Category Archives: Realistic

January 1, 2016 · 4:19 pm

Tank (Blue-Collar Billionaires, #1) by M. Malone

Tank (Blue-Collar Billionaires, #1)Tank by M. Malone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Money changes everything…

Years ago, Tank Marshall swore off fighting. He exercises iron control to keep his anger in check. But his mother was just diagnosed with cancer and the deadbeat dad he hasn’t seen in years is back offering an inheritance and a chance at redemption.

There’s only one person that keeps him anchored in the midst of the chaos. One person untouched by violence and money and lies. Emma Shaw.

But the one thing that Tank hasn’t learned yet is that when billions are at stake, there’s no such thing as innocent. Money. Changes. Everything.

REVIEW:

I liked the book, but I didn’t love it. I think my main issue was it was in alternating first person between the H/h. The story was good and I am very tempted to read the rest of the series. I’m just not sure if I will though. There is an arching story line that I want to follow, so I will probably pick up the rest of the series.

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December 22, 2015 · 3:44 pm

Seduction in Session (Perfect Gentlemen, #2) by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake

Seduction in Session (The Perfect Gentlemen, #2)Seduction in Session by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: Seduction in Session
Author: Shayla Black and Lexi Blake
Series: Perfect Gentlemen, #2
Pages: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Date: January 5, 2016

Summary:

Privileged, wealthy, and wild: they are the Perfect Gentlemen of Creighton Academy. But the threat of a scandal has one of them employing his most deceptive—and seductive—talents…

Recruited into the CIA at a young age, Connor Sparks knows how dirty the world can be. Only when he’s with his friends can he find some peace. So when an anonymous journalist threatens one of the Perfect Gentlemen, Connor vows to take down the person behind the computer, by whatever means necessary—even if it means posing as his target’s bodyguard.

Publishing a tabloid revealing Washington’s most subversive scandals has earned Lara Anderson the ire of the political scene—and a slew of death threats. To keep herself from ending up a headline, Lara hires a bodyguard, a man as handsome as he is lethal.

When the bullets start to fly, Lara is surprised to find herself in Connor’s arms. But as they begin to unravel a mystery that just might bring down the White House, Lara is devastated when she discovers Connor’s true identity—and finds herself at the mercy of forces who will stop at nothing to advance their deadly agenda.

Review:

Alright, I’ll tell you how I feel about this book. Before I was even finished, I was checking to see when the next book was to be released. (Big Easy Temptation – May 3, 2016) I liked the first book in the series, Scandal Never Sleeps, but this one was even better. I think the difference was most of the world building took place in the first book. This one seemed to move faster.

Which brings up something I was a little worried about. I read the first book six months ago and I was afraid I would have forgotten so much, it would be difficult to follow the new book. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about. The authors did an excellent job of giving just enough backstory for continuity without bogging down the flow of the plot.

Just like in the first book, there is an overarching plotline that is not settled in this book. However, that does not mean there is a cliffhanger. I HATE cliffhangers and have given up on authors who tend to use them. This is not one of those books. The story between Connor and Lara is settled and we are given a lead in for the next book.

What can I say? No, the series is not done, but the ending of the individual books is satisfying. I cannot wait for the next book.

The “brothers” are all back and we get more of their stories. It is obvious that there will be at least three more books, but I am hoping for a fourth. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but there is a plotline that I have hopes for that is not obvious. If so, I think there will be an extra book and that will be great.

I highly recommend the series, but do NOT try to read this book without reading Scandal Never Sleeps. It will mean so much more.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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December 5, 2015 · 2:41 pm

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

Secret SistersSecret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: Secret Sisters
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: n/a
Pages: 352
Publisher: Berkley
Date: December 8, 2015

Summary:

Madeline and Daphne were once as close as sisters—until a secret tore them apart. Now it might take them to their graves.

They knew his name, the man who tried to brutally attack twelve-year-old Madeline in her grandmother’s hotel. They thought they knew his fate. He wouldn’t be bothering them anymore…ever. Still their lives would never be the same.

Madeline has returned to Washington after her grandmother’s mysterious death. And at the old, abandoned hotel—a place she never wanted to see again—a dying man’s last words convey a warning: the secrets she and Daphne believed buried forever have been discovered.

Now, after almost two decades, Madeline and Daphne will be reunited in friendship and in fear. Unable to trust the local police, Madeline summons Jack Rayner, the hotel chain’s new security expert. Despite the secrets and mysteries that surround him, Jack is the only one she trusts…and wants.

Jack is no good at relationships but he does possess a specific skill set that includes a profoundly intimate understanding of warped and dangerous minds. With the assistance of Jack’s brother, Abe, a high-tech magician, the four of them will form an uneasy alliance against a killer who will stop at nothing to hide the truth….

Review:

I have been a fan of Jayne Ann Krentz’s books since I discovered her as Stephanie James. People, we’re talking about the early 1980s, so I have been reading her books for over thirty years. In my world, release day is reading day and it does not matter what else is going on: another book, work, Christmas, nothing! If there is a new Jayne Ann Krentz book out, everything stops. I have to read it now.

So, why did I not jump on this book as soon as I received an advanced copy? I must have had it two or three weeks before I actually read it. Yes, I had other books I was reading, but that has never made a difference in the past. Why this time?
I’ll tell you why. The descriptions I read made it seem like she was trying something different with her writing and I did not want anything different. Krentz is a wonderful author whether she is writing historical, contemporary, science fiction . . .

or romantic suspense . . . which is definitely what Secret Sisters is described as being. I just had a really bad feeling that she was making a major change to her writing style and I couldn’t stand it.

And I was WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

The book is wonderful. Yes, it is romantic suspense and there is a strong mystery (or maybe more than one), but the romance is integral to the plot. It is more intense than some of her books, but it is not dark. It starts out with a bang and then jumps almost twenty years, but that’s okay. It works with this book.

Secret Sisters is primarily a murder mystery and involves the leading family of an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest. The family consists a possibly violent, arrogant, womanizing husband, his long suffering wife, two sons, and a daughter-in-law. Every time I was sure who the “bad guy” was, the plot took a twist. Nothing from left field, just nothing I expected.

In other words, the plot kept me engrossed. I never did figure out the end until the end.

The good guys were likable. The bad guys were NOT. Even the secondary characters felt well developed.

All of my fears were for nothing. Secret Sisters is a step above and beyond Krentz’s other writing and I did not think there was room for improvement.

My only problem is it appears to be a stand alone and I would have enjoyed learning more about the characters in this book. Maybe she’ll give us more of their story later on.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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November 29, 2015 · 2:27 pm

Calling the Play (Birmingham Rebels, #2) by Samantha Kane

Calling the Play (Birmingham Rebels, #2)Calling the Play by Samantha Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Calling the Play
Author: Samantha Kane
Series: Birmingham Rebels
Pages: 223
Publisher: Loveswept
Date: December 1, 2015

Summary:

Quarterback Tyler Oakes plays hard and parties even harder. That reckless lifestyle nearly derailed his career, and now the Birmingham Rebels are Ty’s last shot at football immortality. But staying out of trouble can take its toll—especially for a man with a taste for girls and guys. Because curvy, gorgeous Randi McInish is just the kind of trouble he’d like to get into.

A tough-as-nails undercover cop, Randi meets her match in Ty. After they get wrapped up together in a drug bust and a high-speed car chase, Randi’s eager to take the notorious bad boy for another wild ride. Turns out Ty already has something in mind. When he introduces her to the Rebels’ sexy new quarterback coach, things start heating up a little too fast for Randi.

Brian Mason coached Ty in college, and boy do they have history together. With Brian taking control on the field and in the bedroom, they were an unstoppable team. But Brian, blindsided by love, ran from his feelings for Ty. He won’t let Randi make the same mistake. Both men agree they need more than each other. They want a woman they can share. And when they make a pleasure play for Randi, all three are sure to score.

Review:

I’m a big fan of Samantha Kane’s historical menage novels and this contemporary title is no exception. Calling the Play is the second book in her Birmingham Rebels series. The Rebels are a new NFL franchise and the players are, for the most part, the ones no one else wants. They have had personal and professional problems and are trying to get their lives together again.

What these guys are not though is losers.

They want to win and they want to be a team that works together to win . . . but, they also want to be a team that is a family.

In the first book, Broken Play, Marian, and assistant coach, and two of the players, Cass and Beau, form a menage relationship. This relationship is some ways draws the team closer together, but with some of the other players, it drives a wedge between them.

The stress of this relationship is still felt in Calling the Play.

Ty, the quarterback of the team, has to stay on the straight and narrow. The Rebels is his last chance at professional football and any bad publicity could get him kicked off the team. So, of course, he ends up in a bar where a drug bust is going down.

Randi (and I just realized what a cliche that name is) works for the local police force. She normally works burglary, but has been brought in undercover for this one case. She realizes that Ty is not part of the drug deal and tries to get him out of the bar before things go wrong.

Too late.

There is a high speed car chase, a shooting, and sparks flying between Ty and Randi. So, of course, she takes him home with her.

Enter Brian, a new coach who worked with Ty in the past. They participated in menages at that time, but never had a sexual relationship with each other. Brian has been brought in because he did such a good job of coaching Ty to be a winning quarterback in college. However, Brian took the job because he is still in love with Ty and wants another chance.

Three people, all with emotional issues in their backgrounds that interfere with any relationship, and they have to fall in love with each other.

Of course, it all works out in the end. It’s not easy. It’s not perfect, but they are all willing to work at what they have together. And that’s what makes it such a good romance. It’s not a “and they lived happily ever after.” It’s we love each other and there are going to be problems, but we will stick together and work things out.

I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I think I liked this one even better. My only criticism is Randi comes off as really raunchy. It’s intentional. That’s her personality. She is very open about sex and what she enjoys. It’s just to start with, it’s a little jarring.

The series is called the Birmingham Rebels, so I am assuming all of the books will be about the team. However, Randi has a brother named Moon and I really want to know his story. Maybe there will be a spinoff series? When you meet him, you’ll understand my fascination.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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November 14, 2015 · 2:22 pm

A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (Mackenzie & MacBride, #8.5) by Jennifer Ashley

A MacKenzie Clan Gathering (MacKenzies & McBrides, #8.5)A MacKenzie Clan Gathering by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: A Mackenzie Clan Gathering
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Mackenzie & MacBrides, #8.5
Pages: 190
Publisher: InterMix
Date: November 17, 2015

Summary:

Ian Mackenzie is awakened at Kilmorgan Castle one night to find robbers stealing the priceless art collection of his oldest brother, Hart. Since Ian and Beth are the only ones in resident at Kilmorgan at the moment, Ian decides he must find the art and the culprits before the family shows up for Hart’s birthday gathering. With Inspector Fellows and Beth, he investigates, though Ian is somewhat worried by Beth’s late husband’s brother, a retired missionary, who decides to visit. Does John Ackerley hold the “cure” to Ian’s madness? And can Ian discover what has happened to Hart’s treasures, and who is targeting the Mackenzies before the enemy strikes again?

Return to Kilmorgan Castle to visit the Victorian branch of the Mackenzie family, and catch up on the brothers and friends, their children, and their lives.

Review:

According to the author, this was supposed to be a book about the Mackenzie clan, hence the title. Although the entire clan is well represented, this is an Ian book and I AM SO EXCITED!

I love Ian. I love Ian and Beth. I love seeing Ian cope with the world without giving up who he is. And I really love this chance to see how much he has moved forward with his ability to interact with others.

Even though this is a relatively short book (less than 200 pages), there is so much to it.

First, a new character is introduced.

Beth’s former brother-in-law John is introduced and he thinks he has a “cure” for Ian’s madness. I was not certain whether or not he was evil or just misguided. Ian does not need a cure. His “madness” is what makes him Ian. However, the scenes where he talks about his family and the things that were done to him were disturbing and enlightening. What was really heartbreaking is when Ian wondered if Beth wouldn’t be better off with a “normal” man.

And a mystery needs solving.

Someone is targeting the Mackenzies or are they really after Hart and why? It’s not like Hart doesn’t have plenty of enemies after him. Who is going to suffer in the attacks?
And it’s Christmas!

Even with “the cure”, and burglars, and physical attacks on the family, Christmas must go on.

Of course, everything works out in the end. The bad guy is caught. Ian and Beth are fine. And Christmas goes on.

The best part of the book was seeing how Ian’s mind worked. He and Beth have been married for ten years and she and the children are the center of his life. Like any human, he questions his decisions. He wonders if he is good enough for his family. He worries about the stigma is children will have because their father is mad.

His daughter Belle nails it though.

“‘Papa,’ Belle said to Ian as Beth settled Megan. “Aunt Eleanor says you’ve asked Uncle John to cure you of your madness. But you’re not mad, Papa.” Her expressive face furrowed, “Centric, certainly. Not mad.”

She goes on to explain about how she’s been reading about madness and Ian doesn’t have any of the symptoms. Ian tries to tell her it’s a different type of madness.

“There isn’t another sort,” Belle answered with conviction. “I’m going to be a doctor, you know. I’ve been studying.”

Beth and Ian have no response to that and Belle goes on to say,

“You see? You are not mad, Papa. You may cease worrying about it.”

And out of the mouths of babes, that is that.

Read this book! I’m not sure it’s not the best of the series and that’s really saying something.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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October 8, 2015 · 2:29 pm

All I Want (Animal Magnetism, #7) by Jill Shalvis

All I Want (Animal Magnetism, #7)All I Want by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: All I Want
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Animal Magnetism, #7
Pages: 304
Publisher: Berkley
Date: October 6, 2015

Summary:

Pilot-for-hire Zoe Stone is happy to call Sunshine, Idaho, her home base. But her quiet life is thrown for a loop when her brother’s friend Parker comes to stay with her for a week. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife special agent is a handsome flirt with a gift for getting under her skin. And the situation only escalates when Parker hires her to fly him around the area while he collects evidence on a suspected smuggler.

Now she has to live and work with the guy. But when they’re in the air, she sees another side of him. He’s driven, focused, and sharp. And while he enjoys giving commentary on her blind dates, she quickly realizes with a shock that it’s Parker who gets her engines going…

Review:

Everyone has those days (weeks?) when they want to read, but nothing appeals. For those times, you need what I call a comfort read. That’s either a book you’ve already read and loved or an author that you KNOW is going to appeal to you. For me, one of those authors is Jill Shalvis.

I’ve only been reading her books for about a year, but she has never disappointed me. Her books have romance, conflict, and humor . . . lots of humor. She is also an animal lover and her animal characters feature prominently in her books.

All I Want, the seventh book in her Animal Magnetism series, is no exception. Zoe has trust issues – serious trust issues. She has been let down by her parents and the men in her life over and over again. Parker has secrets and she refuses to let him into her life because she knows he is hiding something from her. So, of course, they end up sharing a house.

The story is great. The interactions between Zoe and Parker range from hot to hysterical and sometimes both at the same time. But it is the humor in this book that does it for me. Here are just a few examples:

Zoe and her sister Darcy are discussing what she should wear on a blind date. Darcy tells her,

“And for God’s sake, stop taking fashion advice from a dog who rolls in bear poo and thinks he smells good.”

Later Zoe is lonely because both her brother and sister have moved out.

“Sure, she missed bossing them around as she’d been doing since the dawn of time because one, their foreign diplomat parents had never seemed to notice they had children, and two, well, Zoe kind of just loved to boss people around.”

But, my absolute favorite scene in the book involves Oreo, Zoe’s 100-pound Bernese mountain dog and two kittens Parker is fostering. Oreo is afraid of everything, including tiny kittens and this is what happens when they are introduced.

“The tabby stalked underneath a mistrustful Oreo and stopped between the dog’s legs, eyeing the long tail with a curious eye. Then the kitten crouched low, wriggled his butt, and . . . pounced.

And missed Oreo’s tail by a mile.

Still Oreo cried.

‘It’s okay,’ Parker said. ‘I promise they’re not going to hurt you –’

Too late. Because Oreo lifted his leg and . . . peed on them.”

And I lost it! I laughed until I cried and that’s the best compliment I can give a book.

Read it! Read the entire series. You won’t regret it.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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October 5, 2015 · 7:04 pm

Redemption Road (Vicious Cycle, #2) by Katie Ashley

Redemption Road (Vicious Cycle, #2)Redemption Road by Katie Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Redemption Road
Author: Katie Ashley
Series: Vicious Cycle, #2
Pages: 336
Publisher: Headline Eternal
Date: October 6, 2015

Summary:

Looking for a walk on the wild side, Annabel Percy, the daughter of a powerful politician, starts dating a biker she knows is completely wrong for her. But she finds herself living a nightmare when she’s kidnapped and transported into a hell on earth she never could have imagined.

Born and bred into the Hells Raiders MC, Nathaniel “Reverend” Malloy lives and dies for his brothers. But when he becomes the unexpected savior of a rival club’s captive, Rev makes it his personal mission to nurse Annabel back to health—and to shelter her from the nightmares that torment her.

