3.5 stars

Love, Lies and Spies was probably the Swoon Reads publication I had had my eye on for the longest. Female scientists and espionage in the nineteenth century sound right up my alley! However, the mixed reviews did make me a little wary. I think that if you too are expecting a light-hearted and entertaining read then this is definitely for you. If you were seeking a more meaningful exploration of the era’s approach to females in the STEM industries then you’ll start to see why myself and so many other reviewers were unable to completely adore this one.

The storyline was rather… uneventful. I think this is why I was unable to love it as much as I would have liked. Love, Lies and Spies is incredibly character-driven and focuses on the growing relationship between our protagonists, Juliana and Spencer, rather than anything else. As a historical fiction buff with an avid love of this particular time period, I did enjoy the exploration of the Season and ”husband hunting” decorum in the British countryside vs. London. I liked that Juliana provided a little bit of perspective on the situation but at the same time, her outright hatred of shopping and clothing - while understandable - did get repeated a few too many times. The espionage aspect of the story - which is mainly told through Spencer’s POV, the titled spy - was confusing. I wish it had been more fleshed out and detailed. I hated that I struggled to follow Spencer’s mission and motivations to the extent that I did because it detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. In all honesty, I can say that I am still uncertain why Spencer was spying on the Pyebald family. They had ties to France but it was never stated outright what that connection was exactly, and the constant need to be reading between the lines to get this information got on my nerves. I dislike not having all the answers.

With that being said, what made this story so enjoyable for me personally was the dialogue. It was so witty and subtly hilarious! It stayed true to the era, meaning it did use sophisticated language but - like Pride and Prejudice - this made the sassiness of Julianna and Spencer’s banter even more perfect. I found myself smiling and chuckling like an idiot throughout the entire book. Spencer was just so charming! The incorporation of 19th-century slang and terminology was also seamlessly incorporated into these scenes.

Another bonus is that I adored the characters. Julianna was a relatable and down-to-earth protagonist. The way that she stood up for herself from the very beginning and did not let herself to be walked over by her family (too much) was just amazing. I like when characters are able to learn these strengths during their development but the fact that Juliana had that quality ingrained into her personality made me even happier. Spencer was also an absolute sweetie. I wish we had gotten to know him a little better but I think my slight reluctance to fully commit to a “favourite character” label is really only due to the undeveloped spying subplot and also the fact that we knew so little about his background. Together? Juliana and Spencer made such an adorable couple! I shipped them so much. I loved that their romance had a little bit of tension and suspense without the angst being overplayed. I also felt that it was well-paced, definitely not too rushed. A winner all-around!

I also want to say that some of the platonic/familial relationships in this book were awesome. Uncle Leonard probably stole the spotlight in the entire book! I loooved that he stood up for Julianna and did not - for even a second - doubt her or dismiss her research. Two strong and well-written fatherly figures in one book is more than I could have thought to ask for. If only we had gotten to spend more time with Juliana’s father.

However, there was one thing that drove me bonkers about this book and that is: as much as the light-hearted and easy breezy storyline was entertaining, the promise of a female scientist pursuing publication in a time of rampant misogyny was underplayed. We did not get to see Juliana do even one remotely scientific activity! I understand that she had completely her research with her father (which is why she was trying to get published) but the fact that she didn’t ven talk about her research all that much was so disappointing.

Overall?

If you are looking for a light-hearted and fun historical romance (YA) then look no further. I adored both of our protagonists as individuals and their romance was definitely my cup of tea - so much banter! The writing was clever and apt to the genre. I wished the plot had been a little more in-depth or focused on Juliana’s scientific research but as a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience. Swoon Reads is always my go-to publisher for such cutesy fun reads!

Review based on an unproofed copy from the publisher which is subject to change.