Overall Response

I liked this book a lot better than the last few entries–the romance is a lot more interesting and I finally felt like Niels was different enough to get invested in his part of the story. The murder mystery was average–not the best in the series, but certainly not the worst. I thought it got a little convoluted in the middle because Lynsay Sands was trying very hard to put a bunch of red herrings out there. I liked the supporting cast, and the Buchanan brothers are dwindling into smaller numbers so that I actually can keep better track of them. It’s an average read with a better than expected romance.

Spoilers Ahead

I felt like this was the first book where the hero didn’t immediately fall into complete lust with the heroine. Possibly because when Niels meets Edith, she’s ill and requires care, but it was nice that he wasn’t overcome with lust like the rest of the Buchanan brothers. I liked the relationships built with Ronson and Tormod–we really got to see him as a capable leader in a way I didn’t really get from the last two books. The romance was a bit more organic and less based on lust.

My quibble is with the end of the book — nothing makes me more crazy than when the villain monologues for an entire chapter. I thought the story of Bessie being the bad guy was well done, but I did not need Bessie to explain a play by play of her evil deeds. Once we got her background, that should have been enough. When you have a villain explain everything, it means you’re not confident that you wrote it well enough for  reader to make the necessary leaps or that you think your reader is an idiot. I also was really taken out of the moment when Bessie and Edith take a moment from confessing evil deeds and death threats so Bessie can point out that Edith loves Niels–and then EDITH STOPS TO THINK ABOUT IT.

GIRL. Are you serious? You do not need characters to explain to each other that they’re in love. Especially not the villain in the middle of your climax. Oy, vey.