Review: Love's Awakening by Laura Frantz

Love's Awakening (The Ballantyne Legacy #2)
By: Laura Frantz
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2042-1

Review:

Elinor "Ellie" Ballantyne, just twenty years old and the jewel of her father's heart, flees finishing school and the matchmaking mamas of Philadelphia society, hungry for home and purpose. She is determined to shed some measure of her sheltered upbringing and embrace the Ballantyne steel of her heritage, vowing to make her own way in the world. But much has changed in her absence, and Ellie is ill-prepared for the simmering tensions between the pro-slavery and abolitionist movement, nor the depth of her family's involvement in the latter. However, the greatest danger may hail from the most unexpected quarter -- losing her heart to the son of the enemy -- the engmatic, and wholly unsuitable, Jack Turlock.

The rivalry between the Ballantynes and unscrupulous, whiskey-making Turlocks hails from Silas Ballantyne's early days in Pittsburgh, becoming further embittered when Isabel O'Hara, daughter of Silas's one-time friend and mentor, marries into the Turlock clan in a fit of pique when Silas chose Eden as his bride. And from that point, the die was cast: the Ballantynes respectable and virtuous, the Turlocks and their famed hell-raising ever a thorn in their -- and all respectable society's -- side.

Jack would like nothing more than to shed his family's unsavory reputation and start afresh. But ever aware of what he's seen and done, he was resigned to the burden of his familial heritage of violence and deceit, until a chance encounter with Ellie awakens feelings he'd long thought buried. Ellie's innocence and guileless acceptance of him as he is awakens in Jack the audacity to hope for a finer, better life. When his father and brother's plans threaten to destroy everything Ellie holds dear, Jack is left with a choice: the life he was raised to or faith in the God the Ballantynes claim and His promise of redemption.

While I like to stay current with favorite authors, it has been such a treat to lose myself in each successive installment of The Ballantyne Legacy without that pesky year-long wait between releases. Though the much-loved Silas and Eden are absent for half the novel, their presence is ever felt, underscoring Frantz's thesis of the heritage of faith, inherited through generations.

The Jack and Ellie relationship is not only one of my favorite tropes in romantic fiction -- adversaries to lovers -- but it is a gorgeously-wrought exploration of inheritance and choice. Colored with shades of Romeo and Juliet's warring families, Jack and Ellie's blossoming attraction is, at first blush, nought but an impossible dream. Separated by a gulf of familial rivalry and distrust, political ideologies, and most crucially, faith, here Frantz sketches a love story all the more memorable because of the transformative power of faith at its heart.

Love's Awakening has a two-fold meaning -- Jack and Ellie, certainly, but also the agape love of one human being to another regardless of race or creed. The sacrificial love those who claim Christ are called to live each day is woven throughout each page, as Frantz places her characters in the eye of the storm brewing over slavery. The Ballantynes and Jack participate in the early skirmishes between pro-slavers and abolitionists in Pennsylvania of the 1820's seeds of the great conflict to come later in the century that would rend the nation in two. As Jack quickly discovers, the Ballantynes' abolitionist efforts are a call to action, a study in the cost, danger, and rewards of putting faith in action.

Frantz has always delivered emotionally intense novels. Her heart-stopping romances are a hallmark of her work, as is her unparalleled ability to bring the past to life on the page, all on display here. But in Love's Awakening, in the final oact of Ellie and Jack's story she delivers her most action-packed epic yet. It is no exaggeration to say that my heart was racing as I breathlessly turned the pages, eager to see the finale unfold in all its high stakes, cinematic grandeur.


Like it's predecessor, Love's Awakening is a story of inheritance, both for good and ill. The Ballantyne Legacy is an unflinchingly honest study of faith and choice and the power of both to resound through future generations. A stunning romance, suspense, and heartbreak -- this is Frantz at her finest. I cannot wait to discover what's in store for the final Ballantyne installment!

About the book:

In the spring of 1822, Ellie Ballantyne leaves finishing school and returns to the family home in Pittsburgh only to find that her parents are away on a long journey and her siblings don't seem to want her to stay. Determined to stand her ground and find her place in the world, Ellie fills her time by opening a day school for young ladies.

But when one of her students turns out to be an incorrigible young member of the Turlock family, Ellie knows she must walk a fine line. Slaveholders and whiskey magnates, the Turlocks are envious of the powerful Ballantynes and suspicious of their abolitionist leanings. As Ellie becomes increasingly entangled with the rival clan -- particularly the handsome Jack Turlock, she finds herself falling in love with an impossible future. Will she betray her family and side with the enemy?

Masterful storyteller Laura Frantz continues to unfold the stirring saga of the Ballantyne family in this majestic tale of love and loyalty. This is the Ballantyne Legacy.

Review: Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz

Love's Reckoning (The Ballantyne Legacy #1)

By: Laura Frantz

Publisher: Revell

ISBN: 978-0-8007-2041-4

Review:

Eden Lee longs to make a fresh start in Philadelphia, to escape her father Liege's temper and her sister Elspeth's selfish machinations. Her fiery hair and family reputation mask a quiet spirit that hungers after God, desiring nothing more than the freedom to exercise her fledgling faith freely. But before she can make good on her dream of escape, her blacksmith father's new apprentice arrives, setting into motion plans of marriage and familial expectations that threaten to derail Eden's closely guarded dreams.

Silas Ballantyne has plans of his own to head west once his apprenticeship is finished, dreams he is determined shall not be thwarted by his contentious master or his tempting daughters. However, Silas finds himself irresistibly drawn to Eden's sweet spirit in defiance of Liege and Elspeth's determination to ensnare the talented blacksmith in a web of deceit. As love blossoms between Silas and Eden, fostered by whispered stairwell meetings and exchanged scraps of scripture, the long-latent embers of jealousy between Liege's daughters ignite. When all they hold dear is threatened, Silas and Eden are forced to decide if their faith and love is enough to withstand the heartache that would see their hoped-for future destroyed,

It has been far too long since I've lost myself within the pages of a Laura Frantz novel. Reading Love's Reckoning was akin to water falling on dry land, a balm to my soul sorely in need of Frantz's craftsmanship and heart. The first installment in a multi-generational family epic, Love's Reckoning is replete with Frantz's trademarks: carefully-crafted characters, a heart-rending love story, and a nearly tactile sense of time and a nearly tactile sense of time and place. Within these pages, late 18th-century Pennsylvania springs to life with color and depth. If a novel is her canvas, Frantz paints with the skill of a master.

Here Frantz blends shades of the Cinderella story with a familial and romance dynamic reminiscent of the biblical saga of Jacob, Esau, Rachel, and Laban. Eden is a classic Cinderella figure, the family drudge who still maintains her sweet spirit. In less capable hands, seeing the abuse she endures at the hands of family members could have made her seem weak. But instead, Eden is an intricately wrought portrait of one who chooses again and again the sacrifice of kindness and belief with no expectation of reward (much like the recent live-action version of Cinderella). 

While Silas is cast in the role of prince/redeemer, both he and Eden's character arcs are colored with shades of Jacob's story (with Elspeth cast alternately as Esau and Leah, in the most extreme forms of that character archetype). Their journey is a fight for an inheritance beyond what the eye can see -- a twin legacy of earthly and spiritual favor. Theirs is a story of lives the enemy to all believers would see destroyed (John 10:10), of potential unrealized and dreams unfulfilled. But in the pain of circumstance, those dreams, once surrendered and yielded to the God who first planted them within their hearts, blossom into a gorgeously wrought illustration of redemptive promise (Joel 2:25).

For those who crave realism in inspirational fiction or wonder if it even exists, they need look no further than here for one such example. While Love's Reckoning is everything I crave in historical romance -- research, depth, passion -- within these pages lies a tale of emotional abuse, a physical assault, and shattered dreams. Frantz never exploits the very real heartache her characters endure, but within the framework of their circumstances sketch a story of hope and redemption with compassion and sensitivity. 

Authors like Frantz are why I believe so strongly in the possibility of inspirational fiction. This is a wildly entertaining tale, yes, epic in its scope and intimate in its emotional reckoning, a sweeping saga in every sense that term implies. But more than that, Silas and Eden's story is one of hope and a faith at times no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, and the ability of that faith in action to transform and redeem the most broken among us.

About the book:

On a bitter December day in 1784, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of blacksmith Liege Lee in York County, Pennsylvania. Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship quickly and move west. But because he is a fast worker and a superb craftsman, Liege endeavors to keep in in Lancaster by appealing to an old tradition: the apprentice shall marry one of his master's beautiful daughters.

Eden is as gentle and fresh as Elspeth is high-spirited and cunning. But are they truly who they appear to be? In a house laced with secrets, each sister seeks to secure her future. Which one will claim Silas's heart -- and will he agree to Liege's arrangement?

In this sweeping family saga, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come, This is the Ballantyne Legacy.

Note to blog readers: I in no way, shape, or form expected to be posting a book review TWO DAYS after declaring a blog hiatus, but I finished this book and literally couldn't help myself. No promises going forward, but we'll see how things go. ;-)

Review: Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies #1)
By: Sarah Zettel
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
ASIN: B00AUZS6CE

Review:

Margaret "Peggy" Preston Fitzroy had few friends and few prospects. Following her father's disappearance and her mother's subsequent death, at the tender age of eight Peggy was left saddled with the burden of her dubious parental antecedents. Sent to live off the largesse of aunt and uncle, she serves as a companion to their only daughter, Olivia. While she and Olivia become fast friends, now sixteen Peggy is ever more increasingly aware of her tenuous status in her uncle's household. When he arranges a wholly unsuitable engagement solely for the purpose of ridding himself of an unwanted familial expenditure, Peggy's refusal to comply sees her cast on the streets with little more than the clothes on her back.

Her only hope is to pursue the acquaintance of Mr. Tinderflint, a gentleman who claimed to have been her mother's friend and expressed a keen interest in doing the daughter a good turn, should her fortune and interest desire. Through Tinderflint and his asssociates Mr. Peele and Mrs. Abbott, Peggy becomes a reluctant player in an intrigue reaching the crown itself. The unlikely trio train Peggy to infiltrate the court of George I by assuming the identity of the recently -- and secretly -- deceased Lady Francesca Wallingham. Assuming that lady's position as maid of honor to Caroline, Princess of Wales, Peggy would then be ideally placed to pass intelligence on the doings and intrigues of the court to her trio of spymasters.

With no other option, Peggy accepts, embarking on the most dangerous game of her young life -- and quickly learning that everything she was taught about her predecessor was a life. In a court riddled with Jacobite spies, where lord and lady alike jockey for position and favor, one misstep in this intrigue could cost Peggy her life. But in this great game of kings and pretenders, the most important player of all may turn out to be a masquerading maid.

Thanks to its youthful protagonist and candy-colored cover, Palace of Spies is positioned and marketed as a young adult novel, but like the best stories it transcends categorization -- this is a frothy spy caper, yes, but solidly grounded in its historical context. Those who look to the television show Reign and its ilk would do better to look within these pages for their historical drama fix. For while Zettel brings the 18th century royal English court to life with enough beautiful, bright young things and romantic intrigue to satisfy the most die-hard historical soap opera aficiando, hers are not merely modern characters dressed in period costume. Peggy is quite intelligent and forward-thinking, but Zettel is careful to make her very much a girl of her time, well aware of the social expectations vis-a-vis women in the world in which she lived.

Zettel peppers the narrative with facts on dress, make-up, hair, and court customs and procedure, grounding the incredible adventure Peggy finds herself involved in historical fact and realities. For those who cut their teeth on stories of aristocratic intrigue as I did, such as The Scarlet Pimpernel or The Man in the Iron Mask, there is much to love in watching Peggy's dangerous chess mach of political intrigue unfold. Except here, unlike most classic tales featuring male protagonists, a heroine is center stage, arguably ill-equipped but a determined survivor, her greatest assets her quick wit and keen intelligence.

Peggy is the type of heroine I absolutely adore -- smart, resourceful, and compassionate. Part Nancy Drew, part Peggy Carter, with a dash of an Austen heroine's sensibilities, Peggy's first adventure in George I's court is perfect gateway historical fiction. Palace of Spies has all the energy and rapid pacing of modern filmmaking, grounded in history and character development sure to leave readers craving more. There's the promise of romance with Matthew Reade, the handsome artist's apprentice, a blossoming relationship rife with swoon-worthy sparks, but more importantly built on a foundation of friendship and mutual regard. Between Matthew and her cousin, Peggy has formed an unlikely team with which to tackle the mightiest political forces of her day -- a team I can't wait to see in action in future installments! Palace of Spies is a breezy, fast-paced read set in a time period too little explored in historical fiction, laced with intrigue and historical flavor, a welcome addition to YA lit and above all, a rollicking fun read.

About the book:

A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . .

History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.

Review: The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer

The Inner Circle (The Culper Ring #1)
By: Brad Meltzer
Publisher: Grand Central
ISBN: 978-1455561391

Review:

Working in the National Archives, surrounded by documents both anecdotal and critical to to the history of the United States, Beecher White was content to revel in his role as a guardian of history -- never a player. The past possesses a comforting finite quality, one Beecher has found himself increasingly retreating towards since the dissolution of his engagement and the future he'd thought was within his reach. Until one day, Clementine Kaye, the childhood crush he'd never been able to forget, comes whirling back into his life with the force of a hurricane. Eager to impress her and prove that he's more akin to the adventurous side of Indiana Jones than that famous fictional archaeologist's bookish and professorial "day job," he agrees to help her find her long-lost father. But a simple records request turns complicated when, on impulse, he agrees to let her in one of the top-secret vaults where high-profile guests -- in this case, the President -- can request and review documents. 

But Beecher's rule-breaking impulse backfires when an accident in the vault uncovers something they were never meant to find -- a centuries-old, gutted dictionary that may have once belonged to George Washington. Washington, the founder of the legendary spy network the Culper Ring, known for hiding messages in plain sight, under the most innocuous of pretexts. But if the dictionary is a message, it raises the question of who would be trying to reach the president in one of his most secure, private locations...or, who could the president be trying to reach outside normal channels, and why? When the security guard who let him into the vault turns up dead, Beecher finds himself thrust into the fight of his life to discover the meaning behind the dictionary, uncovering a web of conspiracies and cover-ups reaching the highest levels of government. When everyone has something to lose, who can he trust...for one thing Beecher is sure of, no one can take on a sitting president and emerge unscathed...

Those who have been reading my reviews for a while may note that The Inner Circle is somewhat out of my reading norm. But having heard Brad Meltzer on the radio last week promoting the third installment of his Culper Ring series, I knew I had to check these books out. The concept sounded too irresistibly akin to the National Treasure movies, which I loved. This was a reading gamble that paid off. I cannot remember the last time I read a novel so quickly -- over the course of four days I could barely bring myself to put this book down. 

The Inner Circle is a highly readable, thoroughly entertaining blend of history, mystery, and suspense. Sure, it's arguably unrealistic and convoluted, but I found myself enthralled by every twist and turn. (Though, seriously, a chapter is not two pages long. And most of these "chapters" are. But it does give you the sense that you're reading the book faster, I suppose...) If more political thrillers of this ilk were made into television shows or films I would be so there.  

This is entertaining, escapist fiction that should drive anyone who finds themselves intrigued by what they find within its pages to their history books. And the best part, for me at any rate, is the sense one gets of excavating history's secrets right alongside Beecher in his adrenaline-fueled quest for the truth. Comparing this series to an Indiana Jones film feels on target, but rather than physical exploits in far-flung lands, Meltzer gives us a thirty-something, bookish hero whose most remarkable quality is arguably that he is so average. Beecher, for all his mistakes, embodies the idea that given the chance the most ordinary individual is capable of being a world-changer. 

If this book has a fault, it's that it perhaps tries too hard to be clever. The puzzle Meltzer sets forth within these pages contains enough twists, turns, and red herrings to give one whiplash, and occasionally the ultra-short chapters -- including viewpoint changes and flashbacks -- make the narrative feel choppy and disconnected. That said, I still devoured every word...and any book that I literally can't put down deserves all credit for not just holding my attention but captivating it. 

The Inner Circle is an incredibly fun, roller-coaster ride of an introduction to Meltzer's work, and I look forward to exploring his backlist -- especially catching up with Beecher's second and third adventures. Meltzer writes with a cinematic flair, the result a blend of NCIS-style suspense and The West Wing's political intrigue. If you're looking for a summer read blending history and cutthroat political intrigue, look no further...the only problem you may run into is finding time to sleep. :)

About the book:

There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living.
Beecher White, a young archivist, spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. He has always been the keeper of other people's stories, never a part of the story himself...

Until now.

When Clementine Kaye, Beecher's first childhood crush, shows up at the National Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. After they accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact - a 200 hundred-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington, hidden underneath a desk chair, Beecher and Clementine find themselves suddenly entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder.

Soon a man is dead, and Beecher is on the run as he races to learn the truth behind this mysterious national treasure. His search will lead him to discover a coded and ingenious puzzle that conceals a disturbing secret from the founding of our nation. It is a secret, Beecher soon discovers, that some believe is worth killing for.

Gripping, fast-paced, and filled with the fascinating historical detail for which he is famous, THE INNER CIRCLE is a thrilling novel that showcases a brilliant author writing at the height of his craft.

reset

This is probably the most obvious statement in the world to anyone who knows me or has read this blog for any length of time, but here you go: my reading/reviewing game has been way off. I mean WAY off. I can be something of a completest, so when I started to fall behind on reviews last summer my reading slowed to a crawl, in part, I think, because I kept telling myself I'd "catch up" eventually. Add in various personal, work, and family issues, and the backlog just kept growing as fast as my TBR pile. Well today my friends we are letting that pipe dream go. :)

What follows is my attempt to "review" some of the books that have been queued for ages. There are novels that I'd like to discuss in more depth, but at this point that will probably require a re-read in order to do them justice, so they are not represented here.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard:

Philadelphia 1876. The Dead are rising. A zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor Fitt. Whoever controls the Dead Army has her brother. She avoids her mother's choice of husband for the lab of Spirit Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel. The situation threatens her reputation, and the lives of everyone in the city.

Spunky female heroine, late nineteenth century setting, gorgeous dress on the cover, and ZOMBIES. I liked Eleanor, liked the concept...but ultimately this book wasn't for me...far too much zombie-related gore (which is ironic, since I love the CW show iZombie with everything in me). 3 Stars.

