Komarr

Komarr is the opposite of a heart-breaking story. It starts by introducing us to Ekaterin, a woman who has been in a loveless and emotional abusive marriage for the past 10 years. She's grown steadily smaller, shrinking in on herself, to accommodate a husband with awful luck and a disease he won't admit to having. Or allow his son to be tested and treated for. Your heart breaks in that first chapter. But then, as Ekaterin slowly comes back to herself, rediscovering her sense of humor, her backbone, and her passion for botany, our heart gets put back together right alongside hers.

Miles is in Komarr, a newly minted Imperial Auditor along to observe Professor Vorthys who has been doing this a lot longer and who happens to be Ekaterin's uncle. Miles meets and is instantly besotted by the married (and later widowed) Ekaterin. She in turn gets swept up in the case, the revelations of which first give her the strength she needs to finally leave her husband and then leave her widowed and destitute. But luckily no longer in debt.

The narrative switches between Miles' and Ekaterin's perspective, showing the case from two different angles. It also allows the reader to see Miles from someone else's perspective. As fun as it is to be in his head, it's almost more fun to see the reactions of others to him. He comes across as far more manic, jumping from one subject to another with little to tie them together.

This book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed getting to know Ekaterin and watching her gather her strength. Seeing Miles fall head over heels in love was a treat, especially since I know that they do eventually get married (the story after the next one takes place during their honeymoon). I'm so excited to watch these two fall in love and become a team. They will certainly be formidable.

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