#Review: Sweet Treason by Gail Ranstrom - 2 Wine Glasses

Title: Sweet Treason
Author: Gail Ranstrom
Format:  eBook, 219 pages
Published: September 23, 2013 by Entangled: Ignite
ASIN: B00EGJE4O4
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Kimberly
Rating: 2 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Passion and deadly secrets…

On the run from British troops, American Revolutionary War spy Ryan Sutton forces Emily Nevins to hide him on her English farm. But Emily already keeps secrets that could mean her demise if discovered. Nevertheless as the long night wears on, attraction sizzles and they give in to unexpected passion, sure they’ll never see each other again… Deception and desire…

A chance encounter in London society stirs heated memories of their sensual night together. They begin a heady dance of suspicion and desire. Though sympathetic to the struggling Colonists, Emily cannot trust a traitorous spy who may expose her dangerous intrigues. And Ryan risks his very life by trusting a woman privy to his true loyalties. But they are unable to deny their need for one another, even as Emily’s secrets are about to be exposed, and the noose around Ryan’s neck grows tighter. Betrayal and love…

And now someone has discovered both their secrets. The price of silence? Betrayal. Of their causes, their love, their futures. In the end, lives will be lost and sacrifices made. Their choice is impossible. Which will they surrender—their lives...or their hearts?

Kimberly’s Thoughts:
Emily is struggling to keep it all together, she's in charge of her little sister, their farm, outsmarting Mr. Dodge the man currently in control of her money, keeping a step ahead of the French pirates she is smuggling with, and now dealing with a colonial spy.  Ryan has been using conveniently located Emily's farm to pass secret messages when he first introduces himself by forcing her to lie to soldiers looking for him.  There is an instant attraction but Emily and Ryan are each fighting to keep their head above water and an association with the other could drown them.

Sweet Treason is set during a time period (Revolutionary War) that has sadly been ignored lately in the historical romance world and since this was located in England instead of the colonies, I was excited.   Unfortunately, the story didn’t quite live up to the intriguing blurb.  There is a lot happening arc and character wise but they flitter through instead of solidly panning out.  While I was reading there was a sense of not really knowing why something was happening; lack of connectedness between story and characters.

Emily was a stronger woman character but didn't have strong guidance from the story.  She's juggling all these balls in the air but why does she need to pay Mr. Dodge money when he controls her estate and why the extreme cold shoulder to Ryan in public when she has already slept with him?  Ryan lacked the same directedness, it's a tad forced when he says he has to stay in England and around Emily to make sure she doesn't out his traitorous deeds.  Together they have a few steamy moments but they sleep together fairly early, have a confusing big middle part of Emily trying to disrespect Ryan by messing up his last name, and then a very quick get together forever ending.

For most of the book it felt like our main characters were just bumbling around London, dealing with a tagged on spurned woman, Emily fighting off men, and the occasional verbal romantic exchange.  There was a small secondary romance between Emily's sister and one of her new found London friends that I really wanted to like but again, the lack of information (ages?) and substance kept me from truly becoming engaged.

I think I finished this story with a lot more questions than when I started (Ryan's a Major?) and a little disappointed.  There aren't many new late 1700s romance books but I still don't think I can recommend this one.