Rendezvous: Amanda Quick

"From the elegantly appointed drawing rooms of London's most exclusive club to an imposing country estate in the heart of Dorset comes a provocative tale of a free-thinking beauty, a dignified lord, and a man, impetuous love that defied all logic...

"Augutsta Ballinger was quite sure that it was all a dreadful mistake.  The chillingly pompous and dangerously disturbing Earl of Graystone could not possibly wish to marry her.  Why, it was rumored that his chosen bride must be a veritable model of virtue.  And everyone knew that Augusta, as the last of the wild, reckless Northumberland Ballingers, was a woman who could not be bothered by society's rules.

"That was why the spirited beauty had planned a midnight encounter to warn the earl off, to convince him that she would make him a very poor wife indeed.  But when she crawled in through his darkened study window, Augusta only succeeded in strengthening Harry's resolve:  to kiss the laughter from those honeyed lips and teach this maddening miss to behave!  How could he possibly know that it was he who was in for a lesson...as his brazen fiancee set out to win his heart--and an old and clever enemy stepped in to threaten their love, their honor, and their very lives?"

This is another little gem by Amanda Quick!  Despite my busy schedule, I read this one in only a matter of days.  The pacing was excellent and the plot was exceedingly entertaining.  I found the characters to be as charming as the plot, which helped to keep me wanting more.

Augusta is a spirited female lead who is beyond proud of her roots.  She knows everyone is aware that she comes from the reckless side of the Ballinger family, and she takes this as license to do much as she pleases.  Though she is very intelligent and as educated as she is forward-thinking, this does not stop her from enjoying the finer things womanhood has to offer.  Her love of entertaining and pretty clothing is a nice touch when so many authors choose to forego this aspect of a female lead's personality in favor of a much more "scholarly" appeal.  Why can't a woman want reform and recognition for women's accomplishments and also enjoy beautiful things?!  Augusta's quick temper and wit get her into a number of scrapes, but they also attract a very surprising suitor.

Suffering from the hidden scars of his first marriage as well as the weariness following the Napoleonic Wars, Harry, Earl of Graystone, is a man of many mysteries; perhaps the biggest of which is just why he chooses Augusta Ballinger as his bride!  By all accounts, she is the last thing he should desire.  She can be immodest and wild, a bit to outspoken and prone to harebrained schemes, but she possesses that which Harry prizes most in the world:  unfailing honesty and loyalty.  Despite her assurances that she will make him a terrible wife, Harry is determined to wed Augusta and have her as his Countess.  Little do either of them know that the other is exactly what they need in their respective lives.

Both Harry and Augusta have secrets of their own, but everything must come to light when an enemy comes around seeking to cause their newlywed bliss to come crashing down and destroy all they hold dear...

Their spark is enjoyable and enlivened by both of their tempers and differing attitudes.  I enjoyed the romance and it felt fairly natural between the two of them.  I will concede that the first "encounter" felt a bit early and a bit too "acceptable" for Augusta -- a woman who, up until that point, had managed to remain pure and virtuous despite her reputation.  She seemed to fall into Harry's arms a bit too easily, despite her silent admission that she'd always been attracted to him.  I also do believe I'd mentioned this in another of my reviews, but Harry's physical appearance was very much glossed over.  I'm pretty sure we got literally one or two sentences about him in the beginning of the book.  It was fairly forgettable and I had to draw my own mental picture as I read on.  I wanted to "see" him a bit more than I did.  I do feel like Augusta had more to her description, but it was still a bit lacking compared to what I am used to.

Overall, I found this book to be very enjoyable and I look forward to reading more of Quick's works.

The Rake's Inherited Courtesan: A Scandalous Bequest: Ann Lethbridge

"HIS OUTRAGEOUS MISTRESS..

"Daughter of a Parisian courtesan, Sylvia Boisette longs for respectability, though gossips say she is nothing more than a gentleman's paramour.  Now, with her guardian dead, she finds herself in a shocking situation...

"Christopher Everden is appalled by his uncle's will--Madamoiselle Boisette is now his courtesan!  Although his body responds to Sylvia's tempting sensuality, he knows he should rid himself of his disreputable charge.  But, surprisingly, Sylvia has a vulnerability to match her exceptional beauty.  Perhaps his inherited mistress could become his rightful bride!"

The title to this book does not do it justice.  As the saying goes, I caution you to not judge this book by its cover (or title); there is far more to this story than meets the eye and I was certainly pleasantly surprised.

Readers immediately encounter young Sylvia at the reading of the will of her former protector and guardian.  Everyone else in attendance seems to presume the rumors to be true:  Mr. John Everden took a very much younger Parisian woman as his mistress, installed her in his household...and then willed her to his youngest nephew.  Sylvia had been well cared for under Mr. Everden's care for many years and she had been led to believe that now she would make her own way in the world.  That is, until the will reveals that her care -- and what little money she is to receive -- lies in the hand's of Mr. Everden's nephew, Christopher.  He is, perhaps, even less excited about the situation than she.  Surely his uncle had been addled!  How dare he insist upon such a scandalous arrangement?  Wasn't it bad enough that he'd been dragging the Everden name through the mud housing this young courtesan for so many years, now he had to saddle Christopher with her and charge him with her care?  Unfortunately for Christopher, he cannot find a way out of the arrangement.  Every chance he has to try to rid himself of Miss Boisette runs aground.  Then again...the more time he spends in his presence, the less sure he is that he really wants to be rid of her forever...  Their journey takes them across England, through London, and even back across the Channel to the place of Sylvia's birth.  Christopher learns there is far more to Sylvia than he'd first been led to believe and he comes to realize that Sylvia is far more innocent than the first impression she'd presented.  Meanwhile, Christopher teaches Sylvia that she is worthy of respect and trust and, just maybe, even love.  But, with a dark and tragic past such as her own, how can Sylvia possibly allow a good and honorable man such a Christopher to lower himself to include her in his life?  Surely she will never be accepted and she cannot allow his sterling reputation to suffer.  Unfortunately for the two of them, there may not be time for them to sort through their complex attraction.  There is an unknown evil lurking in the shadows, stalking Miss Boisette everywhere she goes.  A very powerful man wants Sylvia to disappear from English shores, even if that means locking her away in France and immersing her in the hellish life she'd once escaped long ago.

Sylvia was an intelligent female lead.  She was immensely brave, quick-witted, and eloquent.  I enjoyed the realism of her unwillingness to let just anyone into her life, especially given the sad circumstances of her upbringing.  She rode the fine line between looking out for herself (as one would expect from a woman who grew up as she did) and being selfless for those she loved.  She, however, also recognized that there were certain things she could not change about herself and certain things which would never be accepted.  She'd learned how to play to some of those assumptions (as evidenced in her first private meeting with Christopher), and also how to recognize when she was in over her head.  This came into play in her relationship with Christopher on numerous occasions and I found it all endearing and excellent characterization.

Christopher as a male lead was wonderful.  He was kind and caring, but not overly soft; and I definitely appreciated that his backstory made sense as far as this aspect of his personality.  He was also strong, brave, intelligent, and had strong morals...and more than a bit handsome if we go off of Sylvia's impressions of him.  What more could a girl want?!  He will go to any lengths to protect his family and those he loves -- even if that means crossing the Channel in pursuit of a certain kidnapped French girl and going undercover to retrieve her from the clutches of a ruthless Madame.  Christopher knows that Sylvia will never be safe until the discover who is behind all of this...and the answer to that question could very well turn Sylvia's whole world upside down.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The first few chapters started off a little bit slowly.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I think I placed a lot on what conclusions I was going to come to once I saw more of Sylvia.  Exactly how archetypal would she be?  A reformed fallen angel?  A misunderstood courtesan?  Something else entirely?  Thank goodness she was the latter because I don't think I would have enjoyed this book nearly as much.  I found the spark between Sylvia and Christopher to be excellent. It didn't drive the entire plot (which was nice and seemed to stay true to both of their personal motivations and personalities), but was a satisfying undercurrent of dare-we-act-dare-we-not.  Once the passion and desire between the two of them finally comes to a head, I must say that their chemistry was delightful.  I very much enjoyed Lethbridge's writing.  Do note that she is an English writer, so some of the words and formatting are decidedly "unAmerican."  I found that I didn't mind this, though, and it was actually easier to believe the characters to be English because of this.  I thought her sense of place was lovely.  It drew me into the story and I was utterly absorbed in the scenes.  This book truly turned out to be a gem on my shelves and I absolutely look forward to reading more of Lethbridge in the future.

Wait Until Midnight: Amanda Quick

"Gentle Reader,

"It could have been a scene from one of my novels.  As a rule, respectable ladies do not accept calls from Mysterious Gentlemen on business of the most grave importance--but I confess that I was possessed of lively curiosity.  The past three years had been so determinedly dull, I hoped My. Adam Hardesty would offer a tiny respite from it.  Indeed, upon first glance, Mr. Hardesty had such a formidable, thrilling presence, he quickly became the model for the villain in the sensation novel I was currently writing.

"Imagine my shock and distress then, them Mr. Hardesty accused me of being party to a plot of murder, blackmail, and general villainy!  I knew nothing of such occurrences, and proclaimed my innocence.  Unfortunately, Mr. Hardesty left unconvinced, and I had an uneasy feeling over what his search would uncover.  You see, Gentle Reader, though I live a most uneventful life now, my past contained a Great Scandal that would be ruinous if resurrected.  To protect my secrets from Mr. Hardesty's investigation, I concluded that I would need to conduct an inquiry of my own, and if that meant sharing my findings with Mr. Hardesty, so be it.  And my course of action had nothing whatsoever to do with the illicit, passionate feelings that he aroused in me--feelings that propriety would definitely frown upon...

"Yours most sincerely,

"Caroline Fordyce"

Here's yet another one to add to my Amanda Quick kick as I pick my way through my sizable "to be read" pile (or, more aptly, my "to be read shelf" now that my husband has finally gotten around to hanging the shelves in my office!).  According to fantasticfiction.com, this is a standalone novel.  I can see, however, how this could have been a series when you incorporate some of the secondary characters from Adam Hardesty's family.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find several connected stories amongst her voluminous resume.

I have noticed a trend for the supernatural in each of the books I've read by Quick.  While this can be a dime a dozen in this genre, I find her take a bit more refreshing in its realism.  The books seem to have characters fascinated with the supernatural, yet the underlying current is one of skepticism which manages to ground the readers rather than whisk them away on a fanciful cloud.  There's nothing wrong with this cloud, per se, but if that is what you're looking for with Quick, then I must say that I have yet to find it.  Her characters are worldly and far more grounded than others I've found in more supernatural stories.  This lands Quick's works solidly in the middle between realistic and paranormal -- an interesting place to be for those readers who aren't too fond of paranormal or supernatural, and yet they desire something with a bit more intrigue than a typical book of this genre.  Indeed, I feel that her books might even lean toward mystery in that aspect.  Her characters always seem to be on the hunt to uncover a secret, solve a crime or murder, or generally involve themselves in rather risky situations.  This lends an air of excitement to her works; Wait Until Midnight was no exception.  I found the pacing quite good and all of the secondary characters to be well-formed and beneficial to the plot and character development.  The murder, mystery, and nefarious plots moved the story along and kept me interested from the first page.

We are introduced to Adam Hardesty as he examines the scene of a horribly violent crime.  Someone has murdered a woman who proclaimed to be a medium.  In the all the obsession with the paranormal which marked the Victorian Era in England, was this woman murdered by a vengeful spirit from the Other Side, or was a more worldly rage her downfall -- perhaps there was an unhappy sitter at one of her recent seances?  This leads Adam to the home of Caroline Fordyce, noted author of serial sensationalist novels.  Being far more worldly and practical, Adam has not heard of Mrs. Fordyce prior to their meeting; however, he soon realizes that he'll not soon forget her.

Caroline Fordyce is taken in by curiosity as an obviously-wealthy stranger calls on her at an odd hour.  She knows he gives her a false name and his mysterious inquiries and accusations set off alarms in her head.  But there's something about this man which draws her to him.  In fact, she decides to use him as the inspiration for the villain her current novel.  By the time the man leaves, Caroline has realized that something horrible is afoot and, if she doesn't act quickly, the potential disaster could destroy everything she and her aunts had worked toward over the last several years.

Somewhat reluctantly, Caroline and Adam work together to uncover the truth behind the medium's gruesome murder -- and locate the diary which Adam knows contains secrets which could destroy his family and everything he'd achieved to secure them a safe place in the world.  Adam has secrets of his own which he must protect...but he finds himself willing to open up to the enticing, intelligent Mrs. Fordyce in a way that he never has before.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot.  There were many twists and turns which kept it fast-paced and captivating.  As far as the characters, themselves, I liked both Caroline and Adam well enough.  Caroline was interesting because she viewed so much of her world through an author's lens.  Adam felt slightly less-developed.  It wasn't until 3/4 of the way through the novel that it was mentioned how powerful and notoriously reserved he was...but if his name was so well-known then how had Caroline never heard of him?  I realize she didn't travel in the same social circles as Adam and his family, but there was a good amount of indication that he was someone to be recognized and he had a name which was more than a little bit well-known.  It was something I found a little bit odd.  I liked his history, as well as Caroline's past.  I think those lent them each their own unique flair.  As for the romance between them...I missed it a bit.  I don't believe there was enough build up of tension before they acted upon those impulses.  I love a bit of delicious torture, and I found it lacking a bit here in lieu of developing the very complex and mysterious grander plot thread.  There was little to no hesitation on Caroline's part when it came to sleeping with Adam.  There was no reason or explanation given for this either (not even a, "Well, he's hot and I'm not getting any younger!"), nor did she seem shy in the slightest.  I suppose I wanted her to be a bit more demure about it all.  I realize she was not who she claimed to be, but even her internal dialogue missed the mark.  Yet again, I also found the lack of physical descriptions of the characters throughout the book to be a bit sad.  I want to know more about their appearances than their clothing.  What were their features like?  The angle of their eyes, the length of their lashes, the shadow of a beard?  I want something to flesh them out a bit more.

I am still recommending this book, so please don't take my criticisms as a reason to stay away.  I'm merely making some observations and comparisons between Quick and some of the other authors I've read.  I enjoyed the book and cruised through it rather swiftly.  I believe this may be one of the last ones I own by Quick, so there may be an unintentional hiatus before I can obtain more.  Happy reading!

The Seduction of Lady Phoebe (Marriage Game, Book One): Ella Quinn

 "Polite society has its rules for marriage.  But for Ella Quinn's eligible bachelors, their brides will show them that rules are for the faint of heart...

"Phoebe Stanhope is not a typical Lady.  As feisty as she is quick witted, no one can catch her, especially when she is driving her dashing phaeton with its perfectly matched horses.  And unlike her peers, experience has guarded her against a growing list of would-be suitors.  But when she encounters Marcus Finley, what she fears most burns deep within his blue-eyed gaze...

"For Lord Marcus, the spark of recognition is but a moment in the love he has held these many years.  Not that he's returned to England, all the happiness he desires rests on Lady Phoebe never finding out that he was the one who turned her heart so cold and distant.  He must work fast to gain the advantage--to convince her what she wants is exactly what she denies--but in order to seduce her into his arms, he must be willing to give up more than he can control..."

This book was a very sweet, thoughtful Christmas gift from my husband.  Fully aware and supportive of my (slight) addiction to period romances, he saw this cover and felt it would be my perfect cup of tea.  He's not a big reader at all, so the fact that he went and physically shopped for a book for me at a brick-and-mortar store was a shock.  That this book actually happened to be the first in a series was a lovely surprise.  I was new to Ella Quinn, but looked forward to diving into this book.

I am currently about a quarter of the way through this book, and it's taken me quite awhile to reach this point.  One would think I'd have been all over my "to be read" stack during this pandemic and the ensuing quarantine, but, alas, my mind has been too preoccupied and my downtime too filled with an ever-increasingly mobile, rambunctious little boy!  I was excited to dip back into my reading of this book because the first several chapters gave such promise.  However, I simply had to put it down after cruising through only a few more pages because I knew I had to start this review.

Quinn's style is not what I am used to.  To be fair, I'm sure a lot of my other favorite authors have a more relaxed style of writing, so this is probably why I sometimes find the dialogue and narration a bit grating and overdone.  It reads like a Jane Austen novel.  This is both good and bad.  For the average reader of romance novels, this may not drag her in as easily as another book might.  Even for someone with my background in literature, some of the turns of phrase were still a tad awkward and (almost) overworked.  I've lost count of all of the different characters and I'm not even 100 pages into the book.  I understand Phoebe has a large family, but there is very little presented in order for the reader to more easily separate them in her mind's eye.  It's almost as if many of them already had their own novels and one is expected to know about their personalities and backstories.  I feel like I'm missing something!  Many of them are already happily married with allusions to wonderful love stories and happy romances of their own.  If they're not developed more and don't serve more than to just pop in and give their private opinions of what's going on with Phoebe, then I don't feel like they're really necessary.  It understand that it's a style of writing (again, very Austen-esque) to bounce from perspective to perspective, opinion to opinion, and character to character, but it's just drags this out and takes away from the actual development of Marcus and Phoebe's relationship.  I want to be invested in them and not the other subplots going on well in the background.  If these were grand supporting characters (a well-developed best friend and confidant, perhaps), then I might've cared more and seen the benefit to their perspective a bit more.  Even if these were characters who did, indeed, have books of their own and I already knew their stories and their personalities, then I might have placed more stock in their opinions.  As I've already mentioned, this is the first book in this series, so that is simply not the case here.  I love it when characters are brought back in other stories and this could have worked well here if Marcus and Phoebe's wasn't the first story in this series.

Then there was the matter of just how closely Phoebe and Marcus were related by marriage.  I don't think I've come across quite such a close relation-by-marriage in a romance novel before and, though no blood was technically involved, something just made it feel a bit odd to me.  I cannot locate the specific law or when it was abolished, but I swear there was something in English law that forbid marriage or relations with one's in-laws--I think having this in the back of my mind the entire time made the plot rub me the wrong way.  I could be wrong and it could have been perfectly legal, but I do believe I read something to that effect during one of my British literature and history courses.

Now to address the fact that Phoebe didn't recognize Marcus.  This was all well and fine.  Time changes people, and the human memory is flawed.  Not to mention I'm sure that his time away would have altered Marcus emotionally, mentally, and physically.  I felt it far less believable when he was pointed out and identified as Lord Marcus from across the room at a party...and then she somehow didn't notice it was the same man who'd just been identified as Lord Marcus when she encountered him in the library?  What?  It was just odd and unbelievable.  I understand what Quinn was going for, but it seems to have missed the mark just a little bit.

I'm going to try to plod along.  I hope for more than just superficial chemistry between Phoebe and Marcus.  I want to see their fire in Phoebe to which the teaser and beginning alluded.  I want to see more romance and passion.  I really hope this book doesn't fall flat and it focuses more on the main characters than it has up to this point.

***

I began writing this review on 08/15/2020 and I finished the book a few days prior to completing this review on 11/29/2020.  Christmas would mark this book being in my possession for precisely one year, so I was very near to that mark before I was able to complete it!  I wanted to love this book -- really, I did.  I think the biggest hurdles I had were the language and the sheer number of characters.  The formality of the dialogue made it a bit more straight-laced than I was used to, and some of the colloquialisms were foreign even to me -- someone who is well-versed in this genre, as well as contemporary and classical British literature!  It is no exaggeration to admit that I struggled at some points.  I just didn't have the same amount of fun I normally do when I read a great romance novel.  The characters...there were so bloody many of them!  I get that Phoebe had a lot of siblings and she was the last of them to be married off, but I lost track and never really got a good sense of who was married to whom when it came to her twin sisters. There were so many of them that I didn't get a sense of their personalities and they added so very little to the plot.  Again, I feel like I would have appreciated them more had they had their own stories and this were not actually the first book in a series!  I felt like I was missing out on something the entire time.  Each of them seemed to hint at great backstories (even her aunt and uncle did!), but I had no knowledge or reference from which to appreciate the insinuations or understand the character development.  I simply must be missing something here...  If this is not actually the first in a series, or if some standalone novels were intended to come before it, then I wish it would have been mentioned somewhere (or maybe this one shouldn't have been labeled the first in the series).

There were aspects I did like.  I think Phoebe and Marcus had great chemistry.  I enjoyed the plot twists as a villain was introduced.  It gave the plot much more depth in the latter half of the book than the beginning.  It all seemed to wrap up rather abruptly, however.  This can be taken one of two ways:  I was pleased that I'd finished reading this book which had taken me so long to finish, but I felt like the ending didn't quite do the characters thorough justice.  The climax hit (no pun intended -- I promise that's not a bad romance novel joke), and that was that.

This book is not for the casual reader of romance novels.  It's far less lighthearted than I normally enjoy.  The points of view and language are quite difficult to follow, as are the myriad of secondary and tertiary characters.  I doubt highly that I will read any others in this series.

My husband, who, if you will remember, purchased this book for me, saw that I was finally near the end and he asked me what I thought.  I so loved the hopeful look in his eyes when he asked that, but I told him the truth.  This book really should have been right up my alley.  The genre and time period were spot on...there was just something about the writing that made me struggle to lose myself.  Some of the phrasing went way above my head.  This author is just not for me, but he couldn't possibly have known that -- I didn't even know that until my reading of the book was well underway.  I sincerely appreciated his thoughtfulness, but maybe I'll give him a list of my favorite authors from here on out.

Tempting a Proper Lady (Brides of Nevarton Chase, Book One): Debra Mullins *UPDATED*

I've finally caught up on all of my reviews!  I finished this book last night.  Going through my original review of the book (which can be found HERE and, for once, isn't too horribly written), I realized that this book took me a terribly long time to read the first time around as well.  At the risk of sounding far too blunt...it was almost painful this time around.  I had to force myself to finish it with the promise that I could read something fun as soon as it was over.

The plot had SO much potential!  The idea that an American heiress was being taken advantage of by an evil, impoverished English lord and the only one who can save her is her former fiancé, a dashing American sea Captain, is fun and exciting.  The way everything played out felt too forced.  There were good bones, but not enough substance.  Everything felt like it started off great, but then it fell to the wayside for a half-baked romance between Cilla and Samuel.  Their attraction was sudden, but the ease with which Cilla allowed Samuel "liberties" lost me.  She wasn't all that "proper" now, was she?  It was too quick.  The abruptness of it all left a funny taste in my mouth.  The ease with which Samuel and Cilla embark upon their "romance" did not sit very well with me.  I think one of the biggest issues was that I didn't care enough about the characters.

The attraction between Samuel and Cilla felt unrealistic and very superficial.  Part of the problem was that we essentially knew VERY little about Samuel other than that he was born a bastard, loved the Baileys as if they were his own family, and he became a sea captain.   That's it.  We know none of his hobbies, no anecdotes, nothing beyond his desire to save Annabelle from a disastrous marriage to the man who'd tried to kill him.  He was horribly underdeveloped.  As I noticed during my first reading of this book back in 2013, I didn't fall even a little bit in love with him...and that's the downfall with any book in this genre.  Readers have to care about the male leads; we have to be attracted to them; we have to have the opportunity to find things we love about them - whether a personality quirk, something they do that's sexy, or even the steamy image we generate in our own minds...I had none of that with Samuel.  I don't even think I ever got a good description of him beyond that he had tanned skin and dark hair.  For the life of me, I don't even know what color eyes he had.  Cilla was pretty much the same.  She had a bit of a better backstory; perhaps because a great deal of the book was told from her perspective.  This may have also contributed to my issues with Samuel; maybe if more of the story had been from his perspective, then I might not have found his character so lacking.  Unfortunately, Cilla still fell a bit short for me.  She was nearly as hollow as Samuel.  The fact that she'd fallen from grace by running off and marrying a man against her family's wishes, she was forced to work for wages, and yet she was still invited as a GUEST in high society was extremely unrealistic.  This, and the informality which all of the characters seemed to speak and address one another felt a bit amateur.  Some of the wording in the dialogue felt off as well (some of it even too modern to suit the story).  I don't know if it was an attempt to make the Americans seem different, but it was more abrasive than realistic.

Additionally, there was a huge revelation about Raventhorpe in Samuel's investigations regarding the lord's underhanded business practices and possible human trafficking...and it was brushed off...almost forgotten and didn't feel as weighty as perhaps it should have.

The story's pacing felt a bit wonky as well.  I flew through the first part, excited to see where the story was going to go.  Then...everything slowed down.  No exaggeration, this book took me months to finish because of this.  And then, all of a sudden, there were 20 pages left in the book and it all came about rather abruptly.  Where was the development?  Where was the real building of a relationship between Cill and Samuel that DIDN'T focus around bedroom antics?  WHY did they fall in love?!  Overall, I was a bit frustrated with this book.  As I mentioned, it had so much potential, but it simply didn't live up to what it could have been.  I have enjoyed books by Mullins in the past, so I don't know why I struggled so terribly through this one.

Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street Runners Series, Book One): Lisa Kleypas *UPDATED*

 This is another re-read of an old book in my personal collection.  Unfortunately, I'm not entirely certain when I finished reading it for the second time, but I do know it was after I gave birth to my son, but before the end of 2019.  I'm going to estimate it was in early December of 2019.  This review was penned on May 19, 2020, so please forgive me if it's not my most elaborate.  You can find my original review of this book HERE.  The review dates all the way back to 2008, so I wouldn't really recommend it...it's far too vague and brief to be of much good to anyone.

I seem to have enjoyed this book less than I did the first time around.  Maybe it's because I'm more jaded from the last 12 years, or maybe because I am mature enough to recognize just how unhealthy the relationship between Grant and Vivien really is...  There is something to be said for a man wanting revenge, but I feel like Grant's reaction was a bit disproportionate to the slight he received at the hands of Vivien.  As he continues to press forward with his plans, I didn't find it sexy or romantic...I found it borderline reprehensible.  I didn't see love blossoming; I saw fascination and obsession.  Grant set out to do something vile and I think that made me take a step back from his character.  Because of this, I found myself less attracted to him than I should have been, given the genre of this book.  We readers are supposed to fall in love with the male leads in these books, but I fell short of that with Grant.  Sure, his character was flawed (and I DO really love a well-written, flaw-inducing backstory), but not always in a way that made him charming or attractive.  I got glimpses of what he could have been, but I never, ever really felt much for him as a character.  Aside from his revenge plot, I think part of the problem was that we didn't really get to experience much of what made him unique.  We know more about him from accounts given by other characters.  I wanted him to be more fleshed out by his own actions, hobbies, hopes, dreams, etc.

Where do I start with Vivien?  I KNOW she doesn't remember who she is or what her life was like before she was attacked; however, she fell short for me as well.  She was so accepting of Grant's stories and was relatively acquiescent when it came to her belief that he'd want to share her bed because, as he'd said, they were in a relationship.  I found it less than believable.  A true, strong female lead would never have allowed it -- would never have just taken his word for it -- not when she thinks over and over again how wrong it feels and foreign the notion is to her.

One of the biggest issues I encountered was I couldn't put my finger on WHY Grant and Vivien fell in love.  They were attracted to one another, to be sure, but Grant didn't actually know anything about Vivien...and we saw so few personal details about Grant.  Though I finished the book rather quickly and I can appreciate the plot twists and the ending, I think some of the components fell short.  Lisa Kleypas has written some wonderful books, but this older one just did not resonate as much with me anymore.

When Maidens Mourn (Sebastian St. Cyr Series, Book Seven): C.S. Harris

"Tales of King Arthur and the Lady of Shalott provide inspiration for this latest gripping installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series.  Just four days wed, the aristocratic investigator and his fiercely independent bride, Hero Jarvis, become caught up in a twisted intrigue involving ancient legends and a deadly family curse.

"Regency England, August 1812:  Sebastian's plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon are shattered when the murdered body of Hero's good friend Gabrielle Tennyson is discovered drifting in a battered boat at the site of a long-vanished castle known as Camlet Moat.  A beautiful young antiquary, Miss Tennyson recently provoked an uproar with her controversial identification of the island as the location of Camelot.  Missing and presumed dead are also Gabrielle's two young cousins, nine-year-old George and three-year-old Alfred.

"Still struggling to define the nature of their new marriage, Sebastian and Hero find themselves occasionally working at cross-purposes as their investigation takes them from London's medieval Inns of Court to its grimy back alleys, and from a newly built country estate to a rural enclave where ancient Celtic beliefs still hold sway.  Probing deeper, Sebastian discovers dark secrets at the heart of the Tennyson family and an enigmatic young French lieutenant who is concealing mysteries of his own.

"As Sebastian and Hero race to unmask a ruthless killer and unravel the puzzle of the missing children, they soon realize that both their lives and the growing love for each other are at risk, threatened by powerful men in high places...and by a tall, dark stranger who may hold the key to Sebastian's own parentage."

This is, unfortunately, another severely delayed review.  I finished reading this book in August of 2019 and, as I mentioned in another review I just posted, I was so frustrated with myself for having accidentally deleted a rather lengthy review that I simply stopped reviewing my books as I read them (that, and I was extremely distracted because we were also purchasing a new home and I was 6 months pregnant in August!).  *Edit:  I was able to figure out how to backdate my review to post on the correct date that I finished this book; the review was written on May 19, 2020.

This was a fitting installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr series of period mysteries.  As always, Harris did not disappoint with her rich, captivating narrative and complex plot.  She remained true to her brilliant, headstrong characters and darkly twisted mystery.  I was exited to see Arthurian mythology playing a prominent role in this particular story.  As a bit of a British literature and history buff, I don't think we see much of an acknowledgment of this in popular literature (unless someone blatantly chooses to write about it with characters and plots specifically set within said mythology).  I even once wrote an entire presentation on the importance of the Arthurian legend in British culture -- specifically how King Arthur makes a resurgence in times of need and strife.  He represents a very specific brand of nationalism (and this happens to tie in perfectly with the plot of this particular book!).  I loved how much this came into play - not only with Gabrielle's claims that Camlet is THE Camelot, but with the mystery surrounding the circumstances of her death.

The plot takes you in a winding journey from suspect to suspect - each seemingly more guilty than the last.  All the while, the simmering tension and desire between Sebastian and Hero is at war with their respective desires to be "in charge."  Each is brilliant in his/her own right, yet they cannot seem to let go of the longstanding battle of wills that stands between them.  As they attempt to work together to solve this mystery, they discover the growing strength of their own relationship and fresh marriage.  This presents a nice undertone to the mystery and tragic murder of Hero's friend.

In this case, solving the murder is not enough.  There is still the matter of the missing boys.  Who has the means and motive to kill the intelligent young woman and kidnap her cousins?  What role does the dashing Frenchman play in all of this?  Could a jealous relative be behind the murder, or is there something much larger at play here?  Could Hero's father have been behind it all along?  If so, what does that mean for the relationship between Hero and Sebastian; or Hero and her father, for that matter?

Another undercurrent in this book is the mystery surrounding Sebastian's true parentage.  We encounter a very intriguing stranger who may just have all the answers -- if he was willing to talk...

The multifaceted nature of this story (in fact, the entire series) makes for a very compelling read.  The period nature of this plot creates a dark and gritty (almost gothic) setting, perfect for those of us who have an interest in period literature.  The characters are all richly crafted and the mysteries are complex and keep you guessing until the very end.  Overall, I am still thrilled with this series and look forward to moving to the next one.

Where Shadows Dance (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Six): C. S. Harris

“Regency London, July 1812:  How do you set about solving a murder that no one can reveal has been committed?

“That’s the challenge confronting C. S. Harris’s aristocratic soldier-turned-sleuth, Sebastian St. Cyr, when surgeon and anatomist Paul Gibson illegally buys the cadaver of a young man from London’s infamous body snatchers.  A rising star at the Foreign Office, Mr. Alexander Ross was reported to have died of a weak heart.  But when Gibson discovers a stiletto wound at the base of Ross’s skill, he can turn only to Sebastian for help in catching the killer.

“Described by all who knew him as an amiable young man, Ross at first seems an unlikely candidate for murder.  But as Sebastian’s search takes him from the Queen’s drawing rooms in St. James’s Palace to the embassies of Russia, the United States, and the Turkish Empire, he plunges into a dangerous shadow land of diplomatic maneuvering and international intrigue, where truth is an elusive commodity and nothing is as it seems.

“Meanwhile, Sebastian must confront the turmoil of his personal life.  Hero Jarvis, daughter of his powerful nemesis Lord Jarvis, finally agrees to become his wife.  But as their wedding approaches, Sebastian can’t escape the growing realization that not only Lord Jarvis but Hero herself knows far more about the events surrounding Ross’s death than they would have him believe.

“Then a second body is found, badly decomposed but bearing the same fatal stiletto wound.  And Sebastian must race to unmask a ruthless killer who is now threatening the life of his reluctant bride and their unborn child.”

This installment in the world of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries was one of my quicker reads by Harris.  I thought the plot twists and sheer number of suspects did a very good job of keeping the truth behind the murder of Alexander Ross well hidden from the readers, as well as ensuring a good pace to the plot.

Sebastian is called to Gibson’s surgery after the anatomist discovers a very suspicious wound inflicted upon a corpse which he obtained through dubious means.  Little does Sebastian know that investigating the hidden murder will not only reveal massive secrets within the government, but it also puts Sebastian’s own life at stake, and that of those he cares about.

Still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Hendon is not his true father, Sebastian remains firm in his resolve that he’ll not allow his own child to suffer the stain of illegitimacy – he finally convinces Hero Jarvis to accept his hand in marriage, much to the chagrin of both their families at odds over politics and personal vendettas.  Unfortunately for Hero, tying her name to a well-known aristocratic sleuth means she becomes a target for those trying to dissuade and distract Sebastian from his meddlesome crime-solving.  Sebastian must manage his perceptive, nosy, hesitant-bride-to-be all while ensuring his own hide is kept safe as he skillfully maneuvers between social and political circles.  Diplomats, shipping magnates, ambassadors, military notables, foreign spies, and even the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs all rank somewhere amongst his seemingly-endless list of suspects.  He discovers there are far more lies, subterfuge, and exchanges of gold and secrets taking place within the Regency government and between England and other Continental nations during this tumultuous wartime.  But which of his suspects is the most likely to have wanted Ross – a seemingly well-liked gentleman professional, loyal to both his government and his lovely young betrothed – dead?  And what do the United States have to do with all of it?  Whoever it was nearly got away with the murder…had it not been for Gibson and his body-snatching contacts.

As the bodies begin to pile up, Sebastian must determine which – if any – of them are related…and figure out just how many killers are out there before time runs out.  The ensuing manhunt risks Sebastian’s life and the stability of his own country’s government.

I found this book to be intriguing and entertaining.  It is, of course, another murder-mystery, so it is certainly not without its gruesome gore.  This is another book that’s not for the faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach.  The violence and death aren’t gratuitous, just a present aspect of this series and genre – I just wanted to provide fair warning so you’ll know what you’re getting into!  I didn’t see the ending until it exploded right in front of me.  The twists and turns kept the author’s aim well disguised and made me want to keep on reading.  The only shortcoming to this was that I don’t feel like I really, truly appreciated Sebastian’s brilliance in this book.  The beauty of the other books was watching his mind work out the murders and leads.  It’s clear that Harris is capable of revealing just enough to keep the readers guessing because this is what she managed to do with the other books in this series.  For this book, all the pieces seemed to fall into place after the fact, so it almost felt too convenient or the thought process too hidden to actually appreciate from my standpoint.  This means that this book was not my favorite one in this series, though I did still enjoy it.  I like the rollercoaster I experience while reading these books and following Sebastian’s investigations, but I wanted to feel more “involved” than I did while reading this installment.

I look forward to watching the characters’ various relationships develop:  Sebastian and Hero, Hendon and Sebastian, Sebastian and Lord Jarvis, even Sebastian and Kat (who was, for the most part, very absent from this book).  One of the greatest successes of this series is Harris’s ability to weave together hints of romance and very personal emotions with the murder-mystery.

Happy reading!

