Love and survival in the shadow of Waterloo . . . Wearied by his years as a British intelligence officer, Simon Duval resigns his commission after Napoleon’s abdication. Hoping to find new meaning in his life, he returns to England, where he discovers his cousin’s widow, Suzanne Duval, the Comtesse de Chambron. Working as a seamstress, living in reduced circumstances, Suzanne has had a life as … Suzanne has had a life as complicated as Simon’s. While both believe they are beyond love, their sympathetic bond leads him to propose a marriage of companionship, and Suzanne accepts.
She didn’t want or expect a true marriage, but as Suzanne joins Simon in a search for his long missing foster brother, warmth and caring begin to heal both their scars—and a powerful passion sparks between them. Then news from France threatens to disrupt their happiness. Napoleon has escaped from Elba and Wellington personally asks Simon to help prevent another devastating war. Only this time, Simon does not go into danger alone. He and Suzanne will face deadly peril together, and pray that love will carry them through . . .
Praise for the Rogues Redeemed series
“Deftly balances fascinating historical detail, adventure, and menace with a passionate romance.”
—Library Journal
“Though suspense and adventure drive this story forward, the love at its center sets it apart.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Impeccably written.”
—Booklist
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I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I thought the hero, Simon Duval, was a heroic man every sense of the word. He was protective, honorable, kind, considerate, a leader who was respected by his men and his superiors and most of all very caring. The heroine, Suzanne Duval, Comtesse de Chambron, is free from slavery, but she’s been living in poverty in London. Suzanne is not the fragile woman you’d think her to be after enduring the things she has, but, she can’t stand any man’s overtures.
We first met Suzanne in the third book, Once a Scoundrel, when she helped to rescue the heroine, Lady Aurora Lawrence, from the harem in which they were both imprisoned. Suzanne had spent years enduring torture in the harem where she was owned by one of the cruelest men alive. Before that, she had been married, at fifteen, to a cold, unfeeling aristocrat who took her young, tender love and promptly cheated on her and treated her with disrespect and disdain. She went from that directly into slavery where she did what she had to in order to survive. Suzanne is native French, but with the Napoleonic wars going on, she asked to be returned to England when she was rescued. Even the French émigré’s won’t accept her when she returns – in their eyes, she is ruined – a whore – not fit for polite company. So, she supports herself by taking in piecework.
Colonel Simon Duval had met Suzanne at her wedding when she was marrying his much, much older cousin. He was seventeen and she was fifteen and they became friends. All these years later he has learned about Suzanne’s life and her return to London. He plans to find her and assure that she is well – and maybe even help her if he can. Simon has seen years of war and cruelty – death beyond measure – including the woman he loved. He thinks he’s unfeeling, he doesn’t even feel desire anymore.
When Simon visits Suzanne at her boarding house and they talk a bit, he surprises himself by asking her to marry him. It will be totally in name only with no physical intimacies at all. He wants a friend, someone to spend his life with, but no romance. That should work out for both of them because she cannot bear the idea of any man touching her. It takes a bit, but he manages to convince her that it can work – and even gives her an out and stability if it doesn’t. Poor man — he doesn’t count on his desire reawakening — now what is he going to do!
I’ve seen some reviews that said the first part of the book was too slow – at least the part about coming to physical intimacy. I disagree. I think Simon was wonderful in the way he dealt with Suzanne and I think if you put yourself in Suzanne’s shoes – having had unspeakable sexual tortures visited upon her by a sadistic man – you’d realize that Simon has to be very slow in reawakening her desire. Frankly, it is a wonder it ever happened. The other parts of the story beginning-to-end weren’t slow at all.
Once they traveled to Brussels, the action really picked up. The very real danger in Belgium and France comes across in the actions and descriptions in the book. Suzanne shows her bravery – as does Simon. Each makes their own significant contributions to the war effort after Napoleon escapes from Elba.
I loved that this book wasn’t about insta-lust. I loved that the love and intimacy grew over time until they were both ready for it. That made the romance so very believable.
One thing that came out of the blue and just threw me – one of those ‘Say-What’ kinds of things – had to do with Lucas and his ‘gift’. I didn’t see a need for it in the story – but – I can only assume that it will have something to do with a future book focusing on Lucas. We’ll just have to wait and see.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Suzanne Duval is a survivor. She survived marriage to a man more than twice her age who felt women were interchangeable. She survived captivity as a harem slave to a cruel reis. As this book opens, she is surviving poverty by taking in mending, but at least she is free. Simon Duval was cousin to Suzanne’s husband and closer to her age. Since Napoleon is now sequestered in Elba, Simon is cashing out of the army. He served well in the Peninsular Wars as an intelligence officer. Suzanne and Simon became friends while she was waiting for her wedding to His cousin and falling half in love with her. He finds her and offers a marriage of convenience, knowing she deserves a better life and to give them time to become reacquainted. Every husband should have some of Simon in them. He is very patient with Suzanne, a wonderful quality in a husband. I don’t want to give any more details, don’t like spoilers in reviews, but I do highly recommend this book. It is the fourth book in the Rogues Redeemed series, and I feel the best one. It has great characters, is action packed, full of danger, and of course romance. I absolutely loved it!
Simon Duval is tired after his years as a British Intelligence officer. Resigning his commission after Napoleon’s abdication, he returns to England where he finds his cousin’s widow, Suzanne, working as a seamstress even though she is the Comtesse de Chabron. With both suffering, they agree to a marriage of convenience. As they work together on the search for Simon’s foster brother, the two find an unexpected bond. Then news comes that Napoleon has escaped Elba and Wellington asks Simon for help. This time he is not alone. Suzanne will be with him.
Mary Jo Putney does an excellent job bringing to life an era which was fraught with danger. Simon and Suzanne work together and we feel as if we are there feeling the same things as them. Both prove to be brave and resourceful and it is not long before we are so engrossed in the story that each page becomes a new adventure in danger and desire. If you enjoy historical romance then Once a Spy is Perfect for you.
Set at a crucial moment in history, Colonel Simon Duval, both English and French, must once again become a spy when rumors surface of Napoleon escaping from Elba. His French wife, the widow of his murdered French second cousin, becomes his partner to ferret out information for Wellington. Suzanne Duval carries terrible memories of her past. As she works through her many demons, she only grows stronger because of Simon’s patience, respect and love. With many interesting secondary characters and the perils of political unrest, Putney’s book is never boring. A definite 5 STARS read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Meticulously researched, this historical romance is set in a unique moment in history, during the months leading up to the battle of Waterloo. With unforgettable characters overcoming their own personal struggles against the backdrop of looming war, this story grabbed hold of my heart and didn’t let go until the very last page. Mary Jo Putney has done it again!
All of Putney’s books are great.
Accurate historical details as well as likeable, relatable characters make this an easy, enjoyable read
Very good story with lots of excitement and intrigue.
Couldn’t get through it!
Putney writes wonderful characters, people who choose to do the right thing. In this story, Simon Duval has resigned his commission and returned to England, where he tracks down his cousin’s widow, only to find her living in poverty among her fellow French emigres. He offers Suzanne marriage to help her out of her desperate situation, building on the friendship they enjoyed when she was a newlywed. However, Suzanne has been badly hurt, physically and emotionally, by her years as a captive in a harem and doesn’t believe she can ever have a sexual relationship again. But Simon convinces her they can work it out, so she takes a chance.
This is a sweet story of heroic people–Simon’s heroic for potentially sacrificing his future happiness to help his cousin, and Suzanne is heroic for being willing to take a chance. Of course, both find that the other is exactly who they needed, but following their tale of growth and change is the fun of the story. This is part of the Rogues Redeemed series so readers will also hear about other couples whose story impacts the H&H.
not quite as good as Shattered Rainbows but set in the same historic time. One of my favorite authors.
I absolutely love the characters in this story.
Mary Jo Putney’s Once A Spy is the fourth book in the Rogues Redeemed series. It’s focused on a relationship’s challenges and political turmoil. Burned out by his years as a British intelligence officer, Simon Duval resigns his commission after Napoleon’s abdication and returns to England. He finds Suzanne Duval, Comtesse de Chambron, his cousin’s widow, living in poverty as a seamstress. She is a former captive who escaped to freedom with Rory in ONCE A SCOUNDREL. Even though her body has healed, she is emotionally scarred by her experience.
They agree to a marriage of friendship that would benefit both of their needs. They both go to Belgium in search for Simon’s long-lost cousin, thought to be dead, has mysteriously reappears in Brussel amid the disturbing rumors of Napoleon escaping his captivity. Like Putney’s previous books, this book is filled with adventures and dangers where they must learn to trust each other and not allow their past to determine their future, especially for Suzanne who is determined to overcome her traumatic past as a sex slave because of her fondness for Simon. This is a wonderful story of how a marriage of friendship blossomed into something more during political upheavals and danger.
A lovely story as usual from the author, another great couple and the power of love through a few suspense twists and turns that add perfectly to the story.
Unfortunately something was missing for me to give a full 5 stars as I usually give to the author as she’s one of my all time favourite.
5 Plus Stars! Another of Ms. Putney’s well written beautiful love stories with many threads! Suzanne was introduced in the previous book (ONCE A SCOUNDREL) about Rory who was captive along with Suzanne in a harem. Now rescued, Suzanne makes her home in England instead of her native France. Colonel Simon Duval, weary by his years as a British intelligence officer (mother English, father French) – one of the 5 rogues – resigns his commission now that Napoleon’s abdicated. He finds his cousin’s widow, Suzanne Duval, the Comtesse de Chambron, working as a seamstress in very reduced circumstances. Simon is looking for peace and companionship and Suzanne is so scarred by her captivity as a harem slave, she wants and needs no man. Both believe there is no love in their future, but maybe a “friendship” marriage that would benefit both of their needs. Suzanne , while thinking over this unusual proposal, soon realizes how different Simon is. They first met when she was 16 before her wedding to his cousin, almost double her age. Simon treats her as a person and listens to her opinions and cares about her feelings. Never before had any man done so. She agrees and they get married. Fate is at work. Simon is looking for his long lost cousin who mysteriously appears in Belgium, and there are rumors of Napoleon escaping his captivity. Simon is drawn again into an almost certain war, with the Duke of Wellington enlisting his aid. There is a surprise – Suzanne’s husband -the Comte’s- natural son and his wife, who support Napoleon. The story is filled with adventures and twists, with two people who learn to trust and not allow their past to determine their future. The deep love that grows day by day between Suzanne and Simon is touching. She becomes a strong person who is willing to fight and do what must be done to save the one she loves. I also enjoyed the inclusion of characters from the earlier books in this series, and also from the LOST LORD series. A magical, wonderful, beautiful story of overcoming life’s hardships and learning the greatest gift is Love!
This was a terrific entry in the Rogues Redeemed series. Simon is a war-weary colonel of intelligence who resigned his commission once Napoleon was exiled to Elba. He returns to England hoping to find peace in his new life and discovers that his cousin’s widow, Suzanne, is alive after all. He tracks her down to check on her and finds her in reduced circumstances. Suzanne came to England after being rescued from a harem (Once a Scoundrel) and tries to make ends meet by sewing. Her life isn’t easy, but she’s free.
Simon and Suzanne met when she was fifteen and he was seventeen, just before she married his much older cousin. The only people there close in age; they became good friends in the weeks before the wedding. When they met again, they discovered that their connection was just as strong. Though Simon believes that his ability to feel has been destroyed, and Suzanne’s experiences make the thought of love impossible, Simon proposes a marriage of friendship instead. After thinking about it, and receiving some unexpected motivation, Suzanne accepts.
I really liked both Simon and Suzanne. The first part of the book covers the beginning of their marriage and getting to know each other again. Both enter the marriage expecting only friendship and companionship. Simon is sensitive to Suzanne’s fears and is gentle and understanding when he is with her. Suzanne feels safe around Simon, his declared disinterest in physical intimacy putting her at ease. My heart broke for Suzanne when she had her nightmare, and I loved Simon’s efforts to comfort her. Imagine both their shock when morning revealed the unexpected revival of Simon’s ability to feel! Poor Suzanne felt terribly betrayed. I loved Simon’s acceptance of her feelings and determination to be as patient as necessary to woo Suzanne. Luckily, Suzanne’s trust in Simon helps her face her fears. The slow reawakening of her desire is believable and moving. I loved how the love and intimacy between Simon and Suzanne grew over a credible amount of time, enabling both to overcome the fears and obstacles of their pasts. I loved seeing them both open their hearts fully at the end.
But this story is about more than just the romance of two wounded and lonely people. As a former intelligence officer, Simon still has contacts in the community. Because he is half-French and half-English, and Suzanne is French, they agree to test the temperature of the French émigré community regarding the possibility of Napoleon’s escape. That was an interesting evening, as Suzanne’s previous experience with these people hadn’t been a pleasant one. I loved seeing her get back a little of her pride as the evening progressed, capped off with a marvelous example of righteous anger.
The action moves to Belgium when Simon receives word that his favorite cousin, Lucas, who was believed dead, may have been spotted in Brussels. The sense of impending danger is palpable as they search for Lucas. With Napoleon’s escape, Wellington himself asks Simon to lend his talents to the war effort, and Suzanne insists on being part of it. The very real danger that they experience is vividly described, keeping me glued to the pages. Each of them makes significant contributions, though I feel like Suzanne’s may have won the prize for unexpectedness. The descriptions of the Battle of Waterloo were such that I could almost smell the cannon smoke and mud as I read.
Underneath it all was the theme of family. Both Simon and Suzanne were lonely, and initially their marriage was about having someone special who could alleviate that loneliness. Also on Simon’s side was his grief over the loss of his cousin, and then the revival of hope that he was still alive. I ached for Lucas when they found him and the pain that he was in because of his past. I had to laugh a little at the lecture he received from Suzanne regarding “wallowing” and how she gave him another way of looking at things. Suzanne believed herself to be without any family at all until a visit to her husband’s estate revealed otherwise. There were some tense moments, but in the end family ties won the day. In both cases, “family is family” was the most important thing to remember.
I also liked the cameo appearances of characters from earlier books. After Suzanne’s unpleasant reception from the émigré community, her trepidation over meeting the Rogue’s wives was understandable. It was fun to see these ladies together and their easy acceptance of Suzanne. Lord Kirkland, of course, had additional motivations.
I look forward to the next book and seeing who it will be. The last of the cellar Rogues, who briefly appeared in the previous book? Or will it be Lucas, who feels a need for redemption of his own? It can’t come soon enough!
Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney is book 4 in the Rogues Redeemed Sereis. This is the story of Simon Duval and Suzanne Duval. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book. Simon is returning home to England after being away as British intelligence officer. When he sees Suzanne again his cousin’s widow who he met at their wedding. Suzanne is the Comtesse de Chabron but she just has the title not any money which makes her a seamstress.
Simon and Suzanne go forward to help each other in a marriage of convince but of course this leads to more.
An enduring story of survival at it’s basic level, one through war and one through abuse and violence. Mary Jo Putney has written a story of trying to come back to life and live again with companionship that has no choice but to turn into more once these two wounded souls come together.
Simon Duval, is resigning his commission and seeks out his cousin’s widow, Suzanne Duval. To me Simon was mainly all that was good. Honorable, a well respected leader and he had a kind heart. But he he had also suffered from the war and had seen so much death including a woman he loved. He just wanted to get on with life.
Suzanne had suffered years of cruelty and poverty but had been trying to maintain as a seamstress in London. She had met Simon years ago when she had married his much older cousin. They had become acquainted all those years ago.
Both felt they would never feel desire or love, so Simon asks her to marry him in a moment that even suprises himself but feels they can have companionship and nothing else.
Sigh. This is a special story of love building when there seemed there was never any hope and the journey they took. Adventure, intrigue and a love that can hopefully blossom and endure! I highly recommend!
A beautiful, wounded young woman ravaged by war, a husband lacking in every way and held captive in a Harem finds herself free and without a cent to her name, forced to sew and mend to make ends meet. To her utter suprise the cousin of her deceased husband finds her and makes her an offer she is finding very hard to refuse. Though there are many stipulations! She is utterly lacking in passion and desire, Simon too finds himself completely lacking in that respect and a marriage of convenience and friendship is struck. But feelings have a way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. Compassion and understanding lead to deep respect and feelings of contentment. With another war on the horizon, spies are again needed as their search for a missing relative turns into espionage and the prospect of loosing the only peson she has ever truly loved. Sweet, action pact and heartfelt beyond measure, these two souls find peace and love when they thought it was never to be theirs.
Terrific, slow-burn, Regency romance!
After many long, hazardous years as a British spy, 29-year-old Simon Duval is thoroughly burned out. Half-French and half-English, and an inheritor of great wealth on his English side, rather than joining the French Royalist army to fight Napoleon, he believed he could do more good for the cause of liberating France—and Europe—from Napoleon by serving in the British Army. After Napoleon’s abdication in 1814, Simon is finally free to resign his commission and return to England. Once in London again, he is delighted to discover that his cousin’s widow, Suzanne, is alive and well, though living in poverty while working as a low-paid seamstress to support herself.
