For those of you looking for really light reading this book might be for you, especially if your preference tends toward paranormal romance. As I am often wont to do, I picked this up as a free offering on Amazon solely due to the really cute cover art; one of my many weaknesses that I can’t seem to overcome.
Everly Gray has ESP of the fingers, so she has to watch what (and who) she touches to avoid sometimes debilitating visions. Her bff Violet, a private investigator, is just about the only one who knows about her gift. After a chance meeting on the beach, her life becomes entwined with handsome hunk Mitch, who ends up hiring Violet to investigate his friend’s recent death. Mitch ends up missing, and it’s up to her and Violet to find him. Mayhem ensues, and all kinds of secrets uncovered.
Everly and Violet are both likeable characters, although not as fleshed-out and deep as I would have liked them. I liked them both, clumsy Everly and her strong, self-reliant sidekick, I just felt like more could have been done with these characters. The plot did stretch the limits of believability, but it is fiction, after all, and the author has the right to tell her story as she sees fit. And I’m not talking about the ESP part, but I don’t want to give the story away. That being said, Ms. Charles did tie up all the loose ends nicely, and her writing is solid without a lot of errors. A big plus in the indie world, unfortunately.
From the look of things the author is developing a nice fan base, so apparently this type of story resonates with many readers. It is a bit superficial for me, however, and a tad too much on the “light” side. Not much thinking required, but a nice little getaway. All in all it was a pleasant read. There are plenty of readers who favor this type of story, and the author seems to be adept at tapping into that market. Kudos, Ms. Charles.
A Touch of Ice is the first in a series of Everly Gray adventures. A Touch of TNT and A Touch of the Past are already available, as well as the novella To Touch a Thief. If you enjoy a quick, light escape without a lot of thought, you might try this series out.
You can follow L.J. Charles at her website: http://www.ljcharles.com .
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