Captured Countess

The Cornwall Collection

by Ann Lethbridge

Never trust a spy!

Nicoletta, the Countess Vilandry, is on a dangerous mission—to lure fellow spy Gabriel D'Arcy into bed and into revealing his true loyalties. With such sensual games at play and such strong sensations awakened, suddenly Nicky's dangerously close to exposing her real identity.

Gabe knows that the countess has been sent to seduce him. The only question is to what end? He's never met such a captivating woman—and he's determined to enjoy every seductive second she spends as his very willing captive!

"Plenty of tension and dangerous excitement blended with poignancy and passion." —RT Book Reviews on Falling for the Highland Rogue

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Espionage, Audiobook, Fiction, Harlequin

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

AKA Michèle Ann Young (Goodreads Author)

An army brat born in England and now living in Canada, Ann grew up loving history, but majored in business, with history on the side. She has a husband and two lovely daughters and a Maltese Terrier called Teaser, who likes to sit on a chair beside the computer while she works.

Her love of the past and the stories in her imagination led her to write her first novel in 2000, a never-see-the-light-of-day-effort, and after having her first book published in 2006, she knew she'd found her niche.

She loves the Georgian era, and within that, the period known as the long Regency. She also adores happy endings.

You will find her books in bookstores in the month of issue, as well as on line at Mills and Boon or E-harlequin.

Reviews

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gabriel D'Arcy, già conosciuto nel volume precedente come Gabe, marchese e spiaa per la Corona, deve smascherare una traditrice francese, e ritiene che si tratti di Nicky. Lei, a sua volta, viene assoldata per smascherare un traditore inglese, e confida che sia l'enigmatico Gabe.
I due si isolano, circondati dai nemici.
Si legge con serenità, senza sobbalzi. La cosa migliore è rivedere Mary e Bane all'opera.
3 stelline e mezzo

[Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the main female character. Overall a fun read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful suspense and romance wound together. Well paced. My only comment is that there were many, many references to the character's facial expressions and body language which became a bit tedious. I mean it's not a screenplay. Otherwise, I found it a real page turner. I liked this author's writing style very much.

[Karen Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stop reading at chapter 7 because this book made no sense to me. Both the hero and heroin believe each other are treasonous. He thinks she had him shot. He kidnaps her. She removes the bullet from his arm. He keeps her as a prisoner, while they have sex.

[Emilija · Rating 3 out of 5]

ai, kartais reik ir tokių paskaityti.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent story. I liked both Gabe and Nicky and thought they were a good match. It was refreshing to have a heroine who was not only not a virgin, but comfortable with her sexuality. And a hero who appreciated her for who she was; a strong, brave woman making the best of her situation.


However, some of the other aspects of the book were a bit less fulfilling. I never really understood why Nicky, a Frenchwoman, was so loyal to the British. Nor how she'd become entangled with "Paul" her handler as a spy. As far as we can tell from the book, Paul is the only person in the entire spy organization whom she's ever met. And that didn't strike her as just a little odd? This is something of a pet peeve of mine. In virtually every story where the hero and heroine are both spies, it ALWAYS turns out that the heroine has been duped by her superiors and they're actually the bad guys. It's NEVER the hero who was too stupid to figure out he'd been working for the wrong side all this time. And it irritated me to see this cliche played out in this book.

In fact, when you stop to think about it, Nicky was a pretty dumb heroine for someone who allegedly relied on her wits for her survival. Time and time again she was presented with blatant clues and yet failed to recognize them. Like when Gabe appeared in his room smelling like seaweed and clearly not having come through the door. Any spy worth their salt would immediately think "there must be a secret passage around here somewhere." Especially since Nicky had already noted that the sea sounded closer on one side of her room than the other and she'd heard footsteps going by her room when there was no one in the hall. This isn't exactly rocket science. But she's clueless until she stumbles across the entrance, completely by accident. And that too was ridiculous because a) why hadn't she scoured her room for possible clues and weapons just as a matter of course? b) why the heck had Gabe put her in that room in the first place when he knew there was an entrance to the secret tunnel? and c) having the wall sconce act as the lever that opens the secret door is so cliche.

And honestly, Gabe wasn't exactly a brain surgeon himself. First he puts Nicky in the room with the secret passage instead of, I dunno, ANY OTHER ROOM. Then he leaves her unrestrained and free to search said room if she wants and doesn't even lock her in so she can search the rest of the place too. And he also leaves in the room a book that details all the secret passages in the house AND acts as the cipher for the coded messages he receives for his spying. Seriously? This is the guy who's been working as a double agent for the last several years?

