Taming a Gentleman Spy

Lady Sibella Winborne is the only unmarried sister left among her large group of siblings.  Well past her first Season, her family is pushing her to marry and settle down, but Sibella has been holding out, hoping for an offer from her good friend and crush, the Earl of Strathairn.  Strathairn has strong feelings for Sibella, but his work as a spy for the English government is dangerous, and he refuses to put her in harm’s way or potentially leave her a widow.  When it becomes clear that Strathairn will not propose, Sibella accepts the offer of Lord Henry Coombe.  As she gets to know him better, Lord Coombe makes her feel uneasy, although she cannot pinpoint why.  He has secrets Sibella needs to uncover before marriage ties her to him forever.

“Taming a Gentleman Spy” is a tale of romance and mystery.  The quick introduction of so many characters makes the beginning a bit confusing, but the important people do become obvious fairly quickly.  Strathairn’s reasons for not marrying Sibella are weak and frustrating for readers, who can clearly see how much the two want to be together.  The author’s knowledge of the time period and social setting is put to good use, however, making the story feel authentic.  Since the hero stays separated from the heroine for much of the book, there’s not much of a juicy, tension-filled build-up, but Sibella is an interesting, headstrong woman, and it’s fun to watch her try to resolve her problems on her own.  

Leslie Stokes