Title: Sizzle and BurnAuthor: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Arcane Society (book #3)
Previous in series: White Lies
Next in series: The Third Circle
My Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis: Raine Tallentyre and J&J agent, Zack Jones, have one thing in common - their paranormal abilities. Raine can hear voices while Zack has visions. With Raine in the sights of a deranged serial killer and a secret cabal of psychic criminals intent on obtaining the Tallentyre family secrets, Raine and Zack must rely both on their abilities and on each other in order to survive.
Review: The most entertaining in the series so far. The romance is wonderful even if the plot is lacking in suspense.
Once again, Krentz excels with her dialogue and characterization. Raine uses wit and sarcasm to conceal her insecurities but is, nevertheless, a self-sufficient woman with a powerful sense of justice. Zack is absolutely gorgeous, and I really enjoyed the way in which he helps Raine come to terms with her abilities. Their chemistry definitely sizzles and burns and it was interesting to see their relationship develop from extremely hot and sensual to intensely emotional. I also liked the fact that their romance is not plagued by any contrived misunderstandings or trust issues.
My only real problem with the story is that the serial killer plot is so minor as to be almost non-existent and has very little relevance to the main storyline. As a fan of serial killer books, I was hoping for more details on the victims and the murderer but this is not forthcoming and is ultimately resolved very quickly and almost as an afterthought. The psychic cabal plot is more complex and better developed with additional details provided about the Nightshade organization introduced in the previous book. There is also a nifty plot twist and cliffhanger at the end to keep the reader guessing.
It should be noted that it is not necessary to read the series in order. There is no direct connection between the plots of the individual books perhaps because some are contemporary while others are historical. The only common thread is the Jones family and the Arcane society, and it is fairly easy to grasp their significance in the series arc. On the whole, I prefer Krentz’s historical romances written under her pseudonym, Amanda Quick, but the Arcane series is very entertaining and enjoyable. I look forward to reading the next installment.
0 comments:
Post a Comment