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Forgotten Goddesses #2
How to Worship a Goddess
Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon, and could have any man she wanted. But these days, the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, where one ferociously handsome player inflames her divine blood. Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row.
282 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Julian
163 books1,057 followersStephanie Julian is a USA Today and New York Time best-selling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. She writes stories with sultry heat and sweet heart.
She is the author of the best-selling Salon Games and Indecent series. INVITE ME IN (previously published as BY PRIVATE INVITATION) was an RT Magazine Top Pick. AN INDECENT PROPOSITION was named by BookBub as one of the 20 Best Erotic Books.
Stephanie is happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and the mother of two hairy sons.
Find out why reviewers call Stephanie's stories "fascinating," "truly fantastic," "intoxicating," "highly imaginative" and "hot enough to peel paint."
She is the author of the best-selling Salon Games and Indecent series. INVITE ME IN (previously published as BY PRIVATE INVITATION) was an RT Magazine Top Pick. AN INDECENT PROPOSITION was named by BookBub as one of the 20 Best Erotic Books.
Stephanie is happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and the mother of two hairy sons.
Find out why reviewers call Stephanie's stories "fascinating," "truly fantastic," "intoxicating," "highly imaginative" and "hot enough to peel paint."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 19, 2011
Holy smoke this book is sizzling hot! You get great characters, action, humor and sizzling hot sex. What else could anyone ask for? Not me I loved it and didn’t want it to end. Stephens’s talent never ceases to amaze me.
I loved reading both Lucy and her extremely hot soccer player Brandon. Brandon thinks he is washed up but before it all ends he get a total surprise because he is not all human. Yep, I end here you have to read to find out what he is. *whispering* I will tell you he not wolf… Squeak, loved it.
Although this is a standalone, this story has ties with another one of my very favorite series by Stephanie it’s called Lucani lovers, if you haven’t read you should try it.
I recommend this to anyone who likes plenty of heat with there paranormal romance.
I loved reading both Lucy and her extremely hot soccer player Brandon. Brandon thinks he is washed up but before it all ends he get a total surprise because he is not all human. Yep, I end here you have to read to find out what he is. *whispering* I will tell you he not wolf… Squeak, loved it.
Although this is a standalone, this story has ties with another one of my very favorite series by Stephanie it’s called Lucani lovers, if you haven’t read you should try it.
I recommend this to anyone who likes plenty of heat with there paranormal romance.
October 25, 2011
This book is actually the second book in the Forgotten Goddesses series and I really liked this one better than the first. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first one but I guess I had a little trouble enjoying it because I was so busy getting to know all the goddesses and characters and figuring out just what was going on, ya know, first book syndrome and all.
This book is about Lusna 'Lucy' Etruscan Goddess of the Moon. In the first book we learn that the goddesses are being hunted down for their powers. They are being hunted by Charun, kind of lord of the underworld, who believes if he can gather the Goddesses powers he can escape from Aitas and become all powerful. This is the underlying story. The main story is about Lucy and Brandon. Lucy has been drawn to Brandon for quite some time and sits front and center at everyone of his games, oh, did I mention Brandon is a big, smokin' hot hockey player!!? Anyway, Brandon has noticed Lucy too and finds his way to her eventually and they realize they have an undeniable pull to each other and that it is obviously something more than simple attraction and lust. Oh yeah, Miss Julian does not disappoint, this book is loaded with yummy, steamy, sometimes a little dominant SEX!!! Lucy is warned that Charun is hunting Goddesses and she should beware but she is worried because although Brandon has a mild magic signature, he is still human and can be harmed.....or is he?? I can't really give anymore of the story away but I will say that I think this has a potential to be a wonderfully creative and fun series as we meet all of the Forgotten Goddesses and get to know them!!
****This story was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley
This book is about Lusna 'Lucy' Etruscan Goddess of the Moon. In the first book we learn that the goddesses are being hunted down for their powers. They are being hunted by Charun, kind of lord of the underworld, who believes if he can gather the Goddesses powers he can escape from Aitas and become all powerful. This is the underlying story. The main story is about Lucy and Brandon. Lucy has been drawn to Brandon for quite some time and sits front and center at everyone of his games, oh, did I mention Brandon is a big, smokin' hot hockey player!!? Anyway, Brandon has noticed Lucy too and finds his way to her eventually and they realize they have an undeniable pull to each other and that it is obviously something more than simple attraction and lust. Oh yeah, Miss Julian does not disappoint, this book is loaded with yummy, steamy, sometimes a little dominant SEX!!! Lucy is warned that Charun is hunting Goddesses and she should beware but she is worried because although Brandon has a mild magic signature, he is still human and can be harmed.....or is he?? I can't really give anymore of the story away but I will say that I think this has a potential to be a wonderfully creative and fun series as we meet all of the Forgotten Goddesses and get to know them!!
****This story was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley
October 24, 2011
Lucy, the Etruscan Goddess of the Moon and the goddess the Lucani worship. However, there are demons after her trying to steal her power to get their master out the Underworld, which makes is really bad timing when Brandon Stevenson, the ice hockey player she has been lusting sfter for two seasons steps into her bar looking for her.
I confess, I have been a bad bad girl! Normally I am really OCD about reading books in order, but I have been naughty as I haven't read the first book yet: What a Goddess Wants, something I am going to have in immediatley rectify as I really liked this book.
I liked the characters of Lucy and Brand in this book, I thought they made a sweet as well as flaming hot couple! The sex in this book was hot and frequent, Brand was a fricking love machine and had that dominant edge that gets me all hot and bothered, I would kinda hate Lucy if I didn't like her so much! However, don't be put off by my sex-being-frequent comment, as although it is, it doesn't drown the book so you are reading 350 pages of being getting their end off. This book does have a story, one which continues from the previous book, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see what will happen next.
Stephanie Julian has written a lot of books, all set in the same world, which is fantastic as I get the impression that some of the characters in this book were HEAs from her other series. But, this did make it a little confusing, I understood the world but I did get mixed up with what species was what. Not enough to ruin the book, but I think I definitely need to read some more of her other books till I get my head around it.
A great read, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone wanting an erotica with a big heap of romance.
I confess, I have been a bad bad girl! Normally I am really OCD about reading books in order, but I have been naughty as I haven't read the first book yet: What a Goddess Wants, something I am going to have in immediatley rectify as I really liked this book.
I liked the characters of Lucy and Brand in this book, I thought they made a sweet as well as flaming hot couple! The sex in this book was hot and frequent, Brand was a fricking love machine and had that dominant edge that gets me all hot and bothered, I would kinda hate Lucy if I didn't like her so much! However, don't be put off by my sex-being-frequent comment, as although it is, it doesn't drown the book so you are reading 350 pages of being getting their end off. This book does have a story, one which continues from the previous book, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see what will happen next.
Stephanie Julian has written a lot of books, all set in the same world, which is fantastic as I get the impression that some of the characters in this book were HEAs from her other series. But, this did make it a little confusing, I understood the world but I did get mixed up with what species was what. Not enough to ruin the book, but I think I definitely need to read some more of her other books till I get my head around it.
A great read, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone wanting an erotica with a big heap of romance.
November 30, 2011
3.75 Stars
How to Worship a Goddess was a new spin on a hugely expanding genre.
It seems that every second romance author is trying their hand at paranormal which makes it hard to find a unique story in between all the variations of vampires, demons, fae etc, but I think Stephanie Julian may have a winner here.
The female protagonist - is a Goddess, but the part I enjoyed is that she wasn't perfect, she wasn't the be all and end all of all thing magical. Her powers weren't anything profound - in fact they were quite limited, making for some great conflict. And I even enjoyed the simple little fact that her name was Lucy - well in actuality it was Lusna Etrucian Goddess of the Moon, but she was always referred to as Lucy. She didn't need to have a hyped up name to pull off the mystical, Goddess-y nature, she was just Lucy.
Brandon - the sexy, macho, alpha with dreamy protective tendencies was the scrumptious ice hockey player that adored Lucy from first sight. He also came with a few surprises which I picked up on quite early - but it was still an enjoyable twist to this story.
I found the heat between Brandon and Lucy to be quite scorching - Stephanie Julian can definitely write a good sex scene but sometimes I wanted more intimate moments between the characters to convince me it was love instead of lust.
How to Worship a Goddess was a new spin on a hugely expanding genre.
It seems that every second romance author is trying their hand at paranormal which makes it hard to find a unique story in between all the variations of vampires, demons, fae etc, but I think Stephanie Julian may have a winner here.
The female protagonist - is a Goddess, but the part I enjoyed is that she wasn't perfect, she wasn't the be all and end all of all thing magical. Her powers weren't anything profound - in fact they were quite limited, making for some great conflict. And I even enjoyed the simple little fact that her name was Lucy - well in actuality it was Lusna Etrucian Goddess of the Moon, but she was always referred to as Lucy. She didn't need to have a hyped up name to pull off the mystical, Goddess-y nature, she was just Lucy.
