The Prince of Spies
by Elizabeth Camden
Back of the Book: “Luke Delacroix has the reputation of a charming man-about-town in Gilded Age Washington, DC. In reality, he is secretly carrying out an ambitious agenda in Congress. His current mission is to thwart the reelection of Congressman Clyde Magruder, his only real enemy in the world.
But trouble begins when Luke meets Marianne Magruder, the congressman's only daughter, whose job as a government photographer gives her unprecedented access to sites throughout the city. Luke is captivated by Marianne's quick wit and alluring charm, leading them both into a dangerous gamble to reconcile their feelings for each other with Luke's driving passion for vital reforms in Congress.
Can their newfound love survive a political firestorm, or will three generations of family rivalry drive them apart forever?”
Impressions: This was a satisfying ending to the Hope and Glory series. If you are a forbidden love romantic this is your novel.
Rated: Stolen kisses, jail, violence
Liked: I appreciated each sibling of the Delacroix family and the fact that they loved each other despite their differences in personalities and ideas. In contrast, the Magruder siblings showed no love towards one another’s differences. This series gave a valuable example of what messy relationships can look like with God and without God. The Delacroix family-centered their lives around their faith but the Magruder’s centered theirs on a façade of happiness. Real joy comes from our Heavenly Father. Real joy comes from the peace that you are in His plan and care. Although Marianne begins to realize her family is not all that she has built them up to be in her life she finds the relationship with Luke and his family as an encouragement to seek change in her life. Her experience in the ending with extended family allows her to see what God can do in changing hearts.
Disliked: The animosity between the Magruder’s and Delacroix families was re-sparked in this novel. Now with Clyde in Congress, there is a twist in the plot. I feel like the dark side of politics could get a bit seedy and scary. As an abuser looks to leave bruises in unseen places, those with power need to manipulate without traces to their reputation. I don’t think the relationship between Luke and Clyde would be one to trifle at the ending when Luke tries to be honorable. He was asking a lot but alas it is a book and it needed an ending so…
Quotes:
“’ When I was in Cuba, I thought I was going to die. My biggest regret was that I was going to leave this world without making so much as a scratch on it.’” – I think this is a legitimate thought for many people even unthreatened. Don’t we all want to make a mark, leave a legacy?
“’ Passion is what sets the world ablaze and drives men to strike out for the horizon and discover new worlds. It makes me get up in the morning looking for a new dragon to slay or an antiquated text begging for the breath of new life.’” – It makes you question your purpose in life if you start down this path of thinking. What does it all matter for anyway? Why do I wake up every morning (my kids prying my eyes open…duh!)? I can’t answer this question without reflecting back on my creator. Here is a link to some resources to think on https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_made_us
“He preached that problems, no matter how complex, could be boiled down to the fallen nature of man…Marianne’s complicated family histrionics no longer seemed quite so unique. Backstabbing, secrets, and lies dated all the way back to biblical times, and the same book provided plenty of guideposts for how she could have handled things better.” – I love how the Bible is full of broken and fallen people who He still chose to use for His glory.
“…People who expect quick or easy solutions aren’t dreaming big enough.”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

This was an excellent book. The tension between the two families, how could they ever find their way out or to each other? All the deception and control, it looked hopeless. But that is what made the romance so good.

I kept expecting one of them to turn on the other, but their love for each other was so deep they would do anything to protect the other.

If you enjoy historical romance with a lot of twists and turns you will enjoy this read.


A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Elizabeth Camden’s last in the Hope and Glory series turns it’s focus to the bold and brass Luke Delacroix, a man determined to do whatever it requires to take down the Magruder family, even if its means setting aside love and his life.

