Hello everyone!
This time, we're returning to my favourite contemporary romance author.
Honestly, you probably all know this by now, as I say it enough, but Serenity Woods is just something else entirely.
Having found her quite at random years and years ago through her Three Wise Men series, I've since gobbled up practically every single book she's ever written, and I have no plans on stopping any time soon!
As far as I'm concerned, as long as she keeps writing, I'll keep reading.
Tonight's choice is the conclusion to her museum-slash-archaeology trilogy taking place in the beautiful New Zealand, and I honestly couldn't have come up with a more fitting ending to the story myself.
Not that I reach even her ankles when it comes to storytelling.
But enough about me and my dawdling over here. Let's jump right in and see what awaits us in Possession Under the Southern Stars!
Possession is Hallie and Fraser's story, and as you may or may not remember, there's some trouble brewing for the National Museum at the end of Seduction Under the Southern Stars, but we don't learn what it is until this particular book.
What it is, is: Fraser signed off on renovations when he thought he had money coming in, then it turns out all the grants fall through one by one, so that's going to be a BIG ass problem.
To top it all off, Hallie's broken up with her cult-living boyfriend, and is now on the market, which means that spells trouble for him since he's liked her from the very first time he laid eyes on her.
And when Fraser REALLY likes someone, he stutters.
BE STILL, MY HEART.
Anyway, to save the museum, or attempt to in any event, he and Hallie have to travel to personally meet the daughter of one of the donors who's recently passed away, both to attend the funeral as well as try and persuade her to honour her father's wishes of sharing his ancestors' love letters with the world.
During this time, Fraser learns that Hallie's ex was a wimp in bed and taught that sex was a bad thing, so she's pretty much clueless, and it breaks his heart, so being the Good Samaritan he is, he offers to show her just how it's supposed to be.
I'm being a bit silly in writing the previous statement, but honestly it's not all altruistic for Fraser, obviously, though he IS trying to do his best in these troubled waters. See, he'd had a workplace affair before which ended badly, and she had to leave (she was also older than him by ten years AND married), so he was warned that if another workplace thing happened, he'd be fired.
He can't keep away from Hallie and the wonderful, warm, beautiful inside and out woman that she is, however, so obviously they make love.
And I'm telling you right now, while yes, it's a spicy scene, it's also probably one of the most beautiful ones I've seen written in a long, long time. I was actually very emotional reading through it!
Once they've had a taste of each other, however, it's a bit like the dam's burst, and of course there's never going to be a 'just once and never again' kind of thing, which is why things go sideways at the funeral party because Fraser kind of ... takes Hallie to a space they shouldn't be in for some nookie, they get found out, and to top it off, he later finds something else that gets him kicked off the premises.
Those letters that they were there to negotiate? Turns out there are painting accompanying them, which would be an ADDED bonus, but the owner refuses to let either go because the man in the story was so much older than the teenage Maori girl he ended up marrying (and having a billion kids with as proof of their love).
Dispirited, our couple returns home, and while things seem up in the air between them, they begin to settle a bit when Hallie drops a truth bomb into their fledgling relationship: she's in witness protection, because twenty years ago her father raped and killed a bunch of young women, and is serving time in prison.
Oh and also, her mom never divorced him, has kept in touch, and told him all about his two daughters, which is why he sends a letter to Hallie at the start of the book, telling her to come visit him.
This doesn't change how Fraser sees Hallie, but she's convinced it's the reason she isn't good enough for him, and she has a side-quest of her own: she's sent back to the letter owner to talk to her alone, and surprisingly she succeeds, securing both the money, the letters AND the paintings.
It all comes to a head after Zoe and Fraser's brother go missing (and are found) and Fraser is all prepared to quit his job to be with Hallie, as is she to be with him, but in the end neither one of them has to, they're going to display the letters and paintings as the crowning jewel of the Valentine's Day exhibit, and all's well that ends well!
Everyone gathers for the opening evening, a conclusion of sort to the series, although you can read a bonus free epilogue that's a bit longer if you're subscribed to Ms Woods' newsletter, where we check in with our characters a year later at Linc and Elora's wedding day; the two of them, along with Joel and Zoe, have set up a consulting firm in Europe and travel a lot, while Fraser and Hallie have been working on making the National Museum even better. All of them are engaged to be married, and Hallie's pregnant. So all's well that ends well!
I was so very kindly sent an ARC of this book; I'm still a bit in awe about that.
But listen, I genuinely usually like any and all books written by Ms Woods - for several reasons: gallant heroes who don't boss the woman around (if she doesn't want it ...), intelligent heroines who communicate instead of waiting for the man to read their mind, and situations that are both funny and exciting at the same time.
That said, it's been a bit since I was as hooked on a book, and its hero, like I am on Possession and Fraser Bell.
OhmyGOSH FRASER. BELL.
I don't know if it's the stutter or what, but I just want to steal him for myself. He and Hallie are precious and combustible with all the sexual tension between them, and their story is heartbreakingly beautiful. Of the entire trilogy, this might be my favourite book, and I'll have to see if I can snag an actual printed copy of it instead of just an eBook.
The story itself, and the way it handles cultural significance and impact, is also one that deserves praise and applause. It's always such a sensitive topic to touch, and yet, Ms Woods manages to do so with aplomb.
I love it, I can't wait to read it again, and I recommend it times 10000000000000 to anyone who's wondering whether or not to pick it up.
But listen, I genuinely usually like any and all books written by Ms Woods - for several reasons: gallant heroes who don't boss the woman around (if she doesn't want it ...), intelligent heroines who communicate instead of waiting for the man to read their mind, and situations that are both funny and exciting at the same time.
That said, it's been a bit since I was as hooked on a book, and its hero, like I am on Possession and Fraser Bell.
OhmyGOSH FRASER. BELL.
I don't know if it's the stutter or what, but I just want to steal him for myself. He and Hallie are precious and combustible with all the sexual tension between them, and their story is heartbreakingly beautiful. Of the entire trilogy, this might be my favourite book, and I'll have to see if I can snag an actual printed copy of it instead of just an eBook.
The story itself, and the way it handles cultural significance and impact, is also one that deserves praise and applause. It's always such a sensitive topic to touch, and yet, Ms Woods manages to do so with aplomb.
I love it, I can't wait to read it again, and I recommend it times 10000000000000 to anyone who's wondering whether or not to pick it up.
xx
*image not mine
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