ARC Review: Guardians of Stone (The Relic Seekers, #1) by Anita Clenney

Title : Guardians of Stone (The Relic Seekers, #1)
Author: Anita Clenney
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: December 4th, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewer: Cerridwen

Kendall Morgan is a human bloodhound. Spending her childhood hunting relics with her ambitious archeologist father, she knew the two of them shared a sixth sense for the history and location of objects—sometimes even people. What she didn’t know was that their paranormal gift could ultimately be their undoing.

After the tragic plane crash that killed her father as well as her childhood best friend, Kendall dedicated her life to finding and protecting relics. When mysterious, sexy billionaire Nathan Larraby hires her for his latest expedition—the search for four powerful relics —she’s thrown into a world of high-octane danger. He sends brooding mercenary Jake Stone to watch Kendall’s back, but he may have created danger of a different kind.

As the team chases down clues, a man called the Reaper makes a play for the artifacts and will stop at nothing to put them to his own sinister use. What’s worse is that Nathan hasn’t told the whole story, and the dark secrets he’s keeping could cost them the mission…and their lives

 So I am all about some adventure and a strong female character.  This book delivers on both counts. It made me feel as though I was in an Indiana Jones book, you know the one where Indy and his female counterpart have a love hate relationship that is comical.  But Kendall is the relic expect in this book which gives her an edge and specialty all her own that matches Jakes tough military persona. Throw in Nathan with his mysterious metro-feel and you have a mix of flutters any girl would want.  Hmmm which would you choose?
Thank fully this is a series that I cannot wait to see where it takes me, and Kendall, next.

Review Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney

Title: Awaken the Highland Warrior (Connor Clan #1)
Author: Anita Clenney
Source: Requested Review
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Mass Market Paperback 426 pgs
Release Date: May 1st 2011
Author Website







A man from another time...

Faelan is from an ancient clan of Scottish Highland warriors, charged with shielding humanity from demonic forces. Betrayed and locked in a time vault, he has been sleeping for nearly two centuries when spunky historian Bree Kirkland inadvertently wakes him. She's more fearsome than the demon trying to kill him, and if he's not careful, she'll uncover the secrets his clan has bled and died to protect...

Could be the treasure she's been seeking all her life...

When Bree inherits an old treasure map, she discovers a warrior buried in her backyard. But the warrior isn't dead. Bree shocks Faelan with her modern dress and her boldness, and he infuriates Bree every time he tries to protect her.

With demons suddenly on the move, Bree discovers that Faelan's duty as protector is in his blood, and that her part in this fight was destined before she was born. But nothing is ever what it seems...

"An exciting, riveting read! Nothing's sexier than a timetraveling Highland warrior except one with the mission to save the world and the contemporary, courageous woman who lights his fire! A page-turner, I couldn't put the book down!"
-Terry Spear, Author of Heart of the Wolf, A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

"Engrossing and captivating. A true page-turner."
-Mary Wine, Acclaimed author of Highland Heat




Rating -


Sexual -

My Review:

This is the first in the new Connor Clan series. It drew and kept my attention almost from the first page. Demons, lizard/snake men, a few vampires, an Archangel, a plot to destroy mankind, sword & dirk fighting, sexy highlanders, a damsel so not in distress, a smoldering attraction and a little humor - what more do you need for a good paranormal romance read?

Bree, historian and Indiana Jones wannbe, finds more than she bargained for when she unearths a crypt while treasure hunting and opens it with a flat disc. All she wanted was the treasure, instead she got him, Faelan - a seriously hot man in a kilt.

The last thing Faelan knew, he'd been about to fight four demons - the old ones - and then he was looking into her eyes. Was she a demon's minion, a halfling or a demon in disguise? She said 150 years had passed. All he knew were dead. How to get back to his clan in Scotland? He didn't know but he did know that just looking at her made him hard with a longing that was almost to much to control.

This was a nice length which allowed for in depth story and character development. The action is fast-paced with several twists and surprises. Amidst the fighting, a steamy romance is going on with vanilla sex scenes. And while not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, it can be very humorous much of the time.

As the first in a new series, it has set up several secondary characters for exploration as lead characters in future books but without the aggravating cliffhangers some authors use. Clenney successfully whispers at potential subjects to pursue in the future without interrupting the flow of the story.

While the sex could have been hotter, my one small disappointment with the book is that I figured out two of the twists/problems - one of the twists I figured out pretty early and one of the problems I figured out late in the book but before it was revealed. But that's just me, it happens alot with me and shouldn't reflect badly on the book. There were several twists and issues I didn't figure out which is good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the sequel, Embrace the Highland Warrior, due out in Nov. 2011, a preview of which is included at the end of the story.