Monday 30 November 2015

The Iron Web - Discovery by Kristin Ravelle (2015)



Bryn’s never been a regular sort of small town Welsh girl. She’s intrigued with ancient manuscripts, scrolls, and arcane secret books. When Penrith University library acquires the mysterious N800 texts, being junior librarian gives her quick access to the texts and she starts to spend all her spare time studying their strange and frightening message. 

The very secretive Luxent is also interested in the N800. Daveithe draws Bryn into the underground group as they fear that One Earth Dynamic, the global agency that tracks all human life, has insidious ties to an ancient evil written about in the N800 and they need her help to expose it. 

Terrifying secrets about One Earth Dynamic are brought to light when gorgeous OED fugitive, Curran Reithe, runs to Luxent for sanctuary. And Bryn’s strange ability to throw condensed light becomes a weapon in a growing struggle for supremacy between natural earth magic and other worldly forces as new truths emerge. 

But Bryn’s rising emotions for Curran and learning the horrifying reality of the OED can only lead down one road, and that goes straight into an ancient and evil web. 

Review:
The Iron Web- Discovery is a fast paced dystopian novel. It is quite different to anything I've read before and I really enjoyed it. It also has some paranormal aspects to it in relation to Bryn's special abilities. Other characters also have the ability to communicate with each other through trees.
Bryn is an intelligent and independent young woman who isn't afraid to question the role of the OED in her life and she braves the consequences for refusing to register with them on her next birthday. She gets embroiled with an underground rebel group who oppose the OED. They discover that Bryn has a talent of projecting her inner light which can be used as a weapon and as a cure for a virus that is spreading.

This is the first book in a series and the author does a great job of building up the story and developing the characters. There is a sprinkling of romance with an attraction between Bryn and Curran. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Tension and excitement mounts as Bryn becomes more involved with the rebel group and at the end of the novel we see her on the run from the OED. The story left me wanting to read more and I can't wait to see what happens next with Bryn and the rest of her friends

Highly recommended. 

Available from Amazon and it's free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.


I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday 29 November 2015

Death in a Scarlet Gown (Murray of Letho Book 1) by Lexie Conyngham (2011)


22924818

1802. An ancient Scottish university is wracked by murder. A vindictive professor, a man seeking ministry, and an uncouth student lie dead. But who wanted to kill them? Charles Murray, a student with enough problems of his own, is drawn into the mystery, where neither tragic accidents nor good friends are what they seem. Death in a Scarlet Gown is first in the Murray of Letho series.

This novel was quite slow to start but life in and around St. Andrews and the relationships of people within the university made very interesting reading. The first murder didn't take place until halfway through the book which I thought was a little too far in, but, the writer makes good use of this time to introduce and fully flesh out the characters. We get to know Charles very well and we learn of his difficulties with his father who is threatening to cut off all financial support if he doesn't come back to run the family estate and get married. Charles has no intention of doing either. Not yet anyway.
Charles is very resourceful though and by the end of the book he has secured a way of funding himself until graduation.

I liked that this book was set in Scotland and not the usual ballrooms of regency England. The tone of the writing was serious and literary in style which complemented the academic setting of St. Andrews. I also enjoyed reading some familiar Scottish colloquialisms that we in Donegal, Ireland also have in our dialect.

This is a very cleverly written murder mystery and I was completely clueless as to who the murderer was until it was revealed in the last few pages. I will definitely be following the rest of the series.

Death in a Scarlet Gown is book one in a seven part series.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ties that Bind by Anne Patrick, Narrated by Leonor A. Woodworth (2015)


Ties That Bind Audiobook

Jo McDaniels has an unusual gift, a special tool she uses in her job. Jo is an FBI profiler with the ability to sense what victims felt prior to death; not only their emotions, but their pain as well.
Sheriff Austin Garrett is willing to try anything to catch the vicious serial killer decapitating victims in his jurisdiction. He's never faced such a monster and is happy to accept FBI help, particularly from this beautiful, sassy agent.
Working together, they come closer to the killer with each body - but will the monster change the game and decide Jo would be the ultimate kill?





Ties that Bind was difficult to put down and I would highly recommend it to all fans of romantic suspense or murder mysteries.

The way in which the killer goes about selecting and killing his victims is both chilling and creepy. The only downside was that I figured out too early in the story who the killer was. The attempt to throw suspicion in a different direction towards the end of the novel came too late and it just didn't convince me. Despite this I enjoyed the serial killer storyline and the whole process the police went through in order to catch him. But, what I liked most was Jo and her story. She is a very interesting and well written character. The fact that she is an FBI profiler is an interesting aspect of her life in itself but she also has a rocky relationship with her family which plays a big part in the story. I loved the fact that she had a psychic connection to the murders and we got to see into the minds of the victims as well as the killer.

There is also a little bit of romance involved as Jo and Sheriff Austen become friendly. I liked that it was only a small aspect of the story and not overdone as the writer focused more on the murder mystery plot.

Leonor A Woodworth is very easy to listen to and she does a fantastic job of narrating Ties that Bind. She did a great job of portraying male and female characters and she gets across their emotions very well.  
This is the second of Leonor's productions that I have listened to and I have been impressed both times. 


I received a copy via audiobookblast.com in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday 21 November 2015

Ahoy, Out There!: Volume 2 (Ahoy, Mischaps!) by Miss Mae (2015)


Description

It’s time to set sail once more with that confectionary plantation owner Sir O. Yuri Wiseguy-eh and his crew from Gum Drop Island. Thrust upon an adventurous journey into parts unknown, they meet new, and not very friendly…okay, they’re some downright ornery— characters. Their mission —which they accepted with many a hesitation— includes a hair-tingling encounter with a family of widowed spider sisters, a dispute with the furious mob of ugly Babes, and a creepy, chilly, evil laughing confrontation with the one-and-only I.B. Nosey seeking mad scientist Dr. Ag O. Nee. (Whew. That sentence is a mouthful, dear readers!) And will our heroes discover what they seek? Will they save the day? Will anyone care? Don’t you think it might be kinda fun to join us on this venture and find out?


Review

A fantastic sequel to Ahoy, Gum Drop. Miss Mae has once again filled her story with a super, imaginative adventure and lots of humour. The gang have a new mission, to save Silliness and Imagination who are being held captive by the Techno Monster. Once they embark on their journey they meet an array of unusual characters who also need help with various problems.  
                 The book is fast paced with every page packed with action so I loved that there was a little recap at the beginning of each chapter. For a child listening to a chapter each night, the recap is a nice touch.

I was thoroughly entertained and amused by this light hearted tale and I would highly recommend it to anyone, young or old, who are looking for humour in their next read.

Ahoy, Out There is available in paperback Amazon 
and in digital format from  Smashwords
The audio version is currently in production.

The Bali Mystery by Linda Weaver Clarke (2014), Narrated by Diane Lehman (2015)


Description
A COZY MYSTERY: Amelia Moore, the founder of the Moore Detective Agency, specializes in missing persons. Her cases have taken her to some interesting places and put her in some dangerous situations, but she always solves the case. With the help of Rick Bonito, her business is flourishing. When Mrs. Brody hires Amelia and Rick to find her missing brother, they find themselves in Bali, Indonesia. They are mystified why her brother quit his job, put his home up for sale, and ran off to this mysterious and exotic island without telling a soul.

Review

I loved the flirtatious friendship between Amelia and Rick. A lot of their interactions were humorous and adorable. The mystery involving a missing person which brings the pair to an exotic location provides the perfect backdrop for their burgeoning romance.

Rick and Amelia were great characters. Both are well written and well performed. I loved how Diane Lehman could so convincingly perform such a variety of characters from an elderly woman's voice to Rick's male voice and switching back to Amelia again.

I gave the story 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought they had quite an easy time with their actual detective work. William, the missing man, left a heap of breadcrumbs for the pair to follow which included a brochure circled with all the places he was going to visit in Bali and everything else they needed to know was written in a journal detailing why he had decided to disappear. Despite this I really enjoyed the suspense and mystery surrounding the people who were following and threatening Amelia.

