Once a Spy (Rogues Redeemed)
1815. Widowed Suzanne Duval, called the Countess de Chambron before the overthrow of the French monarchy, lives in poverty in London and takes in piecework sewing to survive. Because she was captured by corsairs and enslaved in a harem, she is now called a whore by those she once called friends. These women scorn Suzanne, abandoned and alone, all while she evades the roaming hands of their husbands.
Simon Duval is a cousin of Suzanne’s late husband, Jean-Louis. While Simon is shockingly identical to his cousin in a physical sense, he is unlike his French cousin in a myriad of ways. Simon proposes to Susanne, but she says no. When Wellington sends Simon to Paris, Suzanne insists that she accompany him. He says no. A standoff. She offers a compromise: he gives a yes to Paris if she gives a yes to marriage.
Once again Mary Jo Putney delivers a great romantic novel steeped in historical detail and atmosphere. There are cliffhangers and heart-stopping moments galore in this story, all because the reader becomes so invested in the characters and the plot. The backstories of the characters come out slowly, and you realize they are equally wounded by life, but surviving has brought wisdom and empathy to them both. A great story. Highly recommended.