I Married the Duke by Katharine Ashe:

I Married the Duke begins the Prince Catchers series by Katharine Ashe, award-winning author of historical romance.
 
Arabella Caulfield, one of three orphaned sisters, has clung to an ancient gypsy prophecy as the only way to save her family from endless heartbreak. Now she has twelve days to reach a remote French castle and fulfill her destiny: to marry a prince.
 
Along the way, Arabella meets Lucien Westfall, decorated naval captain and the new Duke of Lycombe. She thought he was a pirate. He thought she was a governess. Two wrongs have never made such a scandalously perfect right.
 
Readers of Regency romances and the works of Eloisa James and Lisa Kleypas will fall in love with the Prince Catchers books by Katharine Ashe.

While I thought the "gypsy prophecy" conceit unnecessarily stretched the bounds of credulity, Ashe is a gorgeous writer. Articulate prose, well-drawn characterizations, and a lush romance make this a memorable read. I look forward to revisiting Ashe's world and discovering the stories of Arabella's sisters. 4 Stars.

Endless Night by Agatha Christie:

When penniless Michael Rogers discovers the beautiful house at Gypsy’s Acre and then meets the heiress Ellie, it seems that all his dreams have come true at once. But he ignores an old woman’s warning of an ancient curse, and evil begins to stir in paradise. As Michael soon learns: Gypsy’s Acre is the place where fatal “accidents” happen.

I wanted to read Endless Night after seeing the deliciously creepy Masterpiece adaptation (which inserted Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple into the storyline). This has to rank as one of Christie's best standalone mysteries, a masterful study in the use of the unreliable narrator from the Queen of Crime. Well worth reading for a fresh perspective on Christie's capabilities, especially if -- like me -- you tend to gravitate towards Poirot or Marple stories. 4 Stars.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James:

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem.
 
It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.
 
Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.
 
Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.

I love mysteries and I love Jane Austen, particularly Pride and Prejudice, so theoretically this book should be full of win, no? Alas, that was not to be. I wanted to read this prior to the premiere of the Masterpiece adaptation last fall, and let me tell you that film is superior in every way in my view, particularly as regards pacing and characterization. There are moments in this book that I liked, particularly James's view of an older and more settled Darcy and Elizabeth (even stripped as they are of the spark they possess in Austen's work), but the execution was so uneven that in the end I was left wondering why James was considered such a popular mystery author to begin with and with no desire to further investigate her work. When a book clocks in at a a mere 300-odd pages and that feels about 30% too long, you have a problem. 2 Stars.

Well, this is all the catch-up I have time for at the moment. Going forward there may be more short review posts, but I really hope I can also get back into the rhythm of writing longer, more in-depth pieces as well. 

Review: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swenson #1)
By: Joanne Fluke
Publisher: Kensington
ASIN: B00DRLXE5W

Review:

Hannah Swenson divides her time between running The Cookie Jar, sleepy Lake Eden's popular cookie-centric bakery, and dodging her mother's attempts to see her (finally) married off. Her quiet life is upended when Ron LaSalle, The Cookie Jar's dairy deliveryman and local football hero is found murdered behind her shop. Thanks to the proximity of the crime and with her cookies scattered all over the crime scene, Hannah feels a personal responsibility to see the perpetrator brought to justice. Her amateur investigative efforts uncovers a web of unexpected secrets hiding beneath Lake Eden's sleepy veneer of respectability. And one wrong question could see this cookie-loving connoisseur slip dangerously out of her depth.

After watching the recent Hallmark adaptation of this novel I was inspired to check out the source material. Fluke's first installment in her long-running bakery-themed series is an appealing confection of sweet desserts peppered with a dash of murder. This is a classic cozy -- small town setting, quirky cast of characters, mouth-watering food, and a dash of the mysterious. Hannah is an appealing heroine, equally at home within the tropes of a lite mystery or that of a single woman's dating travails. I love the fact that she's a (for the most part) smart, independent businesswoman who also happens to love chocolate and her cat and is fairly content in her single status (though of course open to change, preferably not engineered by her meddling mother). 

I'm a bit torn as to how to rate this book, because I feel my enjoyment of it was hampered by knowing the eventual outcome from the film -- the flip side being that I would have never picked this book up had I not seen the movie (and there are at least four cookie recipes in here that I'm dying to try!). The road to discovering the identity of the killer menacing Lake Eden is a circuitous, rather predictable one. A cozy mystery isn't supposed to drag, but the pacing felt off and the investigative rabbit trails Hannah follows began to wear thin and have me questioning her alleged smarts by the novel's final act. That said, I loved seeing Hannah's relationship with her polar-opposite sister develop and strengthen over the course of the novel. I also appreciated how Fluke touched on subjects of domestic abuse with the frankness and sensitivity such material warrants while staying true to the overall lighter tone of the book.

This is a cute, fast read, though more skimmable and less engaging than I'd hoped. That said, contemporary cozy mysteries are somewhat outside my reading norm, and I can see the appeal of the conceit Fluke has captured within these pages -- spunky heroine + sweets + mystery = endless possibilities, much like the recipes Hannah loves to develop for her shop. There is the promise of romantic possibilities here, as the local dentist and the new detective compete for Hannah's affections (right now I'm pulling for the detective, but with eighteen books and counting in this series I have little hope that triangle is anywhere close to a resolution), and the day-to-day workings of her business provide an enjoyable -- dare I say tasty -- framework to the series. This isn't a world I'll revisit any time soon, but the next time I'm in the mood for some fluffy, sugary-inspired escapism, I'll keep Hannah's further adventures in mind.

About the book:

Joanne Fluke’s bestselling Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is coming to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Mystery starring Alison Sweeney, Cameron Mathison, Gabriel Hogan and Barbara Niven.

Take one amateur sleuth. Mix in some eccentric Minnesota locals. Add a generous dollop of crackling suspense, and you've got the recipe for this delicious new mystery series featuring Hannah Swensen, the red-haired, cookie-baking heroine whose gingersnaps are almost as tart as her mouth and whose penchant for solving crime is definitely stirring things up.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

Hannah already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother's attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden's most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah's famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can't get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down a killer. But if she doesn't watch her back, Hannah's sweet life may get burned to a crisp.

Review: A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden #2)
By: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Berkley
ASIN: B000XPPVB0

Review:

In the months following the series of murders that led to the dissolution of the Real Murders club, Aurora "Roe" Teagarden lost a boyfriend, gained a stepfather, and attended more than her fair share of weddings. Life looked -- perish the thought! -- predictably spinster-ish, until Jane Engle, erstwhile library volunteer and Real Murders enthusiast, dies and leaves the bulk of her estate to Roe. Since Roe never considered Jane more than a casual acquaintance, the unexpected windfall is a shock -- but not an entirely unwelcome one. But Roe's excitement over the options her new, moneyed status opens for her future are quickly tempered by the suspicion that this gift is more than a happy accident of fate. Jane left her everything for a purpose...and when she discovers a battered human skull hidden in Jane's house, Roe realizes that her very survival may depend on uncovering the unassuming Jane's darkest secrets...

After reading the first Roe Teagarden mystery, Real Murders, in preparation for the Hallmark film series, I couldn't resist moving on to the second installment (and the first story adapted for television). While I missed the club that first introduced Roe to crime-solving, this is a solid second outing, if lacking some of the sense of quirky community that existed between Roe and her fellow crime aficionados. But what it may lack in cozy mystery charm, it makes up for with a chick lit sensibility that provides some of Roe's most relatable moments. This is light chick lit, in keeping with the cozy genre, but it works, giving Roe a much needed, sassy single edge to her personality. I just hope that her potential romance with Aubrey, her stepfather's Episcopalian priest, continues because he is ADORBS.

What the mystery of the skull in Jane's window seat lacks in cleverness or depth it makes up for in atmosphere, as this menacing, unwanted discovery forces Roe to re-examine her assumptions about Jane as well as her new neighbors. I found Roe's reluctance to admit to finding the skull -- critical evidence in a murder investigation -- frankly beyond belief, but this isn't a series that exactly relies on logic or due process. Roe's adventures are perfect for when one craves a few hours of escapist entertainment with a few chills thrown in for good measure. I'm sorry to see Roe leave her library job behind after this monetary windfall, but Roe's bookish charm is so thoroughly ingrained in her character I can't foresee her forsaking her love of literature any time soon...or so I hope! Looking forward to seeing more of Roe's adventures on-screen and in print!

About the book: 

Death comes calling on a small-town librarian whose life is passing her by. 

Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's fortunes change when a deceased acquaintance names her as heir to a rather substantial estate, including money, jewelry, and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat. Roe concludes that the elderly women has purposely left her a murder to solve. So she must identify the victim and figure out which one of her new, ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer-without putting herself in deadly danger.

Review: The Captive by Thomas Locke

The Captive (Legends of the Realm #0.5)
By: Thomas Locke
Publisher: Revell
ASIN: B00O7VZEUO

Review:

The Long Hall serves as both Joelle's refuge and prison, for years earlier she was brought to the wizards and wizards-in-training who called the hall home, near death, one of the last of her kin. Though many wished her dead, a problem best avoided, Joelle found one ally -- Trace, the Master of the mages, her protector, friend, and mentor. A child of two worlds, Joelle may be an outcast, but she possesses the power to see beyond the physical realm. Though the full extent of her powers are untapped, even feared, Joelle resolves to leverage her relationship with Trace to gain the strength to leave the Long Hall forever. For she's seen the future -  malevolent mage is gathering power, threatening the safety of her enforced refuge, leaving Joelle more determined than ever to escape and meet her fate as a free woman.

Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn, a name that should be familiar to anyone who has followed Christian fiction in the last twenty years. I was thrilled to discover that The Captive and its follow-up marks his first foray into high fantasy in years, and as an avid fan of a genre that seems all too slim in faith-based circles I'm always on the lookout for a fresh voice. The Captive is a wildly promising introduction to Locke's Realm series, whetting readers' appetites for more information about Joelle's mysterious past and the role of magic in the Realm. However, I'm concerned that Joelle isn't the main focus of Emissary, so I'm a bit puzzled by the choice to introduce this world through her eyes only to shift perspective in the first novel. That concern aside, this is an engaging introduction to Locke's world, and I look forward to seeing the seeds of conflict planted here further developed in the follow-up. There is a delicious medieval sensibility to Locke's world-building, a blend suggestive of Middle Earth with a dash of Arthurian legends -- a satisfying, intriguing introduction!

About the book:

The only remnant of Joelle's former life is her name.
The only hint of her future is a foreboding vision of darkness.
And her only hope is a man she has yet to meet.

One of the last of a disappearing race, Joelle spends her days as a prisoner of the Long Hall, sweeping corridors and dusting scrolls while young wizards learn to ply their trade. In the dark of night, she practices the magical arts that are forbidden to one of her kind, hoping to soon break the spell that holds her captive. 

But an evil is growing beyond the enchanted stone walls. Joelle will need much more than her own skills to escape it. Someone is coming for her. And when he arrives, he will change everything.

This short ebook excerpted from Emissary gives you a magical glimpse into the Realm--and the heroes who will stop at nothing to save it.

Review: Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault and illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia

Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper
By: Charles Perrault
Illustrated by: Camille Rose Garcia
Publisher: Harper Design
ISBN: 978-0062333919

Review:

Prior to the release of Disney's gorgeous new Cinderella, I stumbled across this new storybook edition of the classic story by Charles Perrault, lavishly illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia. I'm not going to comment on the story here (which I love), but rather on this volume's effectiveness as a vehicle for transmitting the classic story in a fresh way. On that score, Garcia succeeds in spades. this is a gorgeous volume, filled with eye-popping swathes of color on every spread. The illustrations bring the Cinderella story to life with all of the quirk, charm, and energy of a Tim Burton film, sure to appeal to readers looking for something outside the norm represented by more traditional incarnations of the famous rags-to-riches princess. Whether you are looking to add Perrault's original classic to your library for the first time or expand on your collection, this beautifully illustrated hardback is a worthy addition to the ever-expanding world of fairy tale related literature. 

About the book:

"Do not stay past midnight. If you remain at the ball a minute longer, your coach will again become a pumpkin."

