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Royal Agents #2
All Through the Night
A woman compelled. . .
In the glittering world of Regency England, Anne Wilder played a dangerous game. A widowed lady by day, by night she became a masked thief preying on society's elite. She roved high above London's black rooftops, compelled by phantoms from her past to take ever greater risks. Until her restless spirit led her into Colonel Jack Seward's trap. . . where seduction was her only way out.
A man obsessed. . .
She'd played him for a fool, taking advantage of his hungry response to escape from his clutches. But as Jack hunted for his thief, his heart fell captive to a self-possessed widow. Torn between illicit passion and tender love, Jack is duty-bound to capture the audacious criminal, even if it means ripping society apart to do so. Now he stalked her through the ton, never realizing the lovely widow who captured his heart was the same woman who roused his most violent passions.
A love that defied king and country. . .
In the glittering world of Regency England, Anne Wilder played a dangerous game. A widowed lady by day, by night she became a masked thief preying on society's elite. She roved high above London's black rooftops, compelled by phantoms from her past to take ever greater risks. Until her restless spirit led her into Colonel Jack Seward's trap. . . where seduction was her only way out.
A man obsessed. . .
She'd played him for a fool, taking advantage of his hungry response to escape from his clutches. But as Jack hunted for his thief, his heart fell captive to a self-possessed widow. Torn between illicit passion and tender love, Jack is duty-bound to capture the audacious criminal, even if it means ripping society apart to do so. Now he stalked her through the ton, never realizing the lovely widow who captured his heart was the same woman who roused his most violent passions.
A love that defied king and country. . .
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 1997
About the author
Connie Brockway
64 books719 followersNew York Times and USAToday best selling author Connie Brockway has twice won the Romance Writers of America's Rita award for best historical romance as well as being an eight time finalist. After receiving a double major in art history and English from Macalester College, Connie entered grad school with an eye to acquiring her MFA in creative writing. Soon enough she jettisoned the idea of writing serious literature for what she considered (and still considers) the best gig in the world, writing romance.
Connie has received numerous starred reviews for her romances in Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal. Library Journal also named her Her 2004 romance, My Seduction, one of the year's top ten romances.
In November of 2011, THE OTHER GUY'S BRIDE (a sequel to the perennially popular AS YOU DESIRE) was Amazon's Montlake Publishing's launch title. Here next book, NO PLACE FOR A DAME will be published September, 2013. A regency set romance, it is also the sequel to ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.Today Connie lives in Minnesota with her husband David, a family physician, and two spoiled mutts.
Connie has received numerous starred reviews for her romances in Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal. Library Journal also named her Her 2004 romance, My Seduction, one of the year's top ten romances.
In November of 2011, THE OTHER GUY'S BRIDE (a sequel to the perennially popular AS YOU DESIRE) was Amazon's Montlake Publishing's launch title. Here next book, NO PLACE FOR A DAME will be published September, 2013. A regency set romance, it is also the sequel to ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.Today Connie lives in Minnesota with her husband David, a family physician, and two spoiled mutts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
December 6, 2024
This was truly painful to read. The only quality this hero had was his ability to get turned on INSTANTLY by anything the heroine did at all. That might sound great,but it was truly gross and so off putting. I couldn't deal with him.
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July 7, 2021
Hmm... I wanted to like this, because I do like Brockway, a lot. However, there's a reason why I have been avoiding this series, because I really hate mixing my genres. I read espionage thrillers but I prefer my romances uncontaminated, because I can't help picking apart plot holes in the 'spy' component unless it is done faultlessly. This was not done faultlessly. There were plot holes. They each forgot their respective primary purposes, especially the ruthlessly efficient super-agent, Seward, as soon as they laid eyes or hands on one another. There were no suspicions or setting traps for one another, verbally or otherwise, once they met again in the social setting. I was expecting the matching of cunning wits but it never came. Anne's motivations went to and fro - she was confused and didn't know if she's coming or leaving, whether she wanted to run away from him or towards him. She got muddled. I got muddled. Yes, I get that lust muddled her up. The attraction just happened so fast, especially for such supposedly world-weary and emotionally-inaccessible people. Her thieving was far more for personal revenge against society and self-gratification, an outlet for her adventurous spirit rather than any noble, philanthropic motive. Seward initially approached Anne as she was one of his suspects, but once he met her, he never put her under scrutiny.
The narration was not bad apart from the fact that Seward sounded like Hannibal Lecter.
“The heart doesn’t ask permission. It is singularly unconcerned with the qualifications of those it chooses to love. It mocks the intellect, it subjugates reason, and it holds hostage the will to survive.”
The narration was not bad apart from the fact that Seward sounded like Hannibal Lecter.
“The heart doesn’t ask permission. It is singularly unconcerned with the qualifications of those it chooses to love. It mocks the intellect, it subjugates reason, and it holds hostage the will to survive.”
January 19, 2016
This was a quite, emotional, beautifully written book. Pretty simple premise, boy is tasked with finding thief, girl is thief by night and by day she is a widow. Boy almost catches thief but is distracted by a passionate kiss and girl escapes, but the hunt is on. Boy knows that thief is a part of the TON. Sounds simple, right? But it was really so much more than that. There was a lot of emotional depth that I didn't expect, but was pleasantly surprised. There was also some wonderfully passionate sexy scenes between our boy and girl. Connie Brockway is a relatively new author for me and I am always happy after I read one of her books.
*I re-read this after I read the first book in the series. Didn't realize they were connected.
*I re-read this after I read the first book in the series. Didn't realize they were connected.
July 25, 2016
I've given this a C for narration and C for content at AAR.
Orignally published in 1997, All Through the Night is often described as being quite dark in tone for a historical romance and it’s easy to understand why. The hero and heroine are both emotionally damaged and their relationship – at the outset - is based on lust and sexual obsession rather than tenderness or love.
Anne is the respectable widow of Matthew Wilder, a naval officer who died in the Napoleonic War. He was an inexperienced sailor and yet somehow managed to land himself a commission, which resulted in his death and the death of almost his entire crew. Wilder was held in high esteem by everybody who knew him and appears to have been the perfect man and the perfect husband although it’s clear from the outset that Anne’s opinion of him differs from everybody else’s. She feels an immense burden of guilt over the fact that she could not love him as he wanted to be loved and, in his final letter, Wilder more or less told her he had gone to war in order to relieve her of his presence and the pretence of loving him.
In the years since her husband’s death, Anne has tried to assuage her guilt by establishing the Charitable Society for Soldiers’ Relief and Aid, a home for war veterans and the families of soldiers who died and now have nowhere else to go and no means of support. The home is in desperate need of funds and Anne uses her position as companion to a popular young débutante to solicit donations from members of the ton. The problem is that while many pledge money, many also renege on their promises.
But Anne is nothing if not determined and when people default, she simply steals the money or the equivalent in jewelry from them instead. For by night, Anne Wilder is Wrexall’s Wraith, a burglar who is renowned in society for “his” audacity in targeting the wealthiest among the ton.
Colonel Jack Seward was born in an Edinburgh workhouse and removed from there at a young age by Henry Jamison – one of the Home Office’s most powerful officials (and possibly Jack’s father) who raised and trained him, turning him into a spy and lethal killer. Jack has been detailed to discover the identity of the Wraith because it appears that “he” has stolen an important letter containing information which could be very damaging to the king. Jack must catch the thief and recover the letter.
Jack is stunned when he discovers the Wraith is a woman and even more amazed when he finds himself unable to forget her. He’s not a man who lets his personal desires rule him and certainly is not normally swayed by the baser emotions like lust, but the thief sparks something in him he’s never known and he is determined to pursue her, capture her, and bring her to justice. Among other things…
Not long after his first encounter with the Wraith, Jack meets Anne Wilder and is immediately attracted to and intrigued by her. Anne has the advantage of knowing that Jack has been given the job of apprehending the Wraith, yet even then and knowing the danger he represents to her, she can’t keep away from him, despite her best intentions.
There were a number of unusual elements to this story not least of which was the idea of a young widow living a double life as a cat-burglar! Anne’s relationship with Matthew is revealed gradually to have been less than idyllic, although not for the reasons one might think; the real reason behind her turning to thievery is bleak. There’s an element of gender reversal, too, because Anne’s disguise gives her the freedom to suppress her inhibitions and to be sexually aggressive. She also takes on other characteristics usually exhibited by men, because as the Wraith, she’s proactive, adventurous, and reckless.
On the whole, I thought the thriller element of the story was well handled and there was a strongly developed cast of supporting characters. But the whole thing seemed somehow joyless. There is very little humour and all the characters were either unhappy or unpleasant – or both. Even Jack and Anne don’t seem especially happy in their love for each other and, as a result, the romance doesn’t feel very… romantic. There is plenty of sexual tension between them and the sex scenes are hot, but I never got a sense of a deeper connection that didn’t relate to the fact that they’re both emotionally damaged and feel unworthy of love or affection. I could certainly buy into the fact that they are consumed with lust for each other; however, given they spend most of the book being wary of each other and hiding the truth from one another, I never felt they really got to know each other in the way I particularly enjoy and look for in a romance.
Producing an audio version of All Through the Night using a female narrator was going to be a difficult prospect from the start, principally due to the fact that the hero has suffered a throat injury. This means his speech is gravelly and husky and making it sound suitably heroic (and sexy) is something I’m sure would challenge the most accomplished of audiobook performers. That’s not to say Alison Larkin isn’t an accomplished narrator, because she is. I just don’t think she was the right choice for this particular audiobook.
In attempting to remain true to the stage directions, so to speak, Ms. Larkin has delivered one of the most unappealingly voiced heroes I’ve ever heard. I’m not blaming her precisely – I think she’s done her absolute best to voice Jack appropriately and as described in print. I’m blaming whoever was responsible for casting her in the first place. Her version of Jack sounds so unattractive that there were times I wanted to rip out my earphones and just give up. As for the love scenes – well, they were quite painful to listen to as she creaked and croaked her way through dialogue which should have sounded sultry and seductive and instead sounded like a rusty hinge. Any Doctor Who fans reading this, think of the noise the TARDIS makes and you have a rough idea of how Jack sounds. I can’t help thinking this book might have been better served by a male narrator.
I’ve listened to a handful of audiobooks performed by Ms. Larkin and, while I do have issues with some of her character portrayals, I don’t think her heroes sound masculine enough. She’s very good in the female roles and in what I’d term “character parts”, such as snobbish dowagers, arrogant young bucks, and old retainers.
Ms. Larkin has a deft touch with comedy and I often think I “hear a smile in her voice” because it’s light in tone and has a breathiness that brings what I can only describe as an impish quality to it. Although talented, her voice just doesn’t have the weight or gravitas a darker story such as All Through the Night really needs.
Orignally published in 1997, All Through the Night is often described as being quite dark in tone for a historical romance and it’s easy to understand why. The hero and heroine are both emotionally damaged and their relationship – at the outset - is based on lust and sexual obsession rather than tenderness or love.
Anne is the respectable widow of Matthew Wilder, a naval officer who died in the Napoleonic War. He was an inexperienced sailor and yet somehow managed to land himself a commission, which resulted in his death and the death of almost his entire crew. Wilder was held in high esteem by everybody who knew him and appears to have been the perfect man and the perfect husband although it’s clear from the outset that Anne’s opinion of him differs from everybody else’s. She feels an immense burden of guilt over the fact that she could not love him as he wanted to be loved and, in his final letter, Wilder more or less told her he had gone to war in order to relieve her of his presence and the pretence of loving him.
In the years since her husband’s death, Anne has tried to assuage her guilt by establishing the Charitable Society for Soldiers’ Relief and Aid, a home for war veterans and the families of soldiers who died and now have nowhere else to go and no means of support. The home is in desperate need of funds and Anne uses her position as companion to a popular young débutante to solicit donations from members of the ton. The problem is that while many pledge money, many also renege on their promises.
But Anne is nothing if not determined and when people default, she simply steals the money or the equivalent in jewelry from them instead. For by night, Anne Wilder is Wrexall’s Wraith, a burglar who is renowned in society for “his” audacity in targeting the wealthiest among the ton.
Colonel Jack Seward was born in an Edinburgh workhouse and removed from there at a young age by Henry Jamison – one of the Home Office’s most powerful officials (and possibly Jack’s father) who raised and trained him, turning him into a spy and lethal killer. Jack has been detailed to discover the identity of the Wraith because it appears that “he” has stolen an important letter containing information which could be very damaging to the king. Jack must catch the thief and recover the letter.
Jack is stunned when he discovers the Wraith is a woman and even more amazed when he finds himself unable to forget her. He’s not a man who lets his personal desires rule him and certainly is not normally swayed by the baser emotions like lust, but the thief sparks something in him he’s never known and he is determined to pursue her, capture her, and bring her to justice. Among other things…
Not long after his first encounter with the Wraith, Jack meets Anne Wilder and is immediately attracted to and intrigued by her. Anne has the advantage of knowing that Jack has been given the job of apprehending the Wraith, yet even then and knowing the danger he represents to her, she can’t keep away from him, despite her best intentions.
There were a number of unusual elements to this story not least of which was the idea of a young widow living a double life as a cat-burglar! Anne’s relationship with Matthew is revealed gradually to have been less than idyllic, although not for the reasons one might think; the real reason behind her turning to thievery is bleak. There’s an element of gender reversal, too, because Anne’s disguise gives her the freedom to suppress her inhibitions and to be sexually aggressive. She also takes on other characteristics usually exhibited by men, because as the Wraith, she’s proactive, adventurous, and reckless.
On the whole, I thought the thriller element of the story was well handled and there was a strongly developed cast of supporting characters. But the whole thing seemed somehow joyless. There is very little humour and all the characters were either unhappy or unpleasant – or both. Even Jack and Anne don’t seem especially happy in their love for each other and, as a result, the romance doesn’t feel very… romantic. There is plenty of sexual tension between them and the sex scenes are hot, but I never got a sense of a deeper connection that didn’t relate to the fact that they’re both emotionally damaged and feel unworthy of love or affection. I could certainly buy into the fact that they are consumed with lust for each other; however, given they spend most of the book being wary of each other and hiding the truth from one another, I never felt they really got to know each other in the way I particularly enjoy and look for in a romance.
Producing an audio version of All Through the Night using a female narrator was going to be a difficult prospect from the start, principally due to the fact that the hero has suffered a throat injury. This means his speech is gravelly and husky and making it sound suitably heroic (and sexy) is something I’m sure would challenge the most accomplished of audiobook performers. That’s not to say Alison Larkin isn’t an accomplished narrator, because she is. I just don’t think she was the right choice for this particular audiobook.
