Heartbroken after the death of his eccentric lover, Jenks is left to care for Mutt’s beloved pets on a lovely but isolated estate. With only the animals for company and rejected years earlier by his family when he left school to be with his lover, Jenks worries he’s fading from the world—until one misty morning when he discovers a half-drowned man on the bank of the river. And not just any man, but one who may have been the victim of an attempted murder.
James Griffin is respectable and married…and has buried his true passion his entire life. Jenks’s gentle manner and keen mind stir in him the sort of longing he wishes he had for his wife. The same frustrated wife he now wonders may have plotted his demise. His memories clouded, Griffin knows he must discover his attacker’s identity, resolve matters in his unhappy marriage…and confront the desire he feels for the shy but tenacious Jenks.
Together, they return to London to learn the truth of Griffin’s near murder. The police believe the incident nothing more than an accident, leaving Griffin and Jenks to find their way through a tangle of conflicting desires and ambitions to hunt the truth on their own.
Once again Summer Devon has showed that historicals can make for great reading. Historicals are not for everyone and I get that but when they are written as well as After the Storm is, I highly recommend "going outside your box" to read this one. When an author can show their obvious respect for the days gone by with the little details of the era and yet not making it come across as a school lesson then you know you found one to keep on your authors-to-watch list.
Jenks has lost his lover, friend, and companion when Mutt died but he remains on the property to care for Mutt's pets per the man's will even though the brother carries obvious disdain for Jenks. Is it out of devotion to Mutt's wishes or is Jenks afraid to move on? Either answer is heartbreaking and you just want to wrap him in a giant bear hug to show him its going to be okay. Then he stumbles upon a body in the river on the grounds. James finds himself in a stranger's home miles from his own unsure of how he got there or why he was unconscious in the river. Yet he feels safe in the presence of this stranger. Once again you just want to wrap James up and keep him protected when it quickly becomes obvious that he didn't just fall in and float away.
After the Storm has mystery, romance, friendship, companionship, and plenty of heart. I won't say anymore about the plot other than I was completely unsure until about a page or two before the reveal. This doesn't happen too often for me, not that I'm bragging on my sharp instinct of discovery but because I've been reading & watching mysteries since I was about 10 so I've pretty much seen just about every scenario put into play. BUT, every now and then an author will give me that complete and total "huh, never saw that coming" feel and I love it!
So as I started out with, whether you are a historical lover or not, I highly recommend reading After the Storm because it is a well written romantic mystery that showcases the friendships almost more than the romance, that every generation had its battles to overcome. For those who stay away from tales of the past because it reminds you too much of old school history classes, don't worry because Summer Devon has written an amazing story and though she has stayed true to the time period she has not written a lesson, you will be entertained from beginning to end.
RATING:
Summer Devon is the pen name writer Kate Rothwell often uses. Whether the characters are male or female, human or dragon, her books are always romance.
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