The Royal Four Series by Celeste Bradley

Last week, I broke down the novels that make up Celeste Bradley's spy series, The Liar's Club, including: The Pretender, The Imposter, The Spy, The Charmer, and The Rogue. A historical fiction collection that focuses on characters during the War of 1812. The club as well as the royal four are a part of a spy ring for the king. The two series intertwine with their characters, and overlap their storylines. However, those in charge of The Liar's Club take their orders from The Royal Four. 

Since I've already given you a look into The Liar's Club, I wanted to share my views on the four-part series that makes up The Royal Four. The Royal Four includes four books in the succession. These books coincide with Bradley's The Liar's Club series. Below is a visual snapshot with a synopsis of each book as seen on Amazon:

#1: To Wed a Scandalous Spy: Lovely, high born Willa Trent was an orphan, raised by a local, somewhat odd family in the country, who want nothing but the best for their girl. So when she drags the unconscious man she accidentally hit with a slingshot home, they arrange a hasty marriage and pack the couple off with best wishes. Armed with a groggy husband and a new future, Willa's pie-eyed optimism has no limits...until she discovers the secret, dangerous world of Nathaniel Stonewell, Earl of Reardon, a.k.a. "Lord Treason."

Though Nathaniel is reviled by most of England for his devious plot against the Crown, he is, in reality, a member of an elite cadre of secret royal defenders on a daring undercover mission. He must keep his secrets at all cost, especially from Willa. And yet, he is enchanted...though he stubbornly refuses to surrender to his passion. Far better, he tells himself, to turn his back on love than risk everything for it. Luckily, his bride has other plans... ~Amazon

#2: Surrender to a Wicked Spy: They are known simply as The Royal Four—but there's nothing simple about the elite band of spies who serve the King in secrecy. Their missions are dangerous, their love lives are scandalous…and each man in the Royal Four has his own secrets. This is the story of the spy known as The Lion…

Olivia Calwell's new husband, Dane, is everything she could have ever hoped for in a man. The handsome Lord Greenleigh is charming, debonair, even a bit mysterious…and just thinking of their wedding night makes Olivia blush with pleasure. Yet she can't help but wonder what exactly Dane does all day. His hushed meetings with strangers, his odd comings and goings—it is all enough to drive Olivia mad! Could her beloved husband be involved in something dangerous? Could he even be spying for France?

Spy Dane Calwell knows the new Lady Greenleigh is poised, well educated, and utterly captivating. But he's just discovered that Olivia is also the most curious creature he has ever met! Most wives don't give a whit what their husbands do all day. Why must Olivia ask so many questions—and meddle in matters that do not concern her? Truth be told, Dane finds Olivia's amateur sleuthing enchanting…even a little sexy. But when Olivia gets too close to the mission at hand, Dane must try to stop her before it's too late—or risk losing his beautiful wife forever… ~Amazon

#3: One Night with a Spy: For years, Lady Julia Barrowby has acted the part of an old man’s ornamental bride, never revealing that she has secretly helped the ailing Lord Barrowby in his work with the Royal Four. Now that her husband has died, Julia believes his place in the Four is hers by right. But convincing the remaining members will not be easy, especially with Marcus Ramsay, Lord Dryden, distracting her at every turn. Somehow, the mysterious Marcus seems to see into her very soul, effortlessly satisfying all her secret, forbidden longings…

Marcus stood next in line to be chosen for the Four, and he is not willing to be displaced by a woman, no matter how intriguing or beautiful she may be. Under orders to investigate Julia, Marcus discovers her diary, overflowing with years of loneliness and yearning. Fulfilling Julia’s fantasies is the perfect way to get closer to her, but seducing this fascinating creature is fast becoming more than a means to an end—it is his soul’s deepest desire… ~Amazon

#4: Seducing the Spy: Elite spies, secret defenders of the king, The Royal Four are unsurpassed in courage, honor, and daring. Known to his brothers-in-arms as The Falcon, Lord Wyndham is the most secretive and aloof of the four. But when The Falcon meets the impetuous Lady Alicia, he discovers a soul mate whose hidden fire matches his own…

Lady Alicia Lawrence was cast out of polite society and branded a liar for a youthful mistake. When she overhears details of a conspiracy that could affect her country's fate, she turns to the one person who might believe her--Stanton Horne, Lord Wyndham. Posing as Wyndham's mistress in order to root out the enemy, Alicia is drawn into an uneasy partnership…and a wildly seductive liaison.

