I have a love-hate relationship with this novel. I've read this author's novels in the past and have adjusted, somewhat, to her writing style. Heck, I've even truly enjoyed a few of her books in the past, but something about how this was written just didn't mesh well with me.

There were more than a handful of scenes where the heroine has walked to a certain spot in a house for example, after some dialogue or inner monologue she randomly mentions how the driver is weird. How did she get from Point A to B and not narrate or mention it in her inner monologue so the story can be seamless in my head? Was this just me?

Another problem of mine with this novel was the pacing. I initially DNFed this novel because of pacing. It takes the heroine 3 hours (of the audio book) to kick off the actual story. What the heck!? From the synopsis, this novel is supposed to be "heart-pounding". The only thing making my heart pound is my anxiety and the high blood pressure the pacing of this novel provoked in me!

Reagan was an interesting heroine, to say the least! She was sassy and sarcastic. I loved a lot of her one-liners! Though I disliked that she crossed the line into being downright rude for almost nothing very often. Her temper also got the best of her and some situations she found herself in were tragically hilarious.

Darius was something, alright. He came off as very guarded and stoic. Though he made his romantic interest in Reagan pretty clear at the beginning of their partnership and it evolved, somewhat, throughout the novel. I liked how he did his best to protect her in the end and I'm curious to see what the future holds for them.

The ending was actually pretty nice! I felt so bad for Reagan possibly being screwed over again. After all she's been through this again! It sounds like Reagan and Darius might meet again sometime soon for yet another much more dangerous adventure.

The Audio Book:

I adore Nicole Poole's narration in general but it sounded like she was speaking into a low-quality microphone for this novel. I've heard her narrations in other novels that sounded much crisper. Though I learned to ignore it, it did initially take away from the story.

Alex Taleisin’s has finally been let in on the secret – she’s an Elemental Immortal plus a little something more and her life is in danger. Guardian of the Races and savage King of the Dragons, Collum Thronus made a promise to protect Alex and find her father’s people. A Battle is coming and Alex knows the only way to get answers is to trust her powers and become the warrior she was destined to be.

The first book in this exhilarating new paranormal romance series has a hero and heroine that are beings of fire, so readers should expect to be burned as the chemistry that flows between is volcanic and the sparks start flying in every direction upon first meeting. Alex and Collum’s attraction is one thing but the relationship has emotions raging out of control as well due to the situation these strong, vibrant characters find themselves in, especially Alex is not really allowed the time it takes to digest her all new reality.

The plot is fast pace and full of exciting events and is extremely suspenseful, keeping readers from being able to put the book down at any time. This story is also a bit complex as it is at the whim of a man who is a little bit insane and the mercy of all his manipulations. This keeps the story on a twisted path of secrets, betrayals and downright hide and seek games. There is no way for readers to become bored during this explosive, thrilling and entertaining story with one sexy dragon shifter guardian and flammable heroine.

Caught a deal through Audible, so listened to the second book first.  First let’s talk of the narrator, the story is written from both points of view and Fiacre Douglas is an easy listen and does a good job with this story. This is a sweet story of two people finding each other. There is family drama, a very small intrigue and heart ache. Such a good listen. I am moving on to the missed book one. Hope to find it as good. Don’t miss this one. 

What a fun story! I really enjoyed this urban fantasy. Reagan is my kind of bounty hunter – efficient with weapons and full of sass. I so enjoyed all her quips and how that affected those around her. Through a series of work technicalities, she gets stuck working with a powerful and handsome vampire Darius. They are hunting down some strange magics.

Now this isn’t your typical vampire tale. While there is a hint of flirtation that could develop into romance, there are no sex scenes in this story. It’s all about solving the mystery and if a few instances of dry humping occur, that’s just one of the hazards of dealing with magic. While Darius is all for entering into a formal bond with Reagan, she’s an independent sort and not interested.

Reagan has her secrets and apparently some old family friends (Callie and Dizzy) know some of those secrets plus a few more. Reagan’s magic isn’t like any other magic she knows and she goes to good lengths to conceal that. I can see how Callie could become a surrogate mother to Reagan as the series moves forward.

There’s plenty of humor in this story and I applaud the use of sarcasm and pointing out the obvious. Her mouth lands her in trouble a few times but she has the muscle and magic to handle it. Sword, gun, and magic all get equal time in the fights.

When I finished this book, I was quite ready to jump into the next. Looking forward to the rest of the series. 5/5 stars.

The Narration: Nicole Poole was a perfect fit for this book. Her voice for Reagan is spot on and she makes a sexy Darius as well. I love her harsh voices for Reagan’s neighbors, Callie’s commanding shout, Dizzy’s old man apologetic voice, and the mechanical modified voice of the Big Baddie. I felt that Poole had a lot of fun with this story; her enthusiasm shows in the performance. 5/5 stars.