The Traitor

Captive Hearts #2

by Grace Burrowes

As a young boy, British-born Sebastian St. Clair was abandoned in France and forced to join the French army in order to survive.

Now that the war is over, he has returned home to his beloved England, and is determined to live a quiet life as a country gentleman. He believes that his wish is about to come true when he begins to fall for his elderly aunt’s lovely companion, Miss Millicent Danforth.

But the French are not quite ready to let him go, and they’ve devised a devious plot that could destroy everything that Sebastian holds dear. He will have to use all of his wits if he plans on escaping this scheme with his life…and his love.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Regency Romance

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 5, 2014

About the author

Grace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.

It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.

While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")

Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)

To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.

Reviews

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this, the second book in Ms Burrowes’ Captive Hearts trilogy, the story focuses on Lord Sebastian St. Clair – aka Robert Girard, former officer in the French army and a man known to have tortured a number of British army officers during the Napoleonic War. Among those men was Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia (hero of The Captive), who suffered more at Girard’s hands than any of the other officers.

It’s a pretty tall order for an author to take a man like Girard/St. Clair and turn him into a romantic hero, but Grace Burrowes does it with panache, aplomb and any number of other adjectives that describe total success.

As a very young man, Sebastian – born of an English father and a French mother – is with his parents visiting relatives in France. When war breaks out between the two old enemies, his father is summoned back to England, but there is no safe way for his wife and son to accompany him and they remain in France. When his mother dies not long afterward, Sebastian is left alone and makes the only decision he can make if he is to survive – he joins the French army.

He rises through the ranks until he becomes known for his ability to read men and to get information out of them – not necessarily by threats or coercion – and he later becomes one of their most successful interrogators. Choosing to go by his middle names – Robert Girard – Sebastian finds himself in an impossible and truly terrible situation when he is detailed to extract information from English officers while also keeping his more vicious and bloodthirsty superior officer, Henri Anduvoir, happy with the information he obtains and the physical damage done to the captives.
At the end of The Captive, we learned that St. Clair had in fact been doing his best to help the men sent into his custody, and those revelations continue in The Traitor.

When the war ends, Sebastian returns to England, now as Baron St. Clair - widely known as the Traitor Baron - wanting nothing more than to be allowed to live his life as an obscure English gentleman. Unfortunately, however, it seems that each English officer who suffered at his hands is out for revenge, and when the book starts, Sebastian has already survived four duels. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that not all those duels have been motivated solely by their challengers and that there is someone pulling strings behind the scenes. Sebastian is an embarrassment to people on both sides of the Channel and must therefore be disposed of in a way that will not cause an international incident.

My heart was breaking for him before I’d got even a quarter of the way through the book. Here is a man who found himself – through no fault of his own - between a rock and a hard place, and who nonetheless managed to engineer a situation in which all parties gained something in the end. All parties, that is, except himself. He lives with the constant threat of death and has pretty much resigned himself to the fact that he won’t live to be an old man – and accepts that as his due. He’s carrying a weight of guilt and sadness that informs his every action and decision, and the writing communicates it brilliantly, even in those moments when he is attempting to be more lighthearted. The one thing he is trying to do above all else is to protect those close to him – which at this point is his sole living relative, his aunt Frederica (Freddie), which he does to the best of his ability by making sure that he isn’t seen in her company very often.

Milly Danforth joins Lady Freddie’s household as her companion. Until recently, Milly lived with her two aunts, and before that with her cousins, who treated her as an unpaid drudge and regard her as a simpleton because she suffers from what we would today recognise as some form of dyslexia and is unable to read or write. One of Milly’s aunts has recently died, and the other, knowing that she won’t be around for much longer either, sends Milly off to find herself a suitable post, somewhere she will thrive and be well treated.

Lady Freddie is one of those splendidly outspoken and eccentric older ladies that are often found in the pages of historical romances. She’s independent and clever and during Sebastian’s absence managed the St. Clair estates, and now is keen for him to make sure of the succession by marrying and setting up his nursery. But Sebastian knows he probably won’t live long enough to do either of those things, and he certainly doesn’t want to single out any woman by his attentions, as it would likely make her a target.

Yet he is drawn to Milly, who is intelligent and very perceptive. Their romance develops slowly at first, although there is plenty of chemistry between them, and I really appreciate the way Ms Burrowes takes her time, having the couple get to know each other fairly well before heating things up a bit. The central relationship is beautifully developed and both characters display great insight towards each other, each understanding the hurts and humiliation the other has suffered and able to relate to them in some way.

Milly is kind and accepting, but is utterly fierce when it comes to Sebastian, whether she’s defending him to himself or to others. She understands why he did what he did, reminds him that he wasn’t the only one and that he is just as worthy of forgiveness as the next person. Most of all, I love that she simply won’t allow him to give up.

Sebastian is rather a remarkable hero. Not only does Ms Burrowes turn a man who practiced torture upon other human beings into a romantic lead, she reveals him to be a man of incredible courage, intellect and insight. When forced into fighting a duel, he does not merely accept that the men who challenge him are out for revenge, he also understands that he is a necessary part of their own healing process. He never retaliates, he never protests he was following orders or gives any other excuses; he just submits to the insults or punches or whatever is meted out to him, because he believes that doing so will help those men to assuage some of their own guilt and pain. And because he believes he deserves it.

He’s a complex and fascinating character and is quite possibly Ms Burrowes’ most memorable hero – and that’s saying something, because she’s created quite a few of them!

There’s an added touch of suspense in the story created by Sebastian’s growing uncertainty about the loyalty of his long-time companion and bodyguard, Michael Brodie (whose story is next up, in The Laird). Ms Burrowes has once again written a superb male friendship, one in which it’s clear that these two people would do anything for each other, no matter how often they gripe and snipe. Christian and Gilly, the Duke and Duchess of Mercia make guest appearances, and there’s an interesting relationship burgeoning between those two characters, too, despite what happened between them. Both have a very strong respect for the other, and Christian finds himself unexpectedly interested in – and with some sympathy for - Sebastian’s situation.

The identity of the villain of the piece is obvious, but while the behind-the-scenes machinations against Sebastian are part of the story, they’re not the whole. At the heart of The Traitor is a man who has suffered extreme betrayal and the loss of hope even as he was working tirelessly to preserve the lives of others, a man whose sense of loyalty and honour are so strong that he sacrificed his piece of mind and will possibly sacrifice his life because he wanted to do the right thing.

And at his side is a woman who will fight just as fiercely for what she knows to be right. The final confrontation is, I admit, a teeny bit OTT, but by that time, I was so invested in Milly, Sebastian and their story that I really didn’t care.

Put simply, this is a wonderful book and a superb follow up to The Captive - don’t miss it. Bring on The Laird!

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and series is why I am so miserly handing out stars, I want there to be a clear distinction between 2stars (ok) and 4stars (great emotional reads). I haven't read the third in the series yet but I can already tell, I'm going to be begging for these to come out in hardback. Cherished story, cherished characters, and cherished experience.

There are a lot of wonderful reviews on this already and as I'm behind on ARCs I simply don't have the time to dedicate to writing a review I feel worthy (just short of blood and tears went into the review I wrote for the first book in the series,lol). Suffice to say, I didn't quite like this second one as much as the first; there seemed to be a weaker bond between me and the characters, the middle dragged on a wee bit, and the true villain was dispensed of in a very unsatisfactory way. However, Ms. Burrowes has written a series that is leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of her predecessors.

I will end with, there is the perceived truth, truth in lies, personal truths, the truth, and the damn truth. This series encapsulates them all and I can't wait until I can read the third book.

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Regency England

4 1/2 Stars

Sebastian St. Clair, who was caught in France during the Napoleonic Wars joins the French army and becomes one of it's chief interrogators of the British prisoners of war.
When the war is over, he returns to his aunt in England hoping to live a quiet country life.
But Sebastian's past follows him and he is given the name of "the Traitor Baron" and he is barely tolerated by present society.
Millicent Danforth, his aunt's companion is hiding something and his instincts tell him all is not as it should be with her.
So he decides to use his skills and seduction to try and unmask the lovely woman.
While love and passion blossom between Sebastian and Millicent, a devious French plot threatens to destroy any future they may have.
The Traitor is book two in the "Captive Hearts" series, and it just keeps getting better!
In Sebastian and Millicent's story, the plot takes an unusual twist.
The villain from the previous book is now the hero in this one.
I have to say, this took skill to turn a ruthless interrogator into a man now worthy of the readers respect and adoration, and the author did a great job at stepping outside of the usual and going down that road.
As well as giving us a unconventional heroine, the story/plot is filled with compassion, talent, depth of emotion and appealing secondary characters to back it up.
The traitor was truly a memorable love story and so far my favourite.
I look forward to the third book in this trilogy "The Laird" to see how it all ends up.

[Ilze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. Could not get into either the heroine Milly's character or the hero Sebastian's character. Sebastian is supposed to be the torturer who almost drove the hero of the first book in this series, The Captive, to madness with his skill and ruthlessness in both physical and mental torture, but not a single inkling of that aspect of his character is shown in this story. Instead, he is shown as a sensitive soul with a passion for music and gardening. Milly is supposed to be illiterate (because of dyslexia) but talks and thinks like an English professor. In fact, practically everyone in this book talks and thinks like a boring professor (including the villain who is portrayed as practically an imbecile in the previous book) so I just could not engage with the story on any level. Too much telling, not enough showing of the characters.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book, and the entire Captive Hearts trilogy, as one of the Best of 2014 at Romantic Historical Reviews.

* * * * *

After reading The Captive, I wondered how Grace Burrowes could ever turn that story's torturer/villain into a hero in the next book. I should not have been concerned, however; she's done a pretty darn good job of it in The Traitor.

As too often seems to be the case lately, I don't have the time to write a full review, so I'll just marvel once again at what a superb storyteller Grace Burrowes is. The plot, the characters, the dialogue -- everything is just excellent. Having said that, however, I must add that I was not completely convinced by the idea that St. Clair did more good than harm during his time at the chateau. Despite St. Clair's suffering over his actions, I just could not get over the picture of him taking the knife to the imprisoned Mercia, among other things. Moreover, I thought that the denoument at Apsley House happened just a bit too easily. I mean, St. Clair enters a room full of men ready to kill him on the spot and leaves a few minutes later to their applause, led by Mercia himself.

These reservations are not much more than quibbles, however. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to The Laird, which will download automatically to my Kindle on September 2, 2014.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this may be the first Grace Burrowes book that I can honestly say I was not in love with. I still liked it–there’s a lot to recommend this book and it’s a daring book to attempt, but I suppose I’m just too conscious of the concept of torture that I had trouble planting myself firmly in historical context.

The villain of the first book in this series, The Captive, Sebastian St. Clair (known to the hero in that book as Robert Girard) takes center stage here. It’s not the first time an author has tried to redeem a previous rogue. Off the top of my head, Lisa Kleypas and The Devil in Winter, whose hero was also named Sebastian–for most, that was met with success as it’s consistently ranked as one of the top ten romances. Stephanie Laurens also did it more recently in Loving Rose, with her Malcom Sinclair, to maybe a bit more mixed results. But it’s always brave to take the villain and give him a chance at love.

I think, for me, the problem is I did read the first book, and I watched Christian battle back from the tortue inflicted on him by Girard/Sebastian during the war, so his suffering is in the back of my mind as I read this. Sebastian, an English boy, abandoned in France when the 1803 Peace of Amiens collapsed, has returned to take up title as baron and care for his elderly aunt, whose companion, Milly Danforth captures his attention. He’s being challenged left and right by the men he tortured during the wars, who are encouraged through the machinations of Sebastian’s former French commaner, looking to elmininate Sebastian for his own reasons.

So here’s the thing: The book is well-written. The story is ambitious. The heroine, Milly, for the most part, is charming and interesting. But the hero? Well…I just couldn’t quite find it in myself to feel bad that these men continued to challenge Sebastian. He just didn’t work for me.

Yes, he’s haunted by the things he did. Yes, Ms. Burrowes does a relatively good job of explaining his motivations, but by the end of the book, there’s an attempt by the Duke of Wellington of all people, to paint him in heroic terms–no one ever died and Sebastian even attempted to ransom most of the British men with his own money.

And repeatedly, Milly makes the argument on his behalf that Sebastian was not the one who captured the men tortured out of uniform, which made me very uncomfortable as it strayed all too close to the concept of blaming the victim.

I don’t know, I guess I just…I have friends who study political science, and I’ve read too many articles, too many books on the torture to really…engage in a hero who is guilty of the same thing. Yes, I know all the reasons this shouldn’t bother me. It was two centuries ago, well before the Geneva Convention, when it was practiced on both sides on men caught out of uniform. I’m aware that the English were just as bad (I just reread Burrowes’ The Soldier, in which that hero, Devlin, is haunted by the rape and pillaging of his own side) But it doesn’t change my inherent…barrier.

