The Griffin's Secret by Cate Masters ~ Review

Title: The Griffin’s Secret

Author: Cate Masters
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 93 pages
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Source: Review Request
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Jackson Grant had it all—the girl he loved, his Harley, and his guitar. Until a tragic accident stole it all away. Now, more than scars and a tattoo remain. Jackson has a secret. Cursed by his dead girlfriend’s mother, he can never fall in love again or his beloved will die. With his heart on lockdown, he keeps to himself—until a roadie gig with Malcontent, the world’s most popular band, entwines his fate with sweet, wounded Layla’s…

Music is what Layla lives for. She has no choice. She’s bound by magic to serve Malcontent, cursed to propel them to stardom with her musical powers. Then Jackson appears and gives her hope that he’s the hero who will save her. A reluctant hero, yet one she can’t resist. But freedom will come at price—and who will pay…?

When two cursed souls cross - you never know what might happen. Jackson is running from anything and everything he just might fall in love with. It all gets taken from him - his curse to lose that which he loves most. So when he meets Layla, he will do anything to keep her distant.

Layla has a different curse - one that is slowly sucking her energy away piece by piece. She would do anything to be free, but has given up hope of being rescued. Her curse is a particularly nasty one - mostly because of the person currently in control of it. He's a serious piece of work and made an amazing bad guy.

Magic is a given and assumed in this world - which I wasn't expecting right off the bat - so it threw me off just a little at first. The magic is subtle at times and comes roaring to life other times. I loved the music aspects and the chemistry between Jackson and Layla from the very beginning. The book wraps up with a very exciting and happy ending that was quite satisfying.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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ARC Review: Twice in a Blue Moon by Cate Masters

Title: Twice in a Blue Moon
Author: Cate Masters
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: January 19, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Can true love strike twice?

After the death of her first love, Melanie Michaels buries her grief in the risky demands of a reality show, where her extreme stunts leave her teetering on the edge danger. That’s exactly where she wants to be—until she arranges for her crew to traverse the Swedish Lapland in the dead of winter. It’s the one place she shouldn’t go, on the one day she should avoid—her would-be wedding anniversary.

Instead of romantic nights spent in the Ice Hotel or under the Northern Lights, Melanie is stuck with Joe “Buck” Wright, a snarky loner tour guide who loves his sled dogs and nothing and no one else. But Buck is also trying to numb a painful past. Can two people skilled at pushing others away find warmth at the edge of the Arctic?

The setting in Twice in a Blue Moon really got me - I soooo want to go see the Ice Hotel and the Northern Lights now.  The whole arctic wilderness was a fantastic setting for this romance.  Both characters love the wilderness - but for different reasons.  They thrive under very physical conditions, and I think I was expecting to see just a little more "stunts" from this.  It seemed like I wanted a little more wilderness adventure style to this sometimes.

There was a very slight paranormal aspect to the romance as Melanie feels the presence of her deceased husband very strongly at times.  But this is about as far from a ghost story as you can get.  This is about two very lonely people finally finding that perfect someone to complete them.

It was such a sweet story - and I loved the dogs.  How you can you not love sleigh dogs?  A few of them even had a very distinctive personality.  It was fun to see them worked into the story (along with a couple of real life reindeer).  I really disliked Melanie's co-worker, Hayden, though.  He was too much of a complete jerk.  Even the bad ones should have a reason or some other redeeming quality.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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More About Cate Masters

Jasmyn's Review of Goddess, Awakened

A Day in the Life of Joss - From Goddess, Awakened

Jasmyn's Review of Goddess, Inflamed
Jasmyn's Review of Goddess, Spellbound

Jasmyn's Review of Death is a Bitch

Jasmyn's Review of Cursed

Jasmyn's Review of Charmed

Jasmyn's Review of Claimed

Review: Goddess, Spellbound (Goddess Connection #3) by Cate Masters

Title: Goddess, Spellbound (Goddess Connection #3)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 5
Sexual - 3

Ancient pyramid tomb doors. Mummified warriors. Artifacts appearing from
nowhere. And that’s just Sandy Whitaker’s work as museum curator. When spells become curses, and the dead return for vengeance, her dream job turns into a living nightmare.

The warrior Iker’s triumphed over difficult pharaohs and returned from battles victorious, but dealing with Sandy Whitaker is his hardest task yet. A descendant of Egyptian goddess Bastet, she’s headstrong, naïve and completely alluring. Can he convince her to perform the ritual spells to save the Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s eternal soul? More importantly, can he help her realize she doesn’t need to be descended from a goddess to be one herself?

