A not-to-be-missed romance-come-mystery

This book was quite delightful, in so many ways. We have sultry Pandora, who isn’t at all what she seems. Recently burnt Winter, who is happy to finally be able to move on from her controlling ex. Then Winter’s array of family and friends, some who really don’t appear to have her best interests at heart.

Winter ends up meeting Pandora after her aunt cajoles her into going to an upscale nightclub to check on her nephew, who insists he’s going to marry Pandora. Only problem is, instead of disliking her, Winter is attracted to her. As is her best friend, Jessie. Although Winter assumes that Pandora wouldn’t be interested in her, noting all the male attention she gets at the club. Oh how wrong could she be!

So, she gets to know Pandora, whilst setting up a trap for her nephew, unfortunately involving Jessie. Now, will everything go to plan there?

And of course, the intelligent Winter is able to discover some of Pandora’s secrets. Yet whether it will all be too much for both of them, when Pandora finally has to move on, is a secret that I’m not revealing.

Sometimes it’s quite frustrating finding out the details as I go along, rather than them being laid bare from the beginning, yet in this instance, it worked quite well. The only thing I will say that I disliked was how mean both Winter’s aunt and Jessie were to her! Considering how badly Winter was treated by her ex, I had expected better treatment from her family and friends.

Anyway, it’s still a worthwhile read. And also really nice to experience a little bit of Australia as a change!

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Maggie Brown's latest novel yet again set in Brisbane is a great read. With a number of novels this author has delivered a page turner with interesting characters.

This was a very solid read from an author that was new to me. The lead characters were well developed and the attraction between them was palpable - you could tell they couldn’t help but gravitate towards one another. The other characters were equally well written. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the author didn’t build massive angst from minor miscommunication issues and the leads were fighting to make things work. The author’s writing style was engaging and the Australian setting was a refreshing change. The intrigue element wasn’t particularly hard to figure out, and there were some bits that were very far fetched, but I picked this book up as a romance so I found it an enjoyable read.

This is a new author for me (have not read anything of hers before this) so was excited to start the story. I found I was immediately pulled in with opening scene of Winter's divorce signing, so I knee this was going to be a fast moving story. Winter is a very likable character to me, one I got behind right from the start., yes she was a bit flawed in her insecurities (but the ex seemed to contribute to that), but so strong and supportive to her friends and to Pandora.

Pandora, the other leading character, was this image I had in my head of Gretta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich, beautiful and so mysterious. Throw in a night club, some nasty patrons, and a meddling Aunt and you have your self a story.

The book moved along at a good pace, and the relationship with Winter and Pandora was a good mix. I also enjoyed the different turn of phrases the author used being Australian (I am American), I just overall enjoyed the story line. I will definitely be looking for more from this Author and will look to pickup some of her older books.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-A mystery and romance

OMG AWESOMENESS!!!!
Pandora is a high class night club singer. She is sexy and sultry and ever so tired of the unwanted advances she gets from aging playboys, a Russian mobster and the young man who has developed an obsessive crush on her. Winter is jaded from her messy break up with a TV News personality. As she tries to get her life back on track, she is summoned by her bossy, snobby aunt. Her son has decided he is in love with a lounge singer (GASP) who can only be after the young man for his money. Winter could not care less but her aunt insists she investigate the hussy. It doesn’t take long for the women to become acquainted and things get more and more interesting…

This book was so fantastic that I accidentally stayed up all night reading it! It was one of the best books I’ve read in a while and that is saying a LOT because there are some truly fantastic books out there in just the last few months alone! I loved Winter so much! She was so bold but yet so insecure… almost broken in some respects. Pandora was so much stronger than she let on yet there is a side of her that longs for things she thinks she can’t have. The magic the two of them have is off the charts! They are vibrant, sexy, talented and fascinating. I could not get enough of them. The story is so full of drama and angst, love and lust, jealousy and joy, anger and acceptance and even a bit of danger. It is a definite must read and re-read and then read it again sort of book and you will love it too!

