I have been looking forward to Imogen and Tommy's story since their first clash early in the series, and I was not disappointed. Word of advice: read the first two books in the series before diving into this one, or you will miss out on the buildup, and that would be a shame. It is easy to be intrigued by a Victorian lady with a penchant for explosives and chaos. Pair her with a by-the-book Scotland Yard Detective Inspector, and you have an explosive combination.
Imogen is incredibly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and utterly fearless. She also has deep-seated insecurities that affect how she sees herself and her appeal to others. In fact, she has written off the possibility of finding the same happiness as her friends. She is determined to get to the bottom of the suspicious explosions that seem to be targeted at specific businesses.
Thomas Peck started life as a street sweeper's son and has worked his way up the ladder at Scotland Yard. He's law and order and logic, and he's like a dog with a bone when he's investigating something.
I loved watching the relationship between Tommy and Imogen develop. They got under each other's skins from the moment they encountered each other at a crime scene. Imogen delights in teasing the man, and you can frequently feel the waves of frustration rolling off him. But after one too many publicly questionable actions bring her perilously close to ruin, Tommy ends up assigned to watch over her. With that much time spent together, the sparks of attraction continue to build. He fights his feelings for her, always conscious of the disparity between their worlds. At the same time, Imogen falls hard for him and doesn't give a hoot about their differences. One of my favorite things about Tommy is how he sees the vibrant, caring, wonderful woman that Imogen is behind the chaos that surrounds her. His tunnel vision about his worthiness nearly ended things between them, but fortunately, a kick in the pants opened his eyes to his mistake before it was too late. I loved the emotional ending.
The suspense of the story was great. Imogen and the other Belles are determined to discover who is behind the explosions endangering their plans. Because of who they are (women, and therefore easily overlooked) and their myriad of contacts, they have a good idea of who they are looking for, but they need more proof. Their methods of acquiring that proof are unusual and sometimes dangerous. Tommy is investigating the same explosions and is aware that they know things he doesn't, but he can't get them to share (they have their reasons). The danger intensifies when that trust is finally given, and Tommy and Imogen get closer to the truth. The scene at the river had me glued to the pages until it was all over, while the following scene at the brothel had me laughing out loud. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I loved how it all went down. I especially enjoyed seeing the resolution of the investigation.
I loved the secondary characters. The dinner with Tommy's family was terrific. I ached for Imogen and how welcome and accepted she felt by them. Her complete ease with them said much about who she was and what she found important. As always, I loved the other Belles. Their tight bond exhibits itself in many ways, from their unwavering support for each other to the teasing none of them can resist. I loved their inclusion in this book, not just as fellow conspirators but also as examples of the type of relationship that Imogen craves. The epilogue was terrific, and the lead in to Duchess's book has me champing at the bit to read it.
Imogen is incredibly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and utterly fearless. She also has deep-seated insecurities that affect how she sees herself and her appeal to others. In fact, she has written off the possibility of finding the same happiness as her friends. She is determined to get to the bottom of the suspicious explosions that seem to be targeted at specific businesses.
Thomas Peck started life as a street sweeper's son and has worked his way up the ladder at Scotland Yard. He's law and order and logic, and he's like a dog with a bone when he's investigating something.
I loved watching the relationship between Tommy and Imogen develop. They got under each other's skins from the moment they encountered each other at a crime scene. Imogen delights in teasing the man, and you can frequently feel the waves of frustration rolling off him. But after one too many publicly questionable actions bring her perilously close to ruin, Tommy ends up assigned to watch over her. With that much time spent together, the sparks of attraction continue to build. He fights his feelings for her, always conscious of the disparity between their worlds. At the same time, Imogen falls hard for him and doesn't give a hoot about their differences. One of my favorite things about Tommy is how he sees the vibrant, caring, wonderful woman that Imogen is behind the chaos that surrounds her. His tunnel vision about his worthiness nearly ended things between them, but fortunately, a kick in the pants opened his eyes to his mistake before it was too late. I loved the emotional ending.
The suspense of the story was great. Imogen and the other Belles are determined to discover who is behind the explosions endangering their plans. Because of who they are (women, and therefore easily overlooked) and their myriad of contacts, they have a good idea of who they are looking for, but they need more proof. Their methods of acquiring that proof are unusual and sometimes dangerous. Tommy is investigating the same explosions and is aware that they know things he doesn't, but he can't get them to share (they have their reasons). The danger intensifies when that trust is finally given, and Tommy and Imogen get closer to the truth. The scene at the river had me glued to the pages until it was all over, while the following scene at the brothel had me laughing out loud. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I loved how it all went down. I especially enjoyed seeing the resolution of the investigation.
I loved the secondary characters. The dinner with Tommy's family was terrific. I ached for Imogen and how welcome and accepted she felt by them. Her complete ease with them said much about who she was and what she found important. As always, I loved the other Belles. Their tight bond exhibits itself in many ways, from their unwavering support for each other to the teasing none of them can resist. I loved their inclusion in this book, not just as fellow conspirators but also as examples of the type of relationship that Imogen craves. The epilogue was terrific, and the lead in to Duchess's book has me champing at the bit to read it.
