This book was just ok for me. I found the theme of the story a bit unbelievable and found my attention wandering which is not the norm when I get into reading a good book.
Thank you Ruth A. Casie, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

This story had everything going for it: spies, romance, danger, adventure, and a Scotsman. Sadly, it just didn't live up to my expectations. The reasoning between the hero and heroince grew tedious quickly with the same misunderstanding happening again and again. And honestly, Mary was smart enough to complete the assignment on her own. Gabe was simply a thickheaded idiot.

Secrets, Spies, and Romance

Patrice sought shelter in Sommer by the Sea, only to find adventure and danger waiting for her. When her husband died, she had no idea about his secrets, but what was the truth, and who were those men chasing her? Who was the Russian man she found at her late husband’s hunting lodge, and how was it all connected? It is all a tangled web of deceit and lies. It was a deadly game, and it would take much cunning for Patrice and Nikolai to escape the danger that stalked them. I especially appreciated Patrice’s intelligence and wit. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like Regency romance with adventure, mystery, and intrigue.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley because the byline intrigued me. I am fond of historical romances and presumed this to be along the usual lines. Boy, was I wrong! I found this to be a brilliant story laced with espionage and intrigue. Patrick is a young widow whose husband she discovered had been unfaithful when he died, ergo she hates him. From there this story unwinds beautifully into a tale of high adventure for Patrice. Ruth Casie draws her characters wonderfully, the action and excitement is drawn like a steady thread throughout the book, it is the best I have read in a while. Having discovered Casie has other books I will now raid my kindle for more. Congratulations on a great book, my thanks to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for this great read.

Lady Patrice Edgemont Montgomery has returned to England after her husband was killed in Russia. She is disillusioned by marriage because her husband was not the man she remembered from her childhood. Lady Patrice returns to her parents, and even though the year of mourning is not over they want her to marry again.
Lady Patrice head to her home at Sommer-by-the-Sea as a blizzard blankets the area. Henry, a little boy goes missing, and Lady Patrice decides to help look for him by going to her lodge near her house. She finds a wounded Nikolai Baranov, who seems very familiar to her.
Ruth A. Casie keeps your attention throughout the story. There are puzzles to solve, danger, spies, espionage, and treason. Plus Russia and England are working together against Napoleon. Wonderful characters! I highly recommend this story!

What a outstanding story! Riveting and Suspenseful! I thoroughly enjoy when a book grips you right from the start and takes you on a heart-stopping, sigh worthy journey as in The Lady and the Spy. Ruth A. Casie has written a story filled with remarkable emotions, unforgettable characters that are well thought out and each and everyone comes across clearly as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale, a strong plot brims with tension building twist, with setting descriptions and action sequences are wonderfully vivid which brings this read together perfectly and will keep you in the edge of your seat from the moment you begin the journey with Lady Patrice and Nikolai Baranov until the very end.

I did not enjoy this book. The plot gave no sense to me and I never really knew what was happening. I wish that the spy plot would be more interesting

This is the second book in The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea series. This is an excellent Historical Romance series. The characters are amazing. Lady Patrice is a wonderful character, intelligent, strong, and determined. Nikolai, a Russian spy, is very handsome, strong, and enigmatic. Their slow burn romance is beautiful. They are perfect together! I liked how they teamed up to solve and win the game. The supporting characters are great and interesting. The storyline is original, entertaining, captivating, and intriguing, filled with adventures, puzzle games, intrigue, danger, and romance. Impossible to put it down. I liked the humor in this story. Looking forward to reading The Lady and Her Duke, the next book in the series. This excellent series definitely is a GEM. I HIGHLY recommend it!

I loved this regency spy novel though it kind of feels a like tongue in cheek to read a novel even an historical novel involving a Russian spy. But it was still a good read.

This is the second book by this author that I have had the pleasure to read and you can bet I will be coming back for more! It's the second installment of the Ladies of Sommer-by-the Sea series and was simply brilliant. Lady Patrice is a widow. She is a strong, determined, and intelligent woman and would rather spend her days in Sommer by the Sea than another minute in London. She's hoping to have some peaceful and quiet time, but it is not to be and there seems to be danger lurking around her. Nikolai is also a strong character. He is a Russian spy and is in England to find the people responsible for his father's death and consequently the death of Patrice's husband. Although it takes a bit of time for Patrice to trust Nikolai, danger forces them to work together. This was another exciting and suspenseful story by Ms. Casie that I could not put down. The characters were well-developed and engaging, and the storyline was interesting and intriguing. It captured my interest from the very start and kept it till the end. A wonderful addition to the series and I look forward to reading the next one.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Lady Patrice Edgemont is disillusioned after the death of her husband who appears not to have been the man she thought he was. Her parents want her to stay in London with them and even though it has not been a year, the official mourning period, they are trying to force her into another marriage. When she realizes he is only after her husband's businesses, she hightails it to Sommer by the Sea, the place she really thinks of as home. Shortly after arriving a blizzard arrives and she heads to her home to help find a missing child. She doesn't find him hiding out in the lodge, but an injured man. She was looking for adventure and it seems she has found it. The man is Nikolai Baranov, a Russian prince and he is caught up in some serious business. Rumours abound that Napoleon is amassing a secret army and will be escaping Elba to mount another attack on Russia. Does Patrice have what they need to get the information they need? Can she solve the puzzles left in her deceased husband's journal? Will she and Nikolai be able to act on the feelings growing between them?

First I want to say that although this is a series, each book is a standalone, so do not need to be read in order. One thing I love about the Ladies of Sommer by the Sea are the strong, smart, caring, and courageous women. Patrice has decided she is finished with men, until Nikolai appears in her hunting lodge. They had met before in Russia, and there has been an attraction there. I have to say they made a wonderful team, figuring out puzzles, following clues and outsmarting the bad guys. The story is set in the time immediately preceding the period known as the Hundred Days when Napoleon escaped his island exile and returned to Paris, where he regained supporters and reclaimed his emperor title, Napoleon I. History tells us he was defeated at Waterloo, and in this story, Nikolai Baranov was one of the Generals commanding Russia's troops. I did do some googling to verify some of the historical information. This is a story of adventure, espionage, friendship, secrets, puzzles & codes, and romance. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Patrice and Nikolai slowly develop with some sizzle below the surface of their actions. Once again, I enjoyed this offering by Ruth A. Casie and recommend it to those who enjoy regency romance, adventure and smart women.

Lady Patrice Montgomery Edgemont doubts everything she had ever known about her husband. She was best friends with him and does not understand.
Nikolai Baranov only slightly knew Lady Patrice. His mission is not setting her back to right, but to fix a wrong that was committed against his country.
I found this novel intriguing and very gripping from the get go. This is not a romance but more of a suspense. If you are looking for a romance it ends with love with a twist. But mostly suspense and action novel. You must pay attention. This is not a quick mindless read. Having said that I absolutely enjoyed this book.

I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

Summer by the Sea, 1815

Patrice had all she wanted of London and just had to get away. She was tired of trying to be pushed into another marriage, so she did the only thing she could do. Run away to her play at Summer by the Sea!

Nickolai was determined to have revenge on his family's death and he hoped to find that out. What he did not expect was the danger that he experienced. As he and Patrice end up together, so much happens!

Murder, mayhem, secrets, spies and a fast paced journey to love!

This novel filled with espionage, spies, puzzles to solve and plenty of adventure. The time period is during the war with Napoleon when the allies were working to win a victory over France. Lady Patrice Edgemont has had enough of grieving the death of her husband during a trip to Russia. After year of mourning spent with her parents; she has decided to return home to Sommer by the Sea and try to recover. Nikolai Branov knew Patrice in Russia and was their when her husband was killed. Nikolai is a spy for the Tzar Alexander I; works with the British against Napoleon, also shows up in Sommer by the Sea looking for Patrice. But Patrice does not know any of this about Nikolai past and when they are reunited the adventures begin. This book keeps you wondering what is going to happen next.

The Lady and the Spy by Ruth A Casie is the second in the Ladies of Sommer-by-the Sea series and revolves around Patrice Montgomery Edgemont who is a young widow. She had married a childhood friend and he turned out to be nothing as he had been as a child. He was cold and left her alone a lot. He was purported to have a mistress. He had died in Russia about a year ago, in mysterious circumstances. She had come home to England only to be bullied by her parents into staying with them instead of in her own house, and being in morning far longer than he deserved. Now she is home again, in Sommer-by-the-Sea and things are not as they should be. For one, she thought she recognized that vagabond she came upon in the teashop. For another, Henry, a little boy, was missing, and everyone was looking for him. One the grounds of her home, there was a lodge as well as her house. She agreed to look in both to see if Henry were there. At the lodge she found a man: the vagabond, and from there things had started to happen. A great many things, which she didn't understand until well after the event, were swirling around her.

