Book two in Sharon Cullen's series All the Queen's Men can easily be read as a standalone. I'll be the first one to admit I'm weird, I love historical romance and I love history, but I don't like political machinations and all the double crossing and back stabbing drama but I love spy novels. I usually tend to avoid books with actual historical figures as main or secondary characters in them honestly I don't really know why I guess I like my fiction to remain fiction. That being said I really enjoyed this one. Sharon Cullen is a fantastic writer enough that I overlook my weird reading tendencies.

Mary the Queen of Scots and her boorish husband are still at outs and with the baptism of their son looms closer and closer there is a plot afoot to kill the King. Unfortunately for poor Rose Turner she just happened to overhear the conspirators talking and now she conflicted. While he is the King and morally no one should be murdered she can't help but think that maybe he deserves it because she has been on the receiving end of his unwanted attentions.

Rose isn't the only one aware of the plot Will Sheffield was there too and for some reason he feels like he has to protect Rose from the dangerous situation she unintentionally got herself into. The more Time they spend together trying to figure out what to do the more they fall in love. Will however doesn't want a wife, because he loves his job as a spy and it has no place for a wife, or atleast that what he tells himself Rose knows the real reason he resists her and even though he's nothing what she wanted for herself she falls in love with him for the man she knows he is underneath the exterior.

Overall, it was a really good read. My only issue is that it ended abruptly, it was a good ending it was fine that it stopped there but it just stopped, I was left wanting a little more.

Sharon Cullen once again gives us an engaging, intriguing, romantic tale featuring an at times sassy Scottish damsel in distress and an English man on a spy mission hero whose worlds collide when they stumble upon each other and a murderous plot in Queen Mary’s court.

The book synopsis pretty much sums it up well. These two destined to be together lovebirds continue to dance around each other for some time as Rose struggles with what to do, while Will tries to pinpoint more specific details.

While dodging unwanted, wandering hands/threatening advances from one man to being pursued by an unexpected suitor, Rose feels stuck between a rock and a hard place, especially since she finds herself longing to be with Will, who her family would never approve of. We, meanwhile, are left feeling like the shoe is about to drop at any moment.

Will, our reluctant to love because he has a dangerous job hero, wasn’t counting on his feelings for Rose blossoming into something he can no longer resist. Despite his openly honest declaration he never plans to marry, he continues to seek her out. Yeah, his head is saying one thing, but his heart, hands, and lips are not listening, folks. This couple ultimately end up stealing some very graphically smexy moments together.

When a big betrayal occurs, a nail biting, perilous situation containing abuse and violence unfolds. However, due to quick thinking, determination, and patience, two unlikely forces join together to save the day. It then wraps up with a rather abrupt, straight to the point, finally comes to their senses HEA.

Tristan, a fellow sidekick/English spy, who comes across rather heart hardened and dispassionate to the the fact innocent lives are often casualties of war, is the next hero in line to lose his heart to the queen bee of Queen Mary’s entourage. Yeah, he’ll be whistling a different tune when that gorgeous, blue-eyed, blonde bombshell gets her hands on him, folks. Widowed and feeling like she has nothing meaningful left to lose will likely make her more than his equal match, folks.

Title: Bound to a Spy, Series: All the Queen’s Spies (Book 2), Author: Sharon Cullen, Pages: 258, stand-alone but part of a series, reluctant to marry/English/good guy/spy hero, some very steamy scenes, some violence, attempted rape, heroine is beaten, no Scottish brogue, Scottish court setting. Rating: 3.5 stars

Book 1 - Wed to a Spy (Simon & Aimee), 5/23/17, Pages: 259
Book 2 - Bound to a Spy (Will & Rose), 10/24/17, Pages: 258
Book 3 - Lost to a Spy (Tristan & Emma), 3/18/18

(I received a free advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. No type of compensation was given to this reviewer. There is no relationship/affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

The writing flowed well for this story. The setting is interesting, but overall, it just didn't resonate with me.

Contrary to what the blurb says, Rose, the heroine, is not an highlander. She is a borderland lass and is at the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, to find a husband. She finds her time at court confining, and she misses her home where she could roam free outside. She is sneaking outside because she hates being inside. Will, the hero, is an Englishman and spy, who is at the court under the guise of being a school friend of Lord Darnley, the king.

The story takes place in the weeks leading up to the baptism of the prince. Rose is in the wrong place at the wrong time and overhears a plot to assassinate the king. Will, lurking in the shadows, sees her and witnesses her leave behind a shawl that he has no chance of recovering before one of the conspirators finds it. Will then takes on the task of trying to protect Rose, and they find they share a bond and attraction that grows.

