"The Gentleman Spy" by Erica Vetsch (with giveaway!)

Marcus Haverly won our hearts in The Lost Lieutenant, and now he stars in his own story in Erica Vetsch's latest Regency romance. 

He never wanted to be the duke. He thought his status as overlooked second son would give him all the freedom he needed to fulfill his secret agent duties to the Crown. After an accident claimed the lives of his father and brother, Marcus stands as one of the most eligible bachelors in the land—and a focal point of London society. How is he supposed to keep investigating the Prince Regent's assassination attempt when all eyes are upon him?

Bookish and opinionated, Lady Charlotte Tiptree's world is shaken when she learns her father kept a mistress for many years and that she has a half-sister nearly her own age. Even more, now that her father has cast them aside, half-sister Pippa is forced to support herself through prostitution. Determined to find a way to help the woman, Charlotte ventures into one of the seedier London districts, where things quickly get out of hand—until a mysterious man named Hawk comes to her rescue.

When Marcus becomes convinced that marriage will actually free him to resume more of his spy duties, he decisively sets his mind on Lady Charlotte. She's smart and daring, and though she draws him, surely she won't be too large of a distraction from the life he's built. He can keep compartmentalizing his life just fine. Spy. Duke. Husband. Each role in its own little box.

Charlotte can't believe the Duke of Haverly chose her for his bride. Though theirs is no love match, she hopes they will grow closer in time. Yet even before their marriage he is already withdrawn and secretive about his whereabouts. Are all men like her father, duplicitous and looking for solace away from the women they've promised themselves to?

There's quite a bit of political intrigue here as Marcus seeks to uncover the motive and instigator of the Prince Regent's assassination attempt. I love the author's use of Regency vocabulary, using words I rarely see and even throwing in some that were new to me. Helping women who are stuck in prostitution is a big theme of this novel, and because of that I would not recommend it for young readers. However, most Regency fans will enjoy the ride as Charlotte and Marcus look to make the world a better place—and perhaps fall in love with each other along the way.

I received my copy of the book from Read With Audra. All thoughts in this review are my own.

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