ARC review: Trouble with Air and Magic by Patricia Rice

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Book View Cafe, available as e-book
The Source: ARC from the author
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:

Romance and Danger are in the Air
Dorothea Franklin’s life is sliding toward disaster just as surely as her house is crumbling into the Pacific. Her unusual talent for feng shui can’t bring harmony to her invalid father or prevent her brother from dying in an experimental helicopter crash. Or has he?
She turns to computer genius Conan Oswin, whose brother also reportedly died that day. When Dorothea informs Conan that she didn’t feel the vibrations of her brother’s death, he wants to dismiss her illogic... but his instinct for trouble is already on full alert. His attraction to her is almost as distracting as her nonsense about chi and harmony -- nonsense that plants doubts about the deadly crash. If only she would quit twisting his head with temptation, he might be able to save their brothers and her life.

The Review:
I love Patricia Rice Malcolm books, so when she offered the opportunity for reviewers to request ARCs, I requested it on the spot.   And overall,  I am glad I did.

At first, I had a bit problem with the fact that it was set in California, since I associate it with Georgian England. But once that passed, I enjoyed exploring California with Dorrie and Conan.  The settings felt believable. From Conan’s beach house to their trip to the Mojave desert.  One thing I appreciated was that Ms Rice clearly showed that  California is a geologically active state, and let that affect both Dorrie’s and Conan’s lives.

I enjoyed following Dorrie’s and Conan’s search for their brothers.  At first glance, they look like they have nothing in common.  Dorrie is  Irish-Chinese, and believes in the paranormal. Conan is a bit more sceptical about the paranormal, and wants solid facts.  But as the story developed, they gradually realised that  they complemented each other.  I loved watching Dorrie reclaiming her life with Conan at her side.   

The search for their brothers were fast paced, and I loved how both Dorrie and Conan were a part of it ( Nothing frustrates me more than when the heroine is just waiting on the sidelines). 

The biggest problem I had with this story was connecting with the characters, but that might be because I read it in December, but forgot to review it. So I had to re-read it a month later or so, and I still remembered what happened.