In this hilarious homage to Jane Austen, a lady with a penchant for trouble finds a handsome spy much more than merely tolerable.
"It's Jane Austen meets Jane Foster in Anstey's debut novel, which serves up a delightful combination of Regency romance, scientific curiosity, and spy intrigue for a tale that will have readers rooting for love and science." -Entertainment Weekly
Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She's much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she's determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish her research.
Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana's traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.
Full of humor and English Regency Period charm, and starring a whip-smart strong female heroine, Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey is a young adult novel with the perfect mix of romance, action, and adventure.
"A tongue-in-cheek nod to Regency romances, Anstey's lighthearted novel is perfect for readers looking for an Austen-inspired tale of intrigue and romance. The story gets an additional boost from Juliana's many humorous scrapes, which are unbefitting of a nineteenth-century lady. This would make a nice companion for Garth Nix's farcical Newt's Emerald." -Booklist
"Give to young teens in need of a fluffier Patrice Kindl's Keeping the Castle. . . . A cute premise and cover make this a solid purchase for budding historical romance readers." -School Library Journal
"I cannot tell you how much I love this book. Juliana, Spencer, Bobbington, ALL of them are just so utterly wonderful. This is BETTER than Georgette Heyer. YEP, I SAID IT." -Kelly Zekas, author of These Vicious Masks