Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston + a Giveaway

It's been a busy release year for Paula Brackston, readers. First we had the release of The Silver Witch back in April, then there was the US release of the first two Brothers Grimm mysteries (Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints in January and Once Upon a Crime in June. Note this series is published under Brackston's pseudonym, P.J. Brackston.), and now we have the print release of Brackston's Lamp Black, Wolf Grey hitting shelves tomorrow. If you enjoy Brackston's Witch books, you're going to love Lamp Black, Wolf Grey and if you haven't read her before, now's a great time to start. Thanks to the publisher I have two copies to offer up for you, readers. Be sure to scroll to the Rafflecopter at the end of this review to enter.

Laura and Dan have decided to pack up and leave London for a quieter life in Wales. They've found the perfect house - well, Laura has found the perfect house and Dan is warming to it - with fantastic views and enough space for Laura's studio. Best of all, it offers exactly the kind of peace and quiet Laura is looking for. She hopes that leaving behind the bustle of the big city will give the couple what they've hoped for for so long now - a chance to start a family. 

But Laura's new Welsh hideaway offers more than r&r for the artist. The house and the surrounding area are imbued with a tantalizing air of mystery. Laura feels things in the house and has seen a strange man wandering the area nearby. It's no wonder, then, when she discovers the area is steeped in legend, including a link to Merlin himself. And then there's Rhys, the nearest neighbor. With Dan in the city during the week for work, Laura finds it increasingly difficult to resist Rhys's charm. 

This latest release from Brackston is wickedly tantalizing. Who can resist the promise of Welsh mythology and Merlin, much less the promise of a forbidden temptation? Trust me when I say that Brackston delivers on all counts!

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey is a dual narrative - Laura, Dan, and Rhys are just half the story. The other part is given over to Megan, nursemaid to the two sons of Lord Geraint, during Merlin's pre-Arthur days. Megan's fate is not a pleasant one, something we learn quite quickly considering the prologue is part of her story.

Both of Brackston's heroines are captivating: Laura's battle between love and desire, Megan's tentative position in her own time and her growing affection for Merlin are just a tiny smidge of their stories. But what I absolutely adored was the folklore! Merlin and any connection to Arthurian legend pretty much always win me over every time, and though there's very little of the latter (this does take place before Merlin meets Arthur, after all) there's plenty of Welsh lore woven into the story to satisfy any folklore fanatic. It's also a pretty steamy read, the kind you definitely don't want to put down!

Rating: 4/5

(Lamp Black, Wolf Grey is officially out on shelves tomorrow.)

And now for the giveaway. Again, there are two copies up for grabs this time. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter below before August 17, easy peasy. Open US only and no PO boxes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway