Summer of Deception

Charming housekeeper.

Why do I get the feeling ol' Charlie has kicked the bucket?

She came to the same city her brother is hiding in? Sounds like a bad idea.

Where is her mother?

She sure likes her sweaters. Isn't she hot?

You tell this witch, Jessica!

She's never heard of virgin drinks?

Is Archer high right now?

Why is he mad at her when he's willingly employing a drunk? No one asks to be molested.

I think if he's saying grace. he's not as mad at God as he claims.

Does Archer regularly find other women while on dates? This is the second time he's left her alone and gone off with someone else.

Whoa, comparing him to Dakota?! Yikes!

Well, antebellum times weren't exactly sunshine and roses.

I was browsing on NetGalley last week and the bright flowers on the cover caught my attention. I'd never heard of the book or the author, but the synopsis sounded good, so I decided on a whim to give it a try.

I was truly pleasantly surprised by this story. The suspense is well handled, and the romance is realistic (even though it is heavier on the romance than what I generally read.) I really, really liked the eclectic cast of characters, and I especially liked the faith they exhibited...handling faith like it truly was something for every-day life. And Aunt Jessica was just a dear!

I also loved the whole idea of a working tea plantation. Having been to Charleston before and drunk their local-grown tea, this particular plot was truly interesting to me.

The only thing that kept me from rating the book five stars was two swears and one h*. I hope that the author will not include even a few in her next book, because I did really enjoy the story and would like to adopt her as a new favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free review copy.

This book didn’t work for me. I requested it because of the description of the hero – former wounded Marine, widowed single dad – and his very visible eye-patch on the cover, but while reading I found out that the said eye-patch was more a handsomeness device than a true sign of an injury. Yes, the hero had a real eye injury but I scarcely saw how it affected his life (besides attracting women’s attention because of the pirate look). I even got the idea that the already besotted man was too proficient driving with only one functioning eye because he kept glancing at the heroine.
The heroine has strong moral convictions, sometimes becoming moralistic, and she is perhaps too naïve and credulous for my taste.
Overall, I thought the story has an average plot with good secondary characters and a great setting, a plantation in Charleston, South Carolina.