2019 SF/romance. Bianca von Hasenberg, a rich widow (rumour has it, by
her own hand), spends her resources trying to save other women from
the grinder that is Consortium social life. But when she's attacked
and the heir to von Hasenberg is kidnapped…
Oh, and she has the hots for the house's head of security, but
mostly she wishes he'd stop getting in her way when she has a job to
do.
Without as much need to set up the universe as in the first book,
though I think a reader starting here wouldn't be lost, it's straight
into the action: Bianca's special gift, her prickly relationship with
Ian Bishop, and her own twist on dealing with kidnappers and political
enemies.
Bishop himself doesn't come off as well: I understand that he's meant
to start off over-protective, but some of his actions show a lack of
respect that I found difficult to justify in a romantic context.
Things do improve substantially once they grudgingly agree to work
together, combining their different ways of gathering intelligence to
make something much more effective than either alone, and the
climactic rescue in a deep mine is most effective.
As with Ada in the first book, Bianca is not an idiot, but nor is she
perfect: she makes errors that it would be plausible for her to make,
and she gained my sympathy effectively.
There is perhaps less straight action than in the first book and more
plotting, but I still had a good time. Yes, it's still unashamed
trash, and it's still well-done unashamed trash. Undemanding but
great fun.
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