Tag: novella

Mini-Reviews: Children, Christmas, Mistletoe

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P.D. James, The Children of Men

This dystopian novel imagines a near-future world in which no human children have been born since 1995. England is ruled by a seemingly benevolent dictator called the Warden, and most people’s material needs are satisfied. But the human race is dying out, and hope is a thing of the past. Theo Faron, a 50-year-old Oxford professor, views the future with detachment and despair. But when a young woman, one of his former students, approaches him with a surprising request, he finds himself unwillingly getting involved with a resistance movement. I’m of two minds about this book. On the plus side, it’s steeped in deep questions about morality and whether good and evil even matter if the world is ending. Certain scenes are quite memorable and chilling, and the dramatic tension builds effectively even when there’s not much going on. On the minus side, the pacing is slow, the world-building doesn’t feel completely thought out, and the ending leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I’m excited to talk about this book with my office reading group, as I’m sure it will generate an interesting discussion. But for me personally, it was an unsettling read.

Martha Waters, Christmas Is All Around

Artist Charlotte has never enjoyed Christmas, and she especially hates holiday rom-coms because when she was nine years old, she had a role in the modern holiday classic Christmas, Truly, which she’d love to forget about. But when she visits her sister in England for the holidays, she finds she can’t escape her past as they tour an estate that was used as a set on the film. There Charlotte meets Graham, the estate’s handsome owner, who hires her for an art project to bring much-needed publicity to the estate. Will grumpy Grinch Charlotte find herself in a holiday rom-com of her own? I enjoyed Martha Waters’s recent historical mystery and wanted to try more of her work, so I was excited for this contemporary romance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as funny as I wanted it to be, and I didn’t really connect with the characters. It’s still a pleasant read – there are some fun one-liners, plentiful Love, Actually references, and cozy Christmas vibes – but this book won’t be a keeper for me.

Chloe Liese, The Mistletoe Motive

Gabriella Di Natale and Jonathan Frost are work nemeses. They’re co-managers of Bailey’s Bookstore and couldn’t be more different: Gabby is a festive ball of sunshine who loves the bookstore’s soul, while Jonathan is cold and grumpy and all about the bottom line. But as Christmas approaches, Gabby starts experiencing a strange attraction to Jonathan—an attraction that just might be reciprocated. I enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope, so I was hoping to like this holiday novella a lot more than I did. But it suffers from perfect hero syndrome: Jonathan is outrageously handsome, incredibly attuned to Gabby’s every need, and the ideal ally when she discloses her autism. And while I think it’s great to see neurodivergent folks represented in romance, autism (plus loving Christmas) basically felt like Gabby’s entire personality. She’s so mean to Jonathan, yet he’s completely devoted to her. And don’t get me started on the overly Christmassy names—there is literally a character named George Bailey. In short, I found this book frustrating, and I won’t be reading more by Chloe Liese.

Mini-Reviews: Orphans, Systems, Bookshop

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Lois McMaster Bujold, The Orphans of Raspay

Penric is sailing home from what should have been a routine journey, but naturally his ship is captured by pirates, and things only get worse from there. Among his fellow captives are two young orphan girls who will almost certainly be sold into slavery, so Pen takes responsibility for them as he engineers a prison break. But between pirates, corrupt merchants, and a local distrust of sorcerers, it’s all Pen and Des can do to keep themselves and their charges alive. This is another enjoyable installment in the Penric and Desdemona saga, heavy on adventure and light on character development. I wonder if we’ll see the two orphans, Lencia and Seuka, in subsequent books. Otherwise, I don’t have much to say about this one – it’s entertaining but doesn’t really feel like a crucial (or even particularly necessary) installment of the series.

Martha Wells, All Systems Red

This novella is narrated by a SecUnit, a robotic “construct” made of both organic and inorganic materials, whose job is basically to provide security for whoever hires it. It’s currently accompanying a crew on a mission of planetary exploration, but all it really wants to do is watch soap operas on its entertainment feed. The longer the self-designated Murderbot spends with this particular crew of humans, however, the more it begins to care about them. And when it senses something off about the mission, it must figure out whether and how to help the humans. The Murderbot series has gotten a lot of hype, and I can definitely see why; the concept is fascinating, particularly now that AI is so prominent in our society, and Murderbot is a snarky yet sympathetic character. I’m just not sure if it’s my thing, you know? I did enjoy the story, but I haven’t decided whether I care enough to continue with the series—with apologies to all the Murderbot lovers out there!

Jenny Colgan, The Christmas Bookshop

Carmen has just been laid off and is struggling to find work in her dying Scottish town. She ends up moving to Edinburgh to stay with her sister, Sofia, who seems to have the perfect life — which Carmen both mocks and envies. Sofia gets Carmen a job with Mr. McCredie, who owns an unprofitable bookstore and expects Carmen to turn things around somehow. At first, Carmen hates everything about her new situation, but she eventually finds things to love about her job, the city, and even her sister. This book is like a warm hug; it’s cozy and Christmassy and makes me want to visit Edinburgh in December, despite what sounds like horrific weather. I loved Carmen and Sofia’s relationship, which felt very realistic and nuanced, and there’s a sweet romance as well, though it doesn’t get much page time. I would definitely recommend this as a great read to get into the holiday spirit!

Mini-Reviews: Silk, First, Conquest

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Cassandra Dean, Silk & Scars

The setting of this very short novella—more like a short story, really—is early Victorian England, and the plot is a version of Beauty and the Beast. Gwendolyn Parkes is (implausibly) a scribe in a law firm who accidently sends a personal letter, meant for a friend, to one of the firm’s clients: Edward, the Duke of Sowrith. Intrigued, Edward replies, and the two soon strike up a friendship via correspondence—but when they meet in person, his scars from an old injury and her lower social status hinder their romance. The best thing I can say about this story is that I didn’t pay any money for it. The plot strains credulity, the characters are two-dimensional, and the writing is clumsy. I did feel a flicker of charm when Edward, searching for something to write about, can only come up with, “The weather is nice.” But overall, I don’t recommend this one and won’t read more by the author.

Cara Bastone, When We First Met

After a series of mishaps in her life, elementary schoolteacher Cat is looking for some fun. She’d love to have a fling with her hot neighbor, Jared, but every time she tries to get him alone, she ends up talking with his roommate, Quentin, instead. Meanwhile, Quentin’s had a crush on Cat for months but knows she sees him as just a friend. But the more time they spend together, the more Cat finds herself noticing Quentin’s attractive qualities—and the more he hopes their friendship might evolve into something more. I’ve really enjoyed Cara Bastone’s Forever Yours series this year, and this prequel novella is no exception (and it can definitely stand alone). Cat and Quentin are super charming, individually and together, and I was happy to watch their relationship grow. And I was very pleased to see that a secondary character, who could have been a stereotypical “crazy ex-girlfriend,” turned out to have some nuance and depth. I’m really enjoying Cara Bastone’s contemporary romances and can’t wait to read more!

Claire Delacroix, The Christmas Conquest

Rhys and Catherine made a marriage of convenience two years ago, exchanging her wealth for his title and status. Now Catherine is madly in love with her husband but fears he doesn’t feel the same way, as he never pursues intimacy with her. As a result, she’s considering a separation and accepts an invitation to a friend’s house party to make her decision. Little does she know that Rhys does return her feelings, but he fears a family curse that will cause her to die in childbirth. When he attends the house party as well, Catherine—with a little help from a saucy instruction manual—decides to seduce her husband. This was another free e-book for me, and it was just okay. The couple has decent chemistry, but they spend way too much time not communicating for very silly reasons. There’s also a subplot with the courtesan who wrote the seduction manual, which I found utterly boring. Not recommended, but I’d consider trying the author again.

Mini-Reviews: Fake, Falling, Prisoner

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Lynn Painter, Fake Skating

Every summer, Dani used to visit the small town of Southview, Minnesota, where she and her best friend, Alec, were inseparable. But then she moved away, and their friendship came to a painful end. Now Dani’s back in Southview full-time for her senior year, but the sweet, dorky Alec she once knew seems to have disappeared. The new Alec is a popular hockey star who wants nothing to do with Dani. But when circumstances force them into a fake-dating arrangement, they need to confront their shared past and deal with their true feelings. Lynn Painter excels at banter and great chemistry between her main characters, so the romance between Dani and Alec really worked for me. They’re obsessed with each other to a possibly unhealthy degree, but since they’re teenagers, I’ll give them a pass. 🙂 The setup to the fake dating is pretty absurd, and some peripheral plot lines and characters didn’t totally gel for me. But I’ll forgive a lot in a romance if I like the central couple together, so overall I really enjoyed this one!

