Sleeping with the Enemy by Jackie Barbossa

This was a rec from the friend of a friend. It’s the War of 1812, and the Battle of Plattsburgh has just taken place in upstate New York. A widow and apple-farm owner, Laura Farnsworth, finds an injured British soldier unconscious, far from the battlefield, and impulsively takes him home to recuperate. Geoffrey Langston appears to have been wounded not in battle, but from a blow to the head from an unknown attacker. He awakens in Laura’s home with no memory of the moments leading up to the attack, and Laura makes the decision to shelter Geoffrey, since they don’t know if it’s safe for him to return to his unit (it would be a trek, anyway, since the British have retreated back to Canada in the wake of the loss at Plattsburgh). This book started kind of rough for me. There is a lot of mental lusting on both sides very early on, when Geoffrey’s severe injuries would seem to preclude such thinking on either of their parts. The writing felt awkward to me at first, as well; I got more used to the author’s style but at first it felt like things were overexplained at times. Eventually I began to enjoy the book more; I was surprised with how the story proceeded in the second half. I still had niggles; for one thing, the villain of the piece was blindingly obvious. I had originally given the book a B- in my book log, but I have warm enough feelings weeks after finishing it to raise that to a straight B. (I would have to give the author that if only for the mention of Andrew Jackson in the afterword, “Yeah, fuck that guy.” Hatred of Andrew Jackson warms the cockles of my heart.)

It was alright? It seemed interesting by first glance and read of the blurb. But i didn`t care much for the characters at all. Wich influenced how i felt and viewed about the story.

Sleeping with the Enemy (the Lords of Lancashire Series) by Jackie Barbosa was an interesting historical read. Not many novels that I have come across have the settings of the War of 1812. This one did.
When we first meet the main characters it’s when Laura and her son are on the way back home and come across a man they think is dead. He is a redcoat and that is the enemy. But when Laura goes to investigate, said man grabs her ankle and thus begins the journey of how Geoffrey comes to have a lump on his head and no memory of how or when he got to where they found him. Then the question becomes, as the British had lost the battle of Plattsburgh (which they should have won) how did he end up there with NO MEMOREY except for before the night of the battle. Is he a traitor to his country? Is one of his men a traitor? Do they think he is dead? Should he stay like he is dead? And let’s not forget the chemistry between Laura and Geoffrey. Oh my! What will happen, will they have a happy ending? Only way to find out it to get this excellent book and read it. I really enjoyed the story and would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical romance.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest opinion.

I really did enjoy this, 4th book in a series of 5. I have read the first book and not the ones in between, and this was completely fine.

First off I loved that this romance was about an older couple, Laura Farnsworth is 38 with a seventeen year old son at the start of the book. We never find out how old Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Langston is exactly, but he has been in the army for 25 years, so probably early 40's.

Laura, a widow with some healing skills, finds the body of an English soldier, a couple of days after the battle of Plattsburgh. The battle was won by the American forces, despite being outnumbered hugely by the size of the British army. She is about to leave the corpse when it reaches out and grabs her ankle. Over the objections of her son, she brings the soldier home to nurse him back to health and consciousness, because she feels drawn to him.

When Geoffrey eventually regains his senses, he doesn't remember how he came to be where Laura found him, and he can't remember anything since before the battle. Despite his instinct to turn himself in to the American army as a POW or to return to his regiment, he finds himself staying against his better judgement to help with the apple harvest.

Laura is a widow unafraid to buck convention, she has managed and grown the farm she used to work with her husband into a successful cider making venture, and employs a black freeman as her farm manager. She has raised her son by herself, despite objections for the community.

They both know that Geoff is at risk of being charged with desertion, if not treason if he doesn't honour his oath to the British Crown, and return to his regiment, but their mutual attraction is getting out of control, and as they fall in love with each other, they are hoping he won't be found.

Geoffrey is caught on the horns of a dilemma, he has realised he was attacked by one of his fellow soldiers and left for dead, and he can't remember by who. If he returns to the regiment he is in danger of being killed by his assailant or being set up to be killed for treason.

Laura and Geoffrey are settling down to married life when Geoffrey's family arrive, looking for him. Shipped off to England for court martial, Geoffrey and Laura fear for his life, when his nemesis is finally revealed - he is fighting for his life.

This was an exciting and interesting plot, with an relatively unusual older couple and the surprisingly riveting courtroom drama. The interactions between Laura and Geoffrey were sweetly sexy and they made a great couple.

I really enjoyed this.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

This was an interesting story with a lot of sizzle going on. I enjoyed that most of this took place in 1812 America. I felt we were getting a different perspective than most of the historical romance books, which are mostly set in England. I enjoyed the widow Laura. She was unapologetic about her sexual desires. I felt thrown off by the second half of the story. Overall, it was enjoyable.

When Mrs. Laura Farnsworth discovers the blood-stained body of a man wearing the distinctive red coat of the British army, her first instinct is to let dead dogs lie.When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Jackie Barbosa is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

Sleeping with the Enemy by Jackie Barbosa is a novel written around the time of the War of 1812, beginning just after the Battle of Platsburgh, New York.

Widow Laura Farnsworth, her son, and a hired hand own an apple orchard. From the apples, they make cider which they sell. This is their income. While Laura and her son Daniel are driving down the road, Laura notices a blood-stained body by the road. They find a British officer, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Langston badly injured. Against the wishes of her son, Laura manages to care for the injured officer. Something is not right and Geoffrey is sure that he was attacked, perhaps by one of his men.

In time, Laura and Geoffrey become romantically involved and marry. However, his family back home in England refuse to believe that he is missing or dead and so come to find him, not aware that the British have followed them. He is taken to England to try him for desertion and treason. Laura comes with him to Britain where he undergoes trial.

While I liked the premise of the story, I thought that the steamy romance between the two was a little too much. The sexual activities did not have to be written into the novel. That is my only problem with the story.

his is book 4 of the Lords of Lancashire series, but is fine as a stand alone.

Laura is a farmer during the Battle of Plattsburgh, in the War of 1812 in America. During her travel home, she stops her cart to find a British soldier very near death. She brings him back to her house to recover. There he recovers with her help and needs assistance recovering some of his memory and making sure he is safe.

Give this book a try if you are in the mood for:
Something that takes place in America
Happens during the War of 1812
Has a soldier hero
Has a widow heroine
Moderate to heavy steam – multiple kisses and sex scenes, pretty explicit but not overly lengthy (haha)


This book was an okay read to me. Unfortunately what held the book together in between the sex, was rather boring. I just didn't really find myself caring about either character and found myself annoyed with Laura's son. So I guess I wished for more tension and more character depth? I'm sure if you are looking for a soldier hero you will enjoy this book.

The author's notes at the end were pretty detailed and I always enjoy reading those.

I enjoyed this historical romance that takes place during the War of 1812, and is mostly on American soil. We so rarely see anything outside of the UK in historical romance, what a refreshing change.

Laura and Geoffrey are both easy to cheer for character. Geoffrey is never the stuffy Brit stereotype, but a good man with a full family that I'd really like to know more about. He's reflective on life as a soldier, which makes him real. He sees his job, the good and the bad. I really liked that approach to a career soldier.

Laura is a widow that has raised a son and built a business, in a time when that would be looked down on. As she says at one point, those people who look down on her sure wouldn't have helped much while she was suffering in poverty, so she made it happen. I love that! I also appreciate the Laura makes some decisions that don't involve Geoffrey, not just because she's trying to hide them or protect him or any of those reason. No, it's also because, as she acknowledges, she's used to taking care of herself and also has to learn how to be part of a team. Again, real talk for any relationship in any time period.

The romance between them grows from their attraction and time together, which feels authentic and of any time. The sexy times are hot and on the page. There is travel involved which takes the actual amount of time it would take, again very much appreciated.

There is a mystery at play related to Geoffrey's injury and service, which I won't spoil. I thin it is handled well in adding tension and opportunity for the main characters to connect. The trial at the end is well done,

I enjoyed this and hope fans of historical romance will read it.

Also, best author's note at the end!

Jackie Barbosa’s Sleeping with the Enemy is an intriguing historical romance between an American widow and a British soldier during the War of 1812, on American soil that was released today.

Laura and her son find a wounded Geoffrey, in his red coat, and bring the soldier to their home. They aren’t sure what to do with the soldier who is part of the enemy British army. However, Laura feels compelled to help.

When Geoffrey wakes up, he isn’t sure what he should do. He can’t remember how he got hurt, but he suspects something wasn’t right. Laura, meanwhile, struggles with what to do with the man. Turn him in? Help him?

However, Geoffrey agrees to help her and Daniel with the apple harvest for their cider business when he is able. As he heals, Geoffrey and Laura spend time together, grow closer and find pleasure in each other.

Geoffrey finds himself at home on Laura’s farm and finds himself putting down roots. He and Laura marry, and the issue of the British army and Geoffrey’s injury seem so very far away. But Geoffrey’s family in England has not forgotten him.

When Geoffrey’s family finds him, so does the British army. The war might be over, but the British suspect Geoffrey of being a traitor and drag him back to England to face charges. Laura and Geoffrey have to face the future together.

Sleeping with the Enemy is a fantastic romance that has an unusual setting: America during the War of 1812. The romance is very low-angst and happens very quickly. However, it is lovely. And there is a spurt.

He held the position for several seconds and then he pulled out of her, spilling his seed onto the floor in heavy, viscous spurts.

The conflicts are mostly external, but fill the story with a sense of intrigue. What happened to Geoffrey? What will his fate be? There are appearances by Geoffrey’s family, previous characters from Barbosa’s Lords of Lancashire books.

Sleeping with the Enemy can absolutely be read as a stand alone. However, I am a big fan of all of the books in the Lords of Lancashire series. Hot Under the Collar is one of my favorite vicar romances. I highly recommend it.

Looking for a different setting in a historical romance? Sleeping with the Enemy would be a great choice.

Laura is a widow who comes across a British soldier who she believes to be dead, however as she gets closer Geoffrey grabs her. Alive indeed!

Left for dead he is taken in by Laura and her son, where she nurses him back to health. Sparks be flying!

I enjoyed this book but I would have liked a bit more character/relationship development between the main characters.

When Mrs. Laura Farnsworth discovers the blood-stained body of a man wearing the distinctive red coat of the British army, her first instinct is to let dead dogs lie. It has, after all, been just two days since the Battle of Plattsburgh, and the disposition of enemy corpses is hardly her purview. But then the man proves himself to be very much alive by grabbing her ankle and mumbling incoherently.
After almost twenty-five years in His Majesty’s service, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Langston never expected to wake up in heaven, much less being tended by an angel. As the long-widowed Laura nurses the wounded Geoffrey back to health, the attraction between them heats from a simmer to a boil. Bound by his oath to the British crown, Geoffrey should be working to find his way back to his regiment and from the, to England. Instead, he’s sleeping with the enemy
This is the fourth book in the series but is easily read on its own. I loved the chemistry between Geoffrey & Laura, they were both mature & she had a son. I also loved how the story moved from America to a trial for treason in London. A well written book that overall flowed well although the pace did vary at times. Strong characters too all added to my enjoyment. I found myself increasingly engrossed & by the time the action moved to London I was desperate to find out what happened
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The last thing American widow Laura Farnsworth expects to find in the shrubs on the side of the is a new love, but that is exactly what she finds! Laura and her son Daniel are traveling back to their farm when she spots a man in red in the brush, they stop to help and think he is dead – but shockingly he is alive, and though he is weak and clearly English, she takes him home with her and hopes he survives.

It is days before Lt. Col. Geoffrey Langston (brother to Viscount Langston) and currently stationed in Fort York wakes in shock to learn the battle is over and he was found on the American side of the battlefield! Geoffrey cannot remember what happened to him and isn’t even sure if he was in the battle – his last memory is the day before the battle. He plans to turn himself over to the Americans as a POW, but promises to help Laura with the apple harvest as a thank you for helping him recover. But soon two things happen that will change everything – first he learns that a traitor tipped off the Americans and he is not sure how that pertains to him, but it would seem that he was caught out by the traitor and almost killed, so returning to Fort York would be dangerous without his memory and surrendering to the Americans will mean the traitor goes free. The second thing is he and Laura fall in love and marry. He is sure that by now the army has deemed him missing and presumed dead and wonders if that might just be for the best.

When word reaches his family in England, they refuse to believe he is dead and a close friend to the family (his sister’s brother-in-law) Thomas and his wife Sabine travel to Canada and then New York to search for him. They find him, but unwittingly lead the army right to him and he is arrested for treason. He will be taken back to England to stand trial – but Laura isn’t about to lose another husband and insists on going with him. Can they clear his name and have a HEA or will the traitor finally succeed in killing him?

I really enjoyed this book, it is well written, face paced and definitely not your run-of-the-mill Historical Romance. The book has so much going on and none of it will happen in London ballrooms, it is set primarily in northern New York and London. The book is filled with intrigue, treason, betrayal, a hero with amnesia, cameos from the other Langston siblings and their families, steamy love scenes, twists and turns, surprises and finally a wonderful ending complete with an epilogue. This is the fourth book in the series, but it is easily read as a standalone title. I am happy to recommend this book and hope you love it as much as I did!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

First, I love the title of this book – a perfect fit for the story. This is an unusual story in that it is about the War of 1812 and half of the story takes place in a New York town. Very interesting tale of a British soldier who loses his memory after being attacked, is rescued by an American woman and comes to love the woman. He is then arrested and taken to London to face charges of treason and desertion. When the storyline moves to London, the scenes in the courtroom are very interesting and spellbinding. I would not necessarily consider this a true romance. Instead it is a great story of a man charged with treason and has romantic elements.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jackie Barbosa is yet another author who I’ve found through Twitter. I was also intrigued by the premise for Sleeping with the Enemy, which sounded different than anything I’ve read before. Ad while it is book four of a series, it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.

While set around the time of the larger-scale Napoleonic Wars and discussing that to an extent, I liked that it also largely focused on the War of 1812, a conflict that isn’t as prominent in historical romance, likely due to the preoccupation with life “across the pond.” As such it is well-researched and it conveys a lot without bogging the story down with tedious facts. I loved the commentary about topics like slavery in early America and how it wasn’t so much about “North vs. South” in the 1810s, as well as the legal ramifications for a soldier suspected of desertion.

The romance itself is also fairly engaging, and follows two unique characters. Geoffrey and Laura are both older and have experienced life, him having long served in the British army, and her being a widow with a son, not to mention being on opposing sides of the conflict. I felt they had great sexual chemistry, but I did feel anything beyond that was a bit lacking, without a believable foundation. However, they do go through a lot together, what with all that ensues over the course of the book, so I can understand how that brought them closer, even if I wasn’t fully convinced.

I enjoyed this book in spite of the subjective issues I had with it. I would recommend it for someone looking for a well-researched, unique historical romance.

When New York widow Laura Farnsworth finds a bloodied and obviously badly injured, obviously British, soldier near the sight of a battle which resulted in an unlikely American victory, she’s tempted to leave the dead enemy where he lies. But when the man incoherently begs for her help, she knows can’t leave him to die.

Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Langston has 25 years of military service behind him but he’s unprepared for awakening to the beauty of the woman tending him. As he regains his strength, the attraction between Geoffrey and Laura grows ever stronger. He knows he needs to make his way back to his regiment but given the likelihood that he’s been betrayed by one of his own, he and Laura deem this to be an unnecessary risk. After all, who would look for a deserter on her small apple farm? But Geoffrey’s family back in England refuses to believe he’s dead and their persistence may be the very thing to bring disaster right to his door.

This was tough to read just because of the sense of impending doom that loomed over most of it. On the other hand, that also made Laura and Geoffrey’s relationship endearing. I loved the way Geoffrey’s family rallied around them both and his devotion to Laura through everything was endearing. I did find the plot to be a little slow in places, but I liked the characters and this unique premise enough that I didn’t really mind. I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work.

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

This was the perfect book to read on vacation, while waiting at the airport, then waiting for the bus to the resort, by the pool or on the beach at the resort and you get my point. This was a long book. It even have two parts. But it is a good, well written two parts. And it contains lots of historical bits and pieces about America and London in the 1810's. The heroine is an older widow with an eighteen year old son who has turned a farm into a profitable orchard and distillery. That is a hard change, but a smart change. The heroine is smart and taught her son to be smart. But when they find an injured British soldier in the bushes many days after a battle, she takes the soldier home. As she nurses him back to health and he starts requesting to go to the local U.S. fort so he can turn himself in as a prisoner or of war, she rejects this idea. The hero was found with a hed wound to the back of his head, he doesn't remember the battle and his clothes do not contain the smell of the battle (gun powder smell, blood smell and body sweat odors. The heroine makes him stay because she thinks someone on his side is trying to kill him. I mean, he is a Lt. Colonel and as an officer, he should have been looked for, not left for dead in the brush. And she has been falling in love with him. He agrees with her, because she is smart and he didn't think of it and he has fallen in love with her. At this point, I am not giving any more spoilers. So, at this point the story moves on as a romance-mystery. And it is so good. I had the pry my fingers from this book in order to cook supper. This was an engrossing read with authentic historical points and characters who were engaging and likeable. I would recommend with 5 stars.

This is my first book by this author. It's a wonderful book. No complaints at all.
It's not your run of the mill kind of story where 18year old debutante meets the rakish 28/30+ hero, fall in love get married etc.
It's about finding love again. It's about falling in love. It's about a confident 38 something mother of a 17year old who has made her own way in the man's world.
It's about an honourable aristocratic military high ranking man who gets injured in war and falls in love with the enemy.
Their love story is intense, steamy, sensual and above all selfless.
Loved it. Looking forward to read more books from the author

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words for this ARC. Very well written tale that crosses an ocean from America to Britain set during the war. A story of the love of people with children who are no longer children and how it is never too late to fall in love.

This was a unique read for me since I've never read anything that's set in America during the early days of the country. I loved the forbidden enemies to loves trope and the mystery of who shot the hero is engaging. There's maybe a bit too much of the history/mystery plot for my taste. I would have liked to spend more time on the love plot since the chemistry outside of the bedroom felt flat. Overall engaging and unique.