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Shana Galen
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Lord and Lady Spy Mass Market Paperback – Bargain Price, September 6, 2011

by Shana Galen (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 486 ratings
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"Galen strikes the perfect balance between dangerous intrigue and sexy romance." —Booklist

No man can outsmart him...

Lord Adrian Smythe may appear a perfectly boring gentleman, but he leads a thrilling life as one of England's most preeminent spies, an identity so clandestine even his wife is unaware of it. But he isn't the only one with secrets...

She's been outsmarting him for years...

Now that the Napoleonic wars have come to an end, daring secret agent Lady Sophia Smythe can hardly bear the thought of returning home to her tedious husband. Until she discovers in the dark of night that he's not who she thinks he is after all...

"FANTASTIC! Ms. Galen really knows how to wrench our hearts." —History Undressed

"Galen sets a quick pace that enthralls the reader from the first page." —The Romance Studio

"Vividly intense and totally absorbing...Shana Galen brings her characters to life through the expertise of her writing." —A Romance Review

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Lord and Lady Spy
  2. Print length
    384 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Sourcebooks Casablanca
  5. Publication date
    September 6, 2011
  6. Dimensions
    1.25 x 4 x 7 inches
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lively, utterly delightful adventure romance... 4 Stars" - RT Book Reviews

"Lively, action-packed fun with two clever and highly engaging main characters." - Bookaholics Romance Book Club

"One of those rare reads that captures a certain energy that captivates the reader from the opening moment." - Aisle B

"A very entertaining book full of romance, action, suspense and mystery." - Readin' and Dreamin'

"Exciting, emotional, funny... You can feel the sexual tension..." - The Romance Reviews

"A high octane emotional explosive read all wrapped in a saucy and spicy Regency..." - Romantic Crush Junkies

"I loved every minute of this book... one of the best romance stories that I have read this year." - The Book Reading Gals

"The author's writing style, how this story is built and all of the delicious scenes, and the characters themselves are just so rich, so enjoyable I found myself smiling and absolutely enjoying every single page." - Smexy Books

"An excellent book, full of great witty conversation, hot passionate scenes, and tons of action." - BookLoons.com

"Galen crafts a wonderfully tender romance filled with emotional angst and lots of spy-type action and adventure." - Romance Novel News

"A story full of mystery, adventure, and passionate and tender romance..." - Romance Reader at Heart

"I was gripped right from the first chapter!" - Sugarbeat's Books

"Full of suspense but still romantic... a real page turner..." - Rom Fan Reviews

"I loved the action, the romance and the mystery in this book." - Books Like Breathing

"Seamlessly blends romance with mystery and intrigue... Sexy and full of danger." - Debbie's Book Bag

"A wild ride..." - Love Romance Passion

"Another fantastic historical romance from Shana Galen!" - Dark Divas Reviews

"A refreshing scenario." - Books and Quilts

"A fast-paced, blithe, and charming tale." - Historical Novels Review

"Galen has a tremendous talent of writing action packed, adventure filled, sensual romances, that leave a reader wishing the book went on forever. Well done!" - History Undressed

"A nice twist on the Regency genre" - The Romance Reader

About the Author

Shana Galen is the author of five Regency historicals. Her books have been sold in Brazil, Russia, and the Netherlands and featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. A former English teacher, Shana now writes full time. She lives with her husband and daughter in Houston, Texas.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AR24GTM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (September 6, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.25 x 4 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 486 ratings

About the author

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Shana Galen

Shana Galen

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Shana Galen is three-time Rita award nominee and the bestselling author of fast-paced, witty, and adventurous Regency romances. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books “lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.

Want to know more? Visit Shana's website at http://www.shanagalen.com and sign up to be notified when Shana has a new release http://bit.ly/ShanaGalenNews

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
486 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the engaging plot and well-developed characters. They found the book entertaining and lighthearted, with a strong female heroine. The writing style was described as easy to read with an efficient use of words. Readers appreciated the humor and emotional depth of the story. The pacing was described as fast and enjoyable, with a nice romance between Adrian and Sophia.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
PlotEnjoymentCharacter developmentWriting styleHumorEmotion levelPacingRomance
68 customers mention "Plot"58 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging plot with its romantic elements and adventure. They find the premise intriguing and appreciate the well-developed characters. The book is described as an entertaining romantic suspense that offers a refreshing change from traditional historical romances.

"...Galen's fast paced, action filled plot has the reader hanging on to the edge of their seat, anxious to find out what will happen next...." Read more

"...This is definitely hands-down my favorite historical that I've read this year. I just couldn't put this book down...." Read more

"...I loved both characters and their banter and flirtatiousness with each other. The background story was well done as well...." Read more

"...The predictablitliy of the book made it more like a cozy romance, you know they were going to get the HEA but are also perfectly content to enjoy..." Read more

51 customers mention "Enjoyment"51 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book. They found it entertaining, lighthearted, and refreshing. The author writes interesting stories with intriguing characters. There was tension throughout the book and fun banter between the couple.

