The premise is a bit unusual in that the spies for the crown are women
585419
Publisher's Description:

In the first of a new Scottish Historical Romance series by Madeline Martin, a young woman on the edge of ruin finds redemption as a spy in the court of James I. Perfect for fans of Monica McCarty.

 Ariana Fitzroy has lost her family and her fortune. The fight for survival leads her to the shadowed card games of court where she discovers she has quite a talent for slipping cards into her favor. While the winnings are enough to sustain her at present, they will not last forever

Connor Grant, trainer of the fallen women from the English court and personal assassin to the king, is just as broken as the women he trains. After losing his own land and all his people in a brutal attack from a trusted friend, he has no choice but to rebuild any way he sees possibleeven if it means going against everything hes ever believed in.

 After catching Ariana cheating at cards, Connor has a new trainee to instruct at one of the kings many confiscated castles. In the dilapidated ruins, he discovers Ariana is more than she appears and falls in love with her incredible tenacity and dedicationa love that is challenged by Connors chance at reclaiming the inheritance he once lost and has sought so desperately to regain.

 This story is one of second chances, of realizing a strength where only hopelessness once resideda story of rising above the bad hand one has been dealt into a life of accomplishment and love.

My Thoughts:

Madeline Martin has created an incredible story of love, loss and second chances in this first book of a new series., Mercenary Maidens. The author has captivated us from her the release of her debut novel in 2015 and continues to amaze.
The characters are well thought out and the storyline well developed. The premise is a bit unusual in that the spies for the crown are women, but the author gives it credence and it certainly becomes believable..
I look forward to the continuation of this new series.
I gave this unusual storyline and characterization 4.5 of 5 stars and the heat in this book screams at us for 4.5 of 5 flames. It most certainly has some very hot and sexy love scenes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion.
3946423
(3.5 stars) I'm rounding up here, because the premise is so compelling for a fantasy world. The idea that there is a mirror world, with exact copies (alternate versions, really) of each person, and that one world could conquer the other only by destroying it one key person at a time, is fascinating. The challenge is that this world-building gets somewhat unwieldy and confusing, with the set-up of religions and cultures and groups. There are some very strong female characters, which I appreciate, and a good balance between aggressive "villains" and virtuous "heroes," and the blurred lines that appear and are crossed when one realizes that the enemy of their enemy is now their ally. Good potential.
4638457
The topic was moderately interesting and a bit different in that the heroine was interested in succeeding on her own rather than taking the offer of the gentry and pretending to succeed. I'm not sure whether I will watch more of the series.
559167
Enjoyable if a little too fanciful.  One can clearly see the BBC's hand in this with the period wardrobes and lovely scenery. It does in many ways follow the history. The perspective is nice in showing the roll women in elite families. They were the glue that held empires and allies together. However the stress on magic as if it changed world affairs was overdone.  Good for a historical piece that fits somewhere between the known and fiction
232465
A little less of Mary and Sherlock but with a geeat support character
2524225
Elizabeth is about 13 or 14 and her father is alive but ailing.  When one of her ladies falls from a horse, the former doctor to the king comes with is son to set the leg.  Simon starts to study with the princess after she takes a liking to him.  When one of her other ladies is found murdered and beheaded in the garden, the princess, Simon and one of her father's guardsmen investigate quietly.  It was not the first murder and the beheading is a bit suspicious and volatile given Henry's history.  So while not telling anyone what is happening and trying to keep the princess safe they get to the bottom of a nasty plot.

This Elizabeth is spirited and stifled, intelligent and clever, loving and suspicious.  It's a nice combination of steel and intellect with a certain precociousness.  Interested to read the next in the series.
1333556
Forget the extremes of characterization and give this book four stars if only for its daring premise: the hero is not an accomplished lover, and the heroine is not unknowingly sensual or alluring-- at least until she is transformed as a result of a temper tantrum.  Any admirer of this genre will soon surmise that all the males in romance fiction are masterful and considerate lovers.  Makes the average female wish she might have been born in another era.  True, these English males are prone to make stupid mistakes because they fail to communicate at some dramatic juncture, and thereby hangs the suspense of the tale.
This is a nice read because it goes against the grain.  This hero is clueless about what women want from a man.  The heroine is much  more in line with the stereotyped female of her era--clueless about sex and love between men and women, though she does have female friendships down pretty solid.
The funniest quirk of the book is, it begins with letters dated in  March 1816 and ends, presumably a year (or 3?) later, with letters dated January 1816.  Editors slipped up there.  This, however, is not critical to the plot, which constitutes a mild summer suntan read.  If your budget is tight, get it used and enjoy!
4329414
This novel is well written and plotted. There's a sense of why the family chooses to go to the town, and how entrenched they become in its customs and ways. In some ways, this story is forward-thinking in demonstrating the power woman can have; just when you think all the wives are Stepford-like, you get a sense of the power they actually wield.
2180119
While there are a handful of plot twists of dubious plausibility, the book is, on the whole, very good.

Unlike other historical novels of the same period, the plot is not overly concerned with Henry and his marital struggles, thank goodness.  The focus is (dubiously plausible twists aside) on Meg Giggs, one of Thomas More's adopted daughters, whose perspective comes off as more ordinary despite her noble upbringing.  Another welcome change is the focus on More's family life and inner conflict.  If you are tired of Philippa Gregory (and knockoffs), you will probably enjoy the novel.

The sections from Hans Holbein's perspective were infused with even more personality but rather less plot and politics: while not as much happened in them, they were still very enjoyable to read.

I found the novel to subvert a great many genre tropes, which was extremely gratfiying.  In the interests of protecting the innocent, I will only say that these genres are the historical-painter and female-protagonist-who-was-a-minor-actor-in-the-original, if you know what I mean.
4883352
Prue Battaon's Gisborne: Book of Pawns is set  in 12th Century England.  The heroine, Ysabel Moncrrieff, has lived in Cazenay, Aquitaine, for eight years, enjoying dancing, singing, hunting and gaming - all the typical high society events.  She has not seen her home in Moncrieff, England, during this time.  Her mother visited yearly.  The last time Ysabel sees her mother alive is 2 years previous.  Her fairytale life comes to abrupt ruination with a letter from her father informing her that her mother has passed on.  Ysabel is devastated.

Guy of Gisborne, her father's steward, arrives to escort Ysabel back to Moncrieff immediately.  They set out on their journey the next day.  Ysabel is uncertain what will greet her upon her return home.  Her father has been largely absent from her life, but she longs to be close to her mother's spirit and her presence in the castle through her mother's belongings.

Guy of Gisborne is an enigma.  A man of knowledge but servant.  Ysabel and Guy have differing opinions on issues, such as the Crusades, and spend much time debating.  As quickly as he is willing to converse with her, he is just as apt to ignore her.  Ysabel is confused yet feels there is a thread between them.  Confusion turns to anger and discord.

I pushed past my father's steward but could not avoid the last word. "Lady Ysabel, Gisborne. Lady Gisborne"

But the point was his as the velvet voice rumbled behind me.

"You spoiled little bitch."

Gisborne's past intrigues Ysabel and she is determined to discover his secrets.  Her bantering with familiar Moncrieff escorts is shattered when their group is attacked by felons and 2 of her escort are slain.  During the scuffle Ysabel warns Guy of impending death and slays his assailant.  Gisborne nows considers he owes Ysabel a life debt.

Gisborne and Ysabel must carry on with their journey, devoid of an escort or the supplies stolen by the bandits.  With just the two of them, Ysabel is determined to pry Gisborne's past out of him.

On a rest stop in LeMans to recuperate and purchase new supplies, Ysabel spys Gisborne conversing with a man who Ysabel instantly distrusts, a man who persistently turns up in unlikely places.  A man who appears to have dishonest intents and Gisborne seems to be in cohorts with him.  This convinces Ysabel Gisborne does not have her best interests at heart at crucial times.

On the next portion of their journey Ysabel learns from Gisborne the true state of affairs at Moncrieff; circumstances are dire and difficult choices have to be made.

Gisborne: Book of Pawns does have the label historical romance attached.  This is not a true romance where boy and girl meet and dislike turns to love.  This is a fabulous novel where Batton creates non-stop adventures and gripping dangers.  Yes, there is a dash of romance, but it is not central to the story.  I was utterly entralled with this book and thoroughly impressed with the author's ability to invent a story world peopled with believable characters set within a genuine era.

My jaw dropped in disappointment when I read "To be continued..." on the last page.  Now I have to wait for the next installment, which is apparently in the works.  Patience is not one of my virtues.

MY RATING:  4/5 Stars (Excellent)
2128132
Her Secret Desire is a very interesting concept, I love the idea of a women secretly working as a play right in Shakespeare's time. I loved a lot of the writing. Some of what I didn't like were some of the things the main character does and some of the lack of historical accuracy. I wasn't sure how to feel about the main character. In a way she is interesting, but in another way I wasn't sure if she was really believable.

Either way, I thought it was at least original, if not executed perfectly. So, I give this 3.5 stars.
1734339
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery. A comfortably-off merchant's wife is persuaded to turn spy, acting as a lady in waiting to a titled young woman.  Czar Ivan the Terrible is sending an emissary to woo her on his behalf. The Queen of England would need to give permission for such a marriage, but she is afraid to offend Ivan.

The fun part for me is seeing historical London, all today's districts and boroughs just outlying villages beyond the City and Tower. Life is really well described, with scents and sounds to make it vivid for the reader. The work of being a lady in waiting seems quite a boring one, but there is plenty of intrigue and danger for our intrepid heroine. Indeed, the first peril is encountered in the place where the royal gowns and robes are created and stored.

Meanwhile her husband the merchant is off in frozen Moscow, trying to do deals, survive the snow and help an Englishwoman fallen on hard times. We don't often see outside Britain in these mysteries so the several changes of location are welcome.

If you like Elizabethan thrillers you'll enjoy this one, with a heroine to identify with and cheer.
3997852
This trio of Rhys Bowen novels introduces us to the intrepid, somewhat clever and occasionally clumsy Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie Rannoch, the mostly penniless daughter of a dead duke and thirty-fourth in line to be Queen of England.
Known as Georgie to her friends, she is an engaging heroine who, because of her social position, isn't really allowed to take a job to support herself. That means she must rely on her half-brother - the current duke - and his penny pinching wife for money and her sister-in-law is loathe to give her a farthing.
On top of that, she is expected to do what might be called "favors" for Queen Mary without any monetary recompense. As she points out, you really can't say "no" to a request from the queen even when you're so poor that you're forced to eat baked beans and toast for dinner.
How Georgie navigates her way through these three mysteries - Her Royal Spyness, A Royal Pain and Royal Flush - provides us with not only some very interesting mysteries and intriguing characters but also with some gentle rants about the inequalities women in 1930s Great Britain faced. These three novels also highlight the crisis that held Great Britain in its grip in the early Thirties when the Duke of Wales fell in love with Wallis Simpson, a divorced American woman who just happened to be married to her second husband at the time she and the heir to the throne were carrying on their affair.
There is mystery, no small degree of humor, and what must be considered these days as an atypical romance for though Georgie is in love she is a virgin and fully intends to stay that way until she is married,
This is a delightful start to the series and I highly recommend it.
492217
This book inevitably will be compared to the Maisie Dobbs series. However, it's nothing like that series besides being a historical novel with a female who wants to be a detective.

The best part of the book is the attention to historical detail: the long train rides, the tenement boarding houses, the limited roles for women and more. Mary Handley was raised in poverty by a family that seemed to resent her talents. She reads extensively and becomes as comfortable with literature as a college English major. She's always been exceptional: we're introduced to her as a child with astonishing, piercing blue eyes.

The only work Mary can find is in a hat factory, where her impudence gets her hours reduced. She lives in a tenement where she's lucky to have a sink in her room and a bathroom down the hall. She wants to escape but she doesn't seem to be taking initiative; even back then, some moves would have been possible. She uses all her spare time for reading.

By a stroke of luck and coincidence, she's given a chance to do some detective work - heading up a high-profile murder case, no less. Without a team and apparently without training, she wades right in. Despite some mishaps, she seems confident. Somehow she knows what to say and how to handle difficult people, although it's not clear how she developed those skills. There's one scene where a male policeman tries to embarrass her in a grossly suggestive way, yet she cleverly quips her way out and earns the respect of all the men. Her quip suggests an understanding of "guy talk" that wouldn't be expected.

Along the way Mary learns some uncomfortable truths about people who will become legendary, such as Thomas Edison and JP Morgan. It seems as though the author could have written a historical nonfiction book but the lines are always blurred in a fiction book. The stories about these men seem entirely plausible.

There are some plot twists but also some coincidences. The ending seems to come from left field - completely unpredictable.

The first 20-30% of the book was quite good and the author writes well. After I started to write this review, I saw that Mary seems based on a real person. It would be helpful to know where reality ends and fiction begins.

Anyway, I'm not sure it matters. By way of comparison, I enjoyed Duchess of Duke Street, which was plausible and which showed the heroine creating her own destiny. That show was based on a real person and featured some historical figures, but would have stood on its own even if we didn't know the history behind the story.
1943966
The Crown is Nancy Bilyeau's debut novel about a Dominican nun set during the Tudor era right before the death of Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII.  Sister Joanna, of the disgraced Stafford family, is cloistered at Dartford Priory when she hears the news of the execution of her most beloved cousin, Margaret.  She breaks the rules of the priory and sneaks out to be with Margaret in her time of need.  She, along with her father, are arrested and sent to the Tower of London.

There, she meets the Bishop of Winchester, who blackmails Joanna; she is forced to seek out an ancient relic of the Saxon king Athelstan, the first king of a unified England since 927 CE.  The relic that she seeks is his crown, which, upon wearing it, King Athelstan was able to win an insurmountable battle to unite England.

