Susan Griscom

Every now and then I would come across a beautifully written story that reminds me of the reason I enjoy reading. BEAUTIFULLY UNDONE by Susan Griscom was one such story. I did not for a second doubt that I would enjoy this story. This unwavering trust was due to my experience with the previous books in the series. I was right to trust my heart on this one, as Ms. Griscom outdid herself with this installment. If I had to make a comparison of the books within the series, then I would have to show more say that this was my favourite.

From the moment I started reading, I knew I would be in for quite an emotional journey. The story was overwhelming. The emotions it elicited was raw and gut-wrenching. The writing was beautiful and the story came together perfectly. The story is told from alternate POVs. The author switched between POVs seamlessly which made the story easy to follow. It starts out with Asher's POV, allowing me to gain an instant connection to him. I felt his pain and understood his sense of loneliness, which stemmed from the recent loss of his mother. Thank goodness he had the support of his best friend, Melody to help him get through this difficult time. She was behind him every step of the way as such when he discovered that he had two half-brothers she encouraged him to seek them out.

I loved Melody's strength. She is the type of heroine who is not afraid to go toe to toe with her counterparts. Melody and Asher have been best friends since forever. They spent a lot of time together and they shared every detail of their lives with each other. Melody has been in love with Asher from as far back as she could remember. She was afraid to express how she felt for she believed that Asher did not see her in that light. I enjoyed the interaction between them both. It was evident that they cared for each other. I was rooting for their relationship. Asher failed to see that his feelings for Melody ran deeper than friendship. He would do anything to protect her even if it meant volunteering to be her first lover. When I saw the extent that he would go through just to spare her heartache and humiliation I knew right then and there how much he loved her. I loved how they both supported each other when it counted most.

This is a story of a friendship and love that has been tested and has conquered all obstacles. It beautifully depicts the themes of life, death, love, hope and healing. It demonstrates that we need to follow our hearts and that we should not waste time hating as it will only lead to loneliness and bitterness. BEAUTIFULLY UNDONE is one of those stories that will stay with you forever.

Review orginally posted at The Romance Reviews show less

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION'S Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

I was contacted by a troupe that I work with to do a promotional Event for Regan Walsh in July. I had never heard of her before, nor had I heard about Whisper Cape. Trying to be the good book website admin and book promoter, I went out and bought the book on Amazon and when a gap opened in my schedule, decided to sit down and read it. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!

In my honest opinion, this was one of the best new Urban Fantasy show more books I have read in the last year or so, and I've been doing A LOT of reading for review. I don't know if it just caught me in the right mood for this type of read or what (since I'm seeing a bit of mixed feelings from reviewers), but I personally thought it was fantastic and immediately recommended it to all 1,700+ of my Literal Addicts. :)

The premise is fresh, the characters relatable, the plot intense, the romance steamy... what more could you want?

Cael, the hunky hero of our story (and yes, I'm not afraid to admit I have a serious reader crush on Cael!), returns to Whisper Cape on a job for the secret society he's employed to. Upon his arrival, he runs into our fiesty heroine Addie and nothing is ever the same.

Addie has just returned to Whisper Cape after losing her father, and is living out a comfortable yet slightly boring life with her aunt and pseudo-uncle (her aunt's live-in boyfriend).

The dynamics between Cael and Addie throughout the story will have you laughing, on the verge of tears, frustrated, elated, and a plethora of other emotions in-between.

The plot is intense, mysterious, dark where it needs to be, light in others and thoroughly engrossing.

Believe me, if you're a paranormal suspense lover like I am and think you are the best at figuring out 'whodoneit'... you're probably going to be wrong in this one. I thought I had it figured out at least twice and upon completion of the book, still went "huh". :)

After flipping the last page I was elated that I had found such an amazing read, but saddened that I thought it was a single title and there would be no more. I was VERY happy today to find that there IS another WHISPER CAPE book planned for November, called "Reflections", and it will immediately go on my Pre-Order list.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Whisper Cape a well earned 5 Skulls and would recommend it to all Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Suspense, and even Romantic Suspense lovers.