I need to say this at the beginning of this review: I despise the story of Romeo and Juliet and all that story represents. It is the stupidest outcome of a story ever and I don’t find it romantic in the slightest to die because you think that you can’t live without someone you love. That is a lie I won’t help live on. Hearing this story was akin to R & J made me a bit wary of reading it but I am most pleased to say that while it contains some elements, it did not mirror that story too closely. The story opens with Marianne Magruder trying to rescue her nephew’s dog who has fallen through the ice. A handsome young man appears, offering his help, and although he falls into the icy waters as well, they are all soon pulled to safety. A photographer for the Department of the Interior, Marianne quickly snaps a picture of the rescuer before he is rushed off by his brother to get warm. His laughing face remains fixed in her mind in the coming days but she doesn’t see him anywhere she goes. A chance second meeting comes when Marianne is sent to photograph the “Poison Squad”, a group of young men who volunteered to participate in a study to determine if currently used food preservatives are safe for human consumption. Drawn to each other, they meet the next day to develop the photographs and discover, to their horror, that they are supposed to be sworn enemies. Luke has made it his current life’s mission to see Clyde Magruder’s family and business come to absolute ruin after they destroyed the Delacroix’s livelihood following the Civil War. Luke’s brother Gray has managed to rebuild a goodly part of the Delacroix name but Luke will not be satisfied until the Magruders take a fatal hit like his family did. Hoping to prove that Clyde has been using preservatives in his food processing that is jeopardizing to human health, Luke has taken on the task of the Poison Squad testing group. Marianne is caught in the middle of this battle of men’s wills and while she loves her father, she also finds herself falling in love with Luke and his fight for others. Can she help Luke without betraying her family? And if she does have to choose, which one is worth losing for the other? You’ll have to read to find out. I really loved the very deliberate and slower playing out of this story. Ms. Camden gave readers a chance to really see and feel the pain of her characters and the consequences of their actions. She didn’t gloss over the vile and hateful things the Magruders said and did to make the story more pleasing; rather she let them show their true selves and let the chips fall where they would. I loved the slow burn of tension that was present from the first chapter. She didn’t give anything away until necessary and I was really frustrated, I’ll admit, with “nothing” going the right way. But by the end, I was cheering for the right to win and for the hurtful people to finally get their comeuppance. The love story had plenty of allusions to Romeo and Juliet but it also included some of the excellent elements of Don Quixote, which, interestingly, plays a good plot point in the story. The faith of the characters was very evident and was also very well challenged within the pages of the story. Marianne’s apathy towards God would be changed by her relationship with Luke and her family in ways she never expected. Luke would find himself the voice of reason when it comes to faith and that inspires him to hold fast to his beliefs. One last thing of note was the historical aspects that were included. It was interesting to read about the ways that our government and food distribution companies approached food preservation before the creation of the FDA. I loved getting a glimpse at the work that Dr. Wiley did, although in a fictional account, and seeing how it would change the world. His work showed the importance of ensuring that what is put inside the human body is both safe and helpful to it’s sustenance. I will most certainly be recommending this story to others with the very great hope they will find it as informative and entertaining as I did. Very Good, Ms. Camden!!

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Prince of Spies is a tale of star-crossed lovers with a charming hero and heroine who are a delight to read about. However, it combines that appealing romance with some troublesome plot points which made grading the tale a conundrum for this reviewer.

This is book three of the Hope & Glory trilogy. The backstory from the first two novels plays a large role in this one, so I recommend reading the series in order.

When Luke Delacroix sees a young woman attempting to rescue a dog that has fallen through the ice into the Potomac, he springs into action. Belly crawling his way along the barely frozen river to the struggling pooch he manages to save it – only to fall into the frigid water himself. Fortunately, the young lady who had originally gone after the errant animal is able to help Luke to safety. Once they are back on dry land, she snaps a picture of him, wet and shivering but laughing, holding the equally wet and shivering pup and then takes her nephew and the sopping hound home.

Luke hears the boy call his lovely savior “Aunt Marianne” and since the camera she was holding had a government stamp from the Department of the Interior on it, tracking her down will be easy. And he desperately wants to track her down. It wasn’t just her lovely dark hair, sparkling blue eyes and obvious courage that attracted him.

“She was a complete stranger who didn’t feel like a stranger at all.”

Their shared adventure on the ice had connected them and while

“He’d been in her presence for only a few minutes he already admired her.”

Once Luke is successful in finding her, Marianne proves to be everything he has ever dreamt of in a partner. She’s courageous, funny, playful, earnest, caring, compassionate – the ideal match for his own daring, loving, boisterous personality. But she’s not perfect – and her one imperfection could ruin them both.

It turns out Marianne is the daughter of Congressman Clyde Magruder, with whom Luke has some bad history. The Magruders and Delacroixs, both wealthy families involved in the food industry, once had a joint business venture under the leadership of Clyde and Luke. The Delacroixs procured coffee through their international contacts and the Magruders were responsible for sales and packaging. Only the Magruders didn’t package the coffee that was delivered; they added chicory and a handful of other ingredients to the mix in order to stretch the supply and create a cheaper product with a higher profit ratio. Three people died as a result of the cut corners and Luke has never forgiven himself – or the Magruders – for those deaths. Luke is in Washington D.C. using his position as a journalist to advocate for a bill regulating food and drug standards which will keep events like the above incident from ever happening again.

What makes Luke and Marianne such a charming couple is their complementarian personalities. They both have active, adventurous natures and neither of them would have been happy with someone who didn’t share their passion for daring exploits and boundary pushing. They also have strong moral centers that cause them to actively fight for what they believe in. For Luke, that means throwing himself totally into the battle for ensuring that grocery stores carry only safe, quality food. Not only does he publish articles supporting a pure food and drug act, but he also volunteers for Dr. Harvey Wiley’s Poison Squad studies. This program involved a group of men eating food mixed with various additives and then being monitored so that their physiological responses to them could be recorded. It is these studies that drew national attention to the importance of food safety guidelines.

Marianne plays a crucial role in Luke’s fight for wholesome food and this was one of the things I liked most about the novel – that the couple were genuine partners who helped each other achieve their goals.

Aside from helping Luke, Marianne has her own passion which revolves around reconciliation in her family circle The Magruders are a dysfunctional mess. They are ruthless in their business dealings, regularly adding dangerous additives to the food they manufacture and often taking violent, unethical actions to protect that behavior. They are also viciously cruel to each other: Marianne’s father berates Marianne and her older half-brother Andrew on a regular basis, making it clear that their status in the family is constantly under review and that any misstep could lead to them being ostracized and cut off. This is no idle threat: Marianne’s Aunt Stella chose to marry a man the family didn’t approve of and was thrown out of the house without a dime as a result.

Marianne knows her own position in the Magruder clan is especially precarious because she is the product of one of Clyde’s affairs. Her mother was paid off so that Marianne could be raised by Clyde and his wife. It hurts Marianne that her half-brother Andrew, Clyde’s only child with his wife, and Mrs. Magruder, the woman who raised her and whom she knows and loves as her mother, are distant to her and never take Marianne’s part in family arguments. It also bothers her that her father’s most recent by-blow hasn’t been welcomed into the family fold and doesn’t live with or even visit them.

But you know what bothered me? That the bible is used to defend numerous confusing behaviors. For example, honor your father and mother is translated into maintaining a harmonious relationship with Clyde despite his numerous crimes. I also found the idea that forgiveness for philandering should extend to welcoming the product of affairs into your family deeply disturbing. Even more troubling was the familial abuse. At one point there is a horrible scene where a beloved pet dog is killed as punishment for a child cheating on a test. While the family condemns the father for the behavior, no move is made to remove the child from that environment, something that surely needed to be done. The story also contains a personal pet peeve of mine – the idea of the ‘victimized’ South. In this case, it is implied that the impoverishment incurred by the confederates during the civil war was cruel and unjust and somehow the fault of the Union. Additionally, I felt there was a whiff of judgment towards Marianne’s mother for being willing to give her up for adoption, regardless of the fact that it would have been near impossible for the woman to keep Marianne and continue her career as an opera singer.

If the above aren’t issues for you, you will adore Prince of Spies. The romance between Luke and Marianne is charming and the author does an outstanding job with the history in this book; her depiction of the fight for food safety standards is completely riveting. Also, the prose is lovely, and the characters are wonderfully three dimensional. However, my enjoyment of the tale was dimmed by the above controversies and my grade reflects that.

Elizabeth Camden is an expert at taking an obscure piece of history and making it interesting by weaving it into her stories. In The Prince of Spies, readers learn about the Food and Drug Administration’s human testing for chemicals in food and the man (aka The Poison Squad) who were the test subjects.

I really enjoyed that Luke and Gray had some scene time together. We learned a lot about Luke’s relationship with his twin sister in the previous book, so it was nice that much of the Delacroix sibling relationships in this book focused on the brothers.

On the surface, Luke may seem a brash and overconfident, but his heart is in the right place (which we see with his communication with Marianne). And Marianne herself is a complicated character—longing for the acceptance of her family, but also somewhat naïve to the truth of their deeds. And of course, you’ve got the forbidden romance angle with the families standing firmly in different camps.

One other fun historical event is woven throughout the book: the planning of the Washington Mall. Camden conveys the differing opinions of what will become the place many of us visit today.

I was a fan of this series before the final book, but the way each story can stand on its own while also weaving the stories of Gray, Caroline, and Luke together throughout all three books strengthens my opinion.



