Review: A great read with some darkness
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 15, 2014
This is my first read for Shehanne Moore's work and I got to say I very much enjoyed it.Cassidy is now a respectable lady, masquerading as a widow and living in the country far away from her past in the big city. Ten years ago she was right here too in the country but known as the infamous thief, Sapphire. Only having been a child of 16 and a master at thieving the riches of their jewels, she has ever only did one mistake: stashing the Wentworth emeralds with the one man she never thought she'll met again, Lord Devorlane Hawley. But now she's on a different mission, the rights to prove her birth and heritage.Ten years ago Devorlane was accused of stealing the Wentworth emeralds and was kicked out of his family and home and  sent off to war at 19. All because of the one girl -a child!- that seduced him in the coach with a kiss and stuffed his pocket with the jewels, the thief, Sapphire! He will never forget what she put him through and he'll get his revenge now that he's back and she apparently is also back in town.Both these characters were fun and full of energy. They were always at eachother's throat but those were the best scenes!Both have their secrets to hold onto and both were quick to think, so when banters came flying out of their mouth they knew how to counter and use every bit of their knowledge of eachother and of their own wit to extreme.Even from the first moment Devorlane came to confront Cass about her past but doing it secretly just to get her to slip up her rogue but Cass knowing his play already was so much fun!Both these characters were hilarious when they think to themselves and about the other. They seemed very mature when they speak politely with haughtiness but really they're childish to me in a sense. I may be reading them wrong but that's how I read their personalities through how they thought through things and of eachother.They both have flaws that made it difficult for them to trust and respect the other because of what happened to them in the past and man were they really mean to eachother! Even if they were attracted to eachother they highly refused to acknowledge it to eachother.Devorlane was more haughty. He propositioned Cass to becoming his mistress in place of keeping her secret past a secret and for helping her locate the papers of her heritage. But as they got closer and mixed emotions started sparking he was still the hard one to crack. He was still mean to Cass despite caring for her because of the grudge he held for her but as know, it all will fall and he'll come to his senses.As for Cass, she was more cool. She took up with Devorlane and hit him right back with her retorts and man did she hit some spots! She even grabbed the reins from him when she found his secrets! Balls ladies, she gots balls. I really liked her though at times I got frustrated with the both of them, they were almighty fun to journey with. It was great seeing them open up and change from being children to mature loving adults at the end.Oh and Cass' "sisters" were great additions to the story and momentum! I really love them and hope to see more if that were to ever happen.This isn't what I'll call a regular historical romance because of all the energy from both these characters. It's not like, cute. It's not dark but can be seen in that way. Not I overtly happy either but I really enjoyed it.