The Crown has been described as a cross between a Dan Brown and Philippa Gregory novel, which is definitely apparent.  I love the idea of a historical fiction thriller, especially set during the Tudor time period.  There are a lot of twists and turns, and while predictable at times, a lot of it kept me guessing.  It definitely wasn't a flashy thriller.  Not very difficult to read at all.  I also found The Crown to be well researched.

The first fifty pages captured me, but upon Joanna's release from the Tower of London, it seemed to me that the story kind of stagnated.  I felt that the flow was a bit stunted and never really picked up for me.  I also found it to be anti-climactic in the end.  It seems like this book is setting itself up for a sequel.

I loved Joanna's character, though.  It was really interesting to read about the political intrigue of the time through the eyes of someone that wasn't a courtier.  Despite being a nun, she struggles with her human nature.

I had really high hopes for this story, but in the end, it just really fell short for me.  If there is sequel for The Crown, though, I think that I would pick it up.
3668020
This novel had a very unique premise.  A beautiful Scottish woman transforms magically into a wildcat.  She is unable to control these urges and believes she can never marry.  This woman, Catherine, is in London with her father when she meets Nicholas, duke of Efington.  She is intrigued by him but rebuffs his advances.

Nicholas is also intrigued and follows her home.  Catherine's father, the Laird is the only one who knows about Catherine's curse.  When he discovers that the duke is actually the illegitimate child of his sworn enemy and the one to possibly break the curse, he sets a blackmailing plan of marriage in motion.

Nicholas finds himself blackmailed into marriage by the Laird.  After the marriage ceremony he sends his wife back to Scotland without him.  She is relieved as she wants no part of marriage.  Later, he goes to Scotland and there tries to begin a relationship with his wife.  Nicholas is patient and endearing.

Catherine on the other hand is a real shrew.  It was very hard to like her.  I don't mind a little animosity between characters but this went on way too long.  Catherine was determined to send her husband on his way even though she knows the curse says they must fall in love (she is stubborn as the day is long).  Her husband discovers her secret and still does not leave her.  Is that enough to convince Catherine to be kind and trusting?  No, she allows misunderstandings and her own fears to constantly drive a wedge in their relationship.  At times she treats her husband cruelly.

In spite of Catherine, I am giving this book 3 stars.  The plot is good and so is the dialogue.  I only wish Catherine could have been kinder.
1012640
Maid of Deception is a book to be read for the characters. I say this because the story doesn't really play up the historical setting, and the plot wasn't focused. Admittedly, the characters could have been fleshed out more, but they're definitely the centerpiece in the novel. Each maid of honor has a unique personality and skill that makes her invaluable for the queen's services. Beatrice is the maid of deception, the one who specializes in court politics and ferreting out secrets.

For someone who is supposed to know about everything going on at court, Beatrice is surprisingly nave and blind to things she doesn't want to see. For example, she seems to believe that her father is out to ruin her life and doesn't trust him to run the family estate. She also seems to believe that she needs to be in control of everything. In spite of this, she's a pretty likable character with her own insecurities. I actually would have liked her vulnerabilities to be played up more. While some things are mentioned, there isn't a lot of elaboration, and it resulted in some surprises when Beatrice acts contrary to what I'd come to expect of her.

I did have a serious problem with the romance. In the early days, when Alasdair is trying to get Beatrice to pay attention to him, he gets really intrusiveeyeing her inappropriately and even, at times, touching her inappropriately and getting into her private space. There are times as well when they kiss that he acts overpowering, dominating her with his physical strength. Now, I have no problem with this when a couple is in a serious, exclusive relationship, but he acts domineering and intrusive at a time when she makes it clear that she has no interest in him whatsoever. I don't find this romantic but rather very, very disturbing. So though I found Alasdair quite charming later on in the book when a friendship blooms between him and Beatrice, and it becomes apparent he's not just some boorish outlander in search of a conquest, I didn't ever find myself letting my guard down around him.

This isn't a book I'd recommend if you're really interested in the time period. I'm not a medieval England expert, but there seem to be a lot of inconsistencies in the mannerisms of the people and the time period. I'm definitely glad the people don't use "period talk" (I'd be at such a loss trying to understsand what they say!), but I do expect some degree of historical accuracy in a historical fiction as well as a greater attempt at world building so that readers can get a feel for the time period. As it is, it feels like the time period was chosen for the romantic feel. I wouldn't read it for the spy aspect either. There isn't much intrigue to the plot. Rather, it feels like Beatrice moves forward from one event to another. The only solid resolution I feel we get is with Beatrice's heart.

For all my complaints, the writing did flow smoothly, and the different maids of honor are compelling in their own right. I would be potentially interested in reading the next installment. I recommend Maid of Deception to readers looking for a YA historical romance with a dominating male alpha figure.