovered in the underlying mystery, and a girl is saved from becoming an unaware participant in it by one of the spies working to find the traitor amongst them. This story describes the days spent together, the spy and the girl, and the attraction that develops between them. The eccentric Tilda is thrown in to spice it up. There are many characters brought in from other books the author has written, and I had a hard time remembering their stories from books read years ago. That could be a deterrent here, but there’s generally enough context clues to give you enough information to get by in case you haven’t read her previous books.

[Ballet in AK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter (aka Trick) rescues Lucy and almost immediately falls for her innocence, humor and positive attitude. Lucy is intrigued by Trick’s lifestyle and she discovers new possibilities of freedom without her domineering father around.

A mystery ensues. Where is Lucy’s father? Why is it that, as far as Trick can tell, he isn’t looking for her?

Trick takes Lucy to visit Tilda and fashion fun ensues! The chapters where Tilda goes wild creating fashions for Lucy are a unique and fun read!

Eventually, Trick finds Lucy’s father and returns her to him. But they have fallen deeply love and it is difficult for them both to be separated.

There’s a great ending and our intrepid couple get their HEA!

I think I’d recommend that you read the other books in the series because this has characters from the other books and it will be more meaningful when Trick and Lucy interact with them. That said, this could technically be a stand-alone.

[Jamie Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

And the plot thickens . . .

In this portion of the Convent adventures, we're pulled into the civilan's perspective of the Spy for the Crown world. While Lucy does teach at the Convent, a convert training location for women opporatives for the Crown; she is blissfully unaware of that side of the Convent.
Then to have the Shopkeeper that's the deepest under cover come along, mistaking her for one of the Convent's best and then realizing her needs to rescue her from a kidnapping attempt . . . & then having to protect her from any further danger . . . not what either of them had in mind. What could possibly happen as these two world collide??
While searching for answers, these two realizes that their lives are more connected than either realize . . . & the discovery is rather fun along the way

[Our Book Confessions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I love this book?? Abso-bleeding-lutely. #ifykyk

I whole heartedly expected to as Rebecca Connolly’s witty banter, quick dialogue and entertaining stories have always been favorites of ours.

This book has plenty of the aforementioned witty banter, swoony chemistry, and a fun mystery woven in.

I loved all the cameos, and glimpses of the people we love, including a few new ones with just enough backstory to leave you wanting more from this world.

I loved the deep cover insights. Loved the character growth of Lucy in particular and the beautiful way she saw the world, followed by the well written way Hunter helped her see herself.

This book is just happiness- and so well done.

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]
This is a good and interesting regency, agent-of-the-crown, spy novel. The romance was super fast (only a few days of story-time) but not underdeveloped. My one complaint is the pace. For being a spy novel full of danger and intrigue, it was remarkably slow. There was an excessive amount of contemplative thought, stretches within a character’s head that went on and on.

There is a slight air of corniness throughout the book, but not in a bad way. Rather what you would expect from a regency spy novel.

Content:
There is no sex or violence. The words “hell” and “damn” are used, but otherwise the language is clean. The romance is limited to a couple lightly descriptive kisses. There is no real mention of faith or God.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series as well as the Agents of the Convent and this book gave us mostly The London League but we got to meet up with some of the ladies as well so that was fun. I liked the story and though the "meet cute" wasn't really cute per say, it was a fun start for this book.

Lucy's dad is a piece of work. Ugh. Loved Lucy and Hunter though. It was a rough start but definitely got sweet over time. And I loved all the secondary characters that assisted in watching out for Lucy.

It was a fun read and I look forward to the next one too.

Sex: no
Language: some, mild
Violence: a little

[SRH · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wait is finally over for our next dive into the world of spies and intrigue, and Hunter and Lucy are the perfect addition to our favorite League and Convent couples. I’m such a sucker for a good espionage story and this book has it all… spies, danger, and swoony romance. (Sigh, I’ll never think of a cèilidh, again in the same way.) I loved revisiting with so many old friends from the League and Convent series. It makes me want to reread them all! Although this sweet, swoony story can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the books in order, beginning with the London League series.

[Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went through the reviews before I picked up this book. I was expecting to like it even before doing that. Now that i have read it and come back to the reviews, I feel like I am being gaslit. What even was the time setting for this book? It felt modern day london but it’s supposed to be historical? The writing was all wrong for me. Too wordy without any new information being added to the drawn out sentences. We get the gist, move on to something else. The corny one liners. Honestly I skipped through pages of this book but still I cringe just thinking about what I have let myself endure by way of this book.

[D'anah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it a bit slow to begin with. It sure picked up as Trick steps into the picture. I really enjoyed Lucy's honest appraisal of her situation as well as her skills to 'Help herself'. She is a real gem. An innocent thrown into the murky underbelly of London and all the nefarious goings on there. She is not stupid though, the is tough, resilient, intelligent, stable and fun. Love the League, always. Would have liked a bit more resolution to the mysteries surrounding the whole "game". However, as usual, a fun, page-turning read with a great ending. Can't wait for the next book.

[Luci Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

clean romance

Four and a half stars for the continuation of the Covenant series. Each one can be read as a standalone but I have enjoyed following each member in the London League and now the Covenant in their books within the series. They appear in each other’s stories as well. They are all trying to solve the major mystery which is a backstory plot.

It was fun to see how two spies and one innocent person make up an intriguing plot. The characters and storyline is both interesting and fun to follow.

I look forward to reading the next!

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Rebecca Connolly's books and the humor and banter always included. Trick accidentally rescues someone. Now what. We get to see so many people from past books, Agents of the Convent and the London League. Some unexpected twists and turns but we do get a happily ever after. It begins with some rather confusing events and only gets better from there. Where is Lucy's father? Who is Trick's sister? What work does he do? Why can't they get each other out of their minds? Clean, humorous, romantic if you like romance with suspense and intrigue haha. Definitely enjoyed.

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great continuation of a fun spy series. Trick is a lone ranger, has been underground from society for many years. Into his hands drops a beautiful woman, being abducted on the way to visit her father. As they try to find her father, and keep up with his spy mission, sparks start to fly.

This is a good twist and turn story with some gentle burn. The things they experienced together were fun! And Tilda! So awesome! A great read!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun story to read. As teicknisnteying his best to do his duty he happens upon a kidnapping. Thinking he is saving the person he is meeting he rescues the woman. However it turns out it is another person entirely. As Trick takes care of and takes responsibility for her he comes to realize that there is more to life than living for the crown and that joy is out there. I was given an ARC of this book and left my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own