Nefertiti's Heart

I took a chance requesting this one from Netgalley, and it was WELL worth it.

This is a fun romp through a Victorian-era London, with the steampunk technological twist. Likeable characters, an intriguing mystery, and a vividly described (and brought to life) world made this a 5 star for me.

Cara Devon's father was NOT a good man. At the age of 14, after some seriously rotten events (that are revealed over the course of the book), Cara bolts and doesn't return until 7 years later after the death of said father. Her arrival thrusts her smack dab into the middle of a mystery. A serial killer has begun tearing his way through the young debutantes, each attack growing more and more violent. In the meantime, Cara has met the Viscount Nathaniel Lyons, a sky pirate of dubious (and delicious!) nature, and a game of one-ups and cat-and-mouse ensues.

Adventure, mystery, romance, sex!, action... you'll find it all if you take up the enigma of Nefertiti's Heart!

Pick up this book. Make this author famous, if only so we can have more of her fantastic and fun work. Nefertiti's Heart on Amazon.

We first meet Cara Devon as she fends off a couple of tough guys sent to her father’s home in London searching for a valuable artifact. We quickly see that Cara is not to be trifled with, as she shoots one and wounds the other. Their boss also quickly comes to understand that Cara is not typical of the society debutantes who populate his world. She is not only beautiful but also very dangerous and certainly unconventional.

Cara’s story is ugly, the true extent of the ugliness only hinted at in the early chapters of this captivating novel. Her father, we learn, cared more for the unusual and valuable artifacts he collected than for his only daughter, resulting in a terrifying, traumatic event that scarred her at thirteen. Now, however, he is dead and she is his only heir, now owning all of those artifacts he so treasured. She has an inkling that the artifacts,
which her father separated and hid in multiple locations, are much more than they appear, and she quickly discovers that there is one that someone will kill for. Cara finds an unlikely ally in Viscount Nathaniel Lyons, the man who sent the villains Cara so easily handled in the first chapter. The two embark on an adventure that takes them beneath the Thames, to fancy dress balls, to backroom sex clubs, all throughout a London painted with a broad steampunk brush as they search for the one artifact that can grant everlasting life to the right pair of lovers. Dogging their every move is the mysterious, deadly maniac responsible for a series of gruesome murders of young society ladies, all found with a key twisted into their hearts, whose path comes closer and closer to crossing Cara’s, leading them all to a grisly climax.

Exley has done a masterful job creating memorable characters in Cara and Nathaniel. They complement each other beautifully, with just the right blend of romance and sex. The story here is fast-paced with a well-constructed plot, leading to an unexpected and satisfying conclusion. Exley develops Cara’s character with sensitivity but also a bit of irreverence. Her story is revealed bit by bit, and the effect it has on the relationship between Cara and Lyons is nicely handled. I was reminded very much of the Theodosia series of children’s books by R.L. LaFevers – Cara could be Theodosia all grown up, except Theo’s father was not a scoundrel. Being fairly new to the steampunk genre, I have found that the stories are either really, really good, or really,
really bad; Nefertiti’s Heart falls into the former category. Highly recommended.

Cara Devon has suffered her father’s whims and paid a horrible price. Now he’s dead and she must reface her past, return to London and the society that sat idle and watched while she was so badly misused. She is a survivor. She escaped her abuse and nothing will get in her way now. Cara is determined to sell off all her father’s precious collection and leave London and her past behind her forever.

Viscount Nathaniel Lyons wants Cara’s artifacts. He wasn’t prepared for the spit fire that shot his henchmen or sent him a message for a partnership.

Cara is also under investigation for the untimely death of her hated father. He was killed by an Egyptian asp while he slept. Pursued by the Enforcers, Lyons and a murdering mad man killing debutants, Cara must unravel the mystery behind her father’s collection and the motivations behind these strange killings before she becomes the victim once again.

I absolutely loved this story. Nefertiti’s Heart is a steampunk adventure, a murder mystery, and a love story all packed into a non-stop, action filled, riveting plot. Wondrously witty characters are just icing on the cake for this imaginative tale. I will definitely be reading Hatshepsut's Collar , the next book from A.W. Exley. Don't miss this treasure, check out Nefertite's Heart.

I received this copy of Nefertiti's Heart from Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review. This copy was published on February 14, 2013.

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First I want to send a big thank you to Curiosity Quills who, after I mentioned not being able to read the galley I received due to computer issues and having it expire on me, sent me an e-copy. I was completely surprised by this and their kindness has definitely left it’s mark. Now on to the review.

Nefertiti’s Heart is a delicious mix of historical romance, mystery and steampunk with an ever so slight sprinkle of fantasy. I originally snatched this one due to the name and the added steampunk element, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was also getting a delicious Viscount and an interesting murder mystery to go along with it. I know…that’s plainly visible in the summary, but between me and you I didn’t read it. I judged this one solely on the cover *blushes*. At any rate this one certainly did not disappoint on any level.

Cara Devon is a spirited and tough girl with an equally tough past. She always has a gun on her (in some cases two) and isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone, man or women. She’s not accepted by the Ton and in truth she could care less.  She’s my kind of woman; independent, strong willed, smart…what’s not to like? We also get the yummy Viscount Nathaniel Lyons, a stoic Alpha, who has his eyes (and occasionally hands) on Cara. He has a rather shady reputation and it’s not one that he strives to hide. The dynamic, not to mention tension, between these two is fantastic. One of my favorite characters in this was actually Cara’s grandmother, who I found to be hilarious and supportive of the wilder side of life. I’m also widely curious about Hawk aka Loki, who is a close friend to Nate. He is a wonderful side character but I’d love to learn more about his past as well.

The actual plot is really entertaining as well, laced with suspense and wonderful details. I loved the fact that at the beginning of some chapters there are sections based around the killer, it adds to the suspense and  really drove me to keep reading because I simply had to know who the nut-job was. The artifacts that Cara inherits are very rare and very unique, and I’m more than little curious about the rest of the collection mentioned. I am such a fan of Exley’s writing! It felt rich and each little detail was woven in such a way that everything seemed visible and real.

Nefertiti’s Heart with it’s rich writing and vibrant character, has become a fast favorite.

I relieved this book in exchange for an honest review.