Lord Wyndham's uncanny ability to detect lies has made him a valuable member of the Royal Four, but in matters of romance it has proven a distinct liability. Alicia is the only woman whose thoughts he cannot read…and the only one whose sensual touch quenches every secret desire. As the mission grows more dangerous and more personal, and each encounter with Alicia more fiery than the last, this daring spy must face his greatest challenge yet--learn to trust the passion in his heart… ~Amazon

Numeric Breakdown:

1: didn't like it
2: it was okay
3. liked it
4. really liked it
5. it was amazing


1. Writing Style: 3/5

Throughout the series, Bradley uses third person narrative and familiar romance genre literary devices. So, there's a good portion of falling in love within the stories, wonderful imagery, great conflict and resolution between the main characters as well as intrinsic issues: ie; sometimes the hero or heroine learning to trust again, fun and thorough characterizations, a clear motif, and those intimate scenes meant to make you blush - which I usually skip over because I'm more interested in who's going to be kidnapped or die than who's getting some loving. 

Bradley has a wonderful, recognizable tone to her writing with comical characters. She connects you to curious, suspicious characters that you grow to love for their quirks and lovable personalities. The author brings a clear voice to her characters, and I can often think of one rather clearly because of their original dialogue, diction, and temperament. 

Each of the four books do a wonderful job of bringing you into the setting of the main characters. The plots keep you reading, and the characters help you fall in love with the stories. I think the whole series is worth a read based on characters alone, but the mysteries and culprits it interweaves throughout as well as the connection to the sub-series, The Liar's Club, helps give you an even fuller appreciation of the depth within every novel. So, overall, I liked what happened from story to story and the ongoing plot enough to give the overall collection a 3/5. 

2. Overall Content: 3/5

The beginning of every book holds this proclamation: 

So, you would think this is going to be a great beginning to the spies, their role in keeping England safe, and their secret identities. Well, let's find out!

#1: To Wed a Scandalous Spy: I was first introduced to Nathaniel Stonewell, Earl of Reardon, a.k.a. "Lord Treason" in one of the Liar's Club novels -- I think, it was The Imposter but don't hold me to that. To be honest, I was interested in Nathaniel's storyline immediately. In The Imposter, Nathaniel is introduced as a traitor within Sir Thorogood's political cartoons. However, there's more to his story than meets the eye, and you get a good idea of what he's going to go through within that first introduction. 

I, of course, knew where this novel would be headed since I had that special knowledge from The Imposter. So, as a result, I'm already invested in reading this book and seeing how it plays out. Nathaniel, codename The Cobra, became a favorite character because of his willingness to be put in a negative light in order to flush out the culprit they've all been hunting down. There were a lot of twists and turns which sucked me into the plot and had me cheering for Nathaniel.

Another part of the book I enjoyed was Willa's openness, her faith in her husband who was a practical stranger, and her positive attitude. She was a delightful female character, and it was nice to have an intuitive and insightful female lead. Definitely a great beginning to the series. 4/5

#2: Surrender to a Wicked Spy: The titles of some of these stories crack me up, and this is one of them, especially since Dane Calwell isn't particularly wicked as the spy The Lion. He's charming, thoughtful, and secretive. His character develops over the course of the story as his bouts of trust and distrust in his new wife run the gamut. I liked his apparent innocence, bungling through a real relationship -- which made it more believable, and his sense of perfection. The last fit in with his character, possible upbringing, and role within the government of secret spies. 

Olivia was a comical character who showed more 3D aspects of her personality and relationship with Dane. The main characters introduction with her falling into the Thames, Dane coming to rescue her, and her rescuing him instead was a cute meet-greet. Her curiosity and determination to figure out what her husband was doing and whether he might be a spy for the French was well-intentioned and added a bit of comedy and intrigue. She was a sympathetic and kind character that you feel fits into the story rather well, even if she might be a bit too understanding at times.  

