I’m a huge fan of A.G. Howard. I loved her Splintered Trilogy and ever since I read it, she was automatically put on my auto-buy list. And boy, did she write another grand slam with The Architect of Song (Haunted Hearts Legacy, #1)!
A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower – intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.
For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.
To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.
The Good
- The Writing – Howard’s writing in this book was beautiful and haunting. I truly felt that the prose matched the time period in which this story is set, which I really enjoyed. The descriptions were so vivid that you really felt as though you were watching it all unfold right in front of you.
- Tragic Romance – Since this is basically a gothic romance story, you just expect it to be beautiful and heartbreaking. I LOVED IT. Yes, it is ultimately a love triangle, but it’s so well-written that you can’t find any fault for it. I also felt that it was much more organic than most love triangles. It progressed naturally and made complete sense as to how Juliet could fall in love with both men. Yes, I might be biased as I tend to enjoy love triangles (and no I’m not ashamed to admit that!), but I really do feel that this one will appeal to most people. It’s just sooooo swoonworthy!
- The Men, YUMMM… – Y’all, I can’t even with the guys in this book. They were both perfectly flawed with such tragic histories that you can’t help but want to just snuggle up beside them both and whisper how much you love them in their ear. Seriously, both Hawk and Thornton were the kind of lovers you love to read about. One is mysterious, stoic, and kind. Then you have the other one who is mischievous, passionate, and sensual. It’s really not fair that Juliet is able to snag both of them and I’m over here like, fictional boyfriends are so much better than guys in real life.
- Let’s Solve A Mystery! – I reallyyyy enjoyed the creepy mystery aspect of this book. I could never figure out what was going to happen next and I always appreciate that in a book. It was interesting to see how all of the different pieces of the puzzle came together in the end. If you enjoy your books to have a little mystery and intrigue, then you’ll definitely appreciate that aspect to this plot.
The Bad
- Juliet – Okay, she’s not THAT bad, but Juliet did have a little bit of that damsel in distress vibe at times. I also didn’t always agree with some of the choices she made, as they seemed a tad naïve. However, I can’t really fault that too much due to the nature of the times that this story was set in. I felt that miscommunication between her and her uncle was a major factor in how poorly she treated Thornton in the beginning. And y’all know how much I can’t stand the miscommunication trope!
This book was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Howard has such a whimsical and lyrical quality to all of her stories that keeps me coming back for more. I can’t wait to see what she has coming next in this series, not to mention how excited I am to read RoseBlood! If you’re looking for a gothic historical romance, then I highly recommend you picking up this book!
Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars
Have you read The Architect of Song? What did you think about it? Have you read any of A.G. Howard’s other books?
Wonderfilled Reads 