“I love L.A.D.,” she said, deadpan.
“You like ABBA,” I reminded her. “So I don’t actually know if that’s a joke. Next I’m going to find out that you wear a fanny pack in the summer. Or that you had a poster of Harry Styles in your room when you were eleven.”
Holmes hesitated.
“You did not.”
“It was Prince Harry, actually,” she said, folding her arms, “and he was a very good dresser. I have an appreciation for fine tailoring. Anyway, I was eleven years old, and lonely, and if you don’t stop smirking at me, I will come over there and—“
“Yes, I’m sure it was his fine tailoring you appreciated, and not his—“
She hit me with her pillow.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about the chemistry that these two share. It’s undeniable. A great way to start a sequel! It’s light and sets the tone of the relationship between the two main characters before setting up their latest mystery they need to solve.
“Jamie Watson,” he said. “Do you know, you look just like your father did when I met him. Which is making all of this quite a bit stranger for me, so could you please get out of the bed you’re sharing with my niece?”
I scrambled to my feet. “We’re not—I’m not—it’s very nice to meet you.” Behind me, Holmes was snickering and I rounded on her. “Come on, really? Some backup would be nice.”
“Do you want me to give him the details, then?”
“Do you want me to give you a shovel so you can keep on digging me this hole?”
“Please,” she shot back. “I’d rather watch. You’re doing such a nice job of it, after all.”
I think this takes the cake for most hilarious banter between Holmes and Watson. WE all hate giving off a bad first impression and as far as bad impressions come, I think Watson had a real rough start. Being in bed with Leander’s niece is not how you want to start a relationship especially when that someone is close to your dad. I felt really bad for Watson but I also couldn’t stop laughing!
“Holmes. This is wretched. This is like British by numbers.”
Oh my god, when Holmes texted that art student that Watson’s persona, Simon befriended it was hilarious! His first go at being someone else and Charlotte had to intervene (Simon was kind of dreadful though haha).
“I learned quite a bit from your sister,” Holmes said with some satisfaction. “I learned that when you were a toddler, you once insisted on wearing your underwear outside your trousers for an entire week. I saw the photos.”
This is definitely a milestone in their relationship because Charlotte is pretty comfortable with Watson at this point and she even mentions how his sister told her stories about him and went a step further to tease him about it! A big step for her and I’m glad she made it! Even if was at the embarrassment of Watson.
I love how Lena had an active role in this novel as I really did like her in the first one and was only slightly disappointed that she wasn’t in it all that much in the first one. She wasn’t in this one a lot either but she was there for Charlotte when she really needed her and I loved seeing that!
“And Watson? If August was my counterpoint, my mirror, Jamie was the only escape from myself I’d ever found. When I was beside him, I understood who I was. I spoke to him, and I liked the words I said. I spoke to him, and the words he said back surprised me. Sharpened me. If August reflected me, Jamie showed me myself made better. He was loyal and kind, stalwart, like the knights from the old tales, and yes, he was handsome, even with a bruised face and a furrowed brow, miles away from the place we met or from the places we called home.”
THEY BELONG TOGETHER!! If this doesn’t make your heart melt, I don’t know what will! It’s so honest and beautiful.
“Fruitcake? No wonder the Moriarty’s were all so miserable, if that was their idea of Christmas.”
The hilarious comments just don’t stop! It’s great!
So I knew this book was going to have August Moriarty in it and as I read it, I wasn’t sure about his character. Sometimes he seemed distant and other times he was at the center of the plot. I wasn’t sure if he could be trusted and I guess I still didn’t know until he offered to kill himself to save Holmes and Watson from his brother Hadrian. I feel bad for not believing in him sooner but at the same time, he had just committed to kidnapping Watson so how was I supposed to know? He kept me guessing which I guess is the point and considering his family, should have been expected. He got major points with me when he offered his life though. But this made it so much worse when he dies! I felt ripped off about that. It was 2 pages from the end and he was mistaken for his brother Hadrian when Milo (who was away in Thailand tracking another Moriarty brother) shot him!! Like I still can’t get over how stupid that was! He was literally extending an olive branch to the Holmes’ about putting their families’ pasts behind to establish a new peace and possible work relationship when he got shot! It was ridiculous! This death is going to take me awhile to get over I think. And it’s not even that I liked his character that much, it was just such a stupid way to die. Unbelievable even. It leaves me begging the question of Milo’s intentions. Was it an accident? Or was it on purpose? I’m still not sure.
Oh my god and that email in the epilogue, wow! It was so sad reading it. He had just died and then I’m taken on a roller coaster back to a time where he’s still alive and he’s warning Watson about Charlotte and how dangerous it is to be loved by her.
What am I supposed to do with that information?
Guess what? I’m going to deal with it like any other very rational person would. I’m going to read the third one. Because this ending absolutely destroyed me. Holmes and Watson should not be at odds. They are a team! I am determined that the next one will fix everything that broke in this one.