Tag: england

Mini-Reviews: Player, Curses, Porter

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Stella Riley, The Player

Due to a scandalous tragedy, Adrian Devereux has spent the past 10 years living abroad, working as an actor and gambler. But now his brother, the Earl of Sarre, has died, so he must return to England and assume the title. There he learns that Marcus Sheringham, the man who betrayed him and forced him into exile, has huge gambling debts and must marry an heiress to avoid ruin. As Adrian gets to know Caroline, the heiress in question, he becomes convinced she’s too good for Marcus — and he certainly isn’t averse to a little revenge — so he devises an elaborate plot to marry Caroline himself. I’m so glad I discovered Stella Riley, because I’ve been loving her books — I devoured this one in a single sitting! While the plot is absurdly melodramatic, and I’m not usually a fan of the revenge-seduction trope, I loved Adrian and Caroline so much that I didn’t care. The most important thing for me in a romance is that I believe the main characters are truly right for each other, and I definitely got that with this book. Can’t wait for the next one!

Lish McBride, Curses

Lady Merit Cravan has been cursed to take the form of a beast, and she can only break the curse if she marries before her 18th birthday. Though Merit doesn’t expect love, she’s worried about making a bad choice, so she asks Tevin DuMont, a handsome but penniless con artist, for help evaluating her suitors. He’s made his living by charming rich young women, then accepting bribes from their parents to stay away, so he’s the perfect person to help unmask insincere fortune hunters. But as Merit and Tevin get to know each other better, their inconvenient feelings may ruin everything. I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, and this one is unique in that the genders are flipped. But much as I liked Merit, I was far more interested in Tevin and the rest of his ramshackle family. (Especially his brother, Amaury — fingers crossed for a sequel where he’s the hero!) Instead of following the curse/marriage drama, I’d rather have followed the DuMonts on their adventures! Still, this is a fun read, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the fairy tale.

AJ Pearce, Mrs. Porter Calling

In the spring of 1943, things are going well for Emmy Lake. Though her husband, Charles, is away at war, she enjoys living with her friends Bunty and Thelma, and she finds fulfillment in her job at Woman’s Friend magazine. That changes, however, when the magazine’s new publisher, a rich socialite named Mrs. Porter, begins suggesting changes that cater to the frivolous concerns of the wealthy rather than the issues the magazine’s readers really care about. As Emmy and her friends fight to save the magazine, another tragedy of war strikes, forcing them to reexamine their priorities. I’m continuing to enjoy this series, which manages to be upbeat and positive without sugarcoating the war’s harsh realities. Emmy and her friends are lovable characters worth rooting for. Her editor, Guy Collins, remains a favorite, and I hope I smell a hint of romance for him in future books! I’d definitely recommend this series to fans of the period, but start with book #1, Dear Mrs. Bird.

Mini-Reviews: Phillip, Private, Do-Over

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Julia Quinn, To Sir Phillip, with Love

This installment of the Bridgerton series features Eloise, a lively and opinionated young woman who has never lacked suitors, but who somehow finds herself still unmarried at 28. She strikes up a correspondence with Sir Phillip Crane, who was married to her distant cousin Marina until the latter’s death, and is intrigued when he asks her to visit and see whether they might be well suited for marriage. But when Eloise meets Sir Phillip, he’s nothing like she imagined — he’s gruff and taciturn and distant, even from his two children, who are clearly desperate for his attention. Can such a man be a good match for the talkative, affectionate Eloise? The Bridgerton books have been hit or miss for me, but I really liked this one. Phillip’s backstory is difficult, and his reactions (especially to the death of his first wife) are not always sympathetic, but they are understandable. I loved him and Eloise together, and I think they bring out the best in each other. I also liked the brief appearance of several of the Bridgerton brothers; it was nice to be reminded of Eloise’s close relationships with her siblings. This is definitely one of my favorites in the series thus far!

Darcie Wilde, A Purely Private Matter

Rosalind Thorne once again finds herself embroiled in mystery and scandal when Margaretta Seymore appeals to her for help. Her husband is convinced she’s having an affair with the famous actor Fletcher Cavendish — and he’s planning to sue Cavendish to get monetary damages for the harm caused by the alleged adultery. Margaretta denies the affair and wants Rosalind to stop the accusation from causing a public scandal. But things get more complicated when Cavendish is murdered and suspicion inevitably falls on the Seymores. I liked book one in this series, but I think my enthusiasm is already starting to wane a bit. The mystery plot felt too cluttered, and the book needed a better editor — I noticed not only typos but a few significant continuity errors. Still, I like Rosalind and am curious to see how her personal life will unfold, so I’ll continue with the series for now.

Lynn Painter, The Do-Over

Emilie has planned the perfect Valentine’s Day, but things go wrong almost immediately when she gets into a car accident with Nick, her surly chemistry lab partner. Then she gets passed over for an internship she was counting on, and worst of all, she spies her boyfriend kissing his ex. Emilie is relieved when the awful day is done — but when she wakes up the next morning, it’s February 14 again, and she ends up reliving her awful Valentine’s Day over and over. As she tries to escape the time loop, she learns some important things about herself — and about Nick, who always seems to be along for the ride. I’ve enjoyed all of Lynn Painter’s books, and this YA romance is no exception. I especially liked the banter between Emilie and Nick, although he’s a bit too dreamy to be a realistic teenage boy. The book touches on some serious topics like divorce and grief, but the overall tone is upbeat and fun. Recommended if you just want to read something that puts a smile on your face!

Mini-Reviews: Orchid, Leopard, Between

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Lauren Willig, The Orchid Affair

After spending the past 16 years as a governess, Laura Grey is eager to be sent on her first mission for the Pink Carnation. To her dismay, she’ll be posing as a governess — but her real job will be to spy on her pupils’ father, André Jaouen, who works for Bonaparte’s ministry of police. André is keeping many secrets, and as Laura discovers where his loyalties truly lie, she also finds herself increasingly drawn to him. This is another enjoyable installment of the Pink Carnation series. I liked seeing how the French Revolution and rise of Napoleon affected the people who were experiencing it firsthand. I also enjoyed the romance between Laura and André, who have both experienced hardship and gained wisdom from it. The book’s pacing is a bit slow, though, and I just didn’t love it quite as much as some others in the series. Still, I’m glad to have revisited this one!

Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, Leopard in Exile

This sequel to The Shadow of Albion finds most of the principal characters in America, known in this universe as New Albion. Sarah, now the Duchess of Wessex, travels to Baltimore to help her friend Meriel, whose husband Louis (the lost dauphin of France) has gone missing. The Duke of Wessex follows his wife, but he’s also been given a spy mission he may or may not choose to complete. And the evil sorcerer the Marquis de Sade is seeking the Holy Grail, rumored to be in the French colony of Louisianne, which will give him unimaginable demonic power. After I loved the previous book so much, it’s not surprising that this one was a bit of a letdown. While the setting is unique and fascinating, I got weary of all the world-building, especially when it slowed down the narrative. Also, I wanted more character interaction and development; I particularly felt the lack thereof in Sarah and Wessex’s relationship. That said, I’m still glad to have read the book and sorry the series won’t continue.

Mhairi McFarlane, Between Us

Roisin has been dating Joe, a successful TV writer, for nearly a decade, but lately she’s been thinking about breaking up. The problem is that they’re both part of a tight-knit friend group, and she doesn’t feel like she has a good enough reason to dump him. But things come to a head when the friend group gathers to watch Joe’s new TV show, which contains scenes straight from Roisin’s life, including private details about her dysfunctional family. After this betrayal, Roisin begins to wonder if she ever really knew Joe at all. I’m a McFarlane fan and enjoyed this latest book very much, but those expecting a light contemporary romance will be disappointed. Though there is a very sweet love story, the vast majority of the plot centers around Roisin’s relationship with Joe and her growing knowledge of his true character. McFarlane likes to explore the ways men can abuse and exploit women, so the focus on Joe is not surprising, but I would have liked a little more emphasis on Roisin’s new romance and her complicated family dynamics.

Mini-Reviews: Wedding, Healer, Falling

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Mary Simses, The Wedding Thief

Sara and her younger sister, Mariel, have never really gotten along. They haven’t even spoken for the past year and a half — ever since Mariel stole Sara’s boyfriend, Carter. Now Mariel and Carter are getting married, and when her mom tricks her into coming home for the wedding, Sara seizes the opportunity for a little sabotage. But as she reluctantly reconnects with Mariel, she begins to see her life and relationships in a new light. I liked the premise of this book, but the execution was lacking. Sara is 38 but acts like an immature teenager for most of the book, switching up the seating chart, giving the caterer the wrong order, and so on. But Mariel is even worse, and I didn’t buy the book’s attempts to redeem her in the end. I did like Sara’s new love interest, though I couldn’t quite figure out what he saw in her. Overall, I was disappointed in this book and won’t seek out more by the author.

Claudia J. Edwards, Eldrie the Healer

Eldrie is the illegitimate daughter of a king, but she left home at 16 to get away from her indifferent father, odious half-brothers, and the burdens of royalty. She’s much happier traveling alone from place to place, practicing her craft as a healer. When she teams up with Huard, a skilled hunter and loyal companion, Eldrie finds she enjoys his company. But as they meet new people and encounter various perils, she reluctantly realizes that her destiny lies in her home country. This is a book I really enjoyed for about the first half, when Eldrie and Huard are having adventures and getting to know each other better. But the plot (OK, the romance) takes a turn I didn’t expect or particularly like. And in the end, almost nothing is resolved; it’s clear that this book was intended to be the first in a series, but the author sadly passed away before writing any further installments. So while this book had a lot of promise, it ultimately left me disappointed.

Diane Farr, Falling for Chloe

Chloe and Gil grew up together and are the best of friends, but neither considers the other a romantic prospect. When a chance thunderstorm forces them to take shelter in a cottage together overnight, however, they are forced into an engagement. Though not actually intending to marry Gil, Chloe uses the opportunity to visit his sister, Tish, in London, and help repair her shaky marriage. The biggest problem seems to be Tish’s infatuation with the rakish and charming Lord Rival, but Chloe’s attempt to divert his attention goes awry when she is drawn to him herself. After a few lackluster reads, this light Regency romance was such a breath of fresh air! I adored Chloe and Gil and found their journey from friends to lovers both believable and satisfying. The bits from Lord Rival’s POV made me roll my eyes a little — clearly he’ll have his own book — but overall, I really enjoyed this one! Definitely recommend, especially for fans of steamless historicals.

Mini-Reviews: Sounded, Only, Wed

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Nina Kenwood, It Sounded Better in My Head

Eighteen-year-old Natalie is having a rough time: She’s waiting to find out whether she’s been accepted to university. Her best friends, Zach and Lucy, have recently begun dating each other, making her feel like a third wheel. Worst of all, her parents have just told her they’re breaking up, and she never suspected a thing. As she deals with these challenges and her overwhelming feelings about them, she also develops an unexpected crush on Zach’s older brother, Alex. But her insecurities and lack of experience threaten to derail their romance before it begins. This YA novel, told from Natalie’s POV, really captures the big and urgent and sometimes painful feelings of adolescence. It’s also quite funny, and I both liked and related to Natalie. So if you enjoy the occasional young adult book with a bit of romance, I’d recommend this one.

Lacie Waldon, The Only Game in Town

The idyllic town of Redford, Georgia, gets a shake-up when its eccentric benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, dies. His will leaves $10 million to an unspecified Redford resident, and the townspeople must compete in a series of bizarre challenges to win the fortune. Freelance editor Jess Reid has big plans for that money, but she’s dismayed to be teamed up with her longtime nemesis, Nikki. Meanwhile, Jasper’s grandson, Carter, is visiting from Atlanta and gets roped into the game also. Jess and Carter are drawn to each other, but the competition, plus the fact that Carter will eventually leave town, may prevent their romance. This novel really goes all in on small-town charm and quirky-yet-lovable townspeople. I thought it was cute (caveat, I’ve never lived in a small town), but others may find it too saccharine or too unrealistic. I liked that the book jumps between several points of view, including that of seemingly villainous Nikki. And the Jess/Carter romance is sweet, though a bit sidelined for all the Westing Game-esque hijinks. Overall, I liked this one and may try another book by the author.

Susanna Craig, Better Off Wed

Outraged by men who sexually harass and rape their female servants, Laura Hopkins has decided to fight back. Using the alias Lady Sterling, she infiltrates the lives of these men and learns their blackmail-worthy secrets so that they’ll never repeat their crimes. En route to her latest target, Laura meets British intelligence officer Jeremy Addison — who also happens to be Lord Sterling. His assignment is to find out what she’s up to and possibly offer her a job. As the two work together, they’re forced to pretend to be married, but their fake relationship soon becomes all too real. I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, and I liked this one too, but nothing about it really stands out to me. Fans of historical romance who want a light, undemanding read they can finish in an afternoon will probably enjoy the book, but I’m not feeling particularly enthusiastic about it.

Mini-Reviews: Scandal, French, Murder

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Sophie Irwin, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal

Ten years ago, Eliza Courtenay married the wealthy Earl of Somerset out of duty to her family, even though she was in love with Somerset’s nephew at the time. The marriage was restrictive and unhappy, but now the earl has died and left Eliza unexpectedly rich. She decides to take control of her life and set up her own household in Bath. But her newfound independence comes with complications, especially when she’s torn between her old love (who is now the earl) and the charming yet scandalous Lord Melville. I greatly enjoyed Irwin’s debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting, so I had high hopes for this one, but it never quite grabbed me. I liked the development of the love triangle, where Eliza’s choice of man reflects her choice about what kind of life she really wants. But at the same time, that conflict feels very modern; with historical romance, I want to be transported to a different time, and I didn’t feel that here. Overall, I’d call this one good but not great.

Sarah Ready, French Holiday

After watching her sister marry her best friend, with whom she’s been desperately in love for the past four years, Merry DeLuca needs an escape. Her godmother offers to let her stay in her French chateau, and Merry jumps at the chance. But she’s shocked to discover that Noah Wright, the best man at her sister’s wedding, is also staying at the chateau to work on a travel documentary. Merry and Noah have always disliked each other, but now their close proximity causes them to reevaluate their relationship. I enjoyed this contemporary romance, though it feels a little unpolished (which makes sense, as I believe it’s self-published). At times the prose gets a bit overwrought, and some of the humor veers toward cringey, but the romantic/sexual tension is well done, with excellent use of the “only one bed” trope. Definitely worth a read if the premise interests you!

E.C.R. Lorac, Murder by Matchlight

In the opening chapter of this World War II-era mystery, a young man witnesses a murder—but because of the wartime blackout, he doesn’t actually see anything except a face that’s briefly revealed when the victim lights a match in the seconds before his death. Scotland Yard Inspector Macdonald is on the case and soon learns that the key to the truth lies in the dead man’s mysterious identity and background. This vintage mystery was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the wartime setting and its subtle but important effects on the plot — for example, one of Macdonald’s suspect interviews is interrupted by an air raid. The cast of characters is interesting, and Macdonald is a likable sleuth. But I think the mystery itself is a bit weak, and the plot is mostly just Macdonald interviewing people, which gets boring. Overall, though, I’d be interested in reading more by Lorac.

Mini-Reviews: Temporary, Beautiful, Battle

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Sarah Adams, The Temporary Roomie

This sequel to The Off Limits Rule features Lucy’s brother, Drew, and her best friend, Jessie. They’ve never gotten along, but right now Drew needs a fake girlfriend for a fancy work event, and Jessie needs somewhere to live while her house gets treated for mold. They reluctantly agree to help each other out, but they can’t resist arguing and playing increasingly elaborate pranks on each other. But when their “fights” start feeling less hostile and more flirty, neither is quite sure how to redefine their relationship. This book is another cute, undemanding contemporary romance. I liked it more than The Off Limits Rule because the obstacles to the romance are grounded in the characters, particularly Jessie’s fears of abandonment and intimacy due to her past. This book isn’t necessarily a must-read, but if you just want to be entertained for an afternoon, it’s a solid choice.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Beautiful Ones

Ten years ago, penniless 19-year-old Hector fell in love with the beautiful but equally penniless Valérie. He left to make his fortune, she promised to wait, but within a year she married a wealthy man. Now Hector has returned, rich and successful, and he’s determined to see Valérie again. She’s acting as chaperone for her husband’s young cousin, Nina, whom Hector decides to court as a way to get closer to Valérie. But as he and Nina spend more time together, his scheme becomes much more complicated. I loved Velvet Was the Night, so I had high hopes for this book, which is much more in my wheelhouse (pseudo-historical romance with magic!). I really liked the complexity of the three main characters; there are chapters from each person’s point of view, so even the villain is three-dimensional. But something about the book’s writing style kept me at a distance and prevented me from getting emotionally invested in the story. It’s still a good book, and I would recommend it, but I didn’t LOVE it like I wanted to.

Lucy Parker, Battle Royal

Sylvie Fairchild and Dominic De Vere are total opposites in terms of personality and taste: “He went in for elegant minimalism. She rarely saw an object that couldn’t be improved with sequins. She was, aesthetically, his worst nightmare.” They’re also rival bakers competing for the chance to make the wedding cake for a member of the British royal family. But when they’re forced to team up as judges on a reality baking show, Sylvie and Dominic find common ground and a surprising attraction. I adore Lucy Parker’s contemporary romances, and this one is no exception. It’s the kind of book you sink into and lose track of time while reading. The romance is a delicious slow burn that more than compensates for the slightly too cluttered plot. Now I’m even more excited for the sequel coming out next month!

Mini-Reviews: Splendor, Remember, Albion

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B.R. Myers, A Dreadful Splendor

Genevieve Timmons is a fake spiritualist who uses her seances to steal from the wealthy families who hire her. When the law catches up with her, she gets an unexpected reprieve: A lawyer hires her to perform a seance for Mr. Pemberton of Somerset Park, whose fiancée tragically died the night before their wedding. The lawyer thinks the seance will bring his employer peace, but when Genevieve arrives at the park, she learns that Pemberton has other ideas — he thinks his fiancée was murdered and wants to use the seance to prompt the guilty party to confess. As Genevieve gets to know the various people living at the park, she uncovers many secrets and possibly even a real ghost or two. This is a decent read, combining gothic historical mystery with a bit of romance, but I felt there was a little too much going on. Between Genevieve’s sad backstory and the various machinations at Somerset, character development takes a backseat. Overall, I didn’t dislike the book, but it didn’t particularly do anything for me either.

Mary Balogh, Remember Me

Lady Philippa Ware is finally making her London society debut at age 22, after delaying it several times due to a family scandal. There she meets Lucas Arden, the Marquess of Routh, whom she once overheard insulting her as “soiled goods.” She hates him at first but is soon drawn to him, and he to her. Both their families encourage a match between them, but can they overcome their painful shared past? This isn’t a bad book, but I found it a frustrating one. Balogh seems much more interested in family dynamics than in the core romance here; Philippa and Lucas are almost afterthoughts in the huge cast of characters, many of whom were introduced in book #1 and will inevitably have their own books in the series. I also found Lucas’s grandparents more overbearing than endearing in their relentless pressure for him to produce an heir. That said, I still want to continue with the series and will hope for stronger romances in subsequent books.

Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, The Shadow of Albion

It’s 1805, and Sarah Cunningham has decided to leave her life of drudgery in Baltimore for the promise of good fortune in London. But once she’s in England, her carriage has a terrible accident — and when she wakes up, everyone is calling her the Marchioness of Roxbury. Moreover, the world is strangely different from her own: America never had a revolution and the Stuarts are still on the throne of England. As Sarah struggles to understand her new identity, she also clashes with the Duke of Wessex, Roxbury’s fiancé and a spy for the English king. But Sarah and Wessex must eventually put aside their differences to foil a nefarious French plot. I feel like that summary just barely scratches the surface — suffice to say, this book is a mixture of alternate-history epic, political intrigue, and Regency romance that I really, really loved! It’s a dense read but still somehow a page-turner, and I would highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction (despite the alternate/fantastical elements). Can’t wait to read the sequel!

Mini-Reviews: Web, Kiss, Again

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Mary Balogh, The Gilded Web

When Alexandra Purnell steps outside a crowded ballroom to get some air, she is kidnapped and locked in the Earl of Amberley’s house overnight. The incident is a total misunderstanding — the kidnappers are friends of Amberley’s younger brother, and they thought they were kidnapping his sister as a prank. But now Alex has been compromised, so Amberley (as head of the family) feels obligated to marry her. As a Balogh fan, I was expecting to enjoy this book more than I did. It’s a perfectly fine read, but I wanted it to focus more on the main couple. Instead, a lot of space is given to Amberley’s brother (who feels he should marry Alex himself, since he’s the one who arranged the kidnapping) and sister (who is both annoyed by and attracted to Alex’s brother). The obvious sequel bait was distracting and made the central romance less compelling. Still not a bad book by any means, but it’s not one of my favorites by Balogh.

