Series:
Dangerous Gifts (Book 1)
A smoldering nobleman and a beautiful amnesiac with
paranormal gifts discover they share a powerful passion, a unique legacy -- and
a common enemy.
Together they faced the past . . .
A sense of duty sends Bran Tremayne to Cornwall to
confront his heritage of British nobility. Abandoned at birth, Bran wants
nothing to do with the embittered remains of his family. But as a special agent
for the Home Office, he senses trouble brewing along the coast. And he can't
turn away from the vulnerable woman he encounters in the Cornish countryside.
Merryn's amnesia makes her past a mystery to them both, but with her life in
danger, the only thing Bran knows for sure is that the beautiful stranger needs
his protection . . .
But would they share a future?
Leaning into Bran is difficult enough, but can Merryn
trust the strong bond -- and the powerful passion -- she feels for her rugged
rescuer? She has no choice once Bran uncovers that she is at the center of a
plot between French agents and Cornish smugglers. From misty woodlands to
stormy shores, the two join forces with a band of loyal Cornishmen to bring
down a common enemy. Yet will their growing love survive the coming peril?
This is the first book in a new series, Dangerous Gifts, about
Regency-era men and women with paranormal abilities. I was enthralled with the
story from the first pages, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
The book opens with Lord and Lady Tremayne discovering
two young boys hiding in an alley in London. Their families had rejected Bran
and Cade because they exhibited strange abilities. Taken in and raised by the
Tremaynes, who also possess similar abilities, Bran and Cade learned to control
and use their gifts for good. Both now work for the Home Office, doing what
they can to protect their country. Bran's gifts lean towards investigation and
being able to connect events to form an accurate picture of looming trouble.
Bran is shocked to return home one day and find a lawyer from
Cornwall wanting to see him. It appears that the father who rejected him so cruelly
years earlier now needs to find the only son he has left. Bran is not
interested in Penhaligon's title, lands, or fortune, but his intuition tells
him he must go to Cornwall. With another war with France looming, the Cornwall
coast is a prime location for smugglers and spies.
Bran's arrival in Cornwall is just as awkward as he
expected. While his mother and sister are welcoming and kind, his father is as
dismissive and arrogant as Bran remembered. I loved Bran's ability to keep his
cool, which riled his father more. Additionally, Bran feels a growing sense of
danger as he spends time in the village and meets various people. There is also
a sense that something else has drawn him there, but he doesn't yet know what
it is.
Meanwhile, we meet a young woman simply called
"Girl." She is being held captive by two people who appear to have
nefarious intentions. One of her captors, Starling, has a gift for putting a
mind block on Girl, keeping her subdued. But Girl has retained enough of a
sense of self that she knows she must escape. I loved seeing her determination
and how she worked to regain some of her control, eventually taking advantage
of an opportunity to escape. My heart pounded as I followed her flight and how
it led her straight to Bran.
I loved how Bran immediately recognized that Girl (who he
calls Lady) is gifted. His protectiveness, patience, and kindness were balm to
her soul as he helped her recover from her ordeal. The sparks between them are
immediately noticeable. Bran has his work cut out to remember he's an honorable
man, especially as she begins to recover her memories, such as her name, Merryn.
There are some terrific scenes of them together as they get to know each other.
Bran sends for Cade and his sister, Tamsyn, a healer, to help investigate the
sense of danger and help Merryn. Seeing Bran struggle to resist Merryn's wiles
while awaiting her complete recovery was fun. I especially enjoyed watching Bran
attempt to explain the depth and reality of their connection to Merryn. The
ending was great, and the epilogue was a perfect wrap-up for the book.
As the four of them delve deeper into the danger they
feel, the twists and turns of discoveries and revelations kept them (and me)
guessing about where and how the trouble would occur. Just when I thought I had
it figured out, something would happen to complicate the situation. I never
expected the particular gift that made Merryn so vital to the bad guys' plans
and the danger it put her in. I was glued to the pages as everything came
together, and they raced to prevent disaster. The resolution was well done.
The secondary characters were terrific and added extra
depth to the story. I like the relationship between Cade and Bran, who have
maintained their closeness into adulthood. Their love and respect for each
other is evident throughout the book. I enjoyed seeing Cade confront part of
his past. The surprise he discovered showed a little-known side of him, and I
look forward to the possibility of seeing more of it. I loved their sister,
Tamsyn, one of the three biological children of the Tremaynes. She is strong,
independent, and gifted, and loves her family. The interactions between her and
her brothers were fun. It was also evident that they respected her intelligence
and abilities. I suspect that Cade and she will be the subjects of the next
books in the series.
A secondary romance was going on between Bran's
Penhaligon sister, Glynis, and the estate's lawyer, Matthew Davey. Her father
forbids it, but she and Matthew find ways to be together. Matthew was a
terrific man who loved her but wouldn't do anything that could hurt her. I
liked Matthew's friendship with Bran and his willingness to assist with their
investigations. Glynis was initially sweet and quiet, but her genuine
personality began to show through as the book progressed. I loved her
burgeoning friendship with Merryn and Tamsyn. I loved the twist at the end.
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