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The Spare and The Spy
Mira has only ever had one to keep the kingdom she now calls home from ending up like her last. After leaving the horrors of Solesta behind her and washing up on the shores of Estera, Mira has spent her life a servant to the crown. A soldier, a spy, an errand girl, or a messenger, she has been whatever the kingdom has needed her to be. She simply never expected it to make her a wife.
Eric, Prince of Estera, remains the king and queen’s spare until they have a second child. Spare or not, his proximity to the crown has meant attempt after attempt on his life. While his only desire is to keep himself alive, the king and queen have other infiltrate the court of Adrethia, married to a woman who is more weapon than wife.
To Mira, Eric is simply her way in—the key to acquiring Adrethian secrets, and to reuniting her with the family she lost. To Eric, Mira is the blade at his throat that sleeps in his bed—the death of him as soon as his own usefulness runs out.
Faced with months in foreign court, playing their roles as husband and wife to keep from getting caught, their trust in one another might be all they have to get them home safely, and preserve their kingdom’s peace.
But trust is fragile, and they just might get each other killed first.
The Spare & The Spy is a slow-burn, arranged marriage story about a prince and a spy who are forced to work together to survive in a foreign court. Readers who love heart-pounding, forbidden romance stories with plenty of yearning will adore the first instalment in this series.
Eric, Prince of Estera, remains the king and queen’s spare until they have a second child. Spare or not, his proximity to the crown has meant attempt after attempt on his life. While his only desire is to keep himself alive, the king and queen have other infiltrate the court of Adrethia, married to a woman who is more weapon than wife.
To Mira, Eric is simply her way in—the key to acquiring Adrethian secrets, and to reuniting her with the family she lost. To Eric, Mira is the blade at his throat that sleeps in his bed—the death of him as soon as his own usefulness runs out.
Faced with months in foreign court, playing their roles as husband and wife to keep from getting caught, their trust in one another might be all they have to get them home safely, and preserve their kingdom’s peace.
But trust is fragile, and they just might get each other killed first.
The Spare & The Spy is a slow-burn, arranged marriage story about a prince and a spy who are forced to work together to survive in a foreign court. Readers who love heart-pounding, forbidden romance stories with plenty of yearning will adore the first instalment in this series.
- GenresFantasy
650 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2025
27 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Kyra Gregory
31 books29 followersKyra Gregory writes new adult fantasy novels filled with heart-warming found families, slow-burn romances, court intrigue, and a little bit of bloodshed. While she enjoys making her characters suffer she also enjoys writing soft moments, flourishing friendships, intimate romances, and characters who strive for home and peace. While dark at times, her books are perfect for readers who crave emotional depth and a slow build in their fantasy.
She lives on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta and is usually spending time with her husband, son, and dog when she isn’t writing and publishing novels or jotting down ideas for her next.
She lives on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta and is usually spending time with her husband, son, and dog when she isn’t writing and publishing novels or jotting down ideas for her next.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 31, 2025
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was a mixed bag for me, parts I liked, parts I didn’t, and a lot I felt neutral about. I was bored at times, then entertained, and then frustrated. It doesn’t fit neatly into one category, so let’s just unpack it.
Spoiler alert! ⚠️
The story follows Mira, a warrior-turned-spy who was recruited as a child (against her will) and trained for covert missions. At 22, she’s an experienced, competent, and emotionally complex. She's sent on a critical political mission that requires her to pose as the wife of Eric, the second prince of the realm.
Eric is the younger brother of the king, previously the heir until his brother had a child. He’s paranoid (understandably so) after a failed assassination attempt, and he suspects that anyone, including Mira, could be sent to finish the job. Despite his emotional walls, Eric isn’t cruel; just cautious and a little closed off.
There’s a lot of political maneuvering in this book, kingdoms in so-called "peace," but one nation in particular is stirring tension. Mira and Eric are sent to that kingdom under the guise of a newlywed royal couple, meant to charm and spy during tense diplomatic negotiations.
The fake marriage comes with complications: Mira is a commoner, and their Cinderella-style love story isn’t well-received by society. The court they’re sent to doesn’t buy the act, and suspicions grow. Meanwhile, Mira is promised a reunion with her mother and brother if she succeeds. She’s emotionally driven and loyal, even if she hides her feelings to the point of being infuriating (“I’m fine” while bleeding out is kind of her thing). Eric, though wary of her loyalties, gradually opens up, and their relationship evolves from strangers to allies to lovers.
Of course, things get messy, there’s betrayal, suspicion, a potential assassination attempt, and eventually, a return home where new issues arise (setting up book 2).
What I liked:
- Mira, the FMC, was strong and smart, more emotionally sensitive than the typical “badass” archetype. She took her mission seriously, even if her avoidant communication style annoyed me at times. You need to be okay with the FMC, saying "fine" when nothing is fine. She is not the straightforward kind.
- Eric (MMC) was soft at the start, but he showed us his strength by the end.
- The slow-burn romance. Painfully slow, in the best way. I’m a sucker for it.
- The writing. Solid! Nothing revolutionary, but it flowed well and kept me engaged (when the plot didn’t lag).
Neutral:
- It’s clear the author wanted to flip traditional gender roles, meaning Mira is the strategist, the protector, the one with the plan; Eric is the one leaning on her. It worked overall.
What didn’t work for me:
- The pacing. So much of the book is political talk, and not the gripping kind. It dragged. A lot.
- The political plot. It was repetitive, not a lot happened, and maybe bc I’m not a political news person, I couldn't care less.
- Repetitive daily life scenes. There were way too many pages spent on bedtime routines and breakfast details. Easily 20% of the book could’ve been trimmed.
I'm now reading book 2, let's see!
This book was a mixed bag for me, parts I liked, parts I didn’t, and a lot I felt neutral about. I was bored at times, then entertained, and then frustrated. It doesn’t fit neatly into one category, so let’s just unpack it.
Spoiler alert! ⚠️
The story follows Mira, a warrior-turned-spy who was recruited as a child (against her will) and trained for covert missions. At 22, she’s an experienced, competent, and emotionally complex. She's sent on a critical political mission that requires her to pose as the wife of Eric, the second prince of the realm.
Eric is the younger brother of the king, previously the heir until his brother had a child. He’s paranoid (understandably so) after a failed assassination attempt, and he suspects that anyone, including Mira, could be sent to finish the job. Despite his emotional walls, Eric isn’t cruel; just cautious and a little closed off.
There’s a lot of political maneuvering in this book, kingdoms in so-called "peace," but one nation in particular is stirring tension. Mira and Eric are sent to that kingdom under the guise of a newlywed royal couple, meant to charm and spy during tense diplomatic negotiations.
The fake marriage comes with complications: Mira is a commoner, and their Cinderella-style love story isn’t well-received by society. The court they’re sent to doesn’t buy the act, and suspicions grow. Meanwhile, Mira is promised a reunion with her mother and brother if she succeeds. She’s emotionally driven and loyal, even if she hides her feelings to the point of being infuriating (“I’m fine” while bleeding out is kind of her thing). Eric, though wary of her loyalties, gradually opens up, and their relationship evolves from strangers to allies to lovers.
Of course, things get messy, there’s betrayal, suspicion, a potential assassination attempt, and eventually, a return home where new issues arise (setting up book 2).
What I liked:
- Mira, the FMC, was strong and smart, more emotionally sensitive than the typical “badass” archetype. She took her mission seriously, even if her avoidant communication style annoyed me at times. You need to be okay with the FMC, saying "fine" when nothing is fine. She is not the straightforward kind.
- Eric (MMC) was soft at the start, but he showed us his strength by the end.
- The slow-burn romance. Painfully slow, in the best way. I’m a sucker for it.
- The writing. Solid! Nothing revolutionary, but it flowed well and kept me engaged (when the plot didn’t lag).
Neutral:
- It’s clear the author wanted to flip traditional gender roles, meaning Mira is the strategist, the protector, the one with the plan; Eric is the one leaning on her. It worked overall.
What didn’t work for me:
- The pacing. So much of the book is political talk, and not the gripping kind. It dragged. A lot.
- The political plot. It was repetitive, not a lot happened, and maybe bc I’m not a political news person, I couldn't care less.
- Repetitive daily life scenes. There were way too many pages spent on bedtime routines and breakfast details. Easily 20% of the book could’ve been trimmed.
I'm now reading book 2, let's see!
June 18, 2025
The spare and the spy is a nice book, but I wish it was more consistent plot wise.
The two protagonists are well developed characters, with believable motivations and actions, but the setting and plot is lacking in development. We are supposed to be in the middle of a pivotal political moment with lots of foreign dignitaries and négociations… but I’ve barely seen any of that. Who is negotiating ? Not the prince, but also no one else from his country ? Who are from where ? What is being negotiated ?
If a book is literally located in the middle of a political intrigue, said intrigue needs to be at least a little bit fleshed out !
It’s honestly the main weakness, because the writing is nice, the pacing is ok, the protagonists are lovely… the story would have been improved tremendously by a few more background characters and environment, or a different setting.
I’m still going to read the second one ! I hope it’s more fleshed out !
The two protagonists are well developed characters, with believable motivations and actions, but the setting and plot is lacking in development. We are supposed to be in the middle of a pivotal political moment with lots of foreign dignitaries and négociations… but I’ve barely seen any of that. Who is negotiating ? Not the prince, but also no one else from his country ? Who are from where ? What is being negotiated ?
If a book is literally located in the middle of a political intrigue, said intrigue needs to be at least a little bit fleshed out !
It’s honestly the main weakness, because the writing is nice, the pacing is ok, the protagonists are lovely… the story would have been improved tremendously by a few more background characters and environment, or a different setting.
I’m still going to read the second one ! I hope it’s more fleshed out !
August 14, 2025
DNF at 38%. It was so repetitive and I genuinely have no idea what the plot was.
January 31, 2026
An enjoyable book with an interesting plot. Definitely worth a read
July 10, 2025
Really a 4.5 I think. I loved the slow burn, as in actual true slow burn they did not get together until the last 80%?? And I did not mind that they weren’t directly involved in the negotiations as I’ve seen some other complaints. I viewed it more slice of life. Even though it was slower paced, it kept me captivated. I really enjoyed the two characters and how their relationship grew. I didn’t realize it had another book following and was really stressed at the 90% mark. Thank god it’s already available on KU. The only critical thing I can think of is maybe the use of “love” too soon. But small complaints.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews