Review: Wonderful, quick read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2014
I had heard of Jane Charles from a friend of mine, but had not read any of her work until now.  Normally, I am not a big fan of "bodice rippers", but I found this book to be intriguing and engaging.  The storyline revolves around a pair of English spies working within the Napoleonic inner circle in 1812 France.  The character development is unconventional, as the reader learns not only about the main characters, but also their alter egos, giving additional insight into their personalities and motivations.  Charles gives her readers just enough information to avoid the need for overly-extensive exposition, although I did find myself wanting to know more about these characters and their families.  The pace of the action is quick but, given the circumstances of the story, completely appropriate.  The love story between Elizabeth/Lissette and John/Jean is touching and sweet, and dances on the edge of being steamy without being overly graphic.  While there is one fairly specific love scene, it is not so graphic that is is uncomfortable to read.  When the conflict reaches its peak, it is difficult to see how they will resolve their situation without sacrificing their own personal goals and desires.  It is at this point that Charles throws a curve ball that actually made me chuckle out loud.  Needless to say, in a story about spies, nothing (and no one) is really what they appear to be on the surface.While other reviewers have bemoaned the length of this story, it IS a novella - designed to be short and sweet.  I was able to read this on my Paperwhite in one session.  I did notice two typographical/contextual errors in the Kindle edition, but they were not nearly as glaring as some I have seen in other texts.  There was no problem getting past them, and many people might not even notice them.  I purchased this on my Kindle for $0.99, and feel like I got more than my money's worth.  At that price point, this is a great value that I would highly recommend.As I said at the beginning of this review, I am not usually a fan of "bodice rippers", but I found Ms. Charles' writing to be appealing to the point that I now have three more of her titles on my Paperwhite waiting to be read.  Can't wait to see what happens next!