I'm really really late getting into the discussion. I bit off more than I could chew with school so wasn't able to participate during the posted discussion time. BUT, I still wanted to adhere to my obligation and just finished this ARC. I'll have to say I haven't read any of the other discussion though (overwhelming!) when I write this.
I was quickly drawn into the story but kept trying to figure out where it was going. I tend to enjoy stories like this anyway--multiple characters concurrent in multiple settings as long as they are clearly defined. I think Blake did a good job of doing this. I was never confused as to voice or place as I've been in some books. I also think Blake did a nice job of doing more than just "skimming the top" of most of the characters although I would have liked to have known more about Harry and little more about Iris, but Harry's history definitely was a hole for me.
I kept getting frustrated throughout the story trying to figure out the "withholding of the mail". I kept thinking, "Okay, when is this big event going to happen and what will the ramifications be?" Of course, I kept looking towards Iris for the action and it didn't even occur to me to look to someone else. Kudos, to Blake for that nice twist in perspective.
My only suggestion, it got a little slow in the last 20-30 pages and I almost put it down thinking, "Okay, this was a good story but what was the point of the title and the teaser?" Suppose the author could have enhanced the story a little more in these last pages or so to keep a reader's mind from wandering.
