After a string of rather intense murders and psychological thrillers this was a good change!

Caitlin is a jeweller by profession and she is stunned by the death of her sort of boyfriend. Someone she was not committed to but whom she liked. She now finds herself at the receiving end of a lot of interest by very nefarious and hard core characters who are determined to find an amulet that her boy friend has hidden in her work chambers.

Once it is found and with the handsome history professor by her side, alongside her able assistant, Caitlin is determined to return it to the Louvre, its original owner. You would think that this would be an open shut case with them welcoming Caitlin with open arms but the story becomes twisted with attempted kidnappings, murder and international intrigue.

Covering London, Brittany and Paris this was a fun read for me and a very welcome one at that. Lots of history in a very captivating way along with more than a touch of romance.

Fatal Charm is the latest novel by Blair McDowell. Caitlin Abernathy is a jeweler in San Francisco, California. She is on her way to an important appointment when she is accosted by two men. They steal her jewelry case with her samples. Caitlin is surprised when police come to her studio. She is told that her boyfriend, Allen Thompson is dead. Who would want to hurt an accountant? Caitlin is in her store when Dr. Colin Stryker arrives. He needs a gift for his mother and Caitlin’s assistant, Aristotle Jones recommended her store. Colin is instantly taken with Caitlin. Caitlin is pulling out some lapis to show Colin when she discovers an item hidden in the drawer. It turns out to be a 2-inch gold and jeweled dragon. Colin, a visiting history professor at UC Berkley, offers to research the gem for her. A week later Colin returns with information that the little dragon once belonged to Marie Antoinette. Colin and Caitlin are returning to her shop when the alarm goes off. They return to find Aristotle tied up and the shop trashed. Someone knows about the bejeweled dragon and they are determined to get it. Further research shows that the gem was stolen from the Louvre. Aristotle, Caitlin and Colin set out to return the item to the museum, but it will not be an easy task. The thieves have a long reach and are willing to do whatever it takes. Will this threesome be able to accomplish their task or will the dragon disappear once again?

Fatal Charm sweeps readers from San Francisco to France. Fatal Charm is well-written and engaging. The book had a fast pace which makes it easy to read and enjoy. Blair McDowell is an illustrative writer which allows readers to visualize the scenes in their head. This brings the characters and story to life for me. I thought the mystery was complex and intriguing (which you know I love). I enjoyed the many twists and turns. I felt the romance between Caitlin and Colin tied in beautifully with the mystery. The mystery and romance went hand-in-hand. Fatal Charm has a sweet ending that wraps up all the storylines beautifully. I have read all of Blair McDowell’s books and, for me, Fatal Charm tops the charts. I look forward to reading Ms. McDowell’s future works.

Fatal Charm is the newest mystery romance from Blair McDowell. Expected release date is 8th September 2017.

I read this book in one sitting. The action is non-stop. There are murders and double-crosses and international jewel thievery. The plot rotates around a baroque pearl dragon amulet once owned by Marie Antoinette which eventually wound up stolen from the Louvre. Two of the thieves were caught but the third got away with the amulet.

The main character (a beautiful art jeweler named Caitlin) gets trapped into the action almost randomly and the plot hinges on her attempts to safely return the dragon to the Louvre. The original thieves haven't forgotten about getting caught years ago and they're out for revenge, even if that includes murdering Caitlin and anyone else who stands in their way.

The mystery and thriller elements are well written. Romance writing in general isn't the top of my reading list, but the sex and romance scenes were not 'cringe worthy' and seemed naturally written and advanced the narrative, so they weren't at all gratuitous.

I enjoyed reading about Paris and the French countryside and coast. The author is very talented and the ending was clean and satisfying. The almost-epilogue at the very end caused a little internal eye rolling, but honestly, it's a romance mystery. I would recommend this one to any of my romance loving friends who like a little mystery/thriller with their romances.

Three and a half stars

This is the first book that I have read by Blair McDowell and I enjoyed it tremendously. She has a way with words, they flow beautifully and build an amazing story. The way that she connects Colin, Aristotle, and Caitlin and describes their individual relationships as well as the individual relationships makes this book a very enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley and Blair McDowell for letting me read and review this book.