Spoiler warning! This is the third book in a series, and the review will contain spoilers for the previous two books. If you haven’t read any of the books yet, start with Burn for Me. If you aren’t caught up with the series, maybe come back for this review later.
Instead of being able to spend Christmas with her new boyfriend, Connor Rogan, one of the most powerful and magically gifted men in the United States, Nevada Baylor has to rush back to her family once they discover that her paternal grandmother, Victoria Tremaine, is coming for the family. Once back home, Nevada discovers added complications to her fledgling romance, when she finds Rynda Sherwood, nee Charles, Rogan’s ex-fiancee, in her kitchen. Rynda’s husband is missing and she’s pretty much being shunned by all the powerful people in Houston after Nevada, Rogan and their allies killed Rynda’s mother at the end of the previous book.
While several of the Baylor clan think it’s a dreadful idea for Nevada to help Rynda, as she may lose Rogan in the process, Nevada feels obligated to help the distressed and desperate woman. She wisely points out that if Rogan is going to go back to Rynda, they’re never going to have much of a future together, are they? She also needs to convince her mother, sisters and cousins that the best way to defend themselves against Victoria Tremaine is by forming a House of their own. This means coming out in the open with their powers, and being tested and proving their strength. If they register as a House, they will be protected for the next three years and evil grandma won’t be able to kidnap them and use their powers for her own gain.
Full review here.
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I just loved this series. I have a few quibbles (did Connor really make amends for earlier behavior? It’s not OK to secretly buy her mortgage to protect her, right?), but overall it was so fun. I worried when the ex-fiance showed up that it was going to be a whole thing and was THRILLED with Nevada’s “if he’s going back to her we were never going to be” attitude. What a refreshingly adult approach to a romantic threat!
I’ll always love Kate Daniels but feel they should have ended the series. I would love it if it they pursued more stories in this world with Nevada’s family and their unique powers. I would happily spend a book jaunting around with Grandma and her home-made tanks.
And yes, they deserve far better covers. But this one doesn’t come close to the hilarious hideousness of the previous one. Also, isn’t Nevada blond? ;)
I absolutely agree that Connor could have done even more to make amends for his behaviour in the first book, but as we got more insight into his psyche and just how much he’s still affected by his experiences in battle, it is made clear that he’s trying to make amends as much as he can – and he is a lot better at letting Nevada go off and face horrible danger in book 3, even when he clearly has to fight all his instincts to lock her up and keep her super safe. Connor has a lot more growing to do over the course of the trilogy than Nevada, she’s already a decent and properly socialised human being. She needs to expand her powers, he needs to let go of the Butcher of Merida and adapt to the fact that he can’t control everyone and everything at all times.
I really did think that this was a satisfying ending to the books, and if I never get anything else, I will still be happy, as I’m sure Nevada and Rogan and the others would be fine. But as there’s so much cool stuff set up with the supporting cast – Leon’s new powers, Catalina’s possible flirtation with the hot guy who tested her, Cornelius and his incredible menagerie and as you said, even Grandma Baylor and her machine park, I will also happily read spin-off stories. If they happen to mention what Nevada and Rogan are up to, so much the better.
I love when they do slightly different takes on their existing universes. One of my favourite things about “Gunmetal Magic” is the way Andrea views Kate and Curran – which is obviously very different from the POV we get from Kate. It’s why I’m so excited about the upcoming Hugh book, and hope they get round to writing something about Roman, as well as more about Derek and Julie.
I think there’s been some pretty bad covers in Ilona Andrews’ backlist, but “White Hot” is a crime against anyone who has eyes. I think Nevada is described as a darker shade of blond, but I could be mistaken.