Touch of Frost
Released: June 6, 2017
Historical Romance
Berkley

Reviewed by Mandi

The hero’s name is Remington Frost – what a great name. And he lives up to it – he starts off a little grumbly and mysterious and he turns into a lovely fellow who cares so much for the heroine.

We start on a train, as our heroine, Phoebe is leaving New York and her theater career, to head west to be with her sister. Phoebe is very familiar with the theater, having worked behind and in front of the curtain. When she receives an invitation to go out west to be with her sister, Fiona and her new husband, Phoebe realizes she misses her sister and is ready for a western adventure. She boards a train and gets that adventure when the train is robbed at gunpoint.

Remington Frost is the son of Fiona’s new husband. His father asks Remington, who is already traveling, to catch the same train as Phoebe just to keep an eye on her. Remington has never met Phoebe but has a picture of her, and does catch up with her. When the train suddenly stops and they are robbed, Remington hits his head and falls unconscious. When he awakes, Phoebe has been taken by the bad guys, supposedly to be held for ransom. He takes off after her, and eventually finds her tied up in a cabin.

This all sounds very dramatic but Phoebe’s wit really puts a light-hearted tone on this book. She is stubborn and independent and smart. She leaves “bread crumbs” as her captors drag her away, hoping someone from the train will come to find her. Being from the city, she isn’t a good horse rider, something that is amusing throughout the book.

After Remington finds her, he accompanies her to her sister’s house (and Remington’s father’s house) where Phoebe settles in and Remington and her fall in love. Their romance unfolds fast, but at the same time the author gives the two of them a lot of page time alone together, so the reader doesn’t feel cheated out of their story. You know when they get stranded in a storm, and find a cabin for shelter for the night – that the smexy times are coming, and the quiet, intimate conversation and their relationship is pretty much a done deal. I do love a surprise storm and a sex cabin.

This is more of a 3.5 star read for me because after the excitement of the train and the blossoming romance, this book has a bit of a slower pace. There is a side story with Fiona (Phoebe’s sister) and her husband and some rocky roads in their marriage. And the mystery is still there as to who robbed and kidnapped Phoebe. It just was a little slow for me at times. But Phoebe and Remington’s banter would come through and make me smile:

“Sit up,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“Soothing her.”

“More like confusing her. Just keep your hands where they are.”

“Yes, sir. I’d salute you, but I’m keeping my hands where they are.”

“That’s sass, isn’t it?”

I really enjoyed the first book in this series – if you have yet to check it out. Jo Goodman has a nice voice in this genre.

Grade: B-

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