Lady Arianna’s Secret Spy (Riddle Sisters 5) by Jennifer Monroe -review
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 30, 2025
A dangerous truth. A guarded protector. A love she never believed was meant for her.
Lady Arianna Riddle has never been the one people remember. The youngest sister. The practical one. The girl who learned early that quiet was safer than noticed. But when a letter from her late father meant for her late mother lands in her hands, dismissal turns to danger. Someone wants that letter. And they want Arianna silenced.
Christian Ashcombe has learned not to let anyone too close. Working for The Underground has cost him more than most would understand, and trust is a luxury he cannot afford. When he watches Lady Arianna receive a letter at a ball, he knows exactly what it means. And exactly how much danger she is in. He meant to take the letter and disappear. Instead, he takes her.
The dark-haired beauty he noticed from across the ballroom becomes the woman he must keep hidden. But the naive debutante he expected proves to be something else entirely. She is sharp-minded, observant, and the only person who can decipher what her father left behind.
What begins as a mission becomes something far more complicated. For Christian, her mind unlocks clues he has been chasing for years. And for Arianna, he is the first person who needs her for more than her dowry. Somewhere between mistrust and partnership, two people who thought they knew their place in the world discover they were never meant to remain invisible.
But the secret in that letter holds more than answers. It holds the power to destroy the fragile bond neither of them meant to build. And as danger closes in, they must decide whether trust, earned the hard way, is worth the risk.
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REVIEW: Lady Arianna’s Secret Spy, is the fifth installment in Jennifer Monroe’s Riddle Sisters series. I’ve read a few and I’ve liked what I read.
As a standalone (though familiarity with the series enhances the family dynamics), it delivers exactly what fans of sweet, closed door historical romances like.
It has high emotional stakes, intriguing suspense, and a heartfelt slow burn connection between two guarded souls.
Lady Arianna Riddle, the often overlooked youngest sister, is a great character. She’s not the glittering debutante or the bold rebel, no, she’s the quiet, observant one who’s learned to fade into the background for safety.
Arianna’s sharp mind and understated courage shine as she deciphers her father’s cryptic letter, turning what could have been a passive “damsel” role into one of active partnership.
Enter Christian Ashcombe, the brooding spy hero with a tragic past and a no nonsense demeanor.
His initial plan to snatch the letter and vanish quickly evolves into a protective (and reluctant) kidnapping, setting up one of my favourite tropes, the classic “forced proximity”. Christian’s layers peel away slowly, he’s jaded from his work with “The Underground,” yet Arianna’s quiet resilience chips at his walls. Their banter is witty without being overt, and the tension between mistrust and mutual reliance had me unable to leave this story alone.
The plot weaves intrigue and suspense into the Regency setting…. a mysterious letter threatening national secrets, shadowy pursuers, and hidden safehouses. Danger lurks without veering into graphic territory, and the mystery unfolds at a brisk pace.
What I really liked about this book was the characters, they protagonists start as “invisible” figures, Arianna overshadowed by her sisters, Christian isolated by his secrets. But they “see” one another and recognise lost souls.
Overall, clever heroines, and protective heroes, this is a winner.
It’s perfect for a cozy afternoon read that leaves you smiling.
Highly recommended for fans of the series or anyone seeking a low angst, Regency romance with a dash of spy adventure!
Copy supplied for review
🦋 Reviewed by Julie B