Kristen Britain, Falling in a Sea of Stars

In this eighth novel of the Green Rider series, although Sacoridia has defeated Second Empire, its troubles are far from over. Mornhavon the Black, growing ever stronger in Blackveil, summons an evil wraith to find Karigan—who is also being harassed by an enemy she thought she’d already defeated. Moreover, she’s trying to deal with her merchant clan’s business while her father is off rescuing Laren Mapstone, as well as decide what to do about her feelings for King Zachary. I was hoping this would be the last Green Rider book, but alas, there’s clearly still more to come. This book is 650 pages of not much happening, and while some storylines are fun (the Berry sisters), others are tedious and repetitive (everything at the D’yer Wall, Karigan’s mysterious enemy, the threadbare love triangle). I do still have some curiosity to see how things turn out, but since it’ll probably be at least three years till the next book, I feel reasonably confident in saying I’m done. I can always read a spoiler-filled review of subsequent books if I really need to know what happens.

Lois McMaster Bujold, The Prisoner of Limnos

Penric has finally gotten General Arisaydia and his sister, Nikys, safely out of Cedonia and into the friendly country of Orbas. But then they learn that Nikys’s mother has been taken prisoner, which means Penric and Nikys—and Desdemona—must return to Cedonia and rescue her. As they attempt a prison break from a fortress sacred to the Daughter’s order, Penric and Nikys also consider whether they have a future together. This series continues to be delightful, and of course I’m a fan of the romance, which takes a step forward in this novella. I also love the well-thought-out and convincing theology of this world; Nikys’s encounter with the Daughter, and her subsequent conversation with Penric about it, is one of the highlights of the story. I’m still happy to be continuing with the series—although I do hope we get to see Inglis and Oswyl again at some point!

Mini-Reviews: Luck, Bar, Summer

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Kate Clayborn, Luck of the Draw

Winning the lottery has enabled Zoe Ferris to quit her job as a high-powered lawyer, but she’s felt stuck in her life since then. After a tipsy night spent thinking about her regrets, she decides to apologize to the people she feels she’s wronged. At the top of the list are the O’Learys, whose son overdosed on prescription pain meds; Zoe’s firm represented the pharmaceutical company and settled the case out of court. When Zoe shows up at the O’Leary house, she’s confronted by their other son, Aiden, who isn’t interested in her apology. He does, however, need someone to pose as his fiancée for plot reasons; Zoe, viewing this as her penance, agrees. But as she and Aiden spend more time together, they form an unexpected bond. I really liked this book and read it in a day. Clayborn excels at writing believable, nuanced characters, and I was rooting throughout for Zoe and Aiden, who are both lonely and dealing with a weight of grief and guilt. So this isn’t a light, fun read by any means, but I liked it a lot and look forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.

Ngaio Marsh, Death at the Bar

In this Golden Age mystery, a game of darts at the pub turns deadly when one of the players is hit by a dart—and almost immediately dies of cyanide poisoning. A trace of cyanide solution is found on the dart, but who had the opportunity to put it there? And why should anyone want to murder Luke Watchman, a celebrated London barrister? I’m continuing to enjoy the Inspector Alleyn series—this is the ninth installment—but I find that the beginnings of the novels are stronger than the endings. The first several chapters of this book are entertaining as they establish the various characters and relationships. But once the death occurs, Alleyn and his associate Fox spend most of their time interviewing suspects and searching the pub (but not telling the reader what they discover). So the second half drags a bit, and the slight romantic subplot among secondary characters isn’t terribly convincing. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book overall and will certainly continue with the series.

Naomi Novik, The Summer War

Celia is 12 years old when she inadvertently curses her oldest brother, Argent, to a life without love. Argent leaves home and soon gains renown as a great knight, but Celia is racked with guilt about the curse and knows she must find a way to break it. But that means entering the summerlands, the fairy realm bordering her kingdom, where many dangers await. I’m a big fan of Naomi Novik in general, and my favorite of her books are the ones with fairytale elements: Uprooted and Spinning Silver. This novella has a similar flavor, and there are some enchanting scenes and bits of world-building. But I wanted so much more from this world and these characters. Celia herself is pretty passive for most of the story, as well as being a child—I want to know what happens after she grows up! I’d love to see more of her overlooked middle brother, Roric, as well. So on its own, this novella isn’t fully satisfying, but I’d love to see it expanded into a full-length novel!

Mini-Reviews: Dance, Babel, Thief

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Lois McMaster Bujold, Mira’s Last Dance

Penric’s rescue mission continues in this novella, as he flees to safety with political target General Arisaydia and his widowed sister Nikys. They need to leave the country without being discovered, which means they must travel in disguise. When their journey leads them to shelter in a brothel, Penric poses as a female courtesan, drawing on the experience of Mira, one of Desdemona’s previous riders. But this masquerade is dangerous in more ways than one, as it complicates the mutual attraction between Penric and Nikys. This series continues to be enjoyable, though this installment is very short on plot. Penric’s gender-bending disguise is the main event, and it causes Nikys to reflect more deeply on the relationship between Penric and Desdemona, and what that might mean for a possible romance. The novella ends on an ambiguous note, so I’m interested to see what happens next!

R.F. Kuang, Babel

Robin Swift is a half-Chinese boy plucked from the slums of Canton and raised to study at Oxford’s prestigious Babel Institute of Translation. Babel scholars are trained to work silver magic via their powers of translation—and this magic in turn powers the might of the British Empire. When Robin first comes to Oxford, he falls in love with the university and the people in his cohort, who are all outsiders like him because of race, gender, or both. But the more he learns about silver magic and its ties to imperialism, the more conflicted he becomes. This is a novel I really wanted to like, and I did enjoy parts of it, like the Oxford setting and all the information about linguistics. But this is a novel with a clear message (imperialism is bad and must be resisted with violence), and I felt like I was reading a polemic rather than a story. The characters we’re supposed to like are not very likable or nuanced, and the villains are absolutely pure evil. So overall, I found this book disappointing, though I think I’m in the minority with that opinion.

Ellis Peters, The Holy Thief

In the penultimate book of the Cadfael series, the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud has led to the destruction of a Benedictine abbey in Ramsey. Some of its brothers come to Brother Cadfael’s abbey in Shrewsbury to request their aid. Meanwhile, a troubadour from the South of France and his entourage, which includes a beautiful young woman, are also staying at the abbey. When a saint’s relics are stolen and a witness to the theft is murdered, Cadfael must once again investigate these mysteries and determine how justice can best be served. It’s always a pleasure to escape into the world of these novels, and I liked that after taking a backseat in The Summer of the Danes, Cadfael is back at the center of the action, finding clues, interviewing suspects, and talking things over with Hugh. I also liked the callbacks to A Morbid Taste for Bones, although if you don’t remember certain events from that book, you may have a little trouble following this one. But if you love the Cadfael series, this novel won’t disappoint.

Mini-Reviews: Falling, Flirting, Mission, Regrettable

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Cara Bastone, Can’t Help Falling and Flirting with Forever

I really adored Bastone’s Just a Heartbeat Away and couldn’t resist jumping into the sequels! Can’t Help Falling follows Seb’s best friend, Tyler, and Via’s foster sister, Fin (short for Serafine). Tyler is super into Fin, but when he asks her out, she turns him down harshly, causing him to pull away from their friend group. A few months later, though, Tyler needs Fin’s help when he becomes the legal guardian of his teenage half-sister, Kylie. And in Flirting with Forever, Seb and Tyler’s friend Mary finds romance with the socially awkward John Modesto-Whitford, who inadvertently insults her on their first date but gradually wins her over. I enjoyed both of these books a lot, mostly because the characters are so well-defined and nuanced. The men, in particular, feel believable as people (in contrast to my earlier complaint about too-perfect heroes). The writing style is a bit clumsy at times, but in my opinion the books have enough substance and heart to make up for that. I’m definitely planning to seek out more by Bastone!

Lois McMaster Bujold, Penric’s Mission

Penric is bound for Cedonia in a somewhat unofficial capacity; he’s tasked with delivering secret documents to a powerful general. But upon arrival, he’s immediately captured, injured, and imprisoned. When he finally escapes with Desdemona’s help, it’s just in time to hear that the general has been arrested for treason and blinded as punishment. Despite the fact that it’s not part of his mission, Penric decides to try and heal the general’s eyes—and grows closer to Nikys, the general’s sister, in the process. This series continues to delight, and this novella may be my favorite so far, with its combination of political intrigue and a fair bit of romance. Not everything is resolved, but I think the next installment of the series will continue to follow this adventure and perhaps provide some resolution. Can’t wait to continue!

Jennie Goutet, A Regrettable Proposal

Stratford Tunstall has just inherited the estate and title of the Earl of Worthing. He is dismayed to learn that a valuable piece of unentailed property has been left not to him, but to the former earl’s ward, Eleanor Daventry. After a few drinks too many, Stratford decides that, since he needs a wife anyway, he should propose to Eleanor and thus regain control of the property—but she rejects his drunken and insulting proposal. She then departs for the London Season, and Stratford follows to apologize, only to realize he truly wants to marry her for love. I was predisposed to like this book—a steamless Regency romance with a bit of espionage on the side—but overall it was just okay. The uncertainty between Stratford and Eleanor drags on too long, and the spy subplot could not be less interesting or have lower stakes. That said, some of the secondary characters are a bit intriguing, and I wouldn’t mind reading the book featuring Stratford’s friend Lord Ingram, if I can find it somewhere free or cheap.

Mini-Reviews: Nonesuch, Masquerade, Strawberries

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Georgette Heyer, The Nonesuch

Sir Waldo Hawkridge—known as the Nonesuch because of his superior looks, wealth, and social status—has just inherited an estate in Yorkshire. When he and his young cousin Julian visit the estate to evaluate its condition, they soon meet the various residents of the neighborhood. Julian is immediately smitten with the beautiful (but headstrong and selfish) Tiffany Wield, while Sir Waldo is intrigued by her companion, Ancilla Trent. Meanwhile, Ancilla is immediately drawn to Sir Waldo but fears he’d never seriously be interested a nobody like her. I adore Georgette Heyer, and normally I reread four or five of her novels every year. But I recently realized that I hadn’t yet read a single Heyer book this year! It’s been a long time since I read this one, and I enjoyed it SO much. The main romance is sweet, and the secondary characters add a lot of humor and charm. It doesn’t quite have the sparkle of my top favorite Heyers, but it’s still a delightful read!

Lois McMaster Bujold, Masquerade in Lodi

This novella in the Penric & Desdemona series comes after Penric’s Fox in terms of internal chronology, but it’s set several years later, and Penric has recently relocated to the island city of Lodi. He is summoned to the local hospital to evaluate a “mad” patient, and he immediately realizes that the young man is possessed by a demon. Unfortunately, the patient escapes, so now Penric must find him somewhere in the city—no easy feat, given that Lodi is full of crowds for a holiday celebration—and team up with the local saint, with unexpected results. This series is such fun, and I really liked that this installment changes things up a little: Penric is in a new place, meeting new people, and looking for a missing person rather than investigating a murder. I’m especially intrigued by the saint, Chio, and hope she’ll return in future novellas. Overall, I’m still really liking this series and eager to continue with the next installment.

Angela Thirkell, Wild Strawberries

This 1930s social comedy centers around the Leslie family and Mary Preston, a niece by marriage who visits them one summer. The matriarch, Lady Emily, is kind but scatterbrained; her daughter Agnes is placid and indolent; her older son John is grieving the death of his wife; and her younger son David is an idle charmer. When Mary arrives at the Leslie estate, she’s immediately attracted to David, but Emily and Agnes want to set her up with John. This little love triangle is the only “plot” to speak of; the novel is very much a slice of life between the two world wars, and depending on one’s perspective, it’s either pleasantly soothing or incredibly dull. I’m in the former camp, and I enjoyed the peaceful, uneventful progress of this novel—though there is a jarring moment where David, who likes jazz, sings a racist minstrel song. I still liked the book overall, but it won’t be a keeper for me.

Mini-Reviews: Ghosted, Fox, Back

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Sarah Ready, Ghosted

Jillian writes a column about love and relationships, but her paralyzing shyness around men means she’s never had a serious relationship herself. That all changes when she moves into a new apartment and promptly bumps into a hot shirtless guy named Daniel. Jillian has no trouble talking to him—because it turns out he’s a ghost, and she’s the only one who can see him. They decide he needs to help her with her career and love life in order to “move on,” but as they grow closer, Jillian wants him to stay with her instead. I’m of two minds about this book. The romance develops way too quickly, but then there’s a twist halfway through that puts a new spin on the relationship, but then in the end the ghost-related logistics aren’t really explained. So, you have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit. That said, some of the emotional moments did land, and I really enjoyed the secondary characters such as Jillian’s coworkers. So overall, I liked it fine but didn’t love it.