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

shared on insta and twitter and fb:

Lady Camden has said that this was the most romantic of her stories and in a way she's right because LUKE DELACROIX holy cow

and so I am gonna tell you that if you like Le Bridgerton you might wanna check this out: not because it is of the regency ton but because the family dynamics are as sparkling to me as the romantic relationships


Each singular in each sibling's meticulously researched and emotionally mature love story, yes, but because the sibling friendships and dynamics provide such a lovely current through the trilogy ( and its innovative covers)


Anyhow, I always had a soft spot for gentleman spy Luke and how he slowly came into himself through Gray and Caroline's stories and here he is that dashing dapper spy of mine who meets his lady love (Marianne! <3 ) while saving a puppy even as she saves his heart


There's a lot of Romeo and Juliet and a ton about kindred spiritness being found in a first, momentous engagement and this meet cute to all meet cutes sizzles


anyways, Camden is the best and I love it!

The cast in this book were truly likable. It had been awhile since I had read the previous two books, but once I opened the pages I recognized where I was and who I was reading out. Luke, the brother who had been cast into prison in a foreign country. The only characters from the first books that really made an appearance were Luke’s brother and sister, and the great thing about that is that you don’t have to read the previous two books to be connected to this one. It would help understand that back story, but not really required.

The story of the romance building between the two large family powerhouses was intriguing. This was one of those stories that I started and refused to quit until I was finished with the book. There was just enough drama and excitement to push me to continue going page after page.

There were parts of the story was Marianne’s family was absolutely quite horrid, but then again, Gray’s display of character wasn’t all that great either. Seemed like a person lacking in joy, although it was made up for his obvious love and concern for his brother.

All in all, this is a book that I foresee myself reading over and over, picking up pieces and nuances that I missed the first time around.

I did enjoy this book and it ended with a smile on my face. Look forward to reading more books by Bethany House.

My love for Elizabeth Camden’s novels runs deep. She is one of my absolute favorite authors. I feel called to share the Camden love and make the world aware of her beautiful historical fiction stories!

The latest installment in the Hope and Glory series was possibly my favorite! In Washington DC, 1902, Luke Delacroix is on a mission. While trying to take down corrupt members of congress, he falls in love with the daughter of his arch nemesis, Marianne. It was such a sweet forbidden love story. I loved seeing how their story unfolded. Luke is so charming and fun. I loved his infectious positive attitude. Marianne has such great character growth- from someone timid and worried to someone brave and strong.

As always, one of my favorite parts of the story was the rich historical background. I always learn something new and want to immediately research the topic, because I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it before. This time, what surprised me most was the existence of the “poison squad,” a group of men who participated in a trial testing the levels of chemical preservatives in food. It was so fascinating to see how the food industry evolved at that point in history. Her books are always a perfect combination of well-researched history and a beautiful love story. I loved this final installment!

(4.5 stars) - Wonderful conclusion to a wonderful trilogy!

I've been eagerly awaiting Luke's story since book 1, & it doesn't disappoint! Luke is a complex hero, but still very much a hero. It's refreshing to have a story where doing what's right is more important than one's own personal desires. Marianne is a sympathetic character but for different reasons.

In a way, the author juxtaposes two characters who are faced with difficult choices, & each chooses a different direction. This brings readers back, in an abstract sense, to the difficult choices Annabelle & Gray had to make.

The story is romantic yet realistic - and there's some serious food for thought mixed in there (no pun intended). The history has been fascinating & the conclusion is happy & mostly satisfying (there's a part that some will find frustrating). This is one of Camden's best book series yet!

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic
*Religion: overtly Christian, but realistically so

"The Prince of Spies" is a Christian romance set in 1902, mainly in Washington DC. This is the 3rd in a series, but it works as a standalone novel. Historical details about the events and politics of the time were woven into the story and affected everyone's lives. The main conflict was about how some food companies were adding fillers and chemical preservatives to the food to make a greater profit, but other people were concerned about the health effects of doing so. Luke was willing to do anything to prove the dangers of these additives, including joining a study testing their effects on humans and using his journalistic skills to remove politicians that stood in the way of a law protecting the consumer. Unfortunately, not only did he fall in love with a gal whose family was feuding with his but she firmly believed her father's assurances that the preservatives their company used would only save lives.

Though I loved the historical detail, I don't care for doomed love themes, which dominated the first half of the story. They were attracted to each other, but they kept resolving to avoid each other because of the trouble a friendship would cause them with their families. But they just couldn't stay apart. They also had to avoid talking about some things they deeply believed in. Something needed to change if they were going to have a healthy relationship. And it did.

The characters reacted realistically, were complex, and I cared about what happened to them. They genuinely admired each other's character, built each other up, and became better people from having known each other. There was no sex. There was one use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical romance.

Thank you Elizabeth Camden, NetGalley, and Bethany House Publishers for the opportunity to read this book!

The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden is book three in the Hope and Glory series. I had the opportunity to read A Gilded Lady last year and I absolutely adored it! Needless to say, my hopes were high for this book! Luke Delacroix is the younger brother of Gray Delacroix and Caroline’s twin brother. He is very close with his family but is often risking his life, driving his family crazy. After he was spying for America and ended up in a Cuban prison, Luke is finally home. He is charming, yet reckless. But not as reckless as the young woman he spots on a frozen lake trying to save a dog. He doesn’t hesitate to assist her in the rescue. After the successful rescue of Bandit, Luke gets a moment to meet his co-rescuer, Marianne. He has never been so instantly captivated by a woman before. Unfortunately, she is a Magruder. The Magruder’s and the Delacroix’s have been enemies for years. His current mission is to prevent Clyde Magruder from getting re-elected to Congress. However, Clyde is Marianne’s father. Their connection is too much to ignore but will their family strife keep them apart?

This is a timeless tale of rival families and how love can conquer all. I love the Delacroix siblings. Gray is stern, yet completely loyal. Caroline is a socialite, but not afraid to speak her mind. Then there is Luke. I can see how Marianne finds him irresistible. While he has a happy-go-lucky exterior, he is deeply affected by his time in prison and is very in tune with his emotions. Marianne is lovely but frustrating at times. She has the WORST family. Seriously, I would have killed Andrew myself. Yet, she defends them over and over again. They are completely toxic. I honestly would have left and never looked back. But she is strong and doesn’t hesitate to do the right thing.

As always, Elizabeth Camden weaves an intricate tale. This one takes place during the time period of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency. While I really wanted to see Theodore Roosevelt… In the previous book, we got an intimate look at the McKinley Presidency. BUT I loved reading about The Poison Squad. The Poison Squad is a group of volunteers that ate certain foods to see the effects of food additives. I never heard about this part of history and I found it very fascinating and very relevant to issues in food and medicines we see today.

I read this book in a day! I highly recommend it and guess what?! It releases today! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

The Prince of Spies is an engaging tale set in a rich historical setting.

For me, Elizabeth Camden’s books are almost always winners. This novel was no exception. In fact, this may be my favorite thus far.

For those who’ve read the other books in the series, the suspense starts immediately when Marianne and Luke meet. And what a meet cute! Somehow, they don’t know who each other are at first, and I was holding my breath wondering what would happen when they found out the truth.

When they did, I was surprised by the reaction. But instead of the back and forth I was expecting, Camden surprised me. I loved the way she developed their relationship, even when they couldn’t see each other. Both Marianne and Luke are relatable, making it easy to root for them to work out their relationship.

I loved seeing Gray, Annabelle, Caroline, and Nathaniel again. Although you can read Prince of Spies as a standalone, I think these appearances are more enjoyable if you’ve read the series.

As far as spiritual elements, Luke and Marianne have great discussions about his reliance on God and what he learned while in prison. Though at one point, he makes a statement that he hopes working for the food trial will make him worthy in God’s eyes, this is never addressed again, nor does he realize he’ll never be worthy. While I can see even mature Christians wish they could be worthy of their salvation, most of us know we never will be. And Luke’s statement may concern some Christian readers. But I got a subtle hint later in the novel that suggests he knows he can’t earn salvation. I think it should’ve been addressed though.

Overall, The Prince of Spies is a romantic historical tale that will make romance fans sigh.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

I love a good Elizabeth Camden novel. I love how Camden brings out the most obscure pieces of history into major plot points of her novels and I always feel like I learn so much from reading them, not to mention a new vocabulary word or two!

I was super excited to see that this book released, as it’s the third and final installment in a trilogy following the lives of the three Delacriox siblings. I loved books one and two, so of course I would recommend reading them before this one, although I suppose it could stand alone. There’s so much backstory on one of the main characters throughout the first two novels, so you’ll really get a lot more out of the story if you read all three of them in order.

Also, can we just take a moment and appreciate the covers on these books? They’ve been so beautiful.

