Official Review: Tales of the Crimson Diamond

Julie Petitbon · Post by **Julie Petitbon** » 09 Dec 2019, 23:25

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tales of the Crimson Diamond" by Tina Boulton.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Tales of the Crimson Diamond by Tina Boulton is a short, erotic story about a couple who finds love when they least expect it. When Desiree Hamilton is laid off from her job, she moves from Chicago to Florida for a fresh start. Given a free building to live and work in, Desiree immediately offers her accounting services to the Venice, Florida community. She never expects to meet sexy Griffin Hart.

Griffin, a Venice native, is a dive instructor and captain as well as Desiree’s new neighbor. In his spare time, he searches for the Crimson Diamond, an old pirate treasure lost somewhere near where he lives. Griffin doesn’t want a distraction, and that’s just what Desiree is. Can these two independent people put their misgivings aside and come together, and will Griffin ever find the Crimson Diamond?

I like how the story begins with a flashback to 1798 Venice, which was then called Horse and Chaise. In the flashback, the reader learns the origination of the pirate treasure that Griffin references throughout the rest of the story. Providing this background information on the treasure added an extra layer to the plot-line and setting.

One aspect of the story that I don’t like is the lack of development of one of the main characters. The reader learns a lot about Griffin’s history but doesn’t learn anything about Desiree. She is driven and confident, secure in who she is and what she feels. She is undaunted by challenges that come her way, and she is not intimidated easily. These qualities are prevalent in the present. However, I think the author could have included details about Desiree’s vague past to make her character more well-rounded and relatable.

I rate this novelette 3 out of 4 stars. It is a quick and enjoyable read that centers around the mystery of the Crimson Diamond and includes a steamy, blossoming romance. Themes of starting over and taking chances are prevalent throughout the story, especially concerning Desiree and Griffin. However, there are many grammatical errors. Run-on sentences and sentence fragments permeate the story. For this reason, I had to deduct a point.

This is an erotic story that is sexually explicit, so I would not recommend it for young readers. I also wouldn’t recommend it to people who are looking for a detailed, deep, or unpredictable story. However, mature readers who are looking for something quick and spicy that they can read in one sitting will enjoy Tales of the Crimson Diamond.

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Tales of the Crimson Diamond
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Miller56 · Post by **Miller56** » 12 Dec 2019, 16:08

Thanks for the review. This sounds like an interesting mystery with a lot of romance.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 12 Dec 2019, 22:18

The flashback in the beginning is an interesting way to start and grab the reader's attention. I enjoyed your comments about the character development.

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 12 Dec 2019, 23:36

I saw the cover and title and immediately thought "Oh, another vampire novel." Well, apparently not. Although romance is generally a genre I like, the plot of this one just doesn't catch my interest. Thanks for the review!

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 15 Dec 2019, 04:45

Kelyn wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 23:36 I saw the cover and title and immediately thought "Oh, another vampire novel." Well, apparently not. Although romance is generally a genre I like, the plot of this one just doesn't catch my interest. Thanks for the review!

Ditto for me, LOL! Maybe that is what they call necking! I think this book is a lot like the Mills & Boon paperbacks that I and my classmates devoured in our teen years.

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 02 Jan 2020, 19:42

For some reason, the cover made me think it was a vampire book, not one about a treasure hunter and his new neighbour. The sex might be a little too much for me on top of everything else though.

Julie Petitbon · Post by **Julie Petitbon** » 07 Jan 2020, 20:39

Miller56 wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 16:08 Thanks for the review. This sounds like an interesting mystery with a lot of romance.

It is a romantic book, and the mystery is very interesting - a quick and spicy read!

Julie Petitbon · Post by **Julie Petitbon** » 07 Jan 2020, 20:40

kdstrack wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 22:18 The flashback in the beginning is an interesting way to start and grab the reader's attention. I enjoyed your comments about the character development.

I liked the flashback at the start too. It gave good context and hooked me from the start.

Julie Petitbon · Post by **Julie Petitbon** » 07 Jan 2020, 20:41

Kelyn wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 23:36 I saw the cover and title and immediately thought "Oh, another vampire novel." Well, apparently not. Although romance is generally a genre I like, the plot of this one just doesn't catch my interest. Thanks for the review!

I had a similar thought when I first saw the cover. No vampires in sight, however.