Suzanne Duval, the Comtesse de Chambron, met and became friends with Simon 12 years earlier, just prior to her marriage at age 15 to Simon’s 30-something cousin, Jean-Louis Duval, the Comte de Chambron. In the intervening years, Suzanne’s husband fled France taking Suzanne with him. Their ship was attacked by pirates, Jean-Louis was killed, and Suzanne was captured and sold into a harem in Constantinople. (Her eventual escape from the harem occurs during Book 3 of this series, Once a Scoundrel, but it is not essential to read that story in order to get a complete picture of how her harrowing harem experiences have adversely affected her life. That is fully revealed in this book.)
Simon and Suzanne both believe they are incapable of sexual response, Simon because of burnout and Suzanne because of being sexually abused in the harem. In spite of her determination to never be controlled by any man again, when Simon proposes a marriage of comfortable, platonic companionship, Suzanne finds his generosity, warmth and kindness impossible to resist, and she accepts.
As Suzanne and Simon settle into their unconventional marriage, news comes that Napoleon has escaped from Elba and has headed to France to reconstitute his army. Simon and Suzanne are called upon, as a native-French-speaker spying team, to enter perilously unstable France, both to gather intelligence for General Wellington and to try and locate Simon’s long-missing cousin, Lucas, who has been spotted in France.
Once a Spy is Book 4 in the Rogues Redeemed, Regency romance series by award-winning, historical romance author, Mary Jo Putney. Chapter 1 of Once a Soldier, Book 1 of this series, sets the stage for these interlinked, standalone novels. In Portugal, in 1809, five English spies have been captured by Bonapartist soldiers and have been condemned to be executed in front of a firing squad the following dawn. When they manage to escape from the cellar where they are being held via a secret tunnel, each of the five men vows to redeem their formerly roguish existence, and they make a pact to reconnect with each other in London after the war is over. Will Masterson is the hero of Book 1, Once a Soldier. Lord George Gordon Audley is the hero of Book 2, Once a Rebel. Gabriel Hawkins is the hero of Book 3, Once a Scoundrel. Simon Duval is the hero of Book 4, this book, Once a Spy. Chantry is a subcharacter in Book 3, whom Gabriel Hawkins meets in Constantinople working as an aide to the British ambassador there. Gabriel recognizes his fellow escapee, though he is using a different name, Ramsay. It is my understanding that Ramsay will be the hero of Book 6 in this series. Simon’s cousin, Lucas, was not in the basement in Portugal with the five others, but he is introduced in this book as another fascinating and very sympathetic “rogue” who wants and needs redemption, and I was intrigued to learn that he will be the hero of Book 5.
I am a big fan of “slow burn” romances, and this heart-warming romance is an excellent example of that approach. Simon and Suzanne are both strong, honorable, compassionate, and very attractive protagonists, and it was a pleasure to read about their growing friendship, love, and mutual, sexual healing. Ms. Putney is extremely skilled at writing sex scenes that are both highly emotional and deeply passionate, which talent is on full display in this book. The unique sexual situation of both Simon and Suzanne brings an additional layer of sensitivity and compassion to their eventual lovemaking that is very moving.
There are many scenes of exciting action-adventure in this book which are connected to Napoleon’s 1815 Hundred Days of restoration to power before his final defeat at Waterloo. All of these scenes are impressively written with great historical accuracy, and they are given compelling immediacy as we experience electrifying events through the eyes of Simon and Suzanne.
I also enjoyed the cameo appearances of the wonderful protagonists from the previous three books in this series when members of the Rogues Redeemed fellowship reconnect with Simon in London.
I have very much enjoyed every one of the Rogues Redeemed novels so far, and I greatly look forward to the upcoming books in this marvelous series.
I have had the opportunity to experience this terrific novel both in its Kindle version and as an audiobook. The latter is narrated by a British voice talent named Beverley A. Crick, who does an outstanding job. Her voice is melodious, and she convincingly portrays both genders, all ages, and many different national and regional accents.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Action-Adventure Spy Plot: 5 stars
Historical Settings: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars