Review and Giveaway: Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran

Posted July 27, 2009 by Casee in Reviews | 50 Comments

Casee‘s review of Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran.

THE SOCIETY BEAUTY WHO SAVED HIS LIFE…

Beauty, charm, wealthy admirers: Mina Masters enjoys every luxury but freedom. To save herself from an unwanted marriage, she turns her wiles on a darkly handsome stranger. But Mina’s wouldbe hero is playing his own deceptive game. A British spy, Phin Granville has no interest in emotional entanglements…until the night Mina saves his life by gambling her own.

THE JADED SPY WHO VOWED TO FORGET HER…

Four years later, Phin inherits a title that frees him from the bloody game of espionage. But memories of the woman who saved him won’t let Phin go. When he learns that Mina needs his aid, honor forces him back into the world of his nightmares.

IN LIVES BUILT ON LIES, LOVE IS THE DARKEST SECRET OF ALL…

Deception has ruled Mina’s life just as it has Phin’s. But as the beauty and the spy match wits in a dangerous dance, their practiced masks begin to slip, revealing a perilous attraction. And the greatest threat they face may not be traitors or murderous conspiracies, but their own dark desires….


I don’t read very many historicals these days. Mostly b/c it seems like they’re all the same story told with different characters. Meredith Duran has stood out to me since I read Bound by Your Touch. I was uber impressed with BbYT.

Phin was in and out of BbYT, as was Mina. The time lines in BbYT and WoYS are written concurrently. So it was interesting to see Sanburne from Phin’s point of view. Especially since I already know what happens.

Phin and Mina were both unusual characters. Phin has returned to England to inherit a title that he never expected to come to him. Mina is an American, through and through. She doesn’t understand English customs, nor does she have patience for their society. Which isn’t to say that she doesn’t know how to work it, b/c she does. Mina is the featherbrained girl that doesn’t seem to be able to hold a thought to her head. Which makes Phin question why he is so attracted to her.

The book begins in Hong Kong, where Mina saves Phin’s life. As she pushes him out the window, it is with the knowledge that he owes her in return for saving his life. Mina comes to collect four years later after her mother is kidnapped by the stepfather they ran from.

Mina is under guard in England b/c they believe she knows where her stepfather is, a traitor that the government wants. Mina plays her cards very close to her chest and doesn’t tell anyone anything. Even when Phin comes to intervene, she still doesn’t reveal all she knows.

I think the best part of this book was seeing Mina’s growth as a person. The fact that Phin has seen through the facade she always shows the world astounds her. Mina has always rebelled against what her mother told her would be expected of her when she grew up. Everything she sees in her mother’s marriage reinforces what she believes; don’t count on anyone.

Phin has his own ghosts to contend with, specifically his father. Phin lives in fear that he will end up like his father and acts in complete opposition to what he thinks his father would do. So both Phin and Mina are both tortured characters in their own right.

I really enjoyed this book, though I didn’t like it as much as Bound by Your Touch. Still, the dialogue and interaction between Phin and Mina was fantastic. There were a few times that I laughed aloud.

4 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Leave a comment to win a copy of Written on Your Skin!

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50 responses to “Review and Giveaway: Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran”

  1. RKCharron

    Hi 🙂
    Meridith Durant’s book sounds very intriguing. I’ll be sure to read it.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Love from Northern ONtarion
    twitter.com/RKCharron
    xoxo

    Reply
  9. azteclady

    Ohhhhh!!!

    This is so excellent–please count me in? (yes, I know I’m shameless, but pretty please? I just got Bound by Your Touch and I would love to read them close together)

    Thank you, kind ladies!

    Reply
  10. ranearia

    this sounds awesome!
    I don’t know I really love tortured characters as they seem to draw you in more into their world and book

    Reply
  11. The_Book_Queen

    Oh, lovely review! I’ve heard great things about Bound by Your Touch, so needless to say this one’s been on my list as well. I’d love to win it! 😉

    Enjoy,
    TBQ

    Reply
  15. penney

    Great blog today thank you. I never read any of her books but I will now thanks
    Penney
    luvhistoricalromance(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  17. scottsgal

    Never read this author – sounds like wonderful historical fiction though which I enjoy. Please count me in

    msboatgal at aol.com

    Reply
  18. CupK8

    Those of you who haven’t read Bound by Your Touch are really missing out! I’m so happy that Written on Your Skin came out so soon after BBYT, because the anticipation was killing me – despite the super-high TBR stack.

    Please don’t enter me in the contest – I will be purchasing this book as soon as it hits shelves because I can’t stand to wait!

    Reply
  19. maered

    Enter me, please! I have heard great things about this author but am a bit scared to try it in case I don’t like it. This author always gets excellent reviews!

    Reply
  32. Mitzi

    Great review. I just finished reading Bound By Your Touch and loved it. Posted my review on Goodreads. I would love to be included in your drawing.

    mitzihinkey at sbcglobal dot net

    Reply
  33. booklover1335

    I’ve heard so much about Meredith Duran’s book, but have not read one yet. I’ve read a few reviews for Written on your Skin and they are all glowing. I would love to win this book!

    cldivineATyahooDOTcom

    Reply
  37. Allison('s)Reads

    Casee, thanks for the review. It’s always good and bad to read about a recommended read that one can’t get hold of quite yet. But looking forward to it – sounds like a very rich, complex story.

    Reply
  38. Wanda

    I’d love to win this book. Please enter my name in your draw. Thanks.
    wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  48. M.

    There seem to be more and more authors whose books appear back to back within a month of each other. Which is great if you only have a few favorite authors, but confusing if you follow many.

    But – books that make people laugh out loud are always of interest to me!

    Reply
  49. Erin

    Ooh, you know me, always up for new historical authors! 🙂 She sounds like a keeper!

    Thanks for the great review.

    Erin 🙂

    Reply

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