Rating: 
Summary: Laughter, Tears, Sighs, Nail-biting, everything!
Review: I absolutely loved this book! Unforgettable hero and heroine (especially the heroine), Simon Raine and Agatha Cunnington will leave you laughing out loud, sighing with delight and crying from the powerful emotion evoked. Like the reviewer before me, I don't want to talk much about the plot because it would be difficult to do so without accidently spilling plot twists and the sweet and funny bits. The attraction between the couple is so amazing and powerful, you just couldn't get enough of them! Agatha's unconventional beauty is refreshing and such a delight, you will just fall in love with her! Simon's frustration at his uncontrolled attraction to Agatha and not to mention his past, makes him the most endearing hero you could ever get! Celeste Bradley's quirky narrative and snappy dialogue, plus the nerve-racking plot made this book an absolute page-turner. This story has the combination of incredible love, sacrifice, comedy, suspense (extreme) and twists with a wonderful finale that will make you hug the book once you have finished. Finally, excellent supporting characters lift the story and moves it along, filling the gaps to make the story whole. There is just so much to this story that I could go on forever! A MUST READ!
Rating: 
Summary: So weak I couldn't finish it
Review: I bought this book and "The Imposter" because of the great reviews here on Amazon. Won't make that mistake again. The writing was so weak, where the reader had to be constantly reminded what a viper one of the characters was because the dialogue and descriptions couldn't actually convey that. While Simon was interesting, Agatha was totally annoying--hardly the intelligent, witty, and spirited heroine other reviewers have described. If you want truly intelligent and feisty heroines, read Suzanne Enoch's "The Rake" or Mary Balogh's "Slightly Scandalous" or "Slightly Tempted." Enoch's Georgiana and Balogh's Bedwyns would strike back at someone who insulted them rather than "projecting monumental idiocy."
Rating:
Summary: So weak I couldn't finish it
Review: I bought this book and "The Imposter" because of the great reviews here on Amazon. Won't make that mistake again. The writing was so weak, where the reader had to be constantly reminded what a viper one of the characters was because the dialogue and descriptions couldn't actually convey that. While Simon was interesting, Agatha was totally annoying--hardly the intelligent, witty, and spirited heroine other reviewers have described. If you want truly intelligent and feisty heroines, read Suzanne Enoch's "The Rake" or Mary Balogh's "Slightly Scandalous" or "Slightly Tempted." Enoch's Georgiana and Balogh's Bedwyns would strike back at someone who insulted them rather than "projecting monumental idiocy."
Rating:
Summary: Unexpected find-- great read!
Review: I bought this book at random and it was worth the time and the money! Abby is looking for her brother, who has gone missing. To provide more freedom of movement, she arrives in London and pretends to be married. Simon is also looking for her brother, but not quite for the same reasons. Simon believes her brother is a traitor and has turned his back on Simon and the other "liars" that are spies for England during the Napoleonic wars. When Abby and Simon meet, sparks and hilarity ensue. This book is funny, entertaining, moving, and just worth it! It also acts as the beginning for a new series-- one that I am already waiting for the sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Unexpected find-- great read!
Review: I bought this book at random and it was worth the time and the money! Abby is looking for her brother, who has gone missing. To provide more freedom of movement, she arrives in London and pretends to be married. Simon is also looking for her brother, but not quite for the same reasons. Simon believes her brother is a traitor and has turned his back on Simon and the other "liars" that are spies for England during the Napoleonic wars. When Abby and Simon meet, sparks and hilarity ensue. This book is funny, entertaining, moving, and just worth it! It also acts as the beginning for a new series-- one that I am already waiting for the sequel.
Rating:
Summary: I Just Loved it!
Review: I loved all the characters in this book, especially the heroine. I recomend this book to anyone who loves romance and has a sense of humor. I will definately by all Celeste Bradley's books and I hope she can write fast.
Rating:
Summary: Great characters, great story...great book.
Review: I usually don't like romance novels that are described as humorous, because that usually means ridiculous situations and absurd plots that don't make me laugh at all. I think this is the first romance novel written in this style that has made me laugh. And the best part is, it doesn't take away from the love story. Agatha is incredible. She is smart, witty, independent and very stubborn, when she wants something she doesn't stop until she gets it, and this created some of the funniest scenes in the book. And she was hilarious! I mean, the way she could just spin a tale in a second! The only thing I found a little unbelievable and improbable was her ability with cards. Where would she have learned those tricks? You need to be a seasoned gambler, or at least have had a very good teacher to know how to shuffle cards like a pro and cheat. But aside from that little detail, her character was very believable and likeable. Simon was great too. His character is not as original as Agatha's, he is more your usual romance hero, but he was ok. The story had a little of everything, laughs, tears, sensuality, heartbreaking moments, action and suspense. Very entertaining. I will run to get the next book of this series "The Impostor", since the preview looks very promising and I can't wait to read Dalton's story.
Rating:
Summary: an excellent beginning to a brilliant new series
Review: I've just finished "The Pretender" & "The Impostor" (the first two books in Celeste Bradley's The Liar's Club series), and all I can say that Regency romance readers are in for a treat! Finally, we readers are being treated as intelligent people with taste and discrimination. No heroes that make your hands itch for a frying pan, no foolish yet feisty heroines, and no storylines that beggar belief! Instead, we have an interesting and compelling storyline, revolving around a hero who deserves the appellation of 'hero' and a heroine who's intelligent, determined and brave. Miss Agatha Cunnington is in a pickle. Her brother, James, is missing and her greedy neighbour (who also happens to be the executor to her dead father's will) is trying to pressure her into marrying his repulsive son. So, Agatha escapes to London in order to find James. Disguising herself as a married woman (Mrs. Agatha Applequist), Agatha hopes to infiltrate society in order to find the "Griffin," a master spy, whom she suspects knows what has become of James. But her plan hits a snag when because of the suspicions of one particular society matron, she must produce Mr. Applequist and quickly. Fortunately for her, Fate steps in in the shape of a chimney-sweep, Simon Rains. Tall and sinfully handsome, Agatha is sure that if she can pass Simon off as Mr. Applequist, all her troubles will be over. But can she persuade the rough cockney chimney-sweep to cooperate with her plans? Someone is killing off the members of the Liar's Club (a group of rogues and thieves who work as intelligence gatherers for the Crown). And Simon Montague Raines is sure that it is James Cunnington. James has since disappeared, and Simon is sure that Mrs. Applequist (whom he assumes is James's mistress) holds the key to James's whereabouts. All Simon needs to do is to find some way to infiltrate the Applequist household. And what better way than by pretending to be Mr. Applequist? All seems to be proceeding according to plan, that is, until Simon realizes that Agatha is unlike any other lady he's ever met. Never has met so intelligent, devious and determined a lady -- and she's also kind and compassionate to boot. And it doesn't take Simon long to realize just how deep and inappropriate his feelings for Agatha really are. For Simon fully intends to arrest James on the charge of treason as soon as he finds him. And just how this will affect Agatha is something he dares not contemplate... If you like big Regency romance novels -- the ones with sweeping plot-lines that possess a few twists and turns and moments of poignancy, humour and tenderness, with good character development, and a sizzling attraction between the hero and heroine (where neither of them is in denial about their attraction to each other), than you'll really be pleased with "The Pretender." Celeste Bradley is a gem of a writer. Somehow she's managed to incorporate all the elements of what makes a book a good romantic read without letting any one element taking over -- the spy subplot is not told at the expense of the romance subplot (or vice versa) and neither subplot is hampered by overblown sex scenes or a prose style that will make you hoot with laughter. Indeed, "The Pretender" is an all around excellent read, that should not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: an excellent beginning to a brilliant new series
Review: I've just finished "The Pretender" & "The Impostor" (the first two books in Celeste Bradley's The Liar's Club series), and all I can say that Regency romance readers are in for a treat! Finally, we readers are being treated as intelligent people with taste and discrimination. No heroes that make your hands itch for a frying pan, no foolish yet feisty heroines, and no storylines that beggar belief! Instead, we have an interesting and compelling storyline, revolving around a hero who deserves the appellation of 'hero' and a heroine who's intelligent, determined and brave. Miss Agatha Cunnington is in a pickle. Her brother, James, is missing and her greedy neighbour (who also happens to be the executor to her dead father's will) is trying to pressure her into marrying his repulsive son. So, Agatha escapes to London in order to find James. Disguising herself as a married woman (Mrs. Agatha Applequist), Agatha hopes to infiltrate society in order to find the "Griffin," a master spy, whom she suspects knows what has become of James. But her plan hits a snag when because of the suspicions of one particular society matron, she must produce Mr. Applequist and quickly. Fortunately for her, Fate steps in in the shape of a chimney-sweep, Simon Rains. Tall and sinfully handsome, Agatha is sure that if she can pass Simon off as Mr. Applequist, all her troubles will be over. But can she persuade the rough cockney chimney-sweep to cooperate with her plans? Someone is killing off the members of the Liar's Club (a group of rogues and thieves who work as intelligence gatherers for the Crown). And Simon Montague Raines is sure that it is James Cunnington. James has since disappeared, and Simon is sure that Mrs. Applequist (whom he assumes is James's mistress) holds the key to James's whereabouts. All Simon needs to do is to find some way to infiltrate the Applequist household. And what better way than by pretending to be Mr. Applequist? All seems to be proceeding according to plan, that is, until Simon realizes that Agatha is unlike any other lady he's ever met. Never has met so intelligent, devious and determined a lady -- and she's also kind and compassionate to boot. And it doesn't take Simon long to realize just how deep and inappropriate his feelings for Agatha really are. For Simon fully intends to arrest James on the charge of treason as soon as he finds him. And just how this will affect Agatha is something he dares not contemplate... If you like big Regency romance novels -- the ones with sweeping plot-lines that possess a few twists and turns and moments of poignancy, humour and tenderness, with good character development, and a sizzling attraction between the hero and heroine (where neither of them is in denial about their attraction to each other), than you'll really be pleased with "The Pretender." Celeste Bradley is a gem of a writer. Somehow she's managed to incorporate all the elements of what makes a book a good romantic read without letting any one element taking over -- the spy subplot is not told at the expense of the romance subplot (or vice versa) and neither subplot is hampered by overblown sex scenes or a prose style that will make you hoot with laughter. Indeed, "The Pretender" is an all around excellent read, that should not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: superb Regency romance
Review: In 1813, Agatha Cunningham flees her home to avoid the unwanted advances of her odious neighbor, "Repulsive" Reggie Peasley and to find her missing brother James. In order to travel by herself, Agatha pretends to be married to Mortimer Applequist, an imaginary person she conveniently made up. However, her lies have caught up with her as the London ladies she recently met demand meeting her fictional spouse. Simon "Rain" Raines heads the Liar's Club, a group of pickpockets and thieves who work for the King in search of French spies. He thinks his former best friend and associate James Cunningham turned traitor as he has been missing for several weeks, secret operatives have been killed, and his bank account has grown. He goes to James' home to encounter the man's mistress, a Mrs. Applequist, but garbs the disguise of a chimneysweep. Before he knows what happened, he pretends to be Mr. Applequist. As he and Agatha fall in love, Simon wonders how will she react when he arrests her lover, not knowing that James is her brother. Regency romance fans will take immense pleasure in the first Liar's Club novel, a fun tale due to the outrageous antics of the intrepid heroine (sort of like a Baroness Munchausen). Simon is a delightful protagonist trying to overcome being the son of a Covent Garden whore who traded her body for meal money for them and an unknown father. This delightful winner belongs to Agatha, whose spins are clever and fabulous as she learns "oh what a web we weave when we first deceive". Harriet Klausner
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