Once Annabel heals, she’s stunned to realize she is falling for the seductive man who saved her. Faced with their impossible attraction, can she accept the life he leads, or will Rev walk away from the only life he’s ever known for the woman he was never supposed to love?

Review:

I was lucky enough to receive both of the books in this series at the same time. It begins with Vicious Cycle (see my review here) and continues with Redemption Road. I had a really hard time getting into Vicious Cycle, but I ended up loving it. I was happy that I had the sequel to jump right into.

If anything, I liked Redemption Road even more. Maybe it was because I was already accustomed to the violence, but I think it was because I really liked Rev. He’s just a nicer guy than the other men in the books. Make no mistake, Rev can be just as harsh and physical as the others when it’s needed. However, he is willing to look for an alternative to death and mayhem if possible.

Like the previous book, this one should come with trigger warnings. Horrible things happen to people, but it is not gratuitous. They are necessary to the plot, but it still doesn’t make it easy to read.

I finished Redemption Road in less than a day. It was that good. I’m giving it a solid four star review.

Book three, Last Mile, is due out May 3, 2016. I cannot wait!

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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October 5, 2015 · 5:56 pm

Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle, #1) by Katie Ashley

Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle, #1)Vicious Cycle by Katie Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Vicious Cycle
Author: Katie Ashley
Series: Vicious Cycle, #1
Pages: 336
Publisher: NAL Trade
Date: June 2, 2015

Summary:

Deacon Malloy’s life is dedicated to the Hell’s Raiders motorcycle club. Tough, hard, and fast with his fists, he serves the group as sergeant at arms. But his devil-may-care approach to life is thrown for a loop when the five-year-old daughter he never knew existed lands on the club steps.

Alexandra Evans is devoted to all her students—but there’s always been something about Willow Malloy that tugs at her heart. There’s an aura of sadness about her, a girl in need of all the love Alexandra can give. When Willow stops coming to school, Alexandra’s search leads to a clubhouse full of bikers…and a father hell-bent on keeping his daughter always within sight.

The moment Deacon sees Alexandra, he has to have her in his bed—and he’s never met a woman yet who couldn’t be persuaded. No matter how attracted she is to Deacon, Alexandra refuses to be just another conquest. But it’s Deacon himself who could be seduced—into a brighter future for himself, his daughter, and the woman he’s falling for against all odds.

Review:

This book was an absolute roller coaster to read and review. I hated it at the start. I didn’t want to keep reading because I didn’t like the male characters and there was far too much violence for my taste.

I kept with it though because not only had I promised to review it, I had promised to review the sequel – Redemption Road.

As I continued reading, I realized the writing was quite good and I was actually enjoying the story. Then something happened that was a trigger for me personally. So, I was back to not wanting to finish it.

I did mention a roller coaster, right?

I persevered and I am so glad I did. I ended up loving the book. Yes, it is violent, some of the women get little to no respect, and the language is rough – very rough.

It doesn’t matter. The violence fit with the the plot and characters. The women (old ladies, and yes that term bothers me) of the bikers were treated like gold, and the language was what I would expect in a biker gang.

I realize I didn’t say much about the actual plot. It’s hard to stay from spoilers with this one, so I’m just going to leave this review as my opinion rather than a discussion of the plot.

What I can say is it went from a “did not finish” (DNF) to a four star review for me. I read the second book in less than a day and liked it just as much. I can’t wait for book three, Last Mile, which will be released May 3, 2016.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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September 28, 2015 · 5:50 pm

The Stolen Mackenzie Bride (Mackenzie & McBride, #8 – prequel) by Jennifer Ashley

The Stolen Mackenzie Bride (MacKenzies & McBrides, #8)The Stolen Mackenzie Bride by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: The Stolen Mackenzie Bride
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Mackenzie & McBride, #8 (prequel)
Pages: 336
Publisher: Berkley
Date: September 29, 2015

Summary:

1745, Scotland: The youngest son of the scandalous Mackenzie family, Malcolm is considered too wild to tame…until he meets a woman who is too unattainable to resist.

Lady Mary Lennox is English, her father highly loyal to the king, and promised to another Englishman. But despite it being forbidden to speak to Malcolm, Lady Mary is fascinated by the Scotsman, and stolen moments together lead to a passion greater than she’d ever dreamed of finding.

