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A Royal Affair
A Royal Affair: A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery | Allison Montclair
13 posts | 8 read | 4 to read
More goes wrong than could be imagined when Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are unexpectedly engaged to dig into the past of a suitor of a royal princess in Allison Montclairs delightful second novel, A Royal Affair. In London 1946, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is just beginning to take off and the proprietors, Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, are in need of a bigger office and a secretary to handle the growing demand. Unfortunately, they don't yet have the necessary means. So when a woman arrivesa cousin of Gwen'swith an interesting and quite remunerative proposition, they two of them are all ears. The cousin, one Lady Matheson, works for the Queen in "some capacity" and is in need of some discreet investigation. It seems that the Princess Elizabeth has developed feelings for a dashing Greek prince and a blackmail note has arrived, alluding to some potentially damaging information about said prince. Wanting to keep this out of the palace gossip circles, but also needing to find out what skeletons might lurk in the prince's closet, the palace has quietly turned to Gwen and Iris. Without causing a stir, the two of them must now find out what secrets lurk in the prince's past, before his engagement to the future Queen of England is announced. And there's more at stake than the future of the Empire there is their potential new office that lies in the balance.
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jlhammar
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Pickpick

I‘m so enjoying this series. Gwen and Iris are such a great duo. I‘ve already checked-out book three!

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Dragon
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Pickpick

Just finished listening to this enjoyable audiobook. This is the second book in a cozy mystery series set in post war London. This one is especially lovely as it involves the Princess Elizabeth and her erstwhile beau , Philip. Looking forward to book 4 ( I listened out of order 🤣) 💚🐉

Aimeesue Sparks & Bainbridge ❤️❤️❤️ 1y
Dragon Totally agree @Aimeesue 💚🐉 1y
BookNAround I really enjoy this warm and lovely series. 1y
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Dragon Thanks @BookNAround - I like the banter between Iris and Gwen - and the quirky secondary characters like Sally and Archie 💚🐉 1y
PeregrineFalcon Love Queen Elizabeth. Still in mourning myself. 😢 1y
Dragon Thanks @PeregrineFalcon it‘s still so sad. I once waited for her to enter and leave the Cathedral here during a visit to Victoria. On the way out she stopped to talk to a young girl not too far from where I was standing. I didn‘t hear the conversation but I did see the smile. 💚🐉 1y
36 likes6 comments
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Laughterhp
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Pickpick

Here comes a bunch of reviews from the last week that I haven‘t posted. (A Emergency Alert went off at 6am so I‘m wide awake)

This is the 2nd book in the Sparks & Bainbridge mystery. They run a marriage bureau after WWII but end up solving murders. This one has them unofficially working for the royal family.

I really love this series and am glad I found it. It‘s a bit silly but it‘s fun with also some serious topics like mental health.

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Aims42
Pickpick

A great read! I love the characters so much, can‘t wait for the next book slated to come out later this spring!!

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Aims42
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I love these books because while there‘s a great mystery, there are also so many laugh out loud moments too 😆 I‘m so excited I just discoverd her 3rd book (“A Rogue‘s Company”) will be published later this spring 🥳

robinb 🤣🤣🤣 Just stacked the first in series! (edited) 3y
Aims42 @robinb I hope you enjoy it!! They‘re fun books with great characters and plots 😃 3y
DGRachel I loved the first book. The second is on my shelf - I haven‘t gotten to it yet, but I‘m so excited to hear there‘s a third scheduled for publication! 3y
Aims42 @DGRachel I actually squealed when I saw it was scheduled 😆 (edited) 3y
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Aims42
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A new book and my sweater blanket, life is good! 😊👍🏻

LiteraryinLawrence So cozy! 💗 3y
Aims42 @LiteraryinLititz just what‘s needed today 👍🏻 3y
Tamra Sweater blanket - a warm hug we all need. ☺️ 3y
Aims42 @Tamra Yes, 100% 🥰 3y
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MittenGirlPeach
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I‘ve finished my #bookspin for September book and I‘m plotting which book I‘ll read next. Eddy Charcoal is plotting with me. Probably the tagged book, but it might be another from my bingo card!

Sace He's very handsome! 4y
MittenGirlPeach @Sace 🧡 thank you! 4y
13 likes2 comments
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MittenGirlPeach
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I‘m in! I‘ve been craptacular at readathons this summer. 🤷‍♀️ Never stop reading is my best response. This readathon from @Sace is such a fun one, and a prequel? Perfect.

I can‘t really believe it‘s nearly Labor Day. I love to swim, but I haven‘t been once this summer. I will get out to my favorite local beach once FIL is gone. Keep treading water seems an apt metaphor right now.

Happy Hump Day!
#cyoreadathon

Sace Cool! So glad I'll have company! TBH I'm kinda crap at Readathons too. 😔 4y
10 likes1 comment
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MittenGirlPeach
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I‘ll see what I can accomplish this weekend! I‘ve got freelancing to do and it‘s my FIL‘s final weekend here. It‘s been a mentally and emotionally exhausting month. I‘ve got two books I‘d like to finish, including the tagged, plus a third TBD. Huge storms and rain overnight kept me awake, but the air feels divine this morning. Goodbye 90s and humidity. Happy Saturday!

Andrew65 Good luck 😊👍 4y
13 likes1 comment
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MittenGirlPeach
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The good news is that while I was either reading other books or, more likely, not reading much during this pandemic summer, the newest book in the series arrived at the library! So now I can continue on, which is so much fun. My 95-year-old FIL is back for another monthly stint, so it‘s been stressful and mentally exhausting, but here we all are. A gorgeous Saturday in the Irish Hills of Michigan.

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BookNAround
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Today‘s #JulyARC will be released on 7/28.

BarbaraBB Beautiful cover! 4y
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Aimeesue
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ARC of the second Sparks & Bainbridge book. I was pleasantly surprised by the first, which was a lot of fun. Set in London just after WW2 in a matchmaking agency, of all things.

#ARC #NetGalley

jillrhudy I WANT TO READ IT but I neeeeeed the first one first! How much is it on Kindle should I look? (wring hands) 4y
jillrhudy Ok so. If St. Martins approves my NG request this is a miracle Easter sign that I should download the Kindle of Book 1 for $6.99. 4y
Aimeesue @jillrhudy They were quite good! A lot lit -ier than I expected. And snappy dialogue to boot! 4y
32 likes3 comments