He only wanted a duchess for a day--but she's determined to make it a marriage for life.
When his father and older brother suddenly pass away, the new Duke of Haverly is saddled with a title he never expected to bear. To thwart the plans of his scheming family, the duke impulsively marries a wallflower. After all, she's meek and mild; it should be easy to sequester her in the country and get on with his life--as a secret agent for the Crown.
But his bride has other ideas. She's determined to take her place not only as his duchess but as his wife. As a duchess, she can use her position to help the lowest of society--the women forced into prostitution because they have no skills or hope. Her endeavors are not met favorably in society, nor by her husband who wishes she'd remain in the background as he ordered.
Can the duke succeed in relegating her to the sidelines of his life? When his secrets are threatened with exposure, will his new wife be an asset or a liability?
My Thoughts:
The Gentleman Spy stands as the second installment in
Erica Vetsch’s Serendipity and Secrets series. References to events and
characters from the prior novel do appear. However, I think this novel still
works as a stand-alone. Personally, I liked The Gentleman Spy better
than The Lost Lieutenant.
The Gentleman Spy himself – Marcus Haverly – rates as my
favorite character in this novel. In many ways, he is a romantic, ideal hero.
However, his flawed logic about compartmentalizing every area of his life leads
to conflict and difficulties. Charlotte
battles her own issues and I appreciate that both of leading characters underwent
growth and change throughout the novel. The author used the character development,
as well as the plot itself, to touch on many issues: hypocrisy, the plight of
the war widows, the cruelty of prostitution, and more.
I enjoyed The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch and look
forward to reading the next book in this series. Four stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a
copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are
my own.
About the Author:
Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.
Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.
Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).
Tour Giveaway:
Thanks so much for having The Gentleman Spy on your blog!
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