Secret Reflection by Jennifer Brassel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
SECRET REFLECTION is a book that lets the reader indulge in a love of Jolly Olde England in contemporary times. Kelly, a Yankee reporter needing a break from her awful divorce, joins her British friends at the old mansion they’ve recently leased, only to find that the mansion is haunted–or is it? Kelly is determined to find out how the haunting is accomplished (a *very* good projection, she’s sure). It turns out that the ghost is not a dead man at all, but a man trapped in a mirror, and he’s been that way for 140 years. That little tidbit made me squirm–imagine being able to see what happens around you, but unable to interact with the world except for a short span during the 20-year cycle of planetary conjunction. That little bit of science was a nice touch.
Sometimes the writing is a little overwrought, but it reflects similar stories of the regency period. I had the character of Richard pegged as a horrible person right off, which I suppose is a sign of good character development, though sometimes you’re hit over the head with it. Kelly’s friends are wonderful for giving her a refuge after her hard times, but they’re not subtle about pushing her into investigating the haunting, or hoping she’ll hook up with the sexy neighbor lordling. Kelly goes to great lengths to disprove John’s entrapment in the mirror, which can be wearing, but once she’s satisfied, she dives into finding a way to release him from his torment.
Another disconcerting thing was the switch to the bad guy’s point of view. He’s not a nice man at all and he’s willing to do whatever he has to to get his way. The POV change lets us know motivations, but I’d rather have the sweet romance. Kelly and John have a unique sort of relationship, and their banter is often funny. John is behind the times, of course, and his confusion is grounds for a laugh or two. But they talk and learn to love each other, and they manage to have some sensual interludes even though they can’t touch.
There is a murder subplot that goes on a little too long, with its own dogged investigator. And things get very dark towards the end of the book, but it wraps up satisfactorily with a happy ending for our main characters.
Received as a digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.
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