"...Galen's writing style is easy to read and enjoy. The best part of the novel is the rich characterization...." Read more

"...Much like When You Give a Duke a Diamond, this is a light-hearted read with a sweet romance...." Read more

"...of lacing tea cakes with tasteless poison... All together, a great read." Read more

"...Short, fun, and basically delightful, Lord and Lady Spy is a book that I can see myself reading again...." Read more

20 customers mention "Character development"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters' development. They find the characters delightful and willing to take emotional risks. The story has a strong female character and it's good to see her be accepted.

"...Adrian and Sophia are both likeable characters and they're a great couple when they're not fighting about who's the better spy...." Read more

"...Both are such strong and independent characters that are simply trying to figure out a way to balance their homes lives with the secret lives they..." Read more

"...I loved both the characters in theory, the grudging respect they each develop for the other's skills, and how Adrian (the hero) was possessive/..." Read more

"...The story flowed nicely. The characters were well developed." Read more

15 customers mention "Writing style"15 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the book easy to read with a good economy of words. The voice is fresh and witty, drawing the reader effortlessly into the story with humor. The vivid descriptions and rich characterization are appreciated.

"...Galen's writing style is easy to read and enjoy. The best part of the novel is the rich characterization...." Read more

"...This was a very quick read for me. I breezed through the book pretty much in one day...." Read more

"...I loved watching this relationship grow. The sex was very well done and at no time made me roll my eyes or scoff...." Read more

"...I am a big fan of Galen, and the description sounded quite promising - a "lady spy" is most difficult to find in Regency romances - so I pre-..." Read more

13 customers mention "Humor"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's humor engaging. They appreciate the witticisms and romance. The author's voice is described as fresh and witty, drawing readers in.

"Galen fashions a witty and sharp story filled with action, adventure, mystery, and romance with "Lord and Lady Spy."..." Read more

"this is one of the most funniest books I have read in a long time...." Read more

"Yes, this funny, heartwarming, and "dangerous" tale is a complete retelling of the film Mr and Mrs Smith with totally different elements and an..." Read more

"...Full of exciting action, witty dialogue and sizzling love scenes Lord and Lady Spy is a book you won't want to miss. I loved it." Read more

5 customers mention "Emotion level"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book full of emotion, with moments of laughter, crying, and irritation.

"...The love scenes are deliciously spicy and full of emotion. Galen delights and entertains with "Lord and Lady Spy."" Read more

"...only did it get me all hot and bothered, but it also brought tears to my eyes more than once...." Read more

"I was laughing and crying and darn right annoyed through out the story... Awsome read@ me.com . you have to buy this book." Read more

"...I liked the quick and witty dialogue, the humor, the emotion between these two, and the hot love scenes didn't hurt either! Truly enjoyed it." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it fun and fast-paced.

"...Galen's fast paced, action filled plot has the reader hanging on to the edge of their seat, anxious to find out what will happen next...." Read more

"Lively,fast paced, and a good plot. Just found Shana and will be reading more of her books.im sure we will meet this villain again" Read more

"Loved it, loved it. Talk about two sexy people. I liked the quick and witty dialogue, the humor, the emotion between these two, and the hot love..." Read more

"Up Tempo and fun. I went looking for the rest of the series." Read more

5 customers mention "Romance"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They find the characters Adrian and Sophia a good couple when not fighting. They enjoy watching them come together and appreciate the competency of both parties.

"...Adrian and Sophia are both likeable characters and they're a great couple when they're not fighting about who's the better spy...." Read more

"...I also enjoyed watching them come together...." Read more

"...A great mixture of pathos and passion, along with danger. A pretty nice combo." Read more

"...lots of intrigue and passion I fell into it and Adrian and Sophia are so good together I look forward to more in this series" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Sally Pink Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting romantic historical
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Galen fashions a witty and sharp story filled with action, adventure, mystery, and romance with "Lord and Lady Spy." It's 1815 in England and Adrian Galloway, Viscount Smythe, works for the top secret Barbican Group, spearheaded by Lord Melbourne. Now, however, the war is over and Adrian is left with nothing to do but go home to his wife.

    Sophia Galloway, Viscountess Smythe, is Agent Saint, one of the top spies in the Barbican Group. She's fearless, full of adventure, and firmly believes in following her intuition. Sadly, the war is over and she's left to go home to her husband.

    While Adrian and Sophia are top spies for England, their marriage is full of loneliness. Sophia disguises herself by wearing frumpy dresses and Adrian uses his gentleman club as an excuse to stay away. Adrian and Sophia have suffered several miscarriages which have put distance between them.

