The setting once again for this third book in All the Queen's Spies series is Scotland during the reign of Queen Mary. Emma Howard was a minor character in the previous. She is one of Queen Mary's confidants along with Rose and Amie from the previous books, though they are no longer in Scotland. Emma, unfortunately, witnesses from a distance the murder of Mary's husband, but was unable to identify him or his killers at the time. Also unfortunately, she was caught up the explosion set to cover up the murder. Fortunately for her, she was found by Tristan Fitzherbert, a printer. However, this is just a cover for one of Queen Elizabeth's spies. Their mutual attraction doesn't take long to develop. What do they do next? Scotland is a dangerous place to be right now. The queen is not herself after Lord Darnley's death. She is being persuaded by her new advisor, Lord Bothwell and not in a good way. It is in this dangerous setting that their love comes to fruition. Seditious placards are being hung, accusing Bothwell of the king's murder. Bothwell has his men round them up including Tristan. How will they get out of this mess. I really like this series. My only complaint is no epilogue. I want to know what happens in Emma and Tristan's future. I had hoped for one more book, maybe featuring Margaret and LaGrange, but don't see any evidence of one. Too bad, when a reader becomes engrossed in the characters, they like to see resolution, not just guessing what comes next.

Lost to a Spy is another book that I enjoyed reading. I love the era of Mary, Queen of Scots and this book only adds to my list of likes. I recommend.

Ultimately, this took me a very long time to finish. This book was an enjoyable historical romance. I have definitely read better, but I have also definitely read worse. I have to say that I enjoyed the story as it was a really a sweet romance that developed between Tristan and Emma and I am glad their unlikely paths crossed for a reason. This couple were super sweet and cute together and I love how their new love developed slowly.

It has been many months since I read this book and will not be able to give it the good review that the book deserves. When I read the book I put it on with 4 stars on my goodreads.

Loved this story. Kate has been so abused. She deserves love. Adrien is a spy whose entire family was murdered. As the story evolves, friendship turns to love. Great plot. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

Emma Howard is loyal to Queen Mary after she had gotten assistance in a time of need and isn't being pressured to marry again. She sees more about Mary's relationship with Lord Darnley than she thinks she does, and on the night of an explosion, sees far more than she wanted to. She is saved by a printer, who is none other than Tristan, Queen Elizabeth's spy.

This is the third "All the Queen's Spies" novel, so it does dovetail with the prior novels in the series. Some of the characters recur, but it's not entirely necessary to have read those first. Emma is strong willed enough to have survived the abuses of her marriage and not want to repeat it. The frosty demeanor she can display at times is the shield she crafted, and Tristan cuts through that immediately. Circumstances bring them together, and both try to prolong them. They've only known each other a few days, but it's a very intense few days and they genuinely care about one another. It comes across in every scene they have together, and in how much they want to protect each other from the turmoil in Edinburgh. This is a great entry in the series, and a lovely historical romance.

I have enjoyed all of the books that I have read from this author. This book has drama, intrigue, and romance; all the things I enjoy in a book.

*3.5 stars*

I enjoyed Lost to a Spy by new-to-me author, Sharon Cullen, though I had a few niggles that kept me from rating it a bit higher.

First of all, it was nice to read a historical that takes place in a different time period from a regency. I don't know much about the tension between Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary of Scotland from that time period, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story. It felt fresh for me, which is a nice change of pace for an experienced historical romance reader like myself.

I also liked the non-royal MCs, which is a little rare in historicals. The world of spies and intrigue was interesting and kept my attention, though the story lacked that addictive quality that keeps me reading all night long. In fact, it took me a few days to finish, which isn't the greatest sign for me, though I'd have trouble explaining why.

The romance was believable and lovely, though I have some qualms about how easily one night of tender care from the male MC erased years of torture by the female MC's former husband. I still completely bought the two MCs together, and I was rooting for them the entire time.