In attempting to remain true to the stage directions, so to speak, Ms. Larkin has delivered one of the most unappealingly voiced heroes I’ve ever heard. I’m not blaming her precisely – I think she’s done her absolute best to voice Jack appropriately and as described in print. I’m blaming whoever was responsible for casting her in the first place. Her version of Jack sounds so unattractive that there were times I wanted to rip out my earphones and just give up. As for the love scenes – well, they were quite painful to listen to as she creaked and croaked her way through dialogue which should have sounded sultry and seductive and instead sounded like a rusty hinge. Any Doctor Who fans reading this, think of the noise the TARDIS makes and you have a rough idea of how Jack sounds. I can’t help thinking this book might have been better served by a male narrator.
I’ve listened to a handful of audiobooks performed by Ms. Larkin and, while I do have issues with some of her character portrayals, I don’t think her heroes sound masculine enough. She’s very good in the female roles and in what I’d term “character parts”, such as snobbish dowagers, arrogant young bucks, and old retainers.
Ms. Larkin has a deft touch with comedy and I often think I “hear a smile in her voice” because it’s light in tone and has a breathiness that brings what I can only describe as an impish quality to it. Although talented, her voice just doesn’t have the weight or gravitas a darker story such as All Through the Night really needs.
June 21, 2020
Can I rate this 0 stars?
Ummmmmmmmm why did I just waste hours of my life on this book??? Let me just say I wasn't expecting a lot out of this book. I was expecting a light cheesy romance novel but I didn't even get that. This book is one of the most boring-est I have ever read. These reviews are so misleading so here is a very honest one.
Okay so the premise was SO promising. I mean a women who flies across the rooftops of 19th century London and robs from people who have done her wrong?! Sounds awesome right? Then you add in a government spy who is trying to find her. Oooo exciting. Except, the summary totally LIED. She only robs someone ONCE in the first chapter! I mean technically she does at the end but its not even in detail. More about this below.
Okay let me back up and add more to the plot. So "thief" by night and deeply troubled and lonely widow by day, Anne Wilder is a chaperone to her cousin (?) during her season. A night time robbery goes wrong when she ends up in a trap set by the devilishly handsome Colonel Jack Seward who has impossibly straight posture and impeccable manners. Seriously if I had a dollar for every time I had to hear about his perfect posture and good manners I could pay off my student loans. When they meet it is instant lust and they just want each other so badly. She escapes and now he's more hell bent on finding her yada yada yada. (Side note, Jack is sent to find who this thief is by his evil and abusive father)
Jack is navigating the ball room scene to try and find the thief when he stumbles across the beautiful widow with the prettiest indigo eyes. He quickly falls head over heels with the woman (conflicted over his love for her and his lust for the thief) not knowing that they're the same person. Meanwhile, Anne is trying to stay away from the Colonol but can't because....umm actually I don't know why. I think it's because she feels something that she never felt before?
The opening scene was really good and the rest was......so. Boring. It started out action packed with her robbing someone and then meeting Jack and I'm like yes BUT THEN SHE DOESN'T ROB SOMEONE OR CLIMB ROOFTOPS FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED OR SO PAGES!!!! No scratch that, when she does go out back on the rooftops THE ONE TIME it isn't to even rob someone but to go find her man. LIKE WTF! And when she does go out to rob someone at the very end of the book we don't even get any detail of it *throws book in frustration*
So what happened the rest of the book? NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! It was filled with them chit chatting at ballrooms and having (un)witty banter back and forth while both of them are struggling with their emotions. These scenes were so dull and so so boring.
I didn't find their love to be...hmm I don't know how to say this...I wasn't invested in it AT ALL. I could have cared less if they ended up with each other. I also found his obsession of her and his obsession for revenge on her (which doesn't make sense and is totally out of line) sick and just not right.
Also, I found this super disturbing. Unfortunately I have deleted the book from my device and can't look up the direct quote or anything but right before their sexy time scene he talks about how he would rape her if he had to because he needed her sooo badly. Ummm excuse me?! When I read that line I just had it. I should have dnf'd it at that moment.
All in all this was awful and so disappointing. I was expecting something more action packed and light and fun. Someone said in their review that this was the best game of cat and mouse. Yah, no. Definitely not in my perspective. Don't waste your time on this one. I have read lots of better written, exciting and interesting cliche romance novels than this one.
Ummmmmmmmm why did I just waste hours of my life on this book??? Let me just say I wasn't expecting a lot out of this book. I was expecting a light cheesy romance novel but I didn't even get that. This book is one of the most boring-est I have ever read. These reviews are so misleading so here is a very honest one.
Okay so the premise was SO promising. I mean a women who flies across the rooftops of 19th century London and robs from people who have done her wrong?! Sounds awesome right? Then you add in a government spy who is trying to find her. Oooo exciting. Except, the summary totally LIED. She only robs someone ONCE in the first chapter! I mean technically she does at the end but its not even in detail. More about this below.
Okay let me back up and add more to the plot. So "thief" by night and deeply troubled and lonely widow by day, Anne Wilder is a chaperone to her cousin (?) during her season. A night time robbery goes wrong when she ends up in a trap set by the devilishly handsome Colonel Jack Seward who has impossibly straight posture and impeccable manners. Seriously if I had a dollar for every time I had to hear about his perfect posture and good manners I could pay off my student loans. When they meet it is instant lust and they just want each other so badly. She escapes and now he's more hell bent on finding her yada yada yada. (Side note, Jack is sent to find who this thief is by his evil and abusive father)
Jack is navigating the ball room scene to try and find the thief when he stumbles across the beautiful widow with the prettiest indigo eyes. He quickly falls head over heels with the woman (conflicted over his love for her and his lust for the thief) not knowing that they're the same person. Meanwhile, Anne is trying to stay away from the Colonol but can't because....umm actually I don't know why. I think it's because she feels something that she never felt before?
The opening scene was really good and the rest was......so. Boring. It started out action packed with her robbing someone and then meeting Jack and I'm like yes BUT THEN SHE DOESN'T ROB SOMEONE OR CLIMB ROOFTOPS FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED OR SO PAGES!!!! No scratch that, when she does go out back on the rooftops THE ONE TIME it isn't to even rob someone but to go find her man. LIKE WTF! And when she does go out to rob someone at the very end of the book we don't even get any detail of it *throws book in frustration*
So what happened the rest of the book? NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! It was filled with them chit chatting at ballrooms and having (un)witty banter back and forth while both of them are struggling with their emotions. These scenes were so dull and so so boring.
I didn't find their love to be...hmm I don't know how to say this...I wasn't invested in it AT ALL. I could have cared less if they ended up with each other. I also found his obsession of her and his obsession for revenge on her (which doesn't make sense and is totally out of line) sick and just not right.
Also, I found this super disturbing. Unfortunately I have deleted the book from my device and can't look up the direct quote or anything but right before their sexy time scene he talks about how he would rape her if he had to because he needed her sooo badly. Ummm excuse me?! When I read that line I just had it. I should have dnf'd it at that moment.
All in all this was awful and so disappointing. I was expecting something more action packed and light and fun. Someone said in their review that this was the best game of cat and mouse. Yah, no. Definitely not in my perspective. Don't waste your time on this one. I have read lots of better written, exciting and interesting cliche romance novels than this one.
June 27, 2021
Perfectly satisfying
December 10, 2024
Rake Appreciation Society Fall Session 2024
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3 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
Tune in for our chat on Nov 19th on The Book Refuge YouTube
3 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
March 12, 2018
Widow Anne Wilder, aka the Wrexhall Wraith, steals shit at night. Colonel Jack Seward, aka bastard spy, is asked to stop her. Cue: boners! Boners on the job! Boners with rope! Boners for the women he's investigating! Boners for DAYS. Also a convoluted plot about some missing letter that is scandalous to like 1.5 people and is completely ridiculous!
