Agatha Cunnington is determined to figure out what happened to her brother, and in order to have some freedom to investigate, pretends to be married. When circumstances require her to produce her husband, her desperation leads her to enlist the help of a stranger, who agrees for his own reasons.

Simon Rain, master spy who is also trying to find Agatha's brother and his one time friend who is now suspected of treason, finds himself in the right place at the right time, and from pretend chimney sweep to pretend husband.

He suspects Agatha, who is clueless, but at the same time struggles to fight the attraction between them. He underestimates her a lot and makes some assumptions that cause quite a bit of trouble, but in the end the truth comes out, not without consequences.

An engaging story that I would have enjoyed more if not for the time it took tehm to come clean with one another.

Next comes Dalton Montmorecy's story in [b:The Impostor|14243|The Impostor (Liar's Club, #2)|Celeste Bradley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390523632s/14243.jpg|3052360].

A delightful souffle of Regency spy-game romance shenanigans with a great female lead. It's certainly not a flawless book: the plot's pretty wonky at the end of the day, and especially in the latter half it can sometimes get in the way of the Good Bits (which are basically any time Agatha or Button get up to hi-jinks), but I had a ball with it.

Still searching for a romantic spy series that will satisfy me the way Joanne Bourne's Spymaster books do. This is unfortunately not that. But I did like the main characters a lot.

3.5 stars

I am currently reading The Pretender by Celeste
Bradley.

The Pretender
Celeste Bradley
Historical Romance
358 Pages

Rule #1: Never fall in love.

Celeste Bradley captivated critics and readers alike
with her unforgettable novel Fallen, which was
nominated for the prestigious RITA Award from Romance
Writers of America for Best First Book. Now, she
brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun,
exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both
featuring irresistible heroes who are out to steal
their leading ladies hearts!

She had a secret she'd do anything to hide.

Agatha Cunnington, a headstrong beauty from the
country, has come to London in search of her missing
brother James. The only clue she has is a cryptic
letter signed The Griffin. Agatha decides to disguise
herself as a respectable married woman so that she can
go about the city unnoticed. But for her charade to
work she needs a suitable "husband," preferably
someone tall, elegant, and rakish-someone like Simon
Montague Rain.

He had a secret he'd do anything to hide.

Simon Montague Rain, also known as The Magician, is a
member of The Liar's Club, a renegade group of rogues
and thieves in the service of the Crown. When someone
begins murdering members of the undercover cabal one
by one, Simon is given the mission to bring in The
Griffin, one of his comrades who is suspected of
betraying his brothers. Simon goes undercover and
infiltrates the home of "Mrs." Agatha Applequist who
he believes is the Griffin's mistress. Before Simon
knows what's happened, he finds himself irresistibly
drawn to Agatha's soft, feminine charms-and he is
tempted beyond reason to break the first rule of The
Liar's Club: never fall in love.

One of my favourites, this sweet tale is unusual for Regencies in that the hero is not titled but baseborn. Simon Rain was a chimneysweep as a child who through fortunate circumstances becomes a spy for England.

While looking for a traitor he comes across Agatha, who is searching for her brother.

Both delightful, sweet and with a bit of danger there as well this tale has everything you need in a romance.