Her husband and her brother, now both dead, had loved puzzles and ciphers and like to write them as well as solve them. Her husband's ciphers drew her further into the intrigue, which was swirling around Napoleon's escape from Elba. Her running into to Nikolai, the first time, years ago, and now, revealed to her how attracted she was to him. He was strong and handsome; all one would expect a Russian prince to be. She was beginning to mourn her husband more now that the truth was being revealed, but as a friend, not a lover. The plot was a little convoluted but easy to follow and clever. It was a lot to come to grips with and Casie has written her confusion and coming to terms with it all, well. I enjoyed this mystery from Ruth A Casie.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Lady and the Spy by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #dragonblade #ruthacasie #theladyandthespy

Rumors say Napoleon will possibly escape from Elba. The Russians and British are working together to find out Napoleon's plans. Lady Patrice Montgomery Edgemont's husband was murdered in Russia. He became distant after they married. Nikolai Antonovich Baranov knows her husband's secrets and must keep them to protect Patrice. But assassins are after Nikolai and Patrice. What is the connection with a Royal Brooch and an important paper? What they need is the key. It is so sad Edgemont did not have a full life with the woman he loved. Some violence but otherwise a clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

The Lady and the Spy by Ruth A. Casie
The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea #2

Lady Patrice has just finished the mandatory year and a day mourning period when this book begins. She has finally decided to take her life into her own hands and returned to a place that gives her peace…Sommer by the Sea. In the midst of a blizzard a child is lost and she joins the search but what she finds is a lot more than a small child and changes her life forever.

What I liked:
* Patrice: intelligent, widowed, wealthy, underestimated, puzzle solver, capable, intriguing
* Nikolai: Russian prince, lethal, skilled, diplomatic, in his father’s business, much more than he seems
* The time period and what Europe was dealing with
* That the book stood on its own without having read book one first
* Reading a new-to-me author that provided a great story
* The way secrets came to light and revealed a great deal to Patrice that she needed to know
* The relationship that developed between Nikolai and Patrice
* The friends Patrice was in school with – would love to learn more about them
* The plot and writing
* The games – word based, code breaking, political, romantic
* The twists and turns
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Patrice’s parents and brother – seemed less invested in Patrice than they should have been
* The traitors…and there were more than one or two

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Lady Patrice Montgomery Edgemont always did what was expected of her, married off by her father into a loveless relationship. She solved the puzzle that was prospective husband number two, another of her father’s choices and quickly made him a distant memory. Lady Patrice is not playing games. She is through with men. Nikolai Baranov is the son of a Russian grand duke and spy for Tsar Alexander I. When his father and associates are killed, Nikolai doesn’t play games. The only thing worth winning is revenge for his family. When a blizzard blankets Sommer-by-the-Sea, Lady Patrice is the only one who can help the mysterious wounded Russian she finds in her hunting lodge.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & it won't be the last. A delightful mix of intrigue & romance with espionage & puzzle solving. I was kept on the edge of my seat & it was well into the small hours when I finished this captivating read. I liked both Patrice & Nikolai & they made a great team & I loved how their relationship shifted & grew. A well written engrossing read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Widowed Lady Patrice Montgomery Edgemont has had as much as she can stand of London, her mother, and her ideas of mourning. Her quiet peaceful home in Sommer by the Sea is where she wants to be. Unfortunately it's not proving to be as peaceful as she hoped. Danger is everywhere. A lost boy, a blizzard, a dead body and a wounded man are just the start of her adventure.

Nikolai Baranov is a Russian spy on the hunt for answers to a puzzle. He's not the only one. All the clues point him and others in one direction. As the danger increases and the bodies start to pile up he must decide who knows what, and what to do about it.

An exciting historical romance full of spies and their complicated games. Is anyone who they say they are? How can the main puzzles be solved?

A story that will keep you trying to figure out just what is going on.

Really good fun.

Wonderful story. Patrice and Nikolai , what an intriguing mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the story.