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The Charade
Honor, freedom, liberty...those were mere words to Katie Armstrong, a savvy thief and indentured servant on the run in colonial Boston. For the sake of survival, she agreed to a British lord's unmask the identity of the patriot known as John Smith, or be returned to her brutal master. But soon the cagey John Smith was making the same threat -- unless she spied for him. Katie planned to play both men against each other...until, masquerading as Smith's mistress, she lost her heart to the seductive stranger she had set out to undo.
Ethan Harding's steely heart was ready to risk anything to end British tyranny -- even if it meant taking on the false identity of John Smith, putting his own life in jeopardy, or blackmailing a beautiful and terrified young woman. And if that woman's angelic face made other men spill their secrets, so much the better. But now, Katie Armstrong's charms were about to betray his heart and his cause -- and his desire for the elusive temptress would turn the tables on everyone and everything he had pledged to protect.
Ethan Harding's steely heart was ready to risk anything to end British tyranny -- even if it meant taking on the false identity of John Smith, putting his own life in jeopardy, or blackmailing a beautiful and terrified young woman. And if that woman's angelic face made other men spill their secrets, so much the better. But now, Katie Armstrong's charms were about to betray his heart and his cause -- and his desire for the elusive temptress would turn the tables on everyone and everything he had pledged to protect.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2000
21 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lee Guhrke
41 books1,818 followersFrom the publication of her very first historical romance, Laura Lee Guhrke has received numerous honors and critical acclaim for her novels and her writing style. She has been honored with the most prestigious award of romance fiction, the Romance Writers of America Rita Award, and she has received additional awards from Romantic Times and All About Romance. Romantic Times has proclaimed her, “One of the most natural voices in historical romance to be found today”. Her books routinely hit the USA Today Bestseller List, and Guilty Pleasures has been honored with the Romantic Times Award for Best European Historical Romance of 2004. Among her publishing credits are twelve historical romances, including her latest, And Then He Kissed Her, now available from Avon Books.
Laura is currently hard at work on her thirteenth historical romance for Avon Books. She has also written articles for various publications, including the Romance Writers Report, The British Weekly , and the Irish-American Press.
Laura is currently hard at work on her thirteenth historical romance for Avon Books. She has also written articles for various publications, including the Romance Writers Report, The British Weekly , and the Irish-American Press.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 20, 2022
Jan 2022
Very good Book. I picked this book for Revolutionary War for BOTM. I'm glad I did!
Katie has been living on streets for a long time. She's an escaped indentured/slave. After watching her cruel master rape, whip, and beat a girl to death, Katie ran. She's now in Boston trying to get enough money to leave. Unfortunately, she picks the wrong wallet. The soulless Viscount will pay her indentured card and give her a huge bag of gold. All she has to do is find out who John Smith. Easy right?
Ethan has been living two identities. One as a ship owner, respectable Tory. But by night he's John Smith who's on a mission to destroy the British. He is suspicious of Katie immediately. Kate tricked her way into living and cleaning at the partiot tavern.
One night she follows home John Smith and is discovered by him. He gives her a choice he will turn her over to her master(a fate worse than death ) or she will work for him. She'll pose as his mistress and discover the Viscount's motives. Katie is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
While working with Evan she begins to fall in love. Hes a very intriguing man. Even if he's a fool in believing in freedom. How can she save him?
I love how the author showed both sides of the war. For example: at a Patriot Tarvern to celebrate the Boston massacre the men started screaming. A Britch officer said "fie on you Fie. " The newspaper printed that an officer said "fire on you all fire 🔥". It showed how newspapers will try to keep people angry and on their side. They don't do that now,? Rhetorical question.
I loved watching the MC relationship. He understands her. Katie was taught at a young age not to count on anybody but herself. She really is an incredible,/clever woman! I loved Ethan but Katie overshadows everybody. If nothing else read this book for Katie.
The book comes down to will she give up the H or offer up her own life. I have to say the ending was fascinating. The books ends right before the Bartle of Lexington and Concord. I wish the book was a continued series. I think Katie would be more help in the Revolutionary War than Claire Fraser. SORRY Claire 🥰🥰
Very good Book. I picked this book for Revolutionary War for BOTM. I'm glad I did!
Katie has been living on streets for a long time. She's an escaped indentured/slave. After watching her cruel master rape, whip, and beat a girl to death, Katie ran. She's now in Boston trying to get enough money to leave. Unfortunately, she picks the wrong wallet. The soulless Viscount will pay her indentured card and give her a huge bag of gold. All she has to do is find out who John Smith. Easy right?
Ethan has been living two identities. One as a ship owner, respectable Tory. But by night he's John Smith who's on a mission to destroy the British. He is suspicious of Katie immediately. Kate tricked her way into living and cleaning at the partiot tavern.
One night she follows home John Smith and is discovered by him. He gives her a choice he will turn her over to her master(a fate worse than death ) or she will work for him. She'll pose as his mistress and discover the Viscount's motives. Katie is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
While working with Evan she begins to fall in love. Hes a very intriguing man. Even if he's a fool in believing in freedom. How can she save him?
I love how the author showed both sides of the war. For example: at a Patriot Tarvern to celebrate the Boston massacre the men started screaming. A Britch officer said "fie on you Fie. " The newspaper printed that an officer said "fire on you all fire 🔥". It showed how newspapers will try to keep people angry and on their side. They don't do that now,? Rhetorical question.
I loved watching the MC relationship. He understands her. Katie was taught at a young age not to count on anybody but herself. She really is an incredible,/clever woman! I loved Ethan but Katie overshadows everybody. If nothing else read this book for Katie.
The book comes down to will she give up the H or offer up her own life. I have to say the ending was fascinating. The books ends right before the Bartle of Lexington and Concord. I wish the book was a continued series. I think Katie would be more help in the Revolutionary War than Claire Fraser. SORRY Claire 🥰🥰
October 31, 2015
Katie Armstrong was an indentured servant who ran away from her master and is living as a thief on the streets of Boston. Caught stealing by Viscount Lowden, she is blackmailed into spying for him or she will be sent to jail. Katie must uncover the true identity of a Patriot known as John Smith. But when she tracks down John Smith, he threatens to send her back to her master unless she helps him spy against the British. Ethan Harding is using his connections to the British aristocracy to learn the troop movements. Using the false identity of John Smith, he then passes on his information to Paul Revere and his friends. He knows Katie can help him dig up information that will be useful to his cause, but can he trust her?
It's so nice to read a historical romance that isn't set in Regency England. This book takes place at the very beginning of the American Revolution. The British Army occupies Boston and the residents certainly aren't happy about it. Katie is being blackmailed by both sides of the conflict and is playing both men against each other. Of course, it's no surprise which side she eventually ends up on. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
It's so nice to read a historical romance that isn't set in Regency England. This book takes place at the very beginning of the American Revolution. The British Army occupies Boston and the residents certainly aren't happy about it. Katie is being blackmailed by both sides of the conflict and is playing both men against each other. Of course, it's no surprise which side she eventually ends up on. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
August 21, 2020
This book is definitely more historical fiction with a secondary romance plot between Ethan and Katie, so be aware of that going into it. There is a LOT about the history of the time frame, and I feel like the author did a pretty good job on that. But the romance definitely took a backseat to the spying and intrigues.
I liked the character of Katie quite a bit. She had a horrible time of life, but she has done what she had to do to survive.
I liked Ethan, too, even though he was a bit too married to the cause for my tastes.
I'd recommend the book, especially since there doesn't seem to be a ton of romances set in this era, which is a shame, because it's a really interesting one! But this is very light on the romance, and the sex scenes were pretty tame.
I liked the character of Katie quite a bit. She had a horrible time of life, but she has done what she had to do to survive.
I liked Ethan, too, even though he was a bit too married to the cause for my tastes.
I'd recommend the book, especially since there doesn't seem to be a ton of romances set in this era, which is a shame, because it's a really interesting one! But this is very light on the romance, and the sex scenes were pretty tame.
September 28, 2018
A well-written Revolutionary War romance starring two spies that will appeal to fans of Alyssa Cole's Loyal League series. The romance was understated and (dare I say) underdeveloped in order to make room for the spying and espionage plots, but it wasn't much of an issue. Overall, an enjoyable book.
July 27, 2011
This was an excellent read and the fact that I won this book at the BooksonBoard Revolutionary Giveaway over on www.booksonboard.com is the icing on my cake!
This book takes place in Boston in the days prior to the Battle of Lexxington and Concord. The people in Boston are angry and tired of the tyranny of the government and well, I won't go into details because this is well known history...
The characters are wonderful. They are totally believable and real. These aqre people that could easily be your neighbors, if you lived in 1775! The hero, Ethan Harding, plays the part of a society dandy. Basically, he's a male airhead; or so he seems. In reality he's a Son of Liberty spying on his peers; then, posing as John Smith, passes the information to the revolutionaries.
The heroine, Kate Armstrong, is a runaway indentured servant who was sent to the colonies for stealing. One day in the market place Ethan witnesses Katie stealing a watch and then putting it back before she is punished. But Katie had another witness, a British Lord that blackmails her into spying on the revolutionaries and gives her the task on finding out who is John Smith.
What made this book stand out for me was the writing. Even though this is a romance, it "feels" like historical fiction. It lacks the florid and purple prose that are abundant in many romances these days. That for me is a definite plus in my book! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a good read and a different setting than the prevalent Regency period.
This book takes place in Boston in the days prior to the Battle of Lexxington and Concord. The people in Boston are angry and tired of the tyranny of the government and well, I won't go into details because this is well known history...
The characters are wonderful. They are totally believable and real. These aqre people that could easily be your neighbors, if you lived in 1775! The hero, Ethan Harding, plays the part of a society dandy. Basically, he's a male airhead; or so he seems. In reality he's a Son of Liberty spying on his peers; then, posing as John Smith, passes the information to the revolutionaries.
The heroine, Kate Armstrong, is a runaway indentured servant who was sent to the colonies for stealing. One day in the market place Ethan witnesses Katie stealing a watch and then putting it back before she is punished. But Katie had another witness, a British Lord that blackmails her into spying on the revolutionaries and gives her the task on finding out who is John Smith.
What made this book stand out for me was the writing. Even though this is a romance, it "feels" like historical fiction. It lacks the florid and purple prose that are abundant in many romances these days. That for me is a definite plus in my book! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a good read and a different setting than the prevalent Regency period.
December 29, 2013
He is the most elusive of rebel spies, she is a gorgeous, runaway indentured servant, transported and branded as a thief,virgin, takes her 5 minutes to figure him out, book is a run on sentence of stupidity that lasts 440 pages.
March 22, 2021
I can't believe how underrated this book is! It is a beautiful story with great characters .
January 16, 2022
Great story line -- great characters enjoyed. More historical than romance.
May 28, 2023
I think if this would be written today it could be even better
November 26, 2025
For its historical window around the American revolution, it is a good first read
But not a candidate for more than that
But not a candidate for more than that
July 24, 2022
Great read!
Read it in one night. Took me away from reality.
Like the historical content. Really liked all this authors books.
Read it in one night. Took me away from reality.
Like the historical content. Really liked all this authors books.
March 15, 2025
I read the book years ago so I can't remember a lot of it, but I do know this is my least favorite out of all of LLG's books. We have the biggest age gap here as well, with the heroine being 20 and the hero 35. I remember I found her to be entertaining enough and her backstory interesting, but I absolutely couldn't stand the hero and his one-track mind of "ohhhh freedom and let's become our own nation away from the tyranny of the British Empire" as if we all don't know what the Boston Tea Party was actually about. That being said, this is also the book that takes place the farther in the past from all of LLG's, so it was interesting not being continously trapped in the 1890s as all of her latest books seem to be.
Anyway, giving it three stars because, as I said, it's my least favorite book from this author, but also, because she's my favorite author and I love her writing style and, despite it all, this was a little more original with its setting than her other works, she deserves a little more consideration.
Anyway, giving it three stars because, as I said, it's my least favorite book from this author, but also, because she's my favorite author and I love her writing style and, despite it all, this was a little more original with its setting than her other works, she deserves a little more consideration.
January 17, 2010
1775, the early days of the American Revolution, it's a period of history I know mostly from text books and the movie "1776." This love story was woven around real people who did exist about two people who could have existed. The story incorporated historical facts into a story about two people caught up in the events in Boxton during 1775. Whig Pubs, Tory Pubs, Redcosts, spying, not having tea to drink...I enjoyed the story and appreciated painlessly learning more about the time period.
August 5, 2014
I love, love, loved this book! I thought the interaction between Katie and Ethan was wonderful and their characters very like able. I was skeptical at first, but this book kept my attention from the very first and I never got bored! Spies, intrigue, and the conspiracies surrounding the beginning of the Revolutionary War in Boston kept it fast paced and exciting! The romance was spot on to boot! No wonder Laura Lee Guhrke is one of my fav authors!
August 27, 2010
Colonial Boston, 1775. Katie Armstrong, indentured servant, spies to gain her freedom from John Smith aka Ethan Harding, American patriot. Pub 2000.
January 12, 2011
This read like a history lesson with a bit of romance thrown in for "spice". Certainly not up to the standard I've come to expect from this talented author.
October 28, 2012
American Revolution, a lord is a spy who hires a lady to spy but she already is
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews