Skip to main content

Review: Deadly Vows by Brenda Joyce

Title:  Deadly Vows (Cahill/Deadly Series #9)
Author:  Brenda Joyce
Genre:  Historical Romance
Pages:  379
Release Date:  March 2011
ISBN:  9780373775514
Publisher:  HQN
Source:  ARC from publisher via NetGalley

Synopsis: 

Nothing can stop Francesca from marrying Calder Hart—except the scandal that threatens to tear them apart...
On the morning of her wedding to Calder Hart, amateur sleuth Francesca Cahill is lured away to a private viewing of the one thing that can destroy her whole family: a nude painting of her. Her desperate quest to find the indecent portrait and preserve her family’s reputation leads her into a dangerous thief’s trap with no way to escape until it’s too late. Her wedding is ruined—and so is the trust and love that Calder once felt for her.
Then the damning painting goes missing.
Scouring the sordid streets of Manhattan, Francesca is on the hunt for answers; who is the perverse sociopath responsible for stealing the scandalous portrait? How can she regain her place in Calder’s heart? And is their passionate love affair well and truly over?

**************************

My Thoughts:

Set almost immediately following the last novel; Deadly Vows begins on Francesca & Calder's wedding day.  Of course nothing is easy when it comes to this pair!  Francesca is 'called' away by a mysterious note just before the wedding is about to begin.  Known for getting herself into all sorts of trouble, she is locked 'accidentially' away and misses the most important day of her life.  Now what could be so important to draw her away from that?  The portrait of course!

Francesca is one of my favorite characters, she's a very modern woman for her time.  She's a top sleuth, funny, smart, witty - all the ideal qualities that both Rick and Calder admire!  Her relationship with Rick and Calder are both complicated ones.  This triangle is at times can be very entertaining, the banter, the quips...  Rick would really like to have a relationship outside of sleuthing with Francesca, but he is married to Leigh Anne.  Calder would really like Francesca to be with someone like Rick or with Rick.

"I happen to believe that my brother (Calder), as rotten as he can be, is not entirely rotten.  You bring out the best side of him, Francesca.  The only problem is that a leopard cannot change his spots." - Rick Bragg

Calder and Francesca have a lot of trust issues to worth through in this story.  After Francesca jilted her beloved at the alter; Calder refuses to give her another chance.  He believes he doesn't deserve her - that she needs to be with someone more moral then he is.

This story has a bit of everything - robbery, kidnapping, romance, mystery..

Brenda Joyce did an amazing job with this story.  Anyone who enjoy historical romance or a good mystery novel will love this series!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

This blog is an award free zone. The gesture is appreciated, but you stopping by is reward enough!

I love comments! I will try to respond to as many as I can.

Popular posts from this blog

Book Tour: Bring Me Back by Karen Booth

I’m Karen, a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music, Judy Blume, and the films of John Hughes. An early preoccupation with Rock ‘n’ Roll led me to spend my twenties working my way from intern to executive in the music industry. Much of my writing revolves around the world of backstage passes and band dynamics. My first full-length novel, “Bring Me Back”, is a story I had in my head for nearly eight years before my fingers hit the keyboard. Sleeping and eating quickly became a luxury, a plan I have since dubbed the Writer’s Diet. I channeled teenage memories of plastering my walls with posters to weave the tale of music journalist, Claire Abby, and the dreamy British rock-star crush of her youth, Christopher Penman. “Bring Me Back” is a work of women’s fiction, published by Turquoise Morning Press. When I’m not creating fictional musicians, I’m listening to everything from old-school Cheap Trick to Duran Duran to Superchunk with my kids, honing my Southern
3 comments
Click Here Read More!! »

"Waiting On" Wednesday!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine There are a few books coming out this year that I am looking forward to getting my hands on! 1.  The new Terry Goodkind novel - The Omen Machine   This is the lastest novel in the "Sword of Truth" series, which will be coming out in July.  It's noted on Amazon as "a Richard and Kahlan" novel... can't wait!  Cover hasn't been revealed yet. 2.  Bertrice Small also has a new book in the Border Chronicles Series coming out in October.  I haven't been able to find it on Amazon or Chapters yet, but it is listed on her wesbite - Coming Attractions  Again no cover available yet. 3.  Carolyn Jewel  has book #3 in the "Witches" Series is available this month...  My Immortal Assassin I can't wait to get my hands on this one!  This series was recommended to me by a shop owner and I couldn't put the first two books down! It comes out this month!
3 comments
Click Here Read More!! »

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop 2012

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop April 6th to 12th Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Yara @ Once Upon A Twilight One lucky commenter is going to win their book of choice (up to a $10 value) This is open internationally (wherever Book Depository ships to) No PO Boxes please! Must be 13 yrs or older to enter. Just fill in the Rafflecopter form and you’re entered in the giveaway! Make sure to hop on to the other sites participating and see what amazing stuff they have going on! a Rafflecopter giveaway <a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
224 comments
Click Here Read More!! »