Will the queen’s assassin ultimately obey her, or listen to the earnest plea of his own heart?
ETHAN ESSEX is Queen Victoria’s most discreet assassin. Before he will be allowed to leave her employ and retire to the bookshop he’s built in Willowbrook, he must complete one more assignment for her—eliminate the man who is stealing from the Crown’s treasury.
When LADY PAULINE DEARBOURNE befriends Ethan, their common love of books swiftly grows more intimate, until her father forbids her to pursue this relationship with a commoner. But it’s too late, and Polly is now caught in the middle between the father she loves and her sweetheart who has been tasked with killing him.
This series is part of Dragonblade's Sweet Dreams line, so this is a sweet, wholesome Historical Romance where passion beyond the bedroom door is left to the reader’s imagination.
Read Free in Kindle Unlimited!
The Willowbrook Series A Willowbrook Miracle A Page Turner Bookshop A Bitter Pill to Swallow A Lesson Learned It's Not What it Seems
Laura Landon taught high school for ten years before leaving the classroom to open her own ice-cream shop. As much as she loved serving up sundaes and malts from behind the counter, she closed up shop after penning her first novel. Now she spends nearly every waking minute writing, guiding her heroes and heroines to find their happily ever afters.
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
Ethan Essex is Queen Victoria’s most discreet assassin. Before he will be allowed to leave her employ and retire to the bookshop he’s built in Willowbrook, he must complete one more assignment for her—eliminate the man who is stealing from the Crown’s treasury. When Lady Pauline Dearbourne befriends Ethan, their common love of books swiftly grows more intimate, until her father, The Marquis of Springdale forbids her from pursuing this relationship with a commoner. But it’s too late, and Polly is now caught in the middle between the father she loves and her sweetheart who has been tasked with killing him. The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own but the author is building a lovely community in and around Willowbank. The pace flows effortlessly & I read this lovely romance in a sitting. I loved both Ethan & Polly who both fell hard & fast for each other but Ethan has a mission to carry out & Polly’s father is in the gun sights. Then Ethan is shot & everything changes & the mystery deepens. The villain wasn’t hard to work out but the mystery did play second fiddle to the romance. I loved how Lord Springdale’s requests were met! I look forward to many more books in the series My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
What an superb book. This is an exceptional book. I loved everything about it. I honestly don’t think that I can give this book any negative critique. The plot was fantastic. It was intriguing. It hooked me in as a reader who loves a good spy espionage book. The plot was sensible and gripping with excitement. The main characters, Polly and Ethan worked very well with the story. Ethan did a great job as the hero and Polly did a wonderful job at being the motivational powerhouse to Ethan’s strength and Knowledge as a Assassin for the crown. I loved the entertainment up until the end. This was excellent writing. I give this book two snaps and a, twist. until next time my fellow readers… reason! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. #Netgally #lauralandon #dragonbladepublishing #apageturnerbookshop
Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
This is a sweet regency romance with the FMC and MMC being from differing social circles. Ethan Essex is a bookshop owner in the village of Willowbrook. But he is not a simple shop keeper by any means. He is an ex-soldier but also has close ties with the Queen, being one of her most effective secret assassins. He is wishing to retire from her service though, and focus on his shop, when he agrees to one last task for her, to assassinate the peer in her finance committee who appears to be embezzling funds.
Lady Pauline Dearbourne wanders into Ethan's bookstore to purchase books. She and Ethan are immediately attracted to each other. But she is the daughter of a local marquess, who pushes Polly to foster relationships that are more in keeping with her station, and hopes for her to make a socially advantageous match. Polly doesn't hold the same social snobberies as her father and they have often clashed over this. This adds some tension to the story as Ethan and Polly grow closer, despite Ethan knowing that she is out of his touch.
But to add further suspense and tension, Ethan's intended target; the person the Queen suspects is the treasonous embezzler is Polly's father. Ethan is not a thoughtless automaton, willing to do her wishes without proof, so he endeavours to find conclusive proof as to the Marquess' guilt. Polly catches him in his snooping and the two of them end up working together to find out the truth of the embezzlement, with Polly working to prove her father's innocence.
This was a sweet story that hints at love at first sight, but mixed in with a spy/assassin/conspiracy story. For someone that is supposed to be a sharpshooter, paid assassin, Ethan is quite a sweet and lovely character with unexpected qualities. He and Polly bond over their love of books, and he is also a secret writer of cute children's stories that capture Polly's heart and imagination.
It is a dichotomy that I both have a hard time wrapping my head around, but find oddly endearing and sweet - not something you normally think of when you think "assassin". But it works and Ethan comes across as warm, sweet, and quite adorable... despite being one of the Queen's favoured killers.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Ethan Essex has found his happiness in his newly founded bookstore in the small town of Willowbrook. Most people in the town know him as an amiable gentleman, who fought in the war with the Duke's grandson, but very few know he is an agent of the Queen's, completing missions on her behalf to eliminate Britain's enemies. Ethan is ready to settle down, however, and promises the Queen that his latest mission will be his last. But he could never imagine how tough it could be. Meeting the beautiful Lady Pauline in his store, he finds himself wanting more than his station would allow, and when he discovers that her father is his target, can he complete the Queen's request, or will he be harmed in the process?
I'm so happy we get to see Ethan happy in this book. When we met him in book 1, it was clear that he was getting ready to hang up his gun, and settle down to life in Willowbrook, without the danger around every corner. He's happy in his business, but meeting Polly sets his heart ablaze, and he finds himself wanting to see her more and more. When he realised that Polly's father was his target, he forced himself to hurt Polly enough to stay away, while also trying to find the evidence to prove the Marquess wasn't the villain. I loved how Ethan brought Polly into the investigation, and though he was worried about her, he knew how strong she was, and didn't mollycoddle her. The marquess was annoying, especially after everything Polly and Ethan did to prove his innocence, and he was still against the match; luckily Victoria came through to save the day!
Laura London is great! I loved the suspense, romance, and the characters. Ethan was an assassin for the Queen and Lady Pauline was nobility. He wanted to retire from Her Majesty's service and opened a bookstore. They met and fell in love when she visited the bookstore. Really enjoyed this book.
Queen Victoria hears Ethan Essex's request to no longer be her assassin. One more job for the Queen and his wish will be granted. The story reads at a nice steady pace. Along the way is an assassin that owns a bookshop, a young lady who falls in love with the bookshop owner of a different class, a father who wants more for his daughter than the owner of a bookshop and a thief out to kill the assassin. Makes for an interesting story of two like minded people who want just one thing, to be together. Kissing only. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Ethan Essex has lived as a commoner all his life and has been content working in the military and as an assassin for the crown and queen. Now, he’d like to leave that life behind and just live and work in his own bookshop, a career he loves, in Willowbrook. The queen has one last job for him. Find the man who stole a fortune from the treasury and make him disappear. Ethan wants to verify the legitimacy of the accusation and looks into the suspect with permission from the queen. Lady Pauline Dearbourne loves books and is fascinated with the new bookshop in town, even more so with the owner. When she learns who Ethan is and what his last task for the Queen is and especially who is the prime suspect, she is ready to defend her father. Her father isn’t happy that she has befriended a commoner and demands she ceases her connection with him.
I was waiting for Ethan’s story as I fell a bit for him in the first book in the series and am pleased with him and the book! In true Laura Landon fashion, she brings together wonderful characters and a great story. I was captivated from the beginning and though a few class struggles were addressed, it was not preachy and done in good taste with the characters remaining true to their personalities. I enjoyed the suspense part of the story because of how everyone banded together to help solve the mystery. It was good to see Hunt and Torie make a guest appearance; I hope to see more of them and Ethan in the next book. I always finish a Laura Landon book with a smile on my face and anticipation for the next story. I’m still smiling and looking forward to Dr. Edward,s story! I received an arc of this book through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Having met Ethan in the first book of the series I was very much looking forward to finding out more about him and seeing where his story would take me. I was not disappointed here in book 2! Ethan is an interesting character in that he leads two very different lives - one as a book enthusiast and shop owner and the other as a skilled assassin for the queen. Of course his "one last job" before putting his assassin days behind him would be to kill the father of the woman he just met and felt an instant connection to. Good thing he went into the job with some skepticism about who was the thief and trusted so much in Polly's instincts. As for Polly she was immediately likeable and I only came to like her more as she pursued her relationship with Ethan. I was glad not too much time was spent between Ethan and Polly on the "we are from different social standings" argument, and the two were back on track pretty quickly. The mystery surrounding the real thief wasn't really much of a surprise, but that was fine because it was really playing second to the romance part of the story anyway. My only wish is that there had been just a little more of Hunt and Torie, but than that, this is a pretty solid book. The writing is smooth which makes for a quick read (it also helped that I didn't want to put it down because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next). Looking forward to book 3!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is Book two of The Willowbrook series. Ethan is an ex soldier and now owns a bookshop. He was also an assassin for the Queen and maintains close ties with her. He wants to retire and focus on his shop, but the Queen has one final job for him, to assassinate someone from her finance committee who appears to be embezzling funds. When Pauline walks into the bookshop, they are both immediately attracted to each other. Being from different social classes though, her father would never agree to a match. He has his heart set on her marrying a peer. But Pauline does not share her father's views. Because of the clash between her and her father, this creates some tension as their feelings grow and their relationship develops. And to add to this, the person the Queen suspects of embezzling funds is none other than Pauline's father. Ethan does his due diligence to find proof before he carries out the Queen's orders, and when Pauline catches him snooping, they decide to work together to prove her father's innocence. Filled with intrigue, drama, and a bit of espionage, along with the sweet romance, the story caught my interest from the start and kept me engaged till the end. The story was well-written and had a smooth flow, and the plot twists kept me turning the pages. The characters were interesting and likable and I enjoyed following their story. This was a lovely addition and I am looking forward to continuing the series. I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Ethan Essex is the Queen's assassin. However, he is also a gentleman at heart and despite having been tasked with removing a Lord who has supposedly swindled Queen Victoria of a large sum of money from her treasury, he nevertheless needs to ensure that the information the Queen has received is correct and to also discover whether the Lord is indeed guilty of the crime. Meeting Lady Pauline makes Ethan even warier of casting blame where it is not deserved especially when Polly undertakes to assist Ethan in proving her father's innocence. The road between Willowbrook and London becomes well-worn with all the trips to London, and they also become fraught with danger. Whilst the Lord under suspicion gladly cooperates with Ethan he is nevertheless a rather opinionated and unpleasant character and his snobbery knows no bounds. Ultimately the Queen rewards both Ethan and his Lordship with exactly what they need, bringing this romance to a sweet conclusion. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Ethan Essex is an agent for the queen, an assassin. He has one last assignment for the Queen, and then he can retire and enjoy his bookshop in Willowbrook. His target is a local nobleman who is suspected of thievery. He and Lady Pauline Dearborne meet when she comes into the bookshop. Their attraction was instant. They knew it was impossible for them to be together. He is a commoner and she, a noble. Their relationship is further complicated by the fact that Ethan’s target is Polly’s father. His investigation produces unexpected results. Will they find the villain before he absconds with his loot? Can Ethan and Polly convince her father to allow them to be together? This story has an interesting plot and a variety of strong characters including Queen Victoria. Ethan and Polly are a picture-perfect pair. Their talents make them perfect partners. An entertaining story with a wonderful romance and Tommy, the Turtle Who Loved to Dance. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.
I've enjoyed both this story and book 1 of the series.
Both H/h know what they want and are loving and caring. Their romance builds slowly which was perfect! This is a clean story with passionate kisses.
I like a story that not only has romance but suspense and mystery and this had all 3 and more. Will the H kill the h's father at the request of the Queen? Who is trying to kill the H? You'll have to read this story to find out. This is a stand alone story even though book 2.
This would have been a full 5 star review but something's weren't explained. How did the villain plant the evidence and know about the safe? What was the villains real name and his reason for stealing?
No cheating, no cliffhanger, HEA, romance and only kisses. I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you some other tidbits to decide whether to purchase. (ljb)
Ethan Essex has one last assignment to perform for Queen Victoria, then he can concentrate on what he really wants.
Our brave hero has a much softer side. His love of books has been passed down from his father.
Lady Pauline Dearbourne is not interested in a life in high society, and gers frustrated over her father always pushing her into it.
Our heroine is a very independent and almost revolutionary young lady.
This historical romance is full of adventure and danger for our lovely characters. It has an unusual storyline and although it's part of a series, easily read on its own. Only the setting and a few characters from the previous book appear here. Lots of fun and just a little steamy.
Not really for me. I disliked the idea of an assasin to the queen. Perhaps it was supposed to be a bit James Bond ish. The hero as a book seller and investigator worked better. It was difficult to see why the villain would have access to the heroine's father's safe, There was, IMO, too much " he's not good enough for you" vibe. Only kisses and the romance, for me, seemed a bit drawn out. I look back with nostalgia of this authors earlier books especially "Cast in Ice".and "Ransomed Jewels"
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
As well written as expected from this other. The mystery side was as interesting as expected and the character's of Ethan and Polly were well suited and likeable. My only complaint is that the mystery seemed to overwhelm the romance for me as I felt we hardly saw much romance at all it was a case of instant attraction to love without much in between and the class difference was over quickly with them just deciding to ignore it. Still enjoyable though as I do love the author's mystery's. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love it when a series builds one book on another around a family, friends, a place...and this series has them all. Loved the bookshop addition to the growing town. Also the H and h...both were solid, good people with quick senses of humor. It was fun seeing Queen Victoria in action, and I loved the positivity and happy outcome. This is an author who is living her dream and developing in her craft quite nicely. Bravo.
This was a great story with all the parts that keep your attention throughout - mystery, suspense, romance, and great characters. Ethan and Pauline worked so well together. Ethan was fair and not quick to judgement, which is a great trait to have for an assassin. Pauline had a talent for art that showed their deepening relationship and love. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
There is no finer author than Laura Landon for delivering the sweetest and most romantic tales in today's publishing world as demonstrated by "A Page Turner Bookshop", book 2 of the Willowbrook Series. Her tales are certainly addictive 'Page Turners' to me.