John Cassian wants vengeance and when Ruby Love runs straight into his arms, literally, he sees her as his possible ticket to that vengeance, all he has to do is keep his hands and his heart out of it. Ruby is tormented by ghosts; she sees the dead and when her dead brother shows up on the train with her and asks for her help, she is determined to accomplish that, even if it means doing it without the aid of her family.  The chemistry between Ruby and John was hot and explosive. They burned up the pages and their intense emotional journey to trusting, and loving, each other made the story progress smoothly and quickly.  I loved watching their adventure unfold and when the truth comes out about who John really is and his motives, Ruby has to decide if she can stay with a man that has done heinous crimes to survive. John fears she will walk out the door and never return, but that doesn't stop him from helping her reach her dead brother.  When Ruby is in danger John rushes to her aid and the conclusion of their story was awesome!  This one didn't need an epilog, like The Three Fates of Ryan Love; how this one ends was perfect and complete.  When you through in ghosts, angels that aren't that heavenly, a reaper, a half-breed, and a lot of action you end up with a thrilling and entertaining story.

This one was a page-turner with strong characters, a convincing conflict and antagonist, and the plot kept the reader interested from start to finish. I very much enjoyed the dialogue between the two main characters. It was intense at times and reminded me a bit of Donna Grant's style of emotional tension. It kept me engrossed and I really wanted it to work out for the two characters. The emotional build up and tension kept me turning the page to see what the Fates had in store for the both Ryan and Sabelle. Their adventure was passionate and fast-paced. Their relationship was electric and passionate. I loved their dialogue and how the story unfolded. I would have liked an epilogue, though. The story's last page was abrupt. I wanted more at the very end of the story.

The mischief is about to get naughty this holiday season. This men are sizzling, the women are bold and the variety is just the right mix of steamy and emotional. Jennifer Probst shows what kindness and a little hope can do with her Beauty and the Beast inspired Grinch of Starlight Bend. Mary Leo's Ropin the Lone Cowboy shows how an open heart and caring soul can work wonders anytime of year. Erin Quinn supplies a voice of reason with The Lone Cowgirl. Kari needs to realize living is about more than accomplishments, it's about appreciating every moment. Ty may be just the man to help her cut loose and relax. Calista Fox gives romance a second chance in His Angel of Starlight Bend and Jennifer Ashley delivers surprises with Snowbound in Starlight Bend. Holiday Heat is a great gift to share. It summarizes how faith, love and opportunity can be found in the most surprising of places.

My rating always reflects whether or not I enjoy a story -- it can be influenced by a lot of factors, not necessarily the quality of the story. And I have problems with this book...

*) I dislike reading accent immensely ... especially Irish/Scottish accent or what I like to call as British tone. I am an ESL, I already reading in a language that is not my own. Call me a lazy reader but reading books with accent is extra work for me to understand the conversation. It's one of the major reasons why I avoid historical romance (though lately I find that I can enjoy MM historical romance). This one has it and I struggled. Boy did I struggle. I ended up skimming.

*) The book is marketed as Gaslight Mysteries. Unfortunately I felt that the mystery part was overshadowed by the sexual part. Yeah, too much sex for a mystery book. I don't mind romance in my mystery, but not so much the sex. For me, the two are NOT mutually inclusive.

*) Talk about the sex ... quite a few of dubious consents situation for my liking. I never like yaoi trope in my romance ... the "Your mouth says no but your body says yes" thing? It's too close to rape in my mind. I can read yaoi/dub-con/non-con but I prefer to know what I'm getting into. So for me Michael was being too pushy, and border to harassment when he approached Simon, whom Michael admitted himself was still mourning over the death of his friend.

All in all, I didn't enjoy the writing, the characters, or the mystery. Thus my low rating :(