The Garden Intrigue

By: Lauren Willig

Narrated by: Kate Reading

In the ninth installment of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series, an atrocious poet teams up with an American widow to prevent Napoleon's invasion of England.

Secret agent Augustus Whittlesby has spent a decade undercover in France, posing as an insufferably bad poet. The French surveillance officers can't bear to read his work closely enough to recognize the information drowned in a sea of verbiage.

New York-born Emma Morris Delagardie is a thorn in Augustus's side. An old school friend of Napoleon's stepdaughter, she came to France with her uncle, the American envoy; eloped with a Frenchman; and has been rattling around the salons of Paris ever since. Widowed for four years, she entertains herself by drinking too much champagne, holding a weekly salon, and loudly critiquing Augustus's poetry.

As Napoleon pursues his plans for the invasion of England, Whittlesby hears of a top-secret device to be demonstrated at a house party at Malmaison. The catch? The only way in is with Emma, who has been asked to write a masque for the weekend's entertainment.

Emma is at a crossroads: Should she return to the States or remain in France? She'll do anything to postpone the decision-even if it means teaming up with that silly poet Whittlesby to write a masque for Bonaparte's house party. But each soon learns that surface appearances are misleading. In this complicated masque within a masque, nothing goes quite as scripted- especially Augustus's feelings for Emma.

Critic reviews

“As fresh and charming as its floral theme.”
-Kirkus Reviews

“Enlightening and entertaining as always, and full of plenty of romance and intrigue, this is a strong choice.”
-Library Journal

“Readers will be pleased to see the spy who inspired the series in action and will enjoy the charming, witty rapport between Augustus and Emma.”
-Booklist

A Light, Mindless Romance

If you are looking for a light, mindless romance, that makes you laugh, this book is perfect. If you want a scholarly work on the Napoleonic Wars, you will be sadly disappointed. As I was seeking the first, I was very pleased with this latest addition and look forward to the next book in the series as soon as Lauren Willig can write it!

The Others Are Excellent and so much fun...

but Garden Intrigue is definitely my least favorite Willig novel so far. The storyline was quite plodding and I couldn't get into the hero and heroine. Don't worry that Willig has lost her touch though. The Passion of the Purple Plumeria, the following book, is wonderful and fun.

This Series Doesn't Disappoint!

The Garden Intrigue is a great addition to the Pink Carnation Series. Lauren Willig and Kate Reading continue to be one of the best author-narrator combinations I've heard on Audible.

I find it interesting that all of the other books in this series have flower names. But, this one doesn't. Hmm.... I think it's because while The Pink Carnation and Mr. Whittlesby are up to their same old antics, this book delves into the personal life and perspective of the Pink Carnation in a way the previous books haven’t. Like the previous books, this one goes back and forth between historic and present time periods—mostly focusing on the historic pieces. I have to say, one of the most amazing thing about all the books in this series is the amount of research Willig has done while still managing to make this seem like a fun, light read. She also has a wonderful sense of humor. What a talent she is!

I was skeptical about how Willig was going to make Mr. Whittlesby less annoying—someone the heroine, Emma Delagardie, could fall in love with. But, she dealt with that issue fairly quickly and neatly. After that, you get to just sit back and enjoy an easy read by a wonderful author.

All of this has me interested in listening to the 10th installment of this series. So please get this soon Audible :)

Good love story that is clever and funny.

Spies in Bonaparte s inner circle. outlandish characters with love interest. Kate Reading is marvelous

Another great spy story of the Napoleonic era

Would you consider the audio edition of The Garden Intrigue to be better than the print version?

Kate Reading if a fabulous reader, not only in her overall production/delivery of the story but actually pronouncing all the french names correctly