Fanning Fireflies

The Limerent, #3

by

L.S. Delorme

A town on the brink and a love that shouldn’t be.

Fanning Fireflies is the third book in author L.S. Delorme’s riveting and mysterious Limerent series, and it may be my favorite of the three. Set in 1944, when the entire world is at war, Veronica Crane yearns for a young man going off to fight. But theirs is a forbidden attraction because he is black and she is white. In the meantime, weird things are going on in Veronica’s small hometown of Harrisville, North Carolina. Tensions are rising as an all-white, Clan-like organization is gaining ground and members, and Veronica is just trying to keep a low profile and avoid angering the wrong people. But she has a couple of special gifts, abilities only she and her people know about. One is the ability to see ghosts, and she’s seen more in town recently than in her entire life up to now. 

Veronica’s story was gripping from the very beginning, and the author did a fabulous job placing me smack in the middle of the action with its vivid 1940s wartime vibe. The racial attitudes of the time hit hard, even as the author carefully avoids using some of the worst invectives of the day. The portrayal of gender behavior and attitudes is spot on and demonstrates why there are stereotypes. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is also clearly pictured, with Veronica making do with what little she has and often going without as she helps her mother and brother get by. But even those acquaintances of hers who were better off were still careful and well aware of how they used their resources. Most characters lived through the Depression before experiencing wartime rationing. 

I absolutely enjoyed the magic and the legacy of the Furies; however, Veronica’s special abilities, handy as they turned out to be, were one more secret to keep. I know I’ve said this before in my reviews of the previous books, but the author must have my tastes and interests down to a T. I find her writing compelling and easy to get lost in. Veronica’s very realistic circumstances completely absorbed me. The supernatural and magical elements were creative, intriguing, and unpredictable.  

While the story has a lot of characters to keep track of, I loved that some had been featured in the previous books. This novel, like those earlier, can be read and enjoyed without any problems as a standalone. Still, as the storylines are converging, and the first two books were 5-star stories for me, I feel they should not be missed! I recommend FANNING FIREFLIES to readers who enjoy historical romances and adventures with a paranormal element. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.