Sandy reluctantly embraces her heritage as Sanura, demi-goddess of cats. But even with her new powers, can she fulfill her destiny? If she can survive being kidnapped by a cobra shifter, she’ll do her best to perform the Pyramid Texts ritual spells so Hatshepsut can sail into the Afterlife at long last. But once the queen pharaoh is gone forever, will Iker leave her too?

First off, I have to admit to being very excited to see an Egyptian mythology story.  Good ones are very hard to find and this one was definitely a good one.  I love how Cate Masters takes the stories, both well-known and more obscure, and weaves them into her reality.  The gods, goddesses, and legends really come to life in the book and they will take over your world while you are reading.

Sandy is a fantastic character.  I loved her passion for history, her love of cats (I wish I could have seven), and her quirky personality were spot on for me.  Her journey from slightly insecure (but not overly so) museum curator to powerful goddess totally sure of herself was very subtle.  At one point I remember wondering when it happened.  But it was one of those things that changed just a little bit - but constantly - and then suddenly you realize you have something new and exciting.

Iker was all stiff formality - which is exactly what I picture an old mummy would act like.  I enjoyed watching him interact with the modern world, trying to adapt to its "craziness".  He was quite a mystery at times, keeping a lot of his emotions and thoughts hidden from the world.  But I still couldn't help but love him.

As Sandy embraces her destiny and heritage, she performs a ritual that was just beyond incredibly written that it totally blew my mind.  You will feel like you are there fighting and discovering right along with her the whole way.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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P.S. While these are all part of a series - each can be read as a stand alone.  So pick your favorite myth and get started!!

More About Cate Masters

Jasmyn's Review of Goddess, Awakened

A Day in the Life of Joss - From Goddess, Awakened

Jasmyn's Review of Goddess, Inflamed

Jasmyn's Review of Death is a Bitch

Jasmyn's Review of Cursed

Jasmyn's Review of Charmed

Jasmyn's Review of Claimed

Can you tell I love her writing?

Review: Goddess, Inflamed (Goddess Connection #2) by Cate Masters

Title: Goddess, Inflamed (Goddess Connections #2)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 5
Sexual - 3

Some promises were made to be broken...

When your life is hell, visiting the Underworld doesn’t seem much of a leap. On her twenty-first birthday, Lily MacInnis learns the hard way—by meeting relatives who not only live there, they own the place. And expect her to move there to marry Zeveriah, Archduke of Section Six and Hades’ up and coming CFO. Suddenly, Lily’s life doesn’t look so bad, but how can she make sure she doesn’t get trapped there in a marriage to a demon?

Bodie can’t let Lily fulfill that destiny. As Ruling Prince of the Sixth Heaven, he’s waited an eternity for the chance to bring down his nemesis, Zeveriah. Seems like he’s wanted Lily for an eternity too. But once he saves her, will she be his downfall?

Before her birthday, Lily didn’t know a damned thing. She’s about to learn all about The Damned, and find out everything she thought she knew was a lie…

I am so in love with this series.  I love the characters and the way the various other entities interact with them.  They are all brought into the modern world and to life with such amazing personalities and motivations.  Lily is a dancer - yes the exotic type that uses a pole.  But she doesn't do it just because it's a good way to make money.  The music calls to her and if she doesn't dance she will probably go crazy.  Her life changes on her 21st birthday when some very interesting men enter her life.

Brodie and Zev are about as different as they could possible be.  It's to be expected when one is an angel and the other a demon.  But they both want Lily.  She is a very special person with some tough decisions to make.  As her life is turned upside down, she is thrown into a spiral of confusion that was incredibly well written.  She knows what she wants to decide, she just needs to find the courage to do so - and stay out of all the traps set to keep her where she doesn't want to be.

There were lots of surprises in this book as her lineage is slowly revealed.  I loved exploring all the skeletons in the closet of Hades' and Persephone's family.  There are quite a few of them, and we all love a good bit of juicy gossip.  The end was a fantastic adventure with just enough action to get my heart racing paired with some wonderful moments of true love.

The characters in the series are so real, I almost expect to run into them on the street some day.  It just seems natural that they are a part of the "real world" and we just don't know it yet.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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More About Cate Masters

Jasmyn's Review of Death is a Bitch
A Day in the Life of ... Joss
Jasmyn's Review of Goddess Awakened (Goddess Connection #1)
Jasmyn's Review of Cursed (The Vitruvian Man #1)
Jasmyn's Review of Charmed (The Vitruvian Man #2)
Jasmyn's Review of Claimed (The Vitruvian Man #3)

Review: Death is a Bitch by Cate Masters

Title: Death is a Bitch
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: August 1, 2012
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 5
Sexual - 3

Eternity can suck when it’s all work, work, work. Death harvests souls even when they
stack up faster than pancakes in an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael works closely with Death, but is dying for true intimacy. She’s the only immortal who’s ever aroused such powerful emotions in him. One taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food, but will a demon’s lies leave a bad taste?

No one escapes Death – except King Sisyphus. Twice. With the help of Damien the demon, Sisyphus tries again, and she’s determined to have justice. Some say Death’s a bitch, but only when she has to be. But will the price of justice be a broken heart?

Death is a bitch - for real.  But what else could you expect from a work-a-holic harvester of souls.  Azrael wants her to relax and have some fun, some fun with him that is.  Death was a great character and I loved seeing it portrayed as a female.  I don't think I'd ever seen that before.  Death is all business.  She loves her job.  Comforting the good souls as they pass and catching the ones that don't think it's really their time.  The only draw back is Damien.  The demon that tries to barter with the souls.  He offers them a little more time in exchange for an eternity of servitude.  He also has a serious psycho crush on Death that gets very out of hand

Damien was a great opposite to showcase Azrael as a good guy.  Damien is everything you don't want in a guy.  He's manipulative and controlling and he would do anything to make Death his - even trapping her until she "sees the light".  The addition of Sisyphus from myths as his somewhat unwilling sidekick was a great idea and a fantastic way to tie the story into lore.

There is a lot going on for a novella and it was written very well.  With two man-hunts and a backlog of work, Death has her work cut out for her - and Azrael has his cut out for him in trying to win her over.  Death's family plays a minor role, as does Satan, and the mix was a great way to add some fun side characters into the story line.

Cate Masters is definitely a favorite of mine now.  She does an awesome job with her lore and giving old legends and myths a modern twist to bring them into today's world.

Goodreads - Amazon 

A Day in the Life of ... Joss by Cate Masters

A Day in the Life is a feature we started here at Bitten by Romance that takes a closer look into a day (or night) of a character and maybe gives us readers a glimpse into a side of the character we might not have seen otherwise.  If you're an auther that would like to participate in future A Day in the Life posts, check out the post HERE.

Today's post features Joss from Cate Master's brand new book Goddess Awakened.  It's a great paranormal with some mythology mixed in that's very sweet and a lot of fun.

The newly tilled ground hummed with expectation. Taz bounded ahead as Joss pushed the wheelbarrow loaded with lavender seedlings over the stone bridge to the farthest corner of the field. The seeds had sprung up in half the time stated on the packet. Not surprising. So far, everything about the inn exceeded her wildest hopes.

Taz nudged her hand with his nose, mouth open in his usual doggy smile. With a laugh, she bent to scratch his furry cheeks. “We’ll play later. After I fill this field with flowers.” A glance across the expanse of the yard, and he whined.

Joss dipped her glove into the earth and a tingle rippled in her fingertips. Energy. A kind she’d never before encountered. A simultaneous excitement and apprehension hit her. The warm and positive buzz would help the lavender grow, yes, but maybe Aunt Lydia was right. This held another kind of power, attractive to darker forces than the fae that had begun to flock to it.

At the crunch of tires across the gravel driveway, Taz leapt to attention. The veterinarian, Eric Hendricks, climbed out of his SUV. The dog barked once in greeting.

The vet shielded his eyes with his hand and locked onto her with laser intensity. Immobile, he radiated a whirlwind of strong emotions. Lava and ice, in a tornado of grief, loneliness, agony, and anger.

The storm held Joss in its grips, trembling through her with earthquake magnitude. From the midst of its chaos, another mix of emotions rippled through. More calm, its heat like a tropical beach.

A different sort of electricity hit Joss. A sudden urge to run into ocean waves, let them crash over her, shook off the tension building inside her. Swept away her thoughts until only he remained, bare toes in the hot sand. Waiting for her.

No, that’s crazy. He lavished his caring attention on animals, not people.

That thought broke their connection, leaving a cold emptiness in its wake, one all too familiar to her. With half a wave, Eric headed for the stable.

Taz let out a woof and tilted his head at Joss, no doggy smile this time.

“What’s wrong?” She reached to pet the dog’s head, but he ran with giant strides after the vet, stopping once on the stone bridge to look back at her. When she stood, Taz barked, a joyful sound as he closed the distance to the vet, catching Eric before he entered the barn.

Eric turned with a surprised laugh. “Hey there.” He opened his arms and Taz stretched his front paws across his chest.

