Sweet Treason

by Patricia Gaffney

Scottish beauty and spy Katherine McGregor has no qualms about posing as a doxy, if the charade will strike a blow against the hated English. But her certainty turns to confusion when she is captured and confronted by Major James Burke, an English officer.

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

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Patricia Gaffney was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and also studied literature at Royal Holloway College of the University of London, at George Washington University, and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

After college, Gaffney taught 12th grade English for a year before becoming a freelance court reporter, a job she pursued in North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C., for the next fifteen years.

Her first book, a historical romance, was published by Dorchester in 1989. Between then and 1997, she wrote 11 more romance novels (Dorchester; Penguin USA), for which she was nominated for or won many awards. Many of these previously out of print classics are available again today as digitally reissued classics, including the author's most recently re-released and much beloved novels in The Wyckerley Trilogy.

In 1999, she went in a new direction with her hardcover fiction debut, The Saving Graces (HarperCollins). A contemporary story about four women friends, the novel explored issues of love, friendship, trust, and commitment among women. The Saving Graces enjoyed bestseller status on the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and other lists.

Circle of Three (2000), Flight Lessons (2002), and The Goodbye Summer (2004) followed, all national bestsellers. Gaffney’s most recent novel was Mad Dash (2007), a humorous but insightful look at a 20-year marriage, told from the viewpoints of both longsuffering spouses.

More recently, Pat's been indulging her purely creative side in a brand new format for her -- novellas. With friends including J. D. Robb, she has contributed stories to three anthologies, all New York Times bestsellers. In "The Dog Days of Laurie Summer" (The Lost, 2009), a woman in a troubled marriage "dies" and comes back as the family dog. "The Dancing Ghost" (The Other Side, 2010) brings together a pretty spinster and a shady ghost buster in 1895 New England. And in "Dear One" (The Unquiet, 2011), a fake phone psychic (or IS she?) meets her match in a stuffy Capitol Hill lobbyist -- who couldn't possibly be that sexy-voiced cowboy from Medicine Bend who keeps calling the psychic line.

Patricia Gaffney lives in southern Pennsylvania with her husband.

Reviews

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story hinges on not so much a Big Misunderstanding, but rather Large Misinformation. Yes, I understand, Kate has to pretend she's a whore because otherwise she'll be hung as a traitor. But when it's the last chapter and Kate's actual identity still hasn't been cleared up, I got frustrated.

Also, good god, I know there's not much of a chance for a HEA when he's a English major AND a lord and she's helping the Jacobites, but he really loses absolutely everything to be with her.

Also also, non-con warning.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I was a little disappointed. It was a bit too 'old school' in style or something for me. And there was that *one* moment, and I think romance authors just shouldn't go there. I actually liked Burke till then, but after that, not so much. Also the ending seemed rushed and I wasn't totally sure what was going on. I wanted the big satisfying reveal and HEA, but it didn't really come across that way. Oh well, in some ways it was a decent read, but overall I was left feeling a bit 'meh'. Don't know whether I'll ever reread this one.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to give a book by Patricia Gaffney such a low rating, and up until the last quarter or so I'd probably given it 3 stars instead. The plot became frustrating and ridiculous toward the end though, and some things happened between the hero and heroine that reflected its old school historical romance nature in the worst way. My rating swiftly plummeted due to all that.

Oh well, at least now I can check this one off my list of Gaffney's historical romances. She wrote some of my favorites, but this was definitely not one of them.

[Lorrane Gloriya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Lily from this author and it was my first read so I decided to pick this one for next reading. Overall I felt that author have dragged on for so long about h false identity and I thought may be in the end it will be revealed to H, but the ending was rushed and left me little disappointed.

[Mary23nm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Treason could have been a five star read for me with just a few tweaks. It's definitely in the 'old school' style, but not quite as extreme. The story features a Scottish heroine and an English hero. The hero was definitely a lunkhead about not realizing he was in love with the heroine, and he was a jerk(or worse) at times. They had to go through a lot to get their happy ending, and the story really needed an epilogue, for me to have closure. 4 plus stars out of 5

[Nychele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this book is old but I really felt the rape scene was unnecessary and quite disturbing. The dynamic between the main characters was very toxic, and not at all how the push and pull of a FANTASY love should be depicted in my opinion. I was really disappointed with this book because it had potential to be a great love story. After the first time he forced himself on her I wanted to quit reading it altogether. But my OCD made me finish it. I really shouldn’t even give it 2 stars ⭐️ if I’m honest, but that was for the beginning I guess.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a tough one to rate. Of all her rapey MMCs I feel like this is one where it strayed the most from dubcon to full on rape which made it hard to like him. FMC’s yearning for revenge lost its way and I felt that their reasons for being in each other’s orbits were a stretch. Rly tough because the writing is obviously great it’s just…something about it is not enjoyable

[Layla Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea how many times I reread Sweet Treason. I found it by chance at a flea market and I was nervous at first about reading it but once I picked it up, I could not put it down. Just thinking about the story makes me feel all giddy and excited inside

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

08/1992