Secret Nights at Nine Oaks
4.5 starsI really enjoyed this one! Phoebe, the victim of a celebrity stalker, has taken refuge from the press at her best friend's home, Nine Oaks. Her sister's older brother, Cain, has been a recluse at the plantation since his wife's tragic death nine years before. When Phoebe was 17, Cain stole her first kiss - and also broke her heart. Still not over him, she's determined to make him rejoin the living and stop mourning for his late wife.
This story adapted well to a comic. There's a little suspense, the bittersweet pain of a lost love, and Phoebe's impending trial to keep the reader engrossed in the action. Cain stubbornly resists Phoebe's every effort to engage with her, preferring to work from dawn until dusk in the solitude of his office. Once Phoebe's effervescent personality invades his home, charming the household staff and even winning over the guard dogs, he questions his decision to live such a joyless life.
I loved the art and thought the style worked well with the story. The plantation illustrations made me want to wander the expansive mansion, and both characters were attractive, fashionably attired, and had enviable tresses. I am a big fan of Kyoko Sagara's art and will now actively seek out more of her translated work.
