Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen was described to me as a historical Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Since the movie was pretty darn entertaining I decided to find out if the book was on the same level as the movie. What I got was a fun and light-hearted book that had moments where it lived up to movie comparison but also moments that made me grind my teeth!
Code names The Saint and The Wolf, Sophia and Adrian have no idea they work for the same spy organization. Well worked, that is. The book opens up with both agents being told their service for the Crown is no longer needed. The Barbican group is scaling back operations and they are released to return to their normal lives. Unfortunately neither of them really knows what a normal life is. They have spent years being married to each other yet they are strangers. Both ex-agents return home and for several days they try to play at what they think society expects them to be but both of them are starting to go crazy. Just when they need it both agents are given secret messages to be somewhere at midnight. When they get there, after a brief tussle, they realize who the other person is. While still reeling from that discovery they are told there is a new mystery for them to solve. They both have an opportunity to solve it and only one of them will be reinstated into the Barbican group when they finish.
Sophia and Adrian both have very different styles when it comes to their investigating. If the book had just been left at their mission and their relationship as related to both of them being spies, I think the book would have gotten a higher rating from me. There are some seriously funny parts when the two of them sit down to compare battle scars, old wounds and missions they have each been on.
“Do you recall the time we were at the opera about two months after we were married? I went to the ladies’ retiring room and was gone about an hour. When I returned, I had blood on my gown. I told you it was jam.”
“Did I believe that?”
“You didn’t question it.”
“And what really happened?”
“An agent from Milan with orders to assassinate me showed up and shot me in the leg. I was in excruciating pain for the rest of La vera costanza.”
“Oh, I remember why I didn’t question the jam. I’d just returned from Strasbourg where I’d had some sort of chemical thrown in my face. It burned my eyes, and I couldn’t see a thing for a fortnight.”
However, because they have been married for a while there are a lot of old issues brought up. These are issues with their marriage and not issue that to do with missions. They tried for several years to have children and Sophia has had three miscarriages. When Adrian finds out who Sophia actually is, he is even more attracted to her and wants to resume the marital side of their relationship. Sophia is very against that because she does not think she can handle another miscarriage. So for the majority of the book there are a good number of stops and starts to the sexual side. So much so that by the time they get around to doing the deed I was shaking my kindle and saying THIS had better be the time it happens. Each sexual encounter is pretty hot and that made it even more annoying. Just when I would start to get into it Sophia would pull the plug or some baddie would walk in on them. I just wanted to see the deed done.
In the end, Sophia and Adrian have to make a decision to either trust each other or keep going as they have been. The choice was pretty clear from Adrian’s side but I really questioned how Sophia would fall. They also make a choice about who will be the one to join the Barbican Group again. I think result will satisfy the reader.
Lord and Lady Spy was a pretty fun book. It didn’t take me long to read because it wasn’t terribly deep or thought-provoking. There were some good lol moments that were worth picking the book up. I would recommend it if you are looking for a quick time filler but not something that will evoke too many strong emotions. Final grade B-.
Favorite quote:
“I’m going up,” Adrian announced. “If you want to shoot me, now is your chance.”
And Sophia was just tempted enough by the conceited tone in his voice to do it too. Instead, she eased her hand off the pistol’s hammer and lowered the weapon. “This isn’t over.”
“Not by a long shot,” he agreed.
They rammed shoulders as both attempted to take the stairs.
“Excuse me,” he said, trying to shoulder past her.
She shoved him back then stepped nimbly out of his way. “Go right ahead, my lord. I’ve always said, ‘ladies first.’”
“Ladies first.” Adrian gave his wife a potent scowl before starting up the stairs. “You’re terribly amusing, madam. I don’t know why I never noticed before.”
“Perhaps because you have no sense of humor.”
Rating: B-
Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen
September 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
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About Jen
Love the cover!!!!
Dang, I really wish I had more time to read…..
♥
Kelly
This was a fun book! It would be worth the time!
Nice review. I loved this book and agree that it is a perfect light read, quick to get through. I really liked that they were sort of at a starting new point in the relationship and that they both wanted to work for it. And I liked that he finally had to realize how hard it was on her to have the miscarriages.
Thanks! It was interesting to read about a couple that was already married. So different than what we normally start with.
Dunno about the Mrs and Mr Smith part, but as long as there is no Angelina Jolie in this one I would read the book
You’re in luck!! No Jolie!! I hope you enjoy if you pick it up!
I’ve had my eye on this one for a while. I really liked Mr. & Mrs. Smith, so I like this premise. I’m a little bummed to hear it was a lighter read, but I’ll probably get around to it eventually anyway.
Yep, light. That is about the best way to describe it.
I loved Lord and Lady Spy and can’t wait for the next book due to come out soon I think?