A review by amelia990
The Secret of the Lost Pearls by Darcie Wilde

3.75

This book was fun and follows the main character as she tries to solve essentially two mysteries - who was the thief and what's the deal with Nora.  

One thing I liked about the story was that I felt like I was introduced in a pre-existing world.  Although this book is the first of a series, you can feel how the characters lived lives before the story opened.  You're just getting a glimpse of fully known experiences.  I found that type of worldbuilding (for lack of a better word) really refreshing.  I also appreciated that the main character's love interest was pretty much the supportive partner.  The story isn't about them falling in love - they're already in love when they meet - and the conflict isn't about trying to disrupt their relationship.  The result is that we get to see a rather healthy established romance.

One thing I wish the author had done differently was to not include one-off chapters of various side characters' viewpoints.  This was often unnecessary and there were other ways she could have accomplished what she was trying to do in those chapters.  If she had, I think the resolution may have been more satisfying and felt less convoluted.  It was almost as if she was trying to head off the criticism of "you did not set this up," but she did.  The set up was there.