An Amazon Best Book of the Month! “An endearing love story that kept me up all hours reading… Wonderful!” —SABRINA JEFFRIES, New York Times bestselling author, for Third Son’s a CharmHe’s turned seduction into an art form… glean dangerous war secrets. Now he’s putting those skills to the ultimate test: capturing an elusive assassin by seducing his daughter. The problem? She’s entirely immune to Rafe’s flattery.
Never before has Collette Fortier met a man as attractive as Rafe. But her father’s life is at stake, and succumbing to Rafe would be disastrous. But when Rafe turns the tables on her, offering support and friendship instead of a fleeting affair, Collette finds herself tempted in ways she never could have imagined…
“Bright, funny, poignant, and entertaining—everything historical romance fans could ask for.” —Kirkus Reviews Starred Review for No Earls Allowed
The Survivors Series:
Third Son’s a Charm (Book 1)
No Earls Allowed (Book 2)
An Affair With a Spare (Book 3)
What People Are Saying About Shana Galen:
“Shana Galen charms readers with poignant and unforgettable characters, humor, and a passionate page-turning tale that’s impossible to put down… Galen is an amazing talent and never disappoints.” —Lorraine Heath, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, for Third Son’s a Charm
“Shana Galen delivers again!…A sharp, poignant battle of wills between a wonderful wounded hero and the only heroine brave enough to get past his defenses. Don’t miss it!” —Eileen Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author, for Third Son’s a Charm
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An Affair with a Spare is #3 in the “The Survivors”series, but can be read as a stand alone. This is the story of Rafe Beaumont the fifth son of an earl and who uses his charm with the ladies to find out secrets. Collette Fortier father’s life is at stake, so she has to spy for the French to try to save him. A page turner for me, grab me from the beginning to end. Filled with secrets, spies, danger, trust, passion, love and romance. But can Rafe and Collette find their HEA and save her father?
Well crafted with charming and engaging characters. The storyline flows seamlessly and effortlessly. What a joy to read!
“I voluntarily received a complimentary copy, however, these are my honest opinions. I was in no way required nor compensated to write a review.”
Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: Mild
Reviewer: AprilR
Series: The Survivors #3
Publication Date: 7/3/18
This book is filled with spies, assassins, danger, trickery, betrayal, and yes, love and lust. The writing is excellent, the plots well thought-out and executed and the characters are very relatable and likable. The series focuses on the few survivors of a suicide team from the Napoleonic wars – they were spare heirs whose lives were expendable and they took on the most dangerous secret missions of the war. Most didn’t make it back, but these are the stories of the few who did survive. Rafe Beaumont is one of those survivors and you just always knew there had to be more to him than was apparent and that there was a story buried deep within him. I certainly loved learning what that story was.
Rafe Beaumont, the fifth son of an earl, is seen by everyone as a fribble, a seducer, someone with no real substance. The truth is, he isn’t a seducer – those women chase him with one purpose – being seduced. He’s drop-dead gorgeous, a skilled lover and the most charming man anyone would want to meet. Everybody loves him. Rafe is one of the survivors and he’s always been a little resentful that he was never given the dangerous, exciting missions. His missions were always about seducing information from the wife or lover of someone who held knowledge of French war strategies, etc. Those were easy tasks for Rafe because he never got attached to anyone – he never had a problem walking away. As a matter of fact, he always did the walking away. He’d never give anybody the chance to make him care and then walk away from him.
Imagine Rafe’s total shock when, after being given an assignment, the lady in question seems totally immune to his charms. She’s just not interested. That is just not possible. Is he losing his touch? He’s never actually had to pursue anyone, so he’s not sure how to proceed. Can he figure it out and complete his mission?
Collette Fortier is the daughter of Napoleon’s most successful assassin. The wars are over, but the English would love to get their hands on him. Actually, the English aren’t the only ones. The French royalists have already taken him prisoner and are forcing Collette to spy for them. Her mission – to obtain the codes England uses in its communications. If she doesn’t succeed, her father doesn’t survive. It is just that simple. So, Collette absolutely cannot allow her attraction to Rafe Beaumont to show or to act upon it in any way.
Collette’s ‘cousin’ in England, Lady Ravensgate, is actually no relation at all. Collette had never met the woman before. However, this ‘cousin’ now holds the future of both Collette and her father in her hands. She sees that Collette gets to all of the important social functions that would allow Collette to collect information and meet the people who can lead her to the codes she needs. Collette is focused on Lieutenant Colonel Draven, but she cannot get her to engage with her – and then, suddenly, Rafe Beaumont is paying her attention. When he can’t seduce her, he offers to be her friend. Can she be friends with him and not let her attraction show? Is he really offering friendship or does he have ulterior motives? Can she use him to get the information she needs?
There is always an element of humor involved in these books – and this one is no exception. Collette used a natural history volume on hedgehogs in order to learn English. So, when she is nervous – quotes from the manual escape her mouth. It is totally entertaining and smile-worthy to see where and when these quotes pop out of her mouth.
“During courting rituals the hedgehog sow continually rejects the boar, turning to give him her
blank.”
“The majority of snorting during hedgehog courtship originates from the sow.”
Epilogues are one of my favorite things in a book, and this one had a lovely one. However, I would have liked the epilogue to either be longer – or for the epilogue to have an epilogue – something. I wanted to know more about the trip, what happened at the end, how they survived with no money, etc. I just wanted more. Since the end seemed rushed, I really did want more substantive answers to my questions.
Now, to begin my impatient wait for the next book which will feature Jasper.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Interesting storyline.
Rafe Beaumont is tasked by his old commanding officer to ascertain whether Miss Fournay is in fact Collette Fortier, and if she is in London spying. If she is, he is to discover what secrets she hopes to unearth and then kill her. Rafe is a lover, not a fighter but he has never had to work at it before; women tend to throw themselves at him and he doesn’t know what to do with a woman who blushes and is tongue tied in his presence (except when talking about the mating habits of hedgehogs!) I loved this story, the characters and the satisfying ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The third story in the Survivors series, An Affair with a Spare was a little different than the first two because it involved a somewhat devious french spy, Collette Fortier, and the son of an earl and war hero, Rafe Beaumont. Collette seemed like an unlikely match for Rafe and it took me a while to warm up to her. The more I learned about her situation – that she was being forced to spy by people who were holding her father hostage, the more I could sympathize with her. Not only was her father everything to her, but she was also pretty incompetent as a spy. Rafe was a bit annoying with his womanizing ways and his somewhat callousness in regards to women, but since his past had affected his ability to trust them, his actions were a bit more understandable. I liked when the story really got going, as they put their plan into action and events started to unfold as they should. Rafe was a bit thickheaded though and I was happy he finally came to his senses, although I kept wanting to yell at him to stop at the bank for goodness sake – he was a very poor planner as far as the future goes. I’m very curious to hear how things go for this couple, I hope we hear more about them in the next book to come.
An Affair with a Spare (The Survivors, #3) by Shana Galen …This is the third book in THE SURVIVORS series and I have loved them all …thanks to #NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book… Rafe Beaumont is the 5th son of an Earl..a war hero..called The Seducer because he could get information needed from any woman. Collette Fortier …daughter of Napoleon’s “assassin” spying for the French to try to save her father. This story takes you on a journey of laughs, intrigue, danger, steamy sex, some sad and happy tears….all the way to your HEA. Collette ‘s spouting on about Hedgehogs was one of my favorite things…I can’t wait for Jasper’s story…some how I think it will be the best of all three and that is saying something.
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series…this one not as much. I simply just found myself not caring as much about the two leads here. He has issues about being deserted by his mother as a child, which led to his commitment issues. He is used as a spy with the ladies because of his cavalier attitude. She is a spy, out to save her assassin father, who is seemingly immune to our hero’s charms…but only on the surface. A fine read, but I enjoyed the others more. Looking forward to Jasper’s story!
I loved reading Rafe’s story! He is too funny when he wonders what the heck is happening to him! I admire Collette for doing what has to be done to survive. I always enjoy reading about a strong heroine. I can always count on a good read from Shana Galen and I look forward to the next in this series. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rafe Beaumont is a war hero and a member of an elite group of military men who fought in the Peninsular War. The team was comprised of second and third sons of the nobility. These men were viewed as expendable and were given the most dangerous assignments; except for Rafe.
He used his good looks and sexual charms to get information from the wives and daughters of Napoleon’s generals and advisers. He’d snuck out a few bedroom windows during the war but, he’d never had a challenging assignment. Rafe is thrilled when his former commander, Lt. Colonel Draven, approaches him with a mission. His assignment? To charm information from Collette Fortier; the daughter of one of Napoleon’s assassins.
Shana Galen’s descriptive writing style adds so much to the romance between Rafe and Collette. Ms. Galen deftly provides insight into both characters during the suspense filled novel. I loved it when Rafe was exasperated by Collette. I could imagine his frustration as he’d been introduced to Collette several times. Instead of pursuing him; she is so flustered by Rafe that she starts talking to him about the mating habits of hedgehogs! Loved the honest, poignant dialogue between the couple. Through their conversations, Rafe learns about Collette’s childhood and he begins to understand her fierce loyalty to her father.
One of my favorite scenes is when Rafe and Collette hide in an empty stable to avoid a confrontation with the neighborhood watchman. Rafe admits that he cares for Collette and she admits that she may love him. Rafe is faced with a life changing decision. Could he help Collette and her father escape and commit treason? Or did he love her enough to let her go?
Shana Galen weaves a complex story in Affair With A Spare. The perfectly executed spy vs spy plot, the characters and the smart dialogue drew me into the story. Rafe and Collette’s dangerous journey kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed that both Rafe and Collette were strong complex characters—both were resilient than they appeared to be. The secondary characters of Thomas Gaines and Lady Haddington were superbly written. Shana Galen is known for her perfectly executed conclusions and Affair With A Spare does not disappoint. The ending is full of emotion, suspense and has a few surprises!
Collette Fortier is in England under an assumed name staying with Lady Ravensgate trying to get information that will free her father from prison in France. Collette’s father was Napoleon’s assassin during the war and was arrested when the Bourbon’s reclaimed the throne. Collette’s only chance to free him is to get close to someone in the foreign office and steal codes that the Royalists want. Finally she makes the acquaintance of Col Draven, but in her nervousness, begins babbling about hedgehogs. Collette learned English by reading nature texts and tends to ramble about the mating practices of hedgehogs when she is nervous.
Rafe Beaumont works for Draven, he is one of the survivors, known as the Seducer. Women fall over themselves to get to Rafe – he is handsome, charming and an exceptional lover. He is only ever given missions involving women, because he never fails where women are concerned. That is until he meets Collette. Collette seems immune to his charms and he has no idea what to do. Advice from his fellow survivors is amusing and actually helpful. Instead of seducing her, he sets out to be her friend.
Here is the rub, he really likes Collette and the more he gets to know her, the less he wants to have to turn her over to Draven. He wheedles the truth out of her and promises to help her. They become lovers and he knows that he has never felt this way about a woman before, but an event that happened to him as a child has marked him and he never lets a woman get close enough to hurt him. That is until Collette.
Collette is devastated when she learns that Rafe used her for information, but he promises to help her find and free her father, but she must trust him.
Is it possible for a French spy and an English war hero to have a happy ever after? Can Rafe overcome his past and find a future with the only woman he has ever really loved without being a traitor to his country? Will Collette be able to save her father?
This is a well written, fast paced story with secrets, lies, steamy love scenes, amusing dialogue, some action, some intrigue and lots of advice from the other survivors. It is the third book in the series, but can easily be read as a stand alone title. I enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend the entire series and am anxiously awaiting Japer’s story!
An Affair with a Spare by Shana Galen is book Three in the Survivors series. This is the story of Rafe Beaumont and Collette Fortier. I have read the other books in this series (and loved them!) but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Rafe being a spare son to his titled father was able to be free to become become a spy and be put in questionable situations. With his charm and good looks he has been able to seduce some top secrets out of women. When given the assignment to spy on the daughter of Napoleon’s most successful assassin he is shocked that she can’t be seduced by him. Collette is working to free her father who is being held hostage by the French royalists. To free her father she must spy for them and she is trying to break a letter in code that may also help her father. So when Rafe comes around she tries to resit him and his charm. But when he in turn changes things by offering friendship and help she starts to weaken.
This was a page turner for me!
What a great series this is! During the war with France, a group of 3rd sons were recruited for what we would call a special ops unit. Some of them survived and created the Survivors’ Club. Most of them still have nightmares.
Lt. Rafe Beaumont, aka The Seducer, is a very handsome man and his specialty was getting information from women during the Napoleonic wars. The youngest of 8 children whose mother ran off when he was 4, he doesn’t trust women. He has been ordered to befriend a Frenchwoman in London as his superior, Lt. Col. Draven, thinks she is up to no good. Rafe’s problem is she seems to be the first woman not attracted to him.
Collette Fortier is using an alias, Fournay, as she tries to get codes from the British Foreign Office to free her father from a French prison. She is attracted to Rafe but her father comes first. As he pretends to court her, real feelings interfere with his mission. Collette receives a letter that truly scares her, and she tells him her dilemma. Rafe decides to help her knowing it will harm him.
The rest of spy versus spy is for you to read as I won’t spoil this wonderful book! It’s complex and very well written. I can’t wait for more of this excellent series!
The seducer has met his match and jumped without a thought into the flames. I couldn’t put it down from the start wondering what would happen between them and when. They both had reasons for avoiding each other, but to everyone else, they were stupid to try. I was on the edge of my seat when they came up with their plan. At every turn, they were met with a fight and sometimes a friend, but it was always a surprise. I wanted to scream when he went back to London, but the talk he had with his stepmother and other were so worth it. The ending was perfect especially with what she made him do. I hope to see them again and Grimes was an interesting man.
Collette will do anything to save her father even shielding her heart. I loved her right away because she tried so hard to find what she needed and wouldn’t give up. She let fear and her mission blind, but not completely.
Rafe always wanted the exciting mission he just didn’t realize this one would turn into one. He will break your heart with his reason for not wanting to marry and win you over with his charm and kindness. I loved that he was willing to do anything to help.
I can’t wait for the next story!
ather out of jail, at the cost of her own life if it comes to that. Pierre Fortier, who was one of Napoleon’s assassins, is the only thing on Collette’s mind, and not even Rafe Beaumont will distract her from her mission: getting her hands on codes from the Foreign Office. Rafe, the celebrated London rogue, who has women begging for his favours, and Collette can understand why, but she cannot help but be smitten, but he would not look twice in her direction. But he does, and she stuns him by refusing to succumb to his charms, which leaves Rafe flabbergasted. The unimaginable has happened: a woman is not interested in him! Still, it’s his mission to find out what Collette is doing in England and if she is a French spy, so he’ll have to change his tactic. What sacrifices one has to make for one’s country! Rafe will have to be a platonic friend to a woman for the first time in his life, and it will be Rafe’s most difficult mission.
Collette is a wonderful heroine, determined and loyal, and not one to make rash decisions. I respected her doggedness in wanting to rescue her father, but I couldn’t forget that he was an assassin, and this was a bit of a sore point for me; I couldn’t honestly see things from her point of view, but it’s a personal matter and it’s how she felt. Rafe is a rather unusual hero, every so gorgeous, he knows it, and it really defines who he is. I thought he had a bit of a George Clooney vibe about him, not in his looks, but in his attitude. The writing is so splendid that I was almost tempted to wax poetic about it, the descriptions of Regency England are stunning, but I will spare you the torture. The romance is far from an easy one, as Rafe doesn’t know how to love, but all the more satisfying for it. The secondary characters are absolutely marvellous, there are several unexpected plot twists, the last one probably the most startling, and Now, I will be impatiently waiting for my personal favourite Survivor’s story: the forever enigmatic Jasper.
I had a hard time reading this story and not because of the writing, which is excellent as is always the case with Ms. Galen’s stories. I think it is the subject matter. It is hard to keep emotions in check when Rafe wants so much to be loved but is afraid to show any emotion to others in fear that it will not be reciprocated or that he will be left alone. I loved Collette and her journey to finding her father and bringing him to her. Nothing will get in her way, not even Rafe. Their dancing around one another was a delight to read. And the ending…dreamy. Another lovely read in Survivor’s series.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
The romance starts with the daughter of a known French assassin looking for a British code. Rafe Beaumont is assigned to get close and find out what she knows. And Rafe gets close, very close to the young lady, especially when she starts talking about hedgehog behavior. Never having to pursue a woman, Rafe finds himself stumped when she rebuffs his advances. Very entertaining, laugh out loud with a plot that keeps the book moving at a nice pace with an unexpected ending.
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Stars
An Affair with a Spare was a delightful read featuring a romance between two spies.
Known as the Seducer, Rafe Beaumont is an irresistible charmer who uses his skills with ladies to uncover war secrets. His next mission? Seduce a young woman, the daughter of a notorious assassin, and find out what secrets she’s hiding. But unfortunately for Rafe, Collette Fortier is immune to his charms. When Rafe tries a different tactic and offers friendship instead, Collette finds herself falling under his spell.
Rafe and Collette’s relationship gets off to a slow start as they’re both aware the other is likely trying to uncover whatever they’re hiding. And while initially Collette doesn’t respond to Rafe’s advances, she is definitely affected by them and is only holding back because of the situation with her father. The physical chemistry between the pair is fantastic and when they advance their relationship, the scenes are quite steamy. My issue with their romance comes with how much deception there was, particularly from Rafe. I guess I should have expected a lot of lying due to the fact they’re both spies, but I didn’t and I don’t love tons of lying in my romances. The friendship they developed could have been great had it not been for the deceptive ways Rafe gained Collette’s trust. Over time the relationship got better, but they still hide things from each other which kept me from completely loving them together.
Throughout the book several of the other men from Rafe’s unit make appearances. Jasper in particular shows up quite a bit in this book and I’m curious to learn more about him, so I’m happy to see that he’s the hero in the next book. We get a few scenes with Neil and Ewan, the heroes from the first two books in the series which was nice. The men in the Survivors have such a unique bond that even when they disagree, it’s clear they care about each other. I’m definitely looking forward to getting to meet more of the men in the group as some have only been mentioned up to this point.
Overall while I didn’t like An Affair with a Spare as much as the first two books in the series, it was still an enjoyable read and I’m excited to get to the next book, Unmask Me If You Can, soon.
I thoroughly enjoy this series and this book didn’t not disappoint. Rafe Beaumont, fifth son of an earl, is charged with a new mission: capture an elusive assassin by seducing his daughter. It shouldn’t be too hard because Rafe had used his seduction skills well in the war. However, Collette Fortier seems immune to his flattery. Against everything he knows, Rafe must try to earn Colette’s trust by becoming her friend, something that has never happened to Rafe before.
Ms. Galen leads the reader on another exciting and intriguing adventure between Rafe and Collette. Their chemistry is palpable although neither one of them wants to succumb to the other for reasons entirely their own. Collette must retrieve the mysterious English code to trade for her father’s life and Rafe must guard his heart against falling in love. Can he have the woman he wants and not betray his country? That’s the dilemma facing Rafe. The story doesn’t wrap up until the last page–no spoilers here. I can’t wait to read the next story in the series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Shana Galen takes us back to the Survivors Club. This time with Rafe`s tale. Rafe was the seducer of the group, obtaining information in the bedroom, rather than the battlefield. Is there a reason for his avoidance of feeling for any woman? Then he meets Collette Fortier, a French spy who is only trying to save her father. Unfortunately, her father was Napoleon`s assassin, wanted by the English. Rate is assigned to uncover the plan. Will he be able to resist Collette? Will she be able to resist him? It all makes for another great story from one of my favorite authors. I am looking forward to reading Jasper`s story. He is an interesting character.
In this third book from Shana Galen’s The Survivors series, Rafe “The Seducer” Beaumont has finally met his match. Collette Fortier, daughter of an infamous French assassin is playing the part of a spy very badly. She needs to get close to someone in the Foreign Assignment office to get codes to save her father’s life. But then she meets or more precisely wooed by the extremely handsome and charming Rafe. But she must get those codes for to fail means her and her father’s death. This one had me laughing in stitches one minute and teary eyed the next. An Affair with A Spare has successfully reworked the enemies to lovers trope, giving it such an entertaining twist. A known seducer for the crown who has been incessantly pursued by women, Rafe has never ever failed in the game of seduction. So to actually having him beg for advice from his other mates was hilarious which was constantly pointed out in the book as well. I definitely loved his backstory and Collete’s story as well. She on the other hand was also presented as someone of a pushover at first but she sheds this persona quite quickly by her devotion to her father, her acknowledgement of her feelings and also for grabbing what she wants and accepting when to let go. There was a moment in the book where the tension of how it as all going to be resolved started to play. Logically you know you were getting an HEA but how it was going to happen and will it honor the whole storyline was nail biting element. I’m glad to say it all wrapped up fantastic. I will definitely keep reading this series until the last of them gets their own HEA!
I’m giving this 5 stars because I think it deserves them, even though I didn’t like it nearly as much as the first two books in the series. I think it would have been a hands down 5 star book if I had read it first. All in all, it’s a great story although I would’ve liked a bit more backstory on Rafe.