Rating: 
Summary: Hard to put down
Review: Lady Pen Bryanston's...mother-in-law tried to convince her that her son had been stillborn- but Pen knew better. She Heard him cry. There wasn't a single boring moment in this book- filled with [mystery] and intrigue. If it weren't for the blatent head hopping I would give this book five stars. I can't wait to read her sister Pippa's story.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding Exciting Historical
Review: Lady Pen Bryanston, a beautiful widow has been but a shadow of herself - she is tormented after losing her husband, then her child some years back. As a lady in waiting to Princess Mary in the year 1550 she meets the very sophisticated spy Owen d'Arcy whose initial approach to her rather surprised and intrigued her. Owen, a somewhat dispassionate and unreadable spy originally sees Pen as another pawn to be used in the plots and intrigues surrounding the royal family. Pen, who has always been sensible, was not swept away by Owen - curious though her interest was piqued. Pen strikes a devil's bargain with the handsome, dangerous man. Pen needs Owen to uncover the truth about the baby her vicious mother-in-law claimed stillborn -dead at birth. She must use her position as favorite lady-in-waiting to spy on the princess. The situation becomes quite complicated for Pen as she battles her memories of her husband Philip with the passion and lust she begins to feel for Owen. Owen, dark and dangerous, finds himself attracted to Pen on many levels, she makes him start to reassess his life and his motives and as Owen unravels and begins to prove Pen's obsession with the questionable death of her son, a very dangerous political storm is gathers around the people she most loves, her brother Robin (a spy fro the opposing side), Princess Mary, her parents and sisters. To Kiss a Spy is the second book in the 'Kiss' trilogy. It is filled with wonderfully descriptive and colorful historical facts that keep you on the edge of your seat as the central characters race against time to escape political maneuverings and save their loved ones from losing their heads. This book most definitely stands alone, but I do suggest that for any die-hard historical reader to really get the whole feel and flavor of this period in history to read them in the order of publication. Personally, I cannot wait to start 'Kissed by Shadows' the third entry to this fantastic series.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit boring
Review: Maybe it would have helped if I had read "A Widow's Kiss," the book which comes before this one. However, I had not, and so I found the characters to be a tad boring and ridiculous. The main problem I had was that Pen's family did not believe her, when she continually protested that her child was alive and not still born as her Mother-in-law had said. Now if this was right after the tragedy that Pen had stated this, and then allowed herself to be pursuaded that it had not happened, that she had not heard her child cry, well then I could understand the parents and family members not believing her. However for two + years, she was staunch in her recollections, and therefore, some family member should have said "Hmm, maybe there is something to this." Instead it takes a total stranger to believe what she has to say. Not much of a family if you ask me. The stepbrother, Robin, I found to be predictable and boring. The sister, Pippa, was too flaky. The rest of the characters were not fleshed out enough. If you want to waste your time on this book, I have to believe that perhaps reading "A Widow's Kiss" might be worth your while, otherwise, skip it.
Rating: 
Summary: A slow, slow book...
Review: There's only one word to describe this book: Slow. The prologue started out good, but then everything went on slowly. The action was slow, the characters were boring, (save for Pippa who was a tad refreshing) and I was very tempted to stop reading the book, but (luckily?) I continued.
The story started picking up halfway through when Pen started to actually look for The Son Who -she believes- Is Still Alive with Owen. So the story proceeded on slowly, and still ended up okay.
So basically, the second half of the book is the redeeming part. But if you are someone who, like me, cannot wait for the plot to slowly develope, you might do well by skipping this one.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent romance of mystery and intrigue
Review: This easily under-rated romance by maverick Jane Feather surpasses the mainstream historical fanfare with a scrupulous research of England's 16th century era and meticulous plotting. Lady Pen Bryanston, confidante of the to-be Queen Mary is targeted by French Ambassador to the English Court as a source of information to Mary's well-being and succession to the throne relinquished after young King Edward VI's delicate constitution. He sends master spy Owen D' Arcy to seduce Pen - only to be attracted to her cool-headed front and courage. When she discovers Owen is a spy, they strike a bargain that he finds her son who was secretly taken away by her mother-in-law just after minutes of his birth while she acts the mole. As such Jane Feather's romance is downplayed by the sprawling plot and intrigue. But what delicious cunning and treacherous betrayal to jolt readers into suspenseful tenterhooks! Ambitious dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk plan to oust Mary by making the ailing Edward sign the Device and conquer England; Pen outwits her cruel mother-in-law with a subtle allegation of treason. The climax saturates with the escape of Mary to her father and brother closely thwarted by the relentless pursuit of the dukes. The subdued romance element is poignantly illustrated through Owen's dark secrets and protective instincts towards Pen. Jane Feather's protagonists are refreshingly matured and too level-headed to engage in sentimental romance. To Kiss A Spy becomes convincingly real and engaging to break free of the traditional mold. It is a rare gem that proves intelligence can be associated with romance.
Rating:
Summary: Where is the romance???
Review: Very flat and dull, extremely disappointing. I had been given this book and told to read anything by Jane Feather, that it would be excellent. Well, it was average at best. I liked the history and the setting, though the author really does need to do a better job of capturing life in Renaissance England. The characters were wooden and predictable, the book plot-driven only. As for sizzle and sensuality, more like fizzle and not even foreplay! The hero tries valiantly to like her, but Pen is not a nice person a lot of the time. The trust between them hardly builds enough to convince us they are falling in love, and the ending of the novel really falls completely flat. I know it is supposed to be part of a series, but I am most definitely not swept away by this novel enough to care about Lady Pen, let alone the first or the next book.
Rating:
Summary: a well written historical romance
Review: What I really liked about "To Kiss A Spy" was that Jane Feather took such great care to get the feel of this turbulent period in English history right. She accurately portrays the political jockeying for power and the international intrigue that was going on behind the scenes even as the young boy king, Edward VI, lay dying; and how ordinary people, who had very little interest in political power got sucked into the dangerous game of chance that powerful land barons were playing in the early 16th century. Of course the fact that this was also a romance novel that featured a determined and intelligent heroine, and an enigmatic and intriguing hero, helped make this historical romance novel a truly marvelous read as well! The novel opens with Lady Pen Bryanston, the eldest daughter of Lady Guinevere Mallory (from "The Widow's Kiss") valiantly trying to give birth. She is a recent widow (her husband had died of a mysterious illness). But through all the pain of childbirth, and even though she is heavily drugged, she feels herself give birth to a life child; so that she's quite horrified when she is told by her mother-in-law, a truly evil woman, that she had given birth to a son but that it was stillborn. Because of this, Pen's husband's lands and title pass on to his weak younger brother who is completely ruled by his mother. The novel than fast forwards a couple of years. Pen is now a lady-in-waiting to Princess Mary (the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon), but she has never given up hope that her son is still alive and that she will find him. In the meantime, the young king is dying, and it looks as if Princess Mary will be next in line for the English throne. However, Mary is Catholic, and the religion of England is fervently Protestant. The Duke of Northumberland, John Dudley, has a bold plan in mind keep England Protestant (and to maintain his hold on the throne) involving the Duke of Suffolk's eldest daughter, Jane Grey, who is a Tudor by blood as well as an ardent Protestant. And this is where Owen d'Arcy, the hero of this novel enters the picture. A Frenchman, Owen is in the pay of the Holy Roman Emperor, who also happens to be Princess Mary's uncle, and he fears for his niece's future. Owen is sent to England in order to infiltrate the English court. The plan is for Owen to seduce Lady Pen Bryanston, and to get her to spy on the Princess for them -- talk about a plan full of loopholes! Pen however turns the tables on Owen: used to being able to seduce women with a few charming words and smiles, he is stunned when Pen seems to be impervious to his charms. However, Owen soon finds a way to get to Pen, by agreeing to help discover, once and for all, if Pen's child had indeed died at childbirth, or if the Dowager Countess of Bryanston had something to do with the child's disappearance. In exchange for his help, Pen agrees to spy on the Princess for Owen. However this simple contract soon becomes complicated by the growing attraction that Pen and Owen feel for each other, and by the reappearance on Pen's stepbrother, Robin, who is an agent of Northumberland's and who warns Pen to be on her guard against Owen, a man who has a dark past involving his own wife and children. What is Pen to do? Whom is she to believe? Instinctively, Pen doesn't believe Robin's claims, but surely her beloved stepbrother would not lie to her? Things become especially tense when it becomes all too obvious that the king is not long for this earth. With time running out, Pen and Owen must work their way through mistrust in order to successfully achieve their different goals. But can they do so? My advice is to either buy this book at once (if you can afford it) or else reserve a copy at your local library, for "To Kiss A Spy" is a romance novel not to be missed. The romance that develops between Pen and Owen is electric and memorable, and refreshingly grown-up! And the plot is not one to be sneezed at either! And I liked the manner in which Feather used historical actuality as a backdrop to this fictional romance -- making this novel more substantial and interesting a read. All the characters were nicely developed (esp Pen, who possessed all the intelligence and determination and courage that every romance reader hopes the heroine would), and the plot unfolded at a breakneck pace 'that made' me devour this novel in one setting. Another thing in this novel's favour is that in spite of the many diverse subplots -- the political intirigue, the hunt for Pen's child, and the developing romance between Pen and Owen -- nothing gets sidelined. Truly a fun read.
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