The Emperor's Conspiracy

Regency London #1

by Michelle Diener

Set in Regency England during the Napoleonic Wars, this vivid and romantic historical novel goes from the most elegant ballrooms of London to the city’s most tawdry slums, as a spirited young woman helps unravel a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of all its gold.

A difficult balance . . . Charlotte Raven escaped the poverty of the London streets, but while she may now mingle with the ton, she lives an uneasy existence between two worlds, unable to turn her back completely on her old life.

A dangerous task . . . When Lord Edward Durnham is asked to investigate the alarming movement of gold out of England, his search leads him to the worst stews of London’s slums.

A dark journey . . . Little could Edward imagine his sister’s new friend, Charlotte Raven, someone who saved his nephews from serious harm, would afford him access to a dark world he barely knew existed. As they delve deeper into the underbelly of London, danger lurks at every turn.

With the stakes growing ever higher, Charlotte faces a defining continue in the familiar limbo she’s lived in for years, or to take a painful and risky leap toward a happiness she never thought possible.

The Emperor's Conspiracy is connected to the other two novels in the Regency London series, Banquet of Lies and A Dangerous Madness. All three books can be read as standalone novels, although events proceed in the order of The Emperor's Conspiracy, Banquet of Lies and finally, A Dangerous Madness.

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

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2012

About the author

Michelle Diener is a bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. Having worked in publishing and IT, she's now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters.

Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very poorly written book, with an incredible, inconceivably perfect Mary Sue of a character, with inexplicable insta-love. It is categorized under such genres as "Historical Romance," "Mystery Thriller." Both, all, really, would be wrong. I would like to suggest another genre under which this book should be shelved. "Terrible."

I don't always have to like the main character in order to love the book, but more often than not, the main character and his or her gradual development makes or breaks a novel. In this case, the novel is irretrievably shattered by the fucking unrealistic paragon that is Charlotte Raven. Before you decide whether to read this book, I would like to present to you some facts about Charlotte, which should be useful for you in deciding whether to try this book out for yourself or not.

- She was born and raised a street urchin and chimney sweep until she became stuck in one at the age of 12. Our extremely fortunate girl-in-disguise chimney sweep is then abandoned by her employee, still stuck headfirst within the chimney, and adopted and made the heiress of a wealthy society peeress, Lady Howe.

- Somehow she has managed to pass flawlessly as a society lady without anyone being the wiser, despite having grown up in the streets. She is equally at home in a back alley as in a society ball.

- She not only balances life as a society woman (whose character is beyond reproach, "unimpeachable," "irreproachable," while maintaining a double life in the grimy seeds of the London underworld for 12 years, without the Ton being any wiser to her low connections and base beginnings.

- She figures out the clandestine occupation of a Lord, which he has kept secret for years, within a day of meeting him, with no clues whatsoever

- She has no last name, but is so named by her fellow urchins as a child because her hair is "as black as a raven's wing."

- She is stunningly beautiful, intelligent, and observant. She literally has no faults throughout the course of the book.

- "I [Charlotte] became Luke’s lover because it was the only thing he wanted, and it seemed wrong to deny him when he had done so much. I was twelve years old.”

I am not slut shaming. I am only stating it for the preposterousness that it is. It is even more so when both said criminal mastermind of the Rookeries (Luke) and a high-born nobleman, Edward, both fall senselessly in love with her. Luke has been in love with her since he was 16 and she 12. Edward, our stoic, politically-minded nobleman, falls for her intrigue within hours of their encounter, despite smelling that something just ain't right.

"...he’d thought there was something about her—a cheekiness, a liveliness that reminded him of the streets."

There is no character development. None. The characters make grand speeches about change, about love. It means nothing, because the evidence of how their character develops and mature is just not there.

“No. I’ve chosen to be myself. To follow my own heart for a change. I don’t think I ever have.”

That is bullshit. In the events of the book, it is complete and utter bullshit. It is a grand speech with nothing to back it up. As far as we see in the book, Charlotte does whatever she fucking pleases. That is a beautiful, grandiose statement that I quoted from her, and grandiose is all it is, because it is full of hot fucking air and completely lacking in fact.

Let's recall, shall we, that Charlotte has chosen to lead a double life. She was not forced to choose one nor the other. Charlotte has been given free reign to do whatever she fucking pleases, by both her wealthy guardian, and by her overprotective crime lord who would slaughter people at the drop of a hat if they dared so much as to harm a hair on her head. There is no self-denial here, no tragic martyrdom. Charlotte is the luckiest bitch ever born.

The mystery is supposedly based on real historical events, Napoleon's plan to control England's gold resources. It is absurd, the way the mystery unfolds has no rationality, it is too dependent upon deus ex machina.

Aside from the obvious characterization failings of the book, there are two other faults with it that keeps it from any semblance of being even a merely "good" book. Like with the characters, the plot is completely filled with telling, not showing. We are expected to believe this happened, that that happened, we are not shown and demonstrated as to how such and such happened. I would have loved to read about Charlotte's transformation: it does not happen. There is no fucking My Fair Lady moment in this book that would make me believe or empathize with Charlotte.

It truly is all telling, no showing. We are supposed to swallow, deep-throated and choking, the fact that Charlotte completes her upper-class education and passes for a society lady without any proof whatsofuckingever. We are supposed to believe that Lord Edward is a nobleman, and a gentleman spy, well-educated, a fucking Renaissance Man, with no evidence whatsoever. We are told she does this, she uncovers this. He does this, he discovers this grand fucking plot, and expected to swallow it, hoook, line, and sinker, without evidence. It is a fucking insult to my intelligence.

Oh, my. This review is just getting angrier and angrier as I go along, isn't it?

The other fault is with the writing, the dialogue. The writing itself is decent, although it contains some really weird metaphors that just left me wrinkling my forehead. What I cannot overlook is the atrocious dialogue. The dialogue is completely inconsistent. We have Cockney street accents with a dropped H in one word, and a completely pronounced H in the next. We have modern contractions and phrases, coupled with archaic speech. We have usage of the word "Daddy." In Regency London.

I'm just glad to have finished this terribad book so I can delete it and save the wasted space that it presently occupies on my Nook.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Emperor's Conspiracy is a brilliantly written Historical Fiction with a dash of romance. Not only did I love the entire novel, I was completely entranced by the amazing plot, rich details and striking characters that sucked me right into nineteenth-century London until the very last words.

This story is about Charlotte Raven, who once was a poor chimney sweep until Lady Catherine Howe took her in after Charlotte became trapped in her chimney. Charlotte never lost her ties to the streets thought She continued seeing her childhood friend and ex-lover Luke Bracken who grew to be a bitter and ruthless crime lord, even so Charlotte could never really get it over her heart to shake herself lose from him, nor he from her. They shared a tight bond.
When Charlotte meets Lord Edward Durham, a secret agent for the Crown, she immediately feels attracted to him, which surprises her more than anything, since she has never allowed any man close to her after Luke.
Through events she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens England. Charlotte has to walk between both world to find out what really is going on. That's where things really start to get dangerous. Murder, intrigue, danger and passion follows.

I was hooked instantly by Michelle Diener's writing.So wonderful to read. Not to mention fast paced and detailed. I was truly blown away. The story, setting, characters and mystery kept my attention non-stop. I felt compelled to keep on reading and reading. Even into the midle of the night when I knew I should've been sleeping. I kept turning page after page and saying to myself; "Just one more chapter..."

I love complex characters and there were quite a few in The Emperor's Conspiracy. Charlotte was my favorite character. She was an amazing heroine to read about. Beautiful, strong, independent, straight forward, smart and very loyal to her friends. Everything a good heroine needs. I loved her bond with Luke, although one might see their relationship as unhealthy or messy, and yet I loved to see them together in scenes, interacting. Even so, I liked Charlotte and Edward together even more. I loved Edward! He was pretty amazing. Protective, handsome and intellifent. I just fell completely for him. Luke on the other hand was very intense, bitter, fierce, wanting Charlotte for his own, obsessive even. He wanted to much for Charlotte to love him, when she'd never love him in any other way than a friend or family. So, yes, that was pretty sad for him even though I was immensely rooting for Charlotte and Edward. My sympathy for Luke will never go away.
This book is based on real facts and events, which I just love because I'm such a history geek. I totally devoured it all.

The ending of this novel was a little inconclusive as to where her relationship with Edward would go. So I sincerely hope there will be a second instalment. But even with the inconclusive ending, I liked it. Charlotte finally had sort of freed herself from the ghosts of her past. So this was a very good ending in my opnion.
I loved the romance between Charlotte and Edward. It wasn't overdone or anything, even if sometimes it verged more on lust. They made such a good and beautiful couple. They really had the electric attraction. But like I've mentioned before, it was inclusive if they would make it or not. But I do hope so.
I have to say, there are some tough topics in this book that are definitly Rated R. Just a little warning there for the sensitive readers.

So, it's obvious how in love I am with this book. It's a new personal favorite of mine and I'm definitely not hesitating to read the other books by Michelle Diener for she has gaint a new fan with me.
I'd recommend The Emperor's Conspiracy to anyone who loves historical fiction or romance books with a suspense twist to it. Even if you're not a fan of this genre, I would ask you to read it, because this novel is absolutely brilliant.

[AlwaysV · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captured my heart and engaged my emotion since the first scene. And never let go until the beautiful final scene. Charlotte Raven was a heroine forged from smoke, ashes and fire. It shouldn't have been believable that she could rise up from a chimney sweeper to become a lady. But I was swept away by the author's convincing approach. That there was no other choices for Charlotte if she wanted to live and to be able to help the others in similar circumstances she had been in. As easy as that. She was my HERO 🙇🏽‍♀️

Lord Durnham wasn't my kind of hero, but he was perfect for Charlotte. They absolutely complemented each other. A noble who didn't care that much abut being noble and a lady who was a former lover of one of the rookery lords, were well matched.

I had to admit, though, that Napoleon's plan to smash England's economy to the ground was super brilliant! The ruin of that plan? Totally made this story one of the best Historical fiction for me! Unbelievably gorgeous!

Sharing one of my favorite scenes:

"Then let us get back to 'pay me court.' . . . What does that mean, Lord Durnham? . . . I need an explanation. Call me an ignorant girl from the gutters, and spell it out."

He was suddenly furious. . . "I." He drew in a seething breath. "Pay. You. Court. I offer you gifts, engage you in conversation, take you on outings with a chaperone.
And. . . And then ask you to marry me."

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started so good..and yes it continued to be that good! :D

It was a nice mix of historical fiction, suspense, mystery and romance. Charlotte the heroine was no simpering miss of the ton. She used to live in the slum, daughter of a whore, worked as a chimney sweep but was saved by a nice lady and raised as her ward. While still be connected to the underworld. Oh yes I loved that premise at once.

In this story there is a mystery too. Gold smuggled out of England and a Lord who tries to figure out the plot. A Lord who become the romantic interested of our cool heroine. As he is not one of those silly Men of the ton who wants her dowry and are all talk. And it works, because they do not fall at once, they do not even like each other at once. It's a story that will take time.

A good mystery, evil guys, flirting and the underworld. Yes that other thing I liked. She has an old friend, Luke who is now a crime boss and it just brought something new and very fresh to it. A woman torn between two worlds, dividing loyalties and a plot that kept it going. It was a book that was hard to put down, easy to read and suddenly I had read it and wanted more.

[Kate McMurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstandingly written, historically accurate, Regency romantic drama

I won't bother writing a description of the plot because the author's blurb is quite adequate.

I am a huge fan of MD, to the point that I will essentially follow her anywhere, for several important reasons. First and foremost, she is an outstanding writer. Second, she is extremely competent at writing mainstream romance. By that I mean stories that fit within the genre's requirement of a no-cheating, enthralling courtship between two people, which leads to the HEA of a monogamous, committed relationship. Her stories are also consistently written in third-person, past tense, with the dual POV of the FMC and MMC. In this case, they are 24-year-old Charlotte and 30-year-old Edward.

Because I don't tend to enjoy historical romance very much, I do not typically read it. My resistance to it is because the vast majority of HR authors shovel into their stories so many anachronistic, frenzied bouts of inevitably unprotected sex that I cannot willingly suspend disbelief. Worse, the sex typically is merely a trite filler that is more boring than thrilling.

I never have to worry about that nonsense with MD. With her, there may occasionally be, toward the end of her slow-burn novels, some off-stage sex, but in many cases, including this novel, there is no sex at all. However, unlike so many other authors, who attempt to write sex-free romance, MD does not awkwardly render the FMC and MMC as asexual robots. There is plenty of emotional and physical chemistry between MD's compelling MCs, including, especially, in this novel.

I liked and admired both Charlotte and Edward, especially Charlotte. Over the course of the novel, though they initially begin in a mild state of enmity, I was fully convinced that they are made for each other. Unfortunately, this is yet another genre trope that is not universally achieved by romance authors. But MD has never yet let me down in that regard.

In addition, in the general run of HR, whenever there is a pairing of a member of the aristocracy, typically the MMC, but very occasionally the FMC, with someone from the lower classes, I find it particularly difficult to immerse myself in the story world. Not so in this novel. The entire setup renders that improbable type of matchup completely convincing.

In fact, what MD has achieved throughout this novel, both in the romance and in its suspense portion, is so grittily historically accurate, I had no need to suspend disbelief in any area. In particular, the "woman in danger" trope is extremely well done.

What is especially compelling to me throughout this novel are the different kinds of love in Charlotte's life and how deeply that love has affected her ethics. I particularly appreciated the enormously deep well of compassion and loyalty that are Charlotte's Chief Virtues, and the fact that MD has created a sophisticated set of external conflicts linked to the internal conflict of Charlotte's Chief Virtues becoming her Chief Flaws, in order to credibly pitchfork her into danger.

The only romance genre convention that this book does not offer, and it does not drastically damage the overall effect, is an epilogue in which Charlotte and and Edward are living out their HEA. But as written, the upbeat ending definitely has a dramatic and satisfying flair.

[James McRay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots to Like, a bit to not like in Book 1 of Historical Fiction Romance trilogy by Michelle Diener

Let me start out by explaining that I did not read the author’s Regency London trilogy in order. Though The Emperor’s Conspiracy was my least favorite of three, the other two are excellent and I wouldn’t want anyone shying away from continuing the series. I think it’s fair to say, the series gets much better. As is often the case in a Michelle Diener series, for the most part each book can be read as a stand-alone but there is always the delightful, subtle crossover from character from the other books.

Also important to note about the series is that Diener wraps her fiction around real historical events which was extremely well done and had me diving into my encyclopedia Google Machine to learn more about the actual historical events.

The story begins with a classic Oliver Twist twist. A girl chimney sweep literally gets stuck in a high society chimney and the Lady of the house decides to keeper her. However, our damsel has a bit more of checkered past than a typical gentlewoman of the Regency era. Charlotte’s loyalty to a childhood protector and later lover becomes extremely complicated when said protector slash lover grows up into a notorious crime boss.

There was a lot to like about this book, starting with the unique exposure to the darker side of London during the time period that is normally reserved for so many Jane Austen-esque Regency Romance novels. (I just kept thinking, whatever you do main characters, do not get a haircut from anyone named Sweeney Todd.) As usual, Diener’s romantic subplot is delightfully written. I loved both the main characters and really enjoyed the development of the part enemies-to-lovers, part friends-to-lovers, part it’s complicated-to-lovers storyline.

There were also a couple of things I did not like about the story. The first being, I could never get a bead on the rogue former protector crime boss. I was never sure if I was supposed to like him, not like, be ambiguous to him. Also, Charlotte’s loyalties to Luke are very questionable. Charlotte believes she owes a debt to the guy who protected her as a child, but I believe that the dirty deeds Luke has committed since their parting means all bets are off on owed favors.

The other thing that was a stick in my growl was all the watching of houses and people that was going on. I think at one point there was a watcher watching a watcher watching a watcher. Um, yeah. I know that London of that time was pretty dense, but I have a hard time imagining that so many people could watch the same house and not bump into each other, or at least ask, “why are you here, buddy.”

Overall, a solid 3.5 stars, now move along and read Banquet of Lies and A Dangerous Madness.

Note: I was given an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (And, I got to help spiff up some typos which was a lot of fun.)

[Marg · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Michelle Diener contacted me to offer a review copy of this book, I was interested, but mainly because Michelle lives in Australia and therefore I could count this book for several challenges. And then I noticed that Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Tours was running a tour for the book. I volunteered because then not only would I intend to read it, I would actually read it and in a timely fashion! The thing is though, by the time I finished the book, I was happy to have read the book, not because of challenges or impetus to read, but because in the end this was a really good read!

The book opens with a scene that is quite unusual. A London lady finds herself with a chimney sweep stuck up her chimney because the sweep had grown too large, and the sweep is abandoned by her master because if the sweeps can't work, then he can't afford to feed them.

Fast forward a number of years, and we are introduced to Charlotte Raven. She is a young lady who is mostly at ease in the glamorous world of the ton but equally at home in the rougher parts of London. She is something of an oddity in the ton, because she is ward to a well respected lady who took her into her home and introduced her into the rarefied ways of the ton. She is also unusual in the stews because she is one of the lucky ones, one of the people who climbed out of a life of poverty. Charlotte is acutely aware of her own good fortune and does her best to help others get a start on a better life if they are prepared to make the necessary changes.

To read more head to

http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2012...

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

Sixth months. That is how long I eyed Michelle Diener's work before getting my hands on a copy. The premise intrigued me, but even after buying the book I was hesitant. I had never encountered Diener's in my literary wanderings before and despite my optimism, I was nervous the piece wouldn't live up to my expectations. As it turns out I needn't have worried. I found The Emperor's Conspiracy both a satisfying and enjoyable read. Fair warning, there are spoilers ahead.

Still with me? Fantastic. First and foremost I love how Diener incorporated a real event into her fiction. At first glance Napoleon's attempt to destroy the English economy by exporting gold guineas sounds entirely too far-fetched to be true but then again, the best historic events are the ones that don't seem at all possible. Diener got a lot of points not only for exposing me to an event of which I was previously unaware, but also for the creativity she exhibited in adapting it to her fiction.

As for the fictional premise, well a chimney sweep turned noblewoman was and is a little too implausible for my taste, but I will say it made Charlotte's adventures into the rookeries relatively believable. Don't misunderstand, I really liked how it all played out, but the amateur historian in me wasn't exactly jumping for joy. It is a delightfully fun idea, but lacking the authenticity I look for in historic fiction and though I expected this going into the book, I wanted to share this personal preference in my review as it helps explain the rating I ultimately issued and serves as a bit of a warning to those who prefer weightier historic pieces.

Now I want to talk about character analysis, or rather one particular character analysis: Luke Braken. Oh my goodness, I love this guy. Driven, dedicated, resourceful, I'll admit he is a little warped, but I still can't get over the depth Diener put into him. At first his possessive regard for Charlotte annoyed me, but he became increasingly fascinating as more and more of his background came to light. Then came the moment. "'You want to talk to me about the thousands starving in the stews, while nobs like you ride past them in carriages that cost enough to keep them for life? You want to talk about the Hulks, and Old Bailey, where they lock up children as young as six years old, punishing them as it they were adults, all for take a scrap or two to feed themselves or their families? You want to stand there and tell me I betrayed England? No, Lord Nob, England has betrayed me.'" In that passage he became something entirely different; wounded, complicated, provocative, memorable. Did I mention I loved this character?

By contrast Charlotte and Edward left me wanting. Our heroine was interesting enough, but she never had that defining moment. She spends most of the story trying to keep a foot in each world and though she ultimately stands up and declares she will no longer live to please those around her, the moment is significantly subtler than Luke's, almost anticlimactic by comparison. Edward's journey is similarly bland. Like Charlotte's, it never stuck the chord I wanted it to.

So, will I be reading Diener again? Without a doubt. The Emperor's Conspiracy definitely isn't your average regency romance, that's for sure. An entertaining series of imaginative story lines interwoven with a complex historic mystery, perfect for any lover of light historic fiction.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first third was good, but the rest had me wishing it were over.

There was a lot of dull conversation. The ending was not well resolved. Someone gives evidence to someone but we’re not sure what will be done with that evidence. I wanted to see specific things happen to bad guys. The ending was too murky.

I really enjoyed Dark Horse by this author. So I thought I’d try this book. Sadly, it wasn’t as good.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 317 pages. Swearing language: mild including religious swear words but not often used. Sexual content: none. Setting: mostly 1811 London. Copyright: 2012. Genre: mystery.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written and very interesting historically. This is not necessarily a light and fluffy romance novel. The main character had a hard childhood and reveals some of the things she had to do to survive. But the book doesn’t hit you over the head with it, nor judge morally. The action is fast-paced and the characters are well-written and likeable.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book – although it eventually missed out on getting a 5 star rating, of which more later.

The heroine, Charlotte Raven is an unusual one in that she was once a street urchin and has retained her links to London’s underworld, mainly through her friendship with Luke Bracken, who has risen through the ranks of the criminal fraternity to become what we might now term a gangland boss. Although she is well aware of the restrictions that come with her position as a young, unmarried woman, she is nonetheless very direct in her manner and is not afraid to come forward with information that could help others while possibly endangering her own position in society. I liked that she was fairly straightforward with Edward, too – there is no Big Misunderstanding between them in order to drive the story – she is honest about her attraction to him, even though she is wary of acting upon it.

Her relationship with Luke is very well drawn. They share a bond that neither is willing or able to break, even though Charlotte makes it clear several times that she loves him like a brother, Luke can’t help torturing himself with his desire that she will return to him and love him in a romantic way. Their relationship is dysfunctional, messy and not good for either of them, but there is a real depth to its portrayal that makes it quite compelling to read.

Edward, the romantic hero is less well fleshed out, I felt. He’s all a reader would expect in such a character – handsome, titled, rich and clever ��� but I never really felt like I got to know him. That said, he and Charlotte make an attractive couple, and the parts of the book where they are working together have a real undercurrent of sexual tension. But this is part of the reason for the 4.5 stars instead of 5 – and why I hope that perhaps we will encounter Edward and Charlotte in a future novel – the ending of the novel is rather inconclusive. On one level, that works very well as we are shown Charlotte, finally free of her demons and realising that she can now be her own person in a position to make her own decisions. On another, it’s a little frustrating that we don’t get at least a glimpse of the hero and heroine together at the end of the book. Looking at it in a positive light however, I suppose that gives the reader the chance to draw their own conclusions and it certainly makes Charlotte into a stronger person.

In her author’s note, Michelle Diener points out that her inspiration for the plot of the novel is drawn from the real-life attempt by Napoleon Bonaparte to destabilise the British establishment by undermining its financial system, thereby bringing about revolution and chaos. The story in the book centres around the gradual realisation on the part of Charlotte and Edward of the attempt, by a small group of so-called gentlemen to enrich themselves by smuggling gold out of England and into the hands of the French government.

This was a real page turner for me, one of those books I was eager to pick up during every spare moment I had. The thriller element was very well done indeed, and kept me guessing as to the identities of the conspirators right up until the reveal; and Charlotte’s progression from someone who feels she belonges nowhere to a woman who finally knows who she is, was extremely engaging.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Emperor's Conspiracy" is the story of Charlotte "Charlie" Raven, who goes from lowly chimney sweep to full-fledged society lady and her difficulty with having her toes in both of the worlds she is so familiar with. On one hand, she still remembers what it was like to be a child forced to work but still loving that world and the people that she knew in it but those very people could get her deeply into trouble. On the other hand, she absolutely relishes her position as a rich and educated woman of high society. She is constantly wondering whether or not she will ever be able to reconcile those two worlds. Through this book, it is clear that she will try her hardest in order to do so.

I really liked the conflicts that Charlotte faced between both the world of the workers and the world of the rich. While many of us will probably never have to choose between such different worlds, I think some of us can understand the struggle that Charlie faces. It can be hard to figure out where you belong and who you should be when you have so many different choices, so many different paths that you can choose. It was interesting to see how Charlie deals with all of that.

This book is filled with great historical detail of a gritty time in England's history. There is even a little dash of romance, which I really enjoyed. On top of that, there is a bit of mystery too! This book takes place in a changing time in England's history. All the gold is disappearing from the country's coffers. Because of Charlie's unique position of knowing both the rich and the poor world is in the perfect position to help figure out what is happening.

Although Charlie is a totally fictional character, Historical Fiction lovers will find so much to love about this book. The author did a great job of bringing the reader into Charlie's world. There is a lot of great detail that I could picture exactly what everything looked like in London at that time.

Bottom line: A great historical read!

[Laura J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Raven was rescued at 12 yrs old from the slums by Lady Christine and is now her very proper ward. Edward works for the Crown and meets Charlotte after she rescues his nephews. The characters intertwine together as the mystery that Edward has been assigned to unfolds. The chemistry between Charlotte and Edward is believable and passionate even though they only share kisses. The mystery was based on a true plot against England and was well developed and interesting as were the supporting characters. This is the first book in the series - I had no problems reading them out of order.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

I hate to damn The Emperor's Conspiracy with faint praise, but the best adjectives I can come up with to describe it are: Decent. Okay. Not bad. Adequate. I was entertained, but never invested or engrossed in the story. All in all, it was an alright novel with less than perfect characterization. It also wasn't the exciting mystery I had hoped to get, and at times this read much more like a historical romance than a historical fiction novel... but it wasn't horrible. It just wasn't a great read for me, personally, though I can easily see why others might feel differently when it comes out later this year. It can be entertaining and amusing, but the flat characters, the cliched love triangle, and the third person limited POV didn't do much to make me fully invested, either. I didn't hate it and I would probably read another novel from this author -- especially since she has two Tudor-era novels, which is much more my forte than Regency England -- but this one, plain and simply, just didn't live up the inner expectations I had for it. (Yep, damning with faint praise it is.)

Easily started and finished in the same day, this Regency-era look at Britain and the main characters of Charlotte Raven and Lord Edward Durnham came off as somewhat cliche in several areas. I will say this for it: it reads quite easily and quickly. There's the down on her luck lady with a checkered past, caught between the crime lord she owes her survival to and the Lord who wants her for independence, fiery will, and humor. Unfortunately, these are all pretty shallow characters and their interactions across the board come off as formulaic and predictable throughout the novel. Neither Charlotte, nor Edward, or Luke, really get the time and attention they deserve. And what we do know about them is told to the reader, instead of shown by their actions or dialogue. They might be interesting, but they are sadly one-dimensional.

There's much more time and pages spent setting up a contest over protagonist Charlotte's affections than there is time spent on constructing a good conspiracy, or y'know, actually moving the plot along. Complete with one of my least favorite plot devices, instalove (honestly, what draws Charlotte and Edward together so fast? I read the damn thing and I can't tell you), The Emperor's Conspiracy falls victim to many easily avoidable traps. The plot takes way too long to kick in due to the first hundred pages being big on setting the scene, establishing the smallish cast of characters and their respective relationships. In a book of only 320 pages for the final edition, that is too long without any momentum or action or revelations abut the conspiracy at the heart of everything. The overall antagonist lacks a presence and I found the red herrings to be obvious as well as the final reveal. A little more subtlety or more authorial sleigh of hand would have gone a long way to making the conspiracy of the title more riveting.

For all my issues, I did like this for a couple reasons: it actually introduced me to some new facts about Britain and Napoleon's long-lived enmity for the country. Luke's experiences in the prison hulks was something I had never ever heard of, and gave his plotline a little more life than the others had. Also, the fact that the conspiracy Diener writes of is based in actual fact. That is fascinating to me; much more so than the scant attention it warrants here -- until the final 50 pages, that is. If there had been more interaction and attention spent with that aspect of the novel, rather than the pissing contest over Charlotte's time and attention and all people watching people watching other people for other people, I would've found myself giving this at least a 3.5/3.75 stars instead of merely a three.

The ending was nicely handled, and for once with this book, it didn't go the way I had predicted. The open-ended nature of the last page leaves room for maneuvering and a possible sequel, which is totally alright with me. I may have been less than enthused with my first experience with Michelle Diener's writing, but it probably will not be my last.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Probably historically a faux pas but I enjoyed reading it and I found it more acceptable than her Class 5

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover drew me to The Emperor’s Conspiracy, the synopsis had me grab it and the novel captivated me. Michelle Diener’s novel has elements I love in a good book; suspense, mystery and a side dish of romance all set in nineteenth century London. I adored the unique characters and the plot against the crown. I was captivated by this tale and could not put it down.

Our heroine Charlotte Raven’s by all appearances looks to be the perfect lady with an impeccable reputation. Charlotte has many secrets and her past is one of them. Chance has her reveal her true self and befriend the sister of Lord Edward Durnham. When he begins searching for gold disappearing from England’s coiffures, he finds himself looking to Charlotte for aid. The tale that unfolds is suspenseful and mystery. I became completely immersed in this tale and its characters.

Charlotte Raven is a curious creature; she is beautiful, snarky and graceful. She is head-strong, witty, bright and very protective of those she loves. Resigned to never share her life, she is taken aback by her feelings for Lord Durnham. We see growth in her as a character throughout the novel and I really liked this complex woman. Edward is a serious bloke, burdened by family responsibilities and a diligent agent to the crown; he has little time for the social circles of the ton. He is brave, noble and smexy in his attempt to protect Charlotte. I loved how she completely unnerved him and made him lose his senses. That fact that it completely shocked him, made me giggle. Luke the local crime king-pin was an interesting and complex character. While I admired his loyalty to Charlotte, I also hated the price she paid for that loyalty. Diener provides quite a cast of side characters and each one was interesting and unique.

I love when a novel hooks you in the first few pages and that is exactly what happened with The Emperor’s Conspiracy. The fast pace, twists and fleshed out characters immediately swept me up and kept me entranced. This is one of those novels where I just had to read “one more chapter” despite the late hour and found myself up till three am! It was worth the lack of sleep as I found the mystery and tale to be delightful. Diener took true historical facts about Napoleon and his plans to take down England’s economy and wove them into this tale. At times it was very dark and gritty and the suspense was unnerving as the author blurred the lines of fiction and reality. I love when a tale and its characters become real to me. The romance was sweet, complex and totally takes a back-burner to the intense plot. The ending allows the reader to draw their own conclusions and I closed the book with a smile.