She couldn’t hear what he said to her dog, only his soft murmuring. She imagined herself leaning against his chest, his arms closing around her. Rubbing her arms, she told herself again, No, that’s crazy.

When Eric looked up at her with a rare smile more electrifying than the energy beneath the inn, she wondered if it might be the only sane thing in this crazy world.

Goddess Awakened is a contemporary paranormal romance that has some really great mythology mixed in.  It has a great combination of dark and light forces and has a lot of really fantastic characters.

With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson.

A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves.

Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.

 Goddess Awakened - Review

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Author Bio

Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! If you’re too shy to post here, friend her on Facebook or Goodreads, or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail.com

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Review: Goddess Awakened by Cate Masters

Title: Goddess Awakened
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: June 7, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 2

With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson.

A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves.

Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.

Joss is a very powerful woman, she she doesn't really believe it.  When she buys an inn on top of a ley line all hell breaks loose.  A demon has targeted the vet down the road and seems to be intent on harvesting some souls.  Joss's power may be all that can protect the small town and keep it from being destroyed.

Joss was an interesting mix of confidence and doubt.  She is sure that her inn will succeed and that her special recipes featuring lavender will be a big hit.  On the other had, she doubt her family history and her strength to love again - even when signs point to Eric being the love of her life.  But Eric isn't safe - he's been put in the middle of the battle between the goddess Isis and her family and the minions of hell.

I loved the mix of mythology in this one.  Several more minor characters were mentioned and it was great to see them have even a tiny bit of the spotlight (I especially loved Tisiphone).  There is a ton of adventure and there were times I thought Cate Masters wouldn't be able to pull off a HEA because things were so crazy.  There is a pretty great battle scene that I couldn't tear myself away from.

What I like best about both characters was their desire to make life good on their own.  They weren't necessarily afraid to ask for help, but they wanted to try and save themselves first.  Now if only they could realize they also had each other.

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Review: Claimed (Vitruvian Man #3) by Cate Masters

Title: Claimed (The Vetruvian Man #3)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: September 20, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Dark paranormal romance
Book 3 of The Vitruvian Man series
She's given up everything for him...
Melina Weaver has no money, no job, nowhere to go--and she doesn't want to. Bruno is her life now, but his world threatens to destroy them.

He's lost everything... except her
Fire destroyed Bruno diCesare's quarters, and everything he loved. But his love for Melina is stronger. So strong, it threatens to blind him to danger. Their only hope is to join with the rogue magicks to overthrow the Council's dictatorship.

Can they survive the battle and create a new world for themselves?

Cursed (The Vetruvian Man #1): Review
Charmed (The Betruvian Man #2): Review

The majority of this book is taken up by quite an epic battle between magic factions in Venice.  On one side we have Bruno and his friends (including Melina), and on the other we have the council that has been in power for years - many many years.  But all is not well between Bruno and Melina at first.  There was an issue with the DeVinci's books at the end of book two that has him wondering if he can trust her.  This was worked out fairly quickly though and their romance seemed to be wrapped up already.

I would have liked to see a little more struggle between them in the book - their relationship seemed to resolve itself too soon.  The battle was brilliantly written though with a ton of crazy magic stuff flying around everywhere.  The end was a storybook ending with a really huge HEA for Bruno - but he definitely had to fight to get it.

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Review: Charmed (The Vitruvian Man #2) by Cate Masters

Title: Charmed (The Vitruvian Man #2)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Length: Novella
Release Date: August 29, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Brought together by accident, bound by fate—and magic.



Love works its charm over Bruno DiCesare and Melina Weaver during his transformation from beast to man. But love likewise blinds them to the secrets each holds. Bruno thinks his secret will devastate Melina. Melina’s afraid Bruno will hate her for what she’s become. Neither guess the greatest danger lurks outside their door—and could force them to choose between love and life itself.

Book One: Cursed - Review

 At the end of cursed I felt like there was a little something missing.  A bit of drama and excitement that hadn't happened.  Well, Cate Masters just saved it up and put in into book two, Charmed.  As Bruno goes through the transformation back to a man, Melina begins to do some research on his condition and look through his vast library of books.  What she stumbles upon opens a door full of trouble.

You may have noticed that I labeled this as a Paranormal Romance and an Urban Fantasy.  The story continues to explore Bruno and Melina as they try to figure out where their relationship is going, but this section of the story really concentrated on the magic and myth of the world.  Ancient magics and warring factions appear and it seems like all hell is going to break loose.  We learn more about DaVinci's secrets and Melina has a surprising discovery about herself.

