One Step Behind by Brianna Labuskes Published by Entangled Publishing on September 26th 2016
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Vengeance never dies …
London, 1812. When the unconventional Imogen Lancaster embarked on a mission to infiltrate high society and avenge her beloved cousin’s murder she never would have guessed she’d end up in the arms of a thief. At least, that’s what she assumes when she discovers Lucas Stone breaking into a private safe.
Lucas Stone, the Earl of Winchester, has a reputation for arrogance and a soft-spot for his sister, which is how he ends up in the predicament of hiding behind a curtain at midnight with the dreadfully dull Miss Imogen Lancaster. But he soon discovers appearances can be deceiving when the country mouse turns into a spitfire in front of his eyes and she makes it clear she wants nothing to do with him.
Though one is chasing a blackmailer and the other a murderer, they quickly realize they are on the hunt for the same villain. Now they must work together, which would be fine, if they could decide if they’d rather fall in love or kill one another.
I received One Step Behind for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I, for one, love a little intrigue mixed in with my romance fix. When I read the summary for One Step Behind, I knew I would be in for a treat. I got so much more than I ever imagined.
This debut from author Brianna Labuskes hits all the best elements of a romantic mystery. We have the dashing Earl of Winchester, Lucas Stone. He has a huge heart and a smile that would melt wax in two seconds flat. Of course we have his match, Miss Gemma Lancaster. She’s beauty and brains behind her dull facade. Together, they take on an enemy only they are looking for, a blackmailer and a murderer.
I am one of those pesky readers who seems to figure out the who-done-it early on in a novel. Sometimes, I’m just too good at reading the small clues. In this case, I was stumped until almost the very end. The way the duo goes about solving the case with the help of Winchester’s man of affairs, Mr. Harrington, and Winchester’s sister, Beatrice, was a surprise to me. At first, I thought Labuskes was just setting Harrington and Beatrice up to fall for each other. In the end, they were actually vital to the investigation. Each member of the team brought their own experience and made the investigation work. If one had been left out, the case }\very well might not’ve been solved.
As for the romantic aspects of the novel, Labuskes does not spare us one ounce of heat. From the moment Lucas and Gemma are pressed up together, hiding in a darkened library, the sexual tension is thick. Throw in a ruse of an engagement and the heat goes volcanic! The story flows fast, yet every aspect is well developed from the first touch to the last kiss.
For a fantastic journey into mystery and romance set in 1812 London, One Step Behind should be the next ride in your reading adventures.
About Brianna Labuskes
Brianna Labuskes’ life-long dream was to join the ranks of the superstar women who penned the romance novels — from historicals to contemporaries and everything in between — of which she could never quite get enough. She tries to write the books she wants to read, with spunky heroines who save the day while their heroes watch in awe and admiration. When she’s not writing, you can find Brianna playing with her two adorable nieces, editing health care policy news (while expounding the virtues of journalism) and watching too much Netflix. She also loves travel, feminism and country music.
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