    When a mission to solve a murder for Lord Liverpool presents itself, Adrian and Sophia separately go to the meeting, but soon discover the others' Barbican identity. Both are shocked to learn the other is a spy and both are equally impressed. Realizing they have more in common than they previously thought, can they work as a team to solve Liverpool's mystery and save their marriage?

    Galen's fast paced, action filled plot has the reader hanging on to the edge of their seat, anxious to find out what will happen next. Galen's voice is fresh and witty, drawing the reader effortlessly into the story with her humor. Galen's writing style is easy to read and enjoy.

    The best part of the novel is the rich characterization. Adrian is driven to prove himself loyal to his county, partly because of the sins of his father and partly in an attempt to heal the emptiness left by Sophia's miscarriages. Adrian truly loves his wife, but until he discovers her true identity, he doesn't realize what an amazing gem she really is.

    Sophia lives for the thrill of being a spy, hiding her self behind dowdy skirts. She loves Adrian with all her heart, but is terrified of giving her a marriage an honest chance once Adrian learns who she really is.

    Galen uses a good economy of words to paint a wonderful canvas for Adrian and Sophia's escapades. The mystery and sense of danger totally draws the reader into the story.

    The love scenes are deliciously spicy and full of emotion. Galen delights and entertains with "Lord and Lady Spy."
    2 people found this helpful
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  • DragonCeres
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    After having so much fun reading When You Give a Duke a Diamond, I decided to read this one also by Ms. Galen. It's been languishing away in my Kindle library for a while so I thought it deserved some attention as well. It's one of the sillier regency I've read, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

    Unbeknownst to one another, Adrian and Sophia are both spies for the Foreign Office. When Napoleon was defeated, they found themselves dismissed from the Barbican group - the prominent spy group under Lord Melbourne. They found out each other's identities just as a chance to return to the Foreign Office appears. Now they must compete with one another if they want their old position back.

    This was a very quick read for me. I breezed through the book pretty much in one day. As such, I honestly didn't think much about the characters but just enjoyed the ride. Adrian and Sophia are both likeable characters and they're a great couple when they're not fighting about who's the better spy. Both of them have their reasons for wanting to be a spy - Adrian to make up for his traitor father, and Sophia because her father was one. Also, after having three miscarriages, Sophia just couldn't stay home alone in the empty house.

    I really liked Adrian and Sophia together. In fact, they're basically always together in the book, but they're pretty standard characters and nothing really made them stand out from the sea of romance heroes and heroines I've read about. The story was very fast-paced with one event happening after another leaving the reader with barely any time to catch her breath, but everything was very easy to follow. Overall while I enjoyed the story, I had quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. First of all, how do they live with one another for so many years without knowing that the other was a spy? Sophia and Adrian's occasionally bickering about who's the better spy either had me laughing out loud or just want to shake the two of them and tell them to grow up already!

    At the end of the day, I did have a lot of fun reading this. Much like When You Give a Duke a Diamond, this is a light-hearted read with a sweet romance. However, this one is much sillier with more unbelievable elements than When You Give a Duke a Diamond. Regardless, I'm now totally a fan and will definitely be reading Ms. Galen's other/future works.

    See more reviews @ Darkest Addictions Book Reviews
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Ellyland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual
    Reviewed in Australia on July 17, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I really like this Regency spy series. All books are well written and entertaining.
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  • Dr B
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jolly good fun
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This was a fun romp with engaging characters. The basic premise is undoubtedly far-fetched and I did struggle to see how the lead characters managed to remain oblivious to the actions of the other, especially given their professions! But actually that did not spoil my enjoyment of the story: sometimes it is better to just suspend disbelief! This was helped by the good standard of the writing and the fact that this author clearly knows about the period and is quite careful to use language appropriate to the period and country.

    While it was a lot of fun, as another reviewer mentions, there is a serious side. Miscarriage is not a topic I have though much about, but this book has given me an insight into some of the emotional consequences for those unfortunate enough to experience it. Not something that I was seeking to read about, but nevertheless, something that was good for me to learn. Having said that, I must emphasise that this is NOT the key theme of the book, just one of the underlying motivators that stimulates some of the protagonists' actions.
    One person found this helpful
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  • angel1875
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in Japan on August 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    an interesting book. it has a good twist. One thing I like about this book, the characters were "humans" after all like the readers. They were their country's heroes but they had internal problems and insecurities that readers can relate to.
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  • K. Wark
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read
    Reviewed in Canada on November 25, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting little story with the romance in there as well. Not as exciting as I thought a spy story would be, but still an entertaining read.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Something a little different
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    *SPOILERS*
    This is a fun one off regency romance - it's got all the best elements of a romance and action-packed mystery. What sets this particular story apart from the others is the way in which it deals with the delicate issue of conceiving and the consequences of miscarrying.

    Definitely an enjoyable read and one I would recommend to others.
    Report