I didn't really like the singing. I just found it a little annoying and unnecessary. It starts with Rick singing 'Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,' and continues with Amelia sporadically singing songs from the movie South Pacific, of which she is a big fan.

But these minute flaws were easily glossed over as the story simply pulled me in from the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I listened to it in one session. The narrator does a fantastic job and this is definitely a series that I will want to follow.



I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Friday 20 November 2015

Snow Job by Debbie Brown (2015)




Description
When NY divorce lawyer, Sarah Lindquist, stepped out of her office to clear her mind before her next client showed up, the last thing she expected was to come to in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, with two park rangers standing over her. The ex-military rangers are convinced someone wants her out of the way, but how do they find out who, without putting her life at risk and letting that 'someone' know they've missed the target?

Review
This was such an entertaining read. Its fast pace and non stop action made it unputdownable. I read it in one evening.

Sarah has amnesia after being attacked and left for dead in the Colorado Rockies. She is completely confused, concussed and doesn't know what is going on. I have to say that, on occasion, I shared her confusion and empathised with her. The park rangers who save her are tight lipped and bossy! Jim looks after her and is quite protective of her but he does annoy her with his habit of answering each of her questions with a question of his own. I enjoyed the light hearted banter between them and their developing friendship as Sarah learned to trust him. There was one scene involving an ear piercing that I found quite amusing and sweet.

Jim has a team of military colleagues on whom he calls to help with Sarah's situation. They do some investigating behind the scenes on her behalf but only tell her little bits at a time. There are quite a lot of secondary characters in the team but Jim, Ty and Mike stood out as being the most likeable and heroic. There are numerous attempts made on Sarah's life and this leads to lots of intense action involving Jim's team. At some points I wasn't too sure if my favourite characters were going to make it out alive. 

The romance between Sarah and Jim was nice and slow. Their attraction to each other developed slowly into romantic feelings for each other. Romance took a back stage as the action driven plot took over.

On a side note, I love the gorgeous cover on this book. It would look great on the bookshelf.

Snow Job is available now in paperback 
Book Depository Amazon  
and in digital format for Kindle also at Smashwords and Kobo


I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday 19 November 2015

Lady of Intrigue by Sabrina Darby (2015)



Description


London, 1814

Lady Jane Langley values logic and reason over passion and emotion. Her intellect has given her value in the eyes of both her father and society. Logic gives way to terrible, icy fear when Jane finds herself in a devastating carriage accident... an accident in which she is helpless to do anything but watch as her aristocratic companion is murdered.

But this was no mere accident. This was an assassination. Spy and grandson of Lord Landsdowne, Gerard Badeau is methodical in his dark, shadowy work, knowing that any display of emotion could get him killed. Something about the mysterious woman and her cool blue eyes stays Gerard's lethal hand. Now he has both a witness and a hostage. 
And if he doesn't kill Lady Jane Langley, he risks a fate that is far, far worse...falling in love with her.

Review

Lady of Intrigue is a completely different approach to the traditional regency romance. Gerard, the hero, is untitled, illegitimate and an assassin. From the very beginning we see the depth of his sangfroid when he causes a carriage accident and murders his targeted victim. He is not the typical hero I'd be rooting for but the writer develops his story and character in such a way that gives us hope for his redemption. The source of this redemption comes in the guise of Lady Jane Langley, who is a surviving witness to the carriage 'accident' and subsequently Gerard's hostage. 

As they get to know each other, we learn of Gerard's upbringing and the hardships he has endured over the years. He is actually quite a likeable character who feels guilty about Jane getting hurt in the accident and he takes good care of her. Gerard begins to question his lifestyle and hopes that he can start a new life, preferably a life with Jane. But, the fact that Jane is a surviving witness who won't be silenced about the death puts her in the line of fire from the very people who ordered the murder. There is no end of intrigue and suspense as the pair try to sort their out of trouble.

One aspect of Jane's character that I wasn't too enamoured with was her refusal to marry Gerard until he could procure a title to allow her to maintain her position in society. This puts him in a very awkward and dangerous position. Her realisation that she loved Gerard enough without a title came too late in the story for me. Apart from this flaw in her character, I enjoyed Jane and Gerard's story. I also loved the supporting characters. Each one of them had their own very interesting life story behind them. I'm hoping this is the beginning of a series as I'd like to continue the excitement and adventure with Gerard's diverse family as they flock to live with him in his new home.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available now on Kindle £2.36 

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Le Tour de Paris: The Chronicles of Tavara Tinker by Sharon Skinner & Bob Nelson (2013), Narrated by Melanie Fraser (2015)


Description:

TAVARA TINKER—LE TOUR DE PARIS, Steampunk/Alternative Historical Fiction. Bob Nelson and Sharon Skinner are a dynamic co-writing duo.

Tavara Tinker leads a double life. By day, a proper Victorian lady. By night, deep in the heart of industrial London, she maintains a research laboratory and a steam-powered factory where she creates the clothes and weapons for a new generation of adventurer.

Tavara and her quirky band of intrepid heroes visit Paris on a quest to obtain a rare fabric for a client, only to discover they’re not the only ones with an interest in it.

This first installment of the Chronicles of Tavara Tinker is a literary tour de force of drama, humor and excitement.


Review:

This was my first foray into the steampunk genre and I enjoyed it immensely. Le Tour de Paris was an ideal title to start me off as it is a short read/listen. It had all the descriptions, details and paraphernalia that I would associate with steampunk. 

The story is action packed and the reader/listener is thrust into all the excitement right from the beginning. Because this is a short story, there isn't an abundance of information about the characters except for their looks and what they are wearing. The writers have, instead, concentrated on the series of action scenes which are very well written and entertaining. The narrator, Melanie Fraser, added a some extra pizazz with sound effects.


I was surprised at how much detail and activity the writers were able to jam into such a short piece but they managed it superbly. I'm hoping that the current storyline continues into the next installment as I'm keen to find out what happens next. I'd also like to see the characters develop more as the series progresses so that I can gain more insight into their relationships with each other. However, the installments would need to get a little bit longer in order to facilitate this without sacrificing the action and adventure scenes.

I loved the narration by Melanie Fraser. The narration is well paced and crystal clear. The little snippet of French she spoke was impressive and I found myself listening that extra bit carefully to see if I could remember my secondary school French. By the third listen I had it translated in my head, happy in the knowledge that the language is still rattling around in there somewhere. 

Le Tour de Paris is not a story that will bore you. I have listened to Le Tour de Paris three times to date and I enjoyed it even more each time. With so much going on in the story it is easy to miss a bit of the action if you get distracted so I found myself wanting to go back and listen to it again.  


If you want a short listen that is high in entertainment, I would definitely recommend Le Tour de Paris. For anyone, like me, who has yet to venture into the steampunk genre, Le Tour de Paris is a great place to start.

Le Tour de Paris is available in ebook format Kindle 99p and Audio Audible UK £3.09


Sunday 15 November 2015

Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton (2012)


Blurb:

Lacy Dawn's father relives the Gulf War, her mother's teeth are rotting out, and her best friend is murdered by the meanest daddy on Earth. Life in the hollow is hard. She has one advantage -- an android was inserted into her life and is working with her to cure her parents. But, he wants something in exchange. It's up to her to save the Universe. Lacy Dawn doesn't mind saving the universe, but her family and friends come first.

Rarity from the Hollow is adult literary science fiction filled with tragedy, comedy and satire. A Children's Story. For Adults.

“The most enjoyable science fiction novel I have read in years.”
Temple Emmet Williams, Author, former editor for Reader’s Digest


“Quirky, profane, disturbing… In the space between a few lines we go from hardscrabble realism to pure sci-fi/fantasy. It’s quite a trip.”
    Evelyn Somers, The Missouri Review


. "…a hillbilly version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy…what I would have thought impossible; taken serious subjects like poverty, ignorance, abuse…tongue-in-cheek humor without trivializing them…profound…a funny book that most sci-fi fans will thoroughly enjoy." -- Awesome Indies (Gold Medal)

“…sneaks up you and, before you know it, you are either laughing like crazy or crying in despair, but the one thing you won’t be is unmoved…a brilliant writer.” --Readers’ Favorite (Gold Medal)

“Rarity from the Hollow is an original and interesting story of a backwoods girl who saves the Universe in her fashion. Not for the prudish.” —Piers Anthony, New York Times bestselling author

“…Good satire is hard to find and science fiction satire is even harder to find.” -- The Baryon Review

Author proceeds have been donated to a child abuse prevention program in the author's home state. http://www.childhswv.org/ A listing of services that are supported can be found here: http://mountainrhinestones.blogspot.com/2015/06/review-giveaway-rarity-from-hollow-by.html.  

My Review

Rarity from the Hollow is not my usual kind of read but I thought I would try out something new.
Reading Rarity from the Hollow is like reading two books. The first third of the novel is dark and revolves around Lacy Dawn surviving the childhood trauma of being raised by an abusive father and an inept mother. This is where the realism ends. The rest of the book makes for strange reading. Lacy Dawn converses with trees, the ghost of her friend Faith and a robotic boyfriend called Dotcom. Lacy Dawn plans to cure her parents by plugging them in and downloading an upgrade. When she succeeds, she is then given the task of saving the universe.
                  The story is fast paced, very imaginative and quite entertaining. There is humour in the story but it wasn't anything that made me laugh out loud. If you like toilet humour then you'll like this book.
I'm not a fan of sci-fi and probably some of it went over my head. I would have enjoyed this more if it had have been more of a gritty tale of Lacy Dawn overcoming her family difficulties in a more realistic way. I didn't like the idea that a child could cure her parents and save a marriage. The parents faced no repercussions for their actions. Not one of the adults in this book was likeable and they became even more unlikeable after they were cured and helping Lacy Dawn to save the universe. I really didn't like how inappropriately they behaved in front of her and the inappropriate conversations they had with her.

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Buy Links Amazon   AmazonUK   BookDepository


The Stranger She Married (The Rogue Hearts Series Book 1) by Donna Hatch, narrated by Tanya Mills (2015)



                                                         Description

When her parents and twin brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret.
Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true. When yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart. And Cole must protect Alicia from the killer who has been exterminating her family before she is the next target.

                                                             Review

When I pressed play and heard the narrator's voice for the first time I groaned with disappointment. The tone is quiet, slow and dreary. Also, the narrator, with her fake British accent, had the irritating habit of pausing mid sentence. There was also something about the recording quality that didn't seem quite right. I almost gave up on this audiobook straight away but the story seemed like something I would really enjoy so I persevered. I'm so glad I did.

I  sped up the narration which improved the listening experience.
Overall, I would say that listening to this book was time well spent as I enjoyed the story. By speeding up the narration I was able to enjoy it a bit better and the mid-sentence pausing didn't seem as obvious.

I actually loved the story though. There is plenty of suspense, intrigue and romance from beginning to end and it provided a lot of entertainment on a dull Sunday afternoon.
I think the author was unlucky in her choice of narrator and unfortunately from listening to the sneak peak chapter of the next book the narrator, Tanya Mills, has been signed up for the rest of the series. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series in Kindle format. But for the audio version, it is a question of whether or not I like the series enough to listen to Tanya Mills do the reading.
I would have cast someone, anyone, with a genuine British accent, or someone who can do it well.
There was one Irish character who, thankfully, only made a very brief appearance, as her accent was hideous and not done well at all. If I had to choose an alternative narrator, I can honestly say that I've never been disappointed by any productions from Melanie Fraser.

I received this audiobook from the author via audiobookblast.com in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

The Wrangler's Inconvenient Wife by Lacy Williams. Narrated by Laural Merlington

Description
With no family to watch over them, it's up to Fran Morris to take care of her younger sister, even if it means marrying a total stranger. Gruff, strong and silent, her new husband is a cowboy down to the bone. He wed Fran to protect her, not to love her, but her heart has never felt so vulnerable.
Trail boss Edgar White already has all the responsibility he needs at his family's ranch in Bear Creek, Wyoming. He had intended to remain a bachelor forever, but he can't leave Fran and her sister in danger. And as they work on the trail together, Edgar starts to soften toward his unwanted wife. He already gave Fran his name, can he trust her with his heart?


This book is loaded with all the excitement you would expect from a western historical novel. The action begins immediately, with two sisters on the run who get caught up in a railway accident. Luckily a family of cowboys, transporting cattle for sale, are nearby to lend a hand to the train passengers.

Things get complicated when Fran and Edgar have to marry in order to protect Emma, her little sister. Emma is fleeing from the unwanted attentions of Mr. Underhill who is a bit evil and unhinged.

There are plenty of romantic moments as Flan and Edgar get to know each other. They don't always see eye to eye which causes some discontent between the pair.
Edgar also has his ups and downs with his brothers, especially Ricky. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to get their stories.

What I love about this book is that it is perfect for all kinds of readers. The story is plot and character driven and the romance is completely clean. I would have no trouble recommending it to my aunt who loves a good story without all the erotic bits. I'm not a huge fan of these scenes either but for some reason I dislike them even more in audiobooks. The narrator did a fantastic job and I would definitely look for her name in future when I am looking for a book to listen to. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this series.

I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday 3 November 2015

I Spy A Duke by Erica Monroe (2015)


In the first in an adventurous new series, USA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe introduces the Covert Heiresses: four women who by day are the talk of the ton, and by night England's top spies.

She wants revenge…

When bluestocking Vivian Loren becomes the governess for the wealthy Spencer family, she’s searching for clues about the murder of her brother, not a husband. But Vivian didn’t count on James Spencer, the infuriatingly handsome Duke of Abermont.

He needs a wife…

As head of Britain’s elite intelligence agency, James has no time to woo a wife. When he discovers Vivian’s quest for answers has made her a pawn in a treacherous plot, James realizes they can help each other. She’ll become his duchess, and he’ll keep her safe from one of Napoleon’s deadliest spies.

What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly becomes anything but, as they find out love is the most dangerous mission of all.


Review:

I was excited to begin reading this book. It had a mixture of historical romance tropes that I like- spies, governess, marriage of convenience etc. I love historical romance with suspense so I was anticipating good things.

                  I liked the opening chapters of the novel. It had a  very promising start with the dramatic and tragic death of James' sister who was tortured during the previous mission. This gave me tingles because the author wasn't afraid to kill her characters, even the good heroic ones. It's not only the villains that bleed in this book. 
                   Vivian, the governess, has also lost her brother and agrees to spy on James Spencer in return for information about her brother's killer.  

I liked the way the pair bonded and developed a friendship. However, I didn't like the lack of action and suspense. There was no immediate mission except to get James married and teach Vivian how to handle herself in a fight.   

The middle of the book right up to the closing chapters were very slow and I was disappointed in the direction the novel took. Much is made about the family being spies for a secret organisation called Clocktower. However, there is no story or plot revolved around it. James, Vivian and his sister, Arden move from the family's country estate to another country house to train Vivian in the ways of a spy, ie, basic self defense. This is all that happens and I was really disappointed as I was expecting a little bit of suspense and proper spy work. I would have loved to see Vivian and James actually go and investigate something together rather than hang about the house and gardens all day.
                     I didn't quite believe the threat facing Vivian. Why send her to get information that James is a spy when the villain already knew that he was one? Why bother killing her? 
Finally, within the last fifteen percent of the story, suspense and excitement builds with a fierce attack on James, Vivian and their little group. This almost saved the story for me but the wait was just too long

                      I loved the two main characters James and Vivian. Both were strong, likeable characters. I was glad that the author didn't drag out Vivian's duplicity in spying on James. Once she realises her error she tells him everything. He, being the gentleman that he is, promises to help her.
I also liked James sisters and the little group of friends he has within Clocktower.

I will no doubtedly check out the rest of series when it's available as I'm a historical/regency romance addict. Also, James's sisters appear very eccentric and feisty which should, hopefully, translate to a fun read. 
But, I really hope that the characters actually involve themselves in a mission instead of just talking about it. 



I received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.