| Title | : | No Longer a Gentleman (Lost Lords, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1420117238 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781420117233 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 |
| Publication | : | First published April 24, 2012 |
Cassie Fox lost everything in the chaos of revolution, leaving only a determination to help destroy Napoleon's empire through her perilous calling. "Rescuing Grey" is merely one more mission. She hadn't counted on a man with the stark beauty of a ravaged angel, whose desperate courage and vulnerability thaw her frozen heart. But a spy and a lord are divided by an impassable gulf even if they manage to survive one last, terrifying mission...
No Longer a Gentleman (Lost Lords, #4) Reviews
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I finished this yesterday and yet it feels like weeks since I've read it. Not sure what that means.
First of all, I'd have given this book four stars if Putney knew how to write anything realistically--which she does not. Granted, it is partly my own fault, because I know from past experience that I don't generally enjoy books by her with tortured heroes, simply because the heroes aren't actually tortured. The characters in the book claim the hero is tortured, and so does the hero himself, but this is not displayed at all in the actual story. I have no problem with non-tortured heroes, but if you're going to write a TH, then at least do it right.
I am reminded of Ian from another Putney book. He spent years in dungeon which was literally a hole dug into the ground. When he was freed, he was in perfect health. Mildly underweight, but otherwise in tip top shape. We are told he is claustrophobic, but he doesn't exhibit as much. Perhaps he thinks, Damn, this darkness kinda sucks-- oh well! - It's not that I wanted him to suffer, but how am I supposed to get into his character when he feels so unreal? Same thing happened with Grey. Imprisoned in solitary confinement for TEN years. Despite this, he is in pique physical condition-- he is slightly underweight, but only by a few pounds or so, and is in stunningly perfect health. Yes, I want him healthy, but not at the cost of accuracy.
I'm supposed to believe he spent ten years in a French dungeon and can just pop out back into society totally healthy mentally and physically? Oh, sure, he claims he's insane, but is there any proof? No. Supposedly, his temper is the proof. Okay. Also, he has a mild distaste for crowds now. Whatever that means. It just felt like his character post-prison was just slapped together at random. Oh, gee, he should be scarred. Let's see...how about he wants to beat up a few people and gets a bit irritated in crowds! Perfect!
On a high note, I found Cassie a pretty likable heroine. I found it refreshing how she wasn't the typical naive virgin - not to mention the fact that she could kick major butt. Plus, she actually showed affection to her hero-- I know, you'd think romances are full of that, but really it's mostly the heroes drooling and caressing the heroines. I like some equality myself.
As for Grey, nothing new or special here. He felt like a generic hero to me. I did however enjoy the fact that he readily admitted to needing Cassie and to wanting her around. He knew what he wanted from the beginning, HER, and he wasn't afraid to tell her so. He actually asked for her to go places with him because he wanted her support. It's fairly typical for the heroes to defend the heroine's name, but it's rarer to find the alternative. Cassie, for me, is that. I loved how she wouldn't let anyone badmouth Grey, not even his own mother. She respected him and cared about him as a person, and he did the same for her. In fact, the best part about this book was that the H/h liked each other--and ADMITTED to it.
Low points include:
The reunions. Grey and Kirkland...meh. It was okay. Grey and his family...below average. I just didn't feel the emotion at all. It felt distant. Not to mention that his brother immediately did the whole thing, which is just dumb. I'm getting bored of the "crappy family members care more about titles than loved ones" scenario. Especially in this case, since
Also, the male friendships here should be a major point, but they came off as weak. For a guy who spent years trying to find his friend, Kirkland's reaction to his return was ho-hum. I get that they're men, but come on. -
DNF 33%
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The majority of the historical romances that I read are usually with heroes that fought in war and came back scared, or either before or after the war. This is the first time that I read about during, where the hero was imprisoned for 10 years. It was very nice to see some action and to see the heroine being an excellent spy, how well she could disguise herself...
Even though this was the 4th book in the series I felt that I didn't miss much not reading the previous ones. -
Lord Wyndham, Greydon Sommers, never dreamed that his dalliance would cause him to lose ten years of his life. He spent those ten years in a dungeon, alone and barely hanging on to sanity. Determined to keep himself from going completely mad, he worked out and sang. When he'd all but given up hope of ever seeing England again, Cassie enters his life. A spy working for his friend Kirkland, she was sent to check out information that he was still alive. She caught just the right time too, because the master of the castle was gone and his staff gravely ill. Cassie swoops in and rescues Grey. During their time together, they fall in love, but because Cassie believes she is not up to Grey's standards, she walks away. Then things change.
This book was fun, romantic and sexy. I enjoyed the fact that the female lead got to be the hero in this book. She certainly deserved it. I think more books should use the female lead as the hero. The story behind this one isn't a common boy-meets-girls story. It includes some very forward thinking for the time period. I know you'll want to spend a weekend with this book. It takes you on a trip to the past but includes some intrigue. This is a must have book.
I didn't find anything wrong with this one.
I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because of it's forward thinking. -
Aaarghhh al weer zo'n verschrikkelijke cover die dit verhaal absoluut geen recht doet !!
Een avontuurlijk verhaal waarin de 2 hoofdpersonen heel wat moeten overwinnen voor zij een Happy end tegemoet kunnen zien . -
This series is spectacular. I've loved everyone of the Lost Lords so far, and their ladies too. Ms. Putney surely has a way with words. None of the Lords had an easy life and neither did their women. And Grey "Wyndham" Sommers and Catherine St. Ives are no different. In France Grey was caught in a married ladies bed by her husband and was imprisoned in the dungeon for ten years! Catherine St. Ives aka Carrie Fox's entire family was murdered by the French and she was left adrift at a young age. Furious Carrie sought out Kirkland determined to fight the French anyway she could. Her newest mission was to find out if the prisoner was in fact the missing Wyndham heir and rescue him if she could.
I loved both Grey and Carrie and was thrilled with the HEA. What a terrific story! -
Review posted at Demon Lover's Books and More
3.5 flames
This book has so many things to like about it, but for some reason I really couldn’t get into it. I wanted to rate it higher, I truly did. But I just...can’t.
I don’t normally do reviews in the like/dislike format, but I really have had a hard time reviewing this book. Because it didn’t work for me, but I can see the marketability of this book, I think this format works.
I’ll start with the things I liked:
-The heroine is a spy, and a really great master of disguise
-The book mostly takes place in France during the Napoleonic War
-The hero is imprisoned in a dungeon for 10 excruciatingly long years
-His PTSD is never glossed over, he’s not miraculously “normal” once rescued
-The heroine rescues the hero
-The hero is attracted to the heroine while she’s in disguise, so he really is attracted to her personality and wit
-The book is well-written
What I didn’t like:
-The first 8 chapters or so are done in a back and forth format (10 yrs ago, present time, ten years ago, present time. etc)
-I couldn’t get into the heroine’s character
-There was a bit of predictability to it
-The heroine never could see her beauty, but in one scene she admits she that with her looks, she looks like a man’s high price mistress
-It took Cassie way too long to even consider the prospect of marrying Grey
-The ending was too tidy
Basically Grey, the golden child and heir to an earldom, is playing at being a spy in France. He sees a married woman who is known for her indiscretions, and he thinks to seduce information about her husband from her. Her husband finds them in bed together and imprisons Grey. In his private dungeon. For ten long years.
Cassie was minor English/French nobility, her family was killed during the beginning of the Revolution whilst in France, and she was the only remaining member. She became a spy, and worked her butt off to get rid of Napoleon. Cassie became a master of disguise and espionage. When she has a chance to help her boss Kirkland find information on his friend Grey, whom everyone has assumed dead, she heads off to France. What she finds is Grey is alive and she is able to free both him, and his only companion a priest.
I think that while this book wasn’t for me, that many readers will enjoy it. You have all this action, all this emotion and tension, and then for a short bit, we see Grey trying to readjust to society. Then a bit more espionage and action. I think Grey was a great character. His imprisonment forever changed him, he didn’t miraculously hit English soil and become normal. He had panic attacks, he had issues with too many people and close spaces. He had a violent temper. Cassie helped him, she was stable, and he liked her. His like blossomed to love, but she couldn’t accept it. Not just for the whole “I’m a spy, you’re going to be an earl” bit, but because she genuinely felt it was just that she was the first woman he’d been with in a decade.
I think this is where I began to have issues with Cassie. She was so intelligent and cunning, yet she couldn’t believe that he would ever want her. She’s damaged goods. But so was he. And I feel like his pain and angst was forefront, and hers was glossed over. She quickly and easily was able to leave the spy game and jump into her future, no problem. The ending was sweet, but predictable, as was the use of the bad guy and his plot.
Again, this didn’t work for me, but I can see many other readers enjoying it. And there were a lot of great points to this book.
***Thank you to Kensington for the ARC -
Decent enough story. Decent enough writing. Just could not get into it. Feels like the author wasn't into it either. This is sort of passionless, paint-by-numbers romance writing. This reads exactly like it's the 50th variation of the same novel someone churned out in a short period of time. Very blah.
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I really loved the relationship between Cat and Grey. It develops very naturally and both are adults about their struggles. I only had to knock a star down for some very unbelievable plot devices. I am forgiving for this type of book, none of us are here for historical accuracy, but there was essentially "magical" perfume and someone who recovered almost completely from severe PTSD in a few weeks. That's....too much.
Still, if you want a good time romance with spies, this was fun and light and I would recommend it. Just get ready to wear your suspenders of reality real high. I'll definitely be continuing with the series. Putney has her flaws, as all writers do, but all the other good things make up for it! -
This review was originally posted at:
http://thebookpushers.com/2012/04/23/...
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: April 24th
How I got this book: ARC from the Publisher
Grey Sommers, Lord Wyndham, never met a predicament he couldn’t charm his way out of. Then a tryst with a government official’s wife during a bit of casual espionage in France condemns him a decade in a dungeon, leaving him a shadow of his former self. Yet his greatest challenge may be the enigmatic spy sent to free his body—the only woman who might heal his soul.
Half English and half French, Cassie Fox lost everything in the chaos of revolution, leaving only a determination to help destroy Napoleon’s empire through her perilous calling. Rescuing Grey is merely one more mission. She hadn’t counted on a man with the stark beauty of a ravaged angel, whose desperate courage and vulnerability touch her frozen heart as no one ever has. With Grey, she can become the passionate woman she has long denied. But a spy and a lord are divided by an impassable gulf even if they manage to survive one last, terrifying mission….
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
Ms Putney is one of the authors whose historical romances I will usually read. I started with Thunder & Roses the first of her Fallen Angels series and proceeded to seek out all of her other books. I started reading the Lost Lords series when the first one was released. Then life got in the way and I fell behind in the series. When we were offered a chance to review No Longer a Gentleman I eagerly accepted for a couple of reasons, first I wanted a historical romance fix which I knew I would get because I had to catch up on the story I had missed and second Ms Putney’s stories usually provide me with a combination of intrigue, strong men and women, and lots of vivid details. Unfortunately this installment fell slightly short of what I expected.
I was really intrigued in the mystery that is Cassie as I was able to spend some time with her in Nowhere Near Respectable. She knew how to play all sorts of different roles while blending in and becoming almost invisible. Yet she had a very deep old hurt which kept her from settling down or revealing what she really looked like. She was also extremely driven to end any chance Napoleon had of ever ruling Europe. I liked Cassie as a person and found the unveiling of her story fascinating and tragic at the same time. It was good to see how she had overcome her past to create her present. She was a strong woman, mentally and physically and used everything she had to accomplish her missions and remained mostly self-contained.
I didn’t know as much about Grey except for the memories his classmates had of him because he had been missing (imprisoned) since before this series began. Grey seemed to be much harder on his former self than any of his friends or family could ever be. I wasn’t sure if that was a result of solitary confinement or if it was because he was forced to grow up suddenly and face the fact that if he had made one choice differently he wouldn’t have been in that situation or a combination of the two. I found it admirable that after Grey snapped out of the shock of going from golden charmed man without a struggle in his life to being brutally mistreated and imprisoned that he did what he could to regain and preserve his strength and sanity. I also really liked how Ms Putney handled the PTSD Grey experienced when he was suddenly freed. His freedom didn’t mean a switch was flipped and he returned to the lighthearted Grey he had been before. In fact she even brought up that Grey would never be the same person.
As much as I liked the two characters individually and their non-romantic associations with each other I had a few issues with their romance and HEA. I understood Grey’s need for physical closeness and to celebrate that he was free in a very elemental way but I did not understand Cassie’s motivation to have sex initially. After their first encounter well it was obvious * wink *. But even with their sexual attraction and compatibility I was not able to buy Grey’s love as anything other then a rescue fixation. My other quibble is hidden behind the spoiler tags, click at your own risk.
[spoiler} I also think the timing and reason for a quick marriage, while probably accurate, was a bit too convenient. [/spoiler]
I found that No Longer a Gentleman was much more focused on the characters rather than intrigue. The bad guy’s method to draw Grey back into his reach I found to be extremely obvious and very predictable. My only question was at what point of the book it would occur. Given the book’s focus, the fact that I never bought into Cassie and Grey as a HEA couple lowered my enjoyment of their story. I liked them individually and as they journeyed on their path of lovers to friends but I wasn’t ready for HEA. It was also good to see some of the other early characters get closure in regards to Grey while continuing to assist as they could the war against Napoleon. I am looking forward to seeing what Ms Putney comes up next in this series.
I give No Longer a Gentlemen a B- -
Pek de ısınamadığım bir hikaye oldu, bitsin diye çabaladım hatta. Aslında sevdiğim her unsur vardı içinde ama yine de bir şeyler eksikti.
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Couldn't put this one down!
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Spodziewałam się czegoś lepszego. Bez szału, mimo że bohaterka była odważna i niezależna, wydała mi się równocześnie mocno nijaka, podobnie jak i główny bohater.
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3.5 Stars. I was excited to get a double pack of Mary Jo Putney romances for review, and not having read her before, I decided to start with her newest, No Longer A Gentleman. Besides, I have a weakness for historical spy romances, so I really wanted to read this one!
The story takes place in France and England during the Napoleonic War and follows British agent Cassie Fox as she helps break fellow agent Grey Sommers out of the French prison that's been his home for ten years. But breaking him out was just the beginning. Now she has to get him through hostile territory to the coast and smuggle him across the Channel, evading police, soldiers, and angry citizens along the way, and all while trying to deny her feelings for Grey and the bond growing between them. After all, it's only natural that a man so long without human company would latch on to the first woman to come along. But that's all it is. Once Grey is safely back in his family's fold, he'll take up his duties as the Earl of Costain and find a rich society bride, and Cassie can go back to her life of anonymity. But Grey has other plans. Can he convince Cassie that he wants her to remain by his side as he returns to the family who's given him up for dead, and that he needs her by his side for the rest of his life? Or will he lose everything when an old enemy lures them into a trap to settle a grudge once and for all?
The thing I like best about this novel is the characterization. Simply fantastic. Cassie is utterly convincing as a woman used to blending in and fading away. She's been playing parts for so long, that no one knows who she really is, possibly even she herself does not know who the real Cassie is. And Grey is just devastating as a newly freed prisoner. Ten years in solitary confinement have taken their toll, and it is very difficult for him to readjust into society. The attachment he forms to Cassie is realistic and both touching and heartbreaking.
So, I really wanted to love this. I loved the characters and I loved the story, but this book really dragged for me. There was a lot of repetition, a subplot with Cassie's relatives that went nowhere and seemed to just eat up space, and I found myself skimming quite a bit toward the end. Still a worthwhile read for being different from typical Regency romances, but not special enough to really stand out from the crowd. -
I hardly ever do any reviews but I am doing this one at the urging of my friend Jan (-;
Of course, SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
Well, I like Cassie. She is a strong heroine. Her background is heart-wrenching, a little too angsty for me but still her reaction to cruel life events was not to take it lying down. She decided she will fight back. Good for her.
I like strong heroines but I am still seeking a romance.
Her whole attitude towards romance seems to be rather blah. I mean I would understand if she stayed away from men completely after what has been done to her but she actually has a 'friend' that she occasionally sleeps with.
A friend with 'benefits'??? Seriously???
Another thing, people thought she was old because she used a magic perfume? No disguise, just that?
Can I get some of that stuff??
I didn't like Grey at first and never really understood why he was in Lady Agnes' school except perhaps because he was a bad tempered spoilt brat.
He got into trouble because he couldn't control his lust and put his friends in jeopardy as well as they tried to find & rescue him.
I started to think better of him when he decided to rise to the challenge of being in that solitary hell hole by keeping his body & mind fit.
Cassie saved him heroically and our heroes start their escape journey together.
He needs a woman because he has been without for 10 years, she seeks 'comfort' so they sleep together. How romantic!!!
He gets psychologically attached to her because he can't deal with people and she is his connection to the real world.
By this time, I was wondering why was I reading this book? I was seeking a historical romance and this was not!!
Then Grey gets news that his father is very sick and he has to go their family seat but he insists that he wanted Cassie to go with him.
However, I found myself getting so bored that I just could not finish.
Unfortunately, I had a similar experience with another MJ Putney story. I pushed myself to finish it then and got bored out of my wits.
This time I gave up.
It is such a shame because the story had many elements & plot lines that could have made it really work but it just doesn't seem to.
The two stars go to those elements but no more!
A great shame -
Décidément j'adore cette auteure et ce quatrième tome est de nouveau un coup de coeur.
Cette fois-ci, nous suivons Cassie, un des agents de Kirkland rencontré dans le tome 3. Sa mission , retourner en France afin de savoir si oui ou non après dix ans de disparition, Lord Wyndham est encore en vie. Comme a son habitude , elle se déguise en femme sans intérêt et invisible pour mener son enquête. Ayant habilement soutiré des informations a une tavernière, elle se dirige vers le château Durand ou elle découvre un Wyndham, très amaigri et en manque de contact humain ainsi qu'un prêtre, le père Laurent , très affaibli lui aussi. L'évasion se déroule assez facilement, et après quelques jours de routes a se cacher de la police , Cassie et son revenant reviennent en Angleterre.
J'avoue que même en ayant adoré les trois premier tomes , j'avais quand même une appréhension pour celui-ci qui fut vite balayer en quelques pages. L'auteure a toujours cette écriture fluide et entraînante. Il m'a été très difficile de lâcher ce livre qui annule le début de panne livresque qui commençait a arriver a cause de ma précédente lecture. Il y a de l'action, de la passion et de l'espionnage. Un cocktail que j'aime beaucoup.
J'ai hâte de connaître l'histoire de Rob carmichael dans le tome cinq et de Kirkland dans le tome six. Mais je me contenterais pour l'instant d'un one shot de l'auteure en attendant la parution de ces deux là.
Pour finir, un très bon roman historique et une très bonne série. -
In the last book of the Lost Lords quartet, the missing lord, Greydon Sommers, Lord Wyndham, was located and rescued from the private dungeon he had been locked in for the last 10 years. He would have gone mad if not for a fellow prisoner, a Catholic priest, who kept him sane by educating him and singing with him. But in those 10 years, he saw no other person. His rescuer was Cassie Reynard, sent by Kirkland. The rescue was easy. The recovery was not. You don't just leave solitary confinement without a few mental issues and Grey's were about crowds and temper. Cassie helped with both. This was equally Cassie's story. Although Cassie's family, half French, had all been killed during the revolution, she had escaped with the help of a nursemaid and though a child of wealth, was remade into a peasant of no consequence. She can't help Grey regain his place in society without accepting her own which she had been loathe to do. It turns out to be easier than expected. And more loving. Many things about this book were too easy. But the characters were so right for each other that it was easy to over that.
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Although I hadn't read the other three books in the series, this one was easy to follow (except the whole school/Hindu fighting style thing, that took a bit to figure out - Kirkland's spy network was not).
This had a very Count of Monte Cristo vibe with the "10 years in a cell with a priest to keep you company" plot device right down to Gray's penchant for revenge (although not as elaborate). Cassie was an interesting heroine and it was nice to see Putney attempt to work some of the grimmer aspects into reality of being an orphaned English girl during the French Revolution.
The serious complaint is that it's too predictable, even for a romance novel. You know that Cassie will get Gray out of his hellhole, that they'll fall into lust then love, that Gray's family will accept him back without reservations, that Cassie will (in a plot move worthy of Dickens) be find her long-lost relatives, and that Cassie and Gray will wind up having to go back to France for the denoument of the novel. That last bit would have gone better if the reader hadn't been given the villain's point-of-view - that was unnecessary. -
This was quite enjoyable. I like that the heroine was the one to be a spy, I like that we saw some of his captivity and didn't just pick up hearing about it after the fact, and that the effects of that life altering experience didn't just immediately resolve. They were both complicated people, so their relationship was a bit complicated as well, but it didn't feel like it was just drama stacked on top of drama. Most of their struggles and hurdles to their happy ending came from outside circumstances rather than a bunch of betrayal or something. The events are sort of extraordinary of course, but the whole story was told in just such a *buyable* way that it wasn't at all a distraction or effort to 'suspend disbelief'. I liked how their relationship evolved, and both characters were sympathetic and likable. They were well suited to each other. Previous characters showed up here and there, but this could easily stand on its own.
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Este libro (el cuarto de la serie) me pareció muy extraño en cuanto a la forma que está escrito, es decir, al principio combina pasado y presente entre un capítulo y otro; luego viene algo de acción, después entra en un "impasse" donde no pasa nada memorable (en mi opinión, claro) que termina dando paso a un clímax donde lo importante no son los protagonistas, ya que el momento de éstos llega a su cumbre en el epílogo.
A pesar de esa forma extraña, el contenido no es malo, los personajes (como en toda la serie y tanto los protagónicos como los secundarios) son fuertes, luchones, bien definidos, con su cuota de problemas... pero muy guapos y ricos.
Ya solo me falta una para terminar la serie y ya estoy deseando terminar la serie... han sido muchos libros ubicados en este período de la historia que ya me siento con ganas de cambiar de género. -
Putney returns to form in the long-awaited story of Wyndam. The characters have true depth and are multifaceted. I love how they are transformed by their suffering (and not of the mundane romantic variety, we're talking DEEP suffering) and bring each other gentle humor and healing. Plus, throw in some spies and France and disguises, how can I NOT like it?
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4.5 stars
I've read all but the second in this series (completely out of order and over many months). I think they are all good but the later the better. Why doesn't Masterson have a story? -
The prisoner and the spy
10 years ago Grey went missing. His friend Kirkland has been tirelessly searching for him ever since. Now Kirkland has a lead on Grey, and he sends his best agent, Cassie, to France to investigate. Cassie has her own history with France and her own demons. So when she happens to find and then later free Grey from his prison to turn to each other for comfort. But can this romance built on a foundation of intense need weather the coming storm.
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I was surprisingly pleased with the story. After the grand slam of the previous book, I wasn’t sure If this book would live up to its predecessor. And I’m happy to say that it did.
Considering that we’ve only heard bits and pieces about who Grey is there isn’t the interest or history that the readers have had with him. We’re not as attached to Grey. And Cassie was only introduced in the previous book. So she’s not a recurring character the same way as Kirkland or Ashton are. So this book really did start behind the eight ball. But boy did it manage to succeed.
I seriously love Grey’s growth as a character. He surprised me at several points during this book. Like he was surprisingly cool as a character. I liked him. Of course that may have to do with the fact that he’s a bit of a beta hero. And I always have a soft spot for beta heroes. But it may also have to do the fact that he owned his mistakes and he grew from them. Which is something I really like to see.
Cassie is definitely an alpha heroin. And I also like that. She is both strong and weak but she knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to go after it. I really liked how she handled one of her previous relationships and I liked That she owned her sexuality. But at the same point I also liked that Grey wouldn’t let her Get away with slut shaming. Like she was incredibly self deprecating and called herself names and Grey wouldn’t let it fly. And I’m also here for that yay A+ sex positivity.
The over arcing plot itself worked well on the side characters were fairly well done. My biggest complaint is that part of the ending was a big day is ex machina. But it didn’t really lessen my overall enjoyment too much.
In all, I liked this…
Four and a half stars Rounded up to five -
Loved it. An English lord imprisoned for 10 years by a vengeful French policeman and a woman spy who lost everything to the French revolution. When she frees him from his dungeon and risks her life to smuggle him out of the war-torn France back to England, they seem a match made in romance. I loved the characters. I loved the story. I loved the tension throbbing on every page.
This delightful book worked for me on all levels. -
2021 bk 236. Kirkland has received information - that may lead to finding the one man he has been searching in France for a period of ten years. Putting his best agent, Cassie on the job, she succeeds in finding Wyndham and freeing him from prison. The real story if on how you free a man from the prison embedded in his soul - and free your own soul of anger and sorrow. Excellent well written story in which I find nuances I missed in previous reads each time I pick it up.
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4 stars Another enjoyable installment from The Lost Lords series. My only issue was the rushed ending. It tied up plot points but compared to the other part of espionage plot it seemed like a Hail Mary instead of a well planned third act.
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2.5 Stars
While this series is a guilty pleasure of mine. I find myself with an interesting conundrum. While the other books in this series makes me interested in both people in the couple that were suppose to fall in love and live happily ever after. I found myself only really interested in one of them and that was Cassie. (Which is odd because sometimes outside the series I would be more interested in the male than the female so points for that!)
Cassie is a spy to take down the French for the English. She has her own goals and her own dreams which she believes with her spy life may never achieve and not because of the requirement of a man. Sort of take down the tyranny or die trying. Then maybe if survival is possible, focus on those dreams.
Grey on the other hand, I didn't really get into. Yes he's the pretty boy who got himself incarcerated by being a ladies man and touching the wrong woman. Which kept him there for most of a decade. (Even though it was consensual) It was just how he behaved when he got out really threw me off. Like the large crowd thing. I can understand that at first after solitary confinement (Even if there was a priest in the room next door) After wards I just didn't understand why like was this an untapped anxiety he didn't know he had or was it suppose to be like PTSD? Like with the temper and the untapped strength while living on bread and water...huh?
I feel like in this book Cassie deserves a better man to nurture or at least a man that makes a bit more sense! (Even though it's a guilty pleasure and sometimes guilty pleasures don't make sense)
Also I lost count how many times I felt like I was reading the same line over and over again even though I was on a different page and there was some paragraph differences. It's suppose to be reinforcing stuff but I felt like the author didn't trust the reader after a certain point in memory of the characters feelings.
All in all, I might keep going with the guilty pleasure but I might need some time away from it. (Like the happy ending I didn't go yay for the characters. I went finally it's over for me!) -
"No Longer a Gentleman", Grey Sommers, Lord Wyndham, allows his misspent youth to catch up with him when he dabbles in espionage and dallies with the wrong married woman. Caught in the act by the woman's cruel husband, Grey is imprisoned without a ransom demand, and he endures a decade in the dark hole of a castle dungeon. Grey's friend, Lord Kirkland, the one who sent Grey upon his misguided mission, has never stopped trying to find Grey all throughout the long ten years. When word finally comes of Grey's location, Kirkland sends in his top operative, Cassie Fox, to rescue the lost lord. During Grey's incarceration, he kept himself as fit as possible by exercising his body and mind each day. When the rescue comes, he is more than ready to escape, bring along with him another prisoner, Pere Laurent, whom he had befriended. After leaving Pere Laurent in the care of his relatives, Cassie and Grey make their way back to England. In order to pull off Grey's rescue, Cassie is traveling in one of her many disguises, that of an old woman. At first Grey is shaken by his attraction to this spry "older woman", and he attributes his feelings to being deprived of a woman's touch for so long. The attraction is mutual, and soon passion burns bright between Grey and Cassie. After such a long and cruel imprisonment, Grey's emotions are in turmoil and he sometimes loses control of his behavior. Through Cassie's sweet attentions and encouragement, Grey begins to heal from the inside out. Cassie is not without her own deep emotional issues, and she needs Grey as much as he needs her. However, Cassie swore to destroy Napoleon and his empire when her family was brutally killed and her home destroyed in the turmoil of the French Revolution. Can a once lost lord and a lady spy conquer their enemies and claim the love they can find with no other? Adventure, emotion, humor, and human drama, presented with great style by author Mary Jo Putney.
Review Copy Gratis Kensington Books -
2.5 stars
Obviously, one doesn't read books like this for realism, but this one stretches that so far that it becomes laughable. The escape near the beginning relies on the coincidence that the castle where Grey is held has nothing but sick people. As a result, the resourceful lady spy, Cassie the Fox, is able to rescue him rather easily. Their escape to England is also filled with lucky coincidences as the villain who held him searches diligently for them with a literal army of men, but fails to capture them. OK, so move.
The story is slow while Grey is in the dungeon and even as they escape. To keep up the interest, the author relies a little too much on lustful liaisons between the two lead characters while they flee. The story never really picks up until the last part where the situation gets ridiculous again. Through the middle of the book, it relies on the relationship between the two as they help each other face major changes in their lifestyles. It's true that they talk a lot as the relationship grows, but a lot of lust is sprinkled through the situation which for me cheapens it.
Cassie is another superheroine but also intelligent and beautiful. Her biggest flaw is her refusal to believe that she might be attractive. Much of her lack of self-esteem is due to her horrific backstory. (Surprise!) Grey's biggest asset is his male beauty and charm, although one has to also respect that he survived 10 years of captivity, much of it in solitary.
Admittedly, many of my complaints would apply to most books of this genre, except somehow in this one they didn't quite click and the formulaic plot devices were a little too blatant.
Mature themes: The backstory contains a description of a mob burning a house down with a family, including children, inside it, and gang rape which is merely mentioned, not described. Torture, or at least multiple beatings are strongly implied. Several necks get snapped. There are several moderately explicit sex scenes.
