No Longer A Gentleman (2012) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 4 stars

“I was actually quite imopressed with book. It has a lot of substance and was almost more of a thriller/spy novel than a romance. My one complaint is that the end seemed a little rushed compared to the rest of the novel. Otherwise, this would have been a five star.”

• Rated 4 stars

“NO LONGER A GENTLEMAN by Mary Jo Putney is a fast paced historical romance set in 1813 London and France. It is book #4 in “The Lost Lords” series,but can be read as a stand a lone. See, “Loving a Lost Lord”,”Never Less Than A Lady”, and “Nowhere Near Respectable”. Cassie Fox,spy who lost everything finds happiness,family,and rescues the Lost Lord Wyndham. Lord Wyndham was imprisoned for ten years in a dungeon in France. Cassie rescues him and together they cross France through danger,desire,and passion,back to England. Along the way,they find strength,love and healing. But when the kind friends who helped escape France are imprisoned in the same dungeon, Lord Wyndham must to their rescue. Though one last perilous mission,both Cassie and Wyndham,if they survive may bring them the one thing they have always needed;each other. A fast paced,story with strong characters,passion,romance,love,danger,and a search for happiness. Ms. Putney is another wonderful storyteller,who pulls the reader into the story. A must read. A story full of adventure and love. A must read!
Received for an honest review from the publisher. Details can be found at Zebra Books,published by Kensington Publishing Corp,the author’s website,and My Book Addiction and More.
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING:
Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy,mild violence or profanity.
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More”

• Rated 5 stars

“I really liked this book. I love the way she writes. I want to read more of her books. I like the characters and the story. The characters were very reliable.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Putney's latest in her Lost Lords series matches Cassie Fox, spy extraordinaire (from Nowhere Near Respectable) with Grey Sommers, a English lord imprisoned for ten years by the French. Cassie manages to find Grey and free him from his dungeon, but he is no longer the feckless, charming aristocrat of his youth. Putney has always been great at writing complex, wounded characters and this is no exception. Highly recommended.”

• Rated 5 stars

“As were the other books in the series, a very well-written, emotional book. The solitude, devasting loneliness that Grey experiences is very well documented throughout the book. Cassie is probably the only person who could truly understand what he is feeling. She was certainly resourceful --but not overly. I would have thought gratitude would be the basis of their love, and it was, but there was so much more.”

• Rated 2 stars

“I've enjoyed Mary Jo Putney's books in the past, especially the older ones, but No Longer A Gentleman is not memorable and definitely not a "keeper.". This review contains spoilers so read at your own risk.  

First, Grey was a fribble, a lightweight hero who, despite imprisonment in a French dungeon for 10 years, never displayed a strength of character that surely developed from his solitary existence.  He was described as spoiled and selfish before his imprisonment, and after his imprisonment still showed that propensity.  For example, after being freed by Cassie, he purposefully stayed away from his family even though he had a mother, father, and younger siblings that had missed and mourned his loss for ten, long years.  How long he would have stayed away if not forced to come home is unknown, but I didn't like the overused plot device of his father on his deathbed forcing his hand to return to Summerhill.  

Secondly, Cassie Fox, the heroine, was described as independent, strong, intelligent, a master spy for Kirkland.  Yet, she keeps referring to herself in debasing terms like "slut" not once but many times.  At least once it was to throw words back at someone but it was also used to lower herself in Grey's esteem.  

Another story element I didn't care for was the minor squabble between Grey and his younger brother, Peter.  Grey, as the heir returned from the dead, usurped Peter as the heir to Earl of Costain.  I understood Peter having to get used to his new status as well as Grey's adjustment to society after 10 years of little or no human contact.  What I didn't understand was why Peter thought it necessary to attack Cassie (who once again was called something less than a lady).  Of course Grey and Peter came to blows and then POOF!  It was over, they were best friends again, and magically Peter respected Cassie.  I could not help the eyes rolling here.

Likewise Cassie's friends-with-benefits relationship with Rob Carmichael was a blow-up that just trickled away after Cassie talks sensibly about just being a habit to Rob.  every opportunity for depth in story or character was shrugged off, wrapped up in pretty paper and tied up nicely with a bow.  Then promptly put away so that the real story of Grey confronting Durand in France again could be pushed to the forefront.  

The resolution of the conflict between Cassie and Grey was not satisfying to me.  She turns down his proposal because she wants him to re-acclimate himself with his life, his family, the people he will ultimately be responsible for.  Yet after a brief month of separation, all of those issues disappear as if they were inconsequential.  The only thing that had changed was Cassie and Grey were paired to rescue the Boyers and Pere Laurent from Durand.  It felt contrived, old, and just boring.  At the end Cassie is restored to her English half of her family with a fortune (yes, a secret heiress!), Grey has proved himself to be a man by breaking Durand's neck, a baby that carrot seeds did not prevent,  and they all live happily ever after. Yawn.  As a side note, my brand new book was missing the printing for page 362 which I truly don't need because it was just a rehash of a second society wedding with all the previous happy couples gathered to celebrate.    

All in all, this was a truly forgettable offering and I am thankful I took notes to help me remember the details.  ”

• Rated 0 stars

“This copy was given to me by Goodreads First Reads and Kensington in exchange for an honest review.”

• Rated 4 stars

“No Longer A Gentleman by Mary Jo Putney
Historical Romance –April 24th, 2012
4 ½ stars

Mary Jo Putney continues her exciting lost Lord series with a beautiful spy sent to discover if a missing lord is imprisoned in France.

Lord Grey Wyndham’s charm, looks and wealth easily made him a favorite with everyone. But one disastrous affair with a married lady results in a jealous and vengeful husband imprisoning him in an isolated and run down castle.

It is ten years later and the intrepid spy only known as Cassie is called to her superior. She is asked to investigate the possibility of a rumor that an English lord is captive in a castle in France. However, France is dangerous territory since the revolution. Cassie must don a disguise as an elderly peddle selling her wares to infiltrate the castle. There she cleverly finds a way to rescue Grey and a French priest. As they make the perilous journey to safety, Cassie and Grey form an undeniable attraction. Although Cassie feels herself falling in love with Grey, she wonders if he just needs her as security. The Grey that she has saved is no longer the carefree and reckless man of his youth. Suffering and torture have hardened him and being with people is no longer natural but stressful for him. Cassie promises to stay with Grey as long as he needs her but knows that it may be destructive for her. When they get news that the French priest has been recaptured, Grey insists on returning to rescue him. Cassie is determined that he will not go alone. But they are going into a trap! Will they be able to save the priest and find a real love past their insecurities?

Grey is a tortured character. Cassie is his salvation. Both have suffered. Usually in a story I find one character more interesting than the other but the author imbues each with such depth that I became deeply involved with both. Grey is understandably traumatized and the road to recovery and courage and heartening to read. I wasn’t sure if her really loved Cassie of if she represented freedom and he wanted someone who could just accept him. It made the story more interesting. Cassie has a few secrets of her own even one that her superior is unaware of. This dark secret pushes her to work as a spy and made me admire her bravery after such devastating losses. It felt as bit as if the roles were reversed. Cassie was the dashing heroine who rides in to save the hero in distress. Cassie was extremely clever, competent and confident in herself. Her one big vulnerability was how she was still emotionally damaged. As Grey and Cassie struggle to heal themselves, the story becomes more involving.

A strong and resourceful heroine and a sympathetic hero make for a charged love story.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club”

• Rated 3 stars

“Once again, the fairy tale world of romance gives me the opportunity to leave my life behind for awhile. I know that there are folks who don't read genre fiction, but I think they are missing a lot. There are times that it is wonderful to escape the real world. I don't care if you read mysteries, science fiction, westerns, fantasy or adventure tales. I just think there are times in this modern world when it is good to leave reality behind.

Putney gave me what I was hoping for. I got a rip-roaring story with adventure, love and a happily-ever-after ending. I got to laugh a little and live in another time and place. I am grateful for Putney's skills that made the fairy tale seem real while I was there.

Mary Jo Putney would be a good choice for readers of Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Sabrina Jeffries, Julia London or Elizabeth Hoyt.

I want to thank the folks at the PLA exhibits who gave me this book. They gave me hours of enjoyment for free. I really appreciate the gift.”

• Rated 3 stars

“Enjoyable, easy read. Predictable but it was OK since it was easy to like the characters.”