Then it stops!!!  Yes, a bit of a cliffhanger and now I must find out when book three is going to be released.  I love where Cate is taking these characters and I really want to know where they end up.

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Review: Cursed (The Vitruvian Man #1) by Cate Masters

Title: Cursed (The Vitruvian Man #1)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: April 20, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.

During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.

For ten days, it didn’t matter.

Until I met her.

Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.

Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.

Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.

Cate Masters did a fantastic job of writing in this novella.  I was very impressed with how she was able to create such vivid and beautiful scenes (especially the one where Melina tries on Elda's gift) while keeping the story a very nice novella length.  Bruno diCesare is a very unique creature and she reveals him slowly.  Having been turned into a chimera, he is a creature I had not come across in romance before and it was very fun to see how his special circumstances played into his life.  He was a very fierce and determined man, but slowly sinking into a depression brought on by his solitary lifestyle.

Melina was the perfect way to breathe some life back into him.  The scene where they meet was spectacular.  Again, her imagery was spot on and I could see the fire dancing in the air around her.  Her back story was interesting and perfectly tailored to add just a dash of suspense and intrigue to the story.

The one thing that kept this from being a full 5 rating happened right at the end.  And it just went too smoothly - there was a lot of hype leading up to this moment and then it went on and was finished with not enough fan fare or drama for me.  This is definitely an author and series I will want to read more.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Review The Magic of Lavender by Cate Masters

Title: The Magic of Lavender (The Goddess Connection #1)
Author: Cate Masters
Source: Requested Review
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: eBook, 377 pgs
Release Date: May 22, 2011
Author Website




Book One of the Goddess Connection. Every woman should embrace her inner goddess. What’s your connection?
Jocelyn Gibson forgot about the realm of magic. But it never forgot her. Gram always told her: don’t ignore your magical gifts, it will insult the family. But Joss didn’t realize her gifts included channeling the energy of powerful ley lines. Or that her family included a goddess. Family connections come in handy when the Lord of the Underworld kidnaps local vet Eric Hendricks. He’s an amazing lover, but Joss didn’t know she loved him until too late. With a little help from the Goddess Iris, Joss defends the new life she’s forged, and helps save the town of Boiling Springs from destruction. Once Eric escapes Hell, can she stop loving him to keep him safe?


Rating -

Sexual -

My Review:

This is the first in Masters' The Goddess Connection series. With fae, demons, goddesses, a visit to hell, a battle between the "forces of darkness and light", ordinary humans and an undeniable romance and love, this is a paranormal romance that has evil coming to the little town of Boiling Springs.

Jocelyn, a widow, buys an old B&B which unbeknownst to her lays over a ley line. When she hosts a costume Halloween debut party, both she and her aunt feel vibrations radiating up from the ground in the B&B. Her aunt warns, "The energy is palpable... But you must be careful. Others will be drawn here seeking to tap into its force too." When the fae visit the party just before Eric does and he notices them, both Joss and her aunt know he is different. When he locks eyes with Joss "heat twined through her like a wisp of smoke above smoldering embers crackling to life." Her Gran shows up to warn her she is in danger and that her father and husband's death weren't accidents, they were murdered because she is related to a goddess, and the fae are trying to protect her. She has unwittingly broken a truce between darkness and light by buying and running her B&B over the ley line and the battle is on.

Eric, a grieving widower with an veterinary practice down the road, gets caught in the crossfire. Without planning to, finds himself at Joss' party. He finds himself tantalized by her even though it has been 5 yrs since he's even talked to a woman outside of his practice. He is stunned when Joss' aunt does a tarot reading for him at the party and tells him he is about to find his "true soul mate". He can't leave the party fast enough.

Joss develops a major case of martyr syndrome - she can't give into her love and desire for Eric in order to protect him. Bah! While trying to stay away from him, they engage in some Thanksgiving nookie in kitchen, in the vet's waiting room, a few days later in an exam room in his clinic and then later in a field of lavender.

This has a very good plot and the characters are believable. The only thing that kept me from rating this 4 or 5 stars was Joss' overly drawn out, needless angst about protecting Eric. I just wanted to put my hand in the computer and shake her out of her insanity. {Grin} But this also means I was so into the story that I cared enough about the characters to be aggravated.

While this story does have some fantasy elements, I wouldn't classify it as such but I think that fantasy romance fans as well as paranormal romance fans can enjoy this.

Warning Spoiler Alert!!!!
Joss finally is able to make it so there can be a HEA ending. Joss is luckly Eric is so persistent because it could have easily turned into a tragic story.