Laked by J L Wilson
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (214 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Vivian DuLac, shop owner of Curiosity’s Curios and Collectibles, has come into possession of an old sword that Arthur (“Able”) Leroy wants. But that’s not all that Able wants. He wants Vivian and her connections to her ex-husband, CEO of a large software company.

Able follows Vivian to northern Minnesota where her ex-husband is meeting to discuss a merger with another company. It’s the one that Able used to own and the one taken from him by his scheming stepsister, Faye Morgan.

When Faye dies under unusual circumstances, everyone associated with her comes under suspicion, including Vivian and Able. On a storm-shrouded night, Vivian finds out if she can trust Able. And they both find out if an ancient sword is worth Vivian’s life.

If you ever watched the TV show Matlock or the TV show Murder, She Wrote and enjoyed them, then that gives you an idea if you will enjoy this book or not. I loved those television shows and therefore enjoyed reading this book. The synopsis sounded intriguing to me and I wasn’t disappointed.

It’s not very often I read a book that the hero and heroine were “older”. It did put a different perspective on things but in a good way. They were mature, established and still young enough to have some romantic chemistry.

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Able, the hero, was complex and I can’t say much about him because he’s a huge part of the suspense/mystery plot. He has secrets and motives that made the book worth reading. He was strong, handsome and kind. He possessed the qualities of a heroic leader.

As a couple, their relationship worked considering the intricate plot. Between the sword, the history of the sword, the merging of the companies, the mysterious death of the character, Faye, there was a lot of depth to this story. Vivian and Able have individual past histories that are intertwined in this swirly plot. It was all fascinating how the writer master planned this elaborate story and still incorporated a budding romance between the lead characters. I particularly got a hoot over their love scene. That was the most unique love scene I’ve ever read.

There are several side characters but I didn’t get lost or confused. They each had a relevant existence to the evolving story line. Together they created a well gelled cast of characters. I enjoyed reading the setting as it was described at a lake. I’ve been to Lake Winnipesaukee once and we rode in a boat all over that lake. With that personal experience I was able to vividly imagine the setting in my mind.

The writing style was creative, unique and polished. I already mentioned how the lead characters were “older” as in old enough to be in their menopausal stage of life. I haven’t googled J L Wilson therefore I have no idea how old the author is. Yet, I feel like I definitely heard the author’s unique voice when Vivian spoke. Vivian spoke of a woman of her age. The love scene alone vindicates a unique writing style. The specifics in the story made it tangible and believable, such as the footprints in the snow. The details added to the quality and made for a concrete plot. The piece written about the sword was another example of a creative writing style, especially near the end. Very dramatic!

The pace consistently flowed at a moderate speed thanks to the combination of mood and emotional provoking plot threads. As these elements were implemented throughout in the dialogue, setting and action, it made the suspense/mystery riveting. I was on the edge of my seat wondering where this point was going to go. With several suspects and narrative twists I found this story unpredictable.

Whenever my father would eat something that he really liked he’d say, “You know what this taste like?” I’d say “What?” and he’d say “It tastes like MORE”. He’d say “more” all drawn out while laughing. I fell for it every time.

This book was like that joke. I wanted more. It had an abrupt ending without an epilogue. I’m sitting here still in a state of surprise. I point this out for the future reader to brace themselves for the unexpected brusque ending. With that being said it’s important to point out that there are no loose threads or a cliff hanger. I wanted to rave that this was the best book ever but I can’t with that unanticipated ending. I flipped the pages looking for more. I needed more assurance. I was not left with a confident happily ever after. It was there but not rock solid like the rest of the book.

In conclusion, I’d recommend this book but I’d tell my friends that they’ll have to add their own addendum to the ending. However, if you like a wham, bam, thank you mam swift kind of ending then there’s a strong chance you’ll absolutely LOVE this book. It definitely was an entertaining read.