I was thrilled when I saw Pam from Avon post on Facebook asking if anyone was interested in previewing the new Stephanie Laurens book. Um, yes! She is one of my ‘Must Read’ authors and up in my special bookcase so I would love to get my grubby hands on that ebook! Especially a full month early… I did a little dance as I downloaded it!
Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue is the 1st in a new trilogy yet it’s the 16th Cynster novel. If you haven’t read Laurens before, don’t fret, you can easily start with this one.
The book starts quick and captures your attention. I must admit I had to flip back to the beginning (scroll back, rather…) and read it again to try and figure out who exactly was speaking in the prologue.
Let’s give the recap on what the book is about (because I’m terrible at recapping!)
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Miss Heather Cynster . . . but not before she encounters kidnappers, danger, and a daring rescue at the hands of Viscount Breckenridge.
Determined to hunt down her very own hero, one who will sweep her off her feet and into wedded bliss, and despairing of finding him in London’s staid ballrooms, Heather Cynster steps out of her safe world and boldly attends a racy soiree.
But her promising hunt is ruined by the supremely interfering Viscount Breckenridge, who whisks her out of scandal—and straight into danger, when a mysterious enemy seizes her, bundles her into a coach, and conveys her out of London.
Now it’s up to the notorious Breckenridge to prove himself the hero she’s been searching for all along . . .
And coming next month, more unforgettable romance in the Cynster Sisters Trilogy.
The first few chapters had me hooked. Heather was taken away in a coach yet there was a maid/chaperone to watch over her so technically they were keeping it all very proper. Yet, when Heather finds out that Viscount Breckenridge has followed her to rescue her, she tells him that she can’t leave. She needs to find out who is behind this because she wasn’t sure that she was the actual target. If her cousins/sister could be harmed, well, she had to find out what was going on. Completely sequel bait but I’m along for the ride.
The Cynster’s are a beloved family that are quite distinctive in Laurens world. My favorite Cynster novel is ‘A Secret Love’ but I really love that ‘friends become lovers’ trope. The current novel, Breckenridge, has a little of the same vibe but most of it is tied up in the kidnapping so it has a different tension.
A few of the things I didn’t like. It was hard to believe that she wouldn’t just leave. Why in the world would you keep staying with your kidnappers? Get out of there! She gave good reasons though. Once they did in fact escape, Laurens takes you on quite a jaunt in a few different ways. It gets a little tedious as it goes back and forth to keep the tension going in the last half of the book. It did give her an opportunities to get in quite a few sexy-times, so I guess there is that… She also throws in a little fate/magic which seems is just done to bring us some closure with a few of the past characters. It felt a little too much which is why I didn’t completely love this novel.
Having said that, I really like how Stephanie Laurens writes. She is a solid writer and takes you deliberately through every feeling and thought.
A hard body swung around the corner and plowed into her.
She stumbled back. Hard hands grabbed her, holding her upright.
Her heart leapt to her throat. She looked up, saw only darkness. She opened her mouth –
A palm slapped over her lips. A steely arm locked around her-locked her against a large, adamantine male body; she couldn’t even squirm.
Her sense scrambled. Strength, male heat, muscled hardness engulfed her.
Then a virulent curse singed her ears.
And she realized who’d captured her.
Laurens also uses crazy language. Adamintine? My WordPress spell check doesn’t even recognize that word! She tends to do that in all her novels, so it is like an exciting learning experience.
Through the dark, he looked at her.
She couldn’t see his eyes, but his gaze was so intent, so intense that she could feel…
Her heart started thudding, beating heavier, deeper.
Her sense expanded, alert in a wholly unfamiliar way.
He looked at her…looked at her.
Primitive instinct riffled the delicate hairs at her nape.
Abruptly he raised his head, straightened, stepped back. “Come on.”
It’s all very deliberate. So the tension is very sizzling.
I was thrilled to get a chance to read this book early, as I would have purchased it anyway. If you get the chance to read this novel, or any of Stephanie Laurens, I highly recommend it. It comes out August 30, 2011!
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