Silent Deception by Cathie Dunn Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Silent Deception is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

I was looking for something short and maybe not-so-sweet when I came across this novella, and it was the perfect choice to help me get out of a reading slump. Minnie Goodridge has inherited a haunted manor, and comes across the charming presence of Gideon Drake upon her arrival to fix up the home that no person seems keen to enter. I usually tend to stay away from historical romance, but on occasion when combined with a touch of ghosts, I will be sucked in.

This novella brushes upon a budding romance between Minnie and Gideon as she makes the manor her home while digging into the dreadful past that seems to haunt the estate. Unknowingly tied to Gideon, she attempts to unmask the truth of a relative while he does the same, but he is immediately intrigued by Minnie's presence in his life.

Silent Deception offers the beginning of a romance that brushes the surface of what the future has in store for Minnie and Gideon. I loved the atmosphere that the author created, it truly felt hauntingly eerie as the story progressed, and reminded me so much of Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn in that regard.

Both main characters had a decent amount of character development, considering this novella clocks in at just under eighty pages. I found myself wishing this was a full-length novel, and I really wanted to get more into the story and the romance. The plot moved along at a great pace that allows readers to essentially finish in one sitting, making you want to never stop reading until the end. The relationship between Minnie and Gideon feels very natural, especially for the time period, and I loved the way they slowly began to get to know one another.

If you are looking for a gateway into historical romance with just a dash of mystery, this novella is certainly an excellent step in that direction. On a separate note, I think this is the third book I have read with this girl on the cover -- they never seem to disappoint!

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Awakened Princess (Beyond the Curse, #1) by Laura Greenwood Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Awakened Princess is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

Kicking off my first read of 2024 with an intriguing retelling plot that seemed to wrap three fairy tales into one fantasy series. More so in the sense that there are hints from different stories written throughout this book, but most notably is Sleeping Beauty, which is at the forefront of the story. 

Keira, freshly eighteen and officially declared the heir, has discovered that a sleeping curse has been placed upon her, and she must find a way to break it before her nineteenth birthday. Going along with the Sleeping Beauty retelling, we have Prince Philip, from another kingdom, who has earned the interested of Keira when he attends her birthday gala.

This was a fun read! It was on the shorter side, but nothing felt too rushed and the characters are still given the chance to develop some more distinguishable traits. It was not overflowing with unnecessary side characters, and the author kept the story to the point and did not drift from the main plot line. Getting to see the early stages of Keira and Philip's relationship as friends to something more felt natural -- it was not instant love for them, and I really appreciated the way they got to know each other before anything else transpired. 

I do wish that we were able to see more development for the individual characters, but given that it is the first book in a series, I have hope that the next installment will draw more on their backgrounds and personalities. Regarding world building, this was a simple introduction to the internal conflict between two kingdoms, and we as readers are given a glimpse at the vast environmental differences between Philip and Keira's homes.

Philip's parents have a more secretive aura surrounding them compared to Keira's parents -- they seem much more untrustworthy, especially given the information we learn about his father during this book. Keira's parents are only a step or two above them, given that they keep a decent amount of information from her until the opportunity strikes once they determine she should know.

I enjoyed the darker undertones to the classic fairy tales that we are familiar with, as it definitely adds a new dimension to the retelling that allows the story to feel fresh. As a longtime lover of Sleeping Beauty, there was a perfect amount of the original story at play while still maintaining originality by the author. This was a great, quick read to get me back into my reading grind and hopefully on a fantasy kick to finally tackle some more books on my shelf.

You can add Awakened Princess on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!