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!

Once a Spy as with the other Rogues Redeemed titles is not your typical regency romance novel that shows pretty titled ladies and handsome lords attending balls and making perfect matches on the marriage mart. As a matter of fact I will even venture to say that the fourth installment in the Rogues Redeemed series has even darker and a much deeper relationship challenge as well with our couple on top of taking place in the middle of a political upheaval.

The situation that lands Suzanne Duval to be toiling as a seamstress and living way beneath herself is quite tragic and shows the use and abuse of woman in that era. Although Simon has felt a tendre for her when he has met her before becoming a jaded soldier he is not a man looking to marry for love but companionship and circumstances would make a union between them advantageous.

Suzanne is certainly not looking to remarry and there are even deep personal issues due to what she has been through since they last saw each other that could keep them from ever truly being able to be couple. However elas, the war is coming because Bonaparte and the French are unwilling to give up fighting with the surrounding countries and their lives are thrown into increasing chaos and danger at every turn. Where they married at first to at least have each other instead of a vast loneliness, they must now learn each other, trust each other and heal each other.

I have thus far liked the other books in the rogues redeemed series by Mary Jo Putney and find that likewise she comes through with this one with entertaining and captivating realism of the way Suzanne is treated when people discover she was in a harem and the scenes when the couple must indeed act as spies. In keeping with the other books cameos from the other books abound in book four and in Once a Spy Lucas is found and has returned home which we can only assume to mean that his book may be coming. Overall it’s a great read in the continuation of the series full of human emotions not to be missed for the avid fan of the series.

I received a complimentary download of this book through Kensington books on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own and sincerely given.

A beautiful, wounded young woman ravaged by war, a husband lacking in every way and held captive in a Harem finds herself free and without a cent to her name, forced to sew and mend to make ends meet. To her utter suprise the cousin of her deceased husband finds her and makes her an offer she is finding very hard to refuse. Though there are many stipulations! She is utterly lacking in passion and desire, Simon too finds himself completely lacking in that respect and a marriage of convenience and friendship is struck. But feelings have a way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. Compassion and understanding lead to deep respect and feelings of contentment. With another war on the horizon, spies are again needed as their search for a missing relative turns into espionage and the prospect of loosing the only peson she has ever truly loved. Sweet, action pact and heartfelt beyond measure, these two souls find peace and love when they thought it was never to be theirs.

Even though I have not yet read the entire series, ONCE A SPY easily drew me into a unique Historical Romance that kept my attention throughout Simon and Suzanne’s story. I will go back to the earlier books since now I would like to know what came before this story. (time, it’s always about not enough time to read all the books I’d love to read)

The Cover Description really gives you a good idea of this story, enough to decide if you will pick this one up. My reactions to this story are somewhat divided. I enjoyed the slow building of emotions between Simon and Suzanne. I cannot imagine the horrors that Suzanne went through, yet I can accept that for her a marriage of companionship, friendship and support would be very tempting given what was done to her. Simon has the patience to care for Suzanne, as a friend, but his feelings are changing as he grows to love the strong woman she’s had to be. I enjoyed them together as friends, and eventually as a couple. It felt, for the most part, believable and a natural transition from friends to lovers.

There were times that I had to strongly remind myself that I was reading a romance set in a time of history where the reactions, the gossip, the lack of sympathy for what Suzanne had endured would have been the norm. I don’t know that we’ve come that much further in modern times, but I certainly hope so. The slow burn was the right choice for this couple. They had to learn to like, trust, and be comfortable with each other before moving any further in their relationship, at least, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed ONCE A SPY and will return to this world again.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This story was very exciting. Suzanne's cousin comes to visit her at her boarding house. He is delighted to find her alive. He had heard she was dead. Her circumstances were not great but she made do by selling piecework for seamstresses. While they were talking, he asked her to marry him. But she was afraid because she had been kidnapped and sold into a harem of a not very nice sultan. She was used and abused by him but she had managed to escape and enjoyed her freedom greatly. Even if she was poor.
Dear Simon Duval may or may not be the new Comte de Chambron. After all the violence and death during the war, he had no interest in seduction. He also spoke of Lucas, they grew up together. He was in the Royal Navy and his ship had been sunk. Lucas was very important to him.
This novel has so many twists, I have no idea how the author kept track of it all and still write an excellent book but she did. It was so well written and moved smoothly. The characters were great and very realistic. I found this hard to put down and read until the wee hours of the morning. Great Novel.
I received this from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it. Love it.

