Maud Blyth, sister of Robin Blyth, gets sent on a cruise ship with one of the parts of the contract. With her employer murdered and the contract, whichever form it has now, stolen, she needs to find new allies to search for the murderer. Good thing that the ever so evasive Lord Hawthorn is also on board, as well as Violet Debenham. A stranger yet, but not for long, as Mauds attraction to her grows in more than one way. So, a murder mystery on a boat, with lots of magic and other shenanigans. Delightfully funny and well entwined with the overarching storyline. At the end of the first one, I was a bit skeptical at the idea to lay this story in other hands, but it fit surprisingly well and made sense after a few reveals. I even liked it more than volume one, which felt lacking in a way. Here, the story felt more round, maybe because it was also more separate, on the boat, and we didn't need more explanation about the worldbuilding and could totally focus on the story at hand. The couple was also great. I loved the characters, though their story is still incomplete. There was attraction, there was spice, and there were truths being shared, but the romance was just beginning. I hope we get more of them in the next one. It always feels a bit weird that the POV is changing. Well, what I probably liked most was their little team of detectives. Just them hanging out and planning. Especially Hawthorn reluctantly helping and being a total grump about it 😂 I was surprised how much I liked him here (his love interest also already appeared). I just love queer "friend" groups 🤭 Also hearing the story of the Forsythia club. This was also one of these books that make you go: women ❤️✨️ The only real thing to criticize is that these books take me forever to read, and I can't really say why. It's kinda exhausting to read, like you feel like you are making hardly any progress, but it's not like it is dragged out or boring, and I do enjoy the writing style. So I really don't know what's my problem 😂 Maybe I'm just imagining it, because I did really enjoy this one and will directly continue with the next 😌

Die Story ist nicht schlecht, aber zieht sich meiner Meinung nach zu sehr. Ich hab mich leider beim Lesen überhaupt nicht in das Buch hineinversetzen können und hab es nur fertig gelesen, dass ich mir ein Bild von der gesamten Geschichte machen kann. Ein paar interessante und spannende Stellen gibt es zwar schon, aber ansonsten ist das Buch eher schlecht aufgestellt und auch das Ende war nicht unbedingt einfallsreich. Langsam aufschaukelnde Romantik ist in dem Buch überhaupt nicht vorhanden. Die Hauptpersonen sind plötzlich von einer Seite auf die nächste mitten in einer verworrenen Art von Beziehung, aber weder davor noch danach kann man irgendeine Art von Chemie zwischen den beiden erkennen. Es ist immer Geschmackssache, ob einem ein Buch gefällt oder nicht, dieses Buch konnte mich nicht überzeugen und hat mir leider auch nicht wirklich gefallen.

Was für ein Buch! Ich hatte wirklich das große Glück, dass ich gerade fertig mit dem ersten Band war, als die Anfrage für den zweiten Teil bestätigt wurde. Also habe ich direkt weiter gelesen. Ein paar Monate sind vergangen, seit Robin und Edwin versuchten, Edwins Bruder Walt aufzuhalten. Glücklicherweise konnten sie es so drehen, dass sie sich weiterhin einmischen können und nach den verblieben Teilen des Vertrags suchen, so dass er nicht der immer noch mysteriösen Gruppe um Walt in die Hände fällt. Da die beiden beobachtet werden, unterstützt Robins Schwester Maud das Unternehmen und begibt sich auf eine Schiffsreise, bei der alte und auch neue Bekannte dazustoßen. Das Ganze startet direkt mit einem Mord an Bord der Lyric und dem Verschwinden des Teils des Vertrags, von dem Maud nicht einmal weiß, was es ist. Ich kann nicht genug betonen, wie sehr ich diese Reihe liebe! Urban Fantasy, historisch kurz nach der Wende ins 20. Jahrhundert, erneut eine queere Lovestory, ein interessantes Magiesystem, was hier noch eine Erweiterung erfährt und zudem noch ein bisschen „Kriminalgeschichte auf der Titanic“-Feeling. Ich hoffe, der dritte Teil, der dann das Ende der Reihe darstellt und Lord Hawthorn in den Mittelpunkt stellt, erscheint zeitnah. Ich bin absolut verliebt in diese Trilogie! Vielen Dank an den Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!

I'm literally having so much fun with this series. Is it the most overwhelming, best drafted plot I've ever read? No. Do I like the characters? Hell yes Do I feel like this is a high-stakes fantasy and something bad will happen if the characters don't succeed? No Am I just here for the vibes, interactions and the romance? You bet

I have to say, that I like the second book more than the first one. Maud is just so likable. She is truly honest, determined to do the right thing and despite her believe of only being the opposite of her mother, has a lovely personality. I have no doubt that she can achieve whatever she sets her mind to. She certainly did in this book. Violet is a different kind of caliber. Well travelled, determined and selfish in a way that might sound horrid at first, but makes more and more sense, as well as it isn’t half as bad as you’d think. Seeing her change in small ways, becoming more open about who she is and her life, was a delight. And of course his Lordship and Ross were an amazing addition to the group. I do have a sneaking suspicion that the third book will be about them, with all the tension flying around in this one. The setting of the book was really neat, it being a one week trip across the ocean, in a ship so big and yet somehow too small. I really can’t wait to start the last part of the trilogy.

Compared to the first book, I did not feel as much of a pull to read this one. The world building once again has caught my attention, and I can‘t help but admire this mix of a magical world with the historical of the 19th century. I liked Maud in the first book, and she most definitely is a very interesting and fun protagonist. Though I liked her counterpart, Lady Violet, a little bit more. I think there is too much focus on male characters like Lord Hawthorn or Alan Ross, and that annoyed me a bit because I did not want them to take attention away from Maud and Violet, and I think both – Lord Hawthorn and Alan Ross – did exactly that, even though they are very interesting characters in my opinion. I enjoyed the love story as well as the murder mystery and storyline regarding the contract. 3/5⭐️ 🌶️/5

I liked this book but it is far from being a favourite… Maybe this is my fault, I read this without reading the first novel in the series, because someone online said it is possible to read this as a stand alone, which is partly true: all the important bits are explained and context is given on everything relevant. But still there is a continuous story arc throughout the series and i would not recommend reading this without reading a marvellous light first. The story itself felt too slow and character-based for a magical mystery and too crime-solvey for a romance - if you are looking for a book that has magic, great characters and sapphic romance (historical setting on a SHIP) but is not plot-driven this is for you.