Title: Nine Lights over Edinburgh
Series: His for the Holidays
Author: Harper Fox
Genre: Contemporary/Holiday
Length: Novel (123 pages)
Publisher: Carina Press (December 6th, 2010)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Detective Inspector James McBride is riding high on the belief that he’s about to bust a human-trafficking ring. But just five days before Christmas, his unorthodox methods catch up with him and his world comes crashing down.
McBride tries to concentrate on his new day job as security for the visiting Israeli ambassador. He even starts to feel a renewed sense of self-worth when the leader of the Israeli team, the aristocratic Tobias Leitner, takes a bullet for him in the line of duty. But he can’t forget the trafficking case, especially when his investigations result in the kidnapping of his own daughter! McBride has no one to turn to for help—no one, except Toby.
Can these two very different men work together to bring about a holiday miracle—and heal one another’s heart in the process?
ISBN: 9781426890949
Product Link: http://ebooks.carinapress.com/14384AF6-BC6A-43EE-9792-F62BF31CC4F5/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=34764C47-4BE8-45CA-9D37-462596263D13
Reviewer: Prime
Review: This is one intense read! And the start of the first chapter had me amused because it sounded like one of the 1940’s PI type introduction. And the fact that he’s “McBride” is just so… so tough and Scottish (got to love a braw laddie, especially in his kilt!). It may be marketed as a Christmas story, but this is not the happy lighthearted read that many of us would expect. This is more cop-show suspense. Nonetheless, do not let that get in your way of enjoying the book.
James McBride is an Edinburgh DI – he’s forty, divorced, lonely, workaholic… paints a pretty sad picture, really. He’s also confused about his sexuality, and so he should be after the prologue. I’m going to go as far as saying he is a knight in tarnished armour and the object of his affections is more a prince charming than a damsel in distress.
Tobias Leitner isn’t one to shirk his responsibilities, even with a surly DI accompanying him. We barely just meet Toby before he puts himself in the line fire to protect James. There is certainly a spark between the men immediately.
The story is complex, probably too complex for its length, so unfortunately there isn’t quite as much development shown in terms of James and Tobias, or the emotion between the characters. There is just so much going on in the latter half that I had to pause a few times to keep track. Likewise, the plot outlined in the blurb in regards to the kidnapping of James’ daughter, Gracie, didn’t seem quite so important, because it happened in the last half of the book and didn’t really take up too many words.
Probably doesn’t help that James and Tobias don’t actually meet until almost halfway through. Because of this, the story isn’t as romantic as one would expect, but again, that’s okay! Thankfully, this one has a happily ever after, which eases the darkness and the intensity that I had just experienced reading the story.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *