This request was sent in by Shona, who is trying to help a Goodreads member locate this book:
I’m trying to help a fellow Goodreads member with their search for a historical romance.
The heroine is most likely a spy for the government. The hero catches the heroine snooping, captures her, and she becomes a prisoner on his ship. As the journey progresses, they fall in love.
There’s a scene where the heroine plays cards with the crew members, and the hero gets jealous. He whisks her away to play cards with him. He wagers that if he wins, she has to kiss him.
The hero also gives her clothes to wear during the journey, dresses that he originally purchased for his sisters.
Sound familiar?
Probably not it but reminds me a bit of Julia Quinn’s The Other Miss Bridgerton, except I think the hero was the spy/agent of some sort in that one.
Oh my gosh this is really tickling my brain, I KNOW I’ve read this…was it one of Kresley Cole’s early historicals? Maybe The Captain of All Pleasures?
I know I’ve read this! I Kissed an Earl, by Julie Anne Long (part of the Pennyroyal Green series) maybe?
Yeah, I also thought of The Other Miss Bridgestone, but the details don’t match (no cards and no clothes.)
Joanna Bourne?
It’s not that old boddice ripper, Chance the winds of fortune by Laurie McBain with its very questionable seduction scene, is it?
I read what I think must have been an abridged version in French (it was only 200 pages or so) when I was very young and I confess I loved it then but I am never rereading it.
The details don’t match up but my mind immediately went to His Wicked Kiss by Gaelen Foley. The heroine is the daughter of a naturalist in South American but through misadventure ends up on the hero’s ship.
I also thought of Beautiful Tempest by Johanna Lindsey (RIP) but the heroine is kidnapped while investigating her previous kidnapping (uh huh) not a government agent.
Nautical historical romance is my jam, so I’m dying to find out what this is.
Did Johanna Lindsey die?
I also think it’s Joanna Bourne’s My Lord and Spymaster.
@MMV: Lindsey died last October. She was only 67.
Thanks @DiscoDollyDeb, I didn’t know; was waiting for her new summer book and wondering why it was taking so long. When I read @Antipodean’s comments I was really shocked. Don’t know how I missed the sad news.
I always found J Lindsey’s books fun to read. I’m sure many romance readers will miss her.
Laura London’s “The Windflower” has a heroine who is caught helping her brother spy and becomes a prisoner on a ship. I don’t remember her card playing with the crew, however.
Just finished “My Lord and Spymaster” last night and it isn’t the HABO (although it is a very good book). The tale mostly takes place on land and there is no card playing between the heroine or crew/hero (alas). There is some questionable taking-off-the-heroine’s-clothes-because-she-is-cold action.
It made me remember the existence of Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey, which proves I read more of her books back in the ‘90s than I thought. Almost certainly not the right book, though.
@MMV Apologies for being the bearer of bad news. I too enjoyed Johanna Lindsey’s bonkers books, which always managed to be a lot of fun if not “good”. She is missed.
I think this could be To Kiss a Spy by Jane Feather.
@MMV I’m going to cross-promote another romance podcast. Check out the archives of Whoa!Mance, they did a series on Lindsey’s 1980’s-90’s books from a more modern viewpoint.https://www.whoamancepodcast.com/episodes?offset=1586376082533 BUT ONLY LISTEN TO THIS WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF SBTB episodes. (LOL)
Thanks @Antipodeam and @Laura will listen to the podcast
Thanks for all the recommendations everyone, but the GR member does not think it’s any of them. And I forgot to mention that she remembers reading it around or prior to 2006