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Touched By Darkness – An Urban Fantasy Romance (2013)

by Catherine Spangler(Favorite Author)

3.64 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Smashwords Edition

series

The Sentinels

review 1: I came to this author thanks to a tweet where someone was talking about her Sfi Fi romance (in comparison with Last Hour of Gann).I downloaded a sample of that book, then realized she wrote a UF series too and the first book was free. So why not? (Damn me to Hell and back. I keep repeating the same mistake...)First, let' me clarify this is not a UF, not even a UF romance (if that really exists :). This is the usual paranormal romance, and honestly it's in the low range of them.It's not a spiteful or hateful book. But it chocked full of first-book syndrome: useless info-dumps interrupting scenes, flat, uninteresting, boring writing. Cardboard characters: a simply ridiculous mustache-twirling villain, totally unappealing irrational heroine and a hero I could do without, a so... more-called genius 7 yo boy who's dumber than a brick.The plot was a para version of the usual romantic suspense (serial killer idiocy) and the mix didn't came out good. Honestly I skim-read most of it, above all because any "story" was in the last pages. The romance was even worse. No chemistry and the worst excuse for sex since the invention of the mate bond. I didn't think we could get lower, but we did. The ending was a nice WTF moment. Absolutely out of the blue and with no base in the story itself.
review 2: This was a pleasant surprise. No vampires, and it's in an urban setting!The premise was unusual -- ancient superbeings from Atlantis -- but I forgot that as soon as I got into the story. The world created by the author is a harsh one, and I'm with Kara in trying to forget reality for a dream of "normalcy". Kara's beloved husband was killed one night brutally while she could only watch. She survived that night, only to discover she was pregnant. Her son is her world, and if you even think to hurt him, you'll find out this lamb is a lion.Kara is hard character to like because as I was reading I was cringing over some of the things she was doing. However, I had to give her a break. It's all about Alex, and what she wants to do right by him.Enter Damian and he just throws her normal little world view right out the window. Damian is hurting, too, having lost his parents when he was young. Since then, he's done his job, and he's kept his heart hidden so no one can hurt it/him.Damian is tough but he realises that Kara is more than just a conductor that allows him to get the bad guy. He thinks he's in control until he meets Kara's son Alex.Alex is just a kid who loves Star Wars, Star Trek, and all those heroic adventures that little boys adore. Damian begins to mentor Alex, and instead of being cold about it Damian shows that there is more to him than just being a Sentinel. And Kara sees this.The best scene in the story was the interlude of a picnic and a soccer ball game. This was a moment of healing for both adults. Damian, who had not had such family closeness, fun and laughter, did not hold back. Kara, too, was able to enjoy her family in a way she probably never had. It is this scene in which you see the bond is not just being formed but it becomes a solid one.As for the bad guy -- very good mystery! I was completely wrong in who I thought it was.The Belial -- ancient superbeing bad guys -- was written very well, too. Just chilling in his ruthlessness, and in his utter glee at killing.An excellent story!This is the first in a series but it does not end on a cliffhanger (which I despise when an author does that). The book has a complete story on its own, but it is a wonderful beginning to the series. less

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