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A review by enchantedfiction
A Lovely Deadly Muse by Evelyn Sloane
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*Thank you to Evelyn Sloane for the audiobook copy for review!*
Leo Daniels, a New York City lawyer, has some ghosts in his past. A girl from his high school days, Nik, who up and disappeared after committing an unthinkable act 11 years ago, continues to be on his mind, though he doesn't know where to start looking for her. But when he attends a mystery artist's show one night, he's surprised to see the exact girl he's wanted to find. Upon talking with her, he believes she is the Muse for this mysterious artist's work, drawing from the tragedies of her past. But the world she introduces him to is full of shady people with motives, but Leo is determined to prove to Nik he can redeem their past and reconcile his past failures to keep her close.
This was my first romantic thriller, and I'm glad to say it didn't disappoint! Both genres I highly enjoy colliding together in this story was very entertaining and worked well together. I was very invested in what Nik's past would lead her to in the present of the story and to see if Leo would fit into her world again. I liked all of the little nuances that showed how the past set up events for the present, like Leo's reasoning for becoming the type of lawyer he was, and that Nik was into the arts when she was younger. There was also a good build-up to the meat of the story with little reveals here and there, and the ending was left relatively open, which I think worked for this story.
There were some events in this story that were kind of unbelievable, but it was easy to overlook them and honestly didn't really harm the rest of the outcome of the story. Which, that's all I'm going to say because kind of spoilers.
I really liked the big twist close to the end of the story, as it's one that, to me, came out of left field and wasn't even on my radar. I always like when thrillers can surprise me!
I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys romantic thrillers or enjoys the two genres separately and is looking for something new!
Leo Daniels, a New York City lawyer, has some ghosts in his past. A girl from his high school days, Nik, who up and disappeared after committing an unthinkable act 11 years ago, continues to be on his mind, though he doesn't know where to start looking for her. But when he attends a mystery artist's show one night, he's surprised to see the exact girl he's wanted to find. Upon talking with her, he believes she is the Muse for this mysterious artist's work, drawing from the tragedies of her past. But the world she introduces him to is full of shady people with motives, but Leo is determined to prove to Nik he can redeem their past and reconcile his past failures to keep her close.
This was my first romantic thriller, and I'm glad to say it didn't disappoint! Both genres I highly enjoy colliding together in this story was very entertaining and worked well together. I was very invested in what Nik's past would lead her to in the present of the story and to see if Leo would fit into her world again. I liked all of the little nuances that showed how the past set up events for the present, like Leo's reasoning for becoming the type of lawyer he was, and that Nik was into the arts when she was younger. There was also a good build-up to the meat of the story with little reveals here and there, and the ending was left relatively open, which I think worked for this story.
There were some events in this story that were kind of unbelievable, but it was easy to overlook them and honestly didn't really harm the rest of the outcome of the story. Which, that's all I'm going to say because kind of spoilers.
I really liked the big twist close to the end of the story, as it's one that, to me, came out of left field and wasn't even on my radar. I always like when thrillers can surprise me!
I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys romantic thrillers or enjoys the two genres separately and is looking for something new!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy