Jasmine

"Jasmine"

     "Jasmine" is written by Diane T. Ashley and Aaron McCarver, and published by Barbour Books.  It was released on July 1, 2013.  It is the third and final book in the "Song of the River" trilogy; the first two books were written about Jasmine's older sisters, Lily and Camellia.  I have read and reviewed the previous books in the series, and you can find the reviews here:

Review for "Lily": http://mybookthoughts.over-blog.com/article-lily-103721608.html

Review for "Camellia": http://mybookthoughts.over-blog.com/article-camellia-112969064.html

     Since I have read the whole trilogy, and have found that the other sisters' perspectives are woven in often, I imagine "Jasmine" would be fairly difficult to read as a stand-alone, because you would not have all the background information.  Granted, the authors did throw in tidbits relating to how the trilogy began, the girls' family history, etc, but overall, I advise you read the previous two books first.

     Jasmine is the extrovert of the family, and very dramatic.  She desires to become an actress, and when the story starts, she is using her talent to do fundraising shows for the local orphanage.  However, Jasmine's family does not think that she should go into the acting business.

     David is, if you have read the previous books and will remember, the little boy whom Lily and Blake continuously ran into and eventually invited onto their boat.  He grew up with Jasmine and they were the best of friends.  As she grew older, he would request that she save one dance for him at every party, because he had always loved her from growing up together.  He did not want to push her, however, and would just grit his teeth whenever she would dance with someone else.  On the last dance they shared, Jasmine emitted a tiny sigh, which, unbeknownst to him, was of pleasure and relief at finally getting to dance with him.  David took it as a sigh of sadness that she had promised to always save him a dance, and after that, took off and became a Pinkerton detective.  {Side note here: Because I have recently read "Gunpowder Tea", which was about the Pinkerton Detective agency as well, and have seen at least three or four other novels about it as well, I have grown tired of it always being in the plot line.  Also, "Gunpowder Tea" was so spectacular that it ruined my taste for other Pinkerton Detective-type novels.}

     So the story begins for David, as a Pink who received his latest assignment in the town where Jasmine is currently living.  They meet up at a ball, and she refuses him a dance, saying that all of her dances for the evening have been taken, even though that is not true.  David is hurt, but he remains at the party and Jasmine is forced to dance every dance or else he will see through her lie.  David tries to clean Jasmine out of his heart, because even after the year or two spent in the detective agency, he still thinks of her.  Jasmine, on the other hand, had always thought that they would be married someday, but since he left her, she continuously snubs him. 

     Jasmine just wants to act, and when her family will not let her, she runs off and joins a traveling show boat with an actor whom she had met at a local play, who wooed her and took her out on dates.  Jasmine's sisters do not approve of him either, and she sneaks out to see him.

     David does not want to track her down, but when her sisters plead with him and his new case takes him in that direction, he realizes Jasmine may be in more danger than any of them had originally realized.

     Overall, I loved this book.  I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, and the character development was superb.  The plot kept me hanging on, and the riverboat setting was so quaint.

Thank you to Net Galley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.  All opinions are my own; I was not required to leave a positive review.