I had high hopes for this one but was left disappointed. For simplicity's sake, I will just write a pro and con list.

Pro:
This is a very clean book, barely any cussing and appropriate for younger teens.

Con:
Despite what the title says, this book is NOT about spying. Any and all mentions of spying were glossed over and did not mention many facts.
MC cheated on the man she was seeing with a friend from childhood. I don't care what anyone says, but this is not ok.
Still on that last point -- The love triangle was not my favorite in the least.
This book may have been a miss for me, but if you're a fan of historical fiction, it may be worth a try.
Rating: 2/5
Language: s*** one time, d*** one or two times
Romance: a kiss
Spiritual: characters believe in God
Violence: set during the American Revolution but not detailed, MC's stepfather attempts to harm her
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. ( )

This book was fast pace and easy to dive into. Frannie is a young woman living in Grand Bahama Island in 1776. Emmie Coates is a proper lady living in New York City at the height of the American Revolution in 1779. These two women are intertwine and their lives only intensifies from there. Through mutual friends, Emmie becomes a spy for the American side and her correspondences go directly to General Washington to help make strategic decisions. But when someone from the past shows up, all goes to hell and Emmie must make a decision that will haunt her for a really long time. I absolutely loved this book and almost want to reread it to pick up on all the things that I missed while reading it. Throughout the book, I had a knot in my stomach waiting for a shoe to drop. Absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a good spy novel and about doing what is right, not what is easy! ( )

Fairly satisfying. ( )

Definitely a good story, though it strained credulity a bit. Historical fantasy? Veronica Rossi has written a great yarn starring a young woman, Frannie Trasker, raised in the Caribbean, who dives wrecks to find treasure to support herself and her wicked stepfather, Sewel. Her mother is dead. When a ship is wrecked nearby, she takes her chance to escape by taking the clothes and identity of one of the victims, a young and wealthy woman named Emmeline Coates. Restored to herself in British controlled New York City during the Revolutionary War, Emmi has a wonderful life for three or four years as a wealthy young heiress. She is courted by a British office, James Duncan, and becomes engaged to him, while deciding to become a spy for the American rebels.

I enjoyed it, though I didn't love it. The characters speak in modern English, rather than the vernacular of the 18th century, which made it less believable for me, though probably more palatable for a young adult audience. Personally, I think it's a waste of time to cater to young adults with historical fiction, since so few of them actually read it, based on my years as a teen librarian. ( )

Frannie Tasker spent her days diving for wrecks in the Grand Bahamas in 1776. After her mother's death, Frannie is left with her step-father Sewal who abuses her and now wants to take her to be his wife. Frannie takes an opportunity to escape with a shipwreck that she spots, and assumes the life of a woman aboard who drowned. There were no survivors of the wreck and everyone believes that Frannie, now assuming the role of Emmaline Coates, is a miracle. Frannie is swept away upon a British merchant ship on its way to her new home-and war in New York. Frannie takes upon the task of learning to be a highborn lady who is soon to inherit. Frannie shares her secret only with Asa Lane, a rebel being held on the ship. Frannie plays her role well, three years later she is fully accepted as Emmaline and is ready to be married off. Her chosen suitor, British Lieutenant James Duncan sweeps her off her feet and talks a lot about his role in the British Army. Frannie soon finds a way to feel more like herself, as a spy for George Washington known as Agent 355, codename Lady.

Agent 355 was a real spy for George Washington in the Culper Spy Ring known for helping with the arrest of Major John André. While little is known of the real Agent 355, I absolutely adored Veronica Rossi's creation of Frannie. From her time diving for wrecks in the Bahamas to her grand escape on the merchant ship, playing the part of Emmaline perfectly and her rediscovery of her sense of adventure by joining the Culper ring, Frannie had me amazed. Frannie's life as both a wrecker and a lady of privilege creates a wide contrast as well as an additional layer of suspense of someone unmasking her carefully built disguise. As much as I loved the story of Frannie helping the rebels with her Spy ring, I further enjoyed the constant struggle within Frannie of becoming Emmaline and staying Frannie. The romance between Frannie and Asa was sweet and added another layer of tension as she courted Duncan alongside rekindling her feelings for Asa. Most of all, I enjoyed learning about the Culper Spy ring and their influence in the Revolutionary War. Through her spying, Frannie finds her spirit, purpose and identity. With an intriguing plot, in-depth characters and a heart-pounding ending, Rebel Spy amazingly recreates one of history's unknown women.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )