Indiscreet by Nicole French
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

“I’m Will, Maggie… I’m your Will, baby. And you’re mine. My Lily pad. Without you… Without you, I have no name. Without you, I’m no one at all.”

The ability to self-publish manuscripts has brought countless numbers of truly exceptional storytellers to light and I couldn’t be more grateful to technology for opening this window. Once upon a time a writer might submit their manuscripts to every publishing house in the country—repeatedly—and still not sell it for years, if at all. This all changed when self-publication because an option and I can’t tell you how much it’s changed my life. I love to read and have been a book a day reader since about the 3rd grade… but everything was so cookie-cutter. Replicas and formulas that spelled out what made up a good book were repeated within every genre. Personally, it led me to get burned out time and again, regardless of what I was reading. So self-publication brought with it the chance to discover new talented authors whose voices varied greatly. It also opened up innovative tropes and for the first time in my life, I didn’t burn out on any one genre.

Just over a year ago I discovered a new to me author who was releasing a book about a bad boy with a heart of gold. A bad boy that really was the perfect hero, and yes, I am referring to Nico from Bad Idea. If you’ve read Nicole French’s work, you know that she’s an exceedingly talented storytelling. From the first book I picked up, she got my immediate attention. She wrote a complex romance that was unique and inspired. A romance that spanned three entire books and without a doubt, I truly loved the Bad Idea Trilogy. However, as much as I loved it, and as much as I’ve loved the Spitfire Trilogy, nothing prepared me for Will and Maggie. The Discreet Duet is my favorite duet of the year and my favorite books by Nicole French as a whole. For someone who reads as much as I do, that should tell you something. My admiration for Nicole’s work has grown with each book she’s released.

“How do you do it? …Be the air I need and take my breath away all at once.”

When I review a book, I stay away from rehashing the synopsis of the story, and this holds true with the Discreet Duet. I am not an author, so my talents lay in giving my opinions on a book, not spinning a new and/or better blurb to sell you on a book. It’s my job to tell you why you should consider it after it’s caught your eye and there are so many things I love about the way Nicole French writes romance. My review can’t get into them all, but I wanted to point out a few important details about Indiscreet to back up my 5+ star review. First, Indiscreet is the conclusion to a duet and is not meant to be read as a standalone. It picks up where readers were left hanging at the end of Discreet—Thank you Nicole French for ALMOST making me throw my kindle! I hate, HATE! cliffhangers and Nicole French is famous for them. You’d think that would reduce my admiration of the books she writes. Only it doesn’t. In fact, I daresay that her books absolutely own me because they are so complex, have character growth second to none and deliver storylines that you’re consumed by. Every time I read something she’s written, I pick it up and read straight through to the end. And yes, I want to tantrum like my 3-year-old every time they leave me high and dry—but there is something incredible about an author who can write a book with complexities like Nicole French delivers. So, when I tell you I abhor cliffhangers AND tell you to buy one, YOU need to trust me that it’s a phenomenal read!

“Love is Freedom… Because that’s what I feel when I’m with you.”

Indiscreet is told from Maggie’s POV. I tend to I prefer dual perspectives romances because I love to really get to know the characters. However, there is always an exception to every rule, and Nicole French is one of mine. She writes single perspective spectacularly! There is never a question of being unable to connect with the character whose direct perspective we miss because she uses dialect and actions to back up everything we learn about them—in the case of the Discreet duet, Will’s motivation and thoughts are well represented.

“You and me, baby. We’re not right now. We’re forever.”

When I reviewed Discreet, I said that Nicole French’s education was apparent in each book. Her stories are told eloquently with a fluidity and conciseness that is rare. Her books also discuss nuances of society and the world stage intelligently while also discussing these issues within the context of her characters’ lives. In Indiscreet, we see more of Maggie’s complex identity crisis as it relates to both race and her mother’s alcoholism and Will’s debilitating anxiety issues. These issues serve as a basis for the drama and angst inherent in a modern romance. Additionally, they provide the reader with multifaceted characters that you can watch grow as the story progresses. Nicole French executed them perfectly. She built a romance around issues that are relatable and realistic, and I loved these characters even more because they weren’t perfect.

Will and Maggie were everything! Now, I won’t lie here… Will was a huge draw for me in the Discreet Duet—enough to hashtag #WillisMine😉—but let’s just be real, if the heroine wasn’t equally awesome then the draw of the book would diminish. I saw several reviews when I was preparing mine wherein the writers didn’t like Maggie when they read Indiscreet because they felt she was weak—and I couldn’t disagree more! I loved Maggie. She’s lived a hard life—a life of near constant strife and adversity for multiple reasons. While still a child, she became the adult and caregiver to an alcoholic mother. The small town she was raised in didn’t allow her to explore who she was like most teenagers would. Instead, they cut her down with every chance they got—after all, she’s Ellie’s daughter, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! She lived within the confines of a smallminded town who couldn’t see past her mixed race. She’s lived without a father. Most would have used these circumstances as an excuse to fail, yet Maggie chose to use them to motivate herself. She pursues her dreams and stands by her mother in a town that loves nothing more than gossiping about her. This is a woman that shows nothing except strength! Maggie doesn’t give up when life gets tough—she digs in! I found her admirable and beautiful, the perfect female protagonist to my Will.

“He loved me. Fitz. Will. Whoever he was, whoever he had to be, that simple fact hadn’t changed.”

Fitzwilliam ‘Will’ Baker is without a doubt my favorite male protagonist this year. He’s my favorite brand of hero—an alpha asshole who growls ‘mine’ and uses actions to back up his claims. He’s fiercely protective of Maggie and unquestionably head-over-heels in love with her from the very first page of Indiscreet. He knows the treasure he holds, and he constantly shows Maggie her value. A value that others work tirelessly to tear from her again and again. While there are times that both Maggie and Will are blinded to the other’s truths, their love never diminishes. And let’s not forget their chemistry… WOW, their chemistry ignites the pages of this duet. It’s super HAWT! So, make sure you’re suitably prepared with those batteries charged and fresh panties because Nicole French writes the hell outta sexy times! 😉 As I stated above, The Discreet Duet is without a doubt one of my favorite duets this year. I find Nicole French’s books so compelling, I give up sleep to finish them in one sitting. I truly cannot wait to see what she has in store next for readers. With each book I have had the pleasure of reading, my awe of her talents grows. If you are new to Nicole French, I can not stress how much I love her stories and I urge you to pick up whichever of her books calls to you the most. See for yourself why I call her an exceptional storyteller. You won’t be sorry…

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