Review – Dangerous Seduction (Nemesis Unlimited #2) by Zoe Archer

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

CAN A COMMON CAUSE

As the founder of Nemesis, Unlimited, Simon Addison-Shawe is well accustomed to disguise and deceit. Yet he’s not prepared for Alyce’s dogged defense of her people and the injustices the copper mine has dealt them. With Alyce’s help he can change the fate of an entire town, and convincing her to join him is only part of the thrill. Together, they ignite a desire in each other much too powerful to deny. But at what cost?
This blurb came from the author’s website.

If you do a search on The Bookpushers for Zoe Archer’s name you will find that she turns up on a fairly regular basis for a really good reason. She writes entertaining stories set in worlds with a twist. Not only does her settings usually contain a twist of some sort but the individuals who populate her worlds are also rather unusual. Unusual in the sense they don’t exactly fit amongst others of their peers but they provide me with hours of enjoyment. I was aware that Archer had started a new series, and I had the first one, Sweet Revenge on Mount TBR so when I saw we were hosting her (see today’s early post) I was incentivized to move it up to the top of the pile. I did this for a couple of different reasons; first I was expecting it to be good; and second, I wanted to review Dangerous Seduction at the same time as her guest post. I knew from reading other series written by Archer that the stories tend to build on each other, therefore I would catch the subtle nuances in later installments if I started with the first one. After reading and enjoying it I couldn’t wait to get started on Dangerous Seduction.

Set in an impoverished Cornish mining town, Archer explored some of the ugly sides to industrialization. Nemesis, Unlimited received an anonymous letter detailing some of the abuses and pleading for help. In response Simon, born and raised a nobleman, went undercover as a mechanic. During his very first day on the job he saw several examples of abuse. One of which was the use of company script for pay instead of cash. Company script could not be exchanged for cash because it was not backed by a hard currency thus keeping the miners and their families dependent on the company. In addition to the negatives, Simon also noticed Alyce, a villager who managed to maintain her drive for a better life.

Alyce entered the scene arguing with the mine managers as she tried to convince them they needed to dispose of the rotting butter in the company store and replace it with fresh so the miners and their families could eat a wholesome meal. The managers refused but she didn’t let that stop her from continuing to make efforts to benefit the villagers’ lives. She was attracted to Simon but she wasn’t going to jeopardize her livelihood, not with some newcomer who on his very first day caught the attention of the local law enforcement.

I really enjoyed watching Simon gain Alyce’s trust. While she was busy viewing Simon with suspicion he was also looking for an ally, someone who the villagers trusted so he could act for justice. She was so suspicious that she followed him one night because he really wasn’t acting like a typical mine employee. Her conduct that night convinced Simon he might have found the key with which to rally the miners. Alyce discovered that there was a lot more to Simon then she thought and that there might be a chance to make life better. I thought it was great that she didn’t immediately trust/believe him when Simon mentioned why he had come to their village despite his actions. Throughout the story Simon demonstrated that he enjoyed Alyce’s will and independence. He never made it seem as if the was unable to do something because she was a woman. Alyce repaid his trust by doing her part and more during their scheme. She also liked him because of who he was as a person, not because of his birth position.

I knew I was enjoying the story but I did not realize exactly how invested I was in the action portion until I took a deep breath at the end of a particular scene and noticed Archer had steadily built up the tension. Even with that small release, the tension continued to build as the stakes rose higher and higher. I thought it was a sneaky touch when the mine situation reached its climax but I still didn’t know how Simon and Alyce were going to resolve their relationship. By spreading the resolution to the mine conditions and the romance across time, Archer reminded me that while one provided the opportunity for the other they were not completely interdependent.

With Dangerous Seduction Archer has once again created a series whose installments I will continue to enjoy. Her characters are unique and memorable. The world-building in Dangerous Seduction is detailed and varied. She also combines romance with action in just the right amounts so I am invested in the story as a whole, not one particular aspect.

I give Dangerous Seduction an A-

Links to purchase
Amazon Kindle iTunes Barnes & Noble Nook Sony Book Depository Kobo