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A passionate and romantic spy story set in the 1500’s.
Alys Blanchard is a poor cousin, she takes care of running the manor, entertainments, and is a companion.
Sir Christopher Ludow(kit), works for Walsingham , spymaster for Elizabeth 1st.

Disguised as a gardener he is sent to the Manor to find evidence of wrongdoing, possibly a foreign spy ring.
What he finds is the lovely Alys.

Can these two trust each other?
They have enough chemistry and passion that’s for sure.
But is it love, and is it strong enough?

Exciting, intriguing and enjoyable reading, I look forward to reading more.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

This is a very enjoyable story with a good plot. There's intrigue, spying, traitors, and even love! The characters are well developed and I especially liked our hero Kit. Found it very easy to dislike the villains in this story too, especially Kate. Alys is our heroine. She starts out appearing meek, but works towards being tough. The problem is that she is naive...which causes big troubles! Good thing for her Kit has fallen...

Will the web of deceit surrounding her distort her opinion and bring her on the wrong trail ...

I do think it is my first Tudor set romance, and while I loved to learn about the period, the heroine is far from my favorite.
While her cousin is a shrew, Alys is meek, prude and judgmental. And instead of standing against her cousin she brings her wrath on the weakest because it is the easy path.
And her misplaced sense of loyalty to someone who faulted her was nearly my undoing, when she can’t trust the one man who rescued her.
Yet she also proved she could be resourceful and inventive when needed.
But each time, her narrow mind made her step back instead of going forward.
Kit was my champion, here is an honorable man. He is fun, full of sass and courageous.
What he sees in Alys is a mystery. Sure she is a hard worker, but she tends to believe others than him when he had done nothing.
She vilipends her cousin for her sins yet she acts the jealous woman at many occasions.
What a contradictory and gullible character. She was not deserving of Kit’s love.
Yet, with one last twist, I saw coming, that she ran eagerly straight in, she finally understands the wrongness of her deeds, and the errors of her way.
But it not be too late?

So while the heroine is not someone I came to like, I would recommend this book for its honorable hero and the insight of Queen Bess court’s life, I loved this part of the story. Kit’s relationship with the Queen is one to experience and enjoy.
Thus my 3.5 rate rounded up to 4 stars.

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Dragonblade Publishing, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Alys is the poor relation living at her widowed cousin's home. She is more or less the housekeeper, making sure her cousin and her guests are well looked after. What she doesn't know is why the gentlemen seem to act as if it's their own home.

Kit is the new gardener but he doesn't always act like one. There are a lot of secrets in this home, most of them deadly. Just who are the real villains??

This is an Elizabethen romantic suspense with danger and treachery on every page. There are so many twists and turns you almost get dizzy.

It made a nice change to visit this historical period. The court of Elizabeth the first was very full of intrigue, so it makes an ideal setting for this story.

I loved it.

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. A gardener/gentleman/spy sent to gather information about a plot against the Queen to a household that has a poor relation/lady/potential spy, a snotty wealthy widow and her strange friends. Pretty much a free for all. Definitely worth your time.