Regan, major kudos!! show less

The blurb influenced my decision to read this title. I read the author's work prior to this, but that was in the paranormal genre and I was curious to see how she would handle the contemporary romance genre. She did not disappoint and I have concluded that BEAUTIFULLY WOUNDED by Susan Griscom is the type of story that will own your heart and have you thinking about it for several days yet.

I knew from the moment I began reading that I would be embarking on an emotional journey. From the very show more first paragraph readers are transported into a tension-filled environment that has you biting your nails as the scenes unfold. This story tugged on my heart and held me in its grip until the very end.

One cannot help but feel and see what Lena went through at the hands of her abuser.

"You think you can get a better lay than me? You're wrong. Nobody else will have you. Nobody else wants you. You're a stinking dirty whore! That's what you are."

It made me sad and angry. Lena's strength and courage in the midst of her abusive environment was remarkable. I admired her determination to get away from it all. She recognized that as long as she remains she was one step closer to receiving the same fate as her mother. She was determined that she would not be a statistic. Her courage opened new doors to a life that she never thought possible. A life where she would find unconditional love. I was eager to discover where her journey would lead her.

Jackson is the type of person who is always seeking to help the wounded, be it human or animal. As such, it was only natural that upon seeing Lena he would want to help her. From the moment she walked through the door of his pub, he knew that she was running away from her demons. He is caring, warm and selfless. It was these characteristics that pulled Lena in and led to her opening up to him about all she had been through. He was determined to keep her safe. He was so sweet and patient with her.

BEAUTIFULLY WOUNDED is more than a romance. It's a story of survival, hope, patience, self-discovery, healing, and friendship. The story was well written and it flowed well. It is evident that the author poured out all she had into this story. I liked the fact that it was told from a dual POV. I was able to gain more insight into what each character was thinking and feeling.

If you are in the mood for a story that will engage your emotions, then give this title a try. -Review originally posted athttp://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=14380 show less

REFLECTIONS by Susan Griscom is book 2 in the Whisper Cape series. It picks up where book one left off, but in this instance, the focus is on Maia and Gerry's relationship. This series has to be read in order, as failure to do so would leave readers confused.

I enjoyed book one and was looking forward to the journey in book 2. The author did not disappoint as the story met my expectations. I personally thought it was better than its predecessor. The only problem I had with this installment show more was the ending which left me wanting more. I am not a big fan of cliff-hangers, however, my consolation is that book 3 is available, so I don't have long to wait to find out how events will eventually unfold.

I was first introduced to Maia and Gerry in book one. I was intrigued by them and was happy to discover that I would be learning more about them in this installment. Maia is pregnant with twins. She is happy yet terrified, which is due to the risks that she faces from the pregnancy. Added to this she has to be dealing with feelings of jealousy and insecurities as it relates to Gerry's ex-girlfriend, who is determined at all cost to win him back. This is more than any woman can manage. However, Maia being the strong woman that she is did not allow the fear and feelings of insecurities and jealousy to dominate her life.

When I had first met Gerry I did not trust him. However, I came to realise that his main fault was his tendency to be overprotective, which came off as a bit overbearing at times. In this installment, I learned about his past and the events that shaped him into the man he became. The reappearance of his ex-girlfriend was a shocker, but he was determined that she would not destroy what he had with Maia.

I liked the interaction between Maia and Gerry. It was easy to relate to the experiences and issues they encountered on a daily basis. I enjoyed the world of fantasy that the author created and I loved how she accurately linked the title with events in the story.

New characters were added to the mix which made things rather interesting. The story was engaging and I found it difficult to put down. The story dealt with the issue of jealousies and secrets. It had the perfect blend of mystery, romance, and drama.

This was a wonderful addition to the series and I can't wait to see what book three has to offer.

Review originally posted at
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