Lynn Spencer's Reviews > Mystique

B+ at AAR, so 4.5 stars When I saw this month’s TBR prompt of, “Drama!”, I immediately started roaming through my TBR pile and scanning the back cover blurbs for hints of wild antics. When I got to one of the very few ‘letter’ books by Amanda Quick that I still hadn't read, it delivered in spades. Mystique promised a mysterious crystal whom others have killed to possess, buried treasure, an evil uncle, and a fake betrothal to a hero named Hugh the Relentless. How could this NOT bring all the drama?

And, yes it did. First of all, for a medieval written in the 1990s, this book stands up incredibly well. This novel also reminded me of one thing about Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick that I loved back in the day. She can tell a story full of suspense and drama, and yet also make the romance portion of it feel downright cozy.

This story opens at the home of Lady Alice’s dreadful uncle. Hugh the Relentless shows up hot on the trail of a mysterious green crystal that has disappeared from the estate he has been awarded by his liege lord. Legend has it that the owner of the holding will lose it if he cannot hold the crystal. Hugh, an orphan born out of wedlock, has only gotten so many decent breaks in life, and he isn’t about to mess this one up.

When Hugh sweeps in with his soldiers, Alice sees her chance. She proposes a bargain with Hugh that will get her and her disabled brother out of their uncle’s clutches. So, the two embark on a temporary betrothal and join forces to find the mysterious green crystal.

The quest and the mystery surrounding it make for engaging reading, but the real star of the story is the romance. Hugh and Alice are both wounded in various ways, and as they learn to deal with each other, the relationship that blooms is deeply satisfying.

This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...