When a diamond necklace vanishes on the sleeper train to Scotland, Emily and her men are called into action. Their employer: The Royal Family.

In a world of intrigue, wealth and whispered rumours, can Em keep her nerve and solve the case? And more importantly, will there be time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with her three guys?

Note:
A short and steamy reverse harem set after the events of Abandoned Heart (Defiance series book 1), but it can be read as a standalone.

I confess I haven’t read Abandoned Hearts, but now I really need to.

Right from the first page, this book heats up and I got a kick out of Emily’s reaction to Luther’s get-up. Although it was also a bit rude of him to dress that way and tell her she had to get up when she really needed more sleep.

He does make it up to her in a very chocolatey way.

This is a favorite scene.

The smell of chocolate reaches my nose and I decide it would take too long to get dressed properly. Instead, I pull a fluffy bathrobe over my naked body and head towards the kitchen and the source of the wonderful scent.  

Luther is the best cook in the world. No doubt about that. Ever since I’ve moved in, he’s experimented with chocolate. My favourite food. Unfortunately, he’s managed to create some dishes that are so good that the others have discovered their love for chocolate as well. Less for me. I’ve had to learn to take as much as I can while they’re not looking.

“What are you making?” I ask as soon as I enter the kitchen.

“Surprise,” he mutters while opening the oven, hiding whatever’s baking in there behind his broad body. That’s just not fair. First, he makes me get up, then he doesn’t tell me what smells so delicious.

“Can I at least get some hot chocolate?”

He chuckles. “Already on the counter.”

He knows me so well. I grab the mug and sit on one of the bar stools, watching him. He’s put on a t-shirt that shows off his muscles. The bow has disappeared and has sadly made way for jogging pants. So unsexy compared to the red bow. Guess I had my chance and didn’t take it.

“We have a new job,” he says while rummaging in a drawer, probably searching for the oven gloves that are hanging right in front of his nose. Men.

“Hook. Nose,” I say and he laughs, taking the gloves. Typical.

“What’s the job?” I ask as he takes out a tray from the oven. The smell of chocolate intensifies, making my mouth water. He purposely hides it from view. Damn that man.

“It’s a bit unusual,” he explains, “but it sounds like fun.”

“Yes, but what is it?” I’m starting to grow impatient, both because I’m hungry and because I want to know why I had to get up this early.

“Some very precious jewellery has gone missing. Do you want cream?”

“Yes.” I sigh. “We don’t usually deal with theft. What’s so special about it?”

He turns and winks at me. “The owners are royalty.”

My eyes widen. “Royalty? Like the Royal family? The Queen?”

Luther nods. “I’ve not been told who exactly but it seems to be someone very high up in the hierarchy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have contacted SOCA. Scotland Yard passed the case to us because the jewellery was stolen here in Scotland.”

“Balmoral?” I ask, referring to the Queen’s estate in Aberdeenshire.

He nods again. “Fancy a trip to the countryside?”

I can’t hide a wide smile. This is turning out a lot more exciting than I assumed.

“Of course. But what’s for breakfast?”

Instead of an answer, he puts a plate in front of me. A beautiful, perfectly baked brownie is staring up at me. With coconut icing on top. With chocolate chunks sticking out of the dough. With a dollop of cream on the side.
Skye MacKinnon. Beloved Heart: A Defiance Series Spin-Off (Kindle Locations 57-81). Peryton Press.

As Luther and Emily begin the investigation at Balmoral, Ben and Alistair head to Aberdeen to check out the train.

Plenty of twists in this one and I think my kindle started melting in my hand with the heat coming off the pages with these four.

Looks like the other two books in the Defiant series will be on my TBR pile shortly.

5 Contented Purrs for Skye!

Skye MacKinnon

Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don’t have to choose.

She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she’s writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

When she’s not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards, and being covered in pet hair by her two bunnies, Emma and Darwin.