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Review

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. An intriguing and romantic urban fantasy, it has that special touch of sarcasm and humour that is all JLA that I absolutely love, and that give this book a special edge to make it a really great read.

Ivy is a 22 year old living in New Orleans. By day she appears to be a normal, if somewhat shy and quiet, college student, but by night she works for the Order, a secret organisation whose job is the hunt the fae – creatures who seem just like everybody else but who prey and ‘feed’ on unsuspecting humans. She has grown up with the danger of the Order as a part of her life, and the fae have been responsible for the death of her parents as a child, and then her adoptive parents and her first love only four years previously, and since then she has lived her life in a state of grief, struggling to move forward.

We lived with death and we knew it waited for each and every one of us. We were taught not to fear the inevitable, but again, what we were never taught was how to live on when those around us left.

And then one day, Ren Owens appears. A member of the Order from out of state, he is in town to help with the never-ending hunt for fae and, Ivy soon learns, the increased threat of a dangerous and mythical ‘Ancient’ who she has already encountered. Ren is tall, cocky and gorgeous, and his infinite charm soon awakens feelings in Ivy that she’s not felt for years. She tries to avoid him, but when they are partnered to work together, the fireworks begin.

“Are you hitting on me?” Shocked, I shook my head. “Are you for real?”
“My momma probably thinks I’m real.”
I ignored that. “While I have a stake at your throat?”
“You’re also sitting on me, and sweetness, if you slide about an inch or so down, things are going to get real awkward.”
Holy shit.
“Or fun,” he added, and his lips did that slow curl again, like he savored the whole process of smiling. “I told you I found that move you made to be fucking hot. But I don’t think you’re going to be down for that.”

I love Ren. In the grand tradition of JLA’s paranormal heroes (Daemon, Seth, Roth), his over confidence and quick wit make him absolutely irresistible, and he makes it clear to Ivy in no uncertain terms that he wants her.

“I didn’t need your permission,” I spat back.
Ren smirked. “Honey, I know what you need and you’re going to get it.”

The romance is quick-moving, but as Ren points out – their life is dangerous and they need to live each moment to its fullest. Hence his determined pursuit of Ivy, a whole lot of fun and dirty flirting, snark, banter, and a whole lot of hotness. Their relationship builds really nicely, with a nice amount of emotion, and I loved watching them as they fall hard and find something special together..

“Please. Don’t let me go.”

But Ivy soon comes to learn that Ren’s presence in town is more than just for hunting fae. His secrets will shake Ivy’s world and reveal a danger that she never expected. And as Order members continue to fall and the door between worlds is under threat, a devastating betrayal will change everything.

This is a really fun read. The big ‘reveals’ are predictable, and not the big twists they are probably meant to be, but the story follows a formula that JLA does really well and I enjoyed the way it all played out. It’s the characters and their dynamics that lift this book from ‘average’ to ‘really good’, and the little hidden gems that keep this author on my auto-read list.

Which leads me to Tink the brownie, because OMG he is freaking awesome! An absolute scene stealer, he had me laughing out loud so many times. Just picturing the little dude with Braveheart paint on his face and brandishing a frying pan still makes me giggle, and then, of course, there’s moments like these…

“Let’s talk about sex.”
“No.” Rolling my eyes, I walked away.
“Sex is good!”
“Shut up, Tink.”
“Sex is fun!” he continued to shout.
I shook my head. “The only thing you’re having sex with is inanimate objects, so what do you know?”
He ignored me. “Sex is best when it’s one on one!”
Stopping in the hall, I turned to where he was doing a pelvic thrust. “Isn’t that a George Michael song?” “Maybe. but he was wrong. I like to think sex is best when it’s like three on three or something. Seems more adventurous.”

Grabbing a scarf off the chair, I threw it at him. He caught it, clutching it to his chest as he flew into the air.
“You gave Tink a scarf. Tink is free!” He flew out into the hallway like a little cracked-out fairy, screeching, “Tink is freeeeee!”
Ren looked at me. “What the actual fuck?”
I sighed. “He’s obsessed with Harry Potter. I’m sorry.”
Tink darted back into the room, holding the scarf to his bare chest. “There is no reason to apologize when it comes to Harry Potter.”
“You do remember what happened to Dobby, right?” I said.
“Shit.” Tink’s eyes widened and he dropped the scarf.”

It all ends on a nasty cliffhanger and given the timeframe between book releases, I have to say that I’m happy I waited until now (when book #3 is imminent) to read this one. It’s a strong start for what is sure to be a thrilling and fun trilogy, and I’m excited to continue on.

4 stars.