A determined sister . . . Madeleine Vernon’s dreams should be filled with elegant gowns and marriageable men. Instead, she dreams of avenging her brother’s death. But when she’s captured by the queen’s men, she’s forced to become a spy by her mysterious yet undeniably attractive captor.

A rakish spy . . . After years of working for his father in Queen Elizabeth’s service, Nicholas Ryder is close to going his own way. But now he’s got a feisty beauty he must protect or risk her execution as a traitor to the crown. She’s a distraction he can’t afford, but he also can’t stop thinking about her.

A dangerous lie . . . It is Nicholas’s job to foil plots against Elizabeth, and he sends Maddy into a household of suspected traitors to garner what information she can. As the line between captor and prisoner blurs, deceit, betrayal, and desire become a perilous mix. Ultimately, Nicholas must decide whether duty to the queen is more important than winning Maddy’s heart.

I enjoyed the banter between Madeleine and Nicholas, they had good chemistry together. Overall, the book was an easy read and entertaining. I do not think I am going to continue on with the series though, I was not that invested in the characters

Thrilling, exciting, interesting and romantic. This is my first book by this (I think fairly new) author and it definitely won’t be my last. It is well-written and well-plotted and I just couldn’t stop reading. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the villains and that is rare. Another thing I liked is that it wasn’t filled with Dukes, Earls, etc. Just plain folks in the northern region of England in 1569 – well – not plain folks as in farm laborers, etc. but people who had nice homes, but weren’t necessarily the aristocracy.

In an exciting opening scene, we have our heroine, Madeline Vernon, riding into battle against the Queen’s army. Why? She wants to avenge her brother Robert’s hanging as a traitor. Actually, he was a traitor, but he never even got to have a trial for any facts to come out – he was just hanged. Those were some dangerous times between England and Scotland – Elizabeth was the Queen of England and Mary was Queen of Scotland. Mary was imprisoned by Elizabeth and the Catholic religion had been outlawed. Everyone was forced into the ‘new’ protestant religion. Naturally, the Catholics didn’t want to give up their religion and many of them went underground while others blatantly defied the law and openly practiced their religion.

The battle does not end well for the rebels lead by Lord Leonard Dacre. They were a rag-tag group armed with dirks and pitchforks – certainly no match for the highly trained and well-armed Royal troops. Many of the rebels were killed and even more were captured. Madeline (Maddy) was one of those captured and she spent six very trying days in prison awaiting her questioning/torture or her hanging. She had no idea which it would be, but she was sure it would be one or the other. She had so many regrets about what she had done – especially dragging two of her friends into the uprising. Then, her jailer comes to take her up for her interrogation – but – that isn’t really what she got. She receives an offer she can hardly refuse – become a spy in the home of someone the Crown believes is a traitor or hang.

Nicholas Ryder, a representative of the Crown, sat and awaited the prisoner’s arrival – and when she did arrive, she was the most bedraggled woman he’d seen in his entire life. The stench was unbelievable, she was injured, and you couldn’t even see her face for the dirt. He makes her an offer – assume the role of companion/secretary in the home of Lady Jane Dacre aunt to Leonard Dacre. Maddy is to spy on the Dacre’s to find out what, if anything, they had to do with any of the uprisings. This branch of the Dacres appear to be loyal to the queen, but there are doubts.

Maddy enters into what appears to be a loyal, protestant household – but there are so many undercurrents. Add in Mr. Vine, who Maddy knew many years ago as someone other than Mr. Vine – and an innocent sixteen-year-old maid who goes missing and you have quite a tale. Is Mr. Vine as evil as Maddy thinks he is? Where is the sweet maid and did Mr. Vine do something to her? Could Lady Dacre, who is kind to Maddy, really be a traitor?

As Maddy carries out her task and reports weekly to Nicholas, their relationship grows and they come to care for each other – but so very many things stand in their way and do their best to keep them apart.

I absolutely loved Nick’s ward – his nephew Daniel. He was a wonderful addition to the book because he was such a sweet and loving little boy – and so troubled. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him grow.

It is a lovely read and I’ll definitely be looking for more books by this author.

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"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 received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was an okay read. I enjoyed the story and romance it was just a little bit slow at times. Maddy was apart of a rebellion and as punishment she is forced to become a spy. It had a good premise and I enjoyed it just could have been a little shorter.

Quick & Dirty: Part spy thriller, part murder mystery in this historical romance but ultimately, I had a hard time really liking the characters.

