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    A Spear Of Summer Grass
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    A Spear Of Summer Grass
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    A Spear Of Summer Grass
    Ebook405 pages6 hours

    A Spear Of Summer Grass

    By Deanna Raybourn

    4/5

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    About this ebook


    Paris, 1923.

    The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even amongst Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft–married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favourite stepfather's savanna manor house until gossip subsides.

    Fairlight is the crumbling, sun–bleached skeleton of a faded African dream – a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.

    Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming – yet fleeting and often cheap. Amidst the wonders and dangers of Africa, Delilah awakes to a land out of all proportion: extremes of heat, darkness, beauty and joy that cut to her very heart. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for – and what she can no longer live without.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers Australia
    Release dateMay 1, 2013
    ISBN9781460898833
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    A Spear Of Summer Grass
    Author

    Deanna Raybourn

    New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a double major in English and history and an emphasis on Shakespearean studies. She taught high school English for three years in San Antonio before leaving education to pursue a career as a novelist. Deanna makes her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and daughter and is hard at work on her next novel.

    Read more from Deanna Raybourn

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    Reviews for A Spear Of Summer Grass

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    • 4/5
      A good standalone novel from an author whose series books I've enjoyed.
    • 5/5
      Exquisite. Evocative. I only hope there is more to come.
    • 5/5
      This was an absolutely wonderful read. Deanna Raybourn is a very talented author who time after time hooks her readers with superbly developed characters. I have enjoyed the Lady Grey novels and wasn't sure that the time period change would keep me interested, but I was very pleased that I was wrong.

      Delilah is a woman who is a competent woman who thumbs her nose at social restrictions and does as she pleases. At first, she comes off as a complete scatter brain who is only interested in her own desires. However, as the story progresses you find her to be haunted, a bit tortured and with an honor system that makes you love her. She is tough and witty. Her notoriety has reached even as far as Kenya, which makes some detest her and others instantly attracted to her.

      Ryder storms into the story like a bull in a china shop...you can't miss him and he makes his presence known. He is rough, tortured and a bit crass, but entirely lovable.

      Kenya, where the main part of the story takes place, comes alive to you as you read the story. The heat is oppressive, the wild dangerous and frightening, the colonials are a bit desperate, and the natives suppressed. However, despite all of this there the land and all its people have a strength and beauty that shines through and makes you love and root for them.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. Raybourn’s style is one that I enjoy very much, and I suspect she could write almost any kind of story and I would find myself falling in love with the words as they mingle amongst each other on the pages. That being said, this story in particular is problematic, which is something I suspected would happen as soon as I realized it was about a privileged, white American traveling to Africa. My background in African history is not very strong, but I do believe at least the basic political ideals and push for Kenyan independence during this time period was correct. And, honestly, the fact that we only really have the white European view of Kenyan independence can be construed as a very astute comment on how the the politics of it were handled, historically. However, Raybourn does dip quite a few toes in the White Savior complex here not only when it comes to the Masai she interacts with in general, but very heavily with Gideon and Moses. I can’t say that it wasn’t possible for a white American woman to become such close friends with a Masai warrior in 1920s Africa, or that it never once happened, but the ease with which Delilah’s relationships took hold was a strange thing to read. The scene when Delilah returns to Fairlight and the tribes gather to sing for her was both incredibly beautiful and incredibly uncomfortable at the same time; ultimately it left me feeling unsteady with what I was experiencing.There were characters that were mis-(or under)used in the story, namely Dora who I feel should have been explored more deeply not only as an individual but also as a contrary confidant of Delilah’s. I also felt like Tusker wasn’t given her due and that Helen's motives ended up seeming forced. Ryder was a semi-interesting character, but I found reason to be complicit in Delilah’s feelings for him.The shining star of the novel is by far Delilah as a hell-raising, devil-may-care, pseudo-feminist and how she deals with her own personal demons. I think given a different setting and perhaps a different love interest, I would have fallen deeply for her story.
    • 5/5
      I'm a huge fan of Raybourn and this was another great read! I just love the exotic African bush setting & can't wait to see what happens in the next installments.
    • 4/5
      After just a few pages you can tell that Ms. Raybourn is an author that is both confident and competent in her craft. The story is about a young socialite who falls under suspicion after the death of her husband. She decides to move to Africa where a relative of hers has property until the coast clears. Here she meets a wide variety of fascinating characters but it is the continent of Africa that has the most pull on her. She is by no means a traditional heroine as her morality falls far short of most women in the 1920's. There are many twists and turns in the plot but only slight criticism is how neatly the book is wrapped up at the end. That said, the book is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      Having never read a Deanna Raybourn novel, I was totally unprepared to be so satisfied with this author's rendition of a "wild one" banished b her family to Africa. I found Delilah spoiled, snotty and bitchy, but not to the extreme of turning against her. I liked that she stood up for herself and didn't feel she needed a man; she simply used them if the occasion came up.Other characters were as delightful, in their own way. the descriptive writing was so good that I still look around-me for her busily doing Delilah's bidding. Gideon showed me the life a a tribesman in an entertaining way. All of the characters evolved into their true colors by the end of the novel. Having came from a posh life of having it all and banished to an area which presents challenges to her through it's hardness was inspiring to read. I felt as if I had taken a trip to Africa and I have pleasant thoughts of it's existence through h this novel.The attraction between Ryder White only teased us for a prequel; this man was strong,smart, cold hunt and cook but too hurt from a previous relationship to want a relationship again. Even their relationship was believed as it grew, thanks to excellent writing by the author .I recommend this book to anyone wanting a novel that stays in your mind long after you have read it.
    • 3/5
      A Spear Of Summer GrassByDeanna RayburnMy " in a nutshell" summary...adventurous Delilah is off to Africa!My thoughts after reading this book...I don't think I quite appreciated this book. I liked Delilah...she was a trip...probably an independent woman before her time. She drank, she smoked, she could really hold her alcohol and she was really a bit of a wild child. Her husband dies under questionable circumstances and friends and family feel that it is necessary for Delilah to leave the country so she goes to Africa.Final thoughts...I wanted to love...I mean LOVE this book and by the middle of it I wanted to pop Delilah and her buddy Dora/Dodo a good one! So...I did not finish it...I hate saying that but I just couldn't read it to the end...nothing at all against the writing, the cover, the characters...it just was not for this reader.
    • 2/5