Brandon - the sexy, macho, alpha with dreamy protective tendencies was the scrumptious ice hockey player that adored Lucy from first sight. He also came with a few surprises which I picked up on quite early - but it was still an enjoyable twist to this story.
I found the heat between Brandon and Lucy to be quite scorching - Stephanie Julian can definitely write a good sex scene but sometimes I wanted more intimate moments between the characters to convince me it was love instead of lust.
November 21, 2011
Lucy the goddess of the moon is now a forgotten goddess, But even though she is considered forgotten she holds more power than her sister goddess. Charon a god of the underworld wants out and in order to do that he has to capture Lucy and consume her powers. Lucy owns a bar and with Lucy having time on her hand she loves to watch ice hockey so she goes to the rink every week and when she first went there she fell in love with one player, Brandon Stevenson. Brandon has played hockey all his life. But at every game he looks to one set in particular, Lucy's. He hasn't had the courage to meet her yet but they smile at each other. So one day he decides to look up where she lives. After meeting Lucy, Brandon cannot believe how much this lady had changed his life sexually and mentally. He never wants to leave her side and when he found out that Charun was after her he wasn’t going anywhere. But Lucy wants him nowhere near this.
The story between Lucy and Brandon was great, who wouldn't love a Dominant hockey player that's in love with you. There are great steamy scene and fighting scene's. The new characters introduced in this book are awesome and I cant wait to read more about them. They can have there own book if possible. I can't wait for the next book.
The story between Lucy and Brandon was great, who wouldn't love a Dominant hockey player that's in love with you. There are great steamy scene and fighting scene's. The new characters introduced in this book are awesome and I cant wait to read more about them. They can have there own book if possible. I can't wait for the next book.
January 28, 2022
This only took me 9 years to finish. Let's hope it doesn't take as long to finish the series.
December 31, 2011
Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
If a reader is looking for a book that will grab them from the first chapter then How to Worship a Goddess will do the trick. Ms. Julian sets the seduction up with teases about who and what Lucy is and how she’s yearned for the sexy and scarred hockey player. He turns up at her bar and the heat just sizzles between them. At first it’s a slow burn but the reader gets drawn in because of the eager anticipation thrumming through the scenes. It doesn’t take long for the pages to ignite and a reader is in for an eye-popping start to their relationship. I expect some readers will feel flushed because the descriptions are intense and I felt the emotions all the way to my toes. From that moment on, I simply could not put this book down. That same first chapter ends with a twist. What I found incredible was that it was only the beginning of the amazing and entertaining journey that Lucy and Brand embark upon. Where could the author go from there?
Internal and external conflicts – that’s where. Ms. Julian imbued her characters with a boatload of problems to overcome. Trust issues, life changes, nefarious manipulations, overprotective offspring, and the truth about Lucy. How’s a guy, used to playing the rough and tumble game of hockey, ever going to believe in what Lucy is? What will he do to keep her? And will the heroine get out of her own way so she could accept the happiness that’s just a touch of skin away? I had a great time watching how the author made the hero and heroine dance around all those dilemmas while falling in love the whole time.
Another great thing about this story is that it made me laugh. The out loud wanting-to-stifle-the-giggles-lest-people-thought-I-was-nuts laugh. I loved it when Ty showed Brand what he could do. The hero’s reaction was priceless and I could imagine what that must have looked like –making me giggle all the harder. That’s just one great example of the author’s sense of fun.
Then Caeles showed up and that exchange between Dogbreath and the “intelligent son” had me in stitches again. I completely enjoyed the banter and camaraderie that jumped off the pages between the main protagonists and the secondary characters. In fact, there were other secondary characters that played key roles in moving the plot along or gave me greater insight as to what makes both Lucy and Brand tick. Great writing all around.
Just when I thought all the cards had been played, Ms. Julia threw down a winning hand with a secret about Brand. It was awesome! It was exciting! And I thought I’d been gripped and engrossed before? Half way through the book and it was like I was recharged -- I could not stop reading. I never saw that revelation coming and it knocked my socks off. Again, the drama, the writing and descriptions brought it all to vivid life for me. I love surprises and every one of them is delightful in this tale.
The scene where Brandon gave into his passion despite his fighting not to do so – that whole encounter was combustible, totally screaming hot and made for a sexually intense and satisfying relationship scene that wowed me. If erotic romance readers like what I like, then they’re in for a treat. They’ll thrill to his mastery and loss of control. The author wrote it to perfection.
Just to be clear, the story isn’t all internal angst and sex. There’s this really scary demon thing that hurts someone Lucy loves and they all have to band together and outwit the thing. It was dramatic, heart thumping and emotional. More kudos for that well written action.
The happily ever after is everything that I could wish for and I was very satisfied and content with the romantic declaration towards the end.
Romance that makes you smile, cheer and swoon doesn’t get any better than How to Worship a Goddess. It’s a wild and amusing tale with great emotion, intense dramatic flair topped off with sizzling sexual chemistry between the main characters. Ms. Julian has given a marvelous gift to readers in writing her Forgotten Goddesses series and I can’t wait to read the next adventure. It’s truly worth waiting for.
If a reader is looking for a book that will grab them from the first chapter then How to Worship a Goddess will do the trick. Ms. Julian sets the seduction up with teases about who and what Lucy is and how she’s yearned for the sexy and scarred hockey player. He turns up at her bar and the heat just sizzles between them. At first it’s a slow burn but the reader gets drawn in because of the eager anticipation thrumming through the scenes. It doesn’t take long for the pages to ignite and a reader is in for an eye-popping start to their relationship. I expect some readers will feel flushed because the descriptions are intense and I felt the emotions all the way to my toes. From that moment on, I simply could not put this book down. That same first chapter ends with a twist. What I found incredible was that it was only the beginning of the amazing and entertaining journey that Lucy and Brand embark upon. Where could the author go from there?
Internal and external conflicts – that’s where. Ms. Julian imbued her characters with a boatload of problems to overcome. Trust issues, life changes, nefarious manipulations, overprotective offspring, and the truth about Lucy. How’s a guy, used to playing the rough and tumble game of hockey, ever going to believe in what Lucy is? What will he do to keep her? And will the heroine get out of her own way so she could accept the happiness that’s just a touch of skin away? I had a great time watching how the author made the hero and heroine dance around all those dilemmas while falling in love the whole time.
Another great thing about this story is that it made me laugh. The out loud wanting-to-stifle-the-giggles-lest-people-thought-I-was-nuts laugh. I loved it when Ty showed Brand what he could do. The hero’s reaction was priceless and I could imagine what that must have looked like –making me giggle all the harder. That’s just one great example of the author’s sense of fun.
Then Caeles showed up and that exchange between Dogbreath and the “intelligent son” had me in stitches again. I completely enjoyed the banter and camaraderie that jumped off the pages between the main protagonists and the secondary characters. In fact, there were other secondary characters that played key roles in moving the plot along or gave me greater insight as to what makes both Lucy and Brand tick. Great writing all around.
Just when I thought all the cards had been played, Ms. Julia threw down a winning hand with a secret about Brand. It was awesome! It was exciting! And I thought I’d been gripped and engrossed before? Half way through the book and it was like I was recharged -- I could not stop reading. I never saw that revelation coming and it knocked my socks off. Again, the drama, the writing and descriptions brought it all to vivid life for me. I love surprises and every one of them is delightful in this tale.
The scene where Brandon gave into his passion despite his fighting not to do so – that whole encounter was combustible, totally screaming hot and made for a sexually intense and satisfying relationship scene that wowed me. If erotic romance readers like what I like, then they’re in for a treat. They’ll thrill to his mastery and loss of control. The author wrote it to perfection.
Just to be clear, the story isn’t all internal angst and sex. There’s this really scary demon thing that hurts someone Lucy loves and they all have to band together and outwit the thing. It was dramatic, heart thumping and emotional. More kudos for that well written action.
The happily ever after is everything that I could wish for and I was very satisfied and content with the romantic declaration towards the end.
Romance that makes you smile, cheer and swoon doesn’t get any better than How to Worship a Goddess. It’s a wild and amusing tale with great emotion, intense dramatic flair topped off with sizzling sexual chemistry between the main characters. Ms. Julian has given a marvelous gift to readers in writing her Forgotten Goddesses series and I can’t wait to read the next adventure. It’s truly worth waiting for.
