Traitor in Her Arms (The Scarlet Chronicles, #1) by Shana Galen – Review

Tags

5 stars, E.W. Hornung, espionage, French Revolution, gentleman thief, historical, historical romance, Joanna Bourne, Juliette Cross, Lauren Willig, Reign of Terror, Scarlet Pimpernel, Shana Galen

Review by Riley

About Traitor in Her Arms

Two morally compromised souls wage a battle of wits—and seduction—against the backdrop of the French Revolution in this thrilling romance from bestselling author Shana Galen.

After her late husband leaves her in debt to some dangerous people, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. In the intervening years, her skills have not gone unnoticed. After being recruited by the Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious do-gooder spiriting aristocrats out of revolutionary France, Gabrielle crosses the Channel for the most daring mission of her life. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief in his own right and an enticingly masculine presence. The man is not to be trusted—nor is Gabrielle’s body when he’s near.

Ramsey Barnes would not say he is an honorable man. His whole life has been based on a lie; why change now? Although it pains him to deceive the tantalizing Gabrielle, he’s working toward an altogether different objective: unmasking the Scarlet Pimpernel. If Ramsey fails, his blackmailer will ruin him. But when Ramsey’s confronted with the carnage of the Reign of Terror, he seeks refuge in Gabrielle’s heated embrace. Now he faces a terrible choice: betray the woman who’s stolen his heart—or risk losing everything.

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Review of Traitor in Her Arms

Traitor in Her Arms starts out as a ‘gentleman/gentlewoman’ thief story. I must admit I was really enjoying the opening chapter when the first theft ‘competition’ takes place between Gabrielle and Ramsey. But remembering the book synopsis, I quickly realized, this lighthearted start to the book would not last.

Both Gabrielle and Ramsey became thieves out of necessity. Gabrielle, to pay off her late husbands debts. Telling Ramsey’s reason for becoming a thief would be a bit of a spoiler here. But suffice to say that, at heart, both Gabrielle and Ramsey are honorable people.

The idea that heirs are responsible for the debts of the dead has always been disturbing to me. Especially in the time of this story, when women had little or no rights as to how the family funds where spent. In this case, it only serves to make the reader empathize more with Gabrielle, cheer for her and boo at the villainous debt collector who also makes an early appearance.

Very soon after chapter one, the story turns serious when Gabrielle agrees to take on a mission for the Scarlet Pimpernel. This first part seem hurried and without enough details. It did serve to make the Scarlet Pimpernel the most inscrutable character in the book. After Gabrielle embarks on her journey and meets Ramsey, on his own secret mission, the story takes a darker turn landing the pair in the middle of the Reign of Terror in Paris. I was quickly caught up in the adventure, danger and the emotions of the situation.

There was one contrived situation, where the heroine and hero must get naked to avoid arrest. It was an odd combination of humor and seriousness. But hey, it is a romance – with lots of romancing! The romancing takes the form of both the hero and the heroine overthinking and mostly deciding that it is best they do not go too far, for various, well-thought out reasons. As the reader, I could not wait for the moment their hearts would block out their thoughts.

This book seesaws from the from the intense emotions between Gabrielle and Ramsey to the danger and horror of Paris during the Reign of Terror. The scene where romance and history are combined and Ramsey proves his love for Gabrielle is so epic to be movie-worthy. No spoilers though. Just know it is coming.

This first book in The Scarlet Chronicles has so much going for it: a sizzling romance, danger, adventure, history, intrigue and mysterious hero with a secret identity. Shana Galen’s talent as a storyteller shines in Traitor in Her Arms.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in so that I could bring you this honest review.

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This book had me thinking about one movie and several other books you might find interesting.

First, the movie. The first time I heard about the Scarlet Pimpernel was when I saw a TV movie. It started Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour and Ian McKellen. You can watch the movie on YouTube if you like.

Next the books. On the subject of gentlemen thieves: Ernest William Hornung (1866-1921) was the brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle. He wrote series of short stories about Raffles, gentleman thief.

 

On the subject of English spies during the French Revolution: Joanna Bourne, a favorite author amoung historical romance readers wrote The Spymaster’s Lady.

 

 

On the subject of spies with flower names: Lauren Willig – Pink Carnation is a series of historical mysteries that starts with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.

 

 

And finally, one more revolutionary with a flower name, this time in a paranormal setting: Juliette Cross – The Black Lily.

 

 

 

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PRISM Awards 2017 – My Favorite Categories

Tags

Angela Quarles, Ann Gimpel, Anne Renwick, Bec McMaster, Cara Crescent, fantasy, FF&P, historical, Jeffe Kennedy, Marie Andreas, Michelle Diener, Mikea Howard, Prism Award, Rebecca Rivard, romance, RWA, scifi, Sorchia DuBois, Steampunk

Each year, Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FF&P) Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, recognizes newly published books that fall in the fantasy, futuristic and paranormal sub-genres of romance. Since these are among my favorite genres to read, The Prism Awards always grab my attention. How many books have I read? How many are on my e-reader, but I haven’t gotten around to reading yet. And are there any more that need to go on my TBR list?

Last month, the finalists for this years awards were announced. Category winners, Best First Book, and Best of the Best will be announced July 28th during the annual RWA conference in Orlando.

For a complete list of finalist, go to the FF&P website.  Today, I am featuring the finalists in my favorite categories.  I’m sure every book in these categories is a fine book!  How do I know?  Because, as it happens, I have read a few of them.

(Note: If you click on a title or a book cover, you’ll be directed to Amazon where you can read a book blurb.)

FANTASY
Must Love Kilts by Angela Quarles – on my e-reader
The Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy
Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones by Sorchia DuBois – read

HISTORICAL
Hexbound by Bec McMaster
Shadowbound by Bec McMaster – on my e-reader
Stealing Ula by Rebecca Rivard

SCI FI & FUTURISTIC
Don’t Let Me Forget You by Cara Crescent
Sky Raiders by Michelle Diener – read
Warrior Wench by Marie Andreas – read

STEAMPUNK 
Blood and Sorcery by Ann Gimpel
Mission: Improper by Bec McMaster – Currently reading on my i-phone
The Golden Spider by Anne Renwick – On my e-reader
The Seer’s Secret by Mikea Howard

Here is my final tally:
How many books have I read? 3 1/2.
How many are on my e-reader, but I haven’t gotten around to reading yet? 3 1/2

See, I can pick some winners!  But I am glad I don’t actually have to pick the winners!

The Dastardly Miss Lizzie (Electric Empire, #3) by Viola Carr – Review

Tags

5 stars, audiobook, Beverly A. Crick, Book Review, historical, mystery, romance, series, Steampunk, Viola Carr

Review by Riley

About The Dastardly Miss Lizzie

Dr. Eliza Jekyll must turn to her dark side, Miss Lizzie Hyde, to stop a madman who’s targeting London’s most important scientists and sorcerers, terrorizing the city with dark magic, in this third Electric Empire novel—a dazzlingly original steampunk fantasy set in the gritty world of alternate Victorian London, with echoes of H. G. Wells’s classic, The Time Machine.

Being two people in one body isn’t easy. Metropolitan Police crime scene physician Eliza Jekyll is trying to maintain a semblance of control, even as her rebellious second self, Lizzie, grows increasingly wild—threatening the respectable Eliza’s reputation and her marriage to Remy Lafayette, the Royal Society investigator and occasional lycanthrope. With England on the brink of war, Remy’s away in sorcery-riddled Paris on a secretive mission that grows ever more sinister. Has he been an enemy agent all along? Or is coping with her secret divided self finally driving Eliza mad?

Eliza needs her mind clear and sharp if she’s to catch an evil genius who is killing eminent scientists. The chase uncovers a murky world of forbidden books, secret laboratories, and a cabal of fanatical inventors whose work could change the world—or destroy it—and who may hold answers to Eliza’s mysterious past.

As sorcery-wielding terrorists attack London, Eliza discovers her own enemies are closing in, driving her to desperate measures—enlisting the aid of the wily, resourceful, mercurial Lizzie—to thwart the killer. But Lizzie’s got her own life now, and true to her nature, will resort to the devious and diabolical to keep it. Even if it means throwing Eliza to the wolves, and letting the world burn…..

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Review of The Dastardly Miss Lizzie

Two people, two personalities, two body shapes. But just one allotted space on earth. That’s the background you need to know. Way more than split personality, these characters, Dr. Eliza Jekyll and Miss Lizzie Hyde, have the misfortune of sharing the exact same space. Share is all they can do. They have an arrangement, albeit an imperfect arrangement.  But imperfect is part of the fun.

The story takes place in London, half on the cheery middle class side of town, but also half on the darker, seedier side of town. The juxtaposition of these settings can be jolting, though I mean that in a positive way. It draws attention to the polar personalities of Eliza and Lizzie.

Lizzie’s favorite neighborhood is dark, gritty and populated with the ultra-poor, rejects, criminals, and not a few oddities that may or may not be human. Both crime and passion are rampant there, so I would expect much of the action to take place there. And it does.

Eliza’s middle class neighborhood is calm. And it is mostly safe. But murder is not class-conscious and Eliza is called to investigate a murder that turns into a grizzly and convoluted case. I mean Grizzly with a capital ‘G’. Ms. Carr’s murderers have quite the imagination! And, as usual, Eliza seems to be working on more than one mystery at a time with her friend and partner, Inspector Harley Griffin. They work the cases, while Eliza’s nemesis Chief Inspector Reeve, continually gets in the way. Reeve is such a great character to boo at!

Like books 1 and 2, The Dastardly Miss Lizzie has rather the intricate plot. Multiple murders, suspects galore and complex characters. Lizzie’s friend Johnny and Eliza’s beau Lafayette are part of the continuing cast of characters and both add to the romance aspect of the story, but also play their own roles in the big climactic finish.

Yes, there is a big finish. This plot far surpasses the solving of a serial murder mystery and becomes extraordinary. We are talking a magnificent, physics-defying, beyond-time, character-defining dénouement. Clues leading up to the finish are found all along the way, though I don’t think I could possibly have guessed who the baddie was and what they would do. Let’s just say it is a satisfying, steampunkish ending to an amazing series.

The relationship between Eliza and Lizzie is, by far, my favorite part of these stories. It adds both suspense and humor. The manifestation of Lizzie when Eliza is in control is a delightful complication to the relationship between these two. Their constant battle to either hate each other or support each other itches to be resolved. The writing, clearly depicting these two personalities is so cool, with the different voices and dialects. By the way, if you happen to enjoy audiobooks, narrator Beverly A. Crick is a genius with these voices and the first time I heard her read a scene where Eliza shifted to Lizzie, I got chills.

I would like to say that The Dastardly Miss Lizzie can be read as a stand alone, but I believe the experience would be immensely enhanced by reading the books in order. Otherwise, you might be likely to quote Eliza’s clockwork assistant Hippocrates: “Does not compute.” You will better understand the relationships and also Eliza’s and Lizzie’s background.

It is impossible for me to review The Dastardly Miss Lizzie without referring to the entire Electric Empire series. I immersed myself in the series this summer, re-reading book one and following it up with book 2 and book 3. This series is dark and light, gritty and fantastic, creepy and funny, disastrous and hopeful. It has romance, mystery and a quite a bit of steampunkiness throughout. I love this series!

Review copy provided by Edelweis.

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