ARC Review: "The Gentleman Spy" by Georgina North ★★★★

ARC Review: The Gentleman Spy by Georgina North

If you are looking for a historical romance with just the right blend of action, romance, steam and a touch of mystery, search no further!

When she spotted him, his mouth curved into a private smile just for her. Even as she moved beyond where she could see him, she knew he was watching her. The very same way she knew she never had and never would love another man so long as there was breath in her lungs.

PLOT SUMMARY
31-year-old Lord Beauden “Beau” Calverleigh returns after many years to the estate Oakmoss Manor in Kent, after discovering his father Lord Avon has passed away through a letter from his now-ward Miss Emerald Doubleday. She is about to turn 21, taken in by Beau’s late father, and has been living with his mother the dowager and sister Louisa – as well as running state affairs in Beau’s absence.

Unknown to them all, he works for the Home Office as a spy, traveling to various countries to aid the Crown in any way he can. Now he is back, Beau realises how beautiful a woman Emerald has turned out to be, and she realises just how much she has missed him. Such a relationship is frowned upon but try as hard as they might to deny it, as vexing as they find each other, sizzling desire blossoms between them.

But with the discovery of his secrets and an imminent threat (and something that concerns his father’s death), Beau must do everything in his power to not only protect the Crown but his ward too.

This is told from the third-person past-tense narrative from Beau and Emerald’s perspective.

OVERALL OPINIONS
I really enjoyed this. This was a delightful quick read with many great elements: recovery from grief, found family, forbidden romance – not to mention a masquerade ball (my favourite!). Georgia’s style of writing is reminiscent of Jane Austen and Julia Quinn with her own beautiful, unique and spicy touch. When I was younger, I used to read Charlotte Betts historical romances, and this reminded me of her work, specifically “The Spice Merchant's Wife” but more for my age range now.

Indeed, I was reminded of Pride & Prejudice (more the 2005 film) as Beau helps Emerald into the carriage and neither of them is wearing gloves. There is a reference to Austen’s novel when someone asks Beau: ‘Who do you think you are? That Mr Darcy fellow?’. Ultimately, the vibes we get in this story are more akin to Emma as we have this dynamic of an older man with a younger woman, who have known each other for years. The novel The Mysteries of Udolpho is mentioned in passing, which has to be a reference to Northanger Abbey as this story is mentioned here.

I loved the slowburn here between Beau and Emerald, I would have liked this to have moved along quicker so it was more halfway through the book, but it made the wait worth it. I like that they both share a vulnerable moment where they grieve for Beau’s father, that was very touching. I love the way Beau protects her every time. That masquerade scene too, I was blushing like mad! The fact that Beau goes as a pirate – dayum!

I love Emerald, her sharp mind and witty jokes. Emerald’s determination to run the estate reminds me of Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. It is so nice that she wants to be so helpful, but it is ashame she wants to feel included and fears everyone will leave. Beau took up the job because he wanted to make his own mark elsewhere, which is in its own way similar but different. I am obsessed with him, he is charming and sexy but also jealous of other suitors – as he should! It's also sweet that they point things out that they notice about the other in one chapter, like how she always wants sweet food if she hasn’t slept well or his love of Mirabelle mousse.

The guardian/ward trope is not weird here as far as I am concerned because Beau has spent more time away than actually been there, plus she was his father’s ward and the role of guardian has passed onto him. The age gap is also acceptable.

<< Setting (Location/Year) >>
The location is mainly set in Kent and London.
Though never explicitly mentioned, it can be seen that this novel is set some time after 1815 (but potentially before 1824). Near the end of the book, Emerald visits the theatre to see a play about the Battle of Waterloo, which occurred in 1815.
It could be estimated that it is around 1815-1817. This is suggested as Edmund Kean, a famous Shakespearian actor mentioned performing the play, would have been performing in Drury Lane from 1814-1817 as he signed a 3-year contract with them.