However, there were a few things that were a bit far-fetched, annoying, and unconvincing for me: The role of the prince regent, Dane "giving" Olivia to said prince regent, Olivia's lack of real anger over her husband's ridiculousness and stupidity, the lack of trust -- which becomes a bit repetitive, the discussion and/or loss of the dilators -- fast forward please, and the whole plot of what occupied the Royal Four being prince regent's new mistress didn't leave me wanting more. I was disappointed by this accepted spy role and plot. It wasn't an exciting, adventurous read, nor did it bring in the secret agent, intelligence gathering, or mystery I was really looking for in the continuation. 2/5

#3: One Night with a Spy: I'm going to be blunt here and just lead with the fact that I wasn't really into this book either. Beginning the book with the main female character's diary and its intimate desires did not strike a positive chord with me. After flipping through several pages, I felt a little excited about the prospect of Julia becoming the first woman spy on the Royal Four team, but that plot piece was quickly overshadowed by the conflicts which arose. 

Her relationship with her husband and taking over for him in his capacity as The Fox was kinda sweet and held promise, but after he died and she goes before the rest of the Royal Four as well as the Prime Minister, she promises to show she is the right candidate to continue the spy line. However, she doesn't really show what she can do. Her home is the main center of the story, and beyond someone trying to destroy her land and take her out -- she thinks it's the Royal Four trying to test her, and Marcus showing up to see what she's made of and tricks her out of the role. 

To be honest, I was irritated by this story. I thought there could be more focus on Julia's talents, skills as a spy, and ability to get the case figured out for herself. The fact that Marcus tricked her so easily upset me. Also, Marcus's attitude and using Julia for his own selfish gain kinda set me against him as a hero from the start. The addition of her gypsy-like, circus family was adorable, and I'd have loved to see more of them used in the plot as well, but it felt as if they were the frosting on the cake and not an integral part. 

Usually, I'm all for Bradley's strong female leads and her agents at work, but this fell a little flat for me. There was a lot of potential and room to grow the characters, but it felt as if the whole point of the story was to fulfill Julia's secret diary desires and for Marcus to win the role of The Fox through deplorable means. Overall, it didn't strike the satisfying chord that The Liars Club, and even book one of this series, has done. 2/5

#4: Seducing the Spy: Okay, the last of this series gives us a fun beginning. We're introduced to our heroine when she isn't at her best. Later, we learn she has been cast aside by her family and society. Yet, when she overhears a conspiracy that could be detrimental to the country, she goes to the one person she thinks will care. Afterall, the War of 1812 is still raging on, and she wants to do her civic duty. 

However, Lord Stanton Horne, Marquis of Wyndham and The Falcon, isn't sure he trusts Lady Alicia Lawrence's word. She has a past which caused her to become a society outcast, and she doesn't make a favorable first impression. So, when her abrupt departure leaves him surprised, and the note detailing what she overheard alludes to the wanted man dubbed The Chimera, things begin to change. 

What ensues is a droll, somewhat facetious enterprise into the partnering of Wyndham and Alicia. Their connection causes outrage and confusion, but between the two of them a few sparks fly. What I loved the most about this story was Alicia's "I don't care" attitude. She was honest, forthright, brisk, and unceremonious. She didn't give a fig for society and what it said after she'd learned the hard way that others would betray you. Her feisty personality, willingness to care, and determination to be her own woman were amazing characteristics. Her character was tart, unapologetic, and resilient. I liked her a lot, and she rose to one of my favorite heroines of the series within the first few chapters.

Wyndham had been characterized in previous books as cold, calculating, and a jerk, basically. He didn't seem to have a sense of humor or care what his contemporaries thought, but this perception quickly changes within the first chapter. Here's a man who has a hidden wit, dry appreciation for the ridiculous, intelligence, and reluctant charm. His relationship with his mother is a surprise and quite sweet given all the circumstances. It certainly shaped him and the reader's comprehension of his character. However, I like the tidbits you learn about him along the way and the development of his temperament. He becomes a well-developed, magnetic character. I think the only downside to him was his tendency to be distrusting and harsh at times. There are subtle changes throughout, but I could have done with a little more gentling of his character by the end.

