River of Fire

Captain Wilding makes an undercover investigation of the mysterious death of Lady Seaton, amid the art world of Regency England, while romantically drawn to her daughter Rebecca.

About midway through the book, Rebecca compares the fire of creativity to a river of fire in your blood. The compulsion above all others to create art and express your internal vision. Although Putney is a writer and not a painter, she is clearly speaking through the voice of her character.

There is a wonderful delicacy as Captain Wilding, a man who has spent his entire adult life at war, opens up to the power of artistic creation and (well this is a romance novel) love. And yet, because he is in the middle of a covert murder investigation in which his prime suspect is his ladylove's father, well let's just say there is a lot of angst and romantic tension.

Rebecca is his match. She's feminine without being a wuss. She's creative. Opinionated. Just a bit prickly because she's been hurt in the past, but willing to love.

The mystery is decent, if not that complex. Well, I mean there aren't that many characters. There is a small amount of action. Mysterious attacks in the middle of the night, that sort of thing. The real suspense comes from watching these two damaged people learn to open up both artistically and emotionally to each other.

Putney's descriptions of painting and the London art world in Regency England are obviously well researched and make a nice back drop to the story's main action. There are a number of repeat characters from other Putney books, however there
is enough explanation that a first time reader shouldn't have any problems.

This is a great book to curl up with on the couch with a glass of wine, a bit of rain outside, and just while away the day. ( )

I like this book. The characters are well developed. The author doesn't try too hard to hide information from the reader. The main characters both have secrets, and unlike in too many stories, it actually makes sense that they can't just tell the other person and resolve their problems by page 100.

Unfortunately, then there's the climax. Which is going along just fine until Ms. Putney drops in a piece of heavy handed, and unnecessary, deus ex machina. It makes me want to smack my head into a wall repeatedly every single time I reread this book. ( )

Not Putney's best but characters Rebecca and Kenneth are constantly referred to within this series of books which includes 5 star One Perfect Rose and Wild Child. ( )