TAINTED ANGEL has an intriguing storyline with supporting characters that are perhaps more interesting than the main character. The main character, Vidia, can be tiresome with her beauty but she does possess some strength of character and some wit. The plot moved along at a good clip and there was adventure and intrigue around every bend. Over all I enjoyed the novel, despite a few failings, and would be interested to see what Cleeland does with the series. ( )

My thoughts:
This was a spy/mystery/romance/historical. A nice little mix and I thought I knew, but I had no idea at all ;)

Vidia was an enigma. Her fellow spies believes she is tainted and I was unsure. She was way too comfy around her mark. So I kept wondering about her and her benefactor. In the end I wondered about everyone. You can't really trust anyone in this book and first at the end I could relax and trust people, trust them to know what they were doing.

That is the whole thriller/mystery parts. She has some explaining to do and the heat is on. In comes the hero (who I did not know what to make of either). Their relationship becomes, oh you just has to read it. It's a cat and mouse game and it kept me on my toes. Then there is the whole dead wife thing too to think about. But, nah I will not say one thing more. This was just a book were mysteries slowly were revealed.

One thing though, at times I was, not confused just..troubled. I felt that I should be able to trust someone at least and pages seemed to flow by without me noticing it and not in a good way.

Conclusion:
An thrilling spy novel with romance to offer too.
( )

I'm telling you straight away, if you like Michelle Diener and her 19th century spy historical novels, you'd really enjoy Anne Cleeland.

She calls Tainted Angel "regency Mr. & Mrs. Smith" but I'd say, add "Ocean's Eleven" to this mix. Tainted Angel is a delightful regency heist with some pretty phenomenal banter between its main characters. I loved it!

Vidia is a British spy who is suspected of double-dealing. Enter Lucien Carstairs, who is sent to determine if she is indeed a "tainted" angel. What you don't expect is that both have more layers than you can count and that both are deliciously wily. They also have insane chemistry between each other, and that chemistry works against all their plans and is perhaps the only genuine emotion in this whole affair.

Expect quick thinking, tricks and treachery, twists and turns, pretend drama and non-stop action in this absolutely delicious regency spy mystery. Vidia was a delightful minx, and Lucien had some cards up his sleeve as well. The secondary characters were well rounded and also unexpected in their depth, so please don't discount them and their own little games.

Overall, a must read, clever and charming. ( )

Vidia is a spy - but for whom is she spying? That is the question that drives the plot of this suspenseful novel. She is what is known as an "angel" - a woman who is placed with a man to try and learn his secrets so as to pass them on to her agency. The concern is that she has become tainted and can no longer be trusted. but is that true? The man sent to seek the answers is the one man that Vidia cannot resist but she must for the sake of her mission.

This was a book chock full of twists and turns and who can be trusted. The characters were all quite well drawn and very dynamic and dramatic. I must admit though, that I felt quite often as if I had missed a first book - as if this was a continuation of a story. There were many a reference to past acts that kept me as a reader just slightly off balance and out of the loop. I don't know if this was intentional on Ms. Cleeland's part but it did add to the mystery of the book.

I never quite knew who was telling the truth and exactly what was going on. The ending brought several big twists that I never saw coming. One must love that in a book. The romance aspect of the novel was quite intriguing as it developed in an atmosphere of total mistrust and confusion. All in all a fast paced, well written read. ( )