The Spymaster's Lady

By: Joanna Bourne

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

She's braved battlefields. She's stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She's played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can't outwit...

British spymaster Robert Grey must enter France and bring back the brilliant, beautiful - and dangerous - Fox Cub. His duty is to capture her and her secrets for England. When the two natural enemies are thrown into prison, they forge an uneasy alliance to break free. But their pact is temporary and betrayal seems inevitable as the fates of nations hang in the balance.

©2008 Joanna Bourne (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Thoroughly Engaging!

Loved this book! Plot was more complicated and unique than most romance novels and the narrator was probably the best I've ever heard.

So Good

Romantic mystery at its best. Excellent historical novel. This is the first novel I have read from this author but it won't be the last.

Excellence and Originality

From the hundreds of Audible titles I have downloaded, no title has entertained more in this genre. Joanna Bourne and Kirsten Potter are an incredibly magical duo offering excellence and originality in both writing and narration. I have listened to "The Spymaster's Lady" so many times that the characters seem like old friends. Unfortunately, only one of Ms. Bourne's books is offered by Audible even though her reviews and ratings exceed those of the formulaic authors regularly offered in abundance from the same genre.

More, please!.

Fun, Whitty and Well Read!

The title says it all. Just a blast and a great escape. I'd get trapped in jail with him any time!

Excitement and Heat!

What a fantastic story! Both leads in the story were fantastic, I loved the build up and the sexual tension between them. The story was great and made you feel super invested. I’m excited for the continuation of the series. Got a love spies.

Delightful Surprise

Great story, great narrator! I found the story very engaging and enjoyed all the characters. A great love story with out over writing scenes of passion.

Fun Listen

I loved this listen - great narration, evil bad guys and heroic good guys. It was very fun. I laughed out loud as I listened and pretended I could speak French. I found the female protagonist strong, smart, and funny; her male counterpart also appealing. Characters I loved to love and loved to hate. Quite the entertaining "read."

Good reading of a brilliant novel

This is one of my favourite novels, which is why this critique may sound too critical, but the standard in my mental reading is quite high.

Kirsten Potter delivers a fairly good reading of a truly brilliant novel. I don't mean to damn with faint praise, because the demands placed upon her were extremely difficult. The variety of accents and dialects required (French -- and, trickier yet, English spoken as if French were really being spoken, aristocratic British, Cockney, German [or rather, English spoken as if German were spoken], Somerset county, etc.) for both men and women of different ages is extensive.

Most of the British dialect was American-sounding to my ear, and the French accent was simply not correct (Annique's pronounciation of "Robert" -- which was called out *in the text* as starting and ending with a long R drove me mad.). Consequently, I *never* believed Annique was French, which is a huge point in the novel.

Nonetheless, this is a simply fantastic novel -- and if the narration isn't perfect, it's still an extremely enjoyable audiobook.

Excellent story

What did you love best about The Spymaster's Lady?

I loved the two main characters and the unusual story line.

What other book might you compare The Spymaster's Lady to and why?

None

Which scene was your favorite?

It is difficult to choose just one since I love, love, love this book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end

Any additional comments?

I have read hundreds of historical romance novels, and this novel is one of my top five. The unique plot, strong characters and a wonderful narration make this the only novel that I have rated five stars.

One of the Best Historical Romances Writers of This Century

I know my title sounds ridiculous but I have about 2000+/- titles on my Kindle so I consider myself a rabid fan of the genre? No one writes a more enthralling story than Jo Bourne. Her characters are so realistic, the stories are so complex
and Kirsten Potter does an excellent job of narration that I'm sorry when the book ends.