LOVING ROSE is Book three in the Casebook of Barnaby Adair series by Stephanie Laurens. Thomas Glendower was last seen in The Taste of Innocence going under the name Malcolm Sinclair. I don't think a reader needs to have read the previous books he was in to enjoy LOVING ROSE, but reading the last book he was in might give an even better feel for the character. I am thrilled Stephanie Laurens chose to resurrect this character. He was my favorite character in the last book he appeared in. He struck me as being something of an anti-hero, and I adore a good anti-hero. In this incarnation in LOVING ROSE, he is a true hero. I think Stephanie Laurens did a fabulous job of staying true to the character, maintaining continuity, and explaining his reappearance. I love LOVING ROSE!

For me, this is just as much a story of a man's belief in Fate and self-acceptance as it is a story of redemption. LOVING ROSE has so many great things going for it -- Thomas Glendower and his moving personal narrative, a complex and exciting mystery, and a tender as well as incredibly sexy love story. There are so many things to engage a reader's interest. This is the story I think many Stephanie Laurens fans were waiting for with this character. Thankfully for us, everything is written extremely well. There is plenty of raw emotion, but the characters are complex and nothing feels sickeningly sweet or too contrived. I like redemption stories but they don't always work. This one works for a few reasons - the characters are textured and I never felt like Malcolm Sinclair was ever really a black-hearted villain. If a character is too evil, I don't think there is any way for a writer to bring them back once they've done certain types of nefarious deeds. Malcolm Sinclair never really fell in that category in my opinion.

The romance and the mystery in LOVING ROSE are woven together seamlessly and one never overbalances the other. In spite of having some injuries, Thomas Glendower makes an intelligent and very capable hero and asset in Stokes and Barnaby's investigation. I love how Stephanie Laurens had Barnaby and Stokes handle the problem of Thomas's past. There are a lot of principal characters in LOVING ROSE, but the story never felt cluttered and the focus stays on Rose and Thomas. Their love story is a wonderful blend of sweet and erotic.

LOVING ROSE is a compelling story of one man's journey and his struggle to find redemption through love and his belief in Fate. This is great story-telling, and romance at its best. I also loved that, as with other Stephanie Laurens stories, the female characters are strong and intelligent. This has been such a great series so far, that I eagerly await the next book in this Casebook of Barnaby Adair series.