Series:
Hell's Bells (Book 3)
With her headful of wild curls and wilder ideas and an
unabashed love of experiments and explosives, society has labeled Lady Imogen
Loveless peculiar…and doesn't know she's one of the Hell's Belles -- a group of
vigilantes operating outside the notice of most of London.
Thomas Peck is not most of London. The brilliant
detective fought his way off the streets and into a promising career through
sheer force of will and a keen ability to see things others miss, like the fact
that Imogen isn't peculiar…she's pandemonium. If you ask him, she requires a
keeper. When her powerful family discovers her late-night activities, they
couldn't agree more…and they know just the man for the task.
Thomas wants nothing to do with guarding Imogen. He is a
grown man with a proper job and no time for the lady's incendiary chaos, no
matter how lushly it is packaged. But some assignments are too explosive to
pass up, and the gruff detective is soon caught up in Imogen's world, full of
her bold smiles and burning secrets…and a fiery passion that threatens to
consume them both.
I have been looking forward to Imogen and Tommy's story
since their first clash early in the series, and I was not disappointed. Word
of advice: read the first two books in the series before diving into this one,
or you will miss out on the buildup, and that would be a shame. It is easy to
be intrigued by a Victorian lady with a penchant for explosives and chaos. Pair
her with a by-the-book Scotland Yard Detective Inspector, and you have an
explosive combination.
Imogen is incredibly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and
utterly fearless. She also has deep-seated insecurities that affect how she
sees herself and her appeal to others. In fact, she has written off the
possibility of finding the same happiness as her friends. She is determined to
get to the bottom of the suspicious explosions that seem to be targeted at specific
businesses.
Thomas Peck started life as a street sweeper's son and
has worked his way up the ladder at Scotland Yard. He's law and order and logic,
and he's like a dog with a bone when he's investigating something.
I loved watching the relationship between Tommy and Imogen
develop. They got under each other's skins from the moment they encountered
each other at a crime scene. Imogen delights in teasing the man, and you can
frequently feel the waves of frustration rolling off him. But after one too
many publicly questionable actions bring her perilously close to ruin, Tommy
ends up assigned to watch over her. With that much time spent together, the
sparks of attraction continue to build. He fights his feelings for her, always
conscious of the disparity between their worlds. At the same time, Imogen falls
hard for him and doesn't give a hoot about their differences. One of my
favorite things about Tommy is how he sees the vibrant, caring, wonderful woman
that Imogen is behind the chaos that surrounds her. His tunnel vision about his
worthiness nearly ended things between them, but fortunately, a kick in the
pants opened his eyes to his mistake before it was too late. I loved the
emotional ending.
The suspense of the story was great. Imogen and the other
Belles are determined to discover who is behind the explosions endangering
their plans. Because of who they are (women, and therefore easily overlooked)
and their myriad of contacts, they have a good idea of who they are looking
for, but they need more proof. Their methods of acquiring that proof are
unusual and sometimes dangerous. Tommy is investigating the same explosions and
is aware that they know things he doesn't, but he can't get them to share (they
have their reasons). The danger intensifies when that trust is finally given,
and Tommy and Imogen get closer to the truth. The scene at the river had me
glued to the pages until it was all over, while the following scene at the
brothel had me laughing out loud. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and
I loved how it all went down. I especially enjoyed seeing the resolution of the
investigation.
I loved the secondary characters. The dinner with Tommy's
family was terrific. I ached for Imogen and how welcome and accepted she felt
by them. Her complete ease with them said much about who she was and what she found
important. As always, I loved the other Belles. Their tight bond exhibits
itself in many ways, from their unwavering support for each other to the
teasing none of them can resist. I loved their inclusion in this book, not just
as fellow conspirators but also as examples of the type of relationship that Imogen
craves. The epilogue was terrific, and the lead in to Duchess's book has me
champing at the bit to read it.
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