Month: January 2019

The Governess by Christi Caldwell

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)3 Comments

The Governess (Wicked Wallflowers, #3)The Governess by Christi Caldwell

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Wallflowers #3
Publication Date: 2/12/19
Number of Pages: 382

Christi Caldwell adds another gripping and intense story to her Wicked Wallflowers series. I always have to psyche myself up before I begin reading one of this author’s books. Not because the book isn’t good – they are all wonderful. No, it is because they are so intensely emotional that you will be wrung out by the time you are through with it.

The series features the Killoran’s, none of them are actually related by blood, but they are closer than most families could think of being. They were all children living on the streets of Seven Dials and they were all taken into the street gang of Diggory, one of the vilest humans you could imagine. Diggory is dead before this series begins (see the Sinful Brides series for details on that) and Broderick is now in charge. We’ve seen two of the siblings find their HEA in the first two books of the series – Cleo (Cleopatra) marries Adair in The Hellion and Ophelia settles down with Connor in The Vixen. This book features Broderick who finally discovers his love, Reggie, was right under his nose all the time.

Broderick Killoran is absolutely ruthless in his business dealings – he has to be because you don’t survive in Seven Dials without it. He’s also mysterious and everyone wonders how someone who is as cultured and who speaks as well as he does has ended up in the Dials. Broderick longs for respectability – not necessarily for himself, but he feels that is the only way to keep his family safe. He keeps trying to marry his sisters into the aristocracy, but he hasn’t managed to do it yet. So, maybe it is up to him to do it.

Broderick rescued Reggie years ago and has protected her since. How could she not love him? He saved her, he gave her a place in the running of the Devil’s Den, he treats her with respect and he listens to her thoughts and opinions. Except, he doesn’t know she exists as a woman.

Things are getting really intense in Broderick’s world. Years ago, a baby was stolen from the home of a Marquess and was subsequently delivered to Diggory in the Dials. That baby is now called Stephen and he is Broderick’s brother. That Marquess (know as the Mad Marquess) has discovered that Stephen is his kidnapped son and he’s coming after Broderick. Broderick may very well hang for it. To that stress, add that his most trusted right-hand person, Reggie, is planning to open her own music hall in competition with him.

In the previous books, both Reggie and Broderick’s pasts have been in shadow and we learn more about those in this book. It is nice to learn their history and see how they came to be the people they currently are.

It was emotionally exhausting to see Broderick and Reggie thread-the-needle to find love, protect Broderick, protect Stephen and deal with the villains.

Definitely a recommended read! Now, to wait for The Bluestocking that will feature Gertrude Killoran and the Mad Marquess. That has to be a hum-dinger!

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Contemporary, MysteryLeave a comment

Murder in an Irish Village (Irish Village Mystery, #1)Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Irish Village Mystery #1
Publication Date: 2/23/16
Audiobook Format

The narrator, Caroline Lennon, makes this audiobook an absolute delight to listen to. Her enchanting Irish lilt draws you into the story and makes you feel as if you are right there in Kilbane chatting with and listening to the citizens. I tried to look up Lennon’s biography to see if she was truly Irish or if her affectation of the Irish lilt was just very believable, but I couldn’t find anything much on her. Her pacing is perfect and you can hear all of the emotions – fear, concern, love, etc. in her voice. I’ll definitely look for more books narrated by Caroline Lennon.

Carlene O’Connor is a new-to-me author, but I’ll definitely look for more from her. Since her great-grandmother emigrated to the US from Ireland and the author herself splits her time between the US and Ireland, her representations of Ireland should be spot-on. The story is well-plotted, excellently written and the characters are lovely to meet. The prose is so descriptive that you can see the beauty of the Emerald Isle and commiserate with Kilbane’s inhabitants over the frequent rains.

Siobhan (shi-vawn) O’Sullivan and her family, known as the O’Sullivan Six, have had a very, very, very bad year. Almost exactly a year ago her parents were killed in a car accident, she had to give up her college plans and now, she’s responsible for running the family Bistro and caring for her four younger siblings – Grainne (Grawn-ya) who is sixteen, Ann, Eoin (Owen) and Ciaran (Keeran) as well as her older, by two years, brother James who had taken to drinking.

The anniversary of her parent’s deaths is just a few days away when the nasty brother of the man who was convicted in the drunk-driving accident. That stirs up all of Kilbane, but especially the O’Sullivans and James in particular. James has been alcohol-free for six months, but the appearance of Niall Murphy sends him out on a temper-fueled bender. The next morning, when Niall is found in the bistro, stabbed through the heart with a pair of scissors, James is the Gardai’s (police) prime suspect. When James cannot remember any of the events from the previous evening and splatters of Niall’s blood are found on James’ clothing, he is arrested.

Siobhan believes that the Gardai, including their local Garda, Macdara Flannery have focused on James and aren’t looking any further, so it is up to her to find the real killer. She starts awkwardly questioning her friends and neighbors and ends up with most of the village angry with her. That doesn’t stop her though, she has to save James. Garda Macdara, who is sweet on her, keeps asking her to back off and let the Gardai handle it, but she doesn’t trust them to really look for anyone else.

There are red herrings galore, but I was pretty sure I knew who the villain was from the first or second time he/she was mentioned. It was fun to read and find out if I was right or not! Add in an American visitor to put a wrench in the budding romance and you have an interesting read!

Please check out my reviews at:
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