Hello there guys!!
Welcome to my stop of the Blog Tour for Love, Lies & Spies by Cindy Anstey, hosted & organized by Xpresso Book Tours!
As part of my stop I'll have my review of this delightful historical fiction debut and a giveaway, so make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for that.
But before you get to read my ramblings and enter to win a copy of the book (US only), let me give you a lil bit more info about both book and author!
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 19th 2016
Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She’s much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she’s determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research.
Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana’s traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.
She has lived on three continents, had a monkey in her yard and a scorpion under her sink, dwelt among castles and canals, enjoyed the jazz of Beale St and attempted to speak French.
Cindy loves history, mystery and… a chocolate Labrador called Chester. Love, Lies and Spies is her debut novel.
REVIEW
What an absolutely delightful book! It was exactly what I needed to
improve my mood! Lady Beetles! Victorian propierty be damned!
Juliana is a young lady that is getting ready for her debut and first season in London with her aunt, cousin and a poor but very influential nobility family. That sounds like a pretty standard beginning for historical fiction, but our main character Juliana is anything but standard or typical. She must go to London and for that she must endure the season attendance, but getting married is so NOT her objective!
I loved how she was trying her best to ensure she'd be able to accomplish her objective (that no one else was privy to, not even her cousin) but at the same time she didn't stay silent when she didn't agree with something or when she felt that she had to make a stand, even propierty would have demanded she stayed meekly quiet.
Spencer was also not exactly your regular young man with an easy life and money to spend, and he had to be rather peculiar to hide his real intentions and purposes and to complete his mission. He finds himself mixed up with Juliana and her family and hosts and although he doesn't entirely lose track of his mission, things do get a bit more muddled now and then!
Aside from the quite unusual romance, mostly because it's not really Victorian era style, since both characters are very dedicated to their pursuits and missions and marriage really is not in their minds, and the fact that they're both in denial about the change of feeling until very close to the end. There are another two plot lines: Juliana and her research of Lady Beetles and Spencer's mission for the government. Although Spencer's mission seems to take more space on the narrative, Juliana's was her main motivation for her actions, which means it was also ever present.
The writing, the pacing, the interactions between the characters, the build up for the romance... the best way I can describe this book and the first word that comes to mind is delightful! It was cute, it was interesting, it had me turning pages fast and wanting to keep on reading, made me smile, made me laugh and completely improved my rather sullen mood at the time!
A wonderful debut, very much deserving of 4 stars! Really looking forward to more stories like this one from the author!
Juliana is a young lady that is getting ready for her debut and first season in London with her aunt, cousin and a poor but very influential nobility family. That sounds like a pretty standard beginning for historical fiction, but our main character Juliana is anything but standard or typical. She must go to London and for that she must endure the season attendance, but getting married is so NOT her objective!
I loved how she was trying her best to ensure she'd be able to accomplish her objective (that no one else was privy to, not even her cousin) but at the same time she didn't stay silent when she didn't agree with something or when she felt that she had to make a stand, even propierty would have demanded she stayed meekly quiet.
Spencer was also not exactly your regular young man with an easy life and money to spend, and he had to be rather peculiar to hide his real intentions and purposes and to complete his mission. He finds himself mixed up with Juliana and her family and hosts and although he doesn't entirely lose track of his mission, things do get a bit more muddled now and then!
Aside from the quite unusual romance, mostly because it's not really Victorian era style, since both characters are very dedicated to their pursuits and missions and marriage really is not in their minds, and the fact that they're both in denial about the change of feeling until very close to the end. There are another two plot lines: Juliana and her research of Lady Beetles and Spencer's mission for the government. Although Spencer's mission seems to take more space on the narrative, Juliana's was her main motivation for her actions, which means it was also ever present.
The writing, the pacing, the interactions between the characters, the build up for the romance... the best way I can describe this book and the first word that comes to mind is delightful! It was cute, it was interesting, it had me turning pages fast and wanting to keep on reading, made me smile, made me laugh and completely improved my rather sullen mood at the time!
A wonderful debut, very much deserving of 4 stars! Really looking forward to more stories like this one from the author!
GIVEAWAY
US/CAN only
Great review, Pili! This sounds like a really fun, cut read and while I don't read historical a lot (overly political ones lose me lol), when I find the right historical book I just love it, and this sounds like one I should try out! Glad you liked it! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it is NOT bogged down by politics at all, so I think you ought to give it a try Giselle!!
DeleteDelightful is the perfect word to describe this book Pili!!! I'm so glad you loved it as I did, I just had so much fun reading it. Juliana was adorable, the opening scene on the cliff had me grinning like an idiot:) I need more YA historical romances like this!
ReplyDeleteAGREED Jenny! When I started reading that beginning I knew I was going to love the book to pieces!
DeleteI really do love an historicaly novel and I love the sound of Julianna sounds amazing. I love characters that are debuts in the victorian society, it's the best kind I think. Great review Pili.
ReplyDeleteI haven't spoken to you in ages. Hellloooo! :)
Emmaaaa! It's been ages indeed! We've both been so damned busy! Hope all is good!
DeleteYessss! I pre-ordered this one and now have it in my hands! So excited to start it :DD
ReplyDeleteYAY! I cannot wait to hear what you think about it!!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI loooooooovie the cover. I am not entering, but I have tweeted tnje giveaway. I will try to to that a couple more times. :)
ReplyDeleteGosh, I thought I commented on this! I am tweeting the contest for you. :D
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely recommend Love, Lies and Spies. This is a fine example of historical fiction; this book will surely delight fans of the Regency period, regardless of age. I am so pleased to have discovered Cindy Anstey, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
ReplyDeleteJasmine
Dundalk Carpet Repair
Lovely review Pili :D Yay for liking this book a lot. <3 It sounds pretty exciting :D But aw, not much romance? How depressing, lol. I want more romance in books I read :D But glad you liked it lots even so. <3 Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carina!
DeleteI can definitely tell you enjoyed this one, I'm glad to hear that the romance isn't the main focus in this one! It's definitely different to a lot of reads of this time period. Lovely review Pili!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeann!
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