There is a good amount of action and we see the couples from the previous books (but this works as a stand-alone), but there was just something missing from the story to bring it from "like" to "really like" for me. I wish the romance was over a longer period of time or that aspects of it were more of a slow burn, as some parts felt very abrupt. There were also some loose threads that I REALLY wanted to be resolved (but, perhaps, they aren't resolved in the actual history of the two countries??).

Overall, an enjoyable historical romance that will please most historical romance fans, especially if you are in the mood from something a little different from the typical rakes, debutantes, and royalty.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Let's start off my saying
that its been sometime since I have read anything by this author so I was so glad to come across this title and reacquaint myself with her stories.I love reading historical romances but, as of late I have been trying out other gene's and authors but historical romances with always be a favorite of mine.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the story as it was a really a sweet romance that developed between Tristan and Emma and I am glad their unlikely paths crossed for a reason.This couple were super sweet and cute together and I love how their new love developed slowly but, as it turned out really ended up being a healing bond for both of them.

I love Emma as she was sweet,kind,charming,caring clever,smart and for a noble not at all haughty or vain but down to earth.For all that Emma has gone through in her short life she has for the most part remained and innocent although not oblivious to the danger that surrounded her.
"I loved this about her. "

Tristan was a sweetheart and kind,compassionate, a bit lonely and one who had a few of his own past regrets that weighed him down.Tristan's compassionate nature helped heal Emma mentally and physically and it gave her a new lease on life and in turned healed his own battered heart just by loving him.

The story flowed nicely and it was nice to see a couple fall for one another in the mist of the chaos surrounding them as both of them had loyalties to two different queens yet were perfect for one another.I loved the lengths Emma was willing to go to save the one she loved with no thought of the ramifications to her own safety and future.

I love when you can connect with the characters that you read about and I did just that.I loved Tristan and Emma from the onset of the story as you could not help it as they both were both loving and kind.

Overall I enjoyed the story and plot and the character's themselves.My only complaint is I personally don't like a story that doesn't tie up loose ends.I didn't like just how the story ended.Where was the Epilogue?For me there were so many unanswered questions left like ...

Was Queen Mary involved in the plot to kill her husband?

Was Lord Bothwell part of a plot to murder Darnley or did he do the deed himself ?

And so forth.....

We can come to our own conclusions of what happened but, the stories plot left more questions than answers and I do not like that.

This ended up to be the third book in this series and I will most definitely reading book one and two to get caught up.

A nice historical romance to pass the time.

3.5 stars from us

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Emma is Lady in waiting on Queen Mary's court and Tristan is an English spy living in Scotland spying for the English Crown. Tristan comes upon an unconscious Emma while checking out an explosion that has the whole town coming out to see what would cause such a ruckus. He takes her back to his print shop to nurse her injuries. She is determined to return to the castle as soon as she can until she and Tristan realize she should be in danger since she witnessed a murder of a man who they believe could be the murder of the King.

This is a great read and will keep you entertained for hours. Author Sharon Cullen is very talented.

I received this book for an honest review.

This book just didn’t hold my interest beyond the first few pages. I tried to read it three times but just gave up after that. As much as I like previous books from this author, this is one book I would gladly skip reading.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley.

This continuation of the All the Queen's Spies Series functions very well as a standalone novel. The characters are likable and easy to relate to, and the dialogue is crisp and engaging. The plot moves swiftly and is intriguing and engaging. The romance, however, falls somewhat flat, as a heroine as battered and scarred as Emma seems highly unlikely to drop her guard and allow herself to relax enough to truly connect with Tristan so quickly. Her willingness to risk so much for him after such a short acquaintance and after their relationship has been built upon a foundation of lies he told her is suspect in the extreme. Still, the novel is a quick read laced with excitement and intrigue. Fans of historical fiction and spy novels will enjoy this book.

Set in the Elizabethan era, Lady Emma Hamilton is a member of Queen Mary’s court. In Lost To A Spy, Lady Emma is walking home with her maid, from dinner with friends, when she is an inadvertent witness to the assassination of Lord Darnley, the Queen’s husband.

Caught by the shockwave of an explosion used to cover up the murder, Emma is thrown clear and hits her head, leaving her unconscious. Her maid is terrified and runs away, but Emma is soon found by Tristan Fitzherbert.

He takes her home to his apartment above the printing shop he runs. She is still unconscious, but she soon comes around.

Immediately a spark begins to flare between the two of them. The only problem is, he can’t tell her he is really a spy for Queen Elizabeth, and she can’t tell him that she thinks she has seen a murder. The murder of the king.

Having escaped an abusive marriage when her husband mercifully died, Emma is afraid of men. She is attracted to Tristan but can’t forget the past. She soon comes to believe, however, that Tristan can be the one to show her what lovemaking really can be.

They spend days together learning to love each other, knowing the entire time they will have to part. Even if she hadn’t been the witness to a murder, and if he wasn’t a spy, she is a Lady and he is a commoner.

Genuine And Enjoyable

This was a truly enjoyable story, I liked the characters very much. Their interaction was genuine and I felt I really understood them.

This is the third in the series of spy novels by Sharon Cullen. I will definitely be on the lookout for the other books in the All The Queen’s Spies series, Wed To A Spy, and Bound To A Spy, and four more books by this author.

Reviewed for LnkToMi iRead in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.

Mary Queen of Scots’ husband, Lord Darney, is murdered. Emma and her maid are a witness to the whole thing. Tristan finds her unconscious lying in the street and takes her back to his print shop (a cover for his English Spy work for Queen Elizabeth). He nurses her back to health and all the while she keeps trying to leave. He discovers what she was witness to and tries to get more information out of her. What follows is a winding tale of self realization for Emma and steadfastness for Tristian, with love easing and impeding the way for them both.

This installment is okay, but not as good as the previous ones. However it is a nice continuation of the series. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

All the Queen's Spies #3, Yay, it's Tristan! I was looking forward to finding out who would be a match for the closed off Tristan. I was very excited to get this one. I love the series even though I usually try not to read historical romance with real historical figures as secondary characters. Not much of this one actually take place in the Scottish Court but in Tristan's print shop and the streets of Edinburgh. Tristan's job is to use the print shop to influence what the common people of Scotland think of Queen Mary and to turn them against her insuring that Queen Elizabeth remains in power of England and soon Scotland. Lady Emma has been friends with Queen Mary since she found out of the gross mistreatment done to Emma by her dead husband. Mary took Emma in so she would have a place to live and replaced all her inheritance that her husband squandered away. Mary has earned Emma's loyalty.

Lady Emma is waking home with her ladies maid after a dinner with a friend, as cold as it is she soon regrets not taking them up on their offer to ready the coach for her. When they are almost home something happens and Emma really regrets not taking that coach now. There was an explosion and Emma got caught in the blast. Tristan after hearing the noise rushes to where the commotion is and finds an unconscious Lady Emma. Not knowing who she is or if she had any part in this mess he thinks it best he takes her with him so the royal guard doesn't just arrest her because it is said that the King died in the explosion. When Emma finally comes to she has no idea where she is, Tristan explains what happened and that it's best if she stays where she is until she's better. In there time together Emma has never felt more comfortable talking to someone and being with someone. During her somewhat brief marriage she was verbally and physically abused she never thought she could trust another man, but Tristan makes her want to feel again. Tristan never thought he could fall in love, after his failed marriage he thought he would be a spy for life, Emma makes him want more but he feels he isn't good enough for her because after all is said and done he is still just a stable master's son and she is connected to two of the most powerful families in Scotland. It isn't until after she seduces him that she realizes he is a spy for Elizabeth and he's been spreading the flyers speaking out against Mary. Her time with Tristan opened her eyes and she sees for more than she did in court than she ever did before. She realizes it's not safe anymore and with the death of the King and Mary in turmoil and the people speaking out against her and her adviser, Emma must pick between her loyalties and her heart.

Overall, this was such a good read. The romance between Emma and Tristan is easy and even with the whole he's a spy thing their romance is pretty smooth and well Tristan shows her what it's really like to make love. The majority of the book is them getting to know each other and falling in love and Tristan opening Emma's eyes up to the possibility that things are not what they seem at the palace. The whole spy plot and internal struggle of power within Mary's court is such a tangled web, I can't wait for what I think is the conclusion with Lagrange (finally) and Lady Margaret who has had small parts in all the books.

As book 3 of Sharon Cullen’s All the Queen’s Spies series, I was all in to learn more about Tristan and see him get his HEA. Emma, the leading lady love interest here, in earlier books was made out to be a beautiful, untouchable queen bee among Queen Mary of Scotland’s entourage of ladies in waiting. To be honest, having established her as such I expected her to have more fire and sass to her character. Instead, I found her more on the soft spoken, meek, mild side, yet strong willed and determined enough not to panic and run in the face of danger. She was surprisingly naive/innocent in the sexual experience department, folks. Being a happy widow after a four year abusive marriage at the tender age of 16 to an ill tempered, power hungry man, Emma has vowed never to tie herself down to matrimony ever again. With strong bloodlines to two powerful Scottish clans, she’s a prize to be won but has taken herself off the marriage mart altogether. Ultimately though time and circumstances change her mind and heart upon meeting Tristan.

Queen Mary stepped in years earlier and came to Emma’s rescue, after learning about the abuse Emma endured, and Emma rightfully so is forever in her majesty’s debt. Well, until Emma decides too many manipulating forces are slowly but surely taking things over. Frankly, it bothered me the author took liberties in slanting history toward favoring Queen Elizabeth as the saintly, innocent while portraying Queen Mary as a power hungry/crown stealing villain. Anyone who has studied even a little bit of that bad blood family history knows there is a lot more to that complicated hot mess of a story. Afterall, in the long run, who was held a prisoner for years and years and years then finally beheaded by their jealous rival? If you don’t know that answer, well, Mary was the one who had her head chopped off by good old Queen Bess.

At midway through, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Emma and Tristan’s brief smexy time together. I still felt at that moment in time they weren’t emotionally bonded yet as a couple. Sure, that happened later as life threatening events unfolded and brought them closer together.

Of course, all ends well, despite losing a fortune and a country. We are given a short but sweet romantic conversation that leads to a proposal and implied HEA. Cameo appearances of main characters from other books are included to sweeten the final wrap up.

I am assuming Margaret and a certain English spy stable master will be featured in the next book. I am looking forward to it, mostly due to the unsung heroic actions he took that saved one of the main character’s life. This author’s writing does keep me fully engaged, and I usually breeze right through each romantic read.

Title: Lost to a Spy, Series: All the Queen’s Spies (Book 3), Author: Sharon Cullen, Pages: 222, stand-alone but part of a series, both widows, past spousal abuse history, English spy hero, Scottish bloodline heroine, very steamy scenes, no Scottish brogue, HEA, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama.

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 voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

Good book. Not familiar with this author but I will look for her other works.

This book was an enjoyable historical romance. I have definitely read better, but I have also definitely read worse. The characters were likable enough, but for some reason did not really pull me in. I did not have any trouble putting down the book and did not find myself wondering about the story when not reading it. I would recommend this book for readers who have already read the other books in the series, or for those who enjoy Elizabethan England, Scotland, and that time period.

A historically accurate novel that occurs in the time of Queen's Elizabeth and Mary. The majority of the story takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The romance happens with a lady in Mary's court and a printer, who saves her life. It seems that the printer is a cover story for one of Elizabeth's spies, and therein lies the intrigue. The story progresses nicely to include several thrilling events that should grab the reader. For lovers of this genre, I recommend this book.

This is a suspenseful, steamy and intriguing story. Tristan is bold, charming and responsible. Emma is smart, brave and determined. These two make a sweet and romantic couple. The both fall in love quickly, and know that nothing can ever come of it, but when Tristan's life is in jeopardy, Emma immediately comes to his rescue. The storyline is full of suspense and intrigue about Queen's Elizabeth and Mary, and their closest companions. It's a captivating story that captures your attention and holds it until the very end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.