Listed as Teen/YA romance and mystery, this is a book in a genre I wouldn’t normally read. However, I was approached by the author for a review, read the blurb, and decided to give it a chance.

I’d actually classify it as fantasy romance, but that’s a personal judgment based on how I view the content. That it was written for a younger readership is clear from the innocence of the main relationship and the avoidance of sexual references. However, the book does cover some of the darker side of human interactions. The basic pairing is romantic and charming, if sometimes a little confusing until the situation becomes apparent.

If I have a criticism of this cleverly constructed and intriguing story, it’s that, in common with so many contemporary books, it needs a good editor. Verb tense changes often, sometimes mid-sentence. There are sentences without endings. And there are apparent non sequiturs, which do occasionally confuse.

Nevertheless, the characters and their situations are engaging. This is a lengthy book, and both story and cast had me reading to the end. Fortunately, the allusions to religion were few and widely spread, so I didn’t feel I was preached at, though I admit to finding such references a little irritating when presented as factual information.

This is a fascinating story, with many twists and turns before the satisfying conclusion is reached. This author has real promise; some of her language is quite exquisite. I enjoyed it.