Gunpowder Tea: Booksneeze Review

I've just finished the second book in a month just for me. It has been so long since I was able to read just for my own pleasure and the latest title from Booksneeze was a lot of fun.

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley is the third installment in The Brides of Last Chance series. I have not read the first two, but am now very interested as characters were referenced from the earlier novels. An unlikely friendship develops between Annie and Branch, undercover agents seeking to track down a criminal who has become quite a nuisance in the local area. Their undercover work sets them both on edge and sometimes at odds until their true purpose for being at Last Chance Ranch is finally revealed. An unspoken attraction develops and realizing they are actually on the same side of the law only serves to complicate matters.

This lighthearted mystery/romance was a relaxing and fun read. I often shy away from mysteries because of their tendency for intensity, but the comic relief provided from the colorful characters made this simply fun. I enjoyed the banter between characters as well as trying to solve the identity of the criminal before Annie and Branch. There were times I was confused as the author would switch back and forth between the characters assumed identities and their real names. There was also a bit more description of the physical attraction between the two than I usually like to read about. There was absolutely nothing inappropriate at all, but in my opinion the focus on this aspect didn't particularly add to the story.

I loved the character perspective change throughout the book. This unique use of the 3rd person limited point of view has become quite popular in modern literature and I enjoy the character insights which it provides the reader.

This was a lot of fun to read and I stayed up very late several nights to read just one more chapter. A sure indication this is a good read!

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.