Anyway, this was a fun read, complete with a meet cute and a likable couple. With a star-crossed lovers romance and fascinating historical details, I loved Camden’s work yet again. I look forward to whatever she releases next!

Thank you to Bethany House publishers and Net Galley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

If I introduced this book by saying an important element of the plot was the actions that led to the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, I'm not sure many people would be interested--and yet, Elizabeth Camden has made it fascinating in this book. Luke's work on the "Poison Squad," where volunteers ate food additives to test how safe they were (or, weren't) and his concerns about food safety were so interesting! Marianne's job as a photographer working for the government was also really interesting, particularly how she was photographing the area that would become the National Mall. All the historical details were woven into the story so well, and I loved reading all of them. The characters were great as well, Luke as he's trying to serve a purpose and Marianne as she struggles with her family secrets. Their romance was fun but also sweet, as they helped each other and brought out the best in each other. Great book!
4 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I loved the two previous books in this series and loved this one even more. This was my favorite of the series. I love Luke and Marianne. I loved learning about some of these first drug trials. This was fascinating. I did not want to put this book down. It was fun to read about the feud between these two families. I recommend reading this series in order because it is a great series and you will enjoy them better in a row. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This book is for all of those who believe, or want to believe, in love at first sight, and that there is such a thing as a soulmate. Luke Delacroix found his in a highly unusual place, but find her he did. Marianne Magruder was smitten from the first time she saw Luke crawling out on the ice to help her rescue her nephew's dog who had fallen through a weak spot. Neither could have imagined the difficulties or the joys that would arise from their meeting that fateful day.

In this series, Hope and Glory, Camden's story revolves around the safety of the food industry in the United States. We may still be concerned when we see some of the virtually unpronounceable things that are added to our foods, but we should be grateful to the people whose work and sacrifices mentioned in this story led to the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, and eventually to the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration. Camden takes what could be a rather dry topic, and builds her story around it, filling it with romance and intrigue. She is a skilled writer who always offers her readers an entertaining story with depth.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Prince of Spies from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

What a fantastic conclusion to a great series! One of my favorite parts of Elizabeth Camden’s writing (there are actually lots of things I love about her writing) is her ability to study such a fascinating subject and bring it to life on the pages. In this particular series, I have learned about food safety at the turn of the twentieth century, and this novel further delves into this captivating history. I love how well researched her books are and this one is no exception! I also really enjoyed the romance in this novel; in fact, I think it is my favorite couple of the three stories. Although not strictly necessary since this romance stands on its own, I do recommend reading the books in order as you do get some glimpses of former characters from the series in the book. The story flows very well and captivated my interest from start to finish. I have greatly enjoyed this series and was a little sad to see it end. I cannot wait to read more by this author. This novel is highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Wow! What a great conclusion to this series! The twists and turns. This book kept me guessing and I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry between Luke and Marianne was very sweet. I highly recommend this series!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

The Prince of Spies
By Elizabeth Camden
5 stars

In the conclusion of the Hope and Glory series we meet the charming but reckless Luke that we've heard so much about in the first two books. In this Romeo and Juliet esque tale of two feuding food and spice companies, Luke meets and falls head over heels in love with his rival's daughter. Their tale of love conquers all will touch you and the carefully researched history of packaged foods and preservatives will fascinate. One of Camden's best work yet!

I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Camden pens the most delicious historical romance books, and The Prince of Spies is one of my very favorites. Camden is a master at creating realistic, colorful, and engaging characters and putting them in a little-known slice of history. Then she ups the suspense and intrigue by plopping them into precarious situations and proceeds to have them work their way out to a satisfying and deeply absorbing conclusion.

Luke Delacroix is a fascinating character with his devil-may-care outward attitude which covers a caring and courageous inner heart. When he meets Marianne Magruder, the daughter of his family’s bitter enemy, sparks fly, but they can’t see a way to make a relationship work. Meanwhile, Luke signs up for the Poison Squad which tests food additives and preservatives on human subjects to see the effects on the men. I was unaware of this group of courageous men that helped bring about government oversight on foods, so it was very interesting to learn of it.

Elizabeth Camden is one of my must-read authors for historical fiction, and her Hope & Glory series is a favorite of mine. The Prince of Spies is the final book in the series, and what a fantastic finish it was! It will definitely be on my list of top reads for the year and has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. Although it could be read as a standalone book, do yourself a favor and read the other two first to get some great background.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.