Review & Giveaway: A CODE OF LOVE by Jacki Delecki

*Jacki is hosting a TOUR WIDE Rafflecopter Commenter Giveaway for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card or Digital Copy of A CODE OF LOVE.

Book Info:

Title: A Code of Love
Author: Jacki Delecki
Series: The Code Breakers Series #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: February 6, 2014

Book Blurb:

First in The Code Breaker Series

Men and Women from the class of privilege risk their lives to defend England against the designs of Napoleon. They confront scandal, personal crisis, and love as they pursue their code of honor and love.

A CODE OF LOVE

Lord Cordelier Fortesque Rathbourne, scarred by the loss of his older brother, accepts an undercover assignment in France hoping to escape his past. Four years later, he returns to England as the Head of Intelligence. His charges include the brilliant Harcourt family – Uncle Charles, a premier Code Breaker; Michael, a linguist on assignment in France; and the indomitable Henrietta. Cord discovers that his previous attraction to Henrietta hasn’t diminished, but neither has Henrietta’s memory of his rakish past.

All become entangled in a web of intrigue and danger when Michael surreptitiously sends Henrietta a Code Book, vital to the English War effort.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | iTunes

My Review:

Lady Henrietta Harcourt is not an ordinary historical romance heroine. She’s an intelligent, forward-thinking, independent, and feisty lady who has taken a lot of responsibilities for the Harcourt family, not limited to being England’s foremost intelligence code-breaker. She’s one of my favorite things about this book. She’s clearheaded but also emotionally passionate. I could not fault her of her initial misgivings about Lord Cord Rathbourne and I respect that she was a little reluctant to trust him given that it’s her family’s safety at stake.

As for Lord Cord Rathbourne, I did not quite get a hold on his character in the beginning. But when I learned of his past and the guilt that threatens to consume him still after the death of his older brother four years ago and as I got to hear more and more of his thoughts and the way he thinks and process things, I was ready to stand by him as the hero of the story and I rooted for his happy ending.

I found myself looking forward to all the interactions between our two main characters. They just give off a different (good) vibe whenever they’re in the vicinity of each other and it was fun to watch how they try to battle their attraction to each other or how they sometimes ponder, sometimes too much, on the intention of the other or the reasons for each other’s actions. But the chemistry is clearly there.

There is much to admire about our two main characters and also the writing style of Jacki Delecki. It’s my first time reading her book and I didn’t have any problems getting into the rhythm of her storytelling. She writes her scenes in such honest terms, with each particular one having the right blend as the scene would require and I appreciate that. For instance, the suspenseful scenes have the right pacing and setting, the action scenes as well as the romantic scenes were also done well.

And I love that Henrietta is such a bad-a** heroine. She does not cow against men, gentleman or otherwise. She stands up for what she believes in. And she has a very forward way of thinking with regard to the role and rights of women during her time. Add to these a number of interesting side characters as well as surprisingly layered villains and you’ve got the making of an engaging and well-written book.

My Rating:

About the Author:

Descended from a long line of storytellers, Jacki spins adventures filled with mystery, healing and romance.

Jacki’s love affair with the arts began at a young age and inspired her to train as a jazz singer and dancer. She has performed many acting roles with Seattle Opera Company and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Jacki has set An Inner Fire in Seattle, her long-time home. The city’s unique and colorful locations are a backdrop for her romantic mystery.

Although writing now fills much of her day, she continues to volunteer for Seattle’s Ballet and Opera Companies and leads children’s tours of Pike Street Market. Her volunteer work with Seattle’s homeless shelters influenced one of her main characters in An Inner Fire.

Jacki’s two Golden Labs, Gus and Talley, are her constant companions. Their years of devotion and intuition inspired her to write dogs as main characters alongside her strong heroines.

A geek at heart, Jacki loves superhero movies– a hero’s battle against insurmountable odds. But her heroines don’t have to wear a unitard to fight injustice and battle for the underdog.

Connect with Jacki Delecki:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads