Claudia (BrokenWing) reviewed on
Im a nearly 100% historical romance reader and was having a difficult time finding a contemporary author I liked until Theresa Weir, that is. I read and loved her novel Amazon Lily. I knew Cool Shade had gotten outstanding reviews and won a RITA award, but the book summary didnt appeal to me and I almost passed on the book. However, then I read All About Romances Desert Isle Keeper review of Cool Shade, giving it an A rating coupled with a hot sensuality rating, and since the DIK reviews are nearly always spot on, I decided to give the book a try.
Maddy is fired from her night-time DJ job after intentionally violating the radio stations format by playing a song with words. Shes flat broke and behind on her rent even before shes fired. On the day shes fired she arrives home to find a letter from her estranged sister Enids land lady in Nebraska, who indicates that Enid has been missing for a month. With nothing to lose and nothing keeping her in Arizona, Maddy packs up her few worldly possessions and her cat and drives from Arizona to Nebraska, to see if she can discover what happened to Enid. Several mechanical breakdowns later, she arrives in Nebraska and finds out her sister was working there as a small-town prostitute. After reviewing Enids appointment book, she discovers that one of her clients was a local recluse named Eddie Berlin. Maddy decides to head out to Eddies farmhouse to see what she can find out, but is frustrated when Eddie throws her off the property when she mentions Enids name. Eddie is a very strange character, a recluse and former manager of singer Rick Beck, who was killed onstage approx. 4 years ago. Eddie has a mysterious relationship to Rick Beck and some people actually think Eddie may have had some involvement in Ricks death. Suspicious of Eddies possible involvement with Enid's disappearance, Maddy goes to the police, who say Eddie is harmless and refuse to investigate him due to lack of evidence. Maddy then takes matters into her own hands by breaking into Eddies farmhouse while hes not home. Thats when the fireworks start. You can imagine all the possible scenarios and I dont want to give much more away at this point, since I dont want to create spoilers.
Suffice it to say, that this was one of the best romances Ive EVER read. To say I was impressed is vastly understating the case. Id give the book an A++ rating. This is the caliber of book Laura Kinsale or Judith Ivory would be writing if they wrote contemporaries. Combine deeply flawed, but very appealing, very human characters, with excellent character development, a fast-moving plot and a fascinating mystery you will NEVER solve on your own, and there you have it. Weir reveals her characters a little at a time and so the mystery unfolds very gradually. There are humorous moments and the characters are very real and flawed. The ending is so poignant that I probably used up a box of Kleenex on it. The love scenes are unusual and very, very hot, leaving just enough to the imagination. The mystery is so good, Im convinced Weir could be a straight mystery writer in her own rite.
Beg, borrow or steal this book, but whatever you do read it! Its a keeper for me so nobodys getting my copy. At this writing, my hubby is about 1/3 of a way through the book and he loves it too, but hes a much slower reader than I am.
Maddy is fired from her night-time DJ job after intentionally violating the radio stations format by playing a song with words. Shes flat broke and behind on her rent even before shes fired. On the day shes fired she arrives home to find a letter from her estranged sister Enids land lady in Nebraska, who indicates that Enid has been missing for a month. With nothing to lose and nothing keeping her in Arizona, Maddy packs up her few worldly possessions and her cat and drives from Arizona to Nebraska, to see if she can discover what happened to Enid. Several mechanical breakdowns later, she arrives in Nebraska and finds out her sister was working there as a small-town prostitute. After reviewing Enids appointment book, she discovers that one of her clients was a local recluse named Eddie Berlin. Maddy decides to head out to Eddies farmhouse to see what she can find out, but is frustrated when Eddie throws her off the property when she mentions Enids name. Eddie is a very strange character, a recluse and former manager of singer Rick Beck, who was killed onstage approx. 4 years ago. Eddie has a mysterious relationship to Rick Beck and some people actually think Eddie may have had some involvement in Ricks death. Suspicious of Eddies possible involvement with Enid's disappearance, Maddy goes to the police, who say Eddie is harmless and refuse to investigate him due to lack of evidence. Maddy then takes matters into her own hands by breaking into Eddies farmhouse while hes not home. Thats when the fireworks start. You can imagine all the possible scenarios and I dont want to give much more away at this point, since I dont want to create spoilers.
Suffice it to say, that this was one of the best romances Ive EVER read. To say I was impressed is vastly understating the case. Id give the book an A++ rating. This is the caliber of book Laura Kinsale or Judith Ivory would be writing if they wrote contemporaries. Combine deeply flawed, but very appealing, very human characters, with excellent character development, a fast-moving plot and a fascinating mystery you will NEVER solve on your own, and there you have it. Weir reveals her characters a little at a time and so the mystery unfolds very gradually. There are humorous moments and the characters are very real and flawed. The ending is so poignant that I probably used up a box of Kleenex on it. The love scenes are unusual and very, very hot, leaving just enough to the imagination. The mystery is so good, Im convinced Weir could be a straight mystery writer in her own rite.
Beg, borrow or steal this book, but whatever you do read it! Its a keeper for me so nobodys getting my copy. At this writing, my hubby is about 1/3 of a way through the book and he loves it too, but hes a much slower reader than I am.
