A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn

Veronica Speedwell recently buried her last living relative. She's on her way to continue her world travels hunting rare butterflies when she fends off a would-be robber and abductor with the help of a German baron. She does not know the person who just saved her but the baron's insistence that she's in danger and a promise of a free ride has her following him to London. There he places her in the care of the moody and foul-mouthed Stoker. Before long the baron is found murdered and Stoker and Veronica find themselves on the run seeking answers and finding refuge in the strangest of places.

Stoker's moodiness and Veronica's love of teasing him make a delightful slow-burn romance I've been craving. The banter between these two is simply the best, especially since these two are on the outside of polite society and throw out some intriguing knowledge in their prospective fields. 

Veronica doesn't care who knows she enjoys having casual sex even if others think that means she is ruined. She doesn't plan to get tied down to a man. The beginning chapter emphasizes and sets the stage for a hilarious ride. Stoker does his very best to show everyone his worst side and doesn't care to be anyone but himself which makes these two perfect for each other. I got major Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes from them which is the vibe I wanted so lucky me.

The mystery of the baron's murder leads to another mystery behind who Veronica Speedwell is and why she is being targeted. I found the conclusion to be unbelievable in a humourous way because it was so similar to another book I read. Although this one was much better. There's a lot of humor that is displayed between the characters so it wasn't a too surprising ending. It does make things interesting for the next books in the series.

I loved A Curious Beginning if you can't tell. It was a slow-paced, banter-filled, and intriguing character story. If you enjoy historical mysteries that have characters with sharp minds and slow romances then look no further. There are seven books in this series and the eighth one coming soon but that won't deter me from reading more. It actually makes me even more excited to see Veronica and Stoker go on wild adventures together and fall in love of course.