When fighting breaks out between the Highlanders and the King’s army, their plans to elope are thwarted, and it will take all of Malcolm’s daring as a Scottish warrior to survive the battle and steal a wife out from under the noses of the English.

Review:

This book is a precursor to Jennifer Ashley’s Mackenzie series and takes place about one hundred years earlier. However, you do not have to have read the earlier (later?) books in order to enjoy it. It is a complete standalone, although I hope she writes additional books in this time period. Just like the Mackenzie family of the 1800s, each of these earlier brothers deserve their own story.

What can I say about this book? Malcolm Mackenzie is the youngest son of the Duke of Kilmorgan. His brothers all call him “runt.” There is Duncan, the eldest, who is to inherit the title, Will the information gatherer, identical twins Alec and Angus, and Malcolm.

Just as an aside about Will because information gatherer needs explaining. This is a quote from his own mouth.

“But I know everything.” Will said. “Whether you want me to or not.”

Now, doesn’t he deserve his own book?

Anyway, there was another brother Magnus, who died as a child. Malcolm is the one found him and it had a permanent effect on his personality. Even though he is the youngest of the family, he feels it is his responsibility to take care of everyone. And that sense of responsibility includes Mary.

Mary . . . Lady Mary Lennox

Mary is the daughter of an English earl who hates the Scots. The book begins shortly before Culloden and the Earl of Wilfort is working to put down those filthy Jacobites.

So, of course, Mary and Malcolm fall in love.

Mary, who has always been an obedient and dutiful daughter. Mary, who is engaged to another man – English, of course.

That Mary falls in love with a Scot and discovers she’s not all that obedient and dutiful after all.

Culloden plays a major part in this plot. I had to make myself keep reading when I realized how important it was going to be to the story because I knew how horrible the battle and aftermath were. I just didn’t want to read about the terrible things that happened. The book was so good though, I couldn’t put it down.

And I was right! Terrible things happened at Culloden. People died. No details, because of spoilers, but PEOPLE DIED!

Was the book worth the heartbreak of reading about Culloden?

Definitely!

Malcolm and Mary are a wonderful couple. With Mary, Malcolm can be human. He can admit he can’t save everyone. And with Malcolm, Mary comes alive.

I highly recommend this book and I really hope the author expands on this series. If you haven’t read the later books, you are missing out.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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August 30, 2015 · 8:02 pm

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell, #1) by Deanna Raybourn

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell Mystery, #1)A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: A Curious Beginning
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Series: Veronica Speedwell, #1
Pages: 352
Publisher: NAL/Penguin
Date: September 1, 2015

Summary:

London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker—a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.

Review:

I have to make something clear right from the start about this book. I loved it! I absolutely loved it! Stoker is wonderful and Veronica is one of my all time favorite heroines. If ever there was a woman who knew what she wanted, Veronica is that woman.

As stated in the description, Stoker and Veronica are “in search of the villainous truth.” The plot has twists and turns. Backstories that are alluded to, but not fully explained. Heroes, or are they villains, keep popping up.
And some of the best dialogue I have ever read. Let me give you just a few examples.

Stoker and Veronica are trying to determine why someone is trying to abduct her and Veronica does not accept his hypothesis at all.

“That is a tale straight from one of Mrs. Radcliffe’s thrillers, Stoker. I expected better from you.”

It is a perfectly logical hypothesis, he returned.

Now, do shut up and stop interrupting whilst I’m being interesting.”

I love that last line.

Another one:

Stoker has recently introduced Veronica to a friend of his – another strong willed woman.

“I was merely thinking it may have been a very grave mistake to introduce you to Lady C. If the pair of you ever put your minds to it, you could probably topple governments together.

One thing at a time, dear Stoker. One thing at a time.”

And finally, and this so represents their relationship:

“Of course, as had become our habit, we quarreled over what the end should be — or at least Stoker quarreled and I carried on doing precisely as I wished.”

I adore Veronica. She reminds me a lot of Amelia Peabody (by Elizabeth Peters) or Alexia Tarabotti (by Gail Carriger). If you enjoy either of these series, you will love this one.

I am a big fan of Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia books, but this book tops those. I cannot wait for the sequel. No word on that yet, but I’m watching for it.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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