1. There were some very poorly handled sex scenes, especially consent-wise. At one point, Anne ties Jack to a chair (while in disguise as the thief) and gets him naked and manually stimulates him. Later, after Anne is unmasked and married to him, he ... returns the favor? It's extremely cringe-inducing.
2. The entire plot around the letter is garbage.
3. I do like Brockway's writing but I was pretty disappointed by this one? Partially because of the silly letter, but also because some of the nuances of Anne and Jack's relationship were overdrawn and brassy? So I finished this torn.
4. What the hell even was Sophia's characterization? YIKES. In fact, a LOT of the characterization in this was very ... something. Jack's "hardened, broken" past because he was plucked from a workhouse and swore his soul to the bad man...except PYSCH he's totally fine and has turned out decently well-rounded in spite of things! And Anna's upbringing as a thief-in-training to her father and then her disastrously abusive first marriage which is solved with one late-in-the-book "I know" from Jack as if she was never told FOR YEARS AND YEARS that her feelings were invalid and that she was unable to feel "higher emotion"!! Just: YIKES.
5. Also, I didn't realize this until Goodreads but apparently this is #2 in a series?? ...sure.
1. There were some very poorly handled sex scenes, especially consent-wise. At one point, Anne ties Jack to a chair (while in disguise as the thief) and gets him naked and manually stimulates him. Later, after Anne is unmasked and married to him, he ... returns the favor? It's extremely cringe-inducing.
2. The entire plot around the letter is garbage.
3. I do like Brockway's writing but I was pretty disappointed by this one? Partially because of the silly letter, but also because some of the nuances of Anne and Jack's relationship were overdrawn and brassy? So I finished this torn.
4. What the hell even was Sophia's characterization? YIKES. In fact, a LOT of the characterization in this was very ... something. Jack's "hardened, broken" past because he was plucked from a workhouse and swore his soul to the bad man...except PYSCH he's totally fine and has turned out decently well-rounded in spite of things! And Anna's upbringing as a thief-in-training to her father and then her disastrously abusive first marriage which is solved with one late-in-the-book "I know" from Jack as if she was never told FOR YEARS AND YEARS that her feelings were invalid and that she was unable to feel "higher emotion"!! Just: YIKES.
5. Also, I didn't realize this until Goodreads but apparently this is #2 in a series?? ...sure.
October 16, 2017
This was deliciously hot and I really enjoyed it.
Shelved as 'i-have-a-need-to-buddy-read'
October 16, 2021It's been a while since I read a hist-rom (by which I mean... a week LOL). I think this might be my next up.
October 16, 2019
DNF 38%
June 29, 2020
4.5/5
I've never read a Regency romance about a female thief who flies steals from the upper class. This is my first Connie Brockway book and I'm so glad the book lived up to my expectations!
The tension between Anne and Jack + the thief and Jack was very palpable and electrifying. Ms. Brockway did a great job distinguishing Jack's lust for the thief and his affection for Anne. It was SO exciting when Jack finally realized that Anne was the thief all along. I believe that Anne and Jack are made for each other. Jack is one of the most tortured heroes that I've read about. While his 'father' was bent on shaping him into 'his weapon', Jack managed to preserve his humanity. I thought that was very brave of him. It was really hard reading about how Jamison treated Jack.
In the beginning, I found it weird that Anne never loved her husband. By all accounts, Matthew was supposed to have been the ultimate perfect husband straight from a fairy-tale. But as I kept reading, I realized that Matthew's love was suffocating. He was ridiculous! Like Jack said, I don't believe he truly loved Anne — if he truly loved her, he would've paid attention to her and actually let her contribute to the relationship. Moreover, he wouldn't have sent her that letter — he just wanted her to feel guilty. I felt bad for her because she felt guilt for years for something she was not even accountable for. Matthew was in the wrong, not her.
The secondary characters were also very intriguing, especially Lord Strand, Sophia, even Griffin and Burke. The mystery, I admit, was quite good. But I was annoyed when we weren't told of the contents of the damned letter once Anne and Jack got their hands on it. I was more than halfway through when I realized that Jack and Anne still had a lot of things to discuss. I was wondering how the author was going to deal with all that in the short number of pages left. But it worked well, I think.
While the ending was perfect for the main couple, I still felt that something was missing. I can't exactly put my finger on what was missing. Maybe I wanted to see more of Anne and Jack? Or perhaps, more of the secondary characters? I would've liked to have known what happened to Sophia and Strand. Also, we never quite found out about what happened to Vedder after he escaped. And, whatever happened to Matthew's money that Anne inherited? Why didn't Anne just use Matthew's money for the Home? Moreover, I found myself really warming up to Burke. I think there's more left to the secondary characters that can be told in a sequel or a novella. Plus, I wouldn't mind reading more about Anne and Jack.
I've never read a Regency romance about a female thief who flies steals from the upper class. This is my first Connie Brockway book and I'm so glad the book lived up to my expectations!
The tension between Anne and Jack + the thief and Jack was very palpable and electrifying. Ms. Brockway did a great job distinguishing Jack's lust for the thief and his affection for Anne. It was SO exciting when Jack finally realized that Anne was the thief all along. I believe that Anne and Jack are made for each other. Jack is one of the most tortured heroes that I've read about. While his 'father' was bent on shaping him into 'his weapon', Jack managed to preserve his humanity. I thought that was very brave of him. It was really hard reading about how Jamison treated Jack.
In the beginning, I found it weird that Anne never loved her husband. By all accounts, Matthew was supposed to have been the ultimate perfect husband straight from a fairy-tale. But as I kept reading, I realized that Matthew's love was suffocating. He was ridiculous! Like Jack said, I don't believe he truly loved Anne — if he truly loved her, he would've paid attention to her and actually let her contribute to the relationship. Moreover, he wouldn't have sent her that letter — he just wanted her to feel guilty. I felt bad for her because she felt guilt for years for something she was not even accountable for. Matthew was in the wrong, not her.
The secondary characters were also very intriguing, especially Lord Strand, Sophia, even Griffin and Burke. The mystery, I admit, was quite good. But I was annoyed when we weren't told of the contents of the damned letter once Anne and Jack got their hands on it. I was more than halfway through when I realized that Jack and Anne still had a lot of things to discuss. I was wondering how the author was going to deal with all that in the short number of pages left. But it worked well, I think.
While the ending was perfect for the main couple, I still felt that something was missing. I can't exactly put my finger on what was missing. Maybe I wanted to see more of Anne and Jack? Or perhaps, more of the secondary characters? I would've liked to have known what happened to Sophia and Strand. Also, we never quite found out about what happened to Vedder after he escaped. And, whatever happened to Matthew's money that Anne inherited? Why didn't Anne just use Matthew's money for the Home? Moreover, I found myself really warming up to Burke. I think there's more left to the secondary characters that can be told in a sequel or a novella. Plus, I wouldn't mind reading more about Anne and Jack.
May 7, 2011
The single thing that stuck with me about this book after I read it was how incredibly miserable every single person seemed to be. They either came from a horrible childhood (the hero), were just incredibly unhappy with love (the hero's best friend), were mean-spirited, petty and jealous (the heroine, niece), was just plain evil (the hero's father-figure) or had a ginormous martyr complex (the heroine).
A book about a female thief who was stealing from people who promised her money for her pet charity and then reneged and the special spy-type guy who was out to get her, should have been a fun, even sexy romp. This wasn't. Everything was all tortured gazes and suspicious silences and 'woe-is-me' guiltiness.
So why three stars? Well the writing was excellent. Even with the unhappy characters, the book was compulsively readable. The author did a good job of propelling the plot. Yeah, there was a bit of a slow part in the middle where it felt like our super-spy hero was being willfully obtuse about determining the identity of his thief. But the mystery of the stolen letter and the pull between the H/h as well as learning why these people were the way they were managed to draw me in. And she wrote the hero as so enigmatically sexy and interesting that it acted as a bit of a counter-balance.
Also, I find myself interested enough to find other works by this author. At least none of the characters did anything really stupid because that would have been unforgivable.
A book about a female thief who was stealing from people who promised her money for her pet charity and then reneged and the special spy-type guy who was out to get her, should have been a fun, even sexy romp. This wasn't. Everything was all tortured gazes and suspicious silences and 'woe-is-me' guiltiness.
So why three stars? Well the writing was excellent. Even with the unhappy characters, the book was compulsively readable. The author did a good job of propelling the plot. Yeah, there was a bit of a slow part in the middle where it felt like our super-spy hero was being willfully obtuse about determining the identity of his thief. But the mystery of the stolen letter and the pull between the H/h as well as learning why these people were the way they were managed to draw me in. And she wrote the hero as so enigmatically sexy and interesting that it acted as a bit of a counter-balance.
Also, I find myself interested enough to find other works by this author. At least none of the characters did anything really stupid because that would have been unforgivable.
September 21, 2024
I've breezed through four Connie Brockway books in a week, and I'm trying to put my finger on what makes her couples so compelling. Chemistry and passion don't quite feel right, as there's an added element of desperation to their interactions that leave you with a similar sense of urgency, heart in your throat. That's probably why I've read so many of her books in such a short duration.
This one is a sort of cat-and-mouse between Colonel Jack Seward, a government man and spy, and the prolific thief that he is attempting to catch. Unbeknownst to him, the thief is the mild-mannered widow he's slowly become besotted with, Anne Wilder. She's playing a more dangerous game than she realizes, and Seward is tormented by his competing dreams of the erotic thief who vowed to unman him, and the genteel lady he wants to shelter from harm.
High stakes, tender, and hot.
This one is a sort of cat-and-mouse between Colonel Jack Seward, a government man and spy, and the prolific thief that he is attempting to catch. Unbeknownst to him, the thief is the mild-mannered widow he's slowly become besotted with, Anne Wilder. She's playing a more dangerous game than she realizes, and Seward is tormented by his competing dreams of the erotic thief who vowed to unman him, and the genteel lady he wants to shelter from harm.
High stakes, tender, and hot.
April 17, 2013
Reread: hard to believe this is by Brockway - very dark and angsty, and full of unhappy humorless characters. Tortured souls with uber-lustful feelings - lots of hectic color in the cheeks and flaming indigo eyes and burning to ash, etc. Everyone was very very hot and worked up all the time (alas, only a few heaving bosoms). Jack is also a TERRIBLE sleuth, thanks to his overactive yet thwarted libido.
Anne, our dear widow, was a bit tough to take, thanks to a touch of a martyr complex. Darling, your husband was an insecure tool, please move on. She also got crazy there at the end, so much so that I couldn't make heads nor tails of the increasingly nonsensical plot.
But all this over the top-ness makes for a super fun read.
Anne, our dear widow, was a bit tough to take, thanks to a touch of a martyr complex. Darling, your husband was an insecure tool, please move on. She also got crazy there at the end, so much so that I couldn't make heads nor tails of the increasingly nonsensical plot.
But all this over the top-ness makes for a super fun read.
June 2, 2013
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A beautiful historical romance that is filled with action, drama and suspense.
A beautiful historical romance that is filled with action, drama and suspense.
March 15, 2017
Jack is the Whitehall Hound, a renowned spy. Anna is a widow by day and an infamous thief by night. Jack is placed on the thief's trail after the Prince Regent's friends are robbed. Jack is confused because he is attracted to both the widow and the thief. When he discovers the truth, what lengths will he go to to save Anna from his enemy? Can Jack trust her enough for love to grow between them?
This novel is an easy read. It does contain steamy love scenes. The characters feel real. The dialogue conveys the emotional depth of the characters. The plots and subplots are neatly wrapped up. I give this novel 3.5 stars.
This novel is an easy read. It does contain steamy love scenes. The characters feel real. The dialogue conveys the emotional depth of the characters. The plots and subplots are neatly wrapped up. I give this novel 3.5 stars.
July 6, 2012
The dynamic between Anne/Thief and Jack is so electrifying. Anne isn’t just any high society woman. She’s compassionate, caring, and scarred inside. Her previous marriage (she’s widowed) left her certain she is incapable of love. As an outlet for pain and confusion and just to make lying rich people pay, she dons the dress of a thief and leaps across rooftops to take what she believes they deserve to loose for reneging on promised donations to the Soldier’s Relief.
Anne’s recklessness makes it clear that there is something in her life that she is trying to outrun. In the night, she is bold, daring and takes anything she wants including liberties with Jack (her pursuer). But during the day, Anne hides behind society and doesn’t make waves. The contrast between her two sides is so fascinating.
Jack is a ruthless man who was set on the trail of the thief and traps him only to discover he is a she. Jack is stunned and becomes slightly overwhelmed with his thief. When she gets away he vows to find her. His mission becomes obsession.
Jack’s obsession with the thief stems from her propositioning him when he capture’s her. He reacts out of character and is willing to let her go just to have her. Not knowing this she disables him and flees. Jack is angry and aroused.
Jack hounds her, following her every move, not because he knows it is Anne but because he becomes smitten with Anne the widow. This confusion between the two is wonderful. Though I must admit I truly loved when Jack figured it out and what happened then.
I loved the intensity and the action. Brockway did a wonderful job in the telling of this story!
Anne’s recklessness makes it clear that there is something in her life that she is trying to outrun. In the night, she is bold, daring and takes anything she wants including liberties with Jack (her pursuer). But during the day, Anne hides behind society and doesn’t make waves. The contrast between her two sides is so fascinating.
Jack is a ruthless man who was set on the trail of the thief and traps him only to discover he is a she. Jack is stunned and becomes slightly overwhelmed with his thief. When she gets away he vows to find her. His mission becomes obsession.
Jack’s obsession with the thief stems from her propositioning him when he capture’s her. He reacts out of character and is willing to let her go just to have her. Not knowing this she disables him and flees. Jack is angry and aroused.
Jack hounds her, following her every move, not because he knows it is Anne but because he becomes smitten with Anne the widow. This confusion between the two is wonderful. Though I must admit I truly loved when Jack figured it out and what happened then.
I loved the intensity and the action. Brockway did a wonderful job in the telling of this story!
June 16, 2014
This book is available for borrowing on OpenLibrary https://openlibrary.org/books/OL75197...
Alright, so I'll kind of admit, I was expecting a historical version of Nora Robert's Sweet Revenge, and that isn't what I got. I was expecting a romp, and this wasn't. I was expecting non-stop action, and really, except for the first couple of chapters, the first 2/3 of this book, it kind of dragged. I was all set to give this thing 2.5 stars, but then the last 100 pages or so of the book did a complete turn around for me. There's politics, intrigue, murder, and thievery. And oddly enough the ending felt very Scarlet Pimpernel to me, which is for me very high praise and gets this book 4 stars from me, despite the relatively slow middle.
