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. ( )

"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.

Book Copy Gratis Kensington Books ( )

I've been intrigued by this whole historical romance subgenre that involves spies, so I was really looking forward to this novel. Cassie was an interesting character in the previous novel, and she was fascinating. I love the way current authors work to defeat the role of women during the time period. Cassie is strong, independent, and hell-bent on working against Napoleon at any given opportunity. Her backstory is tragic, and Putney doesn't pull her punches during the reveal. Grey has suffered as much if not more than her, and watching the pair take comfort in each other is quite beautiful. I think my only argument with this novel was the final (not unexpected) trip to France. Since we knew that something was being plotted, it would have been nice to have the villain's perspective interspersed a little more to see into his mind and machinations. Other than that, I thought the OTP were nicely suited, and I liked the coincidental stories of re-finding each other's families. ( )

This is a good installment in the Lost lords series. Generally, the characters seem a little too modern to me, especially the heroine. But it was a good read none the less. Very good suspense and interesting characters. The psychological aspects seemed to make sense. ( )

Maybe I've had a surfeit of these novels recently (I mark their shelf "Corsets & Courtship") but I'm getting able to predict the endings pretty well. I enjoy the idea that Good People get what they deserve and the Bad People get their comeuppance in the end... but these novels make me itchy for the new season of "Walking Dead" to hurry up and get started. You can't invest more than a cursory liking for people that you know will always be rescued in the end. That said, I liked Cassie more when she was living by the skin of her teeth and her wits than when she was all cosseted over and dressed in perfect clothing that fit perfectly and just so happened to be obtainable at the last minute. Just reinforces the idea that "All it takes is money." ( )