Love and Smoke

Rating:
Summary: Great story!
Review: I love Jennifer Blake books and Love and Smoke is one of the reasons why. The story is about Riva Staulet, wealthy widow, who used to be Rebecca Benson. Now the man who once tried to destroy her is running for governor and the question is will Riva have the courage to come forward with the truth? And if she does will she ruin herself and those she loves in the process?

Rating:
Summary: Just finished story, resolution of romance makes me mad!
Review: Love and Smoke is steamy alright, fascinating story, complicated plot, great descriptive writing. However, the romance between the main characters, Riva and Noel, is seriously lacking in warmth. They have passion enough, the few times they are together, but the side character of Dante is far more intriguing. He has laughter and kindness, and his romance with another character was so much better.
We never get to know Noel well enough, and Riva doesn't know him that much better than we do. Blake gives more insight into the workings of Gallant's mind than Noel's - the villain has a lot more presence. The dramatic subplot endangering the main characters is a lot more compelling than the central romance.
Noel has looks, nobility of spirit, and exaggerated martyrdom, but his character is not magnetic. ...