A Bird Without Wings by Roberta Pearce

by Roberta Pearce

After an impoverished and indigent childhood, Callie Dahl is interested in one money enough to buy her own home. Love and marriage are impractical pursuits, and hold zero attraction for her—though she alleviates her loneliness through the guilty pleasure of an at-far fantasy of her temporary boss, Lucius Ransome.So when Lucius gives her the task of disproving a long-standing Ransome Family legend, it’s a tossup for her whether the main attraction is the financial bonus he’s promised or the chance to spend time in his company!Her investigation unravels more than family secrets. As she plunges into a steamy affair with Lucius, everything she holds true comes apart as he introduces her to a world where love actually might mean more than money.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Mystery

Mass Market Paperback

First published November 29, 2013

About the author

Roberta Pearce’s relationship with romance novels began when she fell into a box of her aunt’s dog-eared treasures that miraculously opened at the most interesting bits. All through post-secondary adventures – Russian Lit: good; torrid love scenes: better – this amour de HEA took her, though it goes without saying that she failed French. One day, she decided to make a useful contribution to society and write HEAs rather than just reading them, and still seeks one for herself in real life.

Winner of 2013 & 2014 NaNoWriMo, Pearce is still waiting for her cheques. Her influences include Fyodor Dostoyevsky [his dreamy side], Douglas Adams, Rupert Brooke, Mary Burchell, and Omar Khayyam. While she currently has no pets, she once had a pair of Siamese fighting fish named Pat and Mike, whose ghosts appear occasionally in her novels. Her imaginary hobbies include climbing Kilimanjaro and enjoying lofty literature. Her real hobbies include drinking copious bottles of wine with good friends while discussing anything that pops to mind.

Check out her books and buy links here: http://wp.me/P4Fmhg-7

Reviews

[Katerina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a office romance story between a nerdy/genius girl and her melt-your-panties-off-hot boss.
It also has a subplot which is equally interesting: revealing the truth behind a decades-old rumour of a hidden family fortune of said boss.

If I say this story was well written it would be an understatement: I am so glad my reading device has a built-in dictionary otherwise I would have been lost..
As it was, I was "only" pulled out of my reading on every second page or so.

I am admittedly not a native English speaker and I do have to look up words in the dictionary occasionally. But the emphasis is to put on "occasionally" and not so often as it was the case with this one.
I am not complaining about it, since I am always eager to broaden my vocabulary. But when I see another reviewer mentioning difficulties with the language , a native speaker no less, then I feel the need to point out that this book was rather high-toned compared to the romances I have read so far.

As for the story: heart-warming, with a hero I would marry on the spot!
But the heroine: Oh man, did I want to throttle and punch her simultaneously...
Her insecurities started to grate on my nerves.
Which leads me to a question: Why do all the romance heroines in their twenties always have to have such a horrible upbringing?
Isn't it possible to portray them as shy and insecure just as part of their character only? Must it always be related to an abusive/ neglected childhood....?
I am wondering.

Little ranting aside: I enjoyed reading this book very much!
And I plan to read the second one by this author, too.
I already have it ready waiting for me on my kindle! :-)

[Martyn Halm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since my noir novelist notoriety is already down the drain after reviewing For Those Who Wait, I might as well review Roberta Pearce’s A Bird Without Wings.

The author was concerned that I would be bored reading her books due to the lack of blood and violence. And disturbed people. However, knowing beforehand that Callie was unlikely to stab Lucius in the eyes or Lucius ending up a spree-killer actually made me focus on their interaction. And I found both Callie and Lucius a lot more engaging than the protagonists of FTWW, mainly because they seemed more ‘fleshed out’.

Callie is a frumpy genius with a crush on her boss, Lucius Ransome, who is called Luscious by the female staff for obvious reasons. Her best friend Rachel learns that Lucius is looking for a researcher into some family history to distract his family while he gets the family’s affairs in order.

Grumpy Lucius hires frumpy Callie, who surprises him by disagreeing with him about a painting, but he doesn’t start noticing her bodacious body after Rachel gives Callie a makeover.

Lucius is always called in to fix the problems of the Ransome family, as he seems to be the only one with some sense. The rest of the family seems obsessed by some ancestral treasure and Callie has to disprove the existence of the Hidden Ransome Treasure while Lucius can fix the problems without his family interfering.

I thought this was a pretty good plot for a romance novel. I admit I haven’t read many, but in comparison with FTWW, where the protagonists aim at preventing a wedding from happening, ABWW is definitely more engaging plot-wise.

Another interesting juxtaposition is that Callie is from a poor background, suffering from self-esteem issues, and focuses on money as important, as people who don't have any are wont to do. Lucius, however, is born into a rich family and doesn't think money is that important. Through studying the Ransome family for her research Callie learns the real value of money.

One thing that irked me about Pearce’s prose is her tendency to use alternative speech tags or combining action with speech tags, instead of using beats or standardised speech tags like ‘said/whispered/yelled’. The reason it irked me is that speech tags like 'she averred' have tendency to break the spell as I'm reading. The first time I came across 'averred' I actually had to look it up, now it's 'God, she used that verb again'.

Apart from Pearce's use of speech tags, the prose flowed well and I stayed up too late reading the last few chapters. Pearce's has a few instances where her protagonist, who apparently has total mnemonic recall, explains historical facts in a way that skirts exposition but thankfully stays on the interesting side and doesn't become the dreaded info dump.

The ending was predictable, but well played out.

As to the ending--I disliked the epilogue intensely to the point where I felt it was a blemish on an otherwise well-written and clever novel. Let me explain:

The novel ends with all the issued tied in a neat bow and the protagonist are all set to live happily ever after. Turn the page and there's an epilogue in the form of a letter Callie sends to a Constance Simms, who turned out to be the second-grade teacher from the beginning of the book. Since I didn't read the book in one sitting, I had no idea who Simms was again (thank God the ebook has a search function) and I thought the information in the epilogue was wholly unnecessary for the story, except to re-iterate and confirm what the ending already concluded.

My advice to Pearce: Trust you readers and lose the epilogue.

I heard that Pearce's next novel will include a sociopath in love, so I'm eagerly awaiting an ARC...

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the start of this book you will be laughing and the laughter never stops. You have humor, mystery, power strangle, kind of a love hate relationship. All the things in a romance you could ask for. You have romance inside of romance what else do you need. Oh there are lots of lots of things to see, find and learn inside this book. For me a romance you must have humor, you must be able to laugh with or even at your characters.

I found the mystery of the birds to entertaining, the ugly birds, paintings and paintings of ugly birds. Why someone would want these ungodly ugly painting painted? What is the hidden meaning behind them? Will they lead to the lost treasure that so many are so sure about? I made up my mind early on about these birds and I never gave up what I believed. I was correct but oh the story those birds do tell.

Lucius is a very powerful man who must come home to clean up the mess his family has made. They call him Mr. Fix It; he is a controlling, bad temper man. When he gives and orders you follow or be damned. He is also a very gentle, caring and loving man. He loves his family but wants them to stand on their own two feet. Marriage oh well someday, kids someday but he isn't looking. His sense of humor is unreal, you will find yourself laughing.

Callie is a very intelligent woman with a high IQ, only one person sees this. She is a very scared little girl who doesn't want love or marriage. Her parents only thought about themselves but did truly love her and did show her in their own ways. She didn't need love only money to make sure she always had. She worked hard and saved but it was never enough. She is innocent in most ways, book sense she has but just doesn't pick up on little things. When we first meet her she is a basket case, she has a crush on her boss. For most of us women we make ourselves over, show ourselves off. For Callie she does the opposite, she plays down herself.

From their first meeting shit hits the fan, to the end of the book. You have each trying to find their way, not believing what they see and to scare to believe in what the other feels.
The one thing I really dislike greatly was Lucius calling her doll, out of all the words you could have used why that, but when I read her last name was Dahl then I understood and made a wonderful read. I still didn't care for it.

It was nice to see a story about a lady who truly had not a clue on how lovely she was. She didn’t notice when men check her out, her innocents was refreshing. When I read about the bar and him seeing her, all the other men hitting on her I laughed myself silly. I can’t say I have a favorite for all the characters in this book make this book. Each person has their place and their funny sides.