Erin Beaty, The Traitor’s Kiss

Sixteen-year-old Sage Fowler is excited to start her adult life as an apprentice but dismayed to learn she’s been hired by the local matchmaker. Sage disapproves of the whole concept of matching, but her observational skills are undeniably useful in pairing people off. Meanwhile, Captain Alex Quinn of the royal army is gathering intelligence on a potential rebellion. When he encounters Sage, he and his soldiers enlist her help, but their need for secrecy means they can’t be fully honest with her. This novel has a lot of my catnip — fantasy world plus political intrigue plus romance — and I was surprised by a late-game plot twist that made me reconsider all that had gone before. But I didn’t fully connect with the book; Sage is a bit too much “not like other girls,” and some of the plot threads didn’t quite make sense to me. Overall, this is a good read, but I’m not sure I’ll continue with the series.

Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Again

Jenny Cotton is the creator and head writer of a popular historical soap opera. Her longtime boyfriend, Brian, is an actor on the show, but he has only a minor part because he won’t commit to a contract longer than six months. When veteran soap actor Alec Cameron joins the cast, Jenny is shocked to realize that he’s basing his character’s speech and mannerisms on Brian — and in doing so, he’s revealed the character as cold, distant, and unlikable. But Alec himself is kind and talented, and he seems to understand Jenny in a way no one else does, including Brian. I quite enjoyed this one, especially the behind-the-scenes aspects of producing a soap opera set in the Regency era! I also liked how Jenny works through her feelings about Brian and Alec through the soap’s characters. Alec’s feelings seem to escalate really quickly, and everyone except the three main characters is pretty one-note. But those quibbles aside, I liked this one a lot and am glad I stumbled across it!

Mini-Reviews: Dragons, Mésalliance, Hallowed

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John Moore, A Fate Worse Than Dragons

Valiant knight Sir Terry hopes to wed his true love, Princess Gloria, by slaying the dragon that’s terrorizing her kingdom. Unfortunately, he accidentally slays the dragon in the kingdom next door; meanwhile, Gloria’s parents arrange for her to marry the rich Roland Westfield, heir to a sliced-bread fortune, instead. To give Terry another chance, the enterprising Gloria fakes her own kidnapping, but complications ensue when real kidnappers intervene. This spoof of common fantasy tropes was just okay for me. There are some good jokes, and the farcical plot moves at a nice clip. But most of the humor didn’t quite land for me, and there’s not much to the book beyond that. I do think people who connect with the humor will enjoy it, though!

Stella Riley, The Mésalliance

At age 36 and with a high-spirited younger sister in his care, the Duke of Rockliffe knows it’s time for him to marry. But he has yet to find a society woman who doesn’t utterly bore him — that is, until he meets the witty yet guarded Adeline Kendrick at a house party. When they accidentally end up in a compromising situation, Rockliffe finds he’s not terribly reluctant to propose, but a secret from Adeline’s past threatens their fragile marriage. Despite the well-worn plot and characters that owe more than a little to Heyer, I really enjoyed this book, even more than the first in the series. I loved watching Rockliffe and Adeline slowly chip away at each other’s defenses, and their romance really worked for me. I also appreciated the reappearance of characters from the previous book; I think this series will be most enjoyable if read in order. The big misunderstanding was a bit frustrating, but otherwise, this was a winner for me! Looking forward to continuing with the series.

Lois McMaster Bujold, The Hallowed Hunt

Lord Ingrey, who holds a minor position at the court of the Hallow King, has a grim but simple task: The king’s son has been killed by the lady-in-waiting he was attempting to rape, and Ingrey has to bring the body home and escort the woman, Ijada, to trial. But when Ingrey sees the scene of the crime and meets Ijada, things immediately get a lot more complicated, in ways that will have dire consequences for the entire Hallow Kingdom. I’m finding it harder and harder to think critically about Bujold’s work because I’m a diehard fan now! I do think the pacing of this book is a little off — the setup and character introductions are compelling, but then things slow down for a while until the tumultuous conclusion. But I loved Ingrey and Ijada, as well as the various allies they meet along the way, and I also enjoyed learning more about the world of the Five Gods. I’ll have to start reading the Penric novellas soon!