Overall, a well done Gothic romance. The hero was dark and, as a reader, I wasn't sure how the author would redeem him (although you know she has to!)

The heroine is painted as a realistic optimist, and it works. She looks for the good in people, and sometimes that works against her. There are times I didn't quite buy it, and yet, her characterization was strong enough for me to say "yeah, that's just who she is." She's that character in the story that deliberately walks into danger.

I did figure out about 3/4 the way through who the true villain was, but the author left several options to be considered along the way.

There were a lot of moans and groans that distracted me from time to time, places they weren't quite appropriate (silence would have been appropriate!). The author led me by the hand through plot lines where I might not have gone, straining slightly, and yet I bought it. It worked. Some information was withheld, which annoyed me as a reader (the hero's occupation, for instance), and yet if the author had told us sooner, some of the mystery would have been lost. But when she comes face to face with the bad guy, how does she not immediately notice the tell-tale buff pants and black boots (especially when they are not standard issue - spoiler there, so I'm being deliberately obtuse)?

All said, I will look to read more in this series.