In order to restore his family fortunes, Lord Blackstone agrees to work as a spy for the British Empire. Unfortunately, his first case involves pretending to be the fiancé to the woman who'd already broken one engagement to him. Violet Hammersley has never forgiven Blackstone for breaking her heart and making her the object of pity and derision, but when her brother Frank goes missing with a thousand pounds of the government's money and vital British documents, she's no choice but to push her personal feelings aside in order to help Blackstone save Frank.

Filled with intrigue and tense emotion, BLACKSTONE'S BRIDE leaves the reader guessing as to everyone's true intent. This underlying theme of looking below the surface image to the person beneath creates an air of mystery and reflection. You simply don't know who to trust. Even the secondary characters mirror this theme and with the promise of more stories to come, Moore spends time building secondary character's story arcs for future stories and while they don't slow the pace of the story, they don't add to the story either. The characters are likable and I do look forward to seeing how they develop within their own story.

For point-of-view purists, be warned that this novel uses a more omniscient viewpoint. We're sometimes in Violet's thoughts, sometimes Blackstone's, and sometimes a secondary character's all within a matter of paragraphs. Kate Moore writes these transitions well so there's never any confusion as to who we're with. I do feel like these flips helped increase the pace of the story, but others might not agree.

The relationship between Blackstone and Violet is an intense, visceral pull. Their connection while certainly physical goes beyond desire, but neither trusts their heart with the other. This elemental pull never abates and leaves them reeling at their close contact, ratcheting up the tension and speed of the story.

Kate Moore is an author to watch and this series promises to give us an interesting, vividly imagined world. BLACKSTONE'S BRIDE is fast-paced, passionate, and worth checking out.