Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780399179822 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Random House Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 10/24/2017 |
| Series: | All the Queen's Spies , #2 |
| Sold by: | Random House |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Pages: | 266 |
| Sales rank: | 199,536 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Bound to a Spy: An All the Queen's Spies Novel
4.5 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
13 reviews.
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Bound to a Spy is book two in the All the Queen's Spies series. It gripped me at page one and kept my interest right up to the satisfying end. It is a historical fiction book that features action, romance and suspense. It can be read as a stand alone.
Rose Turner's Scottish clan parents sent her to live in the court of Queen Mary to give her the opportunity to marry well. Rose does not exactly fit in in the court. She prefers the outdoors and does not enjoy the gossip that goes on there. As she is wandering she steps into the cellar and overhears some influential Lords plotting the death of the King. Rose does not recognize the voices behind the door but she knows she has left her shawl somewhere and fears that has put her in danger.
Will Sheffield is a spy who has been placed at the court by the Queen of England to spy on Queen Mary. He is in position in the cellar listening to the plot when Rose walks in. As Rose leaves in a rush, she leaves behind her shawl. The shawl is found by one of the conspirators.
Will becomes concerned for Rose's safety and works to protect Rose while completing his mission. But soon both Rose and Will find themselves falling for the other. Will struggles with whether to pursue his feelings for Rose knowing he will have to leave her behind after the mission. Soon Rose gains the attention of one of the Lords that is a conspirator. Rose knows she must tread carefully or she will be in danger. She feels she has no moral choice other than to tell Queen Mary of the plot against the King. The excitement begins once she learns the queen is very much aware of the plot.
Will has to decide whether he will complete his mission or work to save the woman he loves.
I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Sharon Cullen once again gives us an engaging, intriguing, romantic tale featuring an at times sassy Scottish damsel in distress and an English man on a spy mission hero whose worlds collide when they stumble upon each other and a murderous plot in Queen Mary’s court.
The book synopsis pretty much sums it up well. These two destined to be together lovebirds continue to dance around each other for some time as Rose struggles with what to do, while Will tries to pinpoint more specific details.
While dodging unwanted, wandering hands/threatening advances from one man to being pursued by an unexpected suitor, Rose feels stuck between a rock and a hard place, especially since she finds herself longing to be with Will, who her family would never approve of. We, meanwhile, are left feeling like the shoe is about to drop at any moment.
Will, our reluctant to love because he has a dangerous job hero, wasn’t counting on his feelings for Rose blossoming into something he can no longer resist. Despite his openly honest declaration he never plans to marry, he continues to seek her out. Yeah, his head is saying one thing, but his heart, hands, and lips are not listening, folks. This couple ultimately end up stealing some very graphically smexy moments together.
When a big betrayal occurs, a nail biting, perilous situation containing abuse and violence unfolds. However, due to quick thinking, determination, and patience, two unlikely forces join together to save the day. It then wraps up with a rather abrupt, straight to the point, finally comes to their senses HEA.
Tristan, a fellow sidekick/English spy, who comes across rather heart hardened and dispassionate to the the fact innocent lives are often casualties of war, is the next hero in line to lose his heart to the queen bee of Queen Mary’s entourage. Yeah, he’ll be whistling a different tune when that gorgeous, blue-eyed, blonde bombshell gets her hands on him, folks. Widowed and feeling like she has nothing meaningful left to lose will likely make her more than his equal match, folks.
Title: Bound to a Spy, Series: All the Queen’s Spies (Book 2), Author: Sharon Cullen, Pages: 258, stand-alone but part of a series, reluctant to marry/English/good guy/spy hero, some very steamy scenes, some violence, attempted rape, heroine is beaten, no Scottish brogue, Scottish court setting. Rating: 3.5 stars
Book 1 - Wed to a Spy (Simon & Aimee), 5/23/17, Pages: 259
Book 2 - Bound to a Spy (Will & Rose), 10/24/17, Pages: 258
Book 3 - Lost to a Spy (Tristan & Emma), 3/18/18
(I received a free advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. No type of compensation was given to this reviewer. There is no relationship/affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
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There is plenty of intrigue, danger, and royalty in these pages. I liked Rose's love for the outdoors and her acceptance of who she and her family are. The honesty was refreshing. It took me a bit to warm up to Will because of his secrets and ability to close himself off. It was fun watching him thaw by being around Rose. I enjoyed this story and recommend it.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
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Book two was an adventurous passion filled story of intrigue, murder plots, passions denied, and feelings hidden. Rose doesn’t fit in at court but she feels bound to give it her all to satisfy her mother’s desire for her to earn an advantageous marriage. Will is an English spy who prefers to be alone, likes what he does for a living, and doesn’t have time to protect naïve women who walk in on things they shouldn’t overhear and not smart enough to leave before it is too late. He tells himself that she will just be another casualty and that she isn’t his problem, but the more time he spends with Rose the harder it is for him to turn a blind eye to the danger she is in. She is so refreshing, strong, outspoken, independent, and stubborn and he can’t get enough of her company or her kisses. She sees in Will an interesting and honorable man who doesn’t behave like the other courtiers, and when she speaks he actually listens to her and cares about her opinion. As the murder plot thickens and the culprits zero in on Rose as an obstacle, Will does everything within his power to save her, but when she is taken he finally realizes that he loves her and it won’t be easy to walk away from her at the end of his mission, as he has continually stated to Rose. He isn’t interested in marriage and has no intention to ever marry and Rose seems ok with that decision until she doesn’t get a chance to say goodbye and worries about whether she will ever see him again. I loved the story. It was so easy to get into and fall in love with the characters and the plot. Rose is such a vibrant character on the page that it is easy to see what and how Will could be drawn to her from the very start. I loved it and can't wait to see how Tristen falls in love.
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This is the second book in the All the Queen’s Spies series and I enjoyed it even more than the first one. Lord Will Sheffield is currently residing at Holyrood Palace as he went to school with Lord Darnley. He monitors the Scottish court for Queen Elizabeth. One night he is listening to a secret meeting when Miss Rose Turner enters to escape the cold and hears something she should not.
Rose is from a border clan and her mother sent her to court to find a husband. Rose likes long walks outdoors and animals. She has no interest in marrying someone who won't understand her. When she meets Will she knows he is different from the others at court. Will is paying attention to her to keep her safe, but that is not always possible.
Eventually, there is a HEA but you will need to read the book for the complete story as it is too good to spoil. Thanks to the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC. No one has influenced this review in any way.
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Historical romances are one of my favorite genres to read. My favorite historical romances are those that take place over in England/Scotland. I can’t get enough of them. But lately, I have read more contemporary novels. So when Bound to a Spy came up next on my TBR pile, I dove right into it. I am glad I did because it was a great book!!!
Bound to a Spy is the 2nd book in the All the Queen’s Spies series. Taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland during Queen Mary’s reign, this book is full of court intrigue, romance, and sex. So yes, a book that I can sink my teeth into. As I said in my earlier review of Wed to a Spy, I haven’t read a lot of books that were set in Tudor era Scotland. So to read another book set in that era was fantastic.
Rose was one of my favorite characters in this book. She was viewed as a bit of an oddity because she liked to be outside. No matter what the weather, she was there. She was coming in from the outside when she overheard several lords planning to kill the Queen’s husband, Lord Darnley. Rose feared Lord Darnley ever since he attempted to rape her the year before. But her conscience wouldn’t let her let the lords kill him. That was another reason I liked her. She was willing to put aside her fear and dislike for Lord Darnley and attempt to let the Queen know what was going on.
Will, however, I couldn’t get a handle on him. He was so quiet in the book. His back story was sad but not as sad as others I have read. His constant seesawing back and forth about Rose also drove me nuts. Either he loved her or he didn’t. And to use the excuse about his job. Ugggh. When he finally did make his decision, it was almost too late.
I will say that for a Tudor era book, the sex and sexual situations that Will and Rose found themselves in were through the roof. Also, for a Tudor era book, I found Rose open about sex. I mean, she was willing to return the favor for Will after he went down on her. Not only that, but she liked it! I was very surprised at that. I did laugh when she was telling her roommate about what she did. Can we say “Kiss and tell“.
The end of the book not what I expected. I was a little shocked by the brutality of certain scenes. I did laugh (and sorry for the spoiler!!) when Rose laughed at Lysle’s small member that he couldn’t get up. I could also understand why Rose didn’t want to do what she needed to do. I did think that Will’s proclamation felt more like he was forced into doing it. It came after a talk with Rose’s father. I also felt that he was risking Queen Elizabeth’s wrath to do that without letting her know.
Bound to a Spy is a well-written book. I was captivated by the plot and loved the characters. The sex scenes were very steamy. This is a book that I would read again!!
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
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Bound to a Spy, is book two in the series, "All the Queen's Spies" by Sharon Cullen. Of course, it is a love story set against the background of life at a royal court -- the court of Mary, Queen of Scots.
The author reminds us how dangerous it was to live in the 16th century. Women were the property of their husbands. Speaking against the king or queen was treason. In fact, refusing the (married or not) king's sexual overtures was considered treason -- he could do as he pleased with any of the women in the kingdom.
Rose Turner, sent to court by her mother for the purpose of finding a titled husband, stumbles upon the plot to murder Mary's husband, the philandering Lord Darnley. Rose knows too much, and her life is immediately in danger. Will Sheffield, one of Queen Elizabeth's spies, realizes the danger, and makes it his goal to protect her. Rose, however, is quite the rebellious young woman. Rose and Will are drawn to each other, but Rose is unsure of whom to trust. Fearless, she is determined to resist the attraction -- well, at first, anyway.
Richard Kirkinny, Earl of Lysle, in on the plot, becomes aware of Rose's knowledge, and attempts to court Rose, marry her, then arrange for her to have a "tragic accident". He would then be widowed -- again, but the threat of Rose revealing the plot would then be removed.
The book is well written, and while it is romantic fiction, it is also historically accurate. Choosing which genre to place this one was a struggle. Is it historical fiction, or is it a romance novel? I'll leave that to the reader. Those who enjoy romantic historical fiction with a little intrigue thrown in, will love this book. I did.
What Makes This Book Reviewer Grumpy?
Incorrect use of the phrase, "begs the question". Contrary to recent popular usage, it is not interchangeable with "raises the question".
Of course, the usual improper placement of the word "only" within sentences, and numerous split infinitives.
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I really enjoyed this story. It reads as a stand alone, but having read book 1 in the series, I think you will enjoy it more having read it.
I loved Rose and curious nature, even though it ends up getting her into trouble. I also really liked Will. He intrigued me in book 1 and I was happy to see this was his story.
Just as with book one in the series, this book is filled with intrigue at court. There are not many historical romances that cover time in the Scottish court, so it is a nice change of pace.
I'm excited to read the next book in the series, Lost to a Spy, which comes out in March.
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I am “sold” on this author’s stories…they just keep getting better and better! I loved this strong heroine who does not suffer fools and has more bravery than she ought. Rose is a redhead from a border rieving family and is sent to the Scottish Queen Mary’s court to “find a worthy husband” and she finds it distasteful with all the court posturing, secrets, lies and intrigue. But she meets someone she can get excited about who is “not as he seems”—Will Sheffield, a spy for the English court to find out what the Scottish Queen is about. Rose and Will overhear a conversation by a group of unscrupulous men, which puts Rose in grave danger and forces Will to protect her. The rest of this love story I will not give away here but readers will not be disappointed. It is another “winner” by Ms. Cullen.
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Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen is Book Two in the "All the Queen's Spies" series. This is the story of Rose Turner and Will Sheffield. I have read the previous book in this series but feel this is easily a standalone book.
Rose has been sent to the Queen's court to try to make a good match to help her family. But Rose grew up in the wilds with her brothers. So she is not used to the Court's people nor are they used to her. Rose has taken to going out on her own to find peace and on one of these trips back she overhears the talk of killing the King of Scotland. While working to figure out what to do with this information she meets Will. Will is a spy who is trying to keep an eye on Mary's Court and also been spying on the men that she overhears feels that he must help protect her. Will moves forward to become her friend to keep her safe. They hit off a friendship of sorts at first but they soon start feeling other things. But they also have to deal with the danger that they are both now involved in.
Exciting story!
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My Thoughts
Rose Turner is not your average maiden that has been sent to Queen Mary’s court in search of a suitable, and hopefully wealthy, husband. She was raised out on the border between England and Scotland in a clan of reivers whose rough ways did not lend themselves to teaching her the finer points of being a demure young lady, or a biddable wife for that matter. Having spent her life outdoors being cooped up for hours at a time in a crowded palace was torture as she could only grab a few precious outdoor moments at a time due to frigid winter weather curtailing her longing for more outside explorations.
Will Sheffield finds himself in a quandary when, having discovered a group of men having a deadly secret meeting behind closed doors deep in the bowels of the castle, the scene is stumbled upon by young Rose and she leaves evidence behind of her being there. Evidence found by one of the conspirators and Will recognizes him but is constrained by duty from confronting the man or letting Rose know that she is in danger until it is too late to stop certain events from transpiring later on.
This second book in the series combined wonderful elements of mystery, history, suspense, action and romance together which worked well as the story unfolded and Will and Rose drew closer despite their many reservations or any future consequences.
On a different note, I suspected the truth about the plot to kill the King of Scotland early on in the story. It was an interesting twist to get the full details about not only those involved but who actually orchestrated the plan in the first place. A twist made all the more diabolical because it was not obvious until exposed fully.The common practice
The lure of conspiracy and intrigue suggested by the book description was the hook to read this historical romantic suspense. The main characters made the book even more enjoyable as between the feisty Rose and her reluctant admirer/protector Will the romance in the plot fleshed out what was quite an interesting look at a period in Scotlands history that piqued my curiosity long ago.
Set during the latter part of the 1500’s this particular piece of fiction was for me a fascinating mix of fact and make believe.
A nice, smooth read that did not suffer from not having read the first book in series prior to this second one.
[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]
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I really like Rose. She is so different from the others at court. She likes to be outside or in the stables with the horses. She is really tough too. Her 5 brothers saw to that. Rose accidentally gets involved in a plot to kill the king. She really doesn't like the king, but she doesn't think anyone has the right to decide when he should die. When Will is spying on the men who are plotting to kill the king and sees Rose stumble into the middle of everything, he knows he has to protect her. But how can he do that and stick to his mission? When Rose is kidnapped, he has to choose to go after her or forget her and continue on with is mission. What to do?
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A Tomboy and a Spy 4.5*
Rose Turner is unhappy at Court, she likes nothing more than to be outside in the open air, preferably in breeches and tending to animals. Wearing fine gowns, struggling with needlework and all the jockeying for position is not for her, particularly as being from a notorious border clan with no title, there is little likelihood of a good marriage. Life takes on rather sinister overtones when she inadvertently overhears a plot against the King. Will Sheffield, spy for Queen Elizabeth, knows that there are casualties with any mission but he cannot stand by and see Rose harmed. A very enjoyable story blending fact, conjecture and fiction. I would have liked a longer ending or an epilogue as this felt rather abrupt.
Though the second in a series this can easily be read as a standalone.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
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