Greybrow Serpent by Shari L. Tapscott
Fantasy/Adventure. 210 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The captain of the Greybrow Serpent is the last man Lucia’s willing to trust. But he’s the only one who can save her.
Lucia’s dreamed of finding Avery for a solid two months. In every one of her fantasies, the dashing captain has been on the deadly end of her dagger. Unfortunately, their reunion is not all she hoped it would be. The captain is back, but he comes bearing news: the Duke of Mesilca holds a grudge, and he’s set a bounty on their heads.
Now Lucia’s running from bounty hunters, partnering with a man with the morals of a snake, and forcing Sebastian to court Adeline in a desperate attempt to keep the innocent seamstress safe.
Captain Greybrow is the only one with a solid plan, one that will take Lucia into the heart of forbidden, siren-inhabited waters. But after Avery’s betrayal, can Lucia find a way to trust him again? It won’t be easy, especially when it appears the captain has yet another hidden agenda.
My Review:
Why!? Mrs. Tapscott, why!? Why do you cause my heart so much misery? Why do you tear my emotions to shreds?!
Okay, so obviously, I was much more emotionally invested in this sequel than I was in book one. Book one was good, but book two…tore my heart out. I will be starting book three promptly and praying that somehow things right themselves. Everything went topsy turvy and my world turned upside down. The plot of this story was similar to book one in that it very much had an adventurous spirit. Lucia goes on another mission, this time to clear the bounty on her head. I will say that from the synopsis, I sort of expected to see more of Sebastian courting Adeline and this tormenting Lucia and Avery totally taking advantage of that situation. However, the courtship was more like a line in passing and less like a “desperate” anything. At least it felt that way to me. That said, I absolutely loved the sirens!!! That may have been the coolest part of the story for me.
Although I did say that the romantic element in book one didn’t feel like a love triangle to me (Lucia was pretty clear on what she wanted once she actually thought about it), this book brought that triangle out into the open. It definitely felt love-triangley, but again, in a very well done way, I thought. Though Lucia struggled a little with the two options in her heart and how she felt about each of them, the book still focused pretty clearly on one choice. She’s not flipping back and forth when it’s convenient and leading them both on. She’s very clear about how she feels, and even the guys can’t say they don’t know. The love-triangle-ish element in this book, consequently, wasn’t a detractor for me. (Although, SEBASTIAN!!!! *tears* You disappointed me so much. *heartbreak*) The returning cast was further developed and I must say there is one returning member in particular who stole my heart! Yancy! I really hope we get to see more of him in book three cause he totally grew on me. Gregory proved a cool character that I’m curious to see more of and, of course, Flink is dear to my heart.
Overall, the plot was well-paced, exciting, and romance laced. The exotic travels provided beautiful scenery. The characters were just as golden, if not more. And the book was certainly well-written. There was a little bit of violence with the super-awesome take on sirens, but everything was pretty mild there. There’s no foul language at all. There were a few…not graphic, but definitely heart-thumping romantic moments–nothing worse than a kiss and a few warm embraces.
More:
The Silver and Orchids Prequel is Fire and Feathers (4 Stars)
Book 1 is Moss Forest Orchid (4 Stars)
Book 3 is Wildwood Larkwing (4 Stars)
Book 4 is Lily of the Desert (5 Stars)
I have reviewed each of the above on Goodreads. Follow the links to find more info on the books and then scroll down to see the reviews. Mine is among them.
This series should be read in order. The prequel isn’t necessary to the series, but it is a lovely addition and can be read at any time.
ON GRACEBOUGHT
If you missed it, check out my review of the previous book here! And stay tuned next week for my thoughts on the next book in the series.