A few other clues that helped estimate the year were:
• a character within the book is revealed to be a sympathiser of Napoleon, and the Napoleonic Wars were from 1803-1815
• Emerald plays Beethoven’s Symphony Number 5 which was first released 1808, so that helped narrow it down to after 1808
• there is talk of Lord Byron’s works and that he is still alive at this point: (‘Do you think you'll meet him in London?’). Byron passed away in 1824.

<< Accuracy? >>
This book is fairly accurate in terms of places and events around the time – and, for me, inaccuracies don’t usually matter. The only few things are the following: 🠚 Emerald’s name. It is too modern for the period, but I can let this one slide.
🠚 Tattoos. This is really neither here nor there because tattoos have been around since 3000 BCE (Before Common Era). In Europe, there was a crazy for them in the 1870s and the first documented tattoo salon in Britain was Sutherland Macdonald in 1894. This is all after the time of the book – but, I can easily believe a random place to get tattoos. After all, pirates and sailors would get them. And it does add an interesting layer to Beau’s character having one.
🠚 A play about Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo where Edmund Kean played Napoleon does not exist

<< Positives >>
🠚 I especially loved how kind everyone essentially is in this book (this makes a change), how even when Emerald disobeys Beau he cannot ever find it in his heart to reprimand her but instead teases her about it. This is the same with his mother and sister, supporting him and not hating him for neglecting his duties.
🠚 Esther and Louisa are so lovely, it is nice that Emerald has them for company. I like Esther the most, she is so joyful.
🠚 I adored the humorous moments and quotes. To name a few: Beau and Emerald racing each other; and Emerald trying to search Beau’s room but has to hide because he arrives home early.

<< Negatives >>
The main thing I would like to talk about is the family motto of the Calverleigh family. I want to be quite clear, I loved it but I wish it had a bigger role in the book. The words are “as familiar to him as his own name” – but why is this? Is it solely that as a child he had studied it so much he memorised it, or is it that the words weigh heavily on them. He could have opened up about this to Emerald.
🠚 Then we come to the typo in the motto. The words for the motto are: “fortitudo, patentia, properitas” – in Latin there is no such noun as “properitas” though “proper” means speed/making haste and, if put into Google translate, (which we all know is not always accurate, “properitas” comes up and means speed). I believe what the author is actually trying to say is “prosperitas” which means prosperity/success.
🠚 Thus, the translation of the motto is the following:

fortitudo, patentia, prosperitas
(bravery, patience, success)

I believe Georgina should consider adding a translation of the words into her book.

Emerald’s stepmother and half-sisters are mentioned, but I would have liked to have seen them as they would have added some strain and provided more hostile characters to the story.

FAV QUOTES
• There was nothing more damnable about being home than discovering the woman he was most drawn to was the only one he couldn’t have.
• All at once, he was too close, too tall, too beautiful.
• Her intelligence, and her unwillingness to hide it, was as surprising as it was attractive.
• ‘Passion cares nothing for your resentments; disdain can be overcome with understanding. We are capable of feeling both at once and in equal measure.’
• Somehow, in gaining the knowledge he wasn't who she'd believed, she'd lost a piece of who she thought she was.
• ‘Mrs Kettleman plays for stakes so low even a clergyman could sit at the table’
• ‘Information if power. Power is dangerous. You are mine to protect.’
• ‘In your hands I am formless, unfastened. Bury me in your deep sweet, in your grief, in your splendour.’
• ‘There's nothing trite about wishing for something–or someone–to call your own.’
• ‘Me.’ ‘You until you go away again.’ ‘Me.’ ‘You until—’ ‘Me, dear one. Always.’
• ‘What do you want, little bird?’ ‘This. You. More. Everything,’
• He took her hand in his own and placed it upon his chest. Against her palm, she felt the eager beat of his heart calling to her like an echo in time, as if she’d lived the moment a hundred different ways in a hundred different lives.

══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, and I’d like to thank Georgina North and Booksprout for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

“The Gentleman Spy” is out May 8th