A Reckless Love is the third installment of the Daughtry House series. Set in Reconstruction-era Mississippi, this novel follows Southern belle Aurora Daughtry and deputy marshal Zane Sager. Aurora is good at managing people, but Zane won’t make it easy.
While A Reckless Love can be enjoyed as a standalone, I highly recommend you read the other two novels first. I think a lot of the interactions between Aurora and her sisters, as well as Levi and Schuyler, will make more sense. There are also some plot threads White finishes in this novel that will make more sense if you read the first two books.
My Thoughts
The romance between Aurora and Zane is well-developed, although there were times it seemed Zane suddenly changed his mind without notice and I had a hard time keeping up. But otherwise, I enjoyed their interactions. The way they go back and forth with each other is not only entertaining but also telling. I think it tells the reader a lot about them and how they’re changing throughout the novel.
I also liked how White wove in Aurora’s and Zane’s backstories into the way they respond to one another. The prologue did a great job of showing the reader what drives the characters, and I was able to understand their goals.
I liked the saloon/boardinghouse conflict. It definitely brought some humor to what is otherwise a very serious novel. But the storyline I paid most attention to the conflict between the townsfolk and Zane as he tries to guard two prisoners and find a murderer.
White does a great job of wrapping up the overall plot threads from the first two novels. She made connections I wasn’t expecting. I also loved seeing characters from the past two novels again. I like the Daughtry family, and it was like revisiting old friends.
However, I have to say I did not like this book as much as the first novel in the series. That didn’t take away from my ability to enjoy A Reckless Love, though.
Overall, if you like action and romance, then you’ll enjoy this book.
Further Information
You can purchase A Reckless Love at your favorite book retailer. (Or you can order it from bookshop.org by clicking the book cover.)
To connect with Beth White, check out her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
(Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
