Review: The Bricklayer's Helper by Amy Corwin

The Bricklayer's Helper by Amy Corwin

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Masquerades can lead to love…or murder.
Sarah has masqueraded as Sam, a bricklayer’s helper, for years. But her past catches up with her in London. A thirteen year-old fire, deliberately set to murder her family, is smoldering, and the killer intends to ensure there are no survivors.

Desperate, Sam turns to the renowned Second Sons agency for help.
Inquiry agent, William Trenchard, is both troubled and fascinated by Sam, and immediately suspects “he” is a “she.” Unfortunately, before William can discover what lies beneath the brick dust and sun-bleached hair, they are plunged into a maelstrom of deceit and murder.


Clare's Review

The only survivor of a fire, Sarah lives as Sam, working as a bricklayers helper. Skilled at her job, she has survived 13 years as a man. She remembers nothing before the fire, and only has a vague recollection of the fire itself. When Major Pickering, offers to tell her something about it she goes to meet him only to see him murdered. She immediately engages an inquiry agent to find out what he knew and who killed him.

William knows Sam is lying about something and even though he is uncomfortable by his unnatural attraction to the young man, he takes the job. Knowing he'll be out of pocket by doing so, is less of a concern to him. it doesn't take him long to work out that he is a she and in mortal danger.

Ms Corwin weaves a wonderful and engaging story of intrigue and love in 1819 London that crosses the class divide. Her heart-warming characters are so true to life and well founded that they don't seem like a work of fiction. I loved Sarah's attitude to life, and her determination to keep the charade of a man going to the extent she even sneaks out to do so.

The Bricklayers Helper is a fantastic read, the colourful sights, sounds and characters enhancing the high emotion, drama and heart stopping moments. The delightful twist at the end caught me by surprise and had me first tearing up then literally laughing out loud. Well worth reading.

5 Tea Cups!