The writing is clear and is easy to follow, and the pacing seemed fine, though there were some odd Chapter breaks. I thought the dialogue was not very witty and felt like it was bordering on YA territory. There were some plot contrivances that bothered me, particularly at the end where there some unfathomable and unnecessary delay in Rose's rescue from one of the conspirators. Overall a decent read, but it didn't hold my interest or compel me to go out and check more out by this author.

The historical intrigue was an added bonus to the story. The author does a great job of weaving a story around true events. A strong love story was an added bonus!

Sharon Cullen bound to a spy has Will Sheffield has come up north to keep a close eye on the goings-on at Mary’s court. He notices a mysterious woman’s presence at a secret meeting. Rose Turner’s mother sent her to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots to find a husband and a better life. Rose accidently stumbles upon a secret meeting and hears a plan to kill Lord Darnley, the king consort of Scotland. What does she do with the information? Who does she tell who can she trust? Rose meets Will who’s a handsome spy whose trying to shield her from danger. Rose doesn't fit into court life very well she much prefers the outdoors and the company of the horses in the stables than getting all fancied up to find a rich husband. She hates the dishonesty and palace intrigue where everyone pretends to be something they are not especially the queen’s womanizer husband. Will and Rose find themselves falling for one another amidst the danger of the possible assassination of the King. Life in Queen Mary’s court is filled with intrigue, mystery and danger as these two navigate their way and Will faces an agonizing choice between professional loyalty or powerful passion.
This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

4.5 stars

Rose Turner is a fish out of water in Mary's court, she would rather be running free outside than engaging in gossip and doing embroidery. Every chance she gets, she slips away, one night upon returning to the castle, she overhears a plot to kill the Queen's husband, shocked she runs away, not realizing she dropped her shawl.

Will Sheffield is a spy for Queen Elizabeth, he is at court under the pretense of being a childhood friend of the king. He saw Rose enter and drop her shawl, but was not able to retrieve it before Lord Lysle exits the room. Worried for her safety, he garners an introduction and they form a friendship of sorts.

Rose has been sent to court to find a husband, but her family is neither wealthy or noble, so she is surprised when Lord Lysle takes an interest in her. She is still struggling with what to do with the information she overheard and is unsure who she can trust. When she revisits the location of the secret meeting, trying to learn who was speaking, she is caught by Will.

Desperate to keep her safe, but unable to disclose his mission and unwilling to let her be a causality, Will decides to share some of his information with Rose, including Lord Lysle's involvement. Rose is hurt when she learns the "truth" about Will and tells him to leave her alone.

Will doesn't understand why he can't let Rose go and approaches her again in a few days. There is something between them and he isn't ready to let it go. They share some passionate encounters, but Will knows he will be leaving soon and cannot offer marriage to Rose.

When Rose finally decides what she must do with the information she overheard, everything goes horribly wrong for her.

When Will learns that Rose is missing, nothing will stop him from finding her. He knows he cannot ask his fellow spies to help him, so he goes to her family. Once Rose is safe again, it becomes clear that she will not be able to remain in Scotland and Will will have to make a decision.

This was a really good story, it was well written and the story flowed nicely with a lot of violence, some steamy-ish love scenes, a lot of intrigue and some very tense, nail-biting moments and finally a hard earned HEA. I would have liked another chapter or an epilogue with their life in England, but even without that, I enjoyed this book.

This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title and I am happy to recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book and I absolutely fell in love with Rose. At first, she comes off as this meek, weak girl but she turns out to be a strong, butt kicking woman. I thought the way her character was slowly unraveled was perfect. Will takes the times to get to know Rose and in that sense, we do, too. It also allows their relationship to grow and blossom. There's good chemistry but it isn't scorching. Although, I did like how they worked up to the big deed. I thought the flow of this book was perfect for the time period. I will say that I sort of figured out the plot. I thought it was pretty obvious and I really don't try to figure things out as I like them to unfold as I read. My disappointment with this book comes with the ending. I thought the entire story flowed well until the abrupt ending. I felt like there was so much missing. An epilogue would have rounded out this story nicely and made this a five start read.

I really like Rose. She is so different from the others at court. She likes to be outside or in the stables with the horses. She is really tough too. Her 5 brothers saw to that. Rose accidentally gets involved in a plot to kill the king. She really doesn't like the king, but she doesn't think anyone has the right to decide when he should die. When Will is spying on the men who are plotting to kill the king and sees Rose stumble into the middle of everything, he knows he has to protect her. But how can he do that and stick to his mission? When Rose is kidnapped, he has to choose to go after her or forget her and continue on with is mission. What to do?

As always, I am giving a fair and honest review in return for this ARC. Sharon Cullen does write such exciting stories! Intrigue at the Scottish court. Spies and villains abound. Plots to wreck havoc that innocents get pulled into. Well, innocent may be but defenceless?? Hardly!

I received this book as an advanced copy from NetGalley for an honest review. I enjoyed reading about Mary, the Queen of Scotland and Queen Elizabeth of England. A plot to kill the King of Scotland is discovered and nobody is safe once the plot is revealed. I liked learning about life in the castle , the Queen’s ladies-in -waiting and the Lords of the castle and protocol related to the nobility. Once the plot was developed, the story got very exciting and it was difficult putting the book down.

In this follow-on book to “Wed to a Spy”, Sharon Cullen again does a good job of evoking the suspicious, gossip-laden air that circled Mary’s court. Will Sheffield returns to meet his own romantic destiny in Rose, an unlikely member of the queen’s circle due to her preference for being outdoors with animals to being indoors with royalty.

I feel embarrassed that I read this book.

This now makes 5 books that I've read by this author. The first one I loved. The next 4 I really disliked. And yet I keep reading. *sigh* This tells you two things about me: 1) I really liked that first book (MacLean's Passion). 2) I'm an eternal optimist (doomed to disappointment).

I read the first book in this series as well (Wed to a Spy), did not care for it, and said that would probably be my last book by this author. (I'm a dummy, because here I am again) But in my defense, I was pulled in by a very appealing book summary. It made the heroine sound tomboyish and appealing, feisty, and involved in court intrigues. The reality is that she's a meek little mouse (until she magically isn't! ta-da!) who falls into intrigue like an unwitting pedestrian steps in dog poo. But then oddly, later on, the action makes a sudden turn in the latter part of the book, and the heroine all of a sudden becomes a fierce spitfire and fighting machine. Who is this?? I liked her but I didn't recognize her at all.

The author continues to write in a somewhat juvenile, over-explanatory fashion. (The last line of the book: "He could learn to live and she would teach him to be the best husband ever." What.) She just loves to explain things! Actions, motivations, feelings, etc etc. For example, she'll say "the hero asked this, but he already knew the answer. He just wanted to see what she said." or "This wonderful thing happened. She felt so happy." The author needs to trust her readers!! We can read and understand perfectly well what is going on, and it feels a little patronizing to me to have every little thing explained (while bigger plot holes go unaddressed). I also felt that the language and behavior was quite out of keeping with the historical setting.

I give up. I really am done this time.

A Tomboy and a Spy 4.5*
Rose Turner is unhappy at Court, she likes nothing more than to be outside in the open air, preferably in breeches and tending to animals. Wearing fine gowns, struggling with needlework and all the jockeying for position is not for her, particularly as being from a notorious border clan with no title, there is little likelihood of a good marriage. Life takes on rather sinister overtones when she inadvertently overhears a plot against the King. Will Sheffield, spy for Queen Elizabeth, knows that there are casualties with any mission but he cannot stand by and see Rose harmed. A very enjoyable story blending fact, conjecture and fiction. I would have liked a longer ending or an epilogue as this felt rather abrupt.
Though the second in a series this can easily be read as a standalone.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly even though I was reading it while traveling and was constantly interrupted. While it is the second book in the series, you can easily read it as a stand-alone book.

Rose Turner is the quintessential tomboy. She likes nothing better than being outside and being with her animals. She wears trousers and even holds her own when fighting with her five brothers. She hates wearing dresses and fancy hair-do's as well as embroidery or any other indoor ladylike pursuit. So, when her mother sends her to Queen Mary of Scotland’s court to find a husband, Rose is like a fish out of water. She hates it – every minute of it. She hates the dishonesty and palace intrigue where everyone pretends to be something they are not. She particularly dislikes the queen’s husband who is a womanizer and tries his best to corner Rose and take advantage of her. She’s managed to escape his worst so far, but that won’t last long.

Will Sheffield is a spy for England and Queen Elizabeth. He has been sent to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots to spy on her and report back to Queen Elizabeth. Will has lived a solitary life since the day he was born and that is the only way to live – according to him. He can go when he wants, stay when he wants, take assignments when he wants, etc. There are no obligations of friends or family holding him to any place. Will’s cover at Mary's court is as an old school acquaintance of Lord Darnley, Queen Mary’s husband.

Imagine Will’s surprise when he is in a hidden alcove in a secret area of the palace listening in on a plotting session among four high ranking nobles – and a lovely young woman dashes in through a hidden outside door. He watches her reactions as she realizes what she is hearing – she’s stunned and frightened, then she turns and dashes out the door – but drops her lovely peach shawl. She doesn’t notice the shawl and before Will can retrieve it, one of the plotters leaves the room and discovers it lying on the floor by the door.

Rose is torn about what to do with the information she has – and Will wants to protect Rose, but knows that he should let her fend for herself rather than jeopardize his mission to protect her. Will just can’t stay away from her and they develop a friendship – and more.

When Rose disappears, Will realizes just how much he cares – but how can he save her. He can’t pull his other spies out of their tasks to help him – so he goes where he knows he can get help – her family. Can they find Rose and save her? What happens if they do save her this time? She still knows about the plot and even knows about the Queen. She’ll never be safe in Scotland again.

I liked Will and Rose and I liked Rose’s family. I even liked the ending – but – as always – would have loved for it to have an epilogue with Will and Rose a couple of years in the future.

"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

I have read SC before and was excited to receive an ARC of this latest. While I really enjoyed the 2 main characters, the plot was rushed and hampered with too many complications that were too easily resolved in the end. The characters romance wasn't super believable as it happened so quickly. It was okay, but was missing a certain spark. Thank you for the ARC in any case.

This is my first experience reading Sharon Cullen and this story had me hooked from page one. It was suspenseful and fast paced and kept me riveted throughout.
In it we visit the court of Mary Queen of Scots and a plot to murder her husband Lord Darnley.
Rose, our heroine doesn’t fit into court life and accidentally hears of the murder plot. She is left figuring out whether to tell someone or not and is left with some powerful enemies. Who can she trust.
Now that I’ve read this, book two, I need to find book one. I’m hooked!

This was the first that I had read by Sharon Cullen but the detail provided in the book meant that I didn’t have to read the first in the series. The pace of the novel was key to its attraction with the opening chapter, sets the scene. Rose Turner has walked into a conversation between several influential lords, plotting the death of the king. Unbeknownst to Rose, Lord Will Sheffield is also hidden, listening to the plot unfold. He spies Rose and realises that she is in danger when she leaves her shawl behind, only to be found by one of the conspirators. In attempting to protect Rose, Will soon finds himself drawn to her but realistic that his life as a spy cannot include a wife.

The pace of this novel never lets up. I particularly enjoyed how Rose begins to show her true spirit as the level of danger thrust upon her increases. The links made to various historical events was cleverly done and actually enhanced the story.

The introduction of her danger-loving family also brought another layer to this great romance. I look forward to reading more about her family!

Rose Turner’s mother Rhona sent her to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, to give her a better life. Raised with five rowdy brothers in a notorious border reiver clan, Rose has plenty of experience fighting and thieving and practically none when it comes to matters of decorum and discretion. But after overhearing several influential lords plotting to murder the King of Scotland Lord Darnley, Rose meets a man after all: a handsome spy trying to shield her from danger.

As one of the Queen Elizabeth’s top agents, Will Sheffield has come to Edinburgh to keep a close eye on the goings-on at Mary’s court. A consummate professional, Will notices Rose’s presence eavesdropping by accident on the secret meeting and he’s not the only one as Rose dropped her shawl whilst fleeing. The wild, naïve red haired beauty has made fearsome enemies and only Will can keep her safe.
This is the second book in the series & I’m hooked, I don’t usually read Elizabethan romance but these stories are just so good. This book could well be read as a standalone book. The plot is very well paced & I read until the early hours as I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Rose is feisty but innocent & naïve. Will is strong, intelligent & lonely, there is an instant attraction between them, which just grows & grows. I particularly enjoyed the way the plot was weaved around the plot to kill Darnley & the lead up to the baptism of young James. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A fierce Highland lass puts her life—and her heart—in the hands of a dashing British spy in this exhilarating romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Wed to a Spy.
 
Rose Turner’s mother sent her to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, to give her a better life. Raised with rowdy brothers in a notorious border clan, Rose has plenty of experience fighting and thieving—and practically none when it comes to matters of decorum and discretion. Without a single ally, she has little hope of making a good marriage to salvage her family’s reputation. But after overhearing several influential lords plotting to murder the King of Scotland, Rose meets a man after all: a handsome spy trying to shield her from danger.
 
As one of the Queen Elizabeth’s top agents, Will Sheffield has come up north to keep a close eye on the goings-on at Mary’s court. A consummate professional, Will notices Rose’s presence at the secret meeting . . . and he’s not the only one. The wild, naïve beauty has made a fearsome enemy—and only Will can keep her safe. But after an attempt on Rose’s life pulls them tantalizingly close, Will faces an agonizing choice between professional loyalty or powerful passion.

Although this is the second book in the All the Queen's Spies Series, it very well could have been a stand alone book. I haven't read the first book but had no problem following the intertwined story lines. The author does a great job of weaving fictional, but realistic characters into the actual historical events of the turbulent court of Mary, Queen of Scots during her disastrous marriage to Lord Darnley. The plot was lively and entertaining, and the characters were well-rounded and developed in a way that draws the reader in quickly. It was a grey day here a perfect day to curl up with a good book and boy what a winner. From the very first you are brought right into the heart of the story. I enjoyed it so much I read the entire book in one day. My only negative is that I would have appreciated an epilogue to the story telling us readers how they were doing after leaving Scotland.
 
I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley for another enjoyable read. Now off to read book 1 in the series!

Not just your typical historical romance. This one has intrigue and intelligent characters along with the steamy attraction you want in a romance.