Short Story Review: Entwined by Kristen Callihan

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Kristen Callihan’s Darkest London series. Though I am normally a bit wary of novellas, I jumped at the chance to read something new set in this dark and magical world. Entwined in an engaging and unexpected story of two people falling in love through words. As a person who still writes letters and loves getting mail, the idea of two falling in love through words before ever having met was one that really appealed to me.

When Eamon’s much favored older brother Aiden becomes betrothed, he urges Eamon to write to his bride-to-be in his stead. Eamon’s goal was to make Lu believe that marriage to his brother would not be so terrible and he does well – too well. Luella and Eamon fall in love over the course of four years and countless letters. Things get a little crazy when Lu shows up on their doorstep and believes she is in love with Aiden. But the man she meets is nothing like the man in her letters and she finds herself drawn to his secretive younger brother.

I had a lot of fun reading this story. Lu and Eamon are well developed characters and the storyline is full of unexpected twists. I loved reading the letters between Lu and Eamon. They are funny and playful and really help us get to know these characters. The idea falling in love through letters is a really romantic one, especially in an age where men and women often knew nothing about each other before marriage. It’s also refreshing to read a story where both characters are virgins. Their first sexual encounter is understandably awkward but also sweet.

Lu is a really strong heroine and I admired her. She loses everything but manages to survive with her spirit intact. I totally fell in love with Eamon. He is a little rough around the edges but has a big heart and is extremely sexy.. He is also a redhead, which is awesome. There should be more red headed men in literature.

Callihan manages to pack a surprising amount of emotional depth into this short story. Fans of the series will undoubtedly enjoy this brief sojourn into Darkest London. You don’t have to read the other books in the series to enjoy this one. It’s pretty far removed from the main storyline and I would have liked to have learned more about the connection between Eamon and Lu and the rest of the Darkest London world. Overall, I really enjoyed Entwined and think it’s a great addition to the Darkest London lineup. I cannot wait for Shadowdance coming out in December!