Tag: Shana Galen

While You Were Spying by Shana Galen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

While You Were Spying (Regency Spies, #0.5)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Regency Spies
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 358

Can two individuals who have been deeply hurt by love find the strength to remove their walls and allow love to happen again? You bet they can when Shana Galen is in the writer’s chair. This book is one of Galen’s earlier releases, but it has been dressed up with an enticing new cover. It has a lovely romance along with smuggling, traitors, spies, murder, and, did I say lovely romance?

Ethan Caxton, the Marquess of Winterbourne, will never fall in love with any woman. He tried that once, and she ripped his heart out and stomped on it. He’ll never give another woman a chance to do that to him again because he’d never survive it. He’ll just spend his time working for the Foreign Office and ferreting out traitors and French spies. French spies are what brought him to Hampshire, and he is determined to catch both the smugglers and their leader. That leader just has to be a man of power and influence, most likely an aristocrat. Ethan has been watching the Skerrit farm for days because he’s sure the arms are being stored there – somewhere, somehow. So, he’s beside himself when he catches a young woman trying to rescue an abused horse from Skerrit. He has to get her out of there, but she won’t budge without the horse. Grrrrr.

Miss Francesca Dashing had been betrothed once and that was quite enough for her thank you very much. She’d just continue to live with her parents in the country and save all the sick and injured animals she could find. Her father always acquiesces and lets her add one more animal to their collection at home. At least he did until she brought home a horse she’d just rescued. That, it seemed, was a step too far. But, what was she to do? If that pesky Marquess had just gone on about his business and left her alone, she would have managed just fine. Wasn’t humiliating her in London enough for him?

Ethan has gone on about his business of catching smugglers – and trying to forget that fetching Miss who only wanted to save a horse. But when he learns Francesca has been viciously attacked – not long after a vicious murder occurred – he’s convinced both crimes are related to the smugglers. Ethan will just have to find a way to protect Francesca and guard against any damage to his heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope you will as well. There is a nasty villain, an entertaining valet, an irate father, a mother who espouses all things Italian, and two deeply wounded people who put on a good front for the rest of the world to see. It was lovely to watch as each of them assaulted the walls built by the other. Will they succeed in tearing down the walls? You’ll just need to read the book to see.

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Lady and the Scamp by Shana Galen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Lady and the Scamp (The Royal Saboteurs #2)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Royal Saboteurs #2
Publication Date: 10/11/22
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 268

There is an elite group of Agents for the Crown within the home office. That group, known as the Royal Saboteurs, is made up of carefully chosen and highly trained agents who have sworn to guard Queen and country. Willoughby Galloway’s parents were both elite agents during the Napoleonic Wars (Lord and Lady Spy) and it has been his lifelong goal to not only be an Agent for the Crown but to be a part of the most elite group. He’s finally completed his training and has an assignment. An Irish Separatist group, known as Innishfree, is in London and has made attempts on the Queen’s life. Will’s assignment is to investigate one of the Queen’s Ladies-in-Waiting to see if she is the palace insider assisting Innishfree.

Emily Blythe-Coston, Lady Averley, has served the queen as Lady-in-Waiting for the last two years – since her husband Jack died. She loved Jack dearly and is still in mourning for him – and the still-born child they had lost not long before. She’s made a life for herself – but is she really happy? With the threats against the Queen, they’ve been so confined that the palace has begun to seem like more prison than a home. During a particularly confining day, Emily suggests a ride in the park, and the queen is attacked. While the queen escapes without injury, Emily becomes suspect because she suggested the outing.

From the moment he lays eyes on her, Will cannot believe Emily is a traitor. Of course, he knows that traitors usually look just like the rest of us, and he’ll do everything in his power to prove she is a traitor – or not.

Even when Emily is wounded during an attack, Will can’t rule her out – yet he is drawn to her like no other. He can’t forsake his queen – he must protect her no matter the cost. What a conundrum for an honorable man. Can Will prove Emily innocent? Can he protect the queen? Will his attraction to Emily cost him his place in the Royal Saboteurs? You’ll just have to read this fast-paced, excellently written, engrossing tale to find the answers.

I enjoyed meeting Will and Emily and spending time with them. I also delighted in the cameo appearances of Callahan Kelly and Bridget Murray Kelly from the first book. I hope you will read the book and enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.