It is so nice to read a romance that isn't written with half of it being about sex. Oh the sex is there but it is not pages and pages of it. This was a refreshing, wonderful read with many twist and turns. The author had me hooked from the beginning. I am still so hooked I didn't want this book to end. In fact I enjoyed this book so much I bought her other book For Those Who Wait.

[Luccia Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bird Without Wings is much more than an engaging romance; it includes the unfolding of a well-planned and complex historical mystery which will keep the reader involved until the very last page. Exceptionally gifted but emotionally insecure Callie is hired by her boss, quick tempered and wealthy Lucius, to investigate and disprove the existence of a family mystery once and for all, but instead she unravels an unforeseen secret which has been hidden for almost a hundred and fifty years. The novel is written with tight compact prose where there is neither a word too many nor a word out of place which keeps the pace flowing constantly. A well-woven plot and believable and captivating characters make it both a delightful and satisfying read.

[Andra Weis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obtained a copy of A Bird Without Wings from the author, Roberta Pearce, through Goodreads - a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review – thank you by the way.

A romance…..sweet, enjoyable, engaging. A mystery….unfolding with intrigue and kept guessing until the very end. Sexy….the intimate scenes told in a provocative and tasteful manner.
I was not even ½ way through before I started telling my friends about this book! A Bird Without Wings took me to where I want all my fiction reading to take me….to another world where I need and want to continue the journey until the end and then wanting more.

[Kimbo Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not my genre, there was enough mystery and likability of the lead characters to keep me flipping the pages. Perfect for vacation or a snowy day by the fire...with wine :)

[Amber Foxx · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four stars on technical aspects of writing, one star on characters, one star on the romance plot, three on the mystery subplot. This averages out to 2.25. This is probably going to be my last less-than three-star review. The next time I get forty pages into a book and still dislike it, I’m going to stop reading it. Life is too short to read books I don’t enjoy, or to spend hours revising reviews of them. My opinion isn’t that important in the long run, and my time and enjoyment are. If the first few pages of this book win you, keep reading. If you don’t like it from the beginning, let it go. It stays the same.

When I get off on the wrong foot with a book, it’s hard for that book to win me back. This one starts out bogged down in clothes, hair, and backstory. The book could have started in Lucius’s point of view on page seven with nothing lost. The physical description of Callie could go there. Her backstory could come out gradually as the story progresses—and it does, all of it.

The writing style is polished. The only flaw I found was the use of unnecessary modifiers. I am not a member of the Society for The Elimination of Adverbs, but in this book they could be pared down—a minor problem, though occasionally distracting. Usually when I don’t like a book it’s because of writing, but Pearce can turn a witty phrase, and writes sex scenes better than most romance writers, free of cliché and silly euphemism. After a while the book started to win me with some of that witty dialog and mystery of the Hidden Ransome Fortune, but then it stuck out that wrong foot again and tripped me. Overall, this book and this reader were incompatible.

There are some creative variations on the typical romance and a clever mystery subplot, but I found it repetitious and circular in the telling, and found the couple at the center of it unappealing. It took me a long time to read this short book. Too many of the problems and conflicts were only imagined by the characters, took place in the past, or were swept away in an instant rather than developed.

There’s little tension in the romance plot although there is sexual energy. He loves her, she loves him. They get along wonderfully, and have a lot of hot sex. Callie’s dense and improbable inability to perceive the progress of their relationship toward love loops around and around in her mind, but she never says anything about it. They have no real obstacles— except the obvious one that never gets mentioned or used in the plot: he’s her boss.

SPOILER ALERT
A top executive has a sexual interest in an employee and she knows it and returns his feelings. He gives her a promotion to work directly under him (pun intended) and buys her expensive personal gifts, thinly disguised as necessities. She works hard at her new position, but never questions that he should be her boss with this relationship budding. Callie fantasizes about the relationship failing on a regular basis, yet she, who is supposed to be so smart and has a degree in business, never thinks about this issue, and neither does Lucius. In a lot of organizations, HR policy would say that he shouldn’t supervise her or do her performance evaluations, if there’s an intimate consensual relationship. What about a sexual harassment suit if the romance doesn’t work out? What about bias or perceived bias in promotion and pay while they are involved? What about her never knowing if she got the job because she was qualified, or because she had sex with him? What about other people’s resentment and gossip when this promotion and obvious intimacy take place? Maybe there are workplaces where this kind of ethical fuzziness is the cultural norm, but it seemed odd to me that no one in the entire circle of workers and friends ever considers a possible problem here. At the fictional Faltech, people have sex in their offices, and no one who knows about it minds. Rachel, who also works for Lucius, sends him a picture message—of Callie in her undies in the dressing room while the two women are out shopping, taken without Callie’s knowledge. His only objection is that Rachel is “interfering.” He even thanks her for invading Callie’s privacy this way. This was enough to turn me off to him.

I found it hard to relate to or care about the protagonist. Her sudden shifts in behavior don’t seem motivated. Callie meets Anita and within seconds is not only rude but cruel to this virtual stranger, expressing snap judgments as if Anita was not a human being. Lucius likes Callie for it, which made me dislike him even more. Callie’s intelligence is told, but not shown effectively. I didn’t believe the scene about the solar array and the math. (I’ve heard an issue like that analyzed in a sustainability committee meeting before an investment in solar was even seriously considered.) Callie, the newbie with vaguely defined qualifications, figured it out in seconds. It seemed unlikely that no one had done that kind of analysis previously. She comes across as annoying and tedious, but not smart.

The plot circles more than it progresses. Men admire Callie. Lucius notices. Rachel pushes him to notice Callie, and pushes Callie to get involved with Lucius. Callie has hair issues. Callie suddenly spews huge chunks of backstory even though she is shy and ashamed of her background. Callie’s family is flaky and self-centered, a fact that is recycled again and again. (At least their tactlessness and insensitivity explains hers.) She keeps thinking she can’t be the woman for Lucius long after events show they are a good match. I have nothing against psychological exploration in a novel, but both the book and Callie felt stuck.

I liked the Hidden Ransome Fortune part of the plot, but all obstacles were felled easily with little to no conflict. The author coddles her characters in other contexts as well. Lucius is described as generous, but he’s very rich, and his generosity is with money. This doesn’t challenge him. Once Callie and Lucius become lovers, much of the potential dramatic conflict is resolved in an instant, like Callie dismissing Anita. The lovers finally have an irrational, out-of-the-blue fight near the end, forcing some tension into the progress of the romance plot, too late in my opinion. Lucius takes care of the Leon problem, so Callie never has to make a decision about her brother. She’s obsessed with money, and it comes to her. She never has any financial setbacks, not even with Leon. She gradually overcomes her masochistic frugality and goes from buying an electric fan and new clothes to buying a condo. Callie’s major struggles are in her past more than her present, except for the tedious one that repeats in her head. I’m not good enough. Without growth or insight, she rolls this boulder along in front of her, and it rolls back on her, over and over. This aspect of the story finally budges a few inches at the end, but like the tension in the love story, it came too late for me to care.

[Edward Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this at 4:08am. Review to come after sleep. For now, I just have to say, fantastic writer. Pearce is amazing, and I don't think she's even gotten started yet.

--

I read the description of this book months ago and wasn't very interested in it. I remember thinking it was about a girl who's only interested in money, and something about some old paintings in Europe. How boring.

Just in case anyone else got a similar impression, let me point out that the main character is concerned about financial stability. She was raised in poverty and now that she has a job, she's very careful with her spending and she's slowly saving money. She is not a gold-digger or "only interested in money." She doesn't waste money on things like nice clothes, make-up, hair styling, etc. lol

As for the art thing - that's actually a mystery that Callie has been tasked with solving. It's what brings her and the male character together.

And these characters are really amazing. The way Pearce writes, you would swear these people are real, or based on real people. Their depth is extremely authentic. I'm actually waiting for Callie to materialize so I can marry her.

But seriously, Pearce is so good at revealing her character's personalities, background, motivations, fears, etc., that you understand these people completely and really empathize with them. When they do something you don't like, or wish they wouldn't have done, at least you fully understand why they did it.

I was hoping for the book to be mildly entertaining. Instead, it was completely captivating and engrossing. I often read in small bits of time, when I can between a million other things I have to do. Once in a while though, a book just won't let go and I'm compelled to finish it in one sitting. About half way through this book, I had to lie down on my bed with my Kindle and not doing anything else until I reached the happy ending.

Awesome book. I recommend it to people who like really intelligent character psychology, and very smart and funny characters, and of course, there was that whole love thing goin' on too. :)

[Jen Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting and am writing this review with the sort of half-blindness that comes from reading on my laptop WAY too long. That’s a testament to this delightful story of Callie Dahl and Lucious Ransome.

A Bird Without Wings is an office romance with much more originality than I had anticipated, and a plot that doesn’t rely only on the laws of attraction to carry it through. In Romance, I typically find the sub-plot boring—something I skim past because I don’t care. Not so here. The mystery of the birds (you have to read it) was interesting. I wanted to know how it was going to come together, what it all meant.

Of course, Lucius and Callie’s relationship does take center stage. Though enjoyable, these characters were not perfect. Callie’s lack of self-esteem, while initially charming, began to grate on my nerves. At a few points, I wanted to smack her upside the head and tell her she was being an idiot (or a pushover - Lucius had a couple over-the-top Alpha moments where he really deserved to be reprimanded, and when this didn’t happen, it was…frustrating, to say the least).

The Romance genre carries with it a host of clichés that typical junkies either enjoy or have learned to overlook. A Bird Without Wings fell prey to few of these, and I never felt I was rereading something else. There’s an appealing originality to this author’s voice, and her sense of humor. She has a knack for pulling the reader in, making us care about her characters, and giving us the satisfaction of an ending I’m still smiling about.

It’s been a while since I’ve read Romance and this was, I believe, the right work to remind me of how much I enjoy the stories. I will definitely give her other books a try.

[Goddess Of Blah · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointing cliché chick lit read.

Negatives:

1. It promised an INTELLIGENT nerdy heroine - that's not what we got.


2. Heroine was a swooning clumsy badly-dressed cliché misfit of a poorly written Bridget Jones.


3. The whole rags to riches tale, of the poor peasant marrying the rich lord is ridiculous. The heroine is a trailer-trash humble girl and the hero is a privileged English guy

4. The dialogue was abysmal and cringe-worthy

5. Plot was executed like every other poorly bimbo cliché chick-lit.


------------------------------

Positives:

1. None

-----------------------------

DNF - gave up 25%

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-traditional characters, intriguing family-centered investigation, and office politics with just the right amount of romance sprinkled in, and Roberta Pearce has a dynamic page-turner novel that makes you laugh and feel every emotion of her characters.
The main heroine is not your typical love-smitten girl in love with the charming CEO--although there is some of that--no, she is smart, no-nonsense and beautiful (although she doesn't know it). And Lucius is just the guy for her. No matter that they are so different and neither of them thinks they're meant for each other, readers know there will be a big ending and they will find a way to be together!

[Zara Kingsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to receive a free copy of: A Bird Without Wings, for my honest review, as it is a very refreshing read! It encompasses the necessary ingredients to keep you up all night, turning the pages: romance, mystery, sprinkled with humor, and a few steamy, tasteful, scenes. The characters are well-developed, believable and quite charismatic. I loved Callie’s intelligence, innocence and neuroticism. The romance between her and Lucius, though fraught with drama, is very sweet indeed. A simply wonderful story with characters that stay in your mind, long after you finish reading.

[Line · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story. This was a hidden gem, beautiful character development and a funny, witty, clever book!!!