The Review:
Mistress Spy by Pamela Mingle is a historical fiction novel set in the mid-1500s and revolves around the reign of Queen Elizabeth and her sister Mary Queen of Scots. I really liked the fact that this novel was set in a time period that I don’t often read about, although I’m sure there are more books out there. If I wasn’t reviewing this book, I might have DNFed it. I just didn’t really like how these two characters interacted in the beginning, especially when he kept saying he saw a fire in her but she kept crying in his presence. Some of my issues with this was actually addressed later in the novel but I had a hard time getting over the initial frustration.

Madeleine Vernon is upset over the death of her brother. He was hanged by the Queens order for attempting to take part in a revolution. She thinks her best course of action is to take part in another revolution and kill off a guard, an eye for an eye type. Only her plans don’t quite work out like she wanted them too. Maddy is captured and forced to become a spy for the Queen in order to possibly get a pardon so she doesn’t end up like her much beloved brother. Maddy’s handler is the handsome Nicholas Ryder.

Nicholas knows that he shouldn’t be falling for the feisty beauty. There is something about Madeleine that he just can’t stop thinking about. A spy and handler should never fall in love, it can compromise the whole mission. Maddy is sent to spy on suspected traitors and learn all that she can to see if they really are traitors to Queen Elizabeth. This is a potentially dangerous job, if she succeeds she will earn her freedom, if not she can meet the same fate as her brother.

Maddy is a tough character but at times she can be a bit blubbery. After my initial lukewarm feelings towards Maddy, I ended up not minding her, she was very nice and open to people when she could be. She tried to think the best of people when she could but not everyone got that treatment. Nicholas can be a bit of a lame duck at times. He tries to stand up for himself but usually ends up backing down to his dad, except for one time. They both keep secrets from each other for stupid reasons. I really wanted to like both of these characters better.

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel. I do not read historical fiction often so this was a nice change for me. I could tell a lot of the writing reflected the time period along with some of the dialogue used. It’s not perfect but it is good for this story. I also learned about a really awful torture device that I don’t remember hearing about before. I’m not sure how well the events in this novel tie into history. I know some of these events actually happened but I’m guessing the characters stories are just loosely based off of the actual events. I have no problem with this because it just makes me want to research if these events happened and I know that the raids that the story is focused around did happen. I’m just wondering if the “kidnapping” attempt is true or not.

Overall, I would recommend Mistress Spy for those who might want to read a period spy piece. The writing is good. The story is decent. The characters are so so. I really did like the spy angle and trying to figure out if they were bad or not. There also ends up being a murder mystery that spices up the story a bit.

A great historical romance between a green spy and her handler(?). I was most drawn to the relationship between Ryder and his nephew, as well as the found-family aspect once Maddy joined the picture. Once that happened I was way more intrigued about what would go down! Lots of mystery and suspense involved as well. A great intro to Mingle as an author.

Very well-written story with great characters! Loaded with intrigue and suspense. I enjoyed the story very much. I just wish that there would have been a little more romance. Still, very enjoyable read.

This was a sweet, thrilling, and adventurous romance! The heroine is tough and likable! It was a fast-paced and filled with political and courtly intrigue. I highly recommend this for fans of Elizabethan romances. This novel is perfect for those who love Melanie Dickerson, Eliosa James, and Christy English!

Set in Elizabethan England this romance centres around a young woman whose catholic family has been drawn into offences against the crown. Madeline Vernon is blackmailed into working for those loyal to the queen and becomes embroiled in intrigue and murder. The man who leads her into reluctant espionage, Nicholas Ryder, is drawn to her courage and beauty, even though he knows he should not trust her.
This is a very good historical romance, with all the right elements.

This story was zo captivating. I really liked it. Madeleine and Nicholas are so good together. This was my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

A well written story with strong characters. Maddy was not always my cup of tea because of her behavior.
A mix of danger, secrets, murder and intrigues as well as romance, love and attraction. Would have liked it to be more connecting with the reader. More chemistry between the main characters.
Because of this I would rather say it is more spy than romance. It is very fast paced but enjoyable to read.

I love historical romances and this book did not disappoint. I also like when the author throws mystery in there also. I feel like you cant have a historical book without some type of mystery. And what better than to add the spy element. Not as much romance as I would like between Maddy and Nicholas but still a very interesting story.

Would recommend to fans of historical fiction who don't mind a little romance with their stories. I had difficulty connecting with the female protagonist and the hero of our story was an undeveloped character.

Elizabethan England, a woman, who's avenging her brother rather than dreaming of gowns and gallant man, is captured by a spy master, who has the greenest eyes and an adorable nephew. Do I need to mention more?

Yes? Well, Maddy, the MC of our story, is sent to spy on her new mistress, who might or might not help the Scottish rebels. Nicholas, her handler, would rather he didn't have to threaten her with execution and rather show her that he has a nice side, too.

This was a wonderful book, set in a period I don't often read about. Plot, characters and settings sounded plausible and both MCs were instantly likeable.

I liked this book just as much. She has a unique clean writing style that draws you in and just won't let you put the book down. I read this one in 5 hours. Highly recommend.

Well plotted and interesting, with a likeable, intelligent heroine and a good adventure/mystery. I really liked the period this was set in as it is Tudor, rather than the usual Regency or Victorian setting. The plot centres on Madeline being captured when she follows her brother to take part in a failed rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. She is captured by the queens forces, and forced to spy for them, by taking a position as a companion to an elderly woman who is suspected of colluding with the rebellion. Her spy,aster is Nicholas Ryder, who together with his father Francis, works for the queen.

I liked the heroine very much, she came over as intelligent and capable, apart from her mistake in getting involved with the rebels in the first place. However I thought the hero could have been a bit more dashing. I felt Nicholas was a bit under his father’s thumb. Francis Ryder seems very sinister and controlling at first, when Nicholas finally stands up to his father he seems to crumple. That is the only bit I didn’t think worked as well as it could have, because it didn’t make me understand why Madeleine would fall in love with Nicholas, or ring true to the characters as they were first introduced. I did like the subplot that detailed the relationship between Nicholas and Daniel, his orphaned nephew, who suffers from selective mutism. I thought the interactions between Daniel and Nicholas and between Daniel and Madeleine were handled deftly and touchingly.

I do think the author is a good writer with an enjoyable style and good research, as all the period detail rang true. I look forward to reading more of her work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Posted on Goodreads

All Madeleine Vernon wants is revenge. Instead, she finds herself being forced to work for the Queen as a spy when she's caught by the Queen's men. Luckily, she has Nicholas Ryder on her side, otherwise things could be a lot worse for her in that she could have just as easily been executed for her crimes. Will Madeleine be able to get the information Nicholas needs her to get or will she find herself in too deep?

This is the second book I've read by this author and I've got to say that Ms. Mingle absolutely impressed me with this historical romance, as it has a good dose of suspense towards the end; compelling dialogue that had me loving the growing relationship between the main characters and the journey these two take on their way to happy ever after; and incredible main characters that have interesting back stories.

The way this story started drew me in immediately and had me worried for the heroine, as things don't look good for her, especially since it seems she doesn't really have much of a choice but to accept the hero's terms to be a spy. Will she be able to get the intel he needs? How much danger will the heroine be in? Moreover, the heroine is resilient, courageous, driven and I liked how determined she is to carry out the assignment that she's been given, even though she knows nothing about being a spy. I also liked that she didn't give up until she could get all the information she needed to stop whatever was going to happen. Yet, I couldn't help but sympathize with her because of things that she learns along the way that make her feel as though the hero has betrayed her. Will Nicholas be able to get Madeleine to listen to reason as to why he keeps certain things to himself? Things that she needs to know.

While the hero, he's confident, driven, compassionate when it comes to the heroine's situation and I liked the relationship between him and his nephew, as the little boy has been through so much and needs Nicholas every bit as much as the hero needs the little boy. I also liked the decisions the hero makes when it comes to his life and how it isn't easy to do what he does for the Queen anymore. How can he deal with everything the Queen's men do when some of the men are so ruthless? Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was how he helps the heroine to deal with being a spy.

Overall, Ms. Mingle has delivered an enthralling read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was powerful; the romance was delightful and had me loving that the heroine gave Nicholas a chance; and the ending took me by surprise because of the things the hero was hiding from Madeleine and had me worried for the main characters because of what happens, but had me loving that they find their way back to each other because they're meant to be together. I would recommend Mistress Spy by Pamela Mingle, if you enjoy Historical romance, the enemy to lovers trope or books by authors Anna Campbell, Stacy Reid, Mary Jo Putney and Jess Michaels.

I'm always up for a book about someone being forced to go undercover for one reason or another, and if the book in question happens to be a historical novel, I consider that icing on the cake. So, when I read the blurb for Mistress Spy by Pamela Mingle, I was quite eager to give it a try.

Madeleine Vernon wants desperately to avenge her brother's death. The fact that he died while taking part in a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth seems inconsequential to her; she only cares about finding a way to get even with those she holds responsible, and so she joins a group of people who are determined to see Mary Queen of Scots on England's throne. Unfortunately for Madeleine, things don't go nearly as smoothly as those in charge led her to believe they will, and she finds herself captured by Queen Elizabeth's guards.

Nicholas Ryder has spent the past several years working for his father in the service of the Queen. He's nearly ready to branch out on his own, but his father has one last mission for him to complete before he can sever ties with those tasked with keeping their monarch safe. It seems not all the conspirators were caught, and Nicholas needs to find someone who can ferret them out for him. He and his father are pretty sure they know the identities of those they seek, but they need indisputable proof.

When Nicholas makes Madeleine's acquaintance, he decides to make a bargain with her. If she agrees to pose as a lady's companion in a house filled with suspected traitors, his father will arrange for her to be pardoned. If she fails to comply with his wishes, she will be convicted of treason and sentenced to death. Madeleine doesn't know a thing about gathering information against traitors, but she agrees to try her best to obtain the evidence Nicholas needs. After all, she doesn't have much of a choice.

As time passes and Madeleine is drawn ever deeper into a web of deceit and betrayal, she begins to develop feelings for Nicholas, feelings with the power to jeopardize the entire mission if they aren't kept under control. For his part, Nicholas has been attracted to Madeleine since he first laid eyes on her, and he is determined to keep her safe at all costs, even if it ruins the plans his father has so painstakingly put in place to capture the traitors. Will Nicholas and Madeleine achieve their HEA in the face of such insurmountable odds?

I found Mistress Spy to be an enjoyable, if rather implausible read. I found it hard to believe that Nicholas and his father would trust such an important mission to a woman with no knowledge of subterfuge. Still, the reasons Ms. Mingle gives for Nicholas' choice were convincing enough for me to set aside my disbelief and go with the flow of the story.

I liked Madeleine quite a bit. She's smart and spunky, without seeming overly modern for the time in which the story is set. She's well aware of the limitations being a woman places on her, and while she chafes at those bonds, she rarely acts in a manner that feels inappropriate. It's obvious she cared deeply for her brother, and I applaud her loyalty, even if it was a little misplaced at times.

Nicholas wasn't quite as easy for me to like. I wanted him to stand up to his father on more than a few occasions, but he seemed incapable of doing this for most of the book. He complained about the things his father was making him do, but he couldn't bring himself to actually refuse. Once he acknowledged his feelings for Madeleine, he did a little better, but by then it was a little late for my liking. He was also quite heavy-handed in his dealings with Madeleine, but I suppose that's the way many men treated women back then.

The romance between Nicholas and Madeleine is quite believable. At first, I wasn't sure I liked them together given the fact that Madeleine was so completely under Nicholas' control, but Ms. Mingle does a wonderful job showing readers how their feelings developed over the course of the novel and I soon found myself cheering them on with great gusto. Granted, I would have liked to see Nicholas fight for Madeleine a bit more than he actually does, especially in the second half of the book, but I did understand why this was difficult for him to actually do.

While the book didn't completely blow me away, I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read. The romance and the intrigue are well-balanced, and I was pretty invested in the characters. If you're looking for a short book that doesn't require a ton of deep thought to get through, you could do far worse than Mistress Spy.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

This is my first book by Ms Mingle and was very surprised. It was different to your usual historical romance/spy story. It was a very well written and solid story. There was very little filler and kept you turning the page. I enjoyed the relationship between all the characters and suspense was well thought out. There was a couple of mild sex scenes which this reviewer skipped as always. I will definitely be reading more by this author. I received this book as an ARC.

Maddy and Nicholas meet under very grim circumstances. She was out to avenge her brothers death, he is her captor who may have to execute her. He offers a bargain, get a pardon by spying on a family whom he suspects is a traitor to the Queen. She goes in and quickly the story begins twisting.

I loved watching them together, especially when his young nephew was in the scene - your heart broke for young Daniel. This was a heart-warming romance. They had to overcome a lot of obstacles to be together and sometimes it looked very bleak. Fabulous story, with the right amount of intrigue tossed in.

Mistress Spy is a fast-paced story of historical espionage dealing with an aspect of history (plots involving Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots) that I have a general understanding of but not a lot of specific knowledge--I'll admit keeping track of all the players and the details about the plots Nick and Maddy are trying to uncover was sometimes a bit of a challenge, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

I do wish the romance between Maddy and Nick had had a bit more to it for much of the book, though I suppose working for the crown and partaking in hazardous spy detail must take priority ;) Nick's tendency to run hot and cold, though--one minute all about his work, the next unable to stay away from Maddy--was as frustrating for the reader as it was for the heroine. He makes up for it in the end, but still.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and will definitely look for more from the author. It's clear she puts a lot of research into her work and loves what she does. (Plus, you know--spies!!!)

Rating: 4 stars / B

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.