I'm not normally a fan of historical but there was enough steampunk thrown into this story to give it a good feel. The social commentary was refreshing as it was not just about love without barriers. Both main characters and Margaret were immensely likable and interesting to read. The two fathers, if you can call them that, got their just desserts. I am going to believe that Eulalia remained where she was last seen, bravo. Highly recommended. ( )

I wasn't sure what this book was about when I got the ARC. Honestly, I was originally drawn to it by the cover. I like really colorful covers with great graphic design. For certain, this time I could absolutely judge a book by its cover! I really enjoyed A Summer of Smoke and Sin by T.J. Nichols.

Nathanial Bayard is a detective tasked with chasing down a serial killer. For some reason, all of his cases seem to fall apart before he's able to obtain a conviction and he's beyond frustrated. When it comes to a serial killer who is not only violent and demeaning...but brazen - Nathanial is more motivated than ever to get the job done.

In the society that Nichols has created, male marriage has just been made legal. The issue is that it still has some negative connotations attached to it for some families. I really liked the world the author built up. I enjoyed the way the societal changes were still new and it was obviously unsettling for some of the characters.

Nathaniel is caught in a terrible bind. If the serial killer slips through his fingers he will lose his job. If he loses his position in law enforcement he'll have no choice but to join the church as his father wishes.

Nathanial is a beautifully complex character. He's troubled by so many things. His own sexuality has him fearing for the safety of his soul. He's never even kissed another man, but he knows that is what he wants. There's also an underlying tension between Nathanial and his father... circumstances being what they are... Nathanial needs to protect his beloved sister by not garnering his father's anger.

And then there's Jericho. Jericho runs a club for gentleman who enjoy the company of other gentlemen. Jericho was once a military man but was he was discharged for behavior unbecoming. His father disowned him and he completely lost touch with his family before settling back on something he knew... a club for men like himself.

He's a flamboyant character in his society. He dresses inappropriately, accepts his sexuality... and he is the host to a demon that allows him special powers. The demon has helped to propel Jericho through life, assisting with avoidance of difficult situations and keeping him right where he wants to be in Society.

Jericho pays a high price for the skills of the demon within him. One morning, he wakes up with a beautiful, young lover in his bed... deceased. This is what brings about the meeting of Nathanial and Jericho.

There are several things about this book that I really enjoyed. As I wrote before, the societal structure was particularly interesting to me. The author did a great job of describing this world so that I could be fully immersed in it while I was reading.

The characters were all great. My favorite character was Nathanial. He was sweet and caring, fully committed to finding the killer. I loved the relationship that he had with his sister, Margaret. Margaret had fought her way free from the confines imposed upon her because she was born a woman... and she is Nathanial's fiercest supporter. She's the only one who cares about her brother's well-being to the point that she will speak frankly to him and fight for him.

The verdict is that I really enjoyed this novel. I know that I haven't gone into a lot of detail in this review but I don't want to spoil the intricacies of the plot for anyone who might read it. The mystery is solid and engaging, the characters are endearing and interesting.

If I have any criticism at all, it's that the ending of the book felt a little abrupt. The pacing in the novel was great but then the last 30 or so pages of the book felt a little rushed.

All in all, a great read! ( )