[Mike Billington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I write murder mysteries.
I read murder mysteries.
I don't write romance novels.
I don't read them.
Despite that I picked up "A Bird Without Wings," a romance novel with an erotic side that doesn't have a single murder in the whole darn thing.
I'm glad I did because I loved it.
Why?
Simple: She may be the product of the author's imagination but I am seriously crushing on Callie Dahl, the main character in author Roberta Pearce's novel about the search for a declining family's legendary treasure. Callie is a shy, really bright young woman who has no idea just how special she is.
Or how beautiful.
The plot is pure romance: Callie works for a Toronto conglomerate that is in serious financial trouble. Her boss, a cranky but brilliant businessman is - of course - handsome and hunky. He has been brought in to rescue the corporation, something he is finding it difficult to do. The reason: His extended family is, well, a little flighty and convinced that an ancestor has hidden an immensely valuable treasure which - if found - will solve all of its money woes. Callie's boss asks her to research the legend with the aim of proving it false so he can, finally, make the family understand just how dire the situation is and enlist its help in rescuing the corporation.
Pearce's description of the search is nicely done, showing off Callie's enormous talents without turning her into some sort of intellectual Amazon. She is smart but doesn't instantly see the solution to the problem her boss has set before her. Instead she is methodical and intuitive, blending her brain power with patient research. Using that search as a vehicle, Pearce makes her readers believe that Callie is not just a fictional character but someone who is remarkably "real." She has a crush on her boss, for example, but doesn't know what to do about that. She is confident about her ability to do her job but not at all confident about her ability to function in a social situation. She is the product of parents who haven't had a responsible thought in their lives; a young woman who grew up so poor that when asked what the most important thing in the world is she replies "money." Her goals are simple: To fly under the radar while doing her job and, along the way, save enough money to buy a small condo.
Pearce handles the relationship between Callie and her boss in a way that will ring true for anyone who has ever been attracted to someone that seems unattainable. There are some steamy love scenes in this novel but despite them this is a story about a very sweet young woman who was emotionally abused for much of her childhood by parents so caught up in their own lives that they neglected her almost completely.
What about the treasure?
Sorry, you're going to have to read the book to find out whether there is one or not.
And Callie and her boss: Do they ever get together?
Once again, you're going to have to read the book to find out.
I hope you do.

[J.L. Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bird Without Wings is a story of romance between two people from opposite sides of the spectrum. Callie (Calandra Dahl) is the daughter of vagabonds who grew up in the dusty grey light of poverty. By the time she is in her mid to late twenties the bright and shining light that is her mind is buried underneath a lifetime of neglect, loneness, and self-doubt. Lucius Randsome (Luscious as Callie calls him through her schoolgirl crush) is the golden boy of the wealthy Randsome lineage. He is handsome, intelligent, a financial wiz, and by now would be a maga-mogul if not for his fiscally irresponsible family dragging him down. Rachel, Lucius’ friend and underling at FalTech and Callie’s supervisor and friend, puts the two on the path for romance when she suggest Callie to head up a special research project for Lucius. She is definitely playing match maker, for she sees they are more alike then either of them could ever dream.

Callie down trodden look is quickly dismissed by Lucius as a weird waste of his time, but he gives her the job of once and for all disproving the existence of a Hidden Randsome Fortune that his family waste money on trying to uncover every time they get into a financial bind. Rachel gives Callie a makeover and sic her on Lucius. When she is on the case of the HRF, Callie Dahl is confident, vibrant, and like an aphrodisiac to any guy she meets. His desires for her, and her for him, coupled with close, secretive work is an explosive combination.

And it does explode, for uncovering the HRF secrets also uncovers deep rooted problems that they both have and must somehow overcome if they are to find true love. No spoiler here though, you will have to read it to find out if Rachel does know what is good for these two.

I like this story. The people are real and honest. They exhibit real emotions built around past shortcomings and present desires. The passages are quick moving, even if some of them are bogged down in artsy tech and hard to follow family ancestry. There are a few steamy passages that keep the romance roiling.

What I didn’t like was that the mystery of the bird paintings, the writer spent so much time on, was no mystery at all. She did throw a couple of nice twist around it that did not salvage it but gave it value. Again, this is a romance and not a mystery so I was not that disappointed. Overall it was fun to read; I found myself not wanting to stop and couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter.

[A.R. Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses
Heat Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Flames

*Provided to reviewers to honest review*

In the second grade Calandra (Callie) Dahl was asked, “What is the most important thing in the world?” Her answer, “Money.” In A Bird Without Wings, (a romance about two people from very different worlds and the mystery that brings them together) Callie figures out that money is not the most important thing in the world. Callie is the daughter of gypsies, who grew up with love but not enough money to sometimes feed, clothe and house them. With all the self-doubt she has, Callie grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman. Lucius Randsome (Luscious as Callie calls him) is the golden boy of the wealthy Randsome lineage. He is handsome, intelligent, a financial wiz. His life would be different if he didn’t have to always fix his family’s problems. Rachel, Lucius’ long-time friend, puts the two on the path for romance when she suggests Callie to head up a special research project for Lucius.

Callie hates to be the center of attention but isn’t afraid to speak up when something isn’t right. Lucius barely pays her any attention, even after her disastrous entrance and exit into his office. That is, until Rachel gives Callie a makeover and pretty much pushes her and Lucius on each other. When she is on the case of the HRF, Callie is confident, vibrant. Lucius desires her, and first, can’t figure out why. But putting his mind to getting her and coupling it with close, secretive work is an explosive combination.

I really enjoyed this story, though I could have wrung Callie's neck several times for selling herself short so often. It drove me nuts. Her constantly doubting herself and putting herself down started to wear thin and made me want to skip those pages. The sex was understated but worked well for the story. What I didn’t like was the constant use of acronyms. There were way too many thrown in throughout the story.

All-n-all this story was well written with an excellent plot and characters. The people are real and honest. They exhibit real emotions with past and present shortcomings. The message behind the ugly bird painting was a lesson most people could use. A wonderful story, Ms. Pearce. A wonderful story indeed.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book for free, in exchange for an honest review**

Callie grew up as a nomad/gypsy, her parents were always on the move either due to lack of money to pay rent or because they felt the urge to move. It didn't matter that they uprooted their children, it didn't matter that the kids didn't have what they needed, it was just time to go.

As an adult Callie struggles with herself, she values money over love, because money makes the world go around, but love, well love can end at any time and then what do you have? Nothing. So when handsome Luscious, I mean Lucius hands her a research project, she keeps her feelings towards him under wraps. They start a fling, but it's Lucius who falls for Callie first, he can't get her out of his system. Callie remains calm and aloof about it all, knowing the fling will end when the project is over. Better to protect her heart. But can Lucius give her up that easily? Can he just turn off the love he feels for her?

I could have wrung Callie's neck several times for selling herself short in so many ways! UGH! It drove me crazy. She had no reason to believe she was Lucius' equal, but her constant doubt of herself got thin towards the end. Otherwise I liked everyone in the book, including her matchmaking friend Rache. The story was well written, you understand where the characters came from and where they are going.

[LaDonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a breath of fresh air! From the first chapter I was hooked, and admit to walking away several times during the reading just so I would have more to savor. Callie is intelligent, witty, neurotic and an amazingly awesome heroine. Lusc...Lucious is the perfect hero. Their romance is simply divine, while wrought with emotional drama brought on by Callie's insecurities. If you can't laugh as you picture their "first" meeting you have no soul. This is the most brilliantly written story I've read in quite some time, and I cannot possibly begin to give it enough praise. The quirky Ransome family is everything a girl could ever dream of. Every character, certainly including the birds, are so wonderfully portrayed I can picture them all...good, bad and otherwise. The very elusive intelligent HEA is perfectly packaged here. I cannot wait to read more from this sure to be up and coming author!

I did receive my copy free through the GoodReads Making Connections group in return for an honest review.

[T.N. Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callandra Dahl is marvelously created character who you love from the moment you meet her. Her quirks and kinks illuminate a certain clumsiness within myself, which made me smile as I took this journey with her. I guess we all have families that drive us crazy which is why I felt so drawn to both her and Luscious ;) … There were behaviors in her that you just wanted to shake her, or thump her upside the head all so she can see just how truly wonderful she is. The fact that she is so vivid within my imagination is praise to the author for painting her words so brightly that I could see it all unfold in front of my very eyes. I will admit that the beginning was a bit overly descriptive for my particular taste and I was very thankful for the double click dictionary in my Kindle app.

Most importantly though once I got swept up in the elusive happy ending between Lucius and Callie, I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading until I knew how it ended. Lovely read that I will love to read over and over again.

[Jana Petken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie made for an interesting character. She is somewhat frumpy with low self esteem. When she was younger she focused on the material side of life, her studies, and money. Working for Lucious Ransome gives her life new meaning, as ambition is overtaken by desire.

Ms Pearce gives the story an interesting turn and stops it being a light romantic tale by adding a bit of mystery and history in the plot.
The writing style is personable and engaging. It has a couple of flaws in both grammar and editing but, having said that, these hiccups do not detract from the enjoyment of the story or Ms Pearce's story writing skills.
This was a sweet, drift away story, which kept my attention right to the end. No spoilers here, I hope, for though the plot is somewhat predictable, it does carry a few nice twists with a lovely interaction between characters.

[Jan Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bird without wings is a well crafted romance. But it isn’t your run of the mill boy meets girl story. Roberta Pearce has added suspense to the romance in the form of an unsolved mystery and missing treasure. The shifts between the romance and suspense are skillfully woven and there isn’t a moment of boredom. I am particularly impressed by Callie Dahl’s ceaseless fount of knowledge. I’m not sure if it is the author’s own passion or a wealth of research, but the little tidbits kept me riveted. There were just so many interesting facts thrown in that are utterly fascinating.
The characters were strong without being jarring, and the little quirks they have endear them to you and make them believable. I am glad I read this book. I wish more romance novelists would try to have a good storyline in their novels. This is well worth a read and an amazing piece of work.

[Simon Okill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bird Without Wings by Roberta Pearce is so much more than just a romance -- there is a tangible mystery at the heart of this brilliantly written romantic mystery full of history too. Poor Callie has lived a rough upbringing and all she wants is money since she's never had any of the green stuff. Romance is the furthest thing from her mind. But along comes Lucius her boss. Okay Callie is attracted, who wouldn't be but she still needs that money first.
Lucius hires Callie to delve into his family's past to solve a niggling mystery, but what she finds is a deep dark secret hidden for over a century. The author excels at character development and tight compact pacing that keeps the reader turning the next page with unfettered anticipation. This romantic mystery is a must download for all fans of this genre and very highly recommended.

[Misti Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, for the first few pages i found myself unable to see the picture the author was creating through the words and almost put the book down.

Fortunately, in this case, once I start reading I find I have to finish the book i'm reading and i'm very glad I did. This was a sweet story, the characters complex, and I loved the birds, and my theory of where the book would end had me reading to the point of ignoring the rest of the world.

I loved Cal, after I got past her first impression. The fact that she was a character that was both a genius, and full of common sense is brilliant, and the author did an amazing job bringing her to life.

This was a sweet, intriguing read that I would reccomend to anyone who likes sweet romance, with a great back story.

[Rohani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a delightful read, but there were a lot of parts in between that made me snooze. There is no doubt that her writing is good because she is a very, very polished writer. But sometimes a little too polished? The dialogue is so proper, that it seemed out of place. As if it is more suited for historical romance novels or like film scripts written in the 1950s, starring old Hollywood stars like Cary Grant, so it was really hard for me to relate to the characters. Other than that, it really is a pleasant read. I might give her other books a try.

[Deborah Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Roberta for an honest review and I honestly loved it. It is extremely well written and the characters are well developed. This book will keep you reading well into the night. It is romantic, yet mysterious. You will feel for Callie, her strength and vulnerability made me love her. I believe we have a great new author here. A very good read. Thanks, Roberta, for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

[Hunter Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bird Without Wings is an engaging romance. It is also a complex mystery that will keep you intrigued.

Gifted but insecure Callie is hired by Lucius, who is not only hot but wealthy and quick tempered. The two investigate a family mystery for Lucius. Callie unravels a secret which has been hidden for over one hundred years. The novel is well written. There are enough twists and turns to keep you captivated until The End.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got more than I expected from this story as the characters discover that they are both shaped by their families and their childhoods for different reasons. Both feel trapped by actions of family members (both in the past and present). Both seem to be trying to escape family expectations, screw-ups, etc. An agreement turns to friendship, which turns to more as they both help each other come to terms with who they are and what their families rally mean to them.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, quick read. A little cliche and predictable, but still enjoyed it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpectedly enjoyed this book, must have highlighted 30 words in order to look up their meaning/definition though :).

[Avidbookreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a solid romance mixed in with a little mystery. There was never a dull moment. I highly recommend checking with book out especially if your into a quirky but smart heroines.