Helpful Score: 2
The 4th Spymaster book, and finally, the story of Adrian(Hawker) and Justine that we have all been waiting for!
When I first got this book, I put it aside because I saw that the time lapse between the H&H meeting to when they finally get their HEA is over 20 years. I usually don't like stories with long separations. But I finally got around to reading it and it was a great book, exceptionally well-written. You won't find any historical errors or anachronisms here. The spy/murder subplot is well done and adds to making this a stay-up-late page-turner. There is some violence, but nothing graphic. I was not frustrated by the long wait for the HEA like I expected, because the book starts out in the characters' present time(1818) with flashbacks to their earlier encounters. It works because the story is true to the characters that Bourne has created. They are spies on opposite sides during the war, and both are seriously dedicated to their professions. Being the people that they are, it wouldn't have made sense for either of them to give up everything for love and quit doing their jobs while their countries were still at war. I loved the way their sexual relationship was so full of caring and tenderness, right from the beginning, and the way they were true to each other while apart. I thought it was realistic that they were so mature at such a young age because of the lives they lived and the times they lived in. In short, I loved this as much as the other Spymaster books, and immediately after finishing it, I went back and reread certain sections because they were just so satisfying and there were so many nuances in the story. Now I'm going to reread the whole series in order(they're all on my keeper shelf) so I can refresh my memories of some of the backstory and secondary characters that reappear in this book. I foresee a very enjoyable weekend!
One little warning, I'm glad I remember some high-school French(although when I read that Hawker was "naked except for calecons" it sent me straight to Google!), because there are occasional words and sentences without an English translation. You won't be missing too much if you don't understand them, but knowing French is an extra bonus to enjoying the book.
When I first got this book, I put it aside because I saw that the time lapse between the H&H meeting to when they finally get their HEA is over 20 years. I usually don't like stories with long separations. But I finally got around to reading it and it was a great book, exceptionally well-written. You won't find any historical errors or anachronisms here. The spy/murder subplot is well done and adds to making this a stay-up-late page-turner. There is some violence, but nothing graphic. I was not frustrated by the long wait for the HEA like I expected, because the book starts out in the characters' present time(1818) with flashbacks to their earlier encounters. It works because the story is true to the characters that Bourne has created. They are spies on opposite sides during the war, and both are seriously dedicated to their professions. Being the people that they are, it wouldn't have made sense for either of them to give up everything for love and quit doing their jobs while their countries were still at war. I loved the way their sexual relationship was so full of caring and tenderness, right from the beginning, and the way they were true to each other while apart. I thought it was realistic that they were so mature at such a young age because of the lives they lived and the times they lived in. In short, I loved this as much as the other Spymaster books, and immediately after finishing it, I went back and reread certain sections because they were just so satisfying and there were so many nuances in the story. Now I'm going to reread the whole series in order(they're all on my keeper shelf) so I can refresh my memories of some of the backstory and secondary characters that reappear in this book. I foresee a very enjoyable weekend!
One little warning, I'm glad I remember some high-school French(although when I read that Hawker was "naked except for calecons" it sent me straight to Google!), because there are occasional words and sentences without an English translation. You won't be missing too much if you don't understand them, but knowing French is an extra bonus to enjoying the book.
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