Review & #Giveaway: Fanning Fireflies (The Limerent Series #3) by LS Delorme

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#Supernatural, #Historical, #Romance,

There is something rotting in Harrisville.

It's 1944 and Veronica works so she can afford to eat. Maybe one day she will save enough to own the home her family is living in, but for now, she doesn't have time for fanciful thoughts, or much else. She doesn't have time for the fire whispering to her, the ghosts trying to talk to her and the son of her boss, who can't stop staring at her. She definitely doesn't have time to think about Lazlo, the handsome black soldier that she processed at the draft office, but she can't seem to stop herself. As her ability to ignore Lazlo evaporates, so does her self-imposed ignorance about her hometown.

There is, and always has been, something rotten in Harrisville. It shouldn't have been a surprise. After all, Veronica works in the cigarette factory, where corpses hide in the tobacco with the roaches.

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Franklin had his face in his hands, but even Veronica could see that his shirt was torn. Veronica picked up her pace.

“Franklin,” she said as she trotted up their gravel driveway.

Franklin looked up and, sure enough, there was a bruise forming on his left cheek and his right eye was swollen. There was dirt in his dark hair.

“What happened?” Veronica asked, as she sat next to him on the porch.

Franklin shrugged.

“I made the mistake of being alive today,” he mouthed to her. Franklin’s stutter only affected his actual speech. He could have a completely fluent conversation if speaking to someone who could lip-read.

“Who did this?” Veronica asked, taking his hand.

“John Bilbo,” Franklin mouthed. “And a couple of other Klan goons. They jumped me on the way home. But a couple of them look much worse than me.”

Franklin gave her a little smile.

She could believe it. Her brother was six foot three and all muscle. What he lacked in communication skills he made up for in physical intelligence.

“Aren’t you going to the firehouse tonight?” Veronica asked.

Franklin nodded.

“Then you better get cleaned up,” she said, standing and pulling him up.

“Okay, okay,” Franklin mouthed.

“Nan works there, doesn’t she?” Veronica asked.

“Nan is way too good for the likes of me.”

“No one is too good for you,” Veronica said.

5 out of 5 (exceptional)

FANNING FIREFLIES is the third book in the Limerent series, although it can be read as a standalone. I have read Caio before this one, which was also a 5-star read. Caio does make an appearance in this story, but as a side character.

Veronica has an inherited gift of being able to see and talk to ghosts, as well as an affinity to fire. Both of these things, she keeps under wraps. After all, in 1944, such things weren't possible... were they? She lives with her mother and brother, Franklin. Her father disappeared, but it was no great loss. The reason Franklin stutters is because of their father. Money is scarce, but both Veronica and her mother have jobs at the local cigarette factory, which helps. Veronica's story really starts when she works for the Draft Board for some extra money, and gets to meet some young Black Americans who are signing up to fight in the war. One of them, Lazlo, sticks in her mind, and she acts courageously, even though it might not seem such a big deal nowadays. They meet twice before he is sent overseas. But staying at home isn't safe for Veronica, not with the Knights of Harrisville taking over the town, the Klan in all but name.

This book was simply unputdownable! Once I started, I couldn't do a damn thing until I'd finished it. During my time reading, I had tears, horror, sadness, and anger. I can easily say this is an emotional read. And it isn't done for shock value, either. It gives you an accounting of a time and place that has been well-documented, but with a personal touch that makes it seem real.

I loved the epilogue and the information it gave me, although I was also sad at coming to the end of Veronica's story. And Franklin! Oh, my poor heart. 

Anyway, this is a fantastic read that had me gripped from beginning to end. Because of Caio being mentioned, I really want to re-read his story again now, too. Unfortunately, I no longer have the e-book, so I guess it will have to wait until I can get all of these as physical copies. Yes, they're that good! Simply awesome and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa

Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

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Lexy Shaw Delorme (writing as LS Delorme) is the award-winning author of The Limerent Series, a genre-defying collection of emotionally resonant novels that blend supernatural mystery, psychological thriller, historical fiction, and romantic suspense. With a background as a lawyer, pop musician, and science writer, Lexy brings intellectual depth and lyrical prose to every story she tells. Now based in Paris, she lives with her French husband and two very cool sons. Her work explores themes of limerence, memory, identity, and the echoes of past lives—and she’s not afraid to push boundaries along the way.

The Limerent Series (Books 1–4)

• Caio — A supernatural romantic thriller about grief, justice, and forbidden connection.

• Bright Midnights — A YA dream-thriller following a magnetic girl caught between dimensions.

• Fanning Fireflies — A 1940s historical ghost story and romance centered around race, secrecy, and sacrifice.

• Ghosting Academy — A high-stakes psychological thriller with VR technology, elite agents, and spiritual unraveling.

Each book is a standalone, yet interwoven through deeper cosmological themes and recurring characters.

Media Recognition & Reviews

• Kirkus Reviews praised Caio as "an entertaining fantasy with a dash of macabre eroticism."

• Bright Midnights received a coveted BookLife Editor’s Pick from Publishers Weekly, with critics calling it an "enthralling, character-rich narrative."

• Fanning Fireflies was IndieReader Approved (4.8/5), described as "an emotionally charged, thought-provoking read."

• The series has been celebrated across the book blogging world as genre-bending, hypnotic, and emotionally gripping.

Awards & Honors

• Bright Midnights won the Golden Wizard Book Prize (UK) in the YA Fantasy category.

• Caio received a positive “Get It” verdict from Kirkus, signaling quality and appeal.

• Fanning Fireflies was awarded near-perfect marks from IndieReader, achieving critical acclaim.

Media & Events

• Featured guest on BBC Radio 2 – The Gabby Roslin Show, discussing Fanning Fireflies and the mythic architecture of the series.

• Interviewed on the What We Reading UK blog and spotlighted by the British Fantasy Society.

• Frequent guest on virtual book tours hosted by LiterallyPR and Goddess Fish Promotions.

• Upcoming panelist and moderator at C2E2 Comic Con 2025.

Reader Response

• Called "a cult classic in the making" by readers.

• Described as having “characters who stay with you long after the last page.”

• Celebrated for blending literary depth with page-turning suspense.

Follow LS Delorme

• Website: www.lsdelorme.com

• Instagram: @ls_delorme

• TikTok: @lexyshawdelorme

• Publisher Contact: LiterallyPR (London)

Tour hosted by: Goddess Fish Promotions

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