Digital Review: The Gin Lovers #5: Dangerous Games

Jamie Brenner's fifth installment of The Gin Lovers: Dangerous Games immediately picks up where the bombshell ending in previous installment left off.

Now that Charlotte has discovered the Big Whopping Secret that her dear husband William has been keeping from her, she's now more determined than ever to find a way to leave him.  Unfortunately, just as her new resolve is kicking in, her bootleggin' lover, Jake Larkin, seems to be growing weary.  He thinks Charlotte should just up and leave William.  Run off with Jake and live happily-ever-after in Far, Far Away Land.  Charlotte is a bit more practical.  She knows that if she leaves William in such a manner she walks away with nothing.  No money, no security, and her "good name" in total ruin.  No, our girl needs a plan - and thanks to the grand opening of the Delacorte Library, and Amelia Astor's machinations, she just may have found one.

Meanwhile, good-time cocktail waitress-slash-hooker, Fiona Sparks realizes just how much she misses Mae, and now Mae is engaged to be married!  In turn, Mae realizes that her engagement to Jonathan Astor has had a lovely side benefit of making Fiona jealous and she really begins to turn up the heat.  Unfortunately everyone gets burned when a meddling gossip columnist discovers Mae's lesbian predilections and threatens to splash them all over the society pages.  What to do, what to do?

This entry in the serial does a very good job of bringing everything to a head and setting up the final installment, which promises to be quite the showdown.  I have a sinking suspicion that Charlotte is going to end up with the wrong man (What can I say?  I've got a thing for hunky Irish butlers), and I love how Mae has grown from rebellious petulant child to trying to get her way by playing within society rules.  I saw the Big Secret coming a mile away, but now I'm positively breathless to find out how the whole thing is going to be resolved.  Sixth and final installment.....here I come!

Final Grade = B