Revealed (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

Only twenty-one year old wealthy widow Lady Phillippa Benning benignly rules the Ton. However, she hides from Polite Society her ennui with all the inanity that accompanies galas. Her only rival is the harlot Lady Jane Cummings; her adversary since they were students at Mrs. Humphrey's School for Elegant Ladies. Both are interested in the Marquis of Broughton.

However Phillippa' dropped glove ploy leads to Mr. Marcus Worth instead of the lord. Soon she realizes what Marcus' truth worth is when she concludes he is the notorious Blue Raven spy and fantasy of every female's dreams. Phillippa blackmails him into making her his partner in his effort to capture his adversary the French agent Laurant, who has escaped his efforts for ten years. He rejects her extortionist proposal, but changes his mind when he realizes there is substance beyond Almack inside this courageous young woman. However, the Frenchman has not been so elusively successful by not observing his enemies.

This is a terrific tale of "love and war" that contrasts the overabundance of Regency High Society with the dangerous world of espionage. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Phillippa knows who the Blue Raven is and never slows down as the pair team up to catch the wily Frenchman. During their adventures, the lead couple learn the true manning of a "bargain is a bargain is a bargain".

Harriet Klausner

I have to hand it to Kate Noble for really turning my opinion around with her latest release Revealed. For the first five chapters I couldn't stand the heroine, Phillippa Benning. Phillippa annoyed me right from the start. She is a widow and the darling of the ton. Her beauty and fortune is unmatched and she can ruin someone with the bat of an eyelash. In other words, I found her to be a stuck up bitch. She grated on my nerves because she came across as a snobbish, spoiled, and a bit mean. Phillippa is so un-heroine like. But then when she is introduced to Marcus Wroth, my opinion changed. Marcus sees Phillippa the same way I first saw her. But ever so slowly as his opinion changes about her, mine did also. By the end of Revealed I really liked Phillippa.

Revealed is a lovely historical romance. Even though this may seem to be yet another spy drama where the spunky heroine tries to help the hero, Kate makes sure to throw all those clichés out the window. Phillippa and Marcus make a great team. What you see is not what you get. They have two sides to their nature. One side is their performance, an act they put on for the benefits of those around them. The other side is what they hide inside; their true face that they eventually show to one another. These are two people who are intelligent and caring but also very sly. Phillippa may think she has Marcus wrapped around her finger, but Marcus knows what Phillippa is up to and handles her quite well.

When we are introduced to Phillippa she is flirting with the Marquis of Broughton who would be perfect as her next husband. If they married, they would be the king and queen of the ton. Phillippa almost has the Marquis in the palm of her hand, but her enemy Lady Jane Cummings also wants the Marquis. Phillippa and Jane have a long standing rivalry that goes back to their school days. Both give each other cutting remarks and want to win the ultimate prize in catching Broughton. Phillippa decides that some alone time with Broughton is needed and plans for him to meet her in the library during a ball. As she and Broughton are about to get to know each other much better, their host, Lord Fieldstone almost comes upon them. The room is full of priceless, ancient artifacts and Phillippa hides in a mummy's sarcophagus so she is not caught with Broughton. If this wasn't bad, she finds herself sharing the space with another man. That is where she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Marcus Wroth.

Marcus helps Phillippa after both Fieldstone and Broughton leave even though she is not at all grateful towards him. Before Phillippa can go back to the party, she must hide again because Fieldstone has returned. She also hears a very interesting conversation between Wroth and Fieldstone. Fieldstone is the director of the War Department and apparently Marcus works for him. Even though the war with the French is over, Marcus believes Laurent, a French agent and an old enemy, is on his way to London. Fieldstone wants Marcus to retire and that means the infamous Blue Raven will retire also.

Because Marcus has some difficulty in attending the most exclusive of Ton events, Phillippa agrees to help him gain access to these parties if she can unveil his identity at her own ball. Marcus is not amused because Phillippa is playing with fire and could get hurt, but Phillippa will not listen to reason and thinks of herself as his partner. As both Phillippa and Marcus go to various Ton events, some unfortunate accidents happen. Marcus will flush out this villain and try to keep Phillippa out of harm's way. But Phillippa has gotten under Marcus's skin and he doesn't want to let her out of his sight.

Revealed is witty and engaging and Kate Noble's storytelling is wonderful. There is also some great suspense, wonderful laughs and nice passionate love scenes. Again, you really have to hand it to Kate with the way she writes Phillippa. As we follow Phillippa's thoughts and actions, she grows on you, especially when she and Marcus begin to interact with one another. As Marcus's opinion about Phillippa changes, mine did also. Phillippa seems to be an empty headed beauty with a life of privilege; but she is very intelligent and cares for those around her. Her ability to remember things and keep a level head in the face of danger is admirable. Too bad she couldn't be a spy, because she would be quite good at the job.

I had no complaints with Marcus. He puts himself in danger even though he may not receive any reward for it. And when he becomes close to Phillippa and they essentially become friends, he has no choice but to fall for her charms. Even though Marcus cares deeply for Phillippa, he won't allow her to walk all over him. These two try to deny their feelings for one another, but when they can no longer push these feelings to the side, they come together in a passionate way.

Lady Jane also caught my interest because she keeps Phillippa on her toes as she tries to steal Broughton away from her. But she is also like Phillippa in the sense she is not whom she seems. Even Broughton has a unique personality and is not just along for the ride. He is there to add some tension between Phillippa and Marcus. I wouldn't mind seeing Broughton get his own story in the future.

Revealed is one historical romance that came as a pleasant surprise. I will definitely keep my eye on future releases from Kate Noble.

Katiebabs

Phillipa Benning is the belle of every ball and the (nearly) undisputed queen of the Season. As a widow with means, she is able to do nearly anything she wants, including holding assignations with titled men. When one of those rendezvous nets her more than just a kiss, that's when her Season turns even brighter. When Phillipa discovers the identity of the famous spy, the Blue Raven, she knows just what to do with the information. Phillipa agrees to help the Raven with a mission that requires entrée into society and in exchange, she gets to reveal his identity at a ball at the close of the Season. Phillipa's involvement not only gets her closer to the Raven in ways she never imagined, it also brings her closer to danger.

The tone of Revealed is airy and light, as frothy as the top of a wedding cake. Regardless of the events taking place, the author continues to write as though she's describing a party, instead of a spy's daring do. This might go over well with some, but it mostly just distracted me from the story. The Blue Raven is a wonderful character, but Phillipa is a lot to take, as she is seemingly spoiled and flighty. Watching them find their true colors would have been great had I not disliked the writing style. I am sure it would work for others; it just didn't work for me.

Niki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed