Reviewer: Tracy Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen
Series: All the Queen's Spies #2
Also in this series: Wed to a Spy, Lost to a Spy (All the Queen's Spies #3)
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Historical Romance
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Series Rating:
Rose Turner’s mother sent her to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, to give her a better life. Raised with rowdy brothers in a notorious border clan, Rose has plenty of experience fighting and thieving—and practically none when it comes to matters of decorum and discretion. Without a single ally, she has little hope of making a good marriage to salvage her family’s reputation. But after overhearing several influential lords plotting to murder the King of Scotland, Rose meets a man after all: a handsome spy trying to shield her from danger.
As one of the Queen Elizabeth’s top agents, Will Sheffield has come up north to keep a close eye on the goings-on at Mary’s court. A consummate professional, Will notices Rose’s presence at the secret meeting . . . and he’s not the only one. The wild, naïve beauty has made a fearsome enemy—and only Will can keep her safe. But after an attempt on Rose’s life pulls them tantalizingly close, Will faces an agonizing choice between professional loyalty or powerful passion.
Rose Turner is the daughter of a border clan lord who is known for his thieving. She was sent to court to try and find a husband. It’s truly the last place she wants to be as she’d rather be at home taking care of animals, wearing breeches and having a good time with her five brothers. She tries to spend as much time outside of the palace as possible but as it’s horribly cold out those times grown shorter and shorter. During one of her outdoor times she tries to get out of the weather and uses a hidden door she knows about. Unfortunately she happens to hear men behind a closed door plotting to kill the king. She gets away before they see her but drops her shawl.
Will Sheffield is the son of a Viscount but he’s also one of Queen Elizabeth’s spies. He’s been sent to Queen Mary’s court to gather information and is hidden in the shadows listening to the plot to kill the king when Rose arrives. He knows that he has to protect her from the plotting men, but his fellow spies tell him to leave it be. There are casualties in all their missions and she will be another. Will doesn’t exactly feel that way and sets out to meet the beautiful Rose.
Rose and Will spend more time together and Rose starts to care for him – just as Will starts to care for her. She is approached however, by Lord Lysle who starts to pay attention to her. She is fine with it until Will tells her that he is one of the plotters. She has to play her cards right so that Lysle doesn’t have a clue that she is aware of his deeds. Rose is also torn – she knows she should go to the queen to tell her of the plot but if she does but is scared.
Will knows he should stay away from Rose but he finds himself falling in love with her anyway. He knows he can’t be with her or marry her but when it comes down to doing his job or saving Rose, which will he choose?
Bound to a Spy was a lovely story of secrets and intrigue, love and romance. I truly enjoyed reading about Rose and Will’s meeting and falling in love. Though they both knew it was wrong to fall in love with the other they still could not stay away from each other.
Will had had a childhood with no love. His parents had resided in London while he had lived on their country estate raised by nannies and governesses. He knew he’d never get married nor fall in love as he didn’t believe he knew how to love someone. It was sad to know he thought this way about himself. He was a good man who ended up taking such good care of Rose.
Rose was a wild little thing who was clearly out of her element in the palace. She wanted to be outside in the fresh air and not stuck sitting around doing embroidery (that she wasn’t good at). Rose may have been an outdoor girl but she still had grace and refinement and I liked the dueling parts of her personality. When it came to Will she was a goner from the get-go. Truly smitten from minute one and it only grew from there.
This romance flowed so nicely within the story and blended well with the intrigue aspect of it. Cullen once again did a fantastic job of bringing us the story of Elizabeth’s spies and the love stories. I can’t wait to read the next one as it looks to be just as good as this book.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Sounds intriguing. It has been awhile since i read a historical romance. This sounds like a good one to start with.