Once a Spy

Once A Spy by Mary Jo Putney The Rogues Redeemed #4 This historical romance is one that is definitely fiction. If you are willing to suspend reality and read about a time when Napoleon and Wellington were about to battle at Waterloo then this book might be for you. That said, the beginning was rather slow and dealt with the mundane world of two people marrying for convenience and companionship and getting to know one another over a period of time. Everything was very cerebral and open and dull with some social engagements, a lot of talking and nothing to really engage the mind. I almost gave up but plodded on Suzanne and Colonel Duval first met when she married his cousin. In the years apart he has been a soldier and she ended up in a Turkish harem. Both are a bit tired and jaded. The fact that they married was strange enough if perhaps believable. The idea that they would not have sex was also believable after hearing all that she had endured. And yet, after hearing a bit about her life in the harem it made me question much of what she was willing to do at various points in the story. Simon was very patient and caring and eventually the two did fall in love but it was a rather torturous process and took a long time...and a lot of words. When they ended up going to France the story became even more iffy in my mind. A long lost relative is found, war occurs, a near rape takes place, another illegitimate relative is found and helped, inheritances are sorted, some spying takes place, famous men are encountered and miraculous healing occurs that will make the HEA of Simon and Suzanne even better than a marriage of convenience would have done. Did I enjoy this book? Not so much Would I read more in this series? No (although I did enjoy the first book) Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest revieww. 2-3 Stars

An enduring story of survival at it's basic level, one through war and one through abuse and violence. Mary Jo Putney has written a story of trying to come back to life and live again with companionship that has no choice but to turn into more once these two wounded souls come together. Simon Duval, is resigning his commission and seeks out his cousin's widow, Suzanne Duval. To me Simon was mainly all that was good. Honorable, a well respected leader and he had a kind heart. But he he had also suffered from the war and had seen so much death including a woman he loved. He just wanted to get on with life. Suzanne had suffered years of cruelty and poverty but had been trying to maintain as a seamstress in London. She had met Simon years ago when she had married his much older cousin. They had become acquainted and formed a friendship. Both felt they would never feel desire or love, so Simon asks her to marry him in a moment that even suprises himself but feels they can have companionship and nothing else. Sigh. This is a special story of love building when there seemed there was never any hope and the journey they took. Adventure, intrigue and a love that can hopefully blossom and endure! I highly recoemmend!