Thinly Veiled

Thinly Veiled keeps us on the edge of our seats while we wait to learn the secrets of Claire Branson's past, hoping it doesn't jeopardize her blossoming connection to her sexy coworker/neighbour Luke Turner. We know Claire is a runaway, but we're constantly grasping at the question - what is she running from?

Modiste created very likeable characters in Claire and Luke; and even in Claire's outspoken roommate/bestie, Zoey. Seemingly all too convenient, Claire meets Luke on day one in Virginia, and he offers her a job on day two. The writing in Thinly Veiled is comparable to a ballroom quick step. Quick, quick, slow. There is a rumour about Luke that takes ages to resolve, stunting any possibility of a romantic relationship, when the question could have easily been asked outright. Then suddenly, Claire and Luke become the centres of each other's individual universes. While the scenes played in my head, there were parts that went black; parts that my brain couldn't feel in the blanks, and this aspect is what made me feel the writing was a bit rushed.

One thing that benefited, though, from being revealed to readers in a drawn out process, is the secrets of Claire's past. Modiste keeps readers engaged by having us fawn over the whirlwind romance and intense sexual chemistry between our main characters, all the while keeping the voice in the back of our minds wondering, to what extent were Claire's wrongdoings commited? Heartwarmingly, Claire's friends rally behind her to help her face the demons of her past, but once again, a devised plan with potentially fatal results, felt rushed.

Regarding the steamier scenes, if you want to be left feeling flushed and sweaty, definitely read this book. That aspect was very well done. Although the elements of the quickstep - I mean, this book - seemed unbalanced as a unit, I still admire the author's choice to utilize the style. A profound takeaway readers may have, is to make sure you make peace with your demons, to ensure you're always running toward, and not running away.