Beauty and the Spy (Holt Sisters Series #1)

The first book about the Holt Sisters. Susannah Makepeace's world (luxury, betrothal, belle of the ton) crashes when her 'father' is murdered and she learns that she's a penniless orphaned nobody.

At an 'aunt's' serendipitous invitation, Susannah takes her clothes (she has to wrestle the movers for them!), the miniature of her mother, and her sketchbook to sleepy Barnstable. Coincidentally, scapegrace, but undercover spy, Viscount Kit Whitelaw is "banished" by his father, the Earl of Westfall, to the Westfall country home in Barnstable to pull himself together. Of course Kit and Susannah meet and eventually save each other: Kit thwarts the many attempts on Susannah's life (instigated by the book's villain Morley); through Kit's connections, Susannah learns who she is (one of 3 lost daughters of Robert Lockwood [a murdered spy] and his wife Anna Holt, who was framed for his murder and has disappeared); and love for Susannah helps Kit to come to grips with a youthful romantic obsession and betrayal of his friend that has haunted him. Many colorful characters, even the villains.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

She just keeps getting better and better

This is the 3rd Julie Anne Long book I've read and each one has just gotten better.

Another winner for Julie Anne Long

Julie Ann Long just keeps on getting better and better with her writing. In this book, everything just flows together, that you just don't want the story to end. Susannah is living the life of luxury and the next thing she knows she is living a simple life in the country with her dead father's aunt. Kit is a spy, which few people know about. His father sends him to Barnstable as a means to keep him under control. What I liked about this book was the fact that you get to see the relationship grow between Susannah and Kit, from a chance meeting at a pond, to employer/employee, victim/protector and then as they slowly fall in love with each other. You will also fall in love with Aunt Frances a secondary character. Kit becomes very protective of Susannah when accidents start to happened, together they try to figure out who is trying to kill her and why. I loved the main characters and Julie gives you a twist at the end. I'm a sucker for a good epilogue. This is the first book of a trilogy about 3 sisters who were separated when their real father dies. There is an excerpt at the back of this book that gives you a teaser about the next sister.

delightful historical tale

In 1803 Richard sets out to prove that Thaddeus Morley betrayed his country instead the patriot is murdered and his lover Anna Holt accused of the crime. Richard¿s friend James Makepeace helps Anna flee London, but without her beloved three daughters, Susannah, Sylvie, and Sabrina he promises to insure their safety. As she leaves behind all she cherishes, Anna knows she will love Richard forever, but never forgive him. --- In 1820 Susannah Makepeace enjoys her season when someone murders her adopted father James, leaving her with nothing as even her fiancé dumps her. She moves into her aunt¿s cottage in Barnstable where she sees a naked male swimming in a nearby pond. She sketches the sight in elaborate detail. His father has exiled him to Egypt to keep him out of trouble as the womanizing drunken Viscount Kit Whitelaw, as a loyal English spy, seeks to prove that Morley killed James. Instead of Egypt, he heads to the country following clues. When he meets the artist who drew the erotic pictures of him sparks fly. However, someone wants Susannah dead as mysterious accidents occur to her while Kit needs to uncover the truth about the woman who owns his heart. --- The first of three Regency romances starring the Holt siblings, BEAUTY AND THE SPY is a delightful historical tale. Readers will feel for Anna as she has learned one thing about her daughters over the seventeen years of exile that they are safe. She doesn¿t know Susannah is not out of harm's way as her guardian is killed and an unknown assailant wants her out of the picture. Sub-genre fans will appreciate Julie Anne Long¿s opening swing of the BATS while looking for ward to Sylvie Lamoreaux¿s story. --- Harriet Klausner

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