First in Elizabeth Blake’s Hands of Fate series, A Brush with Death has a most unusual premise in that its romantic hero is Death himself, who is in love with Isabel Vanderton, a wealthy heiress in failing health.

Isabel is suffering from a disease that occasionally renders her unable to use her legs. Her mother passed away from it when Isabel was a young child and she knows it’s only a matter of time before she herself is taken by it. After hearing a disembodied voice saying her name, Isabel begins to fear the disease is also affecting her mind. Shortly after this, Death reveals himself to her, and she bravely tells him that if it is her time, she is ready to go with him. But it is not – and Death tells her she will lose the use of her legs, as well as the rest of her body before she dies. After Death attempts to kiss her, Isabel explains that women prefer to be courted before kissing a suitor. Death decides to do just that and begins courting her.

Along with trying to court Isabel, Death is also attempting to uncover the identity of Jack the Ripper. He is constantly two steps behind Jack, who is always gone by the time Death arrives to lead away the souls of his victims. At one point, Death waits too long to retrieve one of these souls, turning her into an angry soul Isabel must help to find rest. In allowing Isabel to assist him with his investigation, Death puts her in harm’s way as they get closer and closer to finding out who Jack really is.

I absolutely loved the idea of Death as a person and the hero of a romance, and while he has a temper, he actually proves to be rather shy and sweet in this tale. I liked Isabel too, especially since she’s very different from most heroines, but her tendency towards giving Death a chance only to push him away drove me crazy.

The Ripper subplot is fantastic and obviously well-researched, but unfortunately, not enough of that research went into the customs of the time. In this story, servants undertake jobs they would never do, people are addressed incorrectly, and the way one character inherited his title is downright incorrect. While I still enjoyed the romance between Isabel and Death, and Death’s investigation, this pulled me out of the story each time I read about it.

But I can normally forgive some problems as long as the story itself is entertaining, and that is the case here. Death as a hero is one of the most original ideas I’ve ever read, and the romance does have an HEA, despite Death’s being… well, Death.

With a hero and heroine who are rather unique in the world of romance and a plot that involves the real life Jack the Ripper, this title sets itself apart. I enjoyed A Brush With Death and would recommend it to anyone looking for an historical romance with a difference.