Connie Rea's Reviews > A Perilous Undertaking

I didn't just fall in love with this novel like I did the first in the series. However, after finishing it, I think I do appreciate this one much more.

In Veronica we now see someone that has grown a bit since we last saw her. She isn't nearly as annoying as she was in the first book. She seems to no longer feel the need to let everyone else she knows everything...yes, she still believes she's more clever than most, but she isn't determined to prove it in this novel.

Stoker...damn, he was so attractive to me in the first novel...he was no less in this one.

This mystery wasn't as engaging as the last one was (for me). There also is much less *tension* between Veronica and Stoker. However, what Raybourn has managed to do is simply amazing.

What do I mean by this? Veronica and Stoker are both very independent people. Often authors present us with what they believe independent people, but at the same time, they are actually very dependent. They go out of their way to prove to their independence when all they really want to do is be dependent. It's what I find most annoying about romantic novels. Women or men that are suppose to be so strong and then overnight become weak and hopeless waiting on someone to rescue them. I'm not trying to be mean here...I'm just giving my viewpoint...

But this? Veronica and Stoker are fast friends and best mates, but they are still independent thinkers. I don't see that changing. Somehow Raybourn has managed to keep the characters true to themselves. Veronica and Stoker are a united front against the world. We all know that eventually they will be together (YES YES YES) however, I don't believe they will ever fit in with society's norm to do so. I don't believe they will ever find it necessary to become dependent on each other...yes, of course they will depend on each other...they do that now...but you'll never find one sniveling and hiding in the corner and acting the fool to win the other's love...they won't need to...they truly are secure in their own identity...

I know this is probably my worst review EVER!!! But I place all the blame on just how much I love what Raybourn has created in these two characters. Two people that have very checkered pasts, two people that aren't holding themselves pure and chaste for the perfect love, two people that are self confident enough to not try to manipulate (although they both have no problem doing so to get to the truth of the matter in their investigations) each other...and yet they trust each other 100% and don't feel a need to give one iota of a care to what anyone else thinks about their relationship. This novel might not be the best...this mystery might not be the best...but this relationship is so refreshing to me that I am just at a loss of words...

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review