I’m not a romance reader; I tend to get my dose of literary love as a secondary plot point. When I have read romances in the past, it’s been with mixed results. I’ve been swept off my feet and I’ve been left cold. Obviously the hero has to be hot (physically and emotionally), but the more involved the storyline, the more involved I tend to be. The mystery aspect of Final Words by Teri Thackston intrigued me, so I thought I’d give this modern-day romance a try.

We first meet Emma St. Clair, medical examiner, as she floats between life and death, caught between her body in the ER and the calming light just ahead. Detective Jason MacKenzie is assigned to the hit and run that’s put Emma in the hospital and killed their mutual friend. Emma pulls through but she’s brought part of her near-death experience with her; when she touches the dead, they can speak to her…and tell her how they died.

Emma is a woman with the baggage of a controlling ex but she’s strong and independent. It’s her strength that’s helping her move on, from her divorce and her accident, and it’s her independence that leads her to play detective once those in her morgue start confiding in her. This puts her at odds with the handsome and, so he claims, reformed playboy, Detective McKenzie.

Mrs. Thackston does a good job of placing clues throughout her story so the reader can play detective along side the main characters. Her writing style is light and the story moves quickly. While Mrs. Thackston uses some trite phrases (i.e. “a contradiction he meant to explore”), she shows her ability to wield the English language with descriptions like “antiseptic-flavored air” and “twilight edge of sleep.”

The secondary characters were memorable and helped to round out our hero and heroine. I know I haven’t talked too much about Jason, the hero, and all good romances hinge upon the hero. He was handsome, good-hearted and kind. Even though I didn’t fall for him myself, Jason was perfect for Emma.

Everything seemed to get tied up a little too neatly in the end, but I did enjoy the mystery as much as the romance. While this book is mostly about the dance of romance, there is a sex scene (outside of marriage). However, the descriptions are fairly tame.

While Final Words didn’t sweep me off my feet, we had a fun first date. If you enjoy modern-day romances with a touch of mystery, you’ll enjoy this book. All in all, it is an enjoyable romp.

Reviewed by Cam Robbins
© Dec 2008