I didn't like the scene where Gabe tried to use seduction to get Nicky to give up her secrets. I was glad she didn't give in, but the fact that she was sobbing and begging for him not to leave her all hot and bothered was lame. Have a little self respect, woman! And the ending was pretty weak too. The rescue of the sister was incredibly anticlimactic. Seriously, they just walked out the front door with her and no one questioned it? Heck, Gabe even told the guards that he was "borrowing" the woman in Paul's chamber. Did NO ONE else in this barracks realize that said woman was a prisoner? And the resolution to Gabe and Nicky's romance was the textbook on Deus Ex Machina. The queen waves her jewel-encrusted hand and boom everything is fine. Nicky is no longer wanted by the authorities and Gabe's inheritance has been restored and he's dismissed from spying. They're now free to get married. The whole thing took half a page. What a let down.



So all in all, I liked the characters and they had good chemistry but the plot required them to be pretty stupid at times and the ending was kind of lame.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Uncommonly good. Very action packed, suspenseful, and steamy to boot. The hero was so masculine and skilled in his role as a spy and patriot. Quite impressive! How he kept his emotions in check and stayed focused on the mission he had undertaken was admirable too. However, when he learned of the heroines's tragic past, he was able to show empathy so he wasn't a classic sociopath.He happened to be quite skilled between the sheets as well which he used to full advantage.

There were a few annoying typos near the end but not enough to detract . Enjoyed it immensely and will probably order a copy for my keeper shelf. Ann Lethbridge is a gifted author.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabriel D'Arcy, the Marquess of Mooreshead, is not who he appears. He's a spy risking his life to save England from Napoleon's invasion. His problem right now is the French Countess, Nicoletta Vilandry. Why is she set on seducing him to learn his secrets? Who is she working for? Gabe is a powerful character. I found him to be intelligent, determined and passionate in his beliefs and desires. He sets a course and is steadfast. Nicky is more than his match. I sympathized with the pain she endured to protect her sister. She will do what's necessary even at the risk of her own life. Gabe and Nicky have a love-hate relationship that captured me and made me want them to find love together. The story is well plotted and filled with surprising twists that took me by surprise. The isolated English countryside added to the story. I especially enjoyed Beresford Abbey and the resident ghost. For me the appearance of the Lady in White was pivotal to the story. I loved Captured Countess. Ann Lethbridge is such a talented author who always keeps me entertained with her passionate characters and fast moving story.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriel (Gabe) D’Arcy is a handsome but impoverished marquess who exudes a devil-may-care attitude of charm and sensuality as he mingles in a polite society that whispers about his native loyalties. But that’s okay since Gabe is making a living as a spy in Napoleonic England. He works for an elite but unorthodox secret spy ring called Sceptre and the gossip about his activities works to his advantage.

Nicoletta, the beautiful Countess of Vilandry, was born Nicky Rideau, a wealthy French aristocrat whose parents were killed in riots during the Reign of Terror. Saved by a ruthless and unhappy marriage arranged by her uncle to an older and influential man, her life was spared but at a great and heartbreaking cost to both her and her younger sister, Minette, who has gone missing and whom Nicky seeks. Nicky is also a spy, but she was coerced into service in order to be able to return to France to find her missing sister. Her mission? To uncover the truth of Gabe’s true loyalties–French or English? Her weapon? Seduction.

For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/1cUyv5x

[Lana Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In compliance with FTC guidelines, i received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Captured Countesshas an engaging storyline, believable characters and a romance that does not disappoint.

[Harlequin Books]

"Adventure, sensuality and romance are beautifully blened as Lethbridge's captive/captor, spy vs. spy tale unfolds. Readers will be easily drawn in by the intrigue as the author carefully builds her plot, wrapping the reader in a web of deceit, mystery and passion" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captured Countess by Ann Lethbridge is a great book. This book takes you to Regency England. Gabriel D'Arcy a secret spy for the British against the French. Countess Vilandry a spy sent to test Gabriel's loyalty to the British. Their story turns into a great historical love story.

[Harlequin Historical]

received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews

[L.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the book states, "Never trust a spy!" Whose side are they both on?? That is what they must find out about the other.

[Lynn Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Monique Takens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very VERY sensual book , there was steam coming off of the pages !
Loved the story and Ann L.'s writing style , highly recommended for readers who like Stephanie Laurens .