Defy or Defend

A short and very funny novel that gives Dimitry, a character from the Finishing School series, a romantic happy-ever-after.

Dimitry would be the world's greatest assassin, except for two small details:
1: She doesn't want to hurt anybody.
2: She faints at the sight of blood.

She has instead been using her considerable skillset as a secret agent for the British War Office as Agent Honey Bee, now she is sent on her most challenging mission. A Vampire Hive in Nottingham has been afflicted by a terrible malady...they are going to the Goth. The case is quite advanced...black velvet has been worn!. Dimitry must somehow revive the hive within two weeks or the hive will be “put down” permanently .

This mission will involve pistols, night chases, interior decorating and strategic bustle deployment. An excellent tale to bering a satisfying ever-after for a delightful character.

I have to say that I enjoyed this a good deal more than the first novella in the series, so I'm glad that I stuck with it. Partly that's because, this time, the background plot that throws the two lovers together doesn't simply stop halfway through. Yes, the point of the story is the romance, but it feels better (to me) if there's something else to offset it against - and, here, it works.

But, honestly, the main reason is that this is just a lot more fun. That's largely because Dimity is easier to like than Preshea was in the previous novel, with her cheerful personality shining through and brightening things up - the background plot is about her trying to save a vampire hive through the power of interior decoration and fashion advice. It's light, it's humorous, and has plenty of nods to the main series, such as the presence of the always-entertaining Lord Akeldama. It's described as a comedy-romance, and manages to get the balance between the two parts of that right.

This was such a delightful read. Sparkles is a truly fitting nickname for Dimity, and I love her to bits.