I so recommend The Emperor’s Conspiracy to fans of mystery and suspense in a historical setting. Not sure you like historical fiction, but love mysteries, crime novels and suspense? I recommend you try this since the pacing is riveting. I look forward to reading more from this talented author. You can find all of Michelle Diener’s works listed here.

I want to thank Simon and Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

originally posted at Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Olga Godim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally published at StoryCircleBookReviews:
http://www.storycirclebookreviews.org...

A spy thriller intertwined with a romantic triangle, set in Regency England, with a peek into high society, a whiff of the gutters, and a dollop of blackmail. Such a recipe couldn’t fail but produce an engaging tale of history and mayhem.
The heroine Charlotte was the daughter of a whore. The girl worked as a chimney sweep since she was four, but at twelve, luck smiled at her: she was adopted by Lady Catherine. Since then, Charlotte has lived in two worlds. While the ton knows her as a reserved society miss with the impeccable reputation, her friends from the stews call her Charlie. She visits her former rookery often and helps as many of her former mates as she can: with work or money.
Circumstances bring her in contact with Edward, a wealthy nobleman working for the Crown. Sparks of interest and desire ignite between them, but before they can explore their mutual attraction, they must untangle a treacherous conspiracy that threatens not only Charlotte’s life but also the security of England.
While Edward is searching for the traitors, Charlotte battles the ghosts of her childhood. Her heart is torn between her sisterly affection for Luke, her former sweetheart and the current crime boss of London, and her emerging love for Edward. Edward’s work for the Crown pitches him against Luke, so both men pull her in the opposite directions.
In turns charming and sensible, kind and surprisingly ruthless, Charlotte struggles to reconcile her unfolding feminine passion with the unbreakable ties of her past. She can’t betray her friends, she can’t forfeit Luke, her soul brother, but she wouldn’t abandon her hopes for happiness with Edward either. While she is trying to balance her double life, the villains are poised to strike, and Edward is running out of time.
I seriously doubt the historical authenticity of this novel (I mean, come on: a chimney sweep becoming a lady), but I enjoyed Charlotte���s non-stop adventures all the same. The pacing is furious, as misfortunes pile up on both her and Edward from the first page. The depiction of poverty-stricken London slums digs for the reader’s empathy, but despite the inventiveness of the plot, the emotional impact of this novel is not as strong as it could’ve been.
The problem lies in characters. Characterization is a weak point of this book. All the characters, including Charlotte, are interesting sketches, with lots of potential for depth that hasn’t been fully realized. And that detracts from the value of this novel. Flat dialog doesn’t help either.
Still, the novel reads fast, captures attention easily, and provides a few hours of pure escapism for the reader, like an adventure flick on TV. Hence, 3 stars.

[Kaetrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have both of Michelle Diener’s other books on my TBR pile. When the chance came to review this book, I was keen because, apart from the beautiful cover, I knew it would force me to move this author up in the queue—something I had been meaning to do. Review books get priority! :) The conspiracy of the title is actually true—Napoleon did try to bankrupt Britain by stealing all of their guineas. Who’d have thunk?

I went into the book thinking it was a romance but it isn’t really. It’s an historical novel with romantic elements. Perhaps if I had understood that going in, I would have enjoyed the book more but as it was, there wasn’t quite enough relationship to satisfy this romance reader’s soul.

Charlotte Raven was the daughter of a rookery whore, sold to a chimney sweep at age four and rescued from that life at age 12 by a wealthy Ton widow. Charlotte helps people from the slums by giving them jobs in her household and she still has close ties to Luke Bracken, now a crime lord. Luke and Charlotte had a very close and unhealthy relationship, parts of which were quite problematic for me. Luke isn’t presented as a particularly ‘good’ man. Even the close eye he keeps on Charlotte isn’t merely for her protection and he’s not shy about murder.

Lord Edward Durnham provides discreet assistance to the Crown and is tasked to investigate the smuggling of vast amounts of guineas from England. His path crosses with Charlotte (which he is glad about) and Luke (by which he’s less than pleased). Charlotte and Edward begin to fall in love (but remember, this is not a romance so don’t expect the usual romance story arc) as they work to solve the puzzle of who is behind the smuggling.

I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first but I felt that the end was somewhat abrupt. There are a lot of things I would have liked to know more about—particularly about the fallout regarding the smuggling conspiracy. Recommended for readers who like historical novels with a touch of gentle romance.


This review first appeared on the ARRA blog at https://australianromancereaders.word...

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Emperor's Conspiracy is a blend of historical fiction and mystery with some romance. Historical mysteries are one of my favorite types of reads and I thought this one was well done. I liked that it wasn't too heavy on the romance, there were a couple of times I thought it might go there but it didn't. My only complaint would be that it ends too abruptly.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book's heroine either needed to be a lot less anachronistic in her attitudes and experiences or the book a lot less staidly historical. The love triangle, such as it was, wasn't compelling either. MY LORD AND SPYMASTER has a heroine with a similar background, but the narrative works to make it believable (or at least match the tone and believability of the rest of the world).

[Jen Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very light and easy read. If you're looking for historical fiction that takes you away from your own world for a few hours, this is it. Not something that will sit in the best books of all time but hit the spot, which is why I go 4 stars.

[JB · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Find this and other reviews at The Demon Librarian book blog**

I cut my reading teeth on historical romances. I can still remember the first time my mom put a Victoria Holt book into my hands, and later, when my older sister and I discovered the joys of Georgette Heyer. To this day, I've got a soft spot for the genre.

The Emperor's Conspiracy is a very different type of historical novel. Set in England during the Napoleonic Wars, it contains the usual lords and ladies, balls and gowns, and of course the threat of scandal if you so much as breathe wrong. But don't be fooled. This isn't your typical Regency novel. From its very first pages, The Emperor's Conspiracy plunges you into society's seething underbelly, where plots and secrets and dubious alliances abound. It's a gritty tale, one that doesn't shy away from showing us just how dark this world can be. It's a bold move on the author's part, and I applaud Michelle Deiner for writing a story with actual meat and bones
instead of a fluffy, and ultimately insubstantial, historical romance.

There is, I suppose, what you could call a love triangle, but once again, the author takes the road less traveled. Instead of subjecting us to the usual "torn between two lovers" nonsense, it is made clear, pretty early on, that while Charlotte and Luke may share a very complicated history, there is no chance of a romance between them. That doesn't mean, though, that their relationship doesn't play a big role in the book, because it does. In fact, without Luke, I'm not sure there would be a story at all. He's a key player in everything that happens. He just isn't the right leading man for Charlotte.

Edward, on the other hand, most definitely is.

I loved how the Charlotte/Edward romance developed. Though they share an immediate and mutual attraction, they can't afford to act on it, for a number of reasons. What you get instead is a lot of lingering looks, fleeting touches, and a whole lot of sexual tension. They were so intensely aware of each other....it was hot stuff, let me tell you.

The only thing I did not like about this book was the ambiguous ending. I wanted a clear-cut HEA and the author didn't give me one. Sure, it was obvious where things were headed, but I wanted to "see" it for myself. I don't like having to guess and assume. It annoys me. So for that, I am knocking off half a star from my rating.

If you love historical novels with substance, strong, intelligent characters, and simmering romance, The Emperor's Conspiracy is just the book for you.

3.5 Stars ★★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Burgandy Ice · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Huge sigh of satisfaction* This is THAT book, the one where history melts into the background, the writing disappears and players emerge spitting character and bold love so that... I sigh.

