I positively adore Amanda Quick and I absolutely love her historical romances. Except this one.

This book disappointed me. I was expecting something hilarious and something that would cause my heart to flutter in my chest. But it definitely wasn't this.

Apparently, Amanda Quick wants to try writing paranormal romance since the genre sells like hotcakes, but this attempt is utter failure. She doesn't use any vampires in the book, but she might as well thrown in a little vampire action in the mix, since vampires are hotter than psychics. However, there are no vampires. Only people with psychical abilities, such as mesmerists, predators and people who can see auras. And we also have to add naturalists and Darwinians in the bunch.

Venetia is a spinster/photographer. She was employed by the Arcane Society, a society populated by the secretive, reclusive eccentrics who are obsessed with the arcane and uncanny, to take photographs of various antiquities in the Arcane House, which I must point out is hidden from civilization. This presents Venetia a chance to fulfill her goal to not remain a virgin for the rest of her life, to experience a night of passion with no strings attached.

Venetia's prey is Gabriel Jones, of course, men are know as weak species when it comes to resisting allure of women and Gabriel failed to fight Venetia off, so they spend a night together.

But after the interlude, despite the fact that Gabriel had more than a one night stand in mind, thieves arrive and the two lovers are parted.

Venetia then sees in the papers that Gabriel Jones is dead by a fire. She's saddened by the news, but needs to move on since she's the family breadwinner. She poses as Mrs. Jones, a widow photographer and puts up a business. The supposed to be Mr. Jones died from falling off a cliff, engulfed by raging waters in the Wild West.

But of course, Mr. Jones comes back and claims Venetia's special abilities to locate the thief and ultimately as his "wife".

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What I love about Amanda Quick's romances is that they're light, funny and entertaining. However, she attempted to make this a thriller, throwing clues here and there. Then tosses psychical abilities, alchemy and other scientific mumbo jumbo, destroying the lightness and funniness of the story. But still, it was entertaining.

But still, despite the complaints, I wasn't actually suffering from reading it, thus the three stars. But I felt it was actually generous of me, because I can't make myself give Amanda Quick something less.