Second Sight (Arcane Society Series #1) Book

3.5 Stars

Historical Fiction + Paranormal Elements + Sexy Times. Well, well, well this is right up my alley.

I like the idea of adding Paranormal aspects in a Victorian setting. The romance/sexy times isn't as much in the forefront of the story as I would have liked for a book like this but the Murder Mystery was fun and made up for it.

In this setting some individuals have evolved to have certain Arcane powers of some sort. Venitia can see auras and sense energies on artifacts. She is the eldest daughter of a recently orphaned family and has taken up photography to support them. She meets Gabriel when she is commissioned to take photographs of some peculiar artifacts for Arcane House. In the brief time they spend together she becomes infatuated with him and knowing that she will most likely never marry due to her financial and familial situation decides to have a liaison with Gabriel. While Venitia is prepared for it to be a brief fling he is not, but before they can get it all figured out someone interrupts with a robbery and a murder attempt so they are separated.

I liked both Venitia and Gabriel as characters. Amanda Quick likes to write of woman who are smart and just a little bit quirky. In this Victorian setting it is difficult to be a woman and hold any kind of power. Venitia is able to bypass some of society's rules by posing as a Widow to set up her business. She is resourceful and will do whatever is necessary to provide for her family. Gabriel is a scholar who has also spent his life learning how to control the predatory instincts that are as much a gift as they are a curse. He reminds me a lot of a were-anything except it is all sensory and he doesn't change shapes.

The mystery to figure out who is looking for the alchemist's recipe and killing off the people around Venitia was interesting but not overdone; this is more of a romance than anything else. I had a good time following them around society and enjoyed the way that the world and powers were set up.

This isn't a super strong PNR but had just enough elements that it made the HF part of it even more interesting for me.