A study for love

by Ruth Miranda

On May 2003 Sebastian White comes home from his morning jog to find his wife and their four weeks old daughter dead. The deaths are deemed as a murder followed by suicide, but as he spirals down into self destruction, he insists there was foul play. Eight years later he crosses paths with someone who finally believes him and both set out to get to the bottom of what happened that morning, as they both must struggle to come to terms with their own past and the secrets they hide.

"As he entered the room, he frowned at seeing them both still asleep. Looking at the baby attentively, he felt something was not right. Heart beating like thunder inside his chest, palms sweating, his body feeling suddenly cold as in the dead of Winter, he approached the cot, quietly. The child was serene, eyes closed, arms down by the sides of her little body, the woolly blanket covering her legs. He looked with an even keener eye, leaning closer. There was no rise, no fall of the minuscule chest. There was no breath. The baby was not breathing.
“Chantal!” he barked, his voice low and filled with a sense of dread and fear. Looking over towards his wife he noticed the purplish tint of her lips, and deep in his heart he knew."

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2016

About the author

"As soon as I learned my ABC I was writing stories."

Ruth Miranda is a Portugal born and raised author who feels more comfortable around words than people, especially if those words happen to be in English, a language she once taught for a living - amongst other varied jobs. She started making up stories in her head as a child, to put herself to sleep, but the stories kept growing with her, so eventually, they needed to be put to paper. Her published work includes The Preternatural Series and Blood Trilogy, as well as the romance novel Danseur and the Byanamese Romance series. You can find her being social on Instagram under the handle @ruth__miranda, where she shares snippets of upcoming and published work, and on her Patreon, where she posts thoughts on writing, deleted scenes, and an online novel. Find it here https://www.patreon.com/RuthMiranda

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Study for Love by Ruth Miranda is one of the best books I've ever read!

This novel is a mixture of murder mystery, drama, suspense, thriller and romance. Camilla and Sebastian, our main characters for this novel, are a truly intriguing pair that will resonate with you! The roller coaster of emotions these characters go through, mixed with the epic murder mystery, makes one epic story that is an absolute must read!

This book started off fast and had me hooked instantly. Normally it takes me a while to get into a book, but Ruth Miranda did an excellent job at grabbing my attention and keeping it. Sebastian, who used to be a famous photographer and has since fallen out of grace, is grieving over the loss of his wife and daughter. Camila, a disgraced woman whose life is filled with scandal, literally runs into Sebastian and suddenly their lives are entangled. Was Sebastian's family murdered? Can the two of them ever come back into good graces?

This story is a unique spin on the murder mystery meets celebrity aspect of this genre. I really liked the pacing, the character growth and development, and the plot itself. I truly hope Ruth makes a sequel to this book, because I am in love with these characters and I need more! It leaves off in a way that makes me yearn for more, or at least have Ruth tell me what happened because it's oh so good!

As for the ending, it's an epic conclusion of twists and turns. I had my suspicions of what was going to occur, but it still came as quite the surprise!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves an epic drama, suspense and murder mysteries, or a little splash of romance in this book. It's definitely an adult novel, but mature teenagers could easily love this book just as much as the adults. There are some sexy scenes, but no brutal gore.

Overall, I loved it! I would give it six out of five if that was a possible score! It's one of the best books I've ever read!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Ruth Miranda in exchange for an honest review.

[ThatReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I loved the book. The plot is captivating and the characters are well built. It's a great read to take with you to the beach or the pool, during summertime."

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the absolutely fascinating tale of two burned-out people trying (and somewhat failing) to hide from their troubled pasts. The mystery at the heart of one of those pasts is what brings them together and unleashes a whirlwind of twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. I was on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded. I enjoyed it so much!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He had gone for a job leaving his wife and baby daughter behind. He was happy until he arrived home. He found both death. The police said his wife killed their baby before killing herself. He does not believe it. He struggles with it until he meets someone who believes they both had been murdered. Will he finally find out what happened? Who did it and why? See if he will

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Study for Love by Ruth Miranda is a wonderful story to read. This is awonderful story I fell in love with this story that is writen by a brand new author that I have never read this story. This story is masterfull writen suspense which I love to read, I highly recommend this story to all.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For being Ruth's first book I wasn't sure what to expect. I had to get the flow of her writing at first but once I did it was smooth sailing. I easily got wrapped up in the story and had a hard time putting it down needing to know where it was going. Absolutely loved the surprise ending as it was completely unexpected. Especially when you think you've figured it all out.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. A murder mystery with a lot of suspense and a bit of romance. The characters are flawedbut believable. I would recommend this book.

[Alberta McMorris · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Camilla Roeberg, what was supposed to be an escape from London to the quiet town of Wytchfield Brae quickly turned into an intriguing mystery. Enter Sebastian White, former fashion photographer and celebrity, still mourning the loss of his wife and daughter eight years after their deaths, and determined to clear his wife's name. Sebastian has become a drunk, and still lives in the house where his family was killed. He is very much haunted by the painful memories of their deaths, and unable to believe that his wife would have taken her own life, let alone their daughter's. Camilla herself is no stranger to scandal, and perhaps as a way to move on from her own past, becomes determined to solve the mystery of the killings.
A thoroughly enjoyable and compelling read, A Study For Love takes its time in unfolding the various nuances and complicated stories of Camilla and Sebastian as they come closer to unearthing the dangerous truth behind the deaths, and also revealing the new and overpowering feelings they are developing for each other. Sebastian is a man who's life has been shattered by loss, but also who has taken refuge from the world in his grief, and now will have to face up to certain ugly truths if he is to move on and eventually bury the dead. A study for love is a wonderfully written mystery set in a beautiful, but often too-small town where there are very few secrets. I enjoyed every bit of this book, and found myself unable to put it down, all the way through to its heart-pounding conclusion.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book with both a romance and mystery. The author brings strong well developed characters in Camilla and Sebastian and weaves a story so captivating .. so gripping .. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. She does a great job pulling you into the story , building both the characters and story line and bringing out the emotions. I was glued to the pages right to the end .. and what an unbelievable ending !! I loved this book and highly recommend reading. Well done !!!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing mystery romance story, with lots of drama. Amazing characters. It is written well. I liked reading the book and a pleasure to review it.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth Miranda excels at developing realistic characters whose lives are shaped or influenced by trauma, and exploring the after effects as they overcome, or fall into, despair. She weaves her endings so that the reader may ponder multiple conclusions, and these possibilities still linger with me. I rather enjoyed this intimate peek into the lives of two survivors whose commonalities draw them closer to each other even as they separate them from everyone else. The chemistry between Camilla and Sebastian is palpable, their internal monologues realistic, true to character, and relatable. I caught early clues to solve the mystery, but I was so swept up in the blossoming relationship, and glimpses of past chaos, that I enjoyed theorizing all the clues' various paths.

Specifically, I loved Camilla's humanity and kindness, and her relationship with her ex and his new partner. I liked how, on the surface, it looks like C & S are saving each other, which they do, to a point—maybe, but really, Camilla is the stronger character, and one can only hope she succeeds. Most of all, I loved the case study of *love* and all the beauty and horror that comes with it, how it molds us, shapes our views, and breaks us. It's something I truly enjoy exploring in my books and something that Ruth Miranda is quite skilled at.

[Elen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Miranda has truly surprised me with A Study for Love. The book is a captivating mix of mystery and romance that feels very different from her other works.

The premise is tragic and heartbreaking. It immediately hooked me, and I found myself deeply connected to Sebastian. He carries grief within in a way that only who has suffered a loss can understand. Nobody deserves what he went through.

Camilla is also a very nuanced and interesting character, and I appreciated her role in moving the murder mystery plot forward. I loved getting to know her past while reading!