“They seek him here, they seek him there….that damned elusive Pimpernel”. We all know the exciting tale of the Scarlet Pimpernel and when you mix in the story of Ramsey and Gabrielle you have this explosive story of intrigue, suspense, action, romance, devotion and love. The descriptions are so vivid (and sometimes horrifying) that you feel you are right there with Ramsey and Gabrielle. Their love story is beautiful and romantic. Honestly, I could have read even more of their story it was so good.

Who will the Pimpernel choose next?

What a ride? This book will take you on a rollercoaster. The characters and storyline are stimulating...with high energy and intrigue. Great read!

Yes, the portrayal of the legend was amazing, but it was the romance that drew me in! We know that love conquers all, but the redemption of our two lovers is so much more than a happily ever after. Both Ramsey and Gabrielle are all that is good doing all that is wrong. Nice twist on the bad boy trope! The adventures they go through from the first jewelry theft to the French Revolution send us on a see-saw ride until the characters finally find the balance in the life they are seeking. BTW, the historical content on the Revolution was so powerful!

After her late husband leaves her in debt, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. Her skills have been noticed by the Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious humanitarian of the French Revolution. Gabrielle is sent to France to rescue a nobleman’s wife and child. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief with an agenda of his own. Ramsey Barnes is not an honorable man. His whole life has been based on a lie. Although he doesn’t like deceiving Gabrielle, he’s working toward his own objective: unmasking the Scarlet Pimpernel. If Ramsey fails, his blackmailer will ruin him. Will Ramsey fight for the love of Gabrielle, or his own survival?
This is a great love story, but the setting made it a horror novel. It was disconcerting and, at times, I felt I didn’t want to finish it. It was very depressing. At the same time, there was enough action and intrigue involved to keep me reading. The characters were the best part. I liked their evolution from selfish thieves to altruistic adventurers. And, the ending was satisfying, because good things do happen to people who care for others. An Advanced Reading Copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

This is an gripping and suspenseful story full of drama, mystery and intrigue. Ramsey is an honorable man who is leading a double life because he's being blackmailed. Gabrielle is a naive lady who has had to turn to thievery in order to pay off her dead husband's debts. Ramsey was also friends with her husband. Gabrielle is going to Paris to steal a bracelet for a mystery man. Ramsey is told to find out who the mystery man is. They end up "working together". And also fighting their attraction to each other. It's a captivating and engrossing story with a shocking ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my voluntary and honest opinion of it.

A lady thief? The French Revolution? A hero in disguise? Sign me up! This story was a sexy, smart adventure full of passion and danger and love. A true romantic adventure in a unique setting. Highly recommend.

Publisher's Description:

Two morally compromised souls wage a battle of wits—and seduction—against the backdrop of the French Revolution in this thrilling romance from bestselling author Shana Galen.

After her late husband leaves her in debt to some dangerous people, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. In the intervening years, her skills have not gone unnoticed. After being recruited by the Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious do-gooder spiriting aristocrats out of revolutionary France, Gabrielle crosses the Channel for the most daring mission of her life. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief in his own right and an enticingly masculine presence. The man is not to be trusted—nor is Gabrielle’s body when he’s near.

Ramsey Barnes would not say he is an honorable man. His whole life has been based on a lie; why change now? Although it pains him to deceive the tantalizing Gabrielle, he’s working toward an altogether different objective: unmasking the Scarlet Pimpernel. If Ramsey fails, his blackmailer will ruin him. But when Ramsey’s confronted with the carnage of the Reign of Terror, he seeks refuge in Gabrielle’s heated embrace. Now he faces a terrible choice: betray the woman who’s stolen his heart—or risk losing everything.

My Thought's:

If you like a story of intrigue and do not mind it taking precedence over the romance in the plot, then this book is a must read for you. I, however prefer it the other way around with romance first and foremost.
That being said, this book is another well written story by Shana Galen.
The characters and storyline are well developed and it will hold your attention.
I gave this title 3.5 of 5 tarts for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 3 of 5 flames.
This book is mostly suspense and intrigue with just a dash of sensuality and romance.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this title from the publisher to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This was a horrible time in Paris history. Galen does a great job of bringing it to life. There were some grusome parts. One of them a man's arm was torn from his body by a mob. My stomach almost revolted. The romance brightened it up some though.

"Traitor in her Arms" is pure entertainment from beginning to end. Not only was this a romance but it was filled with plenty of intrigue. After her husband dies, Gabrielle McCullough fights off the creditors by stealing. However, this talent leads her to work for the Scarlet Pimpernel and his endeavour to save people from execution. Ramsey Barnes is also drawn into Gabrielle’s mission, but with the goal of discovering the identity of the Scarlett Pimpernel. In doing so, he will finally be free of his blackmailer or will it simply threaten his relationship with Gabrielle. The story opens with such intensity, that I found myself in a mad rush to finish to discover the fate of Gabrielle.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Traitor in Her Arms is one of those books that is going to stay with you for a long while after reading it. Set during the French Revolution, I was sent on a hair-raising and harrowing adventure through England and France. I was literally on the edge of my seat for more than half the book and I think during the more harrowing parts of the book, I couldn’t take a breath, that is how much this book got to me. And believe me, for me to get so emotionally invested in a book is a good thing.

I had mentioned in another review that the French Revolution, while used as a backdrop in historical romance novels, really isn’t a place that authors visit in their novels. It was too violent and not at all romantic. But, I like what the author did to make Paris a perfect spot for Ramsey and Gabrielle’s romance. She made them go to France for two different reasons. Gabrielle, an accomplished thief, was to steal a bracelet and then secure the freedom of a Comtesse and her child. Ramsey, well he was to find out who was the Scarlet Pimpernel and tell his blackmailer his identity.

I couldn’t understand why Gabrielle was such an accomplished thief until it was explained a few chapters into the book. I couldn’t imagine my husband dying and leaving me to deal with his creditors. She was desperate and the unsavory people who her husband was dealing with were becoming more and more impatient. So she learned to pick locks and used those skills to steal jewels and whatnot from the fellow members of the ton. When she was approached by the Scarlet Pimpernel and told that she was going to France to save the Comtesse and her child, she didn’t hesitate…even though France was in a state of civil unrest.

Ramsey was an enigma to me, at first and I couldn’t understand why he was stealing Cleopatra’s jewels. But the more into Ramsey’s story I got into, the more something didn’t add up. I really didn’t understand why Madam seemed to have him by the balls and kept threatening to show his secret. But the more into the book I got, the more the author gradually peeled back Ramsey’s layers. When his secret was finally revealed and the reasons behind it, I actually felt bad for him. What a burden to be carrying around!!

The book really picked up once Ramsey and Gabrielle were undercover in France. I will give you all a warning and say that this part of the book is not for those who do not like violence. Because there were some pretty violent and descriptive scenes. I was literally chilled when Ramsey and Gabrielle saw the aristocrat who was literally dismembered before their eyes. Also, what chilled me was when they went to witness the people being guileteened. I couldn’t get the descriptions of the square soaked in blood, the people being executed or the people watching out of my mind. I knew that was a bloody period in France’s history but I guess I didn’t know how bloody until I read this book.

The end of the book was pretty anticlimactic after reading Ramsey and Gabrielle’s times in France. But it did end as a happy ending for both Ramsey and Gabrielle.

How many stars will I give Traitor in Her Arms: 5

Why: I loved this book. It was a beautifully written book that had plotlines that definitely kept my attention and a romance that defied Revolutionary France.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence. Like I said above, when Gabrielle and Ramsey were in France, it was very bloody and some people could be put off by it.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Galen’s captivating descriptions paint a picture of Paris during the French Revolution that just sucks you right into the time and place. Breath coming fast, heart pounding, blood racing – you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading.

I’d like to address one thing right from the start. I have read several reviews that complained that the romance wasn’t front and center in this book. I sort of thought so too – at first. Then, I thought about it awhile and realized that there can’t be anything much more romantic than a man braving the horror that was Paris during the revolution – because he wanted to keep a woman safe. Yes, there were other factors involved, but keeping her safe and protected was at the front of everything he did. So, to me the romance was as front and center as the intrigue and danger.

Lady Gabrielle McCullough is a childless widow who is now hounded by some very nasty creditors trying to collect on massive debt left by her gambling husband. She has no money and no way of paying these creditors – one of whom wants to sell her into prostitution to recoup his debt. Gabrielle turns to theft in order to stave them off and she has become a very adept lock picker and thief. When she is approached by the Scarlet Pimpernel to take on a rescue mission in Paris, she decides to do it.

Lord Sedgewick is living a lie and he’s being blackmailed to keep that lie a secret. His blackmailer is a sleazy lady with tentacles everywhere and she wants to know the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. She tells Ramsey that she’ll turn over all of the incriminating documents to him if he will go to Paris and uncover the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Ramsey feels he doesn’t have a choice because the lives of his family, tenants and the local village depends on him.

Gabrielle and Ramsey are drawn to each other in the backdrop of the intrigue, suspense, danger and ghoulishness of the Reign Of Terror during the French Revolution. They learn to love and trust each other, but that love and trust are hard won because they are both very flawed individuals dealing with extremely stressful times. The descriptions of the streets of Paris, the prison conditions, the mob rule and blood thirst are so captivating that you will shiver with dread of what might come next. How can they survive this ordeal, escape Paris and stay in love? You’ll have to read it to see.

One thing I question is the reason for Gabrielle having to be responsible for her husband’s debt. Her husband was a viscount and he had no sons. So, some other male heir would have inherited the title and the debts along with it rather than the widow. That male heir would also have inherited responsibility for seeing after Gabrielle. Anyway – that didn’t really bother me because the story was so good – but – I did question it!

"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

This was an interesting book set during the French Revolution. I really liked the characters and thought they had splendid chemistry.

Ramsey and Gabrielle. What a great story. Full of enough history and information on the Hero and heroine to make you love them and root for them.
Ramsey was a man of good character and kindness. He made a bad decision (but with amazing intentions). He lived with that decision and the consequences every day.
Gabrielle was widowed and left with some problems from her late husband (no spoilers here).
Their story had times where I held my breath and read as fast as I could to see them get through it. There was history of France during the revolution and vivid details that brought home the violence and desperation of the time.
This book held not only a romance, but action and adventure made more difficult by treachery. The H and h showed their true character during trying times and came out on top.

After her late husband leaves her in debt to some dangerous people particularly Mr Pin, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. In the intervening years, her skills have not gone unnoticed. After being recruited by the Scarlet Pimpernel, Gabrielle crosses the Channel for the most daring mission of her life to steal the White Sapphire. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief in his own right and on his own mission.
Ramsey Barnes would not say he is an honourable man. His whole life has been based on a lie. Although it pains him to deceive Gabrielle, he’s working toward an altogether different objective: unmasking the Scarlet Pimpernel. If Ramsey fails, his blackmailer Madame Fouchet will ruin him.
This story captured me from the first couple of pages & I was hooked, the plot is fast & never lets up. The picture created of Paris in the time of the Terror is graphically real & had me shuddering at times & I was so caught up in the plot that I was running along with Ramsey & Gabrielle. Gabrielle & Ramsey have depth of character & are both very likeable. Ramsey is a scoundrel but his reasons for his actions are understandable even if I couldn’t condone them. I loved the Scarlet Pimpernel aspect, as I loved the book & of course David Niven will forever be the pimpernel in my mind’s eye. I hope there are more books in the series. If you want just a simple romance then this may not be the book for you but if you want adventure, blackmail, treachery plus romance than I’d strongly recommend the book – you won’t be disappointed. This is definitely a keeper & one to reread.

Beautiful Lady Gabrielle, widowed and destitute, has secretly taken to thieving from society to pay off her late husband's creditors. She is caught in the act by Lord Ramsey Barnes, Earl of Sedgwick, her husband's best friend and her secret admirer since they met years before. The Earl also has a secret, which he must protect by paying off a blackmailer who threatens to expose him and ruin the lives of his family and tenants.
Lady Gabrielle, desperate to escape the creditors, agrees to put her skills to use in revolutionary France by stealing a brooch for the Scarlet Pimpernel. Lord Sedgwick accompanies her, hoping that she can lead him to the Pimpernel, whose identity is the latest demand of his blackmailer.
Their assignments take them to Paris, where they are assisted by operatives of the Pimpernel. Together they risk their lives to accomplish their individual missions and manage to reveal their mutual attraction to each other. The perils that they face in France during the reign of terror test their dedication to their respective objectives and tenuous relationship with each other. Do their opposing goals pose a threat to the other?
While the plot was fresh, there were some holes in the telling.
Some characters were introduced, appearing once and then never heard again. There was no explanation of why Gabrielle learned to pick locks and pockets well enough that the Scarlet Pimpernel sought her out. We also do not learn how Sedgwick's blackmailer, named early in the book, discovered his secret or why exposing it would benefit her.
Also, one has to read "The Scarlet Pimpernel" to realize how truly horrifying the French Reign of Terror was. This book does not do justice to describing the incredible risks Gabrielle and Ramsey faced in order to accomplish their missions. That is the reason why I gave the story 3 stars instead of 4.

It's a good no think, no worry, already know what's going to happen kind of read.

Lots of action, espionage and danger set during the French Revolution. Two brave romantic characters keep this story moving towards an exciting end.

Traitor in Her Arms was so much more than I expected. It was a historical romance but it included suspense and action as well. It keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat.

Lady Gabrielle McCullough has become a thief so that she can pay off her late husband's gambling debts. The men who come to collect payment are dangerous so the stakes are high. When she goes to steal a Cleopatra necklace, she finds her husband's friend, the Earl of Sedgwick, Ramsey Barnes, has already beaten her to it. She tries to take the necklace from him and is successful but after he distracts her with a kiss, he steals it back.

Ramsey has his own debts to pay. He has a secret that he is trying to keep and is being blackmailed by a dangerous Madame and has been stealing for her.

Gabrielle is approached by a secret league that works to free innocent aristocrats from Paris's Reign of Terror. Gabrielle agrees to try to help free an innocent woman and child from the guillotine. She has to steal a famous artifact and deliver it to the prison warden. Ramsey has been asked to find out the identity of the head of this League so he and Gabrielle find themselves headed to Paris together. Once there, Ramsey sticks close to Gabrielle to protect her from the viciousness around them but also so that she can lead him to the head of the league. Gabrielle and Ramsey have a great deal of attraction for one another that they try to fight but that is a losing battle. Before long, Ramsey finds himself and Gabrielle in even more danger when the Madame that is blackmailing him gets impatient. With all of the danger they are in, Ramsey finds getting Gabrielle out of Paris may be harder than he thought.

Sometimes a decision, even with good intent, can be horribly wrong. The premise of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the times in France are well documented in this tale. Ramsey is such a flawed character you despair of him ever finding peace. Very engaging and any fan of historical romance will enjoy this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Traitor in Her Arms!! The plot was so intriguing! So many times I did not see how our heroine Lady Gabrielle McCullough was going to get out of her predicaments. She is such a compelling character! And we cannot forget Ramsey Barnes, Earl of Sedgwick, another alluring character with his own set of charms. I found this story to be a wild and thrilling ride from beginning until end!