As one of my favorite authors, I was more than excited to receive a copy of Julie Ann Long’s newest book, You Were Made To Be Mine, which will be released on June 28th, 2022.
This romance is compelling, focused around two people who have “fallen from grace” and who are in hiding for different reasons. The plot is centered around espionage and has many of the classic elements of a British spy store, complete with the traitor villain, the falsely accused hero, and the trail that must be followed for our hero to get justice, both for himself and for the heroine.
Christian Hawkes, the hero, is a recently released French prisoner who has been stripped of his fortune and has little left to live for. He is offered a deal by the very man who betrayed him: he must find this man’s finance (our heroine) and return her to him, and Hawkes will then receive enough money to restore his former life.
Meanwhile, Lady Aurelie, the runaway finance, is holed up at the Grand Palace on the Thames, pretending to be a widow and trying to find a way to get across the ocean to her brother in America. Hawkes locates her about 1/3 of the way into the book and the romance kicks off, though both are cagey and refuse to reveal their true identities. Instead, they begin a sort of cat-and-mouse game while Hawkes tries to figure out what to do with her.
Even so, both main characters fall in love quickly. In fact, it seems that they’ve barely had a few conversations before they’re regarding each other as the most important thing in the world. The romance is enchanting and feels very serious, but I can’t help but wish that we had a few more – inane? – conversations before things got so heavy.
Really, I wanted more of the details between the characters. I wanted to see them fall in love because of a stupid joke, to learn about each other’s likes and habits. Instead, most of the relationship is centered on their trauma and a bit on revenge. In typical Julie Ann Long style, it’s extremely well-done, yet I had no sense that I knew the characters beyond their trauma as I finished the book. Once the external plot is solved, I couldn’t find it in myself to care much more about these characters and the future of their relationship. Had more interactions been woven into the beginning of the book (and the characters met earlier) I think I would have been more invested in them than just the plot.
I must say that as individuals, these characters truly shine. Hawkes is a hard man who has clearly done some terrible things to survive, but never once does he lose his innate sense of kindness. He is simply good. Meanwhile, Lady Aurelie is determined to make her own way in the world. Despite suffering far too much for a woman of 21, despite having virtually no one who cares for her, she refuses to give up. She’s one of the bravest sheltered women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Long also does a wonderful job showing what the characters do have in common. Despite an age difference and a massive gap in life experience, there is a clear kinship between the two that develops immediately. I only wish we had a bit more time to see the relationship grow before they are *in love.*
The intimate love scene happens towards the end of the book and is really beautiful, especially given the characters’ past trauma. The writing shows how they are able to break down each other’s walls and feel safe. It brought tears to my eyes! However, I wouldn’t have minded a few smaller scenes leading to the love scene. There is very little physical contact between the hero and the heroine (save one kiss that is extremely brief) and I would have been thrilled to see a few more “hot and heavy” scenes, especially in the Grand Palace on the Thames. There’s so much potential for quick hallway/broom closet moments! As a reader, I needed a few more of these scenes to see the romance build and to understand how the heroine could overcome her trauma so quickly. I wanted to see the gradual progression of her realization regarding physical love.
Overall, this is a lovely installment with a GREAT cast of characters in the Palace. Julie Ann Long truly creates a charming world full of interesting people. The suspense is there and the external plot is character-oriented, driving the reader to plow through the book at a breakneck speed.
In the fifth installment of USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s charming Palace of Rogues series, a rakish spy finds more than he bargained for in his pursuit of an earl’s enchanting runaway fiancee.
The mission: Find the Earl of Brundage’s runaway fiancee in exchange for a fortune. Child’s play for legendary British former spymaster, Christian Hawkes. The catch? Hawkes knows in his bones that Brundage is the traitor to England who landed him in a brutal French prison. Hawkes is destitute, the earl is desperate, and a bargain is struck.
Fleeing a savagely shattered dream, the sheltered Lady Aurelie Capet finds refuge in an alias and the warmth and kindness of the Grand Palace on the Thames—until a gorgeous, mysterious disturbance to her peace literally topples through the door.
An unexpected, fierce desire that feels destined, dangerous—and devastatingly sweet—ignites between the sheltered beauty and the jaded spy, and as they slowly unravel each other’s shocking secrets Hawkes closes in on the truth about the earl. Soon it’s clear they can have no future without vanquishing the past: Hawkes knows that loving her means avenging her. Aurelie knows that loving Hawkes means freeing him to do that, no matter the cost.
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