aw

If you've read previous books in the Rogues Redeemed series, you will remember Simon Duval, the man who has helped our other heroes find love. In "Once a Scoundrel," Susan Duval, widow of Simon's cousin, helps the heroine escape a harem, the same harem where she was held for years. It's sort of understandable that she's not real keen on sex at this point. But when Simon suggests they marry for companionship, Susan is read to do it. Shunned by the other French emigres, Susan is not sure about the marriage at first but then she meets his friends and realizes that not everyone is as close-minded. She decides that, if Simon is not serious about wanting intimacy, she's in. So they marry and Simon soon realizes that his desire is not as lost as he thought.
The two work through her issues even as they also have to deal with going to Brussels, even knowing that Napoleon has escaped and England may once again be on the brink of war. They are looking for Simon's cousin, Lucas, who disappeared from a war camp and now may be wandering the countryside as a Franciscan monk.
This is a typical Putney novel, generally fast, fun, and fluffy. There are some heavy themes in this book that aren't exactly treated lightly but they are sort of skimmed over. Readers will again experience an unusual bent into religion, something that happened at the end of the Lost Lords series. I say unusual because it doesn't happen in every Putney book but shows up unexpectedly here and there and I was surprised there wasn't anything about it in the author's note, why was this book different? This time it was a little less preachy and more in the line of miraculous. I don't mind it if it's used consistently in a series but am sort of bemused that we have several fairly straight-forward novels and then one with overt magical realism. It will be interesting to see if future books in the series continue this trend, especially if Lucas gets his own HEA.

Three stars
This book came out September 24th
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Once A Spy by Mary Jo Putney is the fourth book in her exhilarating Rogues Redeemed Series. This book could be read as a stand-alone but it’s an excellent series so I recommend reading them all. Napoleon has been captured and is in exile on Elba when Simon Duval makes his weary way home after the war during which he served as a reconnaissance officer while in uniform and a spy while not in uniform. Suzanne Duval, Comtesse de Chambron, widow of his cousin, also suffered greatly during the war, having made it safely to England she is supporting herself as a seamstress when Simon offers her a marriage of convenience, comfort and companionship between two who understand each other better than people who have not had the experiences that they have had would. Simon’s search for a long lost missing foster brother and Suzanne’s need to see what has happened to her estate leads them to Brussels just as Napoleon escapes and the war begins again leaving them in the thick of it. The story contains much adventure and excitement but at the heart of it is the love that grows between two people who had thought that such a thing was no longer possible and their marriage of convenience becomes something more. Medium Steam. Publishing Date September 24, 2019
#NetGalley #OnceASpy #MaryJoPutney #KensingtonBooks #ZebraRomanceNovels #historicalromancenovels #bookstagram #roguesredeemedseries

Complicated!

When Lady Aurora "Rory" Lawrence was rescued from the harem of a corrupt and powerful Turkish official by Captain Gabriel Hawkins, Suzanne Duval, the widowed Comtesse de Chambron, another imprisoned harem slave escaped with her. (Once a Scoundrel, Rogues Redeemed #3) )
As a sexual slave Suzanne suffered much at the hands of her master, Gürkan. This violation left Suzanne with a distrust of men and an obhoreance for intimate relations.
Simon Duval, a half French, British intelligence officer, and Suzanne's cousin by marriage has found Suzanne working as a seamstress in a poorer part of London. After hearing some of her story he offers to teach her how to use a knife and some defensive moves to protect herself. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Suzanne defended herself from a drunken lout at a gathering of upper class French Emigres.
Up until her marriage to Simon, Suzanne has been treated by the emigre community as some sort of exotic creature. She is a woman who has experienced unspeakable horrors, a survivor who deserved sympathy and respect. As it were many of the men tried to catch her unawares and the women gossiped about her. The stain of the harem talked to their suspicions and repressed desires, to their insatiable curiosities and prejudices. Unfortunately we as readers to some degree feed into that frenzy.
Simon is looking for a wife and it seems a marriage of convenience is a better idea than facing up to some immature débutante. He proposes to Suzanne and after further thought and consultation she accepts. All very prosaic and calculating.
The timeline is just prior to Napoleon escaping from Elba. Suzanne and Simon have already left for Brussels and from there intend to journey into France to look for Simon's foster brother who was presumed to have died in a naval engagement. Ostensibly they are on their honeymoon and taking the opportunity to check on Suzanne's dead husband's holdings and matters pertaining to the late Comte's will. Secretly they are also looking for Napoleonic sympathizers within the Emigre community.
Throughout all this, Simon and Suzanne venture towards full marital relations despite the sexual traumas that Suzanne's suffered through. I have questions about the reality of all of this aspect of the storyline, which I guess throws the whole novel off balance for me. The predictability of an HEA given Suzanne's history is suspect.
However as is originally posited, Suzanne has always been a woman of strength and as part of that trait. As true to the storyline, as she faces the future and events that unfold before and after Brussels that strength grows in many areas.
With Napoleon having escaped, Simon is recalled to continue his reconnaissance duties for Wellington. All of this, together with them finding a relative at Chambron, the continued spying in France, and then Waterloo, the story became so much more complicated. I struggled to finish. There were just too many threads that watered things down and affected the flow.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

As a long lost and unrequited love is rekindled, Napoleon strikes again, bonding the new lovers even tighter than before.

Suzanne has suffered much over the years after first meeting her now husband… when they met they were celebrating her wedding to his second cousin. Content at being friends they continued on in their live, until tragedy and war brings them together again. No longer a fresh young bride, Suzanne is weary of committing to another man after suffering so much at the hands of men… can a marriage of convenience and friendship bring her the peace and security she desires… or will other desires come back to her?

Simon Duval has retired from his commission after the Emperor Napoleon is exiled away. He now wants to settle down and manage his estates. After receiving news of his distant cousins widow living in London, he is immediately drawn to her. War has diminish all of his desires, but upon seeing her he finds himself drawn to her… knowing that she will not welcome a traditional marriage after what she has experienced and still needing to have her by his side, he proposes a marriage of friendship.

Soon their friendship is put to the test with the return of desire and the outbreak of war. Can they work together to navigate these times of political turmoil? Perhaps, together they will prove to themselves that they are stronger than they ever knew they could be.

An excellent story of true love, political intrigue, and inner strength. The way Putney handles Suzannes previous trauma, along with Simons kind support, make this story well worth the read. Plus, al the political excitement is a lot of fun too! Another great book in the Rogues Redeemed series!

The fourth book in the Rogues Redeemed series, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney is due to release September 24th, 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books and Zebra Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#OnceASpy #MaryJoPutney #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

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

This was a nice old school Putney book. The romance was gentle and believable between Simon and Suzanne. I did appreciate the historical details which made the story rich and inviting. I was put off by the seemingly brushing over of Suzanne's sexual trauma. I don't know how to really show that, especially in a historical work, but I didn't feel that talking and love of a good man could help conquer all. Overall a good book and Putney is never a disappointment.

Wearied by his years as a British intelligence officer, Simon Duval resigns his commission after Napoleon’s abdication. Hoping to find new meaning in his life, he returns to England, where he discovers his cousin’s widow, Suzanne Duval, the Comtesse de Chambron, she’s almost destitute & is working as a seamstress. While both believe they are beyond love, their sympathetic bond leads him to propose a marriage of companionship, and Suzanne accepts. Their journey takes them to Belgium searching for Lucas who grew up with Simon & who became a naval officer before his boat sank & he was feared dead. However he previous year an acquaintance thought he saw Lucas dressed as a friar in Belgium. The couple also visit the Chambron estate & met Phillippe the natural son of Suzanne’s first husband. They are then caught up in the Battle of Waterloo.
We met Suzanne in the previous book when she escaped a harem, she's not had an easy life but a marriage of companionship seems a way out of her loneliness & poverty. I loved Suzanne, a weaker woman would have crumbled under all she had suffered but she emerged stronger & immensely brave. Oh Simon so caring & patient everything you want in a hero. I’ve loved the earlier books in the series, apart from the previous one where I didn't warn to the heroine, & this I think is my favourite, a slow burn story that set out slowly but gradually the pace increased until I was furiously reading to the climax. The relationship between Simon & Suzanne also began slowly, no flashes of lightning but two people getting to know each other, learning to trust each other & falling deeply in love. A captivating, enthralling read & I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This book was really good and very interesting and reminded me just a little bit of an "old skool" romance. It reminded me of an older romance because it was very adventurey and it had a lot of places where it could end, but didn't it kept going. But it wasn't too long or anything. I enjoyed the spying aspect and I always love hearing what happens in Belgium during the battle of Waterloo. It was also interesting to have a slightly more French perspective on things. I've definitely read at least one other book in the series and every once in a while they would mention things that had happened in the other books and I felt a little confused. It didn't really impact my enjoyment of these books, but I may need to read/reread the other books in this series.

