Nicky Charles

This series has always been dear to me. Nicky Charles and her Lycans introduced me to the world of Paranormal Romance and her characters always manage to work their way into my heart. Her latest installment does not disappoint and launches the series into a whole new realm of possibilities. This was a slow build, but a fun one that firmly establishes the parameters of Elijah and Tina's budding relationship. The story then quickly transitions to Central America where a suspenseful rescue show more mission plays out. I should mention that it was great to see Reno and Damien again. I hope we'll see more of them in the future and would love a follow up story with Reno and Brandi. They are officially my favorite couple, even thought Tina and Elijah are running a close second.

I thought Tina was a great heroine! She was smart, witty, and strong, yet still carried an endearing Innocence. She endured the dangerous side of Stone's world bravely and without complaint. I really liked the way she softened his hard edges. Elijah Stone was strong and level headed, but yet has an emotional side. The scene at the hospital between him and Lily (a little girl) was so moving it brought a tear to the eye.

All this and a great plot that plays out in the jungle with orphans, drug lords, human trafficking schemes and a few plot twists along the way. If you haven't read this series, you're missing out on something special! I can't wait for the next book! show less

Again, my only real complaint is the unpolished feeling of the book. Grammar errors are annoying & can also detract from the flow of the story itself, or even convey a completely different meaning for a portion of the story. Also, seeing words spelled in the correct British English for stories set in North America strikes me as odd. Not bad, per se, but a bit weird.

I also felt that this second book in the series didn't flow as well as the first one.

It's still a great read--especially since show more it's free. show less

What a piece of crap! The whole book turns on a "romance" between two people who don't trust each other, are forced together and barely like each other. Their first time having sex is a page and a half of "please, NO! Don't!" yet it's "alright" because they're married and he feels bad afterwords. How is rape romantic?
Not only that but the characters were weak, cookie-cutter protagonists and antagonists, the plot was predictable, and the storytelling was erratic and moved veeerrrryyy show more slllooowwwlllyyy... show less

I'm a bit of a tough reviewer, but keep in mind I went back to B&N to actually BUY the next book in the series to find out what happens to Ryne (who I assume is the next story due to the epilogue) throughout my critique and was pleasantly surprised it is being offered for free. I provide feedback other than 'that's nice' so the author can improve their craft.

This book gripped me from the beginning and sucked me in. The dialogue flowed, there was just enough werewolf history to make it show more believable the protagonist would allow herself to be mated to a man she had just met because her alpha-father so ordered it. The chemistry between the two main characters unfolded in a believable manner, and there was a nice balance for this day and age between character development and hot, steamy sex (this -is- after all a romance). Many of the minor characters, such as Helen, were also very nicely developed, and added texture to the story without either over- or under-whelming it. I am a fan of another werewolf author, Kelly Armstrong, and found myself comparing this work favorably. The only plot-hole I found incredulous was the fact the werewolves can shapeshift including their clothing ... the 'worldbuilding' the werewolves were painted into was not a supernatural one so this tiny detail really bugged me for some reason.

I -would- have given this book 4 stars. Why the lost star? Villian development started out well enough, but the big reveal towards the end was just too much information all at once. Bad guys don't brag and brag and brag with no action when suddenly revealed, nor do they wander off to 'come back later' to finish killing the person they're plotting against. Especially if they know their victim is 'bonded' and has most likely summonsed their mate. A cold, calculating murderer knows the most -important- thing is leave no witnesses and then try to clean up the crime scene later, while a heat-of-passion murderer would have simply picked up a rock and bashed in their skull. The surprise insertion of a second villian might have worked, but there were not enough clues peppered early enough in the novel to make you go 'aha! of course!' The three chapters I found myself skimming through asking 'what happened ... but it was so GOOD until now?' really detracted from the book.

In the end, things got back on track. I enjoyed it enough to come back for more as most authors improve their craft over time and this author has phenomenal promise. This was written as a romance with a mystery background, but as a mystery novel it fell flat. I would suggest she do some research on creating believable villians and also read a few dozen classic murder-suspense novels (Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett) as I believe this author has the capability to bring her writing to the next level ... a novel that balances mystery and romance. The verdict BUY. Or as in this case, dowload every book you can get your hands on offered by this author for free and say thank you for the enjoyable ride! show less