Lois McMaster Bujold, Penric’s Fox

Sorcerer Penric and his friend Inglis, a shaman, plan to enjoy a leisurely day of fishing. But when their friend Oswyl, a policeman of sorts, interrupts them to reveal that a sorceress has been killed, they both join him at the crime scene, and Penric finds himself once again helping to investigate a murder. But alongside finding the sorceress’s killer is an equally important question: Where is her demon? I’m continuing to enjoy this series about Penric and his snarky demon, Desdemona. So far it’s been a fun mix of fantasy world-building and crime solving, with likable characters who are learning to work together; I hope we’ll continue to see more of Inglis and Oswyl in future installments. I also love the richness of Bujold’s theology in this world. Overall, delightful as always, and I’ll definitely be continuing with the series!

Linda Holmes, Back After This

Cecily is an audio producer for a podcast network, but she’s always wanted to host her own show. Now she finally has her chance, but the show her boss proposes is not her style, to say the least. The network wants her to work with an influencer-turned-relationship-coach, Eliza, who will set her up on 20 dates and give her advice on how to find love. Cecily agrees reluctantly but is surprised by Eliza’s perceptiveness. Meanwhile, as she goes on dates for the podcast, she also connects with Will, a man she meets by chance—but will she have to choose between a promising romance and the success of her show? I really like Linda Holmes’s writing style; she’s funny and her characters feel like real people. I also loved Cecily’s arc in the novel—she’s likable and sympathetic throughout, but she clearly needs to grow and change in some areas, and Eliza is surprisingly helpful with this. Some of her advice to Cecily is really true and pointed. The romance is a winner as well, so overall, I liked this one a lot!

Mini-Reviews: Dream, Fake, Shadow

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Kristen Britain, The Dream Gatherer

This book is a collection of two short stories and one novella that Britain wrote to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Green Rider’s publication. The stories aren’t part of the Green Rider series per se, but they’re set in the same world and include some characters from the series. The book also contains some illustrations by Britain and a foreword from her friend and fellow fantasy writer Julie Czerneda. To me, this collection is nothing special, with the two short stories especially being quite forgettable. It feels like an attempt to pacify fans who’d gotten impatient of waiting three-plus years for each new book. I haven’t felt that same impatience, as I didn’t start the series till last year and am not a hugely invested fan. So I was neither excited nor disappointed; this volume is fine, but it’s unnecessary filler that does nothing to move the series forward. I was happy to have a little break from the usual 800-page tomes, though!

Charlotte Stein, My Big Fat Fake Marriage

Connie’s never had much luck with men, and the seemingly nice ones always turn out to be the biggest jerks. So she’s deeply suspicious of her neighbor, Henry Samuel Beckett, who appears to be the kindest person on the planet. Turns out, Beck does have a secret: He’s single, but because of a coworker’s bullying, he’s invented a fake marriage. And when he needs to prove his story, Connie volunteers to pose as his wife. Having enjoyed Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine, I was eager to read this one, which features Mabel’s BFF. I really liked both Connie and Beck, both of whom have been constantly devalued by most of the people in their lives. As a result, they’re deeply insecure, and they have trouble standing up for themselves—but immediately leap to defend each other. There’s no plot to speak of, just enough scaffolding to get them to the fake marriage/only one bed premise. There’s also a lot of steam, which I’m not a fan of, but it’s par for the course with Stein. Overall, I did enjoy this one but would recommend looking at an online sample to see whether the writing style works for you.

Stella Riley, The Shadow Earl

Christian, the earl of Hazelmere, vanished three years ago on his Grand Tour. Now he’s suddenly reappeared in London, but he won’t disclose what happened to him while he was missing. He’s also not quite the same gentle, carefree young man he once was—a fact that dismays Sophie, who was informally betrothed to him before he disappeared. Will Christian heal from his traumatic experiences enough to find happiness with Sophie? I really like Stella Riley’s novels; you’re always going to get good writing, likable leads, and a historical setting that’s not just window dressing. But this book lacks any sort of dramatic tension. We learn what happened to Christian early on, and the bulk of the “plot” is he and his friends seeking revenge. I kept waiting for a surprising revelation or twist, but none came. The novel does, however, provide tons of sequel bait; there are at least six or seven supporting characters who could have their own books. Of course, I will read those sequels if/when they materialize! But I still prefer Riley’s Rockliffe books.