Hello there, bookworms. I know it’s been ages since I’ve hopped on here, but I’m moving house the day after tomorrow so my life is in an absolute upheaval at the moment. I’m either at work, furniture shopping, packing, organizing, running errands, trying to sleep here and there, and generally losing my mind. It’s a fun time but it’s also pretty stressful just to try to keep everything organized.
Thankfully, I’ve been getting tons of reading done via Audible while I’m at the office, but I’m “reading” faster than I can get to a computer and really review. That being said, I wanted to pop on here before I’m between residences and trying to set up house and internet. Hopefully it’s not too much longer until I’m no longer living out of boxes and I can kick back to really catch up on all the odds and ends.
Anyway, while I’m in the moment, let’s get to one of my latest book reviews. If you follow this blog or me on social, you know I’m a massive/borderline obsessed fan of the works of Sylvain Reynard, and I have been for years. Currently, his Gabriel’s Inferno series (which is my absolute favorite series EVER) is being filmed by the streaming service, Passionflix, so I’m anxiously awaiting the release of that in May. If you haven’t joined PF or read SR’s work, I don’t know what you’re waiting for, but in the meantime, I’m going to bring you some thoughts on one of his other stories, The Man in the Black Suit.
Acacia Santos excels at her job as concierge at the prestigious Hotel Victoire in Paris. When her superior, Marcel, is attacked in a supposed random mugging, she is tasked with serving one of the hotel’s most mysterious and attractive guests.
Nicholas Cassirer checks into the hotel under an assumed name every three months. Usually, he stays in the penthouse suite with a beautiful female companion but on this occasion, he arrives alone and is displeased in having to deal with someone new. A match of wits ensues as he tests Acacia’s expertise with a series of almost impossible demands. Her intelligence and creativity rise to the challenge, earning his respect.
They strike a tenuous accord until Acacia discovers a famous stolen painting in his suite, she contacts a former boyfriend who works for the elite BRB, a unit of French law enforcement that deals with art thefts.
Nicholas is questioned by police and released when it is revealed the painting is a reproduction. Irked with her behavior, Acacia’s supervisor demotes her threatening dismissal and the cancellation of her work permit.
But Acacia has already attracted Nicholas’s attention. Remorseful that she may lose her job on his account, he offers her a choice – she can wait until her supervisor dismisses her, or she can leave the city of lights behind and become his personal assistant.
Acacia initially refuses his offer, but Nicholas is persistent. He reveals himself as a man who quietly acquires stolen art in order to restore it to its rightful owners. Faced with mounting familial debts and the possibility of dismissal and deportation, she agrees to work for him.
Nicholas opens up a whole new world of beauty and intrigue to Acacia as they travel the globe. Soon the line between employer and assistant is blurred, and the two lonely people embark on a passionate relationship.
I ordered an autographed copy of this book from SR ages ago, and unfortunately, time got away from me and I didn’t get to read it as quickly as I initially liked. I actually wound up listening to it at work last week and I’m so sad it took me so long to get to this story. Going into it, of course I had super high expectations because I compare almost every love story to Gabriel, but I had to pause, take a step back, and judge this work on its own merit. Regardless, I had no reason to fret. Obviously, I adore the Gabriel series to the moon and back, and I loved the Florentine series with William and Raven, so it really came as no shock that I became so invested with Nicolas and Acacia as well. These two had a bit of a rough start when I first witnessed their interactions, but the quick wit conversations mixed with a bit of sass led to toe-to-toe entanglements that turned into mutual respect and then grew into something super sexy. A series of unfortunate events and dark pasts bring these two close and create an intense, practically unshakable bond.
Not only does Sylvain have a ridiculous talent for piecing together a beautifully told story, but I always walk away from the pages feeling as if I learned something. As the daughter of an artist, delving into the art world and experiencing it in a new and thrilling way was nothing short of a treat.
As a writer, SR’s style is one I genuinely admire. Even when narrated by the wonderful Robertson Dean, there’s a very romantic ambience created in the delivery. I not only get to enjoy a wonderful cast of characters, but I’m fully immersed in a world of stunning music, art, culture, language, mystery, sensuality, and much more. A bonus that comes with Reynard’s books is that (so far) they all exist in the same universe. Some of the characters we know and love so much from his other series make minor appearances in Nicholas and Acacia’s story which makes me wonder if there’s the potential to keep building the enchanting, magical, and sometimes dangerous worlds he’s created.
Needless to say, Black Suit lived up to all of my expectations. I swooned over the slow-burning romance, the magic of Europe, the history of famous works of art, and the dark undertones that were woven throughout the tale when Acacia’s life is in danger and seemed to lurk around every corner, which of course, kept me on the edge of my seat.
At this point, whether it’s a standalone or a series, I’m on fully on board with any tale Sylvain wants to tell. I get at the very minimum, a triple threat every time I open one of SR’s books; whimsical writing that reads like poetry, charming and compelling characters who feel like wonderful friends, and absolutely lost in another place full of adventure, romance, conflict, and drama, and at this point. I’ll never get enough.
If you haven’t been introduced to Reynard’s work yet, I honestly don’t know what you’re waiting for. Run, don’t walk, and grab up all the words, settle in, and enjoy!
Until next time, happy reading!
