Red-Haired Ash Reads

In this book, Veronica and Stoker are tasked by Lady Sundridge to take on the impossible task of trying to save the life of a man from execution. He has been accused of killing his mistress but things don’t add up. 

While I did enjoy this book, I still struggled with the pacing. I am finding that the mysteries in this series are more drawn out with multiple lulls in action, which makes it hard for me to love these books (so far anyways). I did enjoy this story more than the previous one and the majority of that is because of Veronica and Stoker. 

Veronica and Stoker are wonderful characters with a lot of personality. I never know what they will do or say, which is the main reason why I keep reading these. Veronica is a wonderful heroine who is constantly surprising me with her antics and determination to embarrass Stoker. Stoker is a very grumpy and closed off man. In this one we get to learn more about his family and childhood and why he is estranged from them. These two are some of the best characters I have ever read. I am constantly smiling or laughing from the antics these two get into. 

I had heard this series was a slow burn and it really is. Two books in and the tension is all there but nothing is happening. We do get a kiss but nothing more. I am not one to read slow burn romances, but it’s working for me this time. I am definitely continuing this series for the romance development more than the mystery. 

Overall, this was a good sequel to the first book. Like I said, I really enjoy Veronica and Stoker and want to see how their relationship plays out. I just don’t love the pacing for these books. 

Trigger Warnings: infertility and miscarriage discussed; racism mentioned; cheating discussed; death of a sister in childbirth mentioned; murder and attempted murder; false incarceration; ableism; violence (gun and knife); on page drug and alcohol use; 

---

Goodreads | StoryGraph | Amazon

---

Previous books and reviews for the series:

1. A Curious Beginning