Review: Characters are fascinating, complex, and work terrifically together
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 30, 2013
Cassandra Dean has a marvelous talent for crafting a story that immediately catches the heart and refuses to let go.Christmas Eve is one of the few nights of the year when the Diamond Saloon is closed, and Pearl la Monte, the saloon's fiery, sensual singer, is eager for a quiet night all to herself. Her plans are dashed, however, when the ever-polite and ever-infuriating Ethan Garrett comes pounding on the door.Pearl and Ethan have a notoriously contrary relationship, infuriating each other whenever they are together, and hiding a powerful attraction that neither can manage to forget. Ethan can't see past Pearl's saucy exterior, while Pearl is infuriated by Ethan's unflappable, unfailingly courteous retorts.Though Ethan is probably the last person that Pearl wants to see, she can't resist the desperation in his eyes, and lets him in just before a powerful blizzard descends on the town of Freewill. Now, trapped together while the storm rages outside, Pearl and Ethan are about to discover just how mistaken their assumptions of each other have been--and just how powerful their secret attraction can be when they give into temptation.I have to confess that I read this book out of series' order, and without the complete back-story provided by the first book in the Diamond Series, it took a little longer to become engaged in this story, or understand the tension that sparked between these two. That being said, as the story evolved and Pearl and Ethan shared themselves and their secrets with each other, it was absolutely clear that they were an ideal match, and that their bickering was merely a shield against the chemistry that sparked so easily between them. Once I read the first book in this series and got a chance to see their relationship from the beginning, it was even easier to fall for this unlikely, but beautifully matched couple.Both Pearl and Ethan have spent their time in Freewill creating facades behind which they could hide their true selves. As the storm grows worse, and those facades begin to crumble, it gradually becomes clear just how courageous both of them are, and how much of a toll their decisions have taken over the years. Though this story is short, there are wonderful revelations in store, and a wonderfully emotional experience for these two world-weary characters.The author's keen understanding of historic detail breathes life into each scene, and best of all, her characters are fascinating, complex, and work terrifically together. This one-sitting story is no exception, and it is impossible to enter the world of the Diamond Saloon without falling in love with Pearl and Ethan, and emerge craving more.Reviewed by Bridgetfor TheRomanceReviews.com