Initially published in 1697, Charles Perrault's Cinderella is one of the most beloved and widely known fairy tales. Cinderella has been ordered into servitude by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, but when a costume ball is held for the kingdom's marriageable prince, Cinderella's fairy godmother gives her the chance to attend—disguised as a lavishly dressed and bejeweled princess. But Cinderella must depart at the stroke of midnight, lest her fine clothes turn to rags and her coach to a simple garden pumpkin. In her flight, she leaves a tiny glass slipper in her wake—the lovelorn prince's only clue to her identity. Will he find her?

This new gift edition presents the unabridged version of the Perrault tale, with the bewitching, brilliantly colored illustrations of renowned artist Camille Rose Garcia.

Review: Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Real Murders (Aurora Teagardent Mystery #1)
By: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Berkley
ASIN: B000W917LU

Review:

I must confess, I'd never even heard of Aurora Teagarden until I started seeing advertisements for a new film on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel (which is kind of my default "background noise" station, because seriously can you ever have too many Murder She Wrote re-runs? No, obvs...). And even then, nothing in the trailer clued me into the fact that it was a book series, until I finally did a google search on the name and discovered that not only was the upcoming film inspired by a series of books, but the main character was a LIBRARIAN. My book loving heart was overcome -- this is total cozy mystery catnip for the likes of me, people!

Real Murders is the first installment of Aurora's sleuthing adventures, and it is so 1990s it was giving me all the nostalgic feels. No internet! Phones on CORDS attached to WALLS! Not to mention Aurora's fashion sense. *wink* Aurora (also called Roe) is all of 4'11" with coke-bottle glasses and a mass of hair she usually keeps tame with a braid...quiet and bookish and perfectly ordinary. She's content with her lot in life until her existence is upended with a terrifying splash of murder, the likes of which she's only found in her true crime books. Her passion for history and mystery met its outlet in the Real Murders Club, a diverse group of locals who met once a month to discuss a historical murder case or related crime-solving topic. But when one of the club members turns up dead, the body staged to mimic that meeting's topic -- the Julia Wallace murder -- Roe's amateur passion for murder casts an unwelcome and all too real shadow over her carefully ordered life. Soon the perpetually-single Aurora is juggling not one but two potential boyfriends, all while wondering which member of her criminally savvy fellow club members decided to take their passion for history's more gruesome chapters and bring it to life in her hometown...and where, and how, would they strike next?

If you're craving the mystery equivalent of comfort food, Real Murders contains all the ingredients to satisfy one's craving for a mystery cozy -- a plucky heroine, a quirky small town, a dash of romantic possibility, and a few red herrings. Roe is a likable lead, if not particularly well-rounded, and the supporting players are typical of the assortment that normally populates stories of this ilk -- the flirt, the jock, etc. While not particularly groundbreaking Real Murders is an altogether pleasant way with which to while away a few hours. It may lack some of the finesse of a Christie novel, but it more than makes up for any predictability with its action-packed final act. This series has promise, and its premise makes it perfect material for a series of telefilms, all guaranteeing I'll revisit Aurora's world soon!

About the book: 

Though a small town at heart, Lawrenceton, Georgia, has its dark side-and crime buffs. One of whom is librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden, a member of the Real Murders Club, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. It's a harmless pastime-until the night she finds a member killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss. And as other brutal "copycat" killings follow, Roe will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects-or potential victims.

Review: The Desert Princess by Jill Eileen Smith

The Desert Princess (The Loves of King Solomon #1)
By: Jill Eileen Smith
Publisher: Revell
ASIN: B00GHXRCSW

Review:

I've been long overdue for the opportunity to read a Jill Eileen Smith novel. Having devoured all three installments of her first series, The Wives of King David, her subsequent stories have -- sadly -- found themselves lost in my toppling to-be-read pile. Happily, The Desert Princess provides the perfect solution for those like myself craving a quick trip into her richly-imagined biblical world. This brief novella is the first of a proposed series exploring the Solomon through the eyes of the women in his life. And with 700 wives and princesses and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), Smith has a veritable wealth of potential "loves" from which to choose her characters...but with a catch. Compared to the sheer number of women in his life, the verses devoted to fleshing out any of their characters and experiences are incredibly sparse. But Smith has more than earned the right to a little artistic license in my view, for her stories exploring the lives of Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba reflect her knowledge, understanding, and passion for scripture and the history reflected within its pages.

The Desert Princess tells the story of Naamah the Ammonite, mentioned once in scripture as the mother of Solomon's son, Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:21). Smith sets her story during one of the most turbulent periods of David's reign -- when he fled Jerusalem from his son Absalom. She posits that Shobi the Ammonite who provisioned David and his company, mentioned in 2 Samuel 17:27, could have been Naamah's father -- and thus Solomon's introduction to the woman who would bear his heir. And thus the stage is set for a lovesick princess to fall in love with David's favorite son. There's more supposition than fact here, which I am typically intolerant of in biblical fiction. However, Smith has little to go on when characterizing Naamah, so allowances must be made.

My biggest issue with this novella is that it is simply too short to do justice to Smith's talent for bringing biblical stories to life within the pages of her writing. That aside, this is a promising start to the Solomon series, as she uses the heavily fictionalized Naamah to frame Solomon at a critical point in his youth -- favored but not yet proclaimed David's heir. Naamah's interactions with Solomon hint at the wisdom to come by revealing his facility for wordplay as well as his penchant for pleasure. I look forward to discovering how Smith both frames an older Solomon in further novellas and gives a plausible, sympathetic voice to the now silent women who once inhabited his world.

About the book:

Solomon captured her heart. But can she hold on to his?

King David is running for his life with his young son Solomon in tow when Naamah first encounters the prince. Her father is loyal to the king, and that loyalty will be sealed years later--through the marriage of Solomon and Naamah. 

For her part, Naamah is happy to wed the handsome prince and enter into palace life. But all is not well in Jerusalem. Solomon must navigate constant threats to his life--even from within the palace walls. And when peace is restored, can Naamah ever be truly happy as she watches the love of her life taking more wives?

Join bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith as she weaves a tale of young love, heartbreaking betrayal, and the power of forgiveness, all against the vivid backdrop of one of the most tumultuous times in Israel's history.

Review: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Mr. Kiss and Tell (Veronica Mars #2)
By: Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham
Publisher: Vintage
ASIN: B00KAFX8HM

Review:

Since Veronica's return to Neptune and work as a private investigator, her life has settled into a regular rhythm of Daddy-Daughter dinners (now including Logan, recently returned from his latest deployment), co-running Mars Investigations, and continuing to strive to be the biggest thorn possible in Sheriff Dan Lamb's side. For if there is one constant in Neptune, it's the corruption under-pinning the city's veneer of wealth and respectability. Riding high on the success of Weevil's exoneration, she and her father begin to brainstorm how to take Weevil's case further, transforming him into a symbol of the systemic corruption in the sheriff's department. But Veronica's latest solo success has gained her a measure of notoriety, and the offer of a (lucrative) solo job investigating possible fraudulent insurance claim against the Neptune Grand Hotel. 

Grace Manning (fans of the show will remember her as the younger sister of Meg, featuring in the "Donut Run" episode), the victim of a vicious rape, was left with no memories of the attack, until memories began to resurface and she accused a Neptune Grand employee. The deeper Veronica digs, the more she begins to realize that Grace's attack may be the tip of the iceberg. Driven by her own demons, Veronica digs ever deeper, determined to stop a monster from hurting one more girl -- but the cost may be more than she's willing to pay, as her drive to succeed threatens to disrupt the fragile balance she's achieved since returning to Neptune. 

Following the release of the Kickstarter-backed film, I was thrilled when Rob Thomas furthered his commitment to Veronica Mars with the promise of a series of original novels. The first, The Thousand Dollar Tan Line, was a fabulous addition to the world of the show, sliding seamlessly into place as a literary extension to the film world. I sped through Thomas and Graham's first collaboration and was immediately left wanting more -- but concerned that lightning this good surely couldn't strike twice. Book versions of beloved television shows aren't supposed to be this compulsively readable and addictive. But I was -- no surprise -- wrong.

Mr. Kiss-and-Tell is vintage Veronica Mars, delving deep into the seedy underbelly society and stripping away the glossy veneer of Neptune's culture of wealth and privilege. This book is everything I want in a Mars story - dark, twisty plotting, razor-sharp characterizations, nail-biting suspense, and a healthy dose of Logan-related relationship goodness. With a serial rapist as the focus of the central case, this book is necessarily darker in tone, and though difficult at times to read it fits with Veronica's noir-tinged history. This is especially true in how the case is resolved -- when it comes to crime in Neptune, life -- and justice -- is rarely as black-or-white as one might like, instead often meted out in shades of gray.

Woven throughout Veronica's investigation are the wonderful character moments that have come to define the series. Where the first novel focused on Veronica's relationship with Keith, this novel's primary relational focus is on her renewed romance with Logan. The exploration of the struggles facing military couples was brutally real and honest, and I absolutely adore where this series of novels is taking these characters that I love so much -- it's the next best thing until the next film, eh Rob Thomas? :) 

Veronica's relationship with Logan is a piercing ray of light in her shadowy world. It's a hope this natural born cynic with a marshmallow-soft heart will need to survive in the ever-evolving world of Neptune's criminal and social whirl. This series is a masterclass in how to do tie-in fiction right -- compelling stories, pitch-perfect characters, and chilling suspense -- and I need more, as the opportunity to live within Veronica's world for a brief span will never, ever grow old. 

About the book:

In the second book in the New York Times bestselling mystery series, Veronica Mars is back with a case that will expose the hidden workings of one of Neptune’s most murderous locations.

The Neptune Grand has always been the seaside town’s ritziest hotel, despite the shady dealings and high-profile scandals that seem to follow its elite guests. When a woman claims that she was brutally assaulted in one of its rooms and left for dead by a staff member, the owners know that they have a potential powder keg on their hands. They turn to Veronica to disprove—or prove—the woman's story.
 
The case is a complicated mix of hard facts, mysterious occurrences, and uncooperative witnesses. The hotel refuses to turn over its reservation list and the victim won’t divulge who she was meeting that night. Add in the facts that the attack happened months ago, the victim’s memory is fuzzy, and there are holes in the hotel’s surveillance system, and Veronica has a convoluted mess on her hands. As she works to fill in the missing pieces, it becomes clear that someone is lying—but who? And why?

Review: The Vow by Jody Hedlund

The Vow (An Uncertain Choice #0.5)
By: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Zondervan
ASIN: B00S4NQVKS

Review:

Jody Hedlund's books have long been on my radar, but until recently time (and my overwhelming TBR stack) did not see me diving into her writing. But with the upcoming release of her first young adult medieval, An Uncertain Choice, rapidly approaching (seriously, March 3rd cannot come soon enough to suit me!), I knew 2015 would have to be the year I finally discovered why Hedlund has such an enthusiastic following. If you don't believe me, check out the #HedlundChallenge2015 on Twitter!

The Vow introduces fourteen-year old Rosemarie on the cusp of womanhood, the beloved only child and heir of her parents, beginning to consider her future as heir and the type of marriage she hopes to one day make. Her dreams of love are fueled by a visit from Lord Thomas, the handsome son of a neighboring baron. But just as she starts to dream of a future with the young nobleman, her lands are hit with an outbreak of plague. Forced into seclusion, Rosemarie chafes against the protective restrictions her parents have placed around her, never dreaming that the plague may cost her the lives of her family. Facing a future as a leader far too soon, Rosemarie's world is rocked once again when she discovers her future is not a matter of choice, but predetermined by her parents' secret, sacred vow -- leaving Rosemarie struggling to reconcile her dreams with her parents' inheritance.

This slim novella served as the perfect introduction to Hedlund's writing, and the world and characters to be found within the pages of her upcoming medieval. The Vow's crisp prose and pitch-perfect characterization (LOVE the sweetness to Rosemarie and Thomas's budding romance!) quickly immersed me in the romance, pageantry, and courtliness of Hedlund's medieval world. Refreshingly, she pulls no punches in the realism department, sensitively addressing the expectations facing a young teenage noblewoman during this time period, a reality that is foreign to modern sensibilities. Another potential shock to contemporary readers' sensibilities is Hedlund's fleeting, but graphic, acknowledgement of medieval torture methods (one word: RATS).

If this forty-odd page introduction to Rosemarie is any indication, Hedlund's YA debut is sure to be a flawlessly researched, tightly-plotted, heart-stopping romance, with a potential appeal sure to extend Hedlund's fanbase beyond the inspy market. I for one cannot wait for the release of An Uncertain Choice in March, and am more determined than ever to make good on my long-overdue resolution to finally dive into Hedlund's backlist!

About the book:

In this ebook historical romance novella by Jody Hedlund, young Rosemarie finds herself drawn to Thomas, the son of the nearby baron. But just as her feelings begin to grow, a man carrying the Plague interrupts their hunting party. While in forced isolation, Rosemarie begins to contemplate her future—could it include Thomas? Could he be the perfect man to one day rule beside her and oversee her parents’ lands? 

Then Rosemarie is summoned back to her castle in haste. The disease has spread, and her family is threatened. And the secret she discovers when she returns could change her future forever.

This novella also serves as a prequel to Jody Hedlund’s An Uncertain Choice.

Review: First Impressions by Charlie Lovett

I'm SO excited to share that today I'm over at Austenprose sharing a review of First Impressions by Charlie Lovett! I was thoroughly charmed by this novel -- a delicious, dual-time narrative examining the inspiration for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the contemporary world of rare books! You can check out my review of the novel HERE. Enjoy!

Review: Scandalized by a Scoundrel by Erin Knightley

Scandalized by a Scoundrel (All's Fair in Love #2)
By: Erin Knightley
Publisher: CreateSpace/Amazon
ASIN: B00GN4LTWK

Review:

The third son of a titled Englishman and an American mother, Gabriel Winters has little reason to love his father's homeland or appreciate the privileges to which he is now entitled as the newly-minted heir. Ostracized his entire life for his American blood, Gabriel was never expected to inherit -- but when his two older half-brothers died, duty forced him to return to England and claim the title he never wanted. Following his friend Nicholas's wedding, Gabriel vows to return to America to choose a bride, determining that in this most personal of choices, the wishes of his blue-blooded extended family would be thwarted once and for all. But when he finds himself on the receiving end of Miss Amelia Watson's impressively wielded pistol, he finds all of his preconceived notions about well-born British females threatened by her spirit. When he discovers the secret hiding behind Amelia's bold demeanor, he offers his expertise -- lessons in hand-to-hand fighting techniques -- and friendship. But can a scoundrel with a chip on his shoulder ever hope to earn the trust of a wounded woman whose walls protect not only her secrets, but her family's honor?

After her mother's death at the hands of highwaymen when she was only thirteen, Amelia has spent years fighting to overcome the specter of fear brought into her life by that senseless act of violence. Losing her mother left her father crippled by anxiety, and Amelia saw her dreams of a future slip away as she made the transition from child to caregiver before she reached adulthood. Loathing the pity her family tragedy garners everywhere her story is known, at first Gabriel proves to be a refreshing antidote to her usual circle of acquaintance. Their sparring helps her to forget, however briefly, that she has too long been known as one marked by tragedy and consequently to be pitied for it.

Gabriel's unorthodox offer to teach her hand-to-hand fighting techniques first shocks and then intrigues Amelia, but she welcomes the chance to expand her personal arsenal of self-defense techniques. Gabriel hopes to assuage his guilt over judging her initial response to him, clinging to his plan to marry an American heiress, sure a feisty spinster could never compromise his well-laid plans. But as the lessons give way to the intimacy of close comradeship, sparks of a more dangerous, romantic sort begin to fly. When secrets are revealed, can these two wounded hearts seize a chance at a wholly unexpected love story?

After falling in love with Erin Knightley's writing in Ruined by a Rake, I immediately downloaded the next two novellas in the All's Fair in Love series, and I'm happy to report that this sequel does not disappoint! Picking up shortly after Nicholas and Eleanor's swoon-worthy romance, here Knightley sees them preparing for their wedding, moving the spotlight to a pair of the happy couple's unlikely - - but oh-so-perfectly matched -- friends. Knightley is fast proving to be a master of the novella format, delivering all of the humor, character and plot development (with the exception of Nicholas and Eleanor, who seem a little "bland" now that they are relegated to supporting players), and swoon-worthy romance that one craves in a full-length novel in a scant one hundred or so pages. These stories are refreshingly intense, fast reads, romances crafted with equal parts passion and restraint.

Amelia's relationship with her father is reminiscent of Austen's Emma and Mr. Woodhouse, though lacking a significant degree of that heroine's confidence. In eight short chapters, Knightley manages to sketch a convincing, nuanced portrait of a woman equal parts scarred by past trauma but craving independence and the strength to not be defined by her past. Through Gabriel's self-defense lessons, Amelia gains the confidence to emotionally thrive. And while the progression of her relationship with Gabriel may seem contrived, especially given the rules that governed proper social interaction between the sexes during the time period, Knightley presents the lessons with a restraint that lends their method of connecting with each other a genuine authenticity. This is a romance, yes -- but for every nod to the Darcy-esque, wounded hero tropes this is above all a story about inspiring the heroine to live life to the fullest.

With Scandalized by a Scoundrel, Knightly is fast becoming my go-to author for a sweet, swoon-worthy romance. Thus far, her stories have all the passion and humor one could want, and non of the spicier, envelope-pushing scenes found in other romances of this ilk that may deter some readers. This is such a refreshing read, not only in its development of the romance but in its treatment of fear. It is rushed due to the length restrictions of the novella format, but Amelia's journey from fear to empowerment is saturated with authentic hope. And isn't that, after all, part of the eternal draw of these tales -- the hope of acceptance and a safe haven at the end of a romantic journey.

About the book:

In all his years in the army, Lord Gabriel Winters never once would have described an opponent as beautiful. But when he finds himself staring down the barrel of Miss Amelia Watson’s pistol, it’s the only word that comes to mind. Despite her clear distrust of him—and not to mention his own determination to avoid English women at all costs—Gabriel is more than intrigued by his friend’s bold neighbor.

Amelia has plenty of reasons to distrust strangers, and the broad-shouldered, devilishly handsome viscount deserves no exception. But when he challenges her to lay down her weapon and learn to fight in a new way, she finds herself capitulating. He may be a scoundrel, but he’s also the first person in years to look at her without the blasted pity she hates so much.

Though the lessons start out innocently enough, the heady pull of attraction soon gets in the way. They’re as incompatible as water and gunpowder, so why is she suddenly looking forward to the thought of being . . . Scandalized by a Scoundrel?