Cross-posted http://erinsburnsbookshelf.blogspot.c...
Alright, so I'll kind of admit, I was expecting a historical version of Nora Robert's Sweet Revenge, and that isn't what I got. I was expecting a romp, and this wasn't. I was expecting non-stop action, and really, except for the first couple of chapters, the first 2/3 of this book, it kind of dragged. I was all set to give this thing 2.5 stars, but then the last 100 pages or so of the book did a complete turn around for me. There's politics, intrigue, murder, and thievery. And oddly enough the ending felt very Scarlet Pimpernel to me, which is for me very high praise and gets this book 4 stars from me, despite the relatively slow middle.
Cross-posted http://erinsburnsbookshelf.blogspot.c...
January 4, 2014
I very much enjoyed reading "All Through the Night", and I found the plot to be interesting. You could feel the chemistry between the two characters, and the intimate scenes were very hot. I thought this was a nice change from how historical romances usually just have the rogue be the criminal. Jack and the relationship with his father was intriguing and I liked learning about his past. Anne was a fun heroine who knew how to be adventurous. I found the cat and mouse game to be hilarious, fun, and sexy. I'm adding this book to my bookshelf and I'm interested to read some other novels by this author as well.
January 13, 2017
This is another hard book to review. I liked many things about it very much. It had a compelling and intriguing plot. The hero and heroine were both complex characters with deep-seated issues. There was a complex overriding plot with lots of political intrigue. My only problem was that everything felt a bit over the top. The problems were too complicated. The villains were too evil. The skills of the hero and heroine were too perfect. I just didn't find it all thoroughly believable. I liked it, but I didn't believe it. Therein is the difficulty in coming to a conclusion. I highly recommend that readers try it and decide for themselves.
August 6, 2016
I'm going to leave my original five star rating in place for the book, but I cannot recommend the newly produced audiobook. Narrator Alison Larkin managed to make me feel annoyed with one of my favorite historical heroes. She literally rasps and growls Jack's dialogue making him sound like an embittered old man. Jack is tortured and complex yet heartbreakingly in love with Anne, and I'm very annoyed that Larkin doesn't seem to get that. She turned him into a caricature of himself. Boo for the audiobook. I couldn't finish it.
September 7, 2014
Mrs. Giggles gave this one such a glowing review I had to read it. I ended up buying it from Amazon because it was never at the library and the ebook slowed my computer. Gotta say it was money well spent.
We leap back into the realm of Connie Brockway's regency London, where a thief's been terrorizing rich families. Colonel Jack Seward encounters said thief one night, discovers she's a lady, makes out with her...and she promptly kicks him in the crotch and runs off. Sometime later he meets lovely widow Anne Wilder at a gathering and is taken by her.
Anne Wilder is fucked up but in kind of a badass way. She was a nobody (amusing note, her maiden name was TRIBBLE) with loving parents, she married a rich guy she thought she loved but his love for her was so stifling, so obsessive that it drove her nuts and when her husband realized she didn't love him with the same intensity he got himself killed. So Anne steals from rich people to fund a home for his soldiers, who were hurt in the battle that killed her husband. Dad was a thief, so she pretty much does it as he did. She knows it's dangerous but this lady lives life on the edge. Love and stability? She craves danger and angry sex.
For 2/3 of the book, Jack is torn between a tender, gentle love for the lady widow and wild animal lust for the thief and when he finds out Anne and the thief are one and the same things get hairy. Anne, who's managed to keep her cool for most of the story, starts to lose her shit when she realizes she's fucked, people are gonna want her dead. So Jack marries her, they keep up their dance and finally they open up to each other. When they finally do have sex Anne's reactions range from pleasure to panic, it's what she wanted but Jack is tormenting her with questions and answering them could ruin her image.
Jack's the one with the really screwed-up past. His adoptive dad basically used him to do terrible things and when we meet him we can see what a monster he is. Not as rage-inducing as other romance novel villains, just...brrrr. Chilling. Terrifying.
Jack and Anne complete each other in a strange way and it really works. I love the dynamic between them even when things get rough and messy and angry. At one point Anne, as the thief, sneaks into his room and attacks him, makes out with him, fondles him and runs off. It's a crazy dangerous kind of romance and at one point Jack is nearly KILLED.
The secondary characters have their own stories, as is typical for a Connie Brockway novel. Anne's charge Sophia North struggles to break away from her controlling father by making a spectacle of herself among society, ending up with her pregnant and marrying one of the possible fathers, who's in love with Anne. Lady Dibbs hates Anne for knowing she renged on her donations to the home for wounded soldiers. Griffin is Jack's ever-devoted servant.
Matthew Wilder isn't your usual Demon From The Past. He loved Anne, he worshipped her but he was so forceful about it, like he thought throwing himself upon her mercy and holding up Love as some sort of golden paragon would magically make her see it the same way and when she didn't, he guilt-tripped her and basically committed suicide over it. Jack reasons that Matthew didn't love Anne, just wanted to own her...it's possible, especially if one considers how fucked up his idea of "love" was.
In the end, Jack and Anne disappear from the London scene. "Say goodbye to everything you hold dear", Jack says, but Anne only looks at him and the imagery of everything fading away into the fog is beautiful. I hesitate to call it a bittersweet ending because Anne's probably happy enough to leave behind the society she wasn't too fond of. I know the next book in this series probably discusses what happened with them but for now I just want to imagine Anne and Jack living on the move with their gray cat and enjoying life the way they were meant to, not held back or tied down by expectations.
My one beef with this story was that at times it could move a little slowly and didn't always suck me in. But once it got going, it REALLY got going and I just wanted to know what would happen next. Perfect or not, it definitely earned that "keeper" status on Mrs. Giggles's page.
We leap back into the realm of Connie Brockway's regency London, where a thief's been terrorizing rich families. Colonel Jack Seward encounters said thief one night, discovers she's a lady, makes out with her...and she promptly kicks him in the crotch and runs off. Sometime later he meets lovely widow Anne Wilder at a gathering and is taken by her.
Anne Wilder is fucked up but in kind of a badass way. She was a nobody (amusing note, her maiden name was TRIBBLE) with loving parents, she married a rich guy she thought she loved but his love for her was so stifling, so obsessive that it drove her nuts and when her husband realized she didn't love him with the same intensity he got himself killed. So Anne steals from rich people to fund a home for his soldiers, who were hurt in the battle that killed her husband. Dad was a thief, so she pretty much does it as he did. She knows it's dangerous but this lady lives life on the edge. Love and stability? She craves danger and angry sex.
For 2/3 of the book, Jack is torn between a tender, gentle love for the lady widow and wild animal lust for the thief and when he finds out Anne and the thief are one and the same things get hairy. Anne, who's managed to keep her cool for most of the story, starts to lose her shit when she realizes she's fucked, people are gonna want her dead. So Jack marries her, they keep up their dance and finally they open up to each other. When they finally do have sex Anne's reactions range from pleasure to panic, it's what she wanted but Jack is tormenting her with questions and answering them could ruin her image.
Jack's the one with the really screwed-up past. His adoptive dad basically used him to do terrible things and when we meet him we can see what a monster he is. Not as rage-inducing as other romance novel villains, just...brrrr. Chilling. Terrifying.
Jack and Anne complete each other in a strange way and it really works. I love the dynamic between them even when things get rough and messy and angry. At one point Anne, as the thief, sneaks into his room and attacks him, makes out with him, fondles him and runs off. It's a crazy dangerous kind of romance and at one point Jack is nearly KILLED.