December 12, 2011
First of all, I love the Author's note at the end - telling us how she decided to tell a story about a Hockey Player - and not just any Hockey Player, but one about the Reading Royals from her hometown - that's awesome that she was able to use that personal experience in her own book :)
Anyway - Onto the Review - the book starts off with us following Lucy on a typical day - Lucy Aster - Etruscan Goddess of the Moon. "Some days, it just didn't pay to get out of bed, Especially if you happened to be a once-powerful goddess and you'd just spent the last half hour on your hands and knees cleaning the clogged drain in your bar"
Lucy was once the all powerful Goddess,* More than Two Thousand years ago, she'd given a small village of Etruscan the power to transform their bodies from human to wolf. And for that, they continued to worship her. Even if she no longer deserved it. *
Over the years, The God's and Goddess's powers started to fade, most of her sister goddess's no longer held their powers, but Lucy still had a little left. She was able to channel some of her power through the moon. But most of her power was too weak to be useful to her lucani followers..
And for THAT reason, she was grateful for her Railers Games *the Minor-league hockey team filled her winter nights with hot, guy-on-guy action. She loved Hockey, Loved the Speed, the agility, the Fights, the Men * ... can you blame her?? Lol
The last two seasons, she'd looked forward to each game, because of HIM - Brandon Stevenson, 6'2", 200 lbs. She could recite his stats in her sleep. Railers #17 ignited something inside her that she hadn't felt in.. Well, never. She didn't know why he attracted her so strongly. She had never been as strongly attracted to anyone before in over two millennia years.
Brandon Stevenson , a 35 year old Hockey player. He head the brute strength to keep him in shape, and everyone off his back. He started playing Hockey when he was 10. He had always had trouble keeping his temper at bay, He tried Football, and baseball, and basketball, but they didn't help. Hockey... He was able to use his anger on the ice, and because of that, he was one of the best players out there.
Brand had seen the woman sitting in the same seat every game this whole season. He had seen her there was different people, so he didn't think she was there with her boyfriend, He has wanted her since the first time he'd seen her. And it went far beyond what he had ever felt for another woman in his entire life.
Lucy Aster- He'd asked the Ticket guys who she was.
By the time he finally found where she lived, he felt pretty stupid for not knowing how to approach her.
Lucky for him, Lucy had a Bar on the first floor of the house, so he was able to walk in without any problems - unfortunately, he didn't know that the Bar was for the lucani - but they let him in anyway. When Brand took a seat up at the Bar, just as Lucy came out on the stage with her son Caeles for the show -
She knew Brandon was there watching her, and it made her nervous, but the lucani where there to hear her sing - so she did.
After the show, Lucy made her way though the crowd and stopped in front of Brandon - they talked, and one thing lead to another - then they were upstairs
The romance in this book was pretty hot - These two had a special connection, and neither of them wanted to fight it.
After awhile, we learn that Lucy is in danger, Charun - the God of the Underworld is after the powers the Goddess's still posses. And since Lucy seems to posses the most, she is in the most danger. He has been sending his demons over to kidnap her - but not if Brand has anything to do with it.
The only trouble I had with this reading was the Italian names - Sure lucani looks pretty much like lycanthrope - which means Werewolf, but words like "Lucani? Versipelli? Aguane and silvani, fauni?? I feel like I'm going to have to take a course in Italian Mythology :)
The book was pretty good though. The secrets that are reviled are a big surprise - and I'm not sure, but I think the book is left open enough so the author could continue on with his series.
Anyway - Onto the Review - the book starts off with us following Lucy on a typical day - Lucy Aster - Etruscan Goddess of the Moon. "Some days, it just didn't pay to get out of bed, Especially if you happened to be a once-powerful goddess and you'd just spent the last half hour on your hands and knees cleaning the clogged drain in your bar"
Lucy was once the all powerful Goddess,* More than Two Thousand years ago, she'd given a small village of Etruscan the power to transform their bodies from human to wolf. And for that, they continued to worship her. Even if she no longer deserved it. *
Over the years, The God's and Goddess's powers started to fade, most of her sister goddess's no longer held their powers, but Lucy still had a little left. She was able to channel some of her power through the moon. But most of her power was too weak to be useful to her lucani followers..
And for THAT reason, she was grateful for her Railers Games *the Minor-league hockey team filled her winter nights with hot, guy-on-guy action. She loved Hockey, Loved the Speed, the agility, the Fights, the Men * ... can you blame her?? Lol
The last two seasons, she'd looked forward to each game, because of HIM - Brandon Stevenson, 6'2", 200 lbs. She could recite his stats in her sleep. Railers #17 ignited something inside her that she hadn't felt in.. Well, never. She didn't know why he attracted her so strongly. She had never been as strongly attracted to anyone before in over two millennia years.
Brandon Stevenson , a 35 year old Hockey player. He head the brute strength to keep him in shape, and everyone off his back. He started playing Hockey when he was 10. He had always had trouble keeping his temper at bay, He tried Football, and baseball, and basketball, but they didn't help. Hockey... He was able to use his anger on the ice, and because of that, he was one of the best players out there.
Brand had seen the woman sitting in the same seat every game this whole season. He had seen her there was different people, so he didn't think she was there with her boyfriend, He has wanted her since the first time he'd seen her. And it went far beyond what he had ever felt for another woman in his entire life.
Lucy Aster- He'd asked the Ticket guys who she was.
By the time he finally found where she lived, he felt pretty stupid for not knowing how to approach her.
Lucky for him, Lucy had a Bar on the first floor of the house, so he was able to walk in without any problems - unfortunately, he didn't know that the Bar was for the lucani - but they let him in anyway. When Brand took a seat up at the Bar, just as Lucy came out on the stage with her son Caeles for the show -
She knew Brandon was there watching her, and it made her nervous, but the lucani where there to hear her sing - so she did.
After the show, Lucy made her way though the crowd and stopped in front of Brandon - they talked, and one thing lead to another - then they were upstairs
The romance in this book was pretty hot - These two had a special connection, and neither of them wanted to fight it.
After awhile, we learn that Lucy is in danger, Charun - the God of the Underworld is after the powers the Goddess's still posses. And since Lucy seems to posses the most, she is in the most danger. He has been sending his demons over to kidnap her - but not if Brand has anything to do with it.
The only trouble I had with this reading was the Italian names - Sure lucani looks pretty much like lycanthrope - which means Werewolf, but words like "Lucani? Versipelli? Aguane and silvani, fauni?? I feel like I'm going to have to take a course in Italian Mythology :)
The book was pretty good though. The secrets that are reviled are a big surprise - and I'm not sure, but I think the book is left open enough so the author could continue on with his series.
November 15, 2011
I'd give it a 3 rating for a regular PNR standards and a 3.5 for erotica standards.
Summary:
Lucy is one of the forgotten Etruscan Goddesses, over the past millennium as times and worships change she has lost most of her power. If she hadn’t had her Luciani (werewolves) she truly would be forgotten. One of Lucy’s few pleasures left in life is hockey and one hockey player in particular. Each game Lucy sits in her seat and lusts for Brandon Stevenson, if only she could find a way to meet the intriguing hockey player. Each game Brandon notices the sexy woman that sits in the same seat, there is something about her that has him on edge. He doesn’t just want to meet her, he needs to with every fiber of his being. He is approaching stalker status and tracks the beautiful Lucy down to a bar that is not even on the map. Instantly these two go up into sensual flames, both have the night of their lives, until morning approaches and Lucy knows she has to wipe Brandon’s memory and send him home. Only the spell doesn’t take (because she didn’t want it too?) and Brandon comes back the next night. Lucy knows she should send him away, but she can’t. But danger surrounds Lucy and she fears he is now smack dab in the middle of immortal affairs as a “weak” human. Has her desire killed a good man?
Review:
So I have different standards for erotica verses a “regular” romance. For me the emphasis is definitely placed on different aspects when dealing with erotica. I would definitely place this book more into the erotica genre then the standard romance genre because the “scenes” are hot enough to steam up the pages. I’m not usually a huge fan of erotica I tend to like a little more story to my books, but the concept of goddess meets hockey player intrigued me. I have to say I’m a fan of hockey themed romances (Think Rachel Gibson Chinooks Series, it has some of my favorite books of all time), so when I saw this one on Netgalley I scooped it up, hoping for a good story. At first I was a little disappointed, the story was looking like it was going to be straight erotica with very little character involvement. After about 30-40% of the way through the book the story started getting more involved and we got to know our characters a little better. Brandon is a super sexy, very aggressive, dominate male. He doesn’t care that Lucy is a Goddess, when it comes to the bedroom he is all male and a man that will dominate with his fierce personality. He is a man that will love and protect with the same fierceness. Lucy is a goddess, she is used to being worshipped and never having her will questioned. With Brandon he doesn’t care that she is a goddess demands surrender from this proud woman, Lucy finds that with Brandon she can lose herself as she never has before. Times are changing, Lucy is changing and she finds that with Brandon maybe these changes aren’t so bad. I liked Lucy and Brandon and their journey together. This is a fast paced novel, with plenty to keep you turning pages. There are some small issues such as some repetitive moments and sentences throughout the book. We really don’t get to know our characters until later on in the novel and I prefer more of a build up, I at least to know my characters a little more before they are knocking boots non-stop. LOL. But overall, it was pretty good. I’d read the next one in the series; see where S. Julian is taking us.
