A Delicate Deception

This review is a LONG time coming (apologies) but I’ve now read it twice and like it more with each read. If you don’t know Cat Sebastian’s work – be prepared to revel in the sexual tension, freedoms and intrigue as people who are discovering (or allowing) their personal attractions to come to fruition. In this story, we have Amelia and and Sydney: both self-identify as bisexual, even as they aren’t open with it to everyone. Amelia is prone to panic attacks and agoraphobia, so being away from crowds and the London scene suits her perfectly well. Sydney is hiding something from everyone, as he’s just discovered he’s inherited a title after his brother and sister-in-law’s deaths, and is in the country at the request of his best friend. Encountering one another while rambling about the countryside is a perfect introduction – and as you’ll soon discover, they have several friends and connections in common: many of whom we’ve met and enjoyed in earlier books in this series. But, this is a story of Syd and Amelia – and how they come to be a ‘couple’, if in the more than slightly unconventional manner of many of this author’s couples. Things to look for in a Sebastian story are the sparkling and witty banter, the romantic gestures that are always much more meaningful to characters who are often ‘outside’ the norm, the delicate handling of difficult issues and subjects as well as the interconnected villages that grow in a way that feels organic and natural, as all of the characters seem to find one another through connections of family, issue or work. And such is the same with Amelia and Syd, after several different interactions that slowly blossomed into friendship before love. This isn’t a story that is loaded with action or adventure, more a character and issue-driven plot that meanders through as both characters have things to work through above and beyond getting to know one another and their mutual dislike of society’s constraints. While not my favorite in this series, each new couple that is introduced give a chance to check back in with earlier characters, see their lives and loves moving forward, and we also see how each new character (and couple) fits into this little bubble of a village that encompasses the characters – gay, straight, bi, troubled or questioning without question and with plenty of acceptance and time for plenty of laughs and support. Sebastian takes what one may have thought unusual or out of our ‘expected’ norms for relationships and connections and shown us all that love and attraction are simply just that – and require acceptance, honesty, friendship and trust to truly work – no matter what. Everything else is simply a way to ‘identify’ that attraction / relationship – not a definition of it. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.