#Review: LOVE, LIES and TREASONOUS SPIES by Anne Shaw

 

 

  3.5  of 5 stars

 

Sir Jack Sterling is on the hunt for the elusive spy and traitor, the Hawk. The Hawk grows bolder and doesn't care who is hurt or killed and Jack is determined to catch the traitor. What he doesn't count on is for his friend's younger sister, Rachel Farnsworth, to insert herself in the middle of his investigation. Rachel is chafing at her father's high-handedness in forcing her to marry this Season. It's the last thing she wants. If she stays single until she reaches her majority, she'll inherit her childhood home Rosewood free and clear. It's all she's ever wanted even above a husband and children. She has no idea the trouble she's in nor that Jack is trying to protect her at all costs.

 

This was an intriguing spy story full of twists and turns. I enjoyed it, but found problems with the book. As the first book in a new series, I wished the author had better explained what the Tenet Club was. It was confusing as to what they actually did. Were they a private club? The Crown's spies? A branch of the Home Office?  The villain was referred to as The Hawk or The Fowl which made me think there was more than one villain. For clarity, it would have been better to just refer to the villain by one name. I also wasn't a fan of Rachel. She acted like a spoiled brat throughout most of the book especially when she kept going against Jack's advice. When she doesn't get her own way, she pouts and sulks like a child. Jack on the other hand was an honorable and likable gentleman who was determined to catch the spy who had caused so much trauma to those he loved. The mystery of who The Hawk is was well done. I had figured out who it was, but the reasoning behind the Hawk's actions was compelling and unexpected.

 

It will be interesting to see where the author takes this series. Her writing is compelling and with a little more attention to detail, it could be an outstanding series.

Blurb:

Follow the gentlemen of the Tenet Club—an elusive group of noblemen that investigates crimes committed by the nobility—on a rousing journey of romance, suspense, and a guaranteed happily ever-after.

Sir Jack Sterling is on the trail of a treasonous spy. He follows a lead to a masquerade, where a moonlight garden—plus an inebriated heiress—equals trouble to more than his investigation.

Miss Rachel Farnsworth has vowed never to wed, preferring her freedom to an oppressive marriage. While at a masquerade, she steals a kiss from a masked stranger that awakes something deep inside her — a thrilling desire for genuine passion.

Sir Jack has no room in his volatile life for romance, yet he can’t stop thinking about Rachel. The spy threatens her life, and he is forced to take her into his confidence.

Following a trail of deception and lies, the pair struggle against the desire growing between them.

 

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