      I have read Deanna Raybourn's mystery series starting with Silent in the Grave, and really enjoyed them. I thought this novel might be a fun read. It was somewhat disappointing. A British-American socialite is rusticated to Africa to wait out a scandal relating to the death of her husband. Immediately the story line becomes problematic. Due to her summers spent on her grandfather's plantation in Louisiana, she apparently has a special understanding of the needs of the black people. She becomes the "white savior" to the African tribes that cross her farm, and in fact, becomes bff's with a young black man who is set to guard her and teach her the ways of the bush. She jumps right into an affair with an old friend who just happens to be living on the property, but at the same time meets a rugged, independent man with whom she falls in love. Her neighbors are straight out of Gatsby. She alienates the white overseer of the property and he seeks revenge. In the end, succumbing to her natural desire and need for a protector, she marries the rugged independent guy and the end. While I don't really have high expectations of my beach reads, if they are historical fiction, I do like them to have a passing acquaintance with reality. It was hard to suspend belief enough to buy in to some of the events.
    • 5/5
      LOVED every minute of this novel! Raybourns best so far.
    • 5/5
      All the stars!!!There is almost too much to say about Deanna Raybourn's newest novel, A Spear of Summer Grass. I've enjoyed her writing before, in her Lady Julia Gray mystery novels, but, as much as I loved those novel and recommend them to fellow readers regularly, this novel has stolen my heart.The novel, set in the 1920s, begins in Paris, but quickly relocates to Africa. Delilah Drummond is no stranger to scandal: her mother has married many times, Delilah herself has been married three, and her latest marriage has once again exposed her to gossip and speculation. In an attempt to avoid the negative effects of this most recent scandal, Delilah leaves Paris for a season in Africa. Africa is not the place Delilah dreamed of as a child, but in many ways it's more... and it has a drama all it's own. In the middle of this foreign landscape, Delilah discovers beauty, danger, love, and, most of important of all, her place in the world.For many, Delilah may, at least at first, be one of those unlikeable characters. For me, I loved her from the start. She's quite frank and unapologetic about her life and actions. Her peers often find her loose of morals and standards, but that's not at all the reality of the situation. In many ways, I suppose Delilah could be considered a woman before her time. To be truthful, I'm unsure of exactly how female independence and sexuality was viewed in 1920s Europe, but the novel left me with the distinct impression that Delilah was not the norm. She takes lovers (but is never unfaithful during her marriages), stands up for what she believes, and is entirely capable (and willing) to do "a man's work." I especially loved her character's history. She, like all the characters in the novel, are complex and layered. All of her actions and beliefs are rooted in something in her history, which one can assume is true of all characters, but Raybourn is especially skilled at weaving a character's tale in a believable, elegant fashion. Little by little, I felt that I came to know and understand Delilah, and, while I feel that A Spear of Summer Grass had a satisfying conclusion, I loathed leaving her behind.I can't say I've ever read a novel that was set in Africa, but, after the descriptions of the landscapes, wildlife, and culture, I've come to love it a bit. Setting the novel here, in the 1900s, also opened up the perfect opportunity for Raybourn to incorporate themes and questions regarding colonialism and women's rights. These are two themes that I have a particular interest in when it comes to literature and I felt that Raybourn did a fantastic job of considering these subjects without being at all overbearing, instead settling for thought provoking and engaging.Of course, I must touch on the romance within A Spear of Summer Grass. I've always admired Raybourn's deft hand when it comes to romance and the relationship in this novel is no exception. Raybourn takes two extremely flawed characters and fits their broken edges together in a beautiful, redeeming sort of way. The romance between Ryder and Delilah is, without at doubt, one of my all-time favorite romances. I cannot recommend A Spear of Summer Grass enough. You'll not be able to leave these characters behind, nor the gorgeous African setting
    • 4/5
      I have to say I had not had the pleasure of reading any of Deanna Raybourn's work in the past. When I won a copy of A Spear of Summer Grass from goodreads, I was excited to try her work. Ms. Raybourn is a very talented writer that transported me to Africa with her descriptions and characters. I really enjoyed A Spear of Summer Grass and I hope there is more to come about these fun and intriguing characters.Delilah Drummond is portrayed as a spoiled rich brat at the beginning of the book. She has pushed her luck one too many times and her family feels it is time for her to disappear out of the lime light for a while so the gossip may die down. When Delilah gets to Africa and starts to interact with the locals, she turns out to have a much bigger heart than I originally thought. The more I read about Delilah the more I grew to like this out spoken woman. She's a hoot and has no problem at all letting people know what she thinks.Ryder White is a handsome man with many talents. He is not at all what Delilah expects at first and it's fun to watch these two get to know each other. They have a good time bickering and yet you feel their connection. There is some mystery, drama, romance, and overall just some really great scenes in this book. I had no problem at all becoming totally immersed in this book. It really is a fascinating story. There are so many things that happen, I really don't want to give away any of the surprises. So I'm going to let you read them for yourself. I never like to a spoil a story for my fellow readers. There were many characters that I would like to read more about I hope that we will get the chance to learn more in a future story. I would love to see what else happens between Delilah and Ryder. I'd also like to see if her cousin Dora is able to find happiness and what happens with Ryder's friend. I know I certainly enjoyed Deanna Raybourn's writing and I would like to read more of her work.
    • 4/5
      One of my favorite genres life in early 1900's in Africa. Good characters sprinkled with the red dust of those who came before, Beryl Markham and Karen Blixen. And s hint of Scarlett and Rhett. Scandalous Delilah and distant cousin Dora sent off th Africa while the latest scandal cools. Both find a new life amid the wildNess if Africa.
    • 4/5
      This is different from the Lady Julia series but still very good. It wasn't really a mystery but more suspenseful than a normal novel.
    • 3/5
      Liked the parts about Africa. Didn't realize it was a "Harlequin" book, until started reading. Decided I am Not a reader of romance fiction. Blaaaachhhh. However, that's just my very own personal choice. I'm giving this stars - it was well written, not one-of-those bodice rippers (wouldn't have finished that)and there was a good story-line, well-defined characters, some real "love", some mystery/page turning whodunit and descriptions and essence of 1920's Africa - land, wildlife, emotions - were charming.
      It's definitely a readable romance.
    • 5/5
      Delilah Drummond has created one scandal too many with her refusal to return the jewels of her third husband after his suicide. To quiet the scandal, her family sends her to Africa to stay at Fairlight, the estate of her stepfather. Upon her arrival, she witnesses one Brit horsewhipping another only to find out that the whipper is her ride to the estate. Ryder proves to be an enigma throughout the book-- a safari guide with a heart for conservation, a romancer who refuses her--yet, they continue to find common ground. When she fires the estate manager, Delilah kicks off a series of events that could have devastating consequences for the people around her. Ultimately, Delilah recognizes herself in Africa--fragile and resilient where life is dangerous and painful but also joyous and full. An awesome first book of the year!
    • 4/5
      I've really enjoyed Raybourn's Lady Julia series, but found her one paranormal vampire book underwhelming. Here, I found a nice surprise. There were parts that I loved about this book, the descriptions of Africa and the wildness of it was great. But... the actual storyline between Ryder and Delilah was lackluster, virtually no romance or tenderness, falling far short into that department. They had what seemed to be a "non-courtship" which left me feeling short-changed. I wanted more. Still I loved their characters which were vividly drawn as were all the side characters, as well. mI only wish there had been more meat in the love story.
    • 4/5
      This is a book that has been on my "to-be-read" shelf since I first heard it was coming out. In the past I have really enjoyed this author's writing style. This book did carry on the traditional writing style. The characters became this readers' friends. I started to care about the characters. I found this book to be really entertaining and full of believable adventure. There were times I did not agree with the morals the characters were demonstrating, but this did not distract from the over all enjoyment of the book. I will seek out this author again in the future.
    • 4/5
      So many random thoughts; I picked this up at the library purely on the strength of Deanna Raybourn and my enjoyment of her other novels.  I knew it wasn't a mystery, but I grabbed it anyway because it was set in Africa, and I really enjoy Raybourn's writing; the dry wit, the sass.The only thing this novel had in common with her Julia Grey / Veronica Speedwell novels is the male love interest; it's safe to say Raybourn has a type, and she sticks with it.  Brisbane, Stoker and Ryder could all be the same character with different hair styles.  As for the rest of the story, it's utterly different from anything else of hers I've read.A Spear Of Summer Grass starts off slowly - so very slowly - and its plot is tenuous, at best, for the first ... 70% of the book?  For that first 2/3, it was a 3 star read and that was because Raybourn captured the romance of interwar Africa (Kenya, specifically) perfectly for a reader whose chance at experiencing it herself has been postponed.  The main character, Delilah, is not a typical Raybourn heroine.  She looks like it on the outside, as she does what she pleases and apologises to no one, but it's not coming from a core of strength; Delilah's core is pretty amoral when it comes to sex.  She's Phryne Fisher without a purpose.  Eventually, the reader learns where this comes from, but Raybourn makes the reader work for it.Round about that 70% mark it's clear that this story comes closest to a coming of age story mixed with a romance, whose chemistry is also every bit like the chemistry between the characters in her other books.  There are also some developments that really work towards ratcheting up the pace - and the reader's interest.  Some of the secondary bits and characters were clunky, but for that last third of the book, I was hooked; I was invested, and I was sorry to see it come to an end.Would I recommend it?  I don't know.  I'm glad I read it - it was beautifully written, well researched (even if some of her research came from funny sources), and ultimately it was a good story - but I think it's one the reader has to be in the mood for more so than for most books.
    • 4/5
      A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS was such an enjoyable story. It’s told from the first person point-of-view of Delilah Drummond, a worldly flapper who’s caused embarrassment to her family one too many times. She’s banished to her stepfather’s ramshackle estate in Colonial Kenya until her latest scandal in Paris blows over. Her journey to this majestic and dangerous place changes her in ways she couldn’t have imagined.At first Delilah’s character is arrogant, selfish, and shallow, but she’s compelling nonetheless. Her experiences in Africa bring out the complex, yet flawed, person she is below the surface. Delilah forms a precarious relationship with Ryder White, a man just as broken as she is. Ryder was so different from the men Delilah used and tossed aside. He challenged her, which was exactly what she needed.A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS is intriguing historical fiction with romance, mystery, adventure, and an absolutely breathtaking setting. The author’s engaging writing style and rich descriptions of the people, politics, and landscape of Colonial Kenya drew me in. I’m hoping for a sequel!Rating: 4.25 StarsDisclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      'Africa...the very word conjured a spell for me.'…so mused Delilah, and the working of the spell is mighty. (...and can I just say that this novel cast a spell over me).As Tusker says to Delilah, 'you’ve already got a taste for Africa, child. You won't be satisfied with anything less.'Kenya in the 20's -- the romance, the struggle, the survival, the dark and decadent sides--all viewed through the monocle of the elite…and those few committed to the of all.Escaping Parisian society's gossip and scandal over the suicide of her late husband, followed by her husband's family demanding the return of the family jewels, Delilah agrees to being bundled off to Africa by her mother, Mossy, and Mossy's 'court of gentleman.'Throughout, Delilah treats us to interesting soliloquies and delivers some delightfully pertinent lines. I am quite enamored by her. To an encroaching stranger who would sit at her table se remarked, 'I can smell a wife a mile away...and you have the stink of one all over you.'A lingering sadness strengthened by the joy of occasions intermingle in Delilah.This is an independent woman of the 1920's finding her place.The story won me from the first paragraph and held me close until the last. An excellent read!A NetGalley ARC
    • 3/5
      Raybourn (The Dark Enquiry, 2011) presents a sweeping romance set in 1920s British Kenya. After one escapade too many, notorious socialite Delilah Drummond is exiled from Europe to her former stepfather’s estate. When she arrives there with her cousin Dora, they find everything in shambles. With the help of native workers, they slowly restore the estate to an acceptable standard of British comfort. At first, the white community embraces her, from artist Kit to safari guide Ryder and everyone in between. Although she is content to become Kit’s lover, her heart grows closer and closer to Ryder as he gives her practical advice about survival and shows her the beauty of Africa. When Kit is murdered, however, the white community is in upheaval, and Delilah is heavily involved. The book’s title, taken from poet Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” embodies Raybourn’s central themes of self-sufficiency and oneness with nature. Delilah can’t come to terms with the beauty and brutality of Kenya, its people, or Ryder until she comes to terms with herself.— Pat Henshaw
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. Raybourn’s style is one that I enjoy very much, and I suspect she could write almost any kind of story and I would find myself falling in love with the words as they mingle amongst each other on the pages. That being said, this story in particular is problematic, which is something I suspected would happen as soon as I realized it was about a privileged, white American traveling to Africa. My background in African history is not very strong, but I do believe at least the basic political ideals and push for Kenyan independence during this time period was correct. And, honestly, the fact that we only really have the white European view of Kenyan independence can be construed as a very astute comment on how the the politics of it were handled, historically. However, Raybourn does dip quite a few toes in the White Savior complex here not only when it comes to the Masai she interacts with in general, but very heavily with Gideon and Moses. I can’t say that it wasn’t possible for a white American woman to become such close friends with a Masai warrior in 1920s Africa, or that it never once happened, but the ease with which Delilah’s relationships took hold was a strange thing to read. The scene when Delilah returns to Fairlight and the tribes gather to sing for her was both incredibly beautiful and incredibly uncomfortable at the same time; ultimately it left me feeling unsteady with what I was experiencing.There were characters that were mis-(or under)used in the story, namely Dora who I feel should have been explored more deeply not only as an individual but also as a contrary confidant of Delilah’s. I also felt like Tusker wasn’t given her due and that Helen's motives ended up seeming forced. Ryder was a semi-interesting character, but I found reason to be complicit in Delilah’s feelings for him.The shining star of the novel is by far Delilah as a hell-raising, devil-may-care, pseudo-feminist and how she deals with her own personal demons. I think given a different setting and perhaps a different love interest, I would have fallen deeply for her story.
    • 3/5
      I find it frustrating that Deanna Raybourn is inconsistent with her books. I loved the first 2 Lady Julia Gray books then thought the rest were gradually worse. But then I adored her stand alone novel, The Dead Travel Fast, so I had hopes for her latest. But as I followed the journey of Delilah Drummond from Europe to Kenya, I found that I really wasn't that interested. The settings are wonderful of course and Raybourn can write. But the story felt forced and even though I was able to finish it, I can't say I'm glad I read this. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cross Deanna Raybourn off my list, unless a new book comes along that receives raves. Sometimes authors hit slumps and don't come out of it. I can't explain why a I have loved a few and disliked a few. If you really want to read this, borrow it from the library.
    • 3/5
      I thought if anyone could pull off a book like A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS, it would be Deanna Raybourn. Raybourn is an author with style and flair, combining serious writing chops and good research. The Lady Julia Grey books that I've read are great.

      I also adore the books that A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS is written in homage to - I love Karen Blixen's OUT OF AFRICA, and I love Beryl Markham's WEST INTO THE NIGHT. Like a lot of people, I fell a little in love with the charismatic safari guide and pilot both women write about, Denys Finch-Hatton. If you've seen the movie of OUT OF AFRICA, that would be Robert Redford. Crush-worthy dude.

      I wanted to love this book. It reads a little like fan-fiction for people who want more of Blixen and more of Markham and more of Denys, and that's me! I loved the heroine, Delilah, a dazzling, Jazz-age dame with a heart of diamond and brass ovaries. And I loved the hero, too, whose name -- Ryder White -- became increasingly cringe-inducing as the book went on. He's sort of like Denys/Robert Redford, if you crossed him with Indiana Jones and gave him earrings. I'd have loved it if he did more than swagger across the page, saying all the right things but never sticking around long enough to seem like a real person.

      But, as it turns out, I didn't love A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS. You saw that coming, right? Because although I loved the beginning, which is gorgeously written, and I loved Delilah's hard-hearted, cynical narration, somewhere around the halfway mark this book just fell apart.

      I don't know if I have room in my review to list all the serious problems with this book, but let's start with the obvious one: glamorizing colonialism and big game hunting. Raybourn tries so hard to make her protagonists good people by modern standards that she pretty much breaks the book.

      Delilah shocks the other whites by treating blacks humanely, insisting on feeding her employees better than anyone else, spending every morning playing nurse to the local tribes, giving them ample time off, visiting the native villages and bomas. She wants to be friends with her employees, and she ultimately plays the role of White Savior. Ryder is a safari guide who believes in conservation and hates killing animals, except that he's the best at it, so he only leads safaris when he's paid really a whole lot of money and also he tries to only kill "problem" animals.

      But all the while, Raybourn describes the tribes - the Kikuyu, the Masai, etc. - in pretty much the exact same terms that Blixen and Markham did. Except that Blixen and Markham knew enough real people that they sketch wonderful individual portraits amidst the racial profiling. By contrast, Raybourn's native characters are pure stereotype: the mystical wise man who sees ghosts, the loyal servant who's grateful and loving even when suffering grave injustice.

      The net effect is to exonerate the hero and heroine from the evils of colonialism, while repeating the most pernicious errors of the colonial era.

      But, hey, if I want to read a colonial fantasy maybe I should chill out and just enjoy the ride, right? Except...no.

      A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS does not need a villain. Delilah's attempts to make a place for herself in Africa would have been more than enough to keep the book moving along at a good pace. The introduction of political intrigue did more harm than good. The intrigues are poorly fleshed out -- the political thread hinges on Kenya's chances of achieving independence from Britain and you will finish this book not understanding the issue any better than when you started. And the mystery plot is rushed, with lots of characters delivering monologues to move things along.

      The way the book is structured, the first half or so seems to be about Delilah growing and changing. The second half is so busy and overloaded with climactic events that she doesn't have time to do the growing and changing I'd invested in. The end result is that I was totally unsatisfied.

      The romance is rushed. Delilah and Ryder make a sort of competition out of seducing one another. Each grandstands and postures a lot, making a show of being irresistible but emotionally walled-off, and this aggressive flirtation gives way very -- I mean, VERY -- suddenly to True Love Forever. Their relationship, with two sexually experienced, alpha characters is the exact sort of thing I love most. But this romance left me completely indifferent. The whole thing seemed to happen in hieroglyphs or symbols. It didn't feel real, or move me.

      I really wanted to like this book, but it was a disappointing read for me. Excellent beginning and some amazing writing, but it was all downhill after the 25% mark.