• The Forbidden Rose

  • Spymasters
  • By: Joanna Bourne
  • Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
  • Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (345 ratings)

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The Forbidden Rose  By  cover art

The Forbidden Rose

By: Joanna Bourne
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
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Publisher's summary

A glittering French aristocrat is on the run, disguised as a British governess. England's top spy has a score to settle with her family. But as they're drawn inexorably into the intrigue and madness of Revolutionary Paris, they gamble on a love to which neither of them will admit.

©2010 Joanna Watkins Bourne (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A flawless romance in which an espionage-steeped plot is deftly balanced with a lusciously sensual love story." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about The Forbidden Rose

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Historical Espionage Thriller

I listened and enjoyed "Spymaster's Lady" and knew I had to give this book in the series a try. After listening to both I think that "Spymaster's Lady" was better but "The Forbidden Rose" did not disappoint.

This book is written around the history of the French revolution. This intriguing story details the culture for that time period with added suspense, espionage, and romance. The author eloquently writes each character with depth by tapping into their feelings, expressions, and personality.

I am looking forward to other books by this author. If you like stories with history, suspense, espionage, intrigue, and romance give this one a try.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is why I read Romance novels.

This is an amazing story of heroism and romance during the aftermath of the French revolution. I don't want to give a single thing about it away, and the description tells enough. I will say that there were times when I was so anxious for the characters that I had to laugh at myself. This is a book, I'd say. They aren't real. They are not actually in danger!

So romantic, so well written, and so beautifully performed it took my breath away.

Highly recommended.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

FOR ME THIS BOOK WAS SORT OF LIKE " THE MONA LISA"

Not sure if I liked it and not sure if I didn't like it. I thought it was very drawn out with too much detail of the how-to of spying and being stealthy and not enough romance. There seemed to be a lot of characters with very hard to remember names and I wasn't sure who was on what side half the time...that being said...with about three hours left it started to narrow down to the important characters and I did like the ending. I am not sure why this was number 3 in the series...to me it should have been number two...it took you back before the time of book number two so half the time you just knew what was going to happen because you already read it in book two. I didn't hate it however, I could have done without the whole first half of the story. Sorry (sort of)

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfectly Done

It has just enough of everything! Few romance novels can compare to this one. I give it my seal of approval.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration- 2.5 star story

Well I was so looking forward to this book because the Spymaster's Lady was so good. Unfortunately this book does not even compare. There were so many random characters brought in with no explanation as to who they were or their purpose. The story was okay but could have been much better. There was nothing very "spyish" in this book. In addition it seemed to go on and on and on...

The best part of the book is Hawker! His story is The Black Hawk, I am looking forward to that book if it comes out on audible. I would not want to read it due to so many french words.

I was glad this book ended..

The narrator was totally and completely fantastic! Nobody could have done better and that is the only thing that kept me listening to the end, otherwise I would not have finished the story.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent historical espionage romance

This is listed as Book 2 of the author's Sypmaster series, but it's set before the events of The Spymaster's Lady (Book 1). We meet the protagonists, Doyle and (by then) his wife Marguerite in book 1, but their story, told in this book, is exciting and lovely - in fact, even better than that of Grey and Annique in the other book (and there is none of the dubious consent encounters that put me off somewhat in that one). The characters are well drawn, the protagonists honorable and clever, and I found it easy to empathize with them. The secondary characters are also interesting (especially this earlier backstory of Adrian "Hawker" and Justine, whose story, I understand, is described in a later installment of the series). I liked that the heroine was the organizer of a secret rescue network of French aristocrats, and I enjoyed the cameos of her associates, well drawn even with a few strokes. The espionage details were also captivating (I consider this a forte of Joanna Bourne). I disliked (on Adrian's behalf) the chief of the English intelligence agents in Paris, and I thought some aspects of the solution of the spying storyline was a bit rushed in the resolution chapters (I would have liked to know how Marguerite's household was protected and what became of her father, and how exactly the infamous list was found in the end). All in all, I enjoyed the stoy immensely. The narration was also very good, the emotions displayed very well, the accents recognizable, but at some dialogue parts, I was not always sure who was saying which part- and especially not always sure when the characters spoke aloud and when were their thoughts shown.
I will definitely continue listening to this series, and recommend the book to historical espionage romance fans.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable for What It Is

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

If you are looking for a release from reality for a bit, yes. Did it edify me as an individual, no, but that isn't really why you pick HR.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Kirsten Potter?

Sure.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So rich so good

Loved it all what a great interesting series top 5 for me and I’ve read thousands

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent performance of a terrific series.

Superb Performance of each book in this series by Joanna Bourne, one of my favorite authors.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable experience

The writing is excellent and feels authentic. The narrator is wonderful, although her French pronunciation slips occasionally. She’s a great storyteller. I’ve happily listened to the book more than once.

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