Enjoyed the story. It is well written, entertaining and holds your attention. An ex-spy and ex-soldier, Simon returns to Brussels along with his new wife Suzanne to assist Wellington gather information on Napoleon’s return to Paris and power. The story deals in part with the coming war and some of the fighting along the way. Also, it deals with Suzanne and Simon’s recent marriage and the issues that they face. This is a great read and I would highly recommend the book.

I’m on the fence about this book. What I liked: the rich historical detail about the events leading up to Waterloo (and the battle itself). I liked Suzanne and Simon, along with the secondary characters. The characters are well-developed.

What I didn’t like: the treatment of sexual abuse and recovery from the type of trauma Suzanne endured was abysmal. This books suggests all survivors need is the love of a good man—such a damaging myth. The trope of the Turkish harem is pretty racist. The magically healing hands of a particular character made what should have been very serious scenes nearly laughable. There was so much about this book I loved, but these serious issues nearly ruined it all for me.

After years working for British intelligence, Colonel Simon Duval resigns his commission upon the abdication of Napoleon and begins to seek peace for himself. He returns to his home in England and finds his cousin's widow, Suzanne Duval, Comtesse de Chambron, whom he'd thought dead. Suzanne is now struggling to make ends meet as a seamstress and has a story as complex as Simon's. Both believe they are beyond love and desire, but they've always had a connection and enjoyed each other's company so when Simon proposes a marriage of friendship, Suzanne accepts his offer.

Neither Simon nor Suzanne expected theirs to be a true marriage, but as they venture together to Belgium and then France in search of Simon's missing cousin, their relationship continues to strengthen. Then news reaches them that Napoleon has escaped his prison on Elba and is marching on France once more. When Wellington himself asks Simon to help the war effort, he reluctantly agrees to return to war, but this time he'll have Suzanne along to help him and they'll have to pray they survive to enjoy their ever-growing love.

This book had so much going on and despite that, or maybe because of it, I felt the pace lagged a bit, especially toward the middle. This was definitely more history heavy than romance, though the healing and development between Simon and Suzanne was great and felt natural, especially because of their honesty with each other. The pace and suspense level picked up toward the end and got my attention again and I was happy with the ending, though I want more of the secondary characters now that so much time was spent on them. I especially want Lucas' story now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a copy of this from the publisher for an honest review. Once a Spy is a well done historical featuring two people who have had to deal with adversity and come out the other side; after finding each other years after spending time together, they decide to build a future together. What I loved best about this is that both Suzanne and Simon are both adults and act like it throughout the book, their relationship develops at a believable pace, and the obstacles they face in their pursuit of happily ever after aren't contrived or over the top. After spending a week or so together when Suzanne married Simon's distant cousin years previously, Simon shows up at Suzanne's after hearing her name and wonder if she was the same woman he knew years ago. Simon has spent years serving in the army, occasionally as spy and after escaping what appeared to be certain death, he is determined to help Suzanne. For her part, Suzanne's life since they parted has been anything but easy; while fleeing the French Revolution with her much older husband, she becomes a slave in the Ottoman Empire and is trapped in the harem of a cruel man. After being rescued (in a previous book in the series which isn't necessary to read to enjoy this title), Suzanne is trying to scrape together a meager existence in England; Simon's offer of marriage is an answer to her prayers. Simon and Suzanne recognize a wounded soul in each other and hope that they will be able to find contentment together.

I loved both characters; Simon was patient and understanding as Suzanne worked through her intimacy issues resulting from her captivity. I liked Suzanne and her understanding and kindness to others. There is a plot point about Suzanne's former home that I really enjoyed as well as the time Simon and Suzanne spent traveling together through rural France in the time immediately prior to Waterloo. I'm looking forward to the next title in this series and think readers looking for mature adults and are sick of insta-lust will enjoy reading this book.

I appreciate that the author took her time trying to make this book close to historical fact as she could as far as the war goes.
Suzanne has had a hard life, Simon sees past this. I really liked reading their love story.

I have to stop doing this to myself. I have got to stop picking up Mary Jo Putney books. When I first started reading romance openly, I loved Mary Jo Putney because her characters had conversations with each other and talked about mental health issues in historical romance. I have changed and grown in the last 20 – 25 years and Mary Jo Putney’s books have not. If you are looking for the comfort of a familiar Putney narrative – Once A Spy delivers. If you are looking for anything else, you should probably not read this. I received this as an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this book, the titular spy is Simon Duval. During the Napolianic Wars, he was an officer in the British Army and often did reconnaissance work. He is half British and half French. His cousin by marriage, Suzanne, is a now impoverished Comtesse who in a previous book escaped from years of enslavement in a Turkish harem. Yeah, we’ll get into that in a bit. They meet and Simon immediately proposes marriage to save her from poverty and so they can provide each other with companionship. Suzanne was emotionally abused by her late husband and sexually abused while in the harem. She is uninterested in a sexual relationship and wary of putting herself in a man’s power again. It seems quite reasonable to me. Naturally they enter into a marriage of friendship and convenience.

I stand by my assertion in my review for Sometimes A Rogue that Putney doesn’t actually know what a rogue is. Like Sometimes A Rogue, I found this book boring. Putney’s characters, with the exception of a few designated antagonists and all good people who work things out through long, thoughtful conversations. My issue isn’t that long conversations between characters are boring, it’s that there is nothing challenging or interesting in these conversations. This is a book dedicated to upholding a polite, respectful patriarchy without understanding that patriarchy is fundamentally impolite and disrespectful. There is an actual #NotAllMen conversation early in the book.

In the previous book in the series, which I did not read, Suzanne and another character escape from a Turkish harem ruled by a cruel man. Suzanne talks occasionally about the abuse she suffered, and it’s one of the major struggles for her. I don’t feel qualified to talk about how one recovers from sexual assault, I can only say that Suzanne recovers in the most Mary Jo Putney way possible, with lots of conversation and the love of a good man. That’s fine. I find the whole idea of the Turkish harem problematic. It’s problematic in and of itself, but also in terms of the way Putney treats violence against women. Violence against women is a thing only committed by foreigners and monsters.

Putney has repeatedly had issues with dabbling on Orientalism and fetishizing ethnicity in her books. By placing Suzanne in a Turkish harem, Putney taps into the racist fantasies around the harem. It’s a place where women exist as sex objects, which is both titilating and repulsive to the Western reader. It’s an exotic sex that’s degrading to the dignity of women. Other characters assume that Suzanne’s time in a harem have given her fantastical sex skills that no European woman would have. We know that instead, the harem has given her an aversion to sex. It’s just layers of unexplored ick. I guess it could be worse. Putney engages in polite racism – trotting out stereotypes and having her characters agree in conversation that stereotypes are bad without actually looking beyond them. As in many of Putney’s books, her characters perform ethnicity and identity. We know that Simon is part French and Suzanne is French because they use French endearments repeatedly.

One of the reasons I stopped reading historical romances was the issue of class. In too many books, the lower classes are happy to serve so long as there is a “good master.” In Putney’s universe, all that is required is that you not be a dick. The people who work your land and keep your house will be happy to continue to do so as long as you aren’t rude and abusive.

I think one of the things that frustrates me is that Putney almost asks questions about how men and women interact in society. She almost questions the heteronormative patriarchy, but she doesn’t. She reinforces it and advocates that if we were all more polite to one another everything would be fine. There was an opportunity here to explore what a happily ever can look like without sex and children, but Putney needed to take the road most traveled. If that’s what you are looking for in a romance. This is the book for you.

I have always loved Mary Jo Putney’s books and have read all of the books in this series. This book took me about three times longer to read than most books, most of it was boring until the battle at the end of the story. I enjoyed the characters in the story, but was pretty ho hum through most of it. Because of this, I give it 3 stars.