The Code of Love
76. Cheryl Sawyer, The Code of Love
Sir Gideon Landor, heir to an earldom, is also a staunchly patriotic captain in the British Navy. He is captured in the line of duty off the island of Mauritius, where he meets Delphine Dalgliesh, the stunningly beautiful “idol of the island” - and an ardent Bonapartist. At first, they have nothing to say to each other; he views her as a beautiful but empty-headed social butterfly, while she finds him arrogant and intimidating. However, as they encounter each other more often in subsequent travels to France and England, they find themselves increasingly drawn to one another. But each of them is hiding an important secret: they have both been commanded by their respective governments to work as spies. In the midst of their conflicting loyalties, can Gideon and Delphine find love without compromising their honor?
I don’t think my summary of this book does it justice. The novel is an old-fashioned historical romance set during the Napoleonic Wars: it has adventure, romance, espionage, secret codes, drawing-room wit, and a wonderful cast of characters, especially Gideon and Delphine. Their romance is the heart of the story, and I think the tension between them is managed extremely well. I also appreciated the historical details Sawyer put into the novel, especially about British efforts to crack Napoleon’s military codes and about the Peninsular War. Every once in a while the language got a bit too flowery, but otherwise I have nothing bad to say about this book. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read more by Cheryl Sawyer!
ETA: I forgot to mention that there are a few sly little nods to Jane Austen in this book (she even makes a cameo appearance!) -- which of course made it all the more enjoyable! :)