What Remains of Heaven (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Five): C. S. Harris

“The latest request for help from Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin—from the Archbishop of Canterbury, no less—is undeniably intriguing:  The bodies of two men have been found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades.  One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop’s favored but controversial successor.  The identity of the other seems lost in time, although his faded velvet attire marks him as a gentleman of the eighteenth century.

 

“To Sebastian’s consternation, the last person to see the Bishop alive was none other than Miss Hero Jarvis, a woman whose already strained relationship with St. Cyr has been complicated by a brief, unexpectedly passionate encounter.  Not only that, but it soon becomes obvious that her powerful father had reasons of his own for wanting the Bishop out of the way.  In an investigation that leads from the back alleys of Smithfield to the power corridors of Whitehall, Sebastian amasses a list of suspects that ranges from some of the Prince Regent’s closest cronies to William Franklin, embittered son of famous American patriot Ben Franklin.

“Then the second corpse is identified, and Sebastian finds himself confronting the well-guarded secrets of his own family’s history.  Now each step he takes toward the killer brings him closer to a devastating truth that could ultimately force him to question who – and what – he really is.”

Here's my last belated May review!  It feels so good to be caught up again!

I seem to be on a bit of a C.S. Harris kick lately – not that this is a bad thing, but I typically try to “mix it up” more than I have been.  I think I’m going to have to force myself to branch out and find some more reading materials and new authors.  If I’m smart about it, I’ll start compiling a list of new and interesting books and authors because I will be going on maternity leave in a few months (yay!) and there’s a chance it could be sooner with my medical history, so I’ll have to find a way to occupy myself so I don’t go stir-crazy waiting for baby boy to arrive.  What better way to pass the enforced downtime than putting my feet up and enjoying the escape into some amazing books?

Now, to the review:  As usual, C.S. Harris enthralls and entertains with her dark (and sometimes disturbing) Regency murder-mysteries and her captivating hero, Devlin.  Still mourning the loss of his love, Kat, Sebastian struggles to come to terms with his new existence – little does he know that life as he knows it is about to be dealt an even more crippling blow as he dives into the investigation of the murders in a country crypt.

I feel I must issue a warning.  While all of the books in this series involve horrible murders and some gruesome autopsies, I admit that I found this book to be particularly off-putting when I attempted to read it during my lunch breaks at the office…  The repeated descriptions of the mummified cadavers in the crypt – while brilliantly done in vivid detail – were stomach-turning (and I really cannot blame it on my slightly weakened pregnancy tummy).  All I mean to say is that you should be forewarned.  This book is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach (and I like to think I’m not particularly squeamish).  If you can get past this, then the rest of the book is quite interesting.

As usual, Devlin is a fascinating, intelligent investigator.  He doesn’t allow threats to deter him from his mission, no matter that his own life may be at risk.  His inquiries seem to take him all over London and the countryside as he tracks a seemingly endless list of suspects.  His investigations uncover the hidden past of a seemingly-Godly bishop, the depravity and general dislike toward the man who is now the murdered corpse in the crypt, and a dark secret from Devlin’s own family history.  Aided by Paul Gibson and his urchin-turned-tiger, Tom, Devlin doggedly follows his leads, all while dodging a man from his past who seeks vengeance against Devlin for a perceived slight when they were both in the army.  He also (somewhat reluctantly) seeks out the assistance of Hero Jarvis, though he knows doing so might very well endanger the investigation when her own father is on his list of suspects.  Doing so brings him closer to Hero…and to the realization that she may be keeping a very, very big secret from him.

What Devlin discovers about the murders involves old family secrets, the American Revolution, and the determination to keep those secrets hidden, no matter the cost.  What comes to light not only changes Devlin’s life, but the lives of those around him in irrevocable ways.

I enjoyed the suspense and the many twists and turns of this story.  Devlin, as per usual, is a captivating lead.  He’s intelligent, intense, flawed, and charming.  His sense of right and wrong is like his religion, something he seeks out with such fervor that it spurs him on when other, weaker men might have given up or refused to continue on.  The settings are vivid and the story is fast-paced and wildly interesting.  I didn’t see the ending until it hit me in the face.

Not to give away any spoilers, but I am pleased that Devlin finally learned about his family’s big secret – we readers have been privy for some time now and I am extremely interested to see where this takes Devlin.

After Midnight (Lords of Midnight, Book One): Teresa Medeiros *UPDATED*

“The eldest and most sensible of the three Cabot siblings, Caroline is naturally concerned that her sister Vivienne has lately been keeping company with the infamous Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan, the enigmatic nobleman whom most of the ton firmly believe is…a vampire!  Surely, it is nonsense.  And yet…  The brooding gentleman inhabits a dark castle and is never seen in the daylight, embarking nightly on mysterious excursions to who knows where.  And from the first moment Caroline encounters the handsome, hypnotically compelling viscount, she is shaken by a fevered desire for the man that borders on the unnatural.  She must know Adrian’s secrets!  But each step that draws the inquisitive beauty deeper into his shadowy world pulls her closer to a sensuous surrender, for the power of his passion is impossible to resist.  Is he man or monster, champion or villain?  And will a yearning heart lead Caroline to disaster…or to love?”

 

Here's another May read I've finally managed to review!  And it's a re-read!  You can find my original (rather horrible) review of this book from August of 2008 HERE.

 

Caroline is driven by a fierce determination to see her younger sisters safe and secure, even if it means sacrificing her own food, clothing, and happiness.  After the death of their parents, she takes over the care and management of her siblings and does everything within her meager power to keep them safe and comfortable.  Her own dreams and ambitions are put on hold so that her sisters might have a better chance at making it out in the world.  Vivienne even inherits the beautiful clothes and adornments that were meant for Caroline’s own coming-out.  While in Town, Vivienne meets and, apparently, captivates one very mysterious suitor.  Viscount Trevelyn has a dark and mysterious reputation, but this does not seem to deter Vivienne’s aims to marry him.  The youngest Cabot sister, however, feels very differently.  Portia has always been flighty and prone to fantasy.  When she discovers Vivienne is being courted by a man purported to be a vampire…well, that sets her imagination aflame.  Caroline must juggle keeping Portia in line and ensuring Vivienne is happy with the match (because, surely, vampires are not real).  She doesn’t, however, take into account her own feelings.  The first time she meets the intensely-handsome, golden-haired viscount, she does not realize to whom she is speaking.  She finds herself inexplicably drawn to him and his sense of humor.  Little does she know, she’s enchanted by the very man her sister is to wed.  As they grow closer, Caroline and Adrian are playing a very dangerous game.  She gets to know Adrian and, rather than have her questions answered, a Pandora’s Box seems to be opened and she’s swallowed by his dark, mysterious world.  Could her sanity be slipping, or is there a very real possibility that the rumors about Adrian could be true?  Could he really be a vampire?  Or does he shield darker secrets from the prying eyes of the ton?

 

I enjoyed this book very much the first time around almost 11 years ago (wow, I cannot believe it’s been that long!) and I did like it this go as well; however, perhaps not as much.  I wasn’t as sucked in as I was last time.  I don’t know if I should attribute this to the fact that I knew to expect the twists and turns, or because it’s not as fantastic as I’d once believed it to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I still very much enjoyed the style of writing and the characters.  I think the difference probably lies in my tastes.  This is a more traditional vampire story and I tend to stay away from these.  If this is something more to your tastes, then you’ll likely enjoy it more than I did.  Its best qualities are probably the surprises.  It’s not as straightforward a plot as you might first believe!  Medeiros is artful in her stealthy approach, carefully crafting a storyline that will keep you interested:  not everything is as it seems.

 

As for the characters, themselves:  I feel like we got to know Caroline much more than Adrian.  For me, books of this genre suffer a bit when this happens.  We female readers are supposed to fall for the male leads.  When they’re less-developed, this becomes more difficult to accomplish.  We learn snippets about Adrian’s past, but the biggest focus is his relationship with his younger brother, Julian.  This redeemed his development somewhat, but I found it a bit lacking.  Most of what we come to know about him is secondhand rather than from Adrian’s own memories or emotions.  I wanted just a bit more from him and I probably would have been more satisfied had I gotten it.  I realize a lot of this had to do with the fact that Medeiros needed to keep us in the dark about various plot twists, but I feel like more could have been revealed once these twists finally came to fruition.

 

Caroline has a much better-formed backstory.  I appreciated her tenacity and self-sacrifice.  She was a young woman bent on doing whatever it took to take care of her sisters and I definitely admired this.  However, this did not make her a pure, flawless character, which I appreciated.  I don’t like when characters are too perfect, and I think most of you will agree with me.  There have to be some imperfections or they don’t feel real enough.  The fact that she began to fall for her sister’s intended was certainly a flaw and her struggle made her more likable.

 

I liked this book and will probably reread the second in the series as well.  If you’re a fan of vampire romances and period romances, then this one will be right up your alley.

Where Serpents Sleep (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Four): C. S. Harris

“London, 1812.  The brutal slaughter of eight young prostitutes in a house of refuge near Covent Garden leaves only one survivor—and one witness:  Hero Jarvis, reform-minded daughter of the Prince Regent’s cousin, Lord Jarvis.  When the Machiavellian power broker quashes any official inquiry that might reveal his daughter’s unorthodox presence, Hero launches an investigation of her own and turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help.  Still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his lover, Kat Boleyn, and the resultant estrangement from his father, Sebastian is at first reluctant to agree.  But the callous violence of the murders—combined with the opportunity to provoke his archenemy, Jarvis—prompts him to act.

 

“Working in uneasy alliance, Hero and Sebastian focus their efforts on one particular victim of the carnage:  Rose Jones, the terrified nineteen-year-old girl, with the unmistakable accent of a gentlewoman, who died in Hero’s arms.  As they unravel a dangerous thread of lies and deceptions, Hero and Sebastian follow a trail of clues leading from the seedy brothels and docksides of London’s East End to the Mayfair mansion of a noble family with dark secrets of its own to hide.  Risking both their lives and their reputations, the two must race against time to stop a killer whose ominous plot threatens to shake the nation to its very core.”

This is another May read that I'm finally getting around to posting...

Here we have yet another installment of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, and this one definitely did not disappoint.  This book takes place several months after the conclusion of Why Mermaids Sing and we find Devlin still grasping to come to terms with the life altering revelation at the conclusion of the last book.  His life and his love are forever changed and he isn’t sure how or if he can move on from the woman he was so certain he would marry – the woman he’d loved for years.  He’s taken to living the life man who has nothing for which to live.  He drinks himself into a stupor, eats and sleeps very little, and has become a shade amongst men.  To add to this, he is unable to face or forgive his father for his secrets and Devlin blames him for the demise of his hopes and dreams.  It seems that nothing can wrench Devlin free of his despair…until Hero Jarvis, daughter of Devlin’s enemy, seeks out his assistance.

Though we lose Kat as a foil to Devlin’s point of view, we gain Hero’s unique perspective.  She is, in fact, the catalyst for the investigation contained within this plot.  Reform-minded Hero is busy working on a theory that most prostitutes do not pursue their lifestyle willingly or out of some lack of morality, but, rather, that extenuating circumstances force them to sell their bodies or risk death or injury.  She’s busy interviewing a woman who has sought refuge in a home set up by the Quakers as a way to help get women off the streets and train them for a new way of life.  While performing her interview, the home is invaded and the women are killed.  Hero and the woman she knows as Rose are able to escape to the alley, but Hero is the only one to leave alive.  Hero knows there is more to the attack than it seems.  When her father brushes off her concern and makes her promise not to go to Bow Street, Hero realizes there’s only one man to whom she can turn.  She seeks out Devlin and, using his animosity toward her father to her advantage, she convinces him to assist in her investigation.  Though reluctant at first, Devlin finds some solace in the familiarity of investigating the brutal murders.  What he discovers involves deep dark secrets of a noble family, a woman who was not who she seemed to be, and a nefarious plot against the government which could have horrible consequences.  He quickly recognizes the asset he has in Hero’s quick mind and determined nature.  Though they are at odds most of the time, both know they have a powerful ally in uncovering the motive and murderer(s) in one another.  It becomes apparent that the person who committed these crimes is willing to continue to kill in order to cover his trail and Devlin knows this means Hero’s life could be in grave danger.  She refuses to heed his warnings, determined to crack the case and see justice.  This, unfortunately, brings both Devlin and Hero to a point where neither of them may see the light of day again.  And, if they happen to survive by some miracle, their lives will forever be changed.

This fast-paced plot was well-written with a ton of twists and turns.  Each time I thought Hero and Devlin were moving forward in their investigation, there were still more layers to come.  Though the plot wasn’t my favorite in the series – I didn’t find it as captivating, though I’m uncertain why – I thought the interplay between Devlin and Hero was particularly interesting.  They never got along well, so asking them to work so closely together provided some entertaining repartee.  Hero is a strong woman determined to remain self-sufficient and undeterred by the pressures of both her father and society.  She is headstrong and very intelligent, which makes her a very good foil for Devlin.  Though he’s always recognized these qualities in Hero, even Devlin seems surprised with just how much she’s able to contribute to the investigation.

Together, they slowly unravel the mysteries of “Rose” and the complex underworld of London’s prostitution houses.  The network of cutthroats and chillingly calculating proprietors, lies and secrets make for a difficult journey for these two investigators.  Their jobs aren’t easy and a multitude of traps and danger lie in wait for them.

The conclusion was explosive and one I could not predict.  I really look forward to seeing how this will influence upcoming books in the series.  I ardently hope that we’ll get to see more interactions between Hero and Devlin!

Why Mermaids Sing (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Three): C. S. Harris

“It’s September 1811, and someone is slaying the wealthy young sons of some of London’s most prominent families.  Partially butchered, with strange objects stuffed in their mouths, the bodies are found dumped in public places at dawn.  When the grisly remains of the eldest son of Alfred, Lord Stanton, are discovered in the Old Palace Yard beside the House of Lords, local magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help.

“Ranging from the gritty world of London’s docks to the luxurious drawing rooms of Mayfair, Sebastian confronts his most puzzling—and disturbing—case yet.  With the help of his trusted allies—his young servant Tom, the Irish doctor Paul Gibson, and his lover, Kat Boleyn—Sebastian struggles to decipher a cryptic set of clues that links the scion of a banking family and a lord’s heir to the son of a humble Kentish vicar.  For as one death follows another, Sebastian starts to believe that the murderer has both a method and a purpose to his ritualized killings, and that the key to it all may lie in the enigmatic stanzas of a haunting poem…and in a secret so dangerous that men are willing to sacrifice their own children to keep the truth from becoming known.

“As she did in What Angels Fear and When Gods Die, C.S. Harris once again employs her dazzling command of history and her rich storytelling to draw us into a dark and glittering world.”

This was a May read that took a long time to finally review and post.  Sorry for the delay!

The twists and turns in Harris’s well-crafted world of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, keep on coming in this fast-paced, tension-filled installment.  She has a knack for creating an undercurrent of suspense that makes you loathe putting down the book.

Picking up shortly after the prior book finishes, Devlin is sucked into yet another mysterious slew of murders – this time, of sons from very prominent families, their bodies left mangled in gruesome public displays.  Someone has a tremendous amount of hate for these young men – or, perhaps, their families, as Devlin suspects – but why?  What could make someone commit such horrific and, seemingly unprovoked, atrocities?  What could their message possibly be?  As he performs his inquiries, Devlin finds himself once more entangled in the life and past of the powerful Lord Jarvis, which seriously deepens the danger.  What could these murders have in common?  More importantly, Devlin knows there will be more…but who and when?

I was particularly pleased with this story’s ability to keep me guessing.  I truly didn’t know who was at the heart of the mystery until Devlin revealed it at the very end.  This is one of the highest compliments I can give a writer, because I pride myself on not being particularly easy to fool.  I enjoyed the twists and turns along with the vibrant characters Devlin encounters as he attempts to follow the murder’s twisted path.  The truth he discovers is far more sinister than he ever could have imagined, and it’s a secret over which more than one man is willing to kill over.  Not only is Devlin’s own life at stake, but that of his lover, Kat Boleyn.  As usual, the undertone of his romance with Kat provides a logical sounding board for his inquiry, as well as a pleasant reprieve from what might otherwise become far too dark a book.  I’ve always been a fan of Harris’s ability to interweave gruesome mystery with the romance between Kat and Devlin – it works surprisingly well.  However, a secret revealed at the end of this book could ruin that forever!

The settings were, as usual, highly descriptive and captivating.  I thoroughly enjoy the seedy, grimy underbelly of London Harris portrays – so different from what I am used to reading.  It suits her stories and her characters perfectly.  She has a way with crafting these vivid settings which aid in creating a complimentary tone for the story to go along with the plot.

This installment fit in perfectly well with the rest of the series thus far.  It has set up the potential for a volatile continuation with the surprise ending and I look forward to seeing what lies in store for Devlin – especially as it concerns his future with Kat.

When Gods Die (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Two): C.S. Harris

“The young wife of an aging marquis is found murdered in the arms of the Prince Regent.  Around her neck lies a necklace said to have been worn by Druid priestesses – that is, until it was lost at sea with its last owner, Sebastian St. Cyr’s mother.  Now Sebastian is lured into a dangerous investigation of the marchioness’s death – and his mother’s uncertain fate.

“As he edges closer to the truth – and one murder follows another – he confronts a conspiracy that imperils those nearest him and threatens to bring down the monarchy.”

*I wrote this review on 1/21/19.  We're only in February and I've already messed up my monthly reading count for the year!  We've, unfortunately, had a lot of tragic things going on lately and they've yanked me away from any of my simple pleasures in life -- my reading and reviewing being among the most important.  A few weeks later and I'm finally getting around to actually posting this review.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.  I think it's a great addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr series and an excellent segue from the first installment.*

This is the second installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery series and it fits in quite smoothly with the beginning of the series.  We encounter Sebastian, Viscount Devlin, a few months after the conclusion of his first investigation (and the clearing of his name).  While life has returned to some semblance of normal for Devlin – he’s taken on Tom as his tiger and he’s begun a comfortable (if somewhat secretive) relationship with the love of his life, Kat Boleyn – it cannot last.  While in attendance at a party thrown by the Prince Regent, the guests are thrown into chaos when Prinney is discovered with a beautiful, young, dead woman in his arms.  There are those who would suspect that Mad King George’s insanity is catching – that his heir is just as twisted and addled – but those behind the monarchy do their best to deflect suspicion by insisting the marchioness died by suicide.  By knife.  In her back.

Given the suspicious circumstances, Jarvis invites Devlin to examine the situation and the body; it quickly becomes apparent to the intelligent, observant viscount that the death is not all that it seems to be.  As the investigation begins in earnest, it is obvious that suicide was not the manner of death…and that Devlin’s past may very well have come back to haunt him.

Similar to the first installment, this book is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing pretty much up until the very end.  The plot is multifaceted and complex, making for a well-paced and exciting read.  The suspects were continually changing and shifting.  I would bet that Devlin was right in his suspicion of someone only to have my mind changed in a chapter or two; then, I would believe someone innocent only to have new, damning evidence come to light.  It was a rollercoaster of a book filled with intrigue, subterfuge, and a nefarious subplot.  Could the Prince Regent have lost his mind and killed a woman who didn’t accept his advances?  Or is there something more sinister afoot – a plot attempting to discredit the monarchy and be rid of the lush, unsteady Regent?  Set against the backdrop of a tumultuous England unsure whether the virus of revolution will spread from France, these are troubled times where danger lurks around just about every corner.

In addition to Devlin (of course), this book also sees the return of Kat and Tom.  Devlin has made Tom his tiger and the boy has taken to his role.  It’s clear how much he admires and appreciates Devlin, and witnessing Devlin’s attachment to the quick-witted lad is touching and humanizing.  He doesn’t play as large a role in this book, but he does manage to help with the investigation – and land himself into some peril.  The romance between Kat and Devlin has blossomed once more in the months between the first book and the second.  I enjoy the degree to which their relationship features thus far in the series.  There’s enough to make us realize the depth of their attachment and passion – to see just how they can be true helpmates to one another – but it doesn’t take over the plot or turn it into a romance novel.  I enjoy their dynamic and the diversity of their backgrounds.  Devlin doesn’t care what society will think of their relationship, while Kat, on the other hand, isn’t willing to risk Devlin’s future by marrying him – not to mention she has a dark secret of her own, one she doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to overlook.

Overall, I found the plot exciting and fast-paced.  The rapid twists and turns kept me guessing, which, I suppose, is the best anyone can hope for in a book of this genre.  The setting (mainly London) is vivid and richly-crafted, playing to all of your senses, often engulfing you in Devlin’s world and experiences.

One comment I do feel I must make is that Devlin is chased quite a bit in this book.  And by “quite a bit,” I mean “a lot.”  Almost to the point of excessive.  I feel like he made a run for it every couple of chapters.  It wasn’t quite to the point of being inauthentic and I do realize that the plot involved a complex network of some very bad men who would do anything to protect their aim, but it did seem to take up a good amount of the story.  It went something like, “Oh, Devlin is going for a night out.  Oh, no!  Someone is after him.”  A few chapters later:  “He’s following another lead and…he’s being chased again!  Hope he makes it out okay!”  A few chapters later, “He’s off again!  And…he’s being chased.  Again.”  Catch my drift?  Additionally, there was another murder mentioned in this book.  I may have missed something, but it felt very unresolved and almost forgotten by the conclusion.  Maybe it was a set up for another book?  We’ll just have to wait and see!

Overall, this was a very good book.  It has mystery, history, intrigue, murder, complex plot twists, subterfuge, and a touch of romance.  While I will admit that I found the end of the book came on rather suddenly, I still find the book worthy of the read.  I’m particularly excited to see what some of the discoveries mean for Devlin’s own future – and past.  This is worth the read for fans of period books, mysteries, and those who aren’t too squeamish (since this book does deal with a grisly murder and the darker sides of London’s underbelly).