Charlotte - Charlie - is a great character. She's headstrong and intelligent. Her guardian/savior is the sweetest, smartest lady. It's a household of two great brains with different kinds of strength and I loved seeing the strong women.

Charlie's childhood friend, the crime lord, is so dark and mysterious and powerful. I loved the dirty grit of the streets and the society that pulsed beneath the city. There's no fluffy cuteness about it... it's as real as poverty.

Edward Durnham really doesn't have much of a chance of participating in Charlie's life or in this story, but he's stubborn and persistent and won't take "stay away" as an answer. He causes more trouble than he helps, sometimes, blundering where he doesn't belong. But his heart has been awoken and he understands Charlie in ways no one else can. I love his view of her and their romance is delicate and fresh.

I could hug the pacing... this book is hard to put down. It flies by. I might have been frustrated only because it ended and I could have continued reading their story for a long time.

My Rating: 5 - I need this book in my library so I can reread it often!! (I rec'd my ARC from Edelweiss.) I love a story that doesn't center around romance, but yet has some... a story that has so much tangible history, but doesn't clobber me with it... a mystery that I can't second-guess and is not overbearing. This is one of my favorite books this year.

Like this, Like that... I was reminded a little of Soulless, Alanna, & Crown Duel. There's a bit of mystery and smart players, a great thief and underworld, but also a play-acting society where appearances rule. I loved the smart new combination of some of my favorite elements!


Fav Quote:

He was suddenly furious. She could see it in the way his jaw clenched and his eyes flashed. She couldn't understand how one question could have such an effect on him.

"I." He drew in a seething breath. "Pay. You. Court. I offer you gifts, engage you in conversation, take you on outings with a chaperone. And..."

"And?"

"And then ask you to marry me." He almost spat it out.

"Because of the bet?" she asked, trying frantically to work it out. "Because someone has wagered on my reputation, you must marry me to save me?" She looked up, startled. "Why? I'm either dead or ruined by the end of this anyway."

"You are not. I won't let that happen. They will not win." He was all but shouting, stalking toward her. he grabbed her arms and gave her a little shake. "This time, the bastards don't win. I win."

"What do you win?" she whispered.

He bent his head and crushed his lips to hers.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy the historical fiction genre and I am careful about which ones I accept because I as I have stated before I am always scared I will get bogged down with facts and history in a historical novel. Not that it has happened yet and it definitely did not happen with The Emperor's Conspiracy.

The Emperor's Conspiracy is a very fast-paced plot based novel that had me flipping the pages as fast as I could to find out what would happen next in Charlotte Raven's world. I had no doubt that Charlotte would end up okay, but I wanted to know how and what the devil was going on. And it seemed like there was a lot going on. Ms. Diener does a wonderful job creating and weaving the plot in this novel and basing it on a historical fact that I did not know about at all which made it more interesting. I like telling my husband things that he did not know since he is a major history-buff. You can easily get caught up in Miss Raven's world which traverses the posh area of London and the seedy back alleyways as well.

I think there was mastery in the creation of Miss Charlotte Raven. Creating her as a chimney sweep who is transformed into a noblewoman so she knows both sides of London and can travel them both well. She is also still mired in both sides so that adds the extra interest and extra plotline to the book. I would have loved a little more depth to her character but realize the length of the novel and type of novel probably limited the character development some. We do see some of her development, but I want more Charlotte and also more of Edward. I feel he was more of a cardboard cutout that got filled in some. I liked him a lot, and feel he was a typical male of the time, and what he needed to be for his job, aloof and distant, but I wanted to know him just a little more. That said, I still enjoyed him and Charlotte as characters. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, though sometimes I was a little confused (but it could have been the medicines, I read this when I had a sinus infection, so I could have been addled some).

Overall this book was well worth my time and has me wanting to check out Ms. Diener's backlist and anything she writes in the future. She writes in a way that is easy to read and catches your interest from the first page. She knows how to plot well and tie up things without making it too pat. Her pacing was also well done, it never felt rushed, I felt the book moved along well. I was kind of sad it ended and to say goodbye to these wonderful characters. I wish I could see more of Charlotte and Edward, they were fun together. So if you enjoy a good nineteenth-century English suspense set in London then this is just the book for you. But be prepared to spend a few hours reading because you won't want to put it down.

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog

*I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

The emperor’s Conspiracy took me quite by surprise; it was not what I thought it would be at all. I was expecting a normal historical windswept romance (of which I am a fan) instead I got an entertaining and complex mystery with plenty of heart.

This book is clever in the way that all its numerous plots and twists tie themselves and you in knots, there is a lot going on, a lot to take in and I must admit that there were a couple of times where I got a little confused. But at the end these knots are ironed out and all questions are answered.

The writing in this book is good. I found it easy to envision and easy to get lost in the pages. Every chapter seemed to end at a point where I just could not possibly stop reading and so it led to a very late night for me.

I loved the characters. Charlotte is caring but fierce, she is a little confused but for genuine good reason. She is not a ‘silly’ girl as so many book heroines are. She is not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve and let people know what she really thinks about them. Her relationship with the moody Edward is good. He is clearly often exasperated by her and worries about her often without getting to possessive or out of hand. There is a little romance here but I feel like I must point out that this is NOT really a romance book, the small amount there is gentle and well behaved. I feel like this book has been marketed more as a romance and if that is all you are looking for you will be disappointed.

The real triumph of this book is the relationship between Charlotte and Luke. Their relationship is an unhealthy one for both of them but they could not be without one another even if they want different things. Luke wears pain like a medal, he has been through a lot and I think he wishes to do the best thing but he is so full or hate from all his misfortune that he can’t. I really liked him despite his meanness and I loved the complex and heart-breaking relationship between him and Charlotte. It was hands down the best part of the book.

The worse part of the book was the ending. It tied up all the loose ends of the plot but it was so abrupt and sudden that I felt like I needed more closure on things. It is the only really negative thing I have to say about this book.

I would recommend this to anyone who liked to read, this is not one just for romance lovers. A word of warning that there are some sensitive issues bought up and discussed here (child abuse, rape, etc) not once are these issues treated with disrespect or used as a shock tactic but they are there.

[Kara-karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*slight spoilers ahead*
What a fabulous book! I haven't enjoyed historical fiction that much since... You know, I can't even remember.

Straight from the beginning this is non-stop action full of mystery and fantastic characterization. I think, the main heroine, Charlotte Raven is the one who made this book. Who owned this book.

She is pure kickass awesomeness. This is no wishy-washy simpering miss, who cries and thinks about her feelings way too much because she hasn't had anything else to worry about.

Charlotte grew up a chimney boy in the rookeries of London until at the age of twelve she stuck in the chimney of a noble but lonely lady and became her ward. Her arms are scarred, her mind is sharp and coldly rational, her best friend Luke grew up a psychotic crime lord of London area close to Mayfair. She can't let go of the friendship and she can't break his obsessive hold over her. Her admirers or people troubling her keep ending up dead and Charlotte learned to stay away from any sort of relationship until she saves Emma, another aristocratic lady from her husband's machinations and meets her handsome brother.

Edward is an agent of the Crown in the middle of an investigation of a huge conspiracy involving members of the ton. Emma's new friend with her detached ways and sharp mind surprises him and he decides to find out more about her which puts him on Luke's radar.

Now both Charlotte and Edward has to work on not getting him killed by her overprotective ex-lover and end up unravelling the mysterious conspiracy together.

Charlotte's mind was a fascinating and dark place. She is a ruthless and very practical woman, she stands her ground in the rookeries against Luke's heavy handedness and in the middle of a Society ball. She is quick and knows how manipulate situation towards her advantage, she doesn't hesitate to strike, to act, and frankly I read about her with growing sense of admiration.