Alicia is refreshing and spirited. Her personal strength is to be admired, and her daring is to be commended. For most of the book, she keeps the reader and Wyndham on their toes and introduces her own spunk and humor to the mix. She develops within the story to become a little less hardened when she falls in love with Wyndham. In fact, there are times when he's a bit too much, and I think she should have stood up for herself more forcefully as she would have in the outset. My favorite part, aside from the first seven chapters or so, is when she slaps the Prince Regent and tells him to pay attention. It felt as if the reader is getting to see the real Alicia again.

The wrapping up of the portion involving The Chimera was nicely done, if stretched out a bit. I liked that Alicia did the saving and helped prevent a quadruple murder. The end brought her core character back, and it was nice to see her stand up for herself. Overall, I prefered this book more than the previous two, despite the sensual scenes, since there was more action and suspense. With that in mind, I rate it on average a 4/5.

3. Hooks/Attention-kept: 3/5

The part I enjoyed the most in this series revolved around the secret identity of their biggest enemy and undercover spy. The Chimera added drama, tension, and suspicion. His character began to go over the edge with every battle loss until he was riding the crazy train. It would have been nice if he'd been more of a focal point within the stories as well as his schemes. I'm more mystery driven; so, I loved this part of the compilation, but it was too infrequently indulged for me. 

4. Overall enjoyment of the story based on the genre: 3/5

I know these are mostly historical romances, and you might be wondering how I stumbled into this series if romance isn't my go-to genre. Well, as I mentioned in my first review of this author, I found them in connection with my desire to read spy/agent/undercover mystery books. When I found these, I didn't think about romance being the main theme. I suppose I was thinking in terms of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Which, I suppose, doesn't make sense either, but it did to me at the time. 

Therefore, I'm not saying these are bad books or a terrible series or horribly written. The author puts together interesting plots, enjoyable characters, and some great spy material. I just wish the spy portion had been a larger portion of the books. However, you can't always have your cake and eat it too. Plus, it's always good to try new genres and subgenres to see what you like and don't like. I'm very glad I gave this series and The Liar's Club series a try. I found some new favorite characters and a few new beloved reads as well. 

5. Overall enjoyment of the story based on the content: 3/5

To give this series its due-diligence, I would have to say it gave me enough of the spy action and mystery to have me read all four books. I enjoyed The Liar's Club more than I did The Royal Four, but there were at least two I'd happily reread at any given point. However, if historical romance is your subgenre of choice, you'll be delighted with this compilation of daring heros and brave heroines. 

6. Overall Story Rating: 3/5

It was nice to reread this series and get some of my thoughts on the page. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters and the plots. The betrayals, double-spies, and more did hold my attention between The Liar's Club and The Royal Four. It did keep me guessing as to who the bad guys might be, gave me characters to appreciate, heroines to admire, and heros to not gag over. So, in my humble opinion, it is definitely a series to give a try. 

To learn more about Celeste Bradley, you can visit her Amazon site or her Author Website. Below is an excerpt from her Author Profile on Amazon: 

Visit me at CelesteBradley.com or fb.com/CelesteBradleyAuthor :)

Go to CelesteBradley.com/newsletter for my Voice of Society newsletter.

Hi, my name is Celeste Bradley and I write "brain chocolate." That is, I write fun and sexy escapism is for hardworking women everywhere. We deserve a little man-candy, too!

Reviewers like to say I write about misfit heroines getting the man of their dreams. Maybe that's true, but don't we all feel like misfits sometimes? Even if the rest of the world thinks we have all our balls in the air, aren't we juggling like mad on the inside, desperately trying not to drop one?

I love this manic, scattered life I lead. I love to write, craft, garden, bake and mother, even if I don't always do it all perfectly. I love living in the Southwest, with its big sky and vast desert views. I love venturing out of my quiet life to meet readers and other writers, and then I love to come back to my haven, full of ideas and renewed passion and creativity.

Maybe one of those times I'll meet you!

Hugs,

and thanks for reading!

Celeste

"Prior to giving writing a try, New York Times bestselling author Celeste Bradley was a professional artist. Believing that storytelling is as much of an art form she applies those skills to writing.

She is a two-time RITA Nominee and winner of the prestigious Historical Storyteller of the Year from Romantic Times Book Reviews. Southern-born Celeste lives in the Southwest. Her hobbies include gardening, jewelry making and collage." ~CelesteBradley.com

Thank you for joining me, and as always, Happy Reading!!

~Rebecca Reddell