I have shared Tess Thompson’s books several times on my personal FB page and I am a huge fan of her work. I first found her through her Cliffside Bay series (which I absolutely love and highly recommend). But she has outdone herself this time. Blue Ink, the third in the author’s “Blue Mountain” series, breaks the mold of small-town romance novels.
Set in the small town of Peregrine, Idaho, this book focuses on the third Lanigan brother, Ardan, and his romance with Charlotte, the former assistant of Bliss Heywood (heroine of the 2nd book in the series). Ardan hires Charlotte to look after his mom, Riona, as she deals with failing eyesight. That’s the set-up, and (you know me) I don’t do plot recaps.
Most of the characters we have gotten to know from the past two books, Moonstone, Sam, and of course the Heywood sisters and their husbands, make appearances. This is something Ms. Thompson does incredibly well; she keeps characters from former books around, but lets the main characters take center stage for their own stories. There is something very organic and natural about the way she works secondary characters into her plots.
The relationship that grows between Charlotte and Riona is heartwarming and produces more than a few chuckles; they are both feisty and their sparring is fun to read. But this story belongs to Charlotte and Ardan, and this is where it really shines.
The concept of soulmates is one that is often used as a throwaway, sometimes in a line or two, in romance novels. But Ms. Thompson explores the idea of people being meant for each other to a new level, as Charlotte and Ardan give in to the inevitable early on and ride the current, which is different from the usual “should we or shouldn’t we/we can’t, it’s too soon” back and forth. Their story touched me personally. Simply put, when you know…you know. Not everyone understands that.
The author adds a layer to the concept of soulmates through letters written between Riona’s mother and father. Suffice to say that said exploration is deep and meaningful, and cleverly wrapped within a mystery. Pay close attention to Charlotte and Ardan’s reactions to the letters for even more levels to the concept. Again, not going to tell you any more than that 😉
This is my favorite of the Blue Mountain series, five stars, without a doubt. But I will be honest and say you should read the first two books in the series before reading this one. It will be the best way to get the full “Blue Mountain” atmosphere, and you will appreciate the journey so much more.
(As I am still catching up on reviews, I will be posting reviews of the first two books later. It’s backwards, but hey, would you expect anything less from me?)