Luke is just as amazing, and I love a bit of genuine psychotic character in fiction. All the more interesting to see what makes them tick, right? You end up feeling the same way as Charlotte about him - afraid, exhilarated and deeply sympathetic.

Overall, this book flows really well and reads in one go, you live and breathe it until it ends. There is no happy ending, instead the author makes you wonder what would happen next with the characters. However, I didn't find it irritating and only hope that there will be a next book ahead.

Highly recommended.

[SOS Aloha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul. - Democritus

Michelle Diener burst onto the historical fiction scene last year with her debut thriller set in Tudor England, IN A TREACHEROUS COURT. For THE EMPEROR'S CONSPIRACY, she delivers an equally engaging suspense set in Regency England. Diener steps out of the grand ballrooms to give us a glimpse of gritty London – both in the stews and in the aristocracy who grovel in their selfish pleasures. Charlotte Raven is a remarkable heroine who survived poverty and now thrives under the guardianship of a generous patron. Yet she reveals her past to protect the children of another noble family. Charlotte’s selfless act garners another friend in the ton. But it also brings her to the attention of Lord Edward Durnham. A solemn man, Edward realizes that Charlotte can aid his current investigation of the Emperor’s Conspiracy – Napoleon's effort to rob England of its gold.

Both heroine and hero are jaded by childhood traumas. They are practical in dancing around polite society. They are loyal to family. And they are stubborn as mules. Charlotte and Edward puncture the facades erected by the other to find the hope of happiness that has eluded them. The possibility of romance is a subplot that enhances the larger mystery of who is orchestrating the smuggling operation. THE EMPEROR'S CONSPIRACY captured my attention from the prologue and kept it throughout the unexpected twists of human depravity. Despite the darker tone, I enjoyed THE EMPEROR'S CONSPIRACY as a break from my lighthearted historical romances.

Recommended read for those who enjoy the Regency Era but would like something different from the hapless heiress on the marriage mart.

[Mary Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Good story. Charlie the ex-chimney sweep seems at the start a bit of a stretch but the author manages to bring together all the threads to provide an intriguing thriller and sweet romance.

[Michelle Diener · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review contains spoilers and they're are mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...

I must accede to this point that Michelle Diener’s The Emperor's Conspiracy had great potentials. I liked the author’s writing. She was a new-to-me author before I read this novel, so I didn’t know what to expect. Although I enjoyed some parts of the story, some parts left me unsatisfied and somewhat disappointed. I’ll try to elaborate in my review.

Charlotte, the h of the story, comes straight from the gutter of London. Born to a prostitute mother, who died leaving her young, Charlotte didn’t know safety in her childhood. Her mother’s co-workers were planning to sell a 4 yrs old Charlotte, until she was somewhat rescued. I must say that the majority of Charlotte’s life until now had been pretty hazy to accumulate. We just learn some stuff from the musings and so on, but some are left entirely to imagination, a process I didn’t like. She worked as a chimney sweep, and met this young boy, Luke, who protected her. It was a life of drudgery and survival. Charlotte became Luke’s lover (something that shocked me a lot) at the age to 12 because he wanted it and she wanted to return his favor for looking out for her. Anyway, one day, after an incident that left her stuck in the chimney of Catherine, the widowed Lady Howe, guardian angels finally looked down on her. As the man who employed her left, Charlotte is saved by Catherine and then, taken in as her ward. Since then, Charlotte has lived the life of a privileged. She has everything a nobleman’s daughter would have- education, poise, good humor and a fat dowry. Yet Charlotte is still unmarried. So far, we didn’t know the whys and hows of her spinsterhood. But we learn that Charlotte hovers somewhere in the middle of the both sides of London society; the gutter and the sparkle. She never feels at home, no matter how loving and protective Catherine has been to her. Charlotte’s suitors, the few ones who come across, leave her soon enough. Charlotte knows ‘the reason’, and yet, she can’t do anything. Now she has resigned to spinsterhood. Not that she was interested in any man since Luke, yet when she sees Edward, her mind changes.

In one of the country parties, Charlotte hears rumors that the host, Lord Holiday is letting his 3 young boys ‘spend the weekend’ with another lord, Frethers. Charlotte is instantly horrified. She knows Frethers and his dirty proclivity towards young boys from an experience of her past. She used to dress as boys when she was a chimney sweep.......... Even though Charlotte was saved from being molested by him, so far she couldn’t share this story with anyone. Yet, Charlotte feels the emergency. She has to save the boys. Charlotte takes a chance and talks to the boys’ mother Lady Holiday, Emma. Emma believes in her instantly and faces her husband, who stutters and stammers about the whole thing. It was well-known that Lord Holiday had a penchant for impulsive investments and lost most of their wealth. Frethers is one of the wealthiest of the Ton. The equation seemed justified to the pervert and the back-boneless little creep. Charlotte decides to leave the next day. Even though Frethers can’t recognize her anymore, she can’t tolerate another moment. Emma begs Charlotte help her as she had decided to leave her husband. Emma’s brother, Lord Durnham, Edward is in London. She doesn’t know how he’ll take all these since Edward argued against this match. But Emma and her step-father were resolute, so a strain in the relationship began. Right now, Emma doesn’t have anywhere else to go. Charlotte welcomes Emma to stay with her and Catherine. They are the only people in the house, apart from the servants and Catherine is very wealthy indeed. Emma wants to talk to Edward first, which is how, in London, Charlotte meets with him. On the first meeting, there are some attractions.

Edward is the peer of the realm and handsome, even if he looks a bit gruff for his age. Edward, by no means, is a bad man. He’s perfectly responsible and respectable. He loves his sister, but when she made her choice, he could do nothing. He works for the government in secret, something no one but a chosen few know about and so, his instincts always expressed something negative about Holiday. Emma can’t bring herself to explain what Holiday has done, and so there is a little misunderstanding. Emma leaves with Charlotte, who tells Edward that someday he’ll understand what happened. I found it hard to believe that as a secret agent and a supposedly experienced man, Edward couldn’t put the two and two together when Emma was faltering. It’s later when he meets up with Dervish, his senior and a good friend, that things become clear. Hearing Frether’s name makes Dervish pale and Edward guesses something isn’t right. Poor Dervish knows what Frethers can do, and it made me sad for him. Here, we also get little glimpses of some crime that Edward is investigating at the moment but the results are, as of yet, inconclusive.

To this far, I was quite enjoying the story. The atmosphere that MD drew was amazing. Then came more revelations about Charlotte and her involvement with the gutter side of London. Apparently, Charlotte is still involved with Luke, though not sexually. We learn that Luke asked her more than once to come and live with him, but Charlotte always made excuses not to, i.e. not wanting to leave Catherine alone etc. Whereas Charlotte was living a charmed life, Luke’s was in pure hell. He was already becoming the little crime lord when he was arrested and taken to a Hulk. Charlotte was already living with Catherine, who bailed Luke out from there. But by then, Luke was physically gravely ill and mentally battered. He had this accident that left his hips broken. And though he was able to recover with Charlotte’s care, and can walk, Luke’s in constant pain. But he doesn’t let it show. He braved everything in the last 10 or so years, his only ray of hope Charlotte. Luke couldn’t live in that life with the ‘nobs’, so he left. He wanted to make money so Charlotte would come and live with him again. But, of course, Charlotte never did. To say that Luke was disappointed wouldn’t express it quite accurately. He was hurt and hurt some more by Charlotte over the story. Luke is now one of the most prominent crime lords. He has dark, deep connections and various businesses. And he’s still taking care of Charlotte in his own way. He has men looking after her house, and some that Charlotte has taken in over the years and employed, report back to him.

Charlotte knows it all. She feels suffocated, yet no less contained that she is being looked after. Then we hear that Luke also fends off her suitors, jealous as he is. Charlotte’s musings tell us that this was one of the reasons why she never could marry. It makes her angry because she has never looked at Luke anything but a family. I can’t comment on their sex life as teenagers since that was entirely left to imagination, so much so that sometimes it was hard to believe that they were anything but platonic friends. I could see that her calculations were logical. She has come to know a better life, so how could she return to that gutter? She might’ve, if Luke used his money to live like a ‘nob’ but since he’s bitter and vengeful, Charlotte can’t possibly go back to him. Yes, she blames everything on Luke and his ‘bitterness’, yet the next moment, goes on to say that she loves him (though ‘not that way’). When all these came into light and Charlotte’s b*tchy attitude towards Luke, I begin to feel pissed. It was hard for me since in the beginning I really liked her cool carriage and her logical mind. But she came off as a cold fish, in and out. There is more of her blabbering as to why she can’t go back to Luke. I’ll come to those later on.

One day, while Charlotte goes out at night with one of her friends from the slums (now employed at Catherine’s), Kit because of Luke’s summon. Edward, who didn’t know much about Charlotte, wanted to know more and was spying on her house. He told himself that it was because he wanted to know how safe Emma was here, but there was no denying the attraction. But what is this, she going out at night? He follows her, and finds surprises after surprises. He couldn’t believe that she is actually wading through the slum at the dead of the night! Edward doesn’t know what to think. Anyway, when she’s out after sometimes (meeting Luke, who was still trying to convince her to return), Edwards begins to follow her back. On the way, he’s attacked and threatened, which told him that someone’s watching over Charlotte. This incident makes him utterly suspicious.

Luke and Charlotte’s meeting give us the glimpses of their relationship. It’s apparent that Charlotte’s safely is Luke’s first priority, no matter what... and I mean NO MATTER. Some of Luke’s men (and their women) don’t like her, and aptly call her a snotty b*tch. I felt that they cared for Luke more than her, in real sense but they were aware of Luke’s code where she was concerned. In any case, at first she would just go to meet up with Luke and forbid him to do this and that. Later, she would investigate on behalf of Edward... In between, Holiday is murdered, and a plot begins surfacing. There weren’t any close clues as to what might’ve happened but it was considered suicide. He had reasons aplenty. Emma is sad for her sons but not really devastated. Edward confronts Charlotte about her nightly jaunts, and she confesses to him about her past. It was commendable that she didn’t feel any compunction about it and was forthright even about her past relationship with Luke. Later, discussing with Dervish, when the plot of a conspiracy comes to light, Edward asks Charlotte to help him out because she knows the gutter of London well.

Edward had to tell Charlotte about his job if he wanted any help from her. Charlotte begins to feel attracted to Edward as they work together. Her denial of Luke’s request for returning to him was in the air and among the people they both know but they don’t discuss it up front anymore. Much later, when Luke would request, she’d cut him off with something or the other, trying to prove that it’s him to blame. How could I blame him for being bitter and disappointed? His life has been all but unfair and the only ray of hope for whom he has done everything, has only denied him do far. I was coming to dislike Charlotte more and more. The only thing I wanted was to yell at Luke to show her the middle finger and move on with his life, to find someone else. I had the compulsion to hold and comfort him. I felt sad. And yes, I kinda lost interest in the story too since I felt I don’t care for the main characters any longer. Don’t get me wrong, Edward was a nice hero and all, but Luke had all my attentions by then. He was way smarter than Edward, toeing his ways successfully through the dangers of the rookery.

This was what going on about 70% of the book, this miserable love triangle. If it wasn’t there, I would’ve enjoyed the story a bit more. Then, even when the plot of conspiracy by the French comes to light, it was sort of hazy IMO. Maybe it was me, I don’t know but I couldn’t really figure out what was really happening. Edward finds about Luke’s involvement in the gold smuggling though, to which Frethers, Holiday and a few other lords were also a party to. One of them even threats Charlotte, a move I thought totally moronic, seeing what a secretive issue their conspiracy is supposed be. They thought they can intimidate her with the secrets of her past. It was in the air from Edward’s attentions and all that that Charlotte was aiming to become either his mistress or his wife and these people thought revealing her past would scurry her to do their bidding; to glean information from Edward anyhow. But Charlotte wasn’t scared because Edward already knew it all. Instead she informs him about the threat.

From this point, things take rather interesting turns and let me tell you, Luke only proved what a smart SOB he is, since his involvement to the whole thing was mainly to get more information. He made money, of course but he had his own plans. But Charlotte obviously got the wrong impression about the whole thing, thinking the worse and her blame-game on Luke was still running. Some more twist about Charlotte’s paternity and the involvement of a new party at the top of this conspiracy plan come into light.

Luke still wanted revenge on the ‘nobs’, and the information he stored from the whole exchanges/his networks, could give him the lead. I didn’t, for once, think Luke was being stupid. Reckless? Yes. A bit impulsive? Kind of, since he thought, without Charlotte his life is meaningless. But, he wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what he was doing from the beginning. And he is the one who gives them the biggest lead, all because he cared for Charlotte still, finally giving up his idea of revenge. At one point, he finally realizes that Charlotte will never be his, especially when she kept on repeating that same ol’ same ol’ sh*t- that she’d always thought of him as family. Her interest in Edward wasn’t a secret to anyone anymore. But the death knell on my dislike of Charlotte came when she said that she thought of Luke more as a ‘brother’ than anything else. Huh? OMG! WTF??? He was your lover, and you thought of him... what?? Then it was also implied that Luke has lost his manhood in that accident; another ‘logical’ reason for Charlotte to deny him, right? She did try to imply that she couldn’t take on with another man because she felt guilty that she’d would betray Luke, but her whole narrative sounded bullsh*t to me. It was so horrible; I couldn’t even imagine what Luke felt! How could I even blame him for thinking that is the main reason Charlotte wouldn’t return to him?

Then there was an epic quote by her to Edwards where she goes to explain how she never liked Luke’s touch and ‘endured’ because she felt ‘indebted’ to him (as she expressing her feeling for Edward, who was rather jealous of Luke and all the attentions Charlotte pay him *eyeroll*). To me, who’s heart was still aching for Luke, it sounded like a reason for a big, fat b*tchslap:

“Wait! I love him, but I’m not in love with him. I’ve just told you, he’s my family. My brother. Yes, I was his lover, but that was at his insistence at a time I felt too indebted to him to refuse. But since then, when he was taken to the Hulks, I have never felt any wish to lie with another man. Not once. I thought I was too cold inside. Dead there, because I was too young before and while I pretended I was happy to sleep with him, it felt wrong to me. And I dreaded it. I dreaded it so much that for a time I was relieved when he went to the Hulks. Relieved! While he was suffering unspeakable agony, I was happy I didn’t have to pretend to enjoy what he did to me.”

You don’t wanna know what I was feeling at that moment!!

So, even though I did enjoy some parts of this story (definitely the last part and the resolve of the whole conspiracy), you can see why I couldn’t enjoy it as a whole. There was no love scene and no intensity/heat in Edward and Charlotte’s relationship. I bid good riddance to her, thank you! The Emperor's Conspiracy also had an open-ended finish, with Luke going somewhere else for a vacation. I was scared that MD would kill him off to smooth things over but thank the Lord that she didn’t. I would’ve been rather... mad, if that was the case. Now, my only wish is that someday, Luke is given the opportunity to tell his own story and find someone to love him. Don’t think I have to mention that I’ll be looking forward to that. 3.5 stars.


I was auto-approved for this ARC by Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books via edelweiss which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.