This book was just as interesting as the first installment. I'd even be interested in reading a third installment - Anne & Smoke after the wedding. I'm wondering if Anne is really pregnant with Smoke's child or if she did have sex with Ulysses Palmer and the baby(ies) are his. But I guess I'll just take Terra Little's happy ending and run with it.

The plot is interesting and Little does a great job developing the voice of each character. I found the story of Alice and Silas so interesting. I liked that Little included a bit of African American history in this tale, even if she did stick to the easiest piece of history to delve into and explicate in a tale of mental abuse.

Smoke's character is great, as always - a strong provider, a man's man (my favorite kind of male figure). I found myself aggravated by the inclusion of Diana Daniels, but I guess it was necessary to get the story going.

One major quip: Little needs to work on her voice. When telling the story of Alice and Silas, it seemed like Alice was talking to the reader, but she was actually having lunch with Anne. This happened often throughout the story - it makes for bad writing. It was the one drawback but the character and plot development make up for such flaws.

I definitely recommend this novel.