This has been a story that mixed romance with some action in a pretty engaging way. Of the two main characters, Pandora is a singer in a nightclub in Brisbane, Australia. She is gorgeous and mysterious and has everyone, male and female, pursuing her. And the other is Winter, a serious and formal corporate lawyer who has just ended a relationship with a famous television presenter who cheated on her - in fact, the story begins with them signing their divorce. Pandora and Winter don't seem like they can be compatible, and to make matters worse Winter has to deal with a family matter involving Pandora and a cousin of Winter. So when they meet at the nightclub and plan the strategy to solve the issue of Winter's cousin, a series of deceptions and misunderstandings begin that are further exacerbated by the irresistible attraction that Pandora and Winter feel for each other. But then there are secrets that surround Pandora's life and that explain much of her behavior.
So the story unfolds based on pretense, half truths, uncontrollable passion and finally commitment and it must be said that as a whole it has been quite interesting and entertaining.

There are some surprises and some other fun situations. The passion between them has been warm and sweet, despite how difficult they had to overcome their current situations and their reluctance to accept a commitment, each for different reasons. But they have fought to try and that has been nice to witness.

So overall this has been an entertaining story and highly recommended from my point of view.

This was a fun mix of romance and mystery however neither was particularly dazzling or exciting. The chemistry was great between the main characters however I felt like they didn't communicate enough to develop a relationship, in fact the entire relationship progressed on their chemistry; chemistry that wasn't acted upon until near the end of the book and then they were in deeply love and ready to make major sacrifices to be together. As for the mystery, I was able to figure out all the essential elements of it fairly quickly. I felt like the author didn't put much effort into this part of the book and most lesfic authors who do mystery/romance usually do this in favor of focusing on the romance. It's just that the romance aspect wasn't nearly engaging enough to make up for that. So while the story wasn't awful or absolutely boring, these two slacking elements created a very unmemorable story for me. It was just a pleasant way to pass the time.

So glad to have another book by Maggie Brown to read. It’s been a while and I kind of forgot what a great author she really is.
Pandora( Hope Collins) loved to sing and had her heart set on taking the stage to show just how good she really was. But life never seems to go the way you want and that’s exactly what happened to Pandora. She spent her childhood moving from one place to another, along with the rest of her family seeing that her father was in the army. But even that changed when her father was killed in an accident. She still managed to get a scholarship and after studying she was more than ready to start her music career. But it was at this time her mother got sick so instead of singing on stage she found she had no choice but to take another kind of job, so she could help support her family. Then she landed a job she never thought of. She started working, doing undercover work for the government. It was just what she was doing when she first met Winter.
Winter Carlyle works as a corporate lawyer, a career she loved but her love life left her battle weary dealing with her ex, Christine, who it turns out was a user. All she really wanted was Winter’s money and making Winter’s life a living hell. Even when the divorce was final she could still hear Christine tell her how unlovable she was.
Then Winter’s aunt wants her to check out the woman her young son seems enamored with. Turns out it’s Pandora. Now Winter has to go to the nightclub to investigate just who this woman was and put a stop to her cousin's antics. He won’t leave Pandora alone. But how was she going to do that. Let the fun begin. This is truly a wonderful read. If you are like me you won't want to put down the book. Nicely paced, with believable dialogue along with some hot and steaming sex thrown in. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bella Books

Wow, this book is masterpiece!
Not often you read book, that moves you to the core. I felt all what Winter felt. Her happiness and her self doubt. This story grabbed me from the begining and it was extremely hard to out it down. I liked the secrets, and innuendos, the harmony between Pandora and Winter. Loved the attraction from the beginning. This story is really wonderful. Epilogue, wow, never saw that coming, and because of that I felt like I had a happy closure.

I have to go against the grain here - it seems that people are enjoying this book, but there are a lot of places where it fell flat for me. It is billed as a thriller on Bella Books' webpage, but I don't see where the thrill is. Granted, Pandora is a mystery, as it is obvious that it is her stage name for her Lounge Singer persona, but when we know what Pandora is really doing, it feels flat. There's almost no sense of mystery - just characters questioning about backgrounds and such, but there's no true digging around until the end. When Winter does actually start looking around, it is mostly done off screen, after she puts everything together. I do wish that Winter was intrigued enough to put her considerable smarts to the task of finding out who Pandora is, though.

Also, this has the bare bones makings of a film noir mystery, and oh my god I think I would have loved that. Film noir about a lounge singer, corporate lawyer who falls for her and tries to dig into her identity? Yes please! To spice things up, the Russian mob? Yes, please! It just didn't happen like that with this book. All those things are there, but the focus is definitely on Winter, our intelligent, awkward, corporate lawyer. Its more about Winter's sexual awakening, and her separating from her emotionally abusive ex, than the Russian mob running some kind of illegal operation through a lounge named The Silver Fox. What a great, campy name!

Granted I did love the romance between Pandora and Winter. Both of them have equal footing here, and it gives them a huge amount of footing. Pandora can be a little too charming, especially at the beginning, where everyone was basically panting at her. I love some of the side characters, especially Jessie, Winter's best friend. I just wish that they weren't pitted against each other for Pandora's affection.

I think I am a little harsh on this because I thought I was getting one thing, but got another. This one isn't for me, but there are things here that romance fans will love. I just didn't get the film noir camp I was looking for.

Pursuing Pandora (and its gorgeous cover) is exactly the book I needed this week. A mix of romance, comedy, and intrigue ... what could be better? Winter and Pandora had chemistry that crackled on the page, and the side characters (including Gussie, Christine, and Jessie) were fun to read as well. I have read and enjoyed Maggie Brown's books before, so I was thrilled to get the chance to read this one about a lounge singer. A fantastic way to end my fifth week working from home!

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'Sometimes a single sentence or just a good dialogue can be enough to fill the imagination completely: And sometimes a book's title is enough..'

I must say that I'm real gullible for any story that incorporates both intrigue & Love as one of the characters, and then as an important cog in the wheels of the narrative. And that's what 'PURSUING PANDORA' does and more on every page; where Pandora appears to readers, as fascinating, conspicuous and forthright at a moment's notice --- while Winter is astute, unfairly manipulated and has a charming personality. Add to this, Winter's ability to love her friends, families: both good & antagonistic, and Pandora: even with all her inherent secrets & mysterious background -- also makes her a deep and sometimes provocative protagonist for this storyline.
Furthermore, everything else that's alluding to the entire storytelling does culminate with it being the perfect backdrop for such a sensual, friendship & family driven and emotional ride that both main character had to endure to finally end up being together.
This book that Ms.Brown has written will definitely draw all interested readers in and that perception of any emotional turmoil it evokes might even stay with you long after you put it down.
Highly recommended!

I really liked this book, but I don’t care for the cover.

Winter just finalised her split with the nasty Christine when her aunt pulls her into a plot to get her cousin out of the claws of a woman. Winter goes to the club where Pandora is a singer and her cousin a frequent visitor. It becomes clear very quickly Pandora is way out of Michael’s league and not interested in the boy, but she is afraid he might do something rash if she is too hard on him. Winter and Pandora make a plan that involves Winter’s best friend Jessie, who is a notorious flirt. Winter and Pandora strike up interest in each other and hang out a lot. Winter is pretty smart and figures out Pandora is not who she seems, but understands she can’t share all the details. The story unfolds very nicely.
I must admit at first I was a but put off if the story was only to get Michael to come to his senses, I was happy it involved so much more and so many interesting characters. I really liked how Winter wasn’t made out to be some fool in love, but was respected with her intellect and efficient ways (great powers of deduction). There is some mystery there and it’s nice.
I don’t care for the name Pandora, but to each their own.

Aside from the story being nice the writing style is great as well. This was my first book by this author, but I am sure to check some of her other books out.

Winter Carlyle, has finally gotten herself out of a really bad relationship when her aunty asks for her help in her cousin's infatuation with Pandora, a lounge singer in an infamous nightclub. Once Winter lays eyes on Pandora, she develops an attraction to Pandora as well.
This is my first Maggie Brown book and it's a winner. Brown definitely knows how to write a great story. There's continual twists and turns that you don't see coming, the characters are great, the sub characters are interesting and she even manages to make Winter, the boring, corporate lawyer interesting as well. It was a fast paced romance/mystery and I'll be definitely adding more of Brown's books to my collection.

This is an interesting book but I am a bit conflicted about it. I enjoyed it, it has a good plot, well rounded characters but there are just a few too many plot holes for it to be truly excellent. Plus, one of the main characters is called "Winter", while another is described as being "wildly handsome" - a term that litters certain genres within lesfic seemingly without anyone really knowing what it actually means. Also in the negative column is the description "More a strapping tavern wench of Irish folklore", eh no. Irish folklore is full of queens, warriors, faeries, mythical beasts, magic, people with only one eye, druids, giants, expanding cloaks, talking swans but exactly zero taverns or wenches!

Ok, now that the rant is out of my system there are some very good things about this book too; namely Winter's aunt Gussie and her bridge club are utterly hilarious, Pandora is a very good character with just the right amount of mystery and kick-ass sexiness about her and Winter's ex is a brilliant pantomime villain. Winter herself is a bit of fool at times it is fun to watch her relationship with Pandora unfold, with many twists and turns.

I'm not sure I would have picked this up without being in quarantine but it definitely helped pass the time and I flew through it, no problems picking it up again. If you want something easy to read and a bit of fun, you won't go far wrong here.

I was given this Arc copy for an honest review via NetGalley and its publisher...many thanks!
This was a great read with a very happy ending. I finished it in one sitting..that’s how good it was for me.
Winter Carlyle, a corporate attorney, had recently gotten out of a bad relationship and wants nothing to do with love. Her aunt enlists her for help because her cousin seems to have developed a huge crush for some nightclub singer who is 13 years his senior and that’s when she meets the beautiful and mysterious Pandora. Pandora is used to the amorous looks, flowers and unwanted advances from the club’s patronage which she dislikes very much. However, she has never met anyone like Winter before and she is interested to know more.
I loved that this story had so many twists and turns in the plot.
This is a re-read for me and happy to have it in my library.

This is a fun escapist romcom starring lovely leading ladies with awesome chemistry.

Winter Carlyle – corporate lawyer, divorced from a TV personality drama queen, mostly foil to her player lady-nip (as in catnip) best friend, family trouble shooter. Pandora – sizzling lounge singer, Gussie is seriously distressed when her son, Michael (in his twenties), declares that he’s going to marry a woman much older than him. She makes Winter go to the lounge (Silver Fox) where Pandora performs and report back to her about the cradle-snatching woman. Winter goes to the lounge with her bestie, Jessie (a consummate player) and a couple of other friends. Winter finds that Pandora is not interested in or encouraging the besotted Michael in any way but more alarmingly, there seem to be sparks between her and Pandora. Pandora and Winter meet ostensibly to figure out how to handle the Michael situation but find their connection growing deeper.

Mad attraction, crazy ploys, cop-and-robbers, witchy-bitchy ex, a clutch of Pandora admirers (and broken hearts) fill this thoroughly enjoyable book.

Pandora and Winter both have their insecurities about each other but are dealt with on gentle, tender (and sometimes grand gesture) ways. We loved how they both jump to each other’s defence more than once and do not shy away from calling out anyone who is not giving the other respect. The attraction and chemistry between the two is fabulous. While there are really no surprises in the book it is constantly interesting and totally engrossing. We thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

Definitely recommended.

Winter just got out of a messy relationship with her ex Christina. When her aunt Gussie ask her to check out this woman her son Michael has become infatuated with at this club called Sliver Fox she is reluctant to get involve and thinks maybe this woman can teach him thing of two.

Pandora is a lounge singer at the club but she more then that she there for a reason. When she meets Winter it doesn’t go smoothly especially when she realize she there to see if she is bad news what both didn’t expect was the attraction that comes between them. When they decide on plan to have Michael see that he doesn’t have a chance with Pandora a relationship start forming between them even though they both know it’s temporary they start falling for each other.

This was engaging romance with a little bit of intrigue. Ps. Winter ex is a trip

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.