Book review : Whisper of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn

Whisper of Jasmine
City of Jasmine book #0.5
by Deanna Raybourn
A Sweet and Intriguing Prelude
GENRE : #historical-short-romance #novella

My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 3,5 stars rounded up to 4.

"Whisper of Jasmine" is a short novella that serves as a charming introduction to Deanna Raybourn's "City of Jasmine."
While I found the whirlwind romance a tad implausible at times, this quick read offers a glimpse into the world of Eve and Gabriel and how their paths first crossed amidst the glittering backdrop of a 1914 Christmas Eve and pre-war party.

________ WHAT IT'S ABOUT:_______ England, December 1914.
Notorious socialite Delilah Drummond won't be deterred by the war. Instead, she decides to throw the event of the year, and she's handing out invitations with an eye for wanton fun and wild abandon. There is the dashing explorer and archaeologist Gabriel Stark, a man at a crossroads in his life and then there is the charming if flighty Evangeline Merriweather, who has dreamed her whole life of adventure. After her vivacious Aunt Dove acts as fairy godmother, if a saucy one, providing a scandalous gown and a whisper of jasmine on her skin.... Evie will shake cool Gabriel to his core... One seductive night that will change their life forever.

___________ **************** ____________
This story immediately establishes a strong connection between Eve and Gabriel. Raybourn masterfully crafts the whirlwind meeting of the two main characters, making their instant spark feel not just palpable, but fated. This rapid-fire romance serves as a bold declaration of destined love, perfectly fitting for characters who are clearly meant for extraordinary lives.
However, their insta-love story is a bit fast-paced for my personal taste.

What truly elevates this story beyond a simple charming romance is the genius inclusion of a subtle yet significant hint of something more... The brief appearance of other intriguing characters and a whisper of intrigue that suggests a larger, more dangerous world lurking beneath the surface.
This taste of espionage really piqued my interest! It definitely encourages you to dive into "City of Jasmine" to uncover the secrets that await.

It's a tantalizing glimpse behind the curtain, leaving the reader eager to delve into the full-length novel to uncover the secrets hinted at.

My mom, a big fan of Deanna Raybourn's "Lady Julia mystery series", assures me Raybourn is a skilled storyteller who writes captivating historical tales with memorable deeply compelling characters, and I can see that potential here.

"Whisper of Jasmine" provides an intriguing background for Eve and Gabriel’s relationship and a tempting preview of the adventures to come in "City of Jasmine." A lovely short story that definitely makes you want to read the full novel.

If you're looking for a quick, romantic read with a hint of mystery, this might be the perfect appetizer before diving into the main course!

Thanks for reading! I hope this helps you choose your next book. :-)

Join me on FACEBOOK: Tizi Cozy Corner, to be always updated on new posts

FOLLOW ME or ASK MY FRIENDSHIP ON GOODREADS

Book review : The Silent Christmas by M.J.Lee

The Silent Christmas
A Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery Novella - Book 5 by M.J.Lee
My rating: 3.8 of 5 stars

A truly enjoyable Christmas novella that tells an extraordinary event that actually happened, through fictional characters and of course fictional dialogues.
---> Readable as a standalone, it's tagged as mystery but it's not a crime mystery ( at least not this book of the series ) , actually it is a search for history regarding people and events of the past.

---> The story takes place on 2 temporal planes: 1914 at the front, in the English trenches in Belgium and in 2017 in England, when the investigator Jayne Sinclaire tries to shed light on past events.

___ THE PLOT___
In 2017, Jayne Sinclaire, a genealogical investigator, receives a visit from a father and his son: they have found some old objects in the attic, belonging to his great-grandfather, of which they know nothing and would like to discover their history.

Back in time, in 1914, during the first year of World War I, private Tom Wright finds himself in the cold and in the mud, in the trenches, dreaming of being at home in England, with his wife and children preparing the Christmas goose.
A few hundred meters away is the German trench.
The soldiers of both trenches shout jokes about the war at each other, until one evening some Christmas trees appear from the German trench and classic Christmas carols are heard... here the magic begins... that magic that knows no flags and barriers and unites all men through the heart and the desire to live peacefully.
I'll let you enjoy the rest in the book. :-) it's touching.

___MY OPINION___
While I was fascinated by the backstory chapters (the events of which I already knew from non-fiction books I read in the past) and felt affection for the characters I read about.

Though I couldn't feel any emotion during the investigative chapters in 2017 and no empathy towards investigator J. Sinclair. That character seemed rather flat and insignificant to me.
For this reason I only gave 3.8 of 5 stars (all earned from the chapters of the past), if the storytelling of modern times chapters had also been a little bit more engaging I could have given 5 stars.

I want to add that I will read with pleasure other books by this author, hoping that in the other novels ( that are much longer than novellas ), even the character of today's temporal plane is well developed and can be more interesting than in the short story.

Still regarding the past part, I add that every time I read about that event, which happened spontaneously, outside of any war scheme and any imagination, I feel moved and I recommend everyone to read it because it is also an invitation to reflection.
Unfortunately, humanity has not learned anything and there are still wars that destroy innocent lives, but perhaps we, in our small circle of life, could try to learn something, give more value to feelings and people, without taking anything for granted .

About the Christmas Truce of 1914, a good film, with well-known actors, was made in 2005.
More I would like to advise you to read the collection of letters from the front, with the true testimony of the soldiers who took part in that very special event.

You can find more information about the movie and that book of letters collection in this post of mine from December 6th:

---> JOYEUX NOEL -MERRY CHRISTMAS (2005) THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE 1914.

( Thanks for reading my review, please, forgive any errors you may find in my text, English is not my mother tongue. Merry Christmas everybody ! :-) )

Join me on FB