HF Virtual Book Tours: The Crystal Cage by Merryn Allingham

Title: The Crystal Cage
Author: Merryn Allingham
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Harlequin
Publish Date: August 4, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Captivated…or captured?

Appearances don't always reveal the truth. Grace Latimer knows this better than most. Illusions of commitment and comfort have her trapped—until bohemian adventurer Nick Heysham charms his way into her world. Commissioned to recover a Great Exhibition architect's missing designs, he persuades her to assist in his research. The mystery of the Crystal Palace seduces Grace, and once she discovers clues about a forbidden Victorian love affair, she's lured into the deep secrets of the past…secrets that resemble her own.

As Grace and Nick dig into the elusive architect's illicit, long-untold story, the ghosts of guilt and forbidden passion slip free. And history is bound to repeat itself, unless Grace finds the courage to break free and find a new definition of love…"

My Two Cents:

"The Crystal Cage" is a historical fiction with a heavy mystery element to it. The story takes place both in the present and also during the Great Exhibition during the mid to late 1800s. In this book, Grace is a researcher who is called upon by Nick, a modern day adventurer, to help him solve a mystery about what may have happened to some famous (and missing) architectural designs. At first, Grace is not sure that she really wants to help but she goes along with it anyway and ends up discovering some very important things about herself.

It took me a little while to get into this book. At first, I wasn't really sure where story was going and Grace seemed to be sort of a hard character to get to know. In a lot of ways, she's very standoffish and we see that with the beginning of her relationship with Nick. Once the story really starts to get going we begin to see a different side of Grace which really helped endear her to me. I just takes a little while to get there so hang on!

I like the historical mystery in the book. To some degree, that part of the book was more interesting to me because I really enjoyed the historical characters and hearing of stories that happen to them. I really was drawn in by the mystery even though it takes a little while to set up. There's also a love story during the historical part of the book that I also really liked. Overall, I think this book will find favor with those who like his stork call romance and also historical mystery.

Follow the Rest of the Tour:


Monday, September 15
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Spotlight & Excerpt at Romantic Historical Reviews
Tuesday, September 16
Review at A Bookish Affair
Excerpt at Casual Readers
Wednesday, September 17
Excerpt at CelticLady’s Reviews
Interview at What Is That Book About
Thursday, September 18
Review at Turning the Pages
Friday, September 19
Review at Queen of All Reads
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter
Monday, September 22
Review at Bibliotica
Spotlight at Layered Pages
Tuesday, September 23
Interview at SOS Aloha
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection
Wednesday, September 24
Excerpt at Passages to the Past
Thursday, September 25
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Excerpt at Princess of Eboli
Friday, September 26
Review at Unshelish
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, October 15
Review at The Worm Hole

Giveaway

To win an eBook of The Crystal Cage please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Two copies are up for grabs. Giveaway is open internationally.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on October 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on October 16th and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

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