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The intrepid daughter of an earl leaves Regency London for the Parisian court of Louis XVIII, where she finds adventure, mystery, and above all, love.
Lady Mary Campbell has no desire to have a coming out but knows she must finally do so after delaying it for a few years to please her mother. At the ball, no one really captures her attention, as her attention is drawn to more un-ladylike pursuits, riding astride, helping her uncle with spy work and the like. She has no interest in marrying and having a chance at losing the one she loves, as she lost her father so many years ago. Yet one man manages to grab her attention with his dashing good looks and they share a smoldering kiss. Hugh Redgrave, Marquess of Ormond, knows his mother wants him to settle down and marry but he has no desire to do that after suffering a traumatic loss as a child. Once he sees the lovely Mary flying on her beloved black stallion, he thoughts adjust and as they spend more and more time together, he starts to think that Mary could be the one to finally make him want to settle down. However, her love for adventure, and in the process-danger, sets him on edge especially with his work work as an undercover agent. Can this headstrong, bold woman and this dashing rogue bent on protection find a way to compromise their interests to discover a deep, lasting love?
I have read quite a few debuts this year and each one has been a hit for me and I can add Racing with the Wind to that list now as well! I always enjoy stories where the heroine is a bit unique and in this case Mary is headstrong, outspoken, intelligent and determined with her desires to wear mens clothing to ride astride and desire to aid her uncle and country with undercover work. When Mary unknowingly stumbles into a dangerous mission in Paris, Hugh knows he must get her safely back to London. Convincing Mary to abandon her desires to aid her country almost prove deadly and she agrees to his plan. They travel from safe house to safe house and in the process, lose themselves in their passion. I really liked how Mary spoke her feelings, positive and negative, to Hugh as she felt them but Hugh was a bit closed off. It takes a dramatic ending for him to reveal his love and I wished he would have said them sooner, before the twists at the end. Hugh was strong, sensual and once he realized the depth of his feelings for Mary, nothing...and no one, including a vicomte or his own past, would stand in his way. Political intrigue is always hard for me as it just doesn't really interest me on a personal level but I did not feel overwhelmed at all in this story. There were wonderful tidbits of history sprinkled throughout and even some real life heros from the past make appearances and added to the story. I really enjoyed the attention to the fashion and felt like they were described in such a lovely manner, I could picture them in my mind. The attraction between Hugh and Mary is quick and the build up, with their sharp, quick dialogue and their hot kisses lead up to a beautiful, passionate relationship. This will surely please fans of action packed romances with a strong, determined couple not looking for love but when it finds them, they get swept off their feet. 4 stars
Regan Walker offers a delightful Regency romance filled with wonderful characters, spies, mystery and adventure. I became caught up in the tale and it kept me enthralled to the last page.
The tale begins when we meet Lady Mary Campbell “the Swan”. Much to her disliking she is having her first season, since her tactics to delay it yet again are refused. She must begin to attend social events and begin accepting gentleman callers. She would much rather go on adventures with her Uncle and ride her beloved stallion. At her first appearance, she sees Huge Redgrave, the Marquess of Ormond “the Nighthawk” and is intrigued. He spies the lady as well and is curious about the beautiful and alluring hellion. When he is called to business at the home of Mary’s Uncle, he is stunned and enthralled to see Mary riding astride, in men’s clothing a monster of a black stallion. He momentarily panics as he recalls a tragic accident that he holds himself responsible for. The tale that unfolds is hilarious and sweet. It is full of mystery, danger and a delicious romance.
Walker created the perfect recipe that I love for my characters. She takes a feisty, head-strong, independent adventurer and introduces her to a deliciously handsome, flawed rake. I loved Mary and found her to be a breath of fresh air. While she seeks adventure, she thinks things through and is rather clever. Hugh is handsome, caring and thinks he knows it all. He is flawed and blames himself for a past tragedy. He is dedicated to his country, and has no intentions of settling down, despite his responsibilities. When the two of these headstrong, opinionate, secure people meet..Wow. I love the interaction between them, and seeing this heroic man stumble. They are both quite taken aback by the effect the other has on them and it was hilarious to watch. The romance was sweet, intense and completely delightful to watch unfold. Other characters added to the tale, and I am hoping a few will return in the next book.
I love the world building, Walker included a lot of historical figures into this tale and it was delightful. I love the spies for the crown and the roles our characters portrayed. While at its heart this is a romance, I love all the mystery and suspense surrounding them. I found the characters to be well developed and connected with them. I loved the mischievous actions of those around the main characters and found myself giggling. From the prince to the Prussian spies this tale provided a wonderful escape from the world around me for a few hours. I will definitely continue on with this series.
I recommend Racing with the Wind to fans of historical regency romances, strong characters and mystery. This was a delightful tale that kept me on edge, laughing and swept up in the romance. I have added Regan Walker to my authors to watch list.
I want to thank Innovative Online Blog Tours for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
achickwhoreads
Posted September 21, 2012
This book reminded me why I have always loved regency romance. Because of the time period you always have a little bit of intrigue and the romance part is never too hot and spicy. I started reading regencies back when I was in junior high.
I really loved the characters in this book. Lady Mary is a bluestocking. God I love that word! It always makes me laugh! Why it was so totally unacceptable for a woman to have a brain then? And Lady Mary is more then just a bluestocking, she's a forward thinking woman. She knows her own mind and isn't going to let a husband take over for her.
Mary is the kind of heroine you expect from a regency. She's smart and she's always getting into trouble because she wants to be her own person and she's not ready for marriage.
Then there's Hugh. He's the Nighthawk and a night in shining armor. He's the kind of hero everyone hopes to have around. I didn't find him nearly as arrogant as Mary made him out to be. After all, they were living in a time of unrest in Europe and
I really found this book to be well written and well researched. The characters were so good and the historical accuracy spot on. It really made you feel like you were in Regency England. Hugh did have some rights when it came to wanting to protect her. (Mostly from herself).
The only thing that I had the slightest problem with was the pregnancy of Hugh's former mistress. It just didn't seem to help the story along. There could have been another way to add one last bit of conflict for the two characters.
This is a definite must read for anyone that loves historical or regency romance!
Ms. Walker pens a historically accurate plot in "Racing with the Wind" with just enough action to keep you guessing untill the end. Her characters are strong and believable with passion. I totally enjoyed the book and looking forward to the sequel. Recommened for all who love a good historical romance filled with mystery and passion.
This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.
Anonymous
Posted September 10, 2012
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, reminded me of the historical romances I read in the 70's-80's from authors like Kathleen Woodiwiss, Cynthia Wright, Shirlee Busbee etc. I enjoyed the characters and the story and looking forward to reading the second book, hopefully it will be out soon.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mallory_SupernaturalFan
Posted September 10, 2012
Review of Racing with the Wind Book 1 Agents of the Crown Trilogy
Reviewed for Racing with the Wind Blog Tour for Sept. 10 2012
5 stars
A well-researched, enticing, and sensual novel of Regency England (and the European Continent) by author Regan Walker, “Racing with the Wind” immediately captures readers’ interest with the escapades of the legendary “Nighthawk” (is he a thief? A type of residential “highwayman”? a spy? Or-?) and next with the strong-willed heroine, Mary Campbell, a woman far ahead of her era in terms of her interests, her determination, and her will to persevere as herself rather than as a cookiecutter copycat of society.
Not only is the novel enjoyable as a story (the plot lines are neatly intertwined, giving espionage, royalty, romance, mystery, and a precursor of women’s movement towards autonomy), but additionally it is smoothly written, maintaining the reader’s devotion. The characters are well-delineated, both the heroine and hero, as well as the secondary characters, who are too good to be called just “secondary” but instead are an important part of the novel themselves.
Ms. Walker has performed an excellent work of research and of bringing the historical details-geographical, cultural, social, political, and more-to vibrant life. The reader will feel as if she is a present observer rather than just a reader.
I reviewed this novel as a review copy for the Racing with the Wind Blog Tour sponsored by Innovative Online Book Tours. I received no compensation. I provided my fair and impartial review.
Emily-fr0m_SLAW
Posted September 10, 2012
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.i
Now, I will admit that I am not a huge fan of historical fiction. Why? I always seem to find the books that either totally ignore history or indecently butcher it, or else I read about times that I quite frankly hate for their treatment of certain parties. However, this blurb tempted me and I am so glad that I bit. Where do I start?
First, the characters. I love, love, love them! I felt so close and connected to Lady Mary, she would do something outrageous or daring and I could see myself doing the exact same thing. Mary was no wilting wallflower, that's for sure. She's courageous, outgoing, and refuses to let her gender and the views of others hold her down, all very admirable traits. As for the rake? Hugh is a gem. He's funny, witty, with a hint of danger. In other words, SEXY! I was drawn to both of these characters, to the point where I'd start trying to give them advice and cheer them on (even though they can't hear me). The various secondary characters were all well done as well, and there are several whom I am hoping to read more about.
Second, the plot. While it may drag a bit at times, I was very thoroughly engaged, trying to find out what would happen next. I read the book in one sitting as I couldn't put it down! There were parts that were confusing and took some going back and re-reading to make sense. And yes, there is a bit of a mystery in the book, so it will leave you guessing. I also liked the plot twist near the end of the book, one last obstacle to true love.
Third, historical relevancy. Now, this is usually where I find the most problems. However, Regan did some excellent research. Regan even included an author's note explaining the various real life historical figures (such as Napoleon and Germaine de Stael) she integrated into her story. The blend of fiction with history was very well done.
Fourth, the sex. The sex was okay but this is the part of the book where the story lagged the most for me. All this drama occurred and then sex scenes (okay, maybe not exactly like that). But I was a bit thrown off. No, it wasn't "here, let's get it on," but it had been building the entire story. My issue was that I was so drawn in to the intrigue that the sex seemed to intrude while I was still trying to process what had happened prior. Other than that though, the sex scenes were well written and didn't go overboard.
All in all though, I greatly enjoyed this book and would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.
Nevellie
Posted September 9, 2012
I love historical romances. I truly do. I also mention this a lot, so I am guessing the fact that I enjoyed this book immensely should not come as a surprise to any of you. I haven't read a Historical Romance in over a month - which I know might not seem like a long time, but for me it is. So when I got a hold of this book I started reading it straightaway.
Mary Campbell who was dubbed the 'Swan' by the prince's reagent, would prefer nothing more than to avoid society and being a debutante, but she couldn't put it off for long. She just hates the dull conversations, and how everyone thinks her a hoyden. She'd rather be in France, helping her uncle and the crown - even though she doesn't know much about the missions. She manages to charm some people, and annoy others, but in the end she's only too happy to go to France with her uncle again. Even if a very good-looking but arrogant Marquess - whose kisses drive her insane - seems to think she shouldn't go. She's determined, that is until she figures out maybe she's had enough adventures to last her a lifetime as things get more dangerous.
Hugh Redgrave, the 'Nighthawk' who has dedicated his life to the crown - even as a thief to whatever end he's expected to reach - does not want to get married just yet. He knows he's expected to, but he only wants a malleable wife and doesn't need to search for one soon. So obviously when he sees Mary dancing ever so elegantly, he decides he should avoid her at all costs. Even after seeing her ride so magnificently on her stallion he still wants to avoid her, as well as after having a heated argument on politics, as well as after kissing her -repeatedly. But no matter what she's always on his mind, what on earth was he going to do? Especially with her insisting to fall headfirst into trouble in the name of adventure?
I honestly loved this book. With historical romances I am always wary because not all authors succeed in having me entranced and excited about the books. There's either something wrong with the writing itself, or the storyline or the plausibility of the characters and chain of events. I don't dive into them easily unless I am a big fan of the authors. Like Julia Quinn, Stephanie Laurens, Lisa Kleypas and strangely enough Mary Balogh as well. But with Ragen Walker, I was able to dive into the book quick enough. The storyline was great, the characters were well developed, the chain of events were intriguing and the writing was easy and flowing. I love when the heroine is not conventional by society's dictates, standing out and capturing the attention of the hero - even when he doesn't want to be caught. This was one of those stories that I love immensely and couldn't help but enjoy it!
Rating: 4/5
DoctorSatori
Posted August 10, 2012
Racing With The Wind by Regan Walker bears all the facets of an historical condensed into one fine jewel of a fairy-tale romance.
Walker’s done her homework. Not only is her novel historically accurate, but I find myself sharing the hero and heroine’s story to such a degree, its pages transport me to the very century they represent. In this fictional account, the early nineteenth was a time when France’s returning monarch was threatened by those desiring the return of ex-emperor Napoleon. In the midst of that comes a headstrong, black-stallion-riding young noblewoman, Lady Mary Campbell--who knows her own mind and refuses to be marketed at the grand balls of the ton. She meets a devilishly handsome and mysterious agent of the British Crown, Hugh Redgrave, undercover name: The Nighthawk.
While in Paris on business, Mary’s uncle, a British diplomat, leaves her under the secret agent’s protective hands. The rake is forced to spend time reining in her natural sleuthing skills and finds he can’t keep his hands off her. He barely realizes he’s fallen in love.
In Racing, we find our pot of gold, as Mary and her Nighthawk find theirs, at the end of a masterful sexual-tension rainbow. I loved it and especially the heroine, a fearless and daring young woman.
Overview
The intrepid daughter of an earl leaves Regency London for the Parisian court of Louis XVIII, where she finds adventure, mystery, and above all, love.