Patricia Rice

As a through-and-through, logical, unemotional Ives male, Gerard, Earl of Ives and Wystan, avoids Wystan Castle as much as he possibly can. Why? Well, because it is filled to the brim with those lovely but pesky Malcolm women who like to manage him. It is his responsibility to care for and provide for the dears, but his coffers are all but drained and he has absolutely no idea how he’ll manage to keep the castle and lands going. If only he could find the treasure that the voice from the show more old Roman coin keeps talking about, he could do the necessary repairs and preserve Wystan – but if he can’t … Maybe he should just find an heiress to marry. He could do that – as long as she isn’t a Malcolm – he couldn’t do that. He just isn’t ready for marriage yet and since his father isn’t pushing him – well – he can wait.

Lady Iona Malcolm Ross and her twin sister Isobel have fled Craigmore, their home in Scotland because their debauched and evil step-father has usurped the title Earl of Craigmore. That title rightly belongs to Iona, but since she is a young female, nobody questions him. He has gone through all of their funds and is now planning to sell Iona to an American who wants a title. That American has more money than sense and has absolutely no idea how their Scottish title works. The American thinks he is buying a title for himself. Iona and Isobel have assumed new names and are well hidden within different Malcolm households – they should be safe. They were, safe that is, until their nasty step-father – using the American’s money – goes public with a tale of woe about his daughters having run away and offering a large reward for anybody finding them.

I always love all of the quirky ‘talents’ that manifest themselves in the Malcolms. Iona’s talent is that she talks to bees. That might not sound like much of a talent – but when it is needed to save the day – well – we find it might be more valuable than we realized.

The Malcolm I most appreciated in this book was Gerard. Poor man – can you imagine how conflicted he is? Yes – he is both a Malcolm and an Ives – and that pretty much puts him at war within himself. His logical, scientific, Ives mind absolutely cannot fathom that he has a voice talking to him in his head – so he often thinks he must be insane. Can he come to accept and embrace his Malcolm gifts as well as his Ives brilliance?

I really enjoyed Gerard! His conflicts within himself are really well done. Iona, on the other hand, wasn’t my favorite Malcolm. I loved that she calmed Gerard and seemed to amplify and focus his emerging gifts – but I just didn’t love her personally. She was strong and independent but didn’t trust anybody and I can understand that given her life over the last few years. Still, she was much too headstrong and often put herself – and perhaps others – at risk. Even when she was presented with logical alternatives, she still went her own way without caring a whit about what her decisions did to others – particularly Gerard. So, I liked Iona – and I liked Iona and Gerard together – but I didn’t love Iona.

I can definitely recommend this book and this series. I hope you’ll give it a try and will love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

Good book with an intriguing storyline. Oz is determined to find his son, who has been gone for a year. Everyone else seems to have given up on finding him. Oz begins receiving mysterious text messages from someone called "The Librarian", sending him on a search for a former teen singing star named Syrene, implying that she's the key to finding his son. He wants to make her the star of his new children's show and use that to find his son. Syrene has left that world completely behind after show more the death of her young husband and a very public meltdown. She has begun a new life as children's author Pippa James and living in a small town. She wants nothing to do with Oz and his quest.

These two have quite a combustible relationship. Both of them have some serious issues to overcome. Oz is used to getting his way in everything and isn't going to give up now. He's carrying a boatload of guilt because he holds himself responsible for his wife's death and the later disappearance of his son. Pippa is determined to protect her privacy and her sanity. When she sings it brings out extreme emotions in people and she is afraid to use it again. When Oz forces his way into her life she is surprised to discover that, not only is he sceptical of her abilities, her Voice seems to have no effect on him. Oz is equally surprised to discover that Pippa has no problem standing up to his steamroller tactics.

There's definite chemistry between them from the beginning. It's obvious in the intensity of their encounters. I loved their verbal battles, their snarky comments sometimes leading into more physical encounters. As they begin to give in to their attraction, they also begin to get to know each other on a deeper level. I loved seeing Oz start to accept the idea of her abilities even as he works to bring her out of her protective shell. Pippa's fear of causing more harm begins to lessen just a little thanks to Oz's presence in her life. I loved seeing the way that they so quickly became important to each other, though they resisted the idea of a relationship between them.

The mystery that ran throughout the story was very well done. The more they got into the search, the more connections between the kidnapping and Pippa's search for her family appeared. There were some very intriguing twists and turns that kept the journey to the conclusion interesting. The addition of some secondary characters added to the fun. The mysterious "Librarian" is one who is ambiguous at the beginning, as we don't know if he is a good guy or a bad guy. Oz's brother Conan, a computer whiz, was terrific. His occasional geeky obliviousness is offset by his attention to detail in his searches. I enjoyed his verbal battles with Oz. His discovery of the links between Oz's son and Pippa solve part of the mystery, but leave enough unknown for future books to pursue. show less

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in the hopes of a fair and honest review.

I squeed with delight when I learnt I was going to be sent this novel which is another instalment in Patricia Rice's long running and much loved Malcolm women world. It didn't disappoint. Reading any other of the series isn't at all necessary as - like all of the series - this book stands alone. It is, however, fun to have an awareness of the Malcolm women's various eccentricities and show more to enjoy, as always, their effect on the relentlessly practical and rational men who cross their paths. Lady Phoebe Douglas is a particularly marvellous heroine - the image of her in a divided skirt, atop a penny farthing bicycle, wearing a porkpie hat trimmed with real roses in an era of women wearing crinoline cages to emphasise their decorative useleness tells the reader from the start that they are in the presence of another stubbornly independent Malcolm heroine. Lady Phoebe has the gift of understanding animals and wants to study to be able to minister their needs, however, she is hampered both by her sex, her poverty and Edinburgh's veterinary schools' resistance to teaching women (and their equal resistance to ministering to any animal smaller than a horse). Circumstances (and her Malcolm aunts) send her into the household of Mr Andrew Blair, an engineer saddled with his gifted nieces and nephew, trying to provide for not only the family under his roof but also his extended family. He wants a conventional society wife to further his ambitions. Lady Phoebe is the reverse of what he thinks he needs in a woman. Sparks fly and hijinks ensue.

Patricia Rice is one of my favourite romance writers - her humour and her feisty stubborn heroines who can survive alone but know they live their best lives in company always make me happy. I don't read her books: I devour them, often at one sitting (as I did this one). This book is another in her usual vein and is a perfect escape for these troublesome times. The writing is assured and skilful and the editing, as always, matches so that nothing jarring disturbs the smooth reading and flow of the tale. The touches of Scottish dialect are superb - just enough to give the story a tang without causing confusion - and the characters are appealing (and you can play, as I do, the guessing game of who will be the star of the next in volume in the series - I was right from the teaser at the end!). If you want a fun, lively romance with quirky characters and an adorable family, this book is perfect. Strongly recommend. show less

Cyber Genius by Patricia Rice is a fast-paced techno-romance that blends intrigue, suspense, and emotional depth. The story follows a brilliant cybersecurity expert whose skills pull her into a dangerous web of corporate espionage and personal entanglements. Rice balances technical detail with accessible storytelling, keeping readers engaged without overwhelming them with jargon. The romance develops naturally amidst the tension, giving the narrative heart alongside the high-stakes plot. show more Fans of suspenseful romance with a modern, tech-savvy twist will find this book particularly satisfying. show less