The secondary characters have their own stories, as is typical for a Connie Brockway novel. Anne's charge Sophia North struggles to break away from her controlling father by making a spectacle of herself among society, ending up with her pregnant and marrying one of the possible fathers, who's in love with Anne. Lady Dibbs hates Anne for knowing she renged on her donations to the home for wounded soldiers. Griffin is Jack's ever-devoted servant.
Matthew Wilder isn't your usual Demon From The Past. He loved Anne, he worshipped her but he was so forceful about it, like he thought throwing himself upon her mercy and holding up Love as some sort of golden paragon would magically make her see it the same way and when she didn't, he guilt-tripped her and basically committed suicide over it. Jack reasons that Matthew didn't love Anne, just wanted to own her...it's possible, especially if one considers how fucked up his idea of "love" was.
In the end, Jack and Anne disappear from the London scene. "Say goodbye to everything you hold dear", Jack says, but Anne only looks at him and the imagery of everything fading away into the fog is beautiful. I hesitate to call it a bittersweet ending because Anne's probably happy enough to leave behind the society she wasn't too fond of. I know the next book in this series probably discusses what happened with them but for now I just want to imagine Anne and Jack living on the move with their gray cat and enjoying life the way they were meant to, not held back or tied down by expectations.
My one beef with this story was that at times it could move a little slowly and didn't always suck me in. But once it got going, it REALLY got going and I just wanted to know what would happen next. Perfect or not, it definitely earned that "keeper" status on Mrs. Giggles's page.
July 22, 2013
Resenha em português na minha página do Skoob.
Every time I read a book that’s awesome, I feel at lost for words because there are so many emotions, so much thoughts that I wanted to tell, that I usually don’t say anything. But it is a shame, because I really want you to realize that you NEED reading it. So, I’ll let Ed Sheeran lyrics to speak for me:
GIVE ME LOVE
Jack and Anne are two lonely souls. They lived their whole life thinking they don’t deserve love.
Circumstances tells them they not worth it.
But deep down, there’s a yearning, and even though life is a burden, they fight to live. They fight to not lose what they discovered in each other’s embrace.
And after that first encounter, the Hound and the Thief start their game of hide and seek. At night they are wild creatures, but at the day light, “respectable” members of society. They round each other, they seek each other secrets, they literally seek a little time with each other trying to relive what they had in that encounter. What they tasted in each other lips.
As the hunt progresses, fear, hate, admiration and compassion turns into love. Into an obsession, a craving never experienced before…
Maybe they really should let it go. How they can trust in each other? Sometimes the weight of the past, the fear to repeat the same old mistakes, the fear of failing is so unbearable, that is easier to just let it go.. even though their hearts are breaking into pieces.
But they can’t let it go, the feelings are stronger, consuming even. One night, just one more night to drown into this madness. She just wants to hold him. He just wants to hold her.
A lifetime of suffering sometimes is strong enough to make us think that there’s nothing good out there. There isn’t love, there isn’t trust. And break these concepts is so hard that words are not enough, you have to prove it with your actions, with your own life. Jack and Annie had to do it to prove that what they felt for each other were real. They needed love so much, with such desperation.. but life had taught them not to love, not to trust. At 80% of reading, I still couldn’t see these two together. But as I said, actions are better than thousand words and through it they finally SEE each other.
This history is not a light one, is dark and heavy, but at the same time beautiful and heartbreaking. I hope I could incite you to give it a try, it will be worth your time.
Every time I read a book that’s awesome, I feel at lost for words because there are so many emotions, so much thoughts that I wanted to tell, that I usually don’t say anything. But it is a shame, because I really want you to realize that you NEED reading it. So, I’ll let Ed Sheeran lyrics to speak for me:
GIVE ME LOVE
Give me love like her
‘Cos lately I’ve been waking up alone
Jack and Anne are two lonely souls. They lived their whole life thinking they don’t deserve love.
Paint splattered teardrops on my shirt
Told you I’d let them go
Circumstances tells them they not worth it.
And that I’ll fight my corner
Maybe tonight I’ll call ya
After my blood turns into alcohol
No I just wanna hold ya
But deep down, there’s a yearning, and even though life is a burden, they fight to live. They fight to not lose what they discovered in each other’s embrace.
Give a little time to me, or burn this out
We’ll play hide and seek to turn this around
And all I want is the taste that your lips allow
My my, my my, oh give me love
And after that first encounter, the Hound and the Thief start their game of hide and seek. At night they are wild creatures, but at the day light, “respectable” members of society. They round each other, they seek each other secrets, they literally seek a little time with each other trying to relive what they had in that encounter. What they tasted in each other lips.
Give me love like never before
‘Cos lately I’ve been craving more
As the hunt progresses, fear, hate, admiration and compassion turns into love. Into an obsession, a craving never experienced before…
And it’s been a while but I still feel the same
Maybe I should let you go
Maybe they really should let it go. How they can trust in each other? Sometimes the weight of the past, the fear to repeat the same old mistakes, the fear of failing is so unbearable, that is easier to just let it go.. even though their hearts are breaking into pieces.
You know I’ll fight my corner
And that tonight I’ll call ya
After my blood is drowning in alcohol
No I just wanna hold ya
But they can’t let it go, the feelings are stronger, consuming even. One night, just one more night to drown into this madness. She just wants to hold him. He just wants to hold her.
Give a little time to me, or burn this out
We’ll play hide and seek to turn this around
And all I want is the taste that your lips allow
My my, my my, oh give me love
A lifetime of suffering sometimes is strong enough to make us think that there’s nothing good out there. There isn’t love, there isn’t trust. And break these concepts is so hard that words are not enough, you have to prove it with your actions, with your own life. Jack and Annie had to do it to prove that what they felt for each other were real. They needed love so much, with such desperation.. but life had taught them not to love, not to trust. At 80% of reading, I still couldn’t see these two together. But as I said, actions are better than thousand words and through it they finally SEE each other.
This history is not a light one, is dark and heavy, but at the same time beautiful and heartbreaking. I hope I could incite you to give it a try, it will be worth your time.
December 19, 2017
This is the second in a series, and having read the third book first I had to go back and read about the other male characters and their stories - in service to the crown as spies, assassins or as whatever is needed and the ladies who capture their attentions.
This was a very unusual story, in that the main characters have histories, and with such, psychological hang-ups and/or burdens.
Anne Wilder, companion to her dead husband's cousin, leads a double life. And part of her past is that her father, having led a secret life as a master thief prior to his retirement, his taking up a title of merchant and his blackmailing his way to a knighthood, taught his daughter all the tricks of the trade of thievery. One wonders how Anne kept in shape as her daytime activities as chaperon are very sedate while on some nights she leaps from roof to roof or scales walls. All this in pursuit of Robin Hood type activities when members of the Ton promise but do NOT deliver on donations to her charity. Her soldiers' and sailors' home is a response to her dead husband's causing the downing of a ship full of sailors in his ineptitude in a "grand gesture" of suicide due to Anne's not loving him as deeply as he loves her (or so he claims!).
The story begins with the hanging of a maimed service man that has been denied a pension. Linked to this event is a letter...the existence of which and its possible effects on the Crown thread through this story. Also at the forefront, our lady thief is foiled by our hero, Jack, Hound of Whitehall, a.k.a. Henry Seward. Jack's history is complex and one the telling of which shifts with who is relating such. He was pulled from a workhouse, but is he the bastard son of Jamison, or just the trained emotionless spy and assassin of this same man?