That being said, if for nothing else, it’s worth reading because it does challenge your perspectives and it’s to Ms. Burrowes’ credit that Sebastian never tries to whitewash his own actions–only the people around him do, possibly in order to rationalize loving him or even forgiving him.

A minor nitpick that continued to bother me each time it was mentioned: Ms. Burrowes writes about Milly catching a stage from King’s Cross at least twice. As this book was set just after the Napoleonic Wars, this is anachronistic. King’s Cross is a major train station, but it received that name due to a monument of George IV — placed there in 1830, long after this story takes place. I live just up the road from the station and walk past it constantly, so its history is in my head. But I digress.

An interesting effort from a wonderful author, but not quite the thing for me. Still, I’m glad I read it, and look forward to the final entry in the series next month, The Laird.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

I liked this book. I did. I wasn't sure about Sebastian after the last book. I really didn't think I could like his character, BUT I ended up liking him. I really like how he was with Milly. And that was honestly the whole book. If it wasn't for how those two were with each other, I would not have liked this one. I felt like the plot was meh. Especially the ending and how similar it seemed to the first book. The writing was good, and the redemption for Sebastian was good. But I just wanted a little more from the plot of this one. This was a good read overall, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sebastian (Robert Girard) was an English boy stranded in France when the war broke loose and ended up a French soldier interrogating English high rank soldiers.
When he comes back to England after the war to assume the title of Baron St. Clair, he is named the Traitor Baron and repeatedly challenged in duels by those peers he once tortured and kept captive.
An impossible situation, an unlikely redemption, and a great love story with his aunt’s illiterate companion.
Very interesting story of fighting your demons, facing public scorn and humiliation and finding strength to move on.
Great book!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sebastian ❤️Milly
Girard/St. Clair... Redeemable? Does he deserve an HEA? Oh yes! Leave it to Grace Burrowes. Wow, so many layers to this amazing love story, and the captivating characters she creates. This series is more complicated and serious than others I’ve read by this author, but definitely hits the 5-Star mark. Next up, The Laird, Michael’s book.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the H and heroine who are so very sweet, so in love. It's a sad story with others continually taking advantage of both of them. I liked the cameo appearance of the H from book 1, and seeing the wives share a moment together. Maybe it was my mood, but I struggled with the meandering writing style in this book. Overall, it's a great read with wonderful characters.

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again I admire Burrowes her light touch. In this book she leaves things unsaid - allowing the reader to pick up on undercurrents and ideas. The writing is deft. The characters complex. I just couldn't love Milly and Sebastian like I did Christian and Gilly.

There are similar themes of damaged characters - finding solace in one another and strength in themselves. And the book is undiminished and satisfying.

Still - I didn't feel the click like with the last book. Can't wait for the next one though!

[Monique Takens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tot op het allerlaatst was dit een 4 sterren boek voor mij . Maar dan ... blijkt dat tante Freddy en de grote Wellington himself een overkomst hadden gesloten en zelfs een man genaamd Michael Brodie naar Sebastian hebben gestuurd om hem daar te helpen ontsnappen of bij te staan wanneer hij verkoos te blijven . Wellington had bij thuiskomst van Sebastian dus heel Engeland kunnen informeren dat hij niet de in en in slechte verrader Baron was die iedereen dacht dat hij was .
Het liefdes verhaal was prachtig ! Ook leuk dat de held en heldin van deel 1 in dit verhaal af en toe aanwezig waren .

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second in the Captive Hearts Trilogy by Grace Burrowes, highly recommended by two Goodreads friends and respected reviewers. I was not convinced at first to commit to more of Grace Burrowes after my first attempt at one of her novels. I was wrong and very glad I kept going, this is now the third I've read/listened to since my first disappointing read (which I'm going to read again with a more open mind) I've changed my opinion and having got used to her very quirky and unusual writing style, I'm now a firm fan.

Ms. Burrowes has a very distinctive talent, which lends itself to the period she writes about very effectively. Having read Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia's harrowing story in the first of this trilogy it was hard to believe that she could turn the hated and despised Robert Girard ( the middle name he chose to use as a French Officer) his torturer, into a hero, but manage it she does, and very effectively. For goodness sake I ended up loving him, feeling sorry for him. What Ms. Burrowes also does is show the other side of the story, how there can be reasons that people do the the things they do, that everything is not black and white. He finds his perfect partner in Milly Danforth his Aunt Freddie's companion, fiery, intelligent and fiercely protective, she loves Sebastian, the Traitor Baron and totally understands and gets him. From the word go she doesn't judge him and becomes his rock as well as eventually his love.

Caz's review absolutely nails the story and I would advise anyone interested to read it, but I must reiterate how very talented Grace Burrowes is. Okay it's a romance and we expect a HEA but the story is compelling and poignant,with an intricate plot running in the background and Sebastian emerges as a true hero, an honourable man manipulated and in a purely mental way, abused himself, who strives to minimise the dreadful acts he must perpetrate to keep his own evil senior officer from discovering his true intentions. I was a little uncomfortable with some of the acts he performed on Christian Severn but still could understand, especially as eventually we were given a very believable explanation as to what and why. I wish the modern terms such as 'out back' didn't creep in especially given Grace Burrowes' thorough and extensive research. However, her imagination and innovative style knows no bounds so I can overlook these minor travesties. Really looking forward to reading the final in this trilogy... The Laird...and just love the way Christian and Gilly made appearances in this story and in a positive way. I want everyone to love Sebastian, poor man deserves to be liked and loved! 4.5 stars, only those few little modern slips and my slight discomfort with that knife, otherwise a wonderful read...highly recommended.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sebastian St. Clair, was left in France alone and abandoned as a young boy, and as a means of survival had to turn to the French Army and ended up being a interrogator of English soldiers. Now that the war is over, he has returned to England and his rightful place in the realm of peers. He is known as the " Traitor". He knows that his luck will soon run out, with every British gentleman soldier, would love to have revenge on him. When Sebastian meets Millicent, his aunt's companion, his world tilts and he starts to believe in a future again. Millie needs a place, with her beloved aunt's recent deaths, and her cousins kicking her out of her home, she needs purpose. At first this new job is everything she needs, but when she meets Sebastian, she knows they can't ever have a future, with the difference in their stations....but sometimes love shakes things up. But Sebastian has a past that could tear them apart...

The Traitor is a marvelous romance that ties together bitter past and a sensual present with a rocky future. The Traitor is the second book in the Captive Hearts series, and I was impressed by how much I enjoyed this story. much more than the first book. I really loved the way the story just kicks in and pulls you right in. The flow of it is pretty steady, in half way through it, the flow of the story line slows down a bit, but then it picks up. The romance between Sebastian and Millie was sweet and endearing and very passionate at times. I loved the balance that author has put into the story. It seemed to be just right in the development of the characters and in the way the plot progresses. There is quite a bit of depth in this story, and the way the author tells the story, you start to fall in love with the characters and the story as a whole. Every aspect seems to come together by the end.


We see a unique set of events and scenes that take place, there is so much we see in this story, and I loved the way it turns out, and the love story is packed with wit, charm and passion. A tale of betrayal and healing and a tender love that will capture you!! Riveting in emotion and classy in form. LOVED EVERY MOMENT!!

[Serialbookstarter:Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of war and its aftermath. Who is really accountable for the atrocities we perpetrate on one another in the name of war… woven into the fabric of life after war is the love story of Sebastian- formerly Girard the inquisitor/tormentor of Mercia from book one- and Millie. Thus unfolds a tale of redemptive unconditional love and forgiveness. A worthy read❤️

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book drought led me here, to this very quietly boring place. It felt endless, so much so that I am not sure if I actually finished it or not.

[Jody Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The torturer from The Captive gets a new name and his own book! Girard is going by his english name and title, Sebastian, Baron St. Clair. Too bad everyone else thinks of him as the Traitor Baron, and someone wants him dead! No, not just the many former captives challenging him to duels, but someone evil from his past who is orchestrating the whole thing. He lives with his aunt in the St. Clair London house, and the aunt has just hired a new companion, Milly. The aunt, btw, is a total firecracker, full of one liners and comebacks like "You look quite intellectual, St. Clair. Those spectacles are deceiving" and having a little love affair with her male secretary.

Anyway, Milly and Sebastian are attracted to each other, unlike Christina and Gilly, whose love and chemistry burned off the page, I never super bought into the relationship, it seemed like they were together just because author said so. Milly is like "We listen and we don't judge" incarnate. She knows Sebastian was a torturer, but accepts what he can't, that he was doing the bare minimum torturing to get enough info that he wasn't replaced, and so the prisoners weren't hurt more. She shows him grace he can't show himself, as he "admitted to himself he was marrying Milly Danforth - he could marry Milly Danforth - in part because she had never once regarded him with wariness and loathing."

Later on for sure, Burrowes gets more into it, and we see the mutual softening and protectiveness, and the hurt when there isn't trust between them. Speaking of protectiveness, Milly a few times goes full protection mode to keep Sebastian from getting killed, marching right into battle for him and threatening to tell on people. "Get away from my husband you meat wagon. [...] What would your wife say about this stupidity? Does she know you're out prancing around in the rain in nothing but a kilt, intent on killing a man who was not to blame for your capture?"

This is a 3.5 for me, Burrowes does her usual great job with the plot aspect of it all, but the emotions didn't hit the same. Plus some little things niggled (they have one fight and Milly (a poor companion, mind you) buys a house just in case she leaves him for good, her family was there and Bad but not super clear what for, etc.) There's none of the beautifully planted seeds that come together for maximum impact like in Captive. The writing is as lovely as ever though, "He treasured her protectiveness like the last flint and tinder in his possession when a long, cold winter had already gripped the land." And she's "trying to find solid ground in a marriage gone pitch dark and boggy." I mean, COME ON.

[Rachel-RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian (known as Girard at the chateau) was the villain in the previous book. Towards the end of The Captive, Sebastian was humanized, but I was curious if he would become a likable character. While in France, through no fault of his own, he was trapped when war broke out and did what he could do to survive. More is revealed in this book regarding his efforts to save the captured British troops under his care. And the help he had.
Millicent (Milly) was a poor relation thrown into an engagement not of her choosing. With her elderly aunts she comes up with a plan to avoid said engagement. That plan was, to go into service as a companion. She become the companion to Sebastian's aunt Freddy.
This was a wonderful slow burn romance. I could get behind the romance. Sebastian I could understand. I loved how they talked to each other. There was no big misunderstanding. I really liked Aunt Freddy, Micheal Brodie (whose story is next). Brodie's "mission" is revealed in this one.
My only complaint was Henri Anduvoir. The villain got his off the page and I wanted more regarding his punishment. I think he got off too easily.
I read this for Ripped Bodice Summer 2020 Bingo and will use this for the Villain's Love Story square.

[Tammy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Grace Burrowes and I'm always excited to have a new book of hers to escape into; however, this was boring. The theme was repeated over and over --French traitor, the war is over but someone at some time will kill the Baron. Her flowery language was a detraction in this particular book and I felt like I was wading through mud to get to the point. The characters were simple and once again, quite boring. I read half of it before giving up. Maybe if I picked this book up another day I would find it interesting but not today.

[Kathie (katmom) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY to The Traitor!!!

This is the second book in Ms. Burrowes' Captive Hearts Series. The first one, The Captive, nearly broke my heart. Thankfully, The Traitor isn't quite so hard on my sensibilities. Although I was worried, as the hero in this one, was the man who tortured Christian in the first book. I sincerely wondered how Ms. Burrowes would be able to make Robert Girard, now known as Sebastian St. Clair, the Traitor Baron, and an Englishman, a hero.

Never fear, she does it. And she does it well for us the readers and those characters that Sebastian encounters. But it was a journey that hurt, too.

He really doesn't think he's going to survive to reach old age. He doesn't really believe that he deserves to, either. But then along comes Millie. Millie is a ray of sunshine in both his life, and his aunt's, who she is a companion to.

Millie has a secret and no one is as shocked as she when Sebastian finds out...and couldn't care less. His Aunt Freddy doesn't care either. I love her, by the way.

Once again, her title theme is carried throughout the book. Just like in The Captive, where many characters were held captive in many different ways, in The Traitor many characters can be so called. Some are traitors to their countries, some to their families, and some to their hearts. Well done, Ms. Burrowes!

So, secrets, heartaches, mysteries, and then...joy. Because that's what Ms. Burrowes brings us, each and every time.

Every time I finish a Grace Burrowes book, I feel so selfish...because I want another one right away! I'm just grateful that she's so prolific!

Yes, FIVE BOOKMARKS...can I double that? ;)




*Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an opportunity to read The Traitor

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book source ~ NetGalley

Baron Sebastian St. Clair was stuck between a rock and a hard place. As a boy he and his family visited family in France and then got stranded there when Napoleon went apeshit and the war started. His father slipped back to England but died during the war. Then his mother died. In order to protect his French relations, Sebastian had to join the French army as Robert Girard, in charge of a chateau where they tortured prisoners to get information out of them. English prisoners. Of which Sebastian could claim half his ancestry. When the war was over, England pardoned the torturer St. Clair, and, as the last remaining male heir, he was told to take up the barony and get to work. He was trying to live a quiet life and do just that, but The Traitor Baron kept being challenged to duels by the very peers he tortured during the war. Would there be no peace for him? Enter Miss Millicent Danforth, a poor relation turned paid companion. His only remaining relative, his elderly Aunt Freddie, had gone through quite a string of paid companions before she hires Milly. And the story is off and running…

After having read book 1, The Captive, I have to say I came into this story with grave doubts that the author could turn the torturer from it into a hero. I was wrong. Sebastian is a complicated tortured soul himself. What he has done haunts him. Not just because he had to torture his peers, but the circumstances that brought him to it. He’s flawed, but redeemable. Milly isn’t without her demons. She’s a great character and perfect for Sebastian. The story is complicated and layered and one of the best reads of 2019 for me. Hell, it ranks up there with my all-time favorites. Bravo!

[Vleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trilogy of historical romances has been such an unexpected treat for me. Besides a hero for whom I had little sympathy due to events revealed in the first book, I enjoyed the smart, strong female leads who didn't need to be rescued in order to be loved. The appearance of characters from the previous story and their ongoing lives was gratifying. At the end things are mostly tied up (no cliffhangers) with some expectations for the next installment.

You could probably read this as a standalone but there is a lot of detail in the first book that explains why St. Clair is so hated. I'm not sure that it would be as good without that background.

[Melann · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Peut-être 4,5/5 si je veux chipoter).

Quel plaisir de lire un bon A&P ! Vraiment, rien de tel que les classiques !
Lui est suffisamment torturé pour que ce soit intéressant, et elle, très solide et pas farouche. Très bon couple !

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read. Lots of complications and a nasty villain who doesn't interrupt too much.

[ava_magick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anti climatic. Characters were blah. I held on until 80% before I finally gave up.

[Kelly Kitchin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. At least i finished it. Took me ages because it didn't hold my interest.

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received this review copy for this event. Thank you to Grace Burrowes and Sourcebooks for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

* * *

Sebastian St. Clair is the real name of Robert Girard, a character I really, really hated when we read about him in Christian's book (The Captive). When I found out he was the hero of the second book, I wondered how Grace Burrowes would accomplish such a task: What would it take for me to forgive him of the atrocities he committed during the war? What would it take to convince me that he is a man worthy of someone's love and affection? What would it take to convince me that he deserves a happy ending?

I didn't want an easy way out for Sebastian. I didn't want tabula rasa for him: I wanted his path to redemption to be as slow, painful as arduous as the torture he inflicted on Christian -- it is a testament to Grace Burrowes's perceptiveness to choose this particular road for him. There is no clean slate for Sebastian St. Clair -- he is indissolubly inscribed/etched/scratched with the past.

I would not have wanted to be in Sebastian's position -- to wake up every morning, with the sense of impending doom: will he be challenged to another duel? Will his enemies decide to take a less honourable way of avenging themselves against him? Add to this, Sebastian is burdened by the nightmares of his choices and his current life. While the English have gone home from war (leaving it in France), Sebastian has come home to it in England. What is remarkable about Sebastian is that he understands -- that he has a role to play in resolving the stories of many English soldiers. Not once does he lash out, or speak indignantly of his rights and honours. He quietly bears the consequences of who he is.

Milly is a well-crafted and well-thought-of character. Sebastian needed a woman who would not ignore or avoid his past, but to find a way to accept it as part of the total man. Milly had been at the receiving end of betrayal and poor treatment from her relatives, who were entrusted with her care and well-being. Instead, she was treated worse than a servant because she was unpaid. And she suffered beatings as well because she was illiterate.

The term "illiterate" has been examined in The Traitor: Milly's relatives took such great stock in the ability to read and write as though they were the end-all and be-all of a person. They saw Milly as less than they were because she could not learn things the way she was expected to. Grace Burrowes holds up a mirror to society, and we see the irony of the situation. Milly was so, so much more than Alcorn and Freida (her relations) and she had an incredible, incredible gift that just wasn't appreciated.

In that Sebastian and Milly are a perfect match -- they are both misfits, but, they fit together wonderfully. Sebastian didn't want to love Milly, didn't think he was worthy of something so divine or sublime, but Milly perfectly understands the necessary choices we make in life in order to survive. She has had to leave the warmth of her aunts's home and enter service. Her experience is only a very tiny fraction of the difficult choices Sebastian has had to make to survive the war.

There's one line that struck me, as I was reading Grace Burrowes's The Traitor, it's 44% into the book and Milly is helping Lady Freddy get ready for the night out:

"I think you know more than you should about waging war with silk and jewels, but turquoise or sapphire will go better with our colouring if you're set on wearing the new dress."
- loc 1674 to 1683

It's the phrase "waging war" that stood out and I think Grace Burrowes was very deliberate and very clever in how she has subverted all these words and given them a new meaning for Sebastian, Milly and to everyone else in Sebastian's life. I like how they slowly redefine these words that had caused so much grief, letting them shed the terrible weight of the past and giving them a more meaningful meaning. The change is Sebastian is very subtle, but is also something that runs very deeply. When he first meets Milly, he sees her as he does the prisoners brought to him at the Chateau and studies and sizes her up accordingly:

"Good morning, Miss Danforth. May I join you for a moment?" Because a proper interrogation was conducted with proper respect for the person questioned.

...

She had good taste in flowers. Many knaves and whores did, as did some traitors. "Do you mind if I play?"

"Of course not, my lord."

A slight misstep on his part. If he didn't ask permission to sit, he probably ought not to ask permission to use his own piano. He started off with a few scaled, mostly to draw his not entirely quiet mind from the scent of lavender and the sight of graceful female hands toying with flowers and greenery.

"Might I inquire as to your last position, Miss Danforth?"

She clipped off a few inches of a thorny rose stem. "I was companion to a pair of my aunts, my lord."

Again she did not chatter. She was a woman who understood the proper tempo of an interrogation.
- loc 129 to 147

Much later, when friendship and love develop between them, the idea of "interrogation" is brought up, but, with a more playful hue:

"Lead on, Sebastian, and tell me about your parents."

He took her hand, and she hadn't even had to ask. "You're to interrogate me?"
- loc 2152 to 2161

We often use the term "blind acceptance" to accept something without question, and it got me thinking if there is an opposite to it, because that is what Milly and Sebastian do: their romance doesn't skirt around the issues, but forces our hero and heroine to wade through the mire. This is a couple whose relationship was tested in fire and it has come through it stronger.

Yes, there is a villain in the story, but the author utilises this element very sparingly. I would've hated for the villain to be the galvanising factor for our hero and heroine (and would always wonder if they would've ended up together if the villain had been absent) -- this is not the case. What the villain does is to put the hypothetical to the test and see how strong Milly and Sebastian's resolve and relationship is. (It's so easy to promise, "I love you for better or worse" without ever going through the worse, but, what if the worse did happen -- what then?)

Grace Burrowes is an author who understands the complexities of life and love and boldly explores them in her love stories. The Traitor displays such a profound degree of insight into war and survival, about traitors and heroes, about loss and gain -- it's a truly breathtaking and remarkable story.

The Traitor is the second book in Grace Burrowes's The Captive Hearts series and was released today, August 5.

[Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing read!! I was in tears not even a fourth way through this book. Sebastian had no options. He lost so much when his father left and his mother dead. He had no good choices. Only to suffer even more for them after the war. He wants to live his life away from the spotlight and stay in his guilt and loneliness. His inner thoughts are haunting. Another amazing character, and not the romantic lead, is Freddie. I find her funny and witty. Shes kind and sees things in Milly that no one else saw. Milly, who has been ill treated because of stupidity, shows how truly intelligent she is. The relationship that blossoms between Sebastian and Milly is so beautiful. Its not rushed, but comes from genuine affection and understanding. Milly is fierce in her words when it comes to Sebastian. She wont let those speak against him and she helps him understand and forgive himself! Shes so impressive! I love her for it. Everything was so well written! Can't wait to start book 2.

[Sara]

I loved this. Getting to know Sebastian and his back story was wonderfully heartbreaking. He deserved nothing less than a woman like Milly to stand up for him. Burrowes writes fierce women I'm coming to admire. How many times did Milly have to tell people they were idiots and to leave her husband alone?

[Stephanie Basey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I mean, very easily could be one of my favorite couples. She was strong (even though she had a very important secret) but not mean. He was strong but not a beast. They actually spent time together to fall in love. I love them. And aunt Freddy. And the professor!

I did not read the first book first and that would probably have eased some of my confusion early in the book. The ending was a liiitle too convenient, but I liked it anyway.