Review: More Than Meets The Eye Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2012
I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a blog tour in exchange for a fair and honest review.Cassandra by Starlight is a wonderful blend of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and mystery thriller, which grabbed my attention from the first page and didn't let go till I read the last page. With compelling characters, scintillating dialogue and a fairly fast pace, Susan Mac Nicol crafted a story quite unlike anything I've read before. Set in contemporary London, Ms. Mac Nicol provides a good backdrop for her story with a lead character who's an up and coming actor in both television and theater.Cassandra "Cassie" Wallace is literally minding her own business on her way to work when a man jumps off a bridge and lands on her car as it passes on the highway below. Needless to say this "accident" leads to the young man's death, Cassie being severely injured, Cassie's car being totalled and a trip to the local emergency room and hospital. Determined to make the best of her situation, Cassie is surprised when Bennett Saville, the young man's brother, insists on visiting her in the hospital and becoming her friend. He feels responsible for her situation. Cassie never thought she'd fall in love with the younger man.Bennett Saville can't believe his brother jumped off a bridge and injured an innocent bystander. Determined to make things right, Bennett is surprised when he finds himself attracted to the injured woman. He also can't believe the woman is 10 years older than he is; she's beautiful, has a lush figure and younger than he does. Determined to become her friend, he didn't plan on falling in love with her.The scenes between Cassie and Bennett are great; they have perfect physical and verbal chemistry, they are equally good at give and take. While neither planned on falling in love, they soon find themselves out on dates and confiding in each other. When they become lovers, it's a natural progression as their friendship deepens. Ms. Mac Nicol did a great job developing both Cassie and Bennett in this story; they really are the perfect match for each other. Both strong in spirit, when life hands them something too difficult to handle on their own; they know they can depend on each other for help and wisdom.There are two mysteries which take place within the pages of this story; the first being what drove Bennett's brother Eric to commit suicide by jumping off the bridge and then the mystery of a "stalker" who decides Bennett is the man she wants just as Bennett and Cassie's relationship begins. As Bennett, Cassie, the police and their friends work on helping to keep everyone safe; you really have to wonder if they're both going to make it out alive. Ms. Mac Nicol did a great job with the mysteries involved in this story; I kept turning the pages, thinking I had finally gotten to the bottom of the mystery, only to realize there were more clues to solve.The secondary characters were great from Cassie's sister Amanda to Bennett's friends Dylan and Alex. They all contributed something important to the story and kept the pace moving smoothly. We even get to know Bennett's estranged parents fairly well as their relationship becomes a part of the story. The two villains of the story, two mysteries therefore two villains, are very well developed and provide an interesting contrast between the criminal sort and the criminally psychotic.Will Cassie and Bennett solve both mysteries and come out alive? And just how intense will their relationship get? You'll have to read Cassandra by Starlight to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Mac Nicol's work.