Intense sexual tension sparks between Jack and Anne. Jack, not knowing that the lady thief he is seeking among the Ton is also the widow, Ann Wilder, who shows up in the Regent Prince's circle only because of her relationship to Sophia North, a young and beautiful debutante, is torn as never before. Anne has had a very successful season in the past and won the heart of one at the top of society's circles. But in knowing who and what Jack is, can she pack away that dark side of her which sends her over roofs or will he look into her eyes or hear in her voice the Lady Thief he kissed and caressed in that foiled robbery attempt?
There are various secondary characters: Lord Strand, Lady Dibbs (think Caroline Bingley), Jack's valet Griffin, etc. They all have a role in developing this delightful tale and those roles are not always for the betterment of ODC. The ending leaves us wondering what the future held for this couple but, like their lives, some things are just meant to be secret.
I read this tale in one day as I did the second one - so it is not a ponderous tome but a delightful interlude.
This was a very unusual story, in that the main characters have histories, and with such, psychological hang-ups and/or burdens.
Anne Wilder, companion to her dead husband's cousin, leads a double life. And part of her past is that her father, having led a secret life as a master thief prior to his retirement, his taking up a title of merchant and his blackmailing his way to a knighthood, taught his daughter all the tricks of the trade of thievery. One wonders how Anne kept in shape as her daytime activities as chaperon are very sedate while on some nights she leaps from roof to roof or scales walls. All this in pursuit of Robin Hood type activities when members of the Ton promise but do NOT deliver on donations to her charity. Her soldiers' and sailors' home is a response to her dead husband's causing the downing of a ship full of sailors in his ineptitude in a "grand gesture" of suicide due to Anne's not loving him as deeply as he loves her (or so he claims!).
The story begins with the hanging of a maimed service man that has been denied a pension. Linked to this event is a letter...the existence of which and its possible effects on the Crown thread through this story. Also at the forefront, our lady thief is foiled by our hero, Jack, Hound of Whitehall, a.k.a. Henry Seward. Jack's history is complex and one the telling of which shifts with who is relating such. He was pulled from a workhouse, but is he the bastard son of Jamison, or just the trained emotionless spy and assassin of this same man?
Intense sexual tension sparks between Jack and Anne. Jack, not knowing that the lady thief he is seeking among the Ton is also the widow, Ann Wilder, who shows up in the Regent Prince's circle only because of her relationship to Sophia North, a young and beautiful debutante, is torn as never before. Anne has had a very successful season in the past and won the heart of one at the top of society's circles. But in knowing who and what Jack is, can she pack away that dark side of her which sends her over roofs or will he look into her eyes or hear in her voice the Lady Thief he kissed and caressed in that foiled robbery attempt?
There are various secondary characters: Lord Strand, Lady Dibbs (think Caroline Bingley), Jack's valet Griffin, etc. They all have a role in developing this delightful tale and those roles are not always for the betterment of ODC. The ending leaves us wondering what the future held for this couple but, like their lives, some things are just meant to be secret.
I read this tale in one day as I did the second one - so it is not a ponderous tome but a delightful interlude.
July 11, 2014
So apparently I'm reading "The Royal Agents" in the wrong order, but that's okay, because this was a really good book, and even if the character's names sound familiar (tweaking at my memory of those I might have met in book 3), it was still a standalone story and the connections can be ignored.
The story: Anne Wilder is the widow of a Lord and the daughter of a thief. When she starts a charity for veterans in need, she's met with enthusiastic support from the ton, but sometimes that support is less monetary than promised and Anne has to find other ways to raise the needed cash.
This writing was comparable to Eloisa James, but whereas Eloisa James is clever wit, Brockway's wit is biting and sharp. Her London is a darker place than James', and while it makes the world richer, it also makes the stories darker and slower.
The tease between Anne's two persona was amazing. How Anne managed to be both gutter thief and fine lady was well played (if you can accept the separation between the two) and Jack's infatuation with both aspects made it a book I couldn't put down.
I'm going to have to read more of her books.
The story: Anne Wilder is the widow of a Lord and the daughter of a thief. When she starts a charity for veterans in need, she's met with enthusiastic support from the ton, but sometimes that support is less monetary than promised and Anne has to find other ways to raise the needed cash.
This writing was comparable to Eloisa James, but whereas Eloisa James is clever wit, Brockway's wit is biting and sharp. Her London is a darker place than James', and while it makes the world richer, it also makes the stories darker and slower.
The tease between Anne's two persona was amazing. How Anne managed to be both gutter thief and fine lady was well played (if you can accept the separation between the two) and Jack's infatuation with both aspects made it a book I couldn't put down.
I'm going to have to read more of her books.
September 22, 2010
OK but I wouldn't recommend it.
What I liked: The plot was good. The characters were great. I liked Jack's lust and love for Anne from the beginning. I liked Anne's intelligence and thieving skills and her ability to figure out who had the missing letter. I liked some of the plot twists. I liked the scene describing how Jamison first met and took Jack as his son from a workhouse.
What I did not like: The ending was unfinished. I wanted to know where they would go and how they would live. I wanted to know what would happen to the money and property Anne inherited from her previous husband. I didn't understand what Anne was trying to do when she visited Jack at night in his room and tied him up. The writing style was too drawn out with some conversations either boring or too long.
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: 1817 London. Copyright: 1997. Genre: regency romance.
What I liked: The plot was good. The characters were great. I liked Jack's lust and love for Anne from the beginning. I liked Anne's intelligence and thieving skills and her ability to figure out who had the missing letter. I liked some of the plot twists. I liked the scene describing how Jamison first met and took Jack as his son from a workhouse.
What I did not like: The ending was unfinished. I wanted to know where they would go and how they would live. I wanted to know what would happen to the money and property Anne inherited from her previous husband. I didn't understand what Anne was trying to do when she visited Jack at night in his room and tied him up. The writing style was too drawn out with some conversations either boring or too long.
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: 1817 London. Copyright: 1997. Genre: regency romance.
July 17, 2011
3.5* The writing is wonderful and the plot intricate. I'm taking off a star because on the whole the book is depressingly dark, filled with angst, stress, and unhappy people playing roles. The reader is only privy to the briefest time of peace for the main characters at the end of the book. So while I applaud the writing and the mesmerizing story, this book wasn't so much entertaining for me as it was exhausting. ;-)
Recommended for those who enjoy angst-filled stories and tortured heroes/heroines.
Recommended for those who enjoy angst-filled stories and tortured heroes/heroines.
May 20, 2009
I am pretty sure that I read this a few years ago when I first investigated genre romances, but as I failed to record that date read, I am going to put it down as a 2009 book. This is one of those books that most of my friends love, but it left me cold. I loved the idea of it--lady thief! angsty detective on her trail!--but the execution was just a bit too overwrought. Possibly this is why it didn't make an impression on me the first time around in 2004ish.
January 27, 2014
Surprisingly (or not) good.
I really enjoyed the "chase" aspect of this story, particularly because it was a chase for something which both protagonists originally dismissed. I liked Anne very much. Enjoyed her bravado which (for the time period) was bold. And of course, Jack. Loved him from the onset (in the previous book). But I do have a soft spot for a seemingly damaged hero.
I really enjoyed the "chase" aspect of this story, particularly because it was a chase for something which both protagonists originally dismissed. I liked Anne very much. Enjoyed her bravado which (for the time period) was bold. And of course, Jack. Loved him from the onset (in the previous book). But I do have a soft spot for a seemingly damaged hero.
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