Rating:
3.5
*This title was provided to me through NetGalley by the publisher for an honest review.
Summary:
Lucy is one of the forgotten Etruscan Goddesses, over the past millennium as times and worships change she has lost most of her power. If she hadn’t had her Luciani (werewolves) she truly would be forgotten. One of Lucy’s few pleasures left in life is hockey and one hockey player in particular. Each game Lucy sits in her seat and lusts for Brandon Stevenson, if only she could find a way to meet the intriguing hockey player. Each game Brandon notices the sexy woman that sits in the same seat, there is something about her that has him on edge. He doesn’t just want to meet her, he needs to with every fiber of his being. He is approaching stalker status and tracks the beautiful Lucy down to a bar that is not even on the map. Instantly these two go up into sensual flames, both have the night of their lives, until morning approaches and Lucy knows she has to wipe Brandon’s memory and send him home. Only the spell doesn’t take (because she didn’t want it too?) and Brandon comes back the next night. Lucy knows she should send him away, but she can’t. But danger surrounds Lucy and she fears he is now smack dab in the middle of immortal affairs as a “weak” human. Has her desire killed a good man?
Review:
So I have different standards for erotica verses a “regular” romance. For me the emphasis is definitely placed on different aspects when dealing with erotica. I would definitely place this book more into the erotica genre then the standard romance genre because the “scenes” are hot enough to steam up the pages. I’m not usually a huge fan of erotica I tend to like a little more story to my books, but the concept of goddess meets hockey player intrigued me. I have to say I’m a fan of hockey themed romances (Think Rachel Gibson Chinooks Series, it has some of my favorite books of all time), so when I saw this one on Netgalley I scooped it up, hoping for a good story. At first I was a little disappointed, the story was looking like it was going to be straight erotica with very little character involvement. After about 30-40% of the way through the book the story started getting more involved and we got to know our characters a little better. Brandon is a super sexy, very aggressive, dominate male. He doesn’t care that Lucy is a Goddess, when it comes to the bedroom he is all male and a man that will dominate with his fierce personality. He is a man that will love and protect with the same fierceness. Lucy is a goddess, she is used to being worshipped and never having her will questioned. With Brandon he doesn’t care that she is a goddess demands surrender from this proud woman, Lucy finds that with Brandon she can lose herself as she never has before. Times are changing, Lucy is changing and she finds that with Brandon maybe these changes aren’t so bad. I liked Lucy and Brandon and their journey together. This is a fast paced novel, with plenty to keep you turning pages. There are some small issues such as some repetitive moments and sentences throughout the book. We really don’t get to know our characters until later on in the novel and I prefer more of a build up, I at least to know my characters a little more before they are knocking boots non-stop. LOL. But overall, it was pretty good. I’d read the next one in the series; see where S. Julian is taking us.
Rating:
3.5
*This title was provided to me through NetGalley by the publisher for an honest review.
November 29, 2011
“Wow. Just… Wow.” To steal a line from the book, that sums it up for me. I read this book in two evenings, that’s how much I loved it.
How To Worship a Goddess, a Goddess named Lucy, actually. Even more exact, Lusna Etrucian Goddess of the Moon. Lucy is one of the Forgotten Goddesses, Goddesses mainly in name and diminishing power. She’s worshiped by some still, namely the Lucani (skin shifters, werewolves). Lucy has been feeling obsolete since her powers have been dwindling.
In walks Brandon Stevenson, Brand for short. He’s a hockey player for the minor league, Railers. He’s in his mid thirties and also feeling like his career on the ice is coming to an end soon. Then he starts noticing a beautiful woman at every home game in the same seat. And she is definitely noticing him.
When these two finally meet up there is no denying the instant and electric chemistry. And oh my goodness, the sexy scenes are hot enough to singe the sun! Seriously, if you want to read a very well written sexual scene that doesn’t just use words for the sake of using them, then this book is for you.
I really loved the way that Brand and Lucy interacted together. Instant chemistry, love at first sight, call it what you will. You know they are in it together. Even a mind erase couldn’t keep them apart!
But then they learn that Charun may be coming for her, to basically consume Lucy and take over her powers. She wouldn’t be the first Goddess down. And Brand is feeling so very awfully protective and well… alpha. Yeah, I said it. That man is a wonderful beast of an alpha male. He doesn’t want to just have sex with Lucy. No, he wants to dominate her sexually, make her realize the depth of her own need for him. And the way he goes about that is just so confident and…hot. It will leave you speechless.
“She hadn’t torn him to shreds in the throes of madness. No, he’d f**ked her into complacency. Wow. Just…Wow”.
How could you deny something like that? There’s a few twists here in this book that I really loved. The Tukhulkha demon lets a little information slip that is a total game changer. And you, the reader, don’t get to know immediately what it is. Stephanie Julian wisely and craftily and slowly increases the heat and the intensity of the story until you think this is it, it can’t get any better! And then it does!
I really love an alpha couple that are in tune with each other. A look, a whisper, a gesture. Something small that indicates they are not only on the same page, but the same sentence. Brand and Lucy definitely have that going for them. They seem to have an almost telepathic connection, perhaps more empathic. Whatever is it, it works for them.
And Lucy’s loyal and loving family and friends open the floodgates of knowledge on Brand, filling him in on the different points of the Etrucians. In it all you can see their love for her, their desire to not only keep her safe but happy.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a hot and steamy paranormal romance. This book has everything you are looking for. Shifters, witches, demons, Goddesses, and a hockey player (or a few!) This book is #2 in the series. However, I haven’t read the first one and I felt this book easily was able to stand on its own. But now that I’ve had a taste I’m going for the whole thing and starting at the beginning.
How To Worship a Goddess, a Goddess named Lucy, actually. Even more exact, Lusna Etrucian Goddess of the Moon. Lucy is one of the Forgotten Goddesses, Goddesses mainly in name and diminishing power. She’s worshiped by some still, namely the Lucani (skin shifters, werewolves). Lucy has been feeling obsolete since her powers have been dwindling.
In walks Brandon Stevenson, Brand for short. He’s a hockey player for the minor league, Railers. He’s in his mid thirties and also feeling like his career on the ice is coming to an end soon. Then he starts noticing a beautiful woman at every home game in the same seat. And she is definitely noticing him.
When these two finally meet up there is no denying the instant and electric chemistry. And oh my goodness, the sexy scenes are hot enough to singe the sun! Seriously, if you want to read a very well written sexual scene that doesn’t just use words for the sake of using them, then this book is for you.
I really loved the way that Brand and Lucy interacted together. Instant chemistry, love at first sight, call it what you will. You know they are in it together. Even a mind erase couldn’t keep them apart!
But then they learn that Charun may be coming for her, to basically consume Lucy and take over her powers. She wouldn’t be the first Goddess down. And Brand is feeling so very awfully protective and well… alpha. Yeah, I said it. That man is a wonderful beast of an alpha male. He doesn’t want to just have sex with Lucy. No, he wants to dominate her sexually, make her realize the depth of her own need for him. And the way he goes about that is just so confident and…hot. It will leave you speechless.
“She hadn’t torn him to shreds in the throes of madness. No, he’d f**ked her into complacency. Wow. Just…Wow”.
How could you deny something like that? There’s a few twists here in this book that I really loved. The Tukhulkha demon lets a little information slip that is a total game changer. And you, the reader, don’t get to know immediately what it is. Stephanie Julian wisely and craftily and slowly increases the heat and the intensity of the story until you think this is it, it can’t get any better! And then it does!
I really love an alpha couple that are in tune with each other. A look, a whisper, a gesture. Something small that indicates they are not only on the same page, but the same sentence. Brand and Lucy definitely have that going for them. They seem to have an almost telepathic connection, perhaps more empathic. Whatever is it, it works for them.
And Lucy’s loyal and loving family and friends open the floodgates of knowledge on Brand, filling him in on the different points of the Etrucians. In it all you can see their love for her, their desire to not only keep her safe but happy.
I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a hot and steamy paranormal romance. This book has everything you are looking for. Shifters, witches, demons, Goddesses, and a hockey player (or a few!) This book is #2 in the series. However, I haven’t read the first one and I felt this book easily was able to stand on its own. But now that I’ve had a taste I’m going for the whole thing and starting at the beginning.
August 27, 2012
How to Worship a Goddess is the second book in Stephanie Julian’s series Forgotten Goddesses, and I’ll have to admit not only is the series growing on me, but I have a hard time to put it down.
In the first book; What a Goddess Wants we met Tessa and Cal. This book focus on Tessa’s Goddess sister Lucy.
Lucy is the Goddess of the Moon, she was also called Lusna. She is a bit more powerful than her sisters, but mostly because of her wolves. Yep, Lucy is worshiped by Etruscan werewolves. When they worship her, she gets a bit of power boost. This boost Lucy uses to protect her people and her two sons. She also runs a bar in a secret town that doesn't show on a map, but is only known by the Etruscans. You would think Lucy had her hands full, but on the sideline she goes to see hockey games. For two years (well, seasons actually), she's had a secret crush on one of the players; Brandon Stevenson. Brandon is the main reason Lucy goes to the games.
Without her knowing, Brandon has spotted Lucy too. Always the same seat, and he can’t stop himself from looking for her every warm-up, every game. There’s something about her, that screams to him. And one day he can’t keep himself away anymore. He tracks her down, which is easier said than done. The address she used on her season ticket is not where she lives. Luckily, Brandon gets a little help to locate his little goddess. Lucy is surprised to see Brandon in her bar, but decides to take the advantage of the situation. After a HOT night together, Lucy uses magic to send Brandon home to his bed with no recollection of what happened. Or so she thought. Because what does a goddess do when her "Forget all about me spell" doesn't work, and the man comes back the night after? Will he be able to handle the truth and will she be able to let him go this time?
I really liked What a Goddess Wants (Tessa and Cal’s story), but I loved this one. There were so many surprises in this book and I rolled from one to the next, loving every moment and hated that the story stopped were it did. :-)
I really enjoyed reading about Lucy and Brandon, their obstacles to be together, even though I have to admit, Lucy was being… stubborn. I understand her concerns to a point, but there were a couple of times were I had a sudden urge to shake her just a little for not realizing the truth.
Charun (the God of the Underworld) is still hunting Goddesses, and he has now set his eyes on Lucy. Well, he doesn’t come himself, since he’s trapped in the Underworld (or Aitás, as the Etruscan calls it), so he sends his minions to get her. I get that. What I don’t understand is WHY none of the goddesses try and work together to make sure he stays in Aitás. Yes, yes, I KNOW they’re not as powerful as they used to be, but still. I would LOVE to see them kick his ass. Or at least that he showed his ugly mug instead of sending his blue demons. :-)
The third book in the series (Goddess in the Middle), was released July 3, 2012 and is Amity’s book. If you go to Stephanie Julian’s webpage you can find more about the Forgotten Goddesses, including how Stephanie thinks they look like. :-) I’m currently reading Goddess in the Middle, and so far I love it!
In the first book; What a Goddess Wants we met Tessa and Cal. This book focus on Tessa’s Goddess sister Lucy.
Lucy is the Goddess of the Moon, she was also called Lusna. She is a bit more powerful than her sisters, but mostly because of her wolves. Yep, Lucy is worshiped by Etruscan werewolves. When they worship her, she gets a bit of power boost. This boost Lucy uses to protect her people and her two sons. She also runs a bar in a secret town that doesn't show on a map, but is only known by the Etruscans. You would think Lucy had her hands full, but on the sideline she goes to see hockey games. For two years (well, seasons actually), she's had a secret crush on one of the players; Brandon Stevenson. Brandon is the main reason Lucy goes to the games.
Without her knowing, Brandon has spotted Lucy too. Always the same seat, and he can’t stop himself from looking for her every warm-up, every game. There’s something about her, that screams to him. And one day he can’t keep himself away anymore. He tracks her down, which is easier said than done. The address she used on her season ticket is not where she lives. Luckily, Brandon gets a little help to locate his little goddess. Lucy is surprised to see Brandon in her bar, but decides to take the advantage of the situation. After a HOT night together, Lucy uses magic to send Brandon home to his bed with no recollection of what happened. Or so she thought. Because what does a goddess do when her "Forget all about me spell" doesn't work, and the man comes back the night after? Will he be able to handle the truth and will she be able to let him go this time?
I really liked What a Goddess Wants (Tessa and Cal’s story), but I loved this one. There were so many surprises in this book and I rolled from one to the next, loving every moment and hated that the story stopped were it did. :-)
I really enjoyed reading about Lucy and Brandon, their obstacles to be together, even though I have to admit, Lucy was being… stubborn. I understand her concerns to a point, but there were a couple of times were I had a sudden urge to shake her just a little for not realizing the truth.
Charun (the God of the Underworld) is still hunting Goddesses, and he has now set his eyes on Lucy. Well, he doesn’t come himself, since he’s trapped in the Underworld (or Aitás, as the Etruscan calls it), so he sends his minions to get her. I get that. What I don’t understand is WHY none of the goddesses try and work together to make sure he stays in Aitás. Yes, yes, I KNOW they’re not as powerful as they used to be, but still. I would LOVE to see them kick his ass. Or at least that he showed his ugly mug instead of sending his blue demons. :-)
The third book in the series (Goddess in the Middle), was released July 3, 2012 and is Amity’s book. If you go to Stephanie Julian’s webpage you can find more about the Forgotten Goddesses, including how Stephanie thinks they look like. :-) I’m currently reading Goddess in the Middle, and so far I love it!
December 5, 2011
You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This was a fun, sexy paranormal romance, and while it’s the second in the series, it reads as a standalone novel. I hadn’t read any of Stephanie Julian’s books before, but after checking out her webpage, I realized that this series is loosely connected to her Lucani Lovers series. You definitely don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy How to Worship a Goddess, but after finishing this book I’m looking forward to learning about some of the secondary characters’ backstory in her other series.
Lucy Aster was formerly the Etruscan Goddess of the Moon, Lusna, but as the number of her followers decreased over the years, she and the other goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon have lost much of their power. Centuries ago Lucy created the lucani, wolf shifters, and they still worship her and treat her as their mother, but she can feel her power slipping away. As a new threat to her and the other goddesses appears, it’s unclear if she retains enough power to protect herself.
Brandon Stevenson is a member of the local minor league hockey team, and he keeps noticing Lucy in the stands at all his games. He finally manages to introduce himself, and the two begin a hot and heavy affair. But Brand’s more than he appears – can a tough hockey player protect a former goddess from her enemies?
I enjoyed the mythology in this book. It was fun to see a pantheon other than the Greeks or Romans, and I like how Ms. Julian uses Brand’s introduction to Lucy and her world as a way to bring new readers up to speed on the series without a huge info dump. I think the lucani backstory adds a nice twist to the werewolf legend, and the interaction between Lucy and her various “children” is intriguing and sets up several possibilities for future books in the series.
Brand and Lucy’s sexual chemistry is off the charts, pushing this novel close to erotica, but I think it’s well done. I wish that the numerous sex scenes had been more balanced throughout the book, as many take place early in the narrative, which could put off potential readers. There is a well-developed narrative, and the characters are engaging so I suggest that you keep reading even if the sex scenes seem a bit much at first. I do like that the hero and heroine develop a strong relationship, even if it begins as a potential one-night stand.
I wish that we had more information about Brand’s background, which I can’t discuss too much without spoilers. Suffice it to say that he’s definitely more than human, and while this explains some quirks from early in the novel, I expected a bit more exposition about his new-found abilities and relationship with his parents.
Overall, this was a smoldering paranormal romance with appealing protagonists and an entertaining premise. I’m not sure how often I’ll be re-reading this one, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This was a fun, sexy paranormal romance, and while it’s the second in the series, it reads as a standalone novel. I hadn’t read any of Stephanie Julian’s books before, but after checking out her webpage, I realized that this series is loosely connected to her Lucani Lovers series. You definitely don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy How to Worship a Goddess, but after finishing this book I’m looking forward to learning about some of the secondary characters’ backstory in her other series.
Lucy Aster was formerly the Etruscan Goddess of the Moon, Lusna, but as the number of her followers decreased over the years, she and the other goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon have lost much of their power. Centuries ago Lucy created the lucani, wolf shifters, and they still worship her and treat her as their mother, but she can feel her power slipping away. As a new threat to her and the other goddesses appears, it’s unclear if she retains enough power to protect herself.
Brandon Stevenson is a member of the local minor league hockey team, and he keeps noticing Lucy in the stands at all his games. He finally manages to introduce himself, and the two begin a hot and heavy affair. But Brand’s more than he appears – can a tough hockey player protect a former goddess from her enemies?
I enjoyed the mythology in this book. It was fun to see a pantheon other than the Greeks or Romans, and I like how Ms. Julian uses Brand’s introduction to Lucy and her world as a way to bring new readers up to speed on the series without a huge info dump. I think the lucani backstory adds a nice twist to the werewolf legend, and the interaction between Lucy and her various “children” is intriguing and sets up several possibilities for future books in the series.
Brand and Lucy’s sexual chemistry is off the charts, pushing this novel close to erotica, but I think it’s well done. I wish that the numerous sex scenes had been more balanced throughout the book, as many take place early in the narrative, which could put off potential readers. There is a well-developed narrative, and the characters are engaging so I suggest that you keep reading even if the sex scenes seem a bit much at first. I do like that the hero and heroine develop a strong relationship, even if it begins as a potential one-night stand.
I wish that we had more information about Brand’s background, which I can’t discuss too much without spoilers. Suffice it to say that he’s definitely more than human, and while this explains some quirks from early in the novel, I expected a bit more exposition about his new-found abilities and relationship with his parents.
Overall, this was a smoldering paranormal romance with appealing protagonists and an entertaining premise. I’m not sure how often I’ll be re-reading this one, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 30, 2011
Sinfully sexy and deliciously intriguing, How to Worship a Goddess was a smokin’ hot read start to finish!
Lucy Aster (otherwise known as Lusna, Etruscan Goddess of the Moon) loves hockey, I mean what’s not to love? Sexy, brawny men full of testosterone flying across the ice straining and fighting each other over a win. But veteran player Brandon Stevenson is the real lure for Lucy. Little does she know that Brandon has been watching her just as intently as she’s been watching him. When Brand finds the nerve to finally approach Lucy, he tracks down her address and walks in the door of her lucani bar. Lucy is surprised when Brandon shows up, wondering how he was even able to find the place no mortal should, but she quickly takes advantage of the situation, taking this one night for herself to be just a woman, not a Goddess. After a night she will never forget, Lucy wipes Brandon’s memories, somehow though he finds himself back at the bar the next night. Knowing something is off; Brand quickly confronts Lucy seeking answers. To be able to overcome a Goddesses’ spell, Lucy knows Brandon must be more than mere human, but what can he be? When an evil underworld God sends his demons to take Lucy’s dwindling powers can she risk having Brandon around long enough to find out? Or will Brandon be able to prove that no matter what he is, he can stand by his Goddess through anything…
How to Worship a Goddess is the second book in the Forgotten Goddesses series and follows What a Goddess Wants. I haven’t read the first novel yet, though I just purchased it on sale for my Nook for only $1.99! I think the story would have read smoother if I had read the first novel in the series as the main Characters from What a Goddess Wants do show up and I felt like I was missing a bit of the story on them and background on the Goddesses early on. This story also ties into Stephanie Julian’s other series, Lucani Lovers.
However, How to Worship a Goddess was one hot erotic and wow, just an all out wet your panties sexy read. Lucy and Brandon together were perfect and their chemistry flammable. They are both dominant characters but Brand is more so in the bedroom which definitely turned up the heat. Lucy’s vacillating about her feelings towards Brandon and their relationship was a little frustrating but in her circumstances understandable. I enjoyed the story and Stephanie Julian’s writing flowed well, and her twist on Goddesses is unique, I also really liked the hockey aspect of the novel. There was some suspense and mystery, especially concerning one of Lucy’s son’s which I cannot wait to read his story; and a lot of other intriguing characters that I hope we get more books for. The mythology was really interesting and also the different factions of shifters. I will be checking out Stephanie’s Lucani Lovers to find out more about the lucani's!
A fun, engaging novel that puts the erotic in erotic romance!
Lucy Aster (otherwise known as Lusna, Etruscan Goddess of the Moon) loves hockey, I mean what’s not to love? Sexy, brawny men full of testosterone flying across the ice straining and fighting each other over a win. But veteran player Brandon Stevenson is the real lure for Lucy. Little does she know that Brandon has been watching her just as intently as she’s been watching him. When Brand finds the nerve to finally approach Lucy, he tracks down her address and walks in the door of her lucani bar. Lucy is surprised when Brandon shows up, wondering how he was even able to find the place no mortal should, but she quickly takes advantage of the situation, taking this one night for herself to be just a woman, not a Goddess. After a night she will never forget, Lucy wipes Brandon’s memories, somehow though he finds himself back at the bar the next night. Knowing something is off; Brand quickly confronts Lucy seeking answers. To be able to overcome a Goddesses’ spell, Lucy knows Brandon must be more than mere human, but what can he be? When an evil underworld God sends his demons to take Lucy’s dwindling powers can she risk having Brandon around long enough to find out? Or will Brandon be able to prove that no matter what he is, he can stand by his Goddess through anything…
How to Worship a Goddess is the second book in the Forgotten Goddesses series and follows What a Goddess Wants. I haven’t read the first novel yet, though I just purchased it on sale for my Nook for only $1.99! I think the story would have read smoother if I had read the first novel in the series as the main Characters from What a Goddess Wants do show up and I felt like I was missing a bit of the story on them and background on the Goddesses early on. This story also ties into Stephanie Julian’s other series, Lucani Lovers.
However, How to Worship a Goddess was one hot erotic and wow, just an all out wet your panties sexy read. Lucy and Brandon together were perfect and their chemistry flammable. They are both dominant characters but Brand is more so in the bedroom which definitely turned up the heat. Lucy’s vacillating about her feelings towards Brandon and their relationship was a little frustrating but in her circumstances understandable. I enjoyed the story and Stephanie Julian’s writing flowed well, and her twist on Goddesses is unique, I also really liked the hockey aspect of the novel. There was some suspense and mystery, especially concerning one of Lucy’s son’s which I cannot wait to read his story; and a lot of other intriguing characters that I hope we get more books for. The mythology was really interesting and also the different factions of shifters. I will be checking out Stephanie’s Lucani Lovers to find out more about the lucani's!
A fun, engaging novel that puts the erotic in erotic romance!
November 27, 2011
My Review:
It's official...I am a Stephanie Julian and a Forgotten Goddesses super-fan!! I loved the first book, but OMG, this one (book #2 in the series) was so phenomenal. I sat down to read it and could not put it down until it was completely finished. I loved the addition of the hockey player aspect (I have a soft spot for heroes that play professional sports) and Brandon is definitely up there with as a hot, hard, hunky hockey player.
This book features Lucy, Goddess of the Moon. Not only do her powers come from the moon, but she also works closely with the lucani, who are actually werewolves, who worship her and aid in keeping her powered up. Lucy is a mother of two boys, runs a bar, and is a HUGE hockey fan for her towns minor league team. She has season tickets and never misses a game especially since Brandon joined the team 2 years ago. She has had a crush on him ever since, but she is okay with simply crushing on him from afar.
Brandon has noticed Lucy too. She has sat in the same seat for two years and she has most definitely caught his eye...to the point of tracking her down, even though she gave a fake address for her season tickets. When he walks into her bar, it is quickly apparent that he may just be out of his element, but I love that he doesn't let that bother him. This guy has a TON thrown at him in this book, but I love his resilience in the face of stress. The guy just lets everything roll off his back and keeps going. He has the ability to assess and act regardless of the odds, the situation, the pain, or his emotions. That skill which he has learned after 17 years playing pro hockey serves him so perfectly when dealing with the craziness of Lucy's life.
And Lucy's life is definitely getting crazy as Charon has set his sights on stealing her powers. Add that to a combustible, emotional new relationship with Brandon which has revealed a side of him that he never knew existed, and the upheaval that comes from having a mysterious young, powerful lucani who is drawn to one of her sons and Lucy has a lot going on.
This book is so, so good! I loved Lucy! I LOVED Brandon. I loved the hockey element. I loved Lucy's sons. The only thing that I didn't love about this book was that it didn't continue. I want to know more...how is Brandon dealing? How is Lucy dealing? What about Ty (Lucy's son) and Cat (19 yo girl)?? I need to know more about all of them and what happened after the climax. I really, really hope that Stephanie adds more to their story sometime later in the series. Regardless, this was an amazing book and I am so glad that I got to read it. I read this as an ARC, but I can guarantee you that I will be adding a copy of the physical book to my keeper shelf when it becomes available in print!
It's official...I am a Stephanie Julian and a Forgotten Goddesses super-fan!! I loved the first book, but OMG, this one (book #2 in the series) was so phenomenal. I sat down to read it and could not put it down until it was completely finished. I loved the addition of the hockey player aspect (I have a soft spot for heroes that play professional sports) and Brandon is definitely up there with as a hot, hard, hunky hockey player.
This book features Lucy, Goddess of the Moon. Not only do her powers come from the moon, but she also works closely with the lucani, who are actually werewolves, who worship her and aid in keeping her powered up. Lucy is a mother of two boys, runs a bar, and is a HUGE hockey fan for her towns minor league team. She has season tickets and never misses a game especially since Brandon joined the team 2 years ago. She has had a crush on him ever since, but she is okay with simply crushing on him from afar.
Brandon has noticed Lucy too. She has sat in the same seat for two years and she has most definitely caught his eye...to the point of tracking her down, even though she gave a fake address for her season tickets. When he walks into her bar, it is quickly apparent that he may just be out of his element, but I love that he doesn't let that bother him. This guy has a TON thrown at him in this book, but I love his resilience in the face of stress. The guy just lets everything roll off his back and keeps going. He has the ability to assess and act regardless of the odds, the situation, the pain, or his emotions. That skill which he has learned after 17 years playing pro hockey serves him so perfectly when dealing with the craziness of Lucy's life.
And Lucy's life is definitely getting crazy as Charon has set his sights on stealing her powers. Add that to a combustible, emotional new relationship with Brandon which has revealed a side of him that he never knew existed, and the upheaval that comes from having a mysterious young, powerful lucani who is drawn to one of her sons and Lucy has a lot going on.
This book is so, so good! I loved Lucy! I LOVED Brandon. I loved the hockey element. I loved Lucy's sons. The only thing that I didn't love about this book was that it didn't continue. I want to know more...how is Brandon dealing? How is Lucy dealing? What about Ty (Lucy's son) and Cat (19 yo girl)?? I need to know more about all of them and what happened after the climax. I really, really hope that Stephanie adds more to their story sometime later in the series. Regardless, this was an amazing book and I am so glad that I got to read it. I read this as an ARC, but I can guarantee you that I will be adding a copy of the physical book to my keeper shelf when it becomes available in print!
November 19, 2011
And here we are yet again with a hot romance, or maybe romantic erotica would fit it better? If we're thinking of it as just erotica, it has got to be one of the best books of the genre I've read so far.
What really makes this an awesome read is that, aside having stupid-hot chemistry, Brandon and Lucy have a lot of feeling going as well. I mean, don't get me wrong, just hotness is cool, but without feelings it's not as interesting as it could get. :D I like them both as characters, separately, and as a couple they were on fire. I mean, who wouldn't like the hotstud hockey player (that packs some surprises too, but I am SO not telling you about them *mwahahaha*)?? And the hot sort of neglected goddess? One thing I really, really liked about them both was the fact that they were mature people, we're talking 30+ for him, and well, 2000+ for her or something, but a 30-ish appearance. Young, spring-ish things are cool, unless they seem to become all that you stumble upon, you know? I'm all for diversity, and I felt I got it plenty in this book.
I also loved a lot of the other characters, Lucy's sons, and Lucy's sisters were a lot of fun too, pretty much every character that made an appearance left me wanting to read more about them each, so to me, if the author keeps it up, there could be countless books in this series and I'd probably love reading them all. Because the plot is interesting without becoming oppressive with all its ramifications and narrative arcs and whatnots, the characters are charismatic and fun and they feel real even when they make a brief appearance (which says a lot about Stephanie Julian's ability to write awesome characters!), the world is original, fresh, beautiful and it has something of the romantic air of times long gone, very very cool!
Another element I really liked was the mythological part of it, I mean, very thorough, and fresh, and awesome!! We're talking a whole world of beings, with kicka$$ names and a legacy to them, history, all the good stuff. I loved, loved, loved the world of the book, it was awesomely built, very well thought out, simply beautiful.
So, to make a long story short, I say read the book. It's well written, fun, full of interesting beings, it has intense romance, hot one on one action (involving something of animal magnetism, that kind of yummm stuff), and an engaging plot. Awesome entertainment!
What really makes this an awesome read is that, aside having stupid-hot chemistry, Brandon and Lucy have a lot of feeling going as well. I mean, don't get me wrong, just hotness is cool, but without feelings it's not as interesting as it could get. :D I like them both as characters, separately, and as a couple they were on fire. I mean, who wouldn't like the hotstud hockey player (that packs some surprises too, but I am SO not telling you about them *mwahahaha*)?? And the hot sort of neglected goddess? One thing I really, really liked about them both was the fact that they were mature people, we're talking 30+ for him, and well, 2000+ for her or something, but a 30-ish appearance. Young, spring-ish things are cool, unless they seem to become all that you stumble upon, you know? I'm all for diversity, and I felt I got it plenty in this book.
I also loved a lot of the other characters, Lucy's sons, and Lucy's sisters were a lot of fun too, pretty much every character that made an appearance left me wanting to read more about them each, so to me, if the author keeps it up, there could be countless books in this series and I'd probably love reading them all. Because the plot is interesting without becoming oppressive with all its ramifications and narrative arcs and whatnots, the characters are charismatic and fun and they feel real even when they make a brief appearance (which says a lot about Stephanie Julian's ability to write awesome characters!), the world is original, fresh, beautiful and it has something of the romantic air of times long gone, very very cool!
Another element I really liked was the mythological part of it, I mean, very thorough, and fresh, and awesome!! We're talking a whole world of beings, with kicka$$ names and a legacy to them, history, all the good stuff. I loved, loved, loved the world of the book, it was awesomely built, very well thought out, simply beautiful.
So, to make a long story short, I say read the book. It's well written, fun, full of interesting beings, it has intense romance, hot one on one action (involving something of animal magnetism, that kind of yummm stuff), and an engaging plot. Awesome entertainment!
December 10, 2011
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Romance, Myth, and Magic
RECEIVED: Review Request from author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
How to Worship a Goddess is the second novel in the Forgotten Goddess series by Stephanie Julian. Even though I hadn’t read the first novel I was immediately drawn into this world of goddesses. Stephanie Julian’s story was fun and the readers will definitely need a fan to cool themself off.
The novel follows Lucy; she is the Etrucian Goddess of the Moon and one of the Forgotten Goddess. Though she is still worshiped by her werewolves and shifters, she hasn’t been feeling like herself with her powers slowly fading away. But what interesting about Lucy is that she’s a huge Hockey fan and never misses a game. Her eyes always follow the very irresistible Brandon Stevenson. He too isn’t feeling like himself, being surrounded by younger players now he doesn’t know how much of a career he has left. When they meet the chemistry is unforgettable but Brandon is about to learn that the world is full of being he never thought existed.
Lucy was a fun character; she’s beautiful and spunky. Plus she owns a bar and loves to sing. But she has to deal with a dark power that wants to consume what little she has left of a goddess. Her powers and goddess world are really well written and made me curious to see what goddess Julian’s going to write about next.
Brandon, the ever so good-looking hockey player. I love hockey, when I saw that Julian was writing about a hockey player I was even more excited to read this. He’s a pretty down to earth guy who loves what he does. Meeting Lucy brings a whole knew spice to his life. For his character being human he brings a lot of alpha male into the picture with Lucy.
Overall I loved the chemistry between the two and the interaction with Lucy’s family and friends made some great moments in the book. The love scenes are definitely what you would call graphic and wow! Let’s just say these two know how to make a love scene sizzle. I recommend this How to Worship a Goddess for someone who is looking for hot, sexy and interesting paranormal story.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult Paranormal Romance with lots of graphic sexual content.
Fans of Stephanie Rowe and Rosalie Lario will love How to Worship a Goddess.
THEME: Romance, Myth, and Magic
RECEIVED: Review Request from author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
How to Worship a Goddess is the second novel in the Forgotten Goddess series by Stephanie Julian. Even though I hadn’t read the first novel I was immediately drawn into this world of goddesses. Stephanie Julian’s story was fun and the readers will definitely need a fan to cool themself off.
The novel follows Lucy; she is the Etrucian Goddess of the Moon and one of the Forgotten Goddess. Though she is still worshiped by her werewolves and shifters, she hasn’t been feeling like herself with her powers slowly fading away. But what interesting about Lucy is that she’s a huge Hockey fan and never misses a game. Her eyes always follow the very irresistible Brandon Stevenson. He too isn’t feeling like himself, being surrounded by younger players now he doesn’t know how much of a career he has left. When they meet the chemistry is unforgettable but Brandon is about to learn that the world is full of being he never thought existed.
Lucy was a fun character; she’s beautiful and spunky. Plus she owns a bar and loves to sing. But she has to deal with a dark power that wants to consume what little she has left of a goddess. Her powers and goddess world are really well written and made me curious to see what goddess Julian’s going to write about next.
Brandon, the ever so good-looking hockey player. I love hockey, when I saw that Julian was writing about a hockey player I was even more excited to read this. He’s a pretty down to earth guy who loves what he does. Meeting Lucy brings a whole knew spice to his life. For his character being human he brings a lot of alpha male into the picture with Lucy.
Overall I loved the chemistry between the two and the interaction with Lucy’s family and friends made some great moments in the book. The love scenes are definitely what you would call graphic and wow! Let’s just say these two know how to make a love scene sizzle. I recommend this How to Worship a Goddess for someone who is looking for hot, sexy and interesting paranormal story.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult Paranormal Romance with lots of graphic sexual content.
Fans of Stephanie Rowe and Rosalie Lario will love How to Worship a Goddess.
December 6, 2011
Lucy may feel like a forgotten goddess, but there are those that still worship and respect her. She lives her life surrounded by them and is happy, but misses male companionship. She attends the local hockey games and is attracted to one of the hockey players and is surprised to find out that he's attracted to her as well. Brandon has had his eye on Lucy when she attends his games and decides to find out more about her by showing up to the bar in which she owns. Lucy is shocked when she learns that he's attracted to her as well and they both decide to give into that attraction when they share a night of passion. They feel right for one another and it's almost as if fate has brought these two together. Lucy's life is in danger and in order to protect those that worship her, she must decide to transfer what remaining power she has to someone else. Brandon wants to help her and feels a natural need to protect her. There is much more to Brandon that he realizes and with the help of some of Lucy's friends, he learns a secret that has been kept from him.
I could really feel the attraction between Brandon and Lucy while I was reading the story. Their scenes were sexy and I liked how Brandon took the initiative to go to Lucy and let her know that he wanted to get to know her better. I think that even though Lucy is a goddess and has power, she was still very naive in thinking that she would be safe and that her life wouldn't be placed in danger at all. It had happened to her other fellow goddesses and I think she should have had some preventative measures in place just in case. I'm glad that Brandon was there to help her and his storyline ended up being my favorite part of the book. I loved how his secret was unraveled and how the reader was able to learn more about his past experiences.
I'm a huge fan of mythology so that aspect of the book appeals to me greatly. I like that the books in the series are quick, easy reads and that's due to Stephanie Julian's great writing. I was hoping for a little more excitement, but I was still able to enjoy the storyline.
I could really feel the attraction between Brandon and Lucy while I was reading the story. Their scenes were sexy and I liked how Brandon took the initiative to go to Lucy and let her know that he wanted to get to know her better. I think that even though Lucy is a goddess and has power, she was still very naive in thinking that she would be safe and that her life wouldn't be placed in danger at all. It had happened to her other fellow goddesses and I think she should have had some preventative measures in place just in case. I'm glad that Brandon was there to help her and his storyline ended up being my favorite part of the book. I loved how his secret was unraveled and how the reader was able to learn more about his past experiences.
I'm a huge fan of mythology so that aspect of the book appeals to me greatly. I like that the books in the series are quick, easy reads and that's due to Stephanie Julian's great writing. I was hoping for a little more excitement, but I was still able to enjoy the storyline.
November 20, 2011
How To Worship A Goddess is the second book in the Forgotten Goddesses series by Stephanie Julian and a Romance from SourceBooks Casablanca.
Book Blurb:
He’s exactly what she’s always wanted. And she unleashes him like a force of nature...
Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon, and she could have any man she wanted. But these days the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, where one ferociously handsome player still inflames her divine blood...
Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row. A man could surely fall hard for a distraction like that...
My thoughts:
Lusna, Etruscan Goddess of the Moon is now known as Lucy Aster, bar owner. Though still worshiped to a certain degree by her lucani, the adoration of those few wolf shifters is not enough to allow Lucy to retain the power she once possessed. But it is enough to gain the attention of Charun.
Charun is trapped in Atias and he wants out. He has decided that stealing the powers from the Forgotten Goddesses and combining them - may just be his ticket out of Atias once and for all.
For the first time in a long time Lucy is attracted to a man - an eteri, a mortal - Brandon Stevenson. Just when things are getting interesting again, Lucy’s friend Tessa shows up to tell her about Charun’s plans.
Determined to protect Brandon, Lucy wipes his memories. But the mind wipe does not hold - leading Lucy to believe that Brandon may be more than just mere human.
How To Worship A Goddess is the second book I have read in the Forgotten Goddesses series and I absolutely loved it
I’m looking forward to each new installment from Ms. Julian.
I give How To Worship A Goddess 5 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (12-6-11)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402251505
ISBN-13: 978-1402251504
Book Blurb:
He’s exactly what she’s always wanted. And she unleashes him like a force of nature...
Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon, and she could have any man she wanted. But these days the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, where one ferociously handsome player still inflames her divine blood...
Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row. A man could surely fall hard for a distraction like that...
My thoughts:
Lusna, Etruscan Goddess of the Moon is now known as Lucy Aster, bar owner. Though still worshiped to a certain degree by her lucani, the adoration of those few wolf shifters is not enough to allow Lucy to retain the power she once possessed. But it is enough to gain the attention of Charun.
Charun is trapped in Atias and he wants out. He has decided that stealing the powers from the Forgotten Goddesses and combining them - may just be his ticket out of Atias once and for all.
For the first time in a long time Lucy is attracted to a man - an eteri, a mortal - Brandon Stevenson. Just when things are getting interesting again, Lucy’s friend Tessa shows up to tell her about Charun’s plans.
Determined to protect Brandon, Lucy wipes his memories. But the mind wipe does not hold - leading Lucy to believe that Brandon may be more than just mere human.
How To Worship A Goddess is the second book I have read in the Forgotten Goddesses series and I absolutely loved it
I’m looking forward to each new installment from Ms. Julian.
I give How To Worship A Goddess 5 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (12-6-11)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402251505
ISBN-13: 978-1402251504
December 29, 2011
Totally SMOKIN' HOTT read! Ms. Julian did an excellent job fusing mythology and reality with this title. Oh. Some excellent smexy scenes, too. More like the reality of a burgeoning relationship than what we generally see in paranormal romance. I was also impressed that the only thing that really tried to drive the hero/heroine apart was situations. I was also impressed that the story arc moved ... and moved.... and moved! It was difficult to put this one down :)
Lucy, Goddess of the Moon, finds herself drawn to Brandon, hockey player hottie. There's some hot 'unions' in their initial meeting, and then Lucy attempts to erase Brandon's memory of her. Doesn't work so well. Thank goodness! Besides being Goddess of the Moon, Lucy is the 'patron goddess' of the lycanthrope population. Yup. The werewolves worship her! Yay! Shapeshifters, too!
So, Brandon. I really like him :) He's the cute, rugged guy that everyone wants to swoon over. Instead of being self-absorbed, he's pretty down-to-earth. There's a secret surrounding Brandon, and a bit of foreshadowing is exposed during the first demon interaction. I loved the Brandon storyline a LOT! I did, however, want MORE INFO on his storyline, family, etc. at the end. Way to leave a reader wanting more! Time for a novella, methinks!
There was another storyline that I wanted more information for - Cat. Once you get to the end of this story, you'll understand why (no spoilers here!). Kind-of made me want to sit down and make Ms. Julian write a novella completely about Cat... although I suspect she'll be part of future books, and we'll get more info on her later.
Even though I was left wanting more, this title was well-written, and the author did a great job of presenting information. This is the second book in a series, and I didn't read the first one. I didn't feel lost at all. Kudos! I look forward to reading future titles in this series.
Lucy, Goddess of the Moon, finds herself drawn to Brandon, hockey player hottie. There's some hot 'unions' in their initial meeting, and then Lucy attempts to erase Brandon's memory of her. Doesn't work so well. Thank goodness! Besides being Goddess of the Moon, Lucy is the 'patron goddess' of the lycanthrope population. Yup. The werewolves worship her! Yay! Shapeshifters, too!
So, Brandon. I really like him :) He's the cute, rugged guy that everyone wants to swoon over. Instead of being self-absorbed, he's pretty down-to-earth. There's a secret surrounding Brandon, and a bit of foreshadowing is exposed during the first demon interaction. I loved the Brandon storyline a LOT! I did, however, want MORE INFO on his storyline, family, etc. at the end. Way to leave a reader wanting more! Time for a novella, methinks!
There was another storyline that I wanted more information for - Cat. Once you get to the end of this story, you'll understand why (no spoilers here!). Kind-of made me want to sit down and make Ms. Julian write a novella completely about Cat... although I suspect she'll be part of future books, and we'll get more info on her later.
Even though I was left wanting more, this title was well-written, and the author did a great job of presenting information. This is the second book in a series, and I didn't read the first one. I didn't feel lost at all. Kudos! I look forward to reading future titles in this series.
November 23, 2011
I haven´t had the chance to read the first novel in the Forgotten Goddesses series, so I can only speak my mind about the second one. How to Worship a Goddess is a highly entertaining and hot read that kept me glued to my kindle.
The plot is rather simple. Lucy is the goddess of the moon and hunted by a demon, because of her powers. Those are still strong, because her lucani, humans who can turn into a wolf, are still worshipping her.
She has two weaknesses: Hockey and the sexy Hockeyplayer Brandon.
Brandon will do anything to protect Lucy, but he soon realises that a human can´t do anything against a demon. He has to unleash his beast deep within before it is too late.
The story is fast-pasted and full of sexual tension. Brandon and Lucy have great chemistry and their physical relationship starts rather quickly, which fits to the plot and the whole world Julian created. I wouldn´t have expected less of an erotica.
This novel contains graphic language, which at some point gets annoying. Brandon uses the F-word in almost every spoken (and unspoken) sentence. This made him seem dumber than he actually is. However, Brandon is a character female readers just cannot resist. He is charming and gorgeous.
I found it rather sad that we don´t get to know more about Brandon´s background. I´d be really interested in a book featuring his parents since both of them seem to be really interesting and fun characters.
All in all I enjoyed this erotica really much and I guess I will have to read the first book in the series in order to keep up with the world Julian created. There are lots of strange terms that describe certain species, so it takes some time to adapt and to remember those terms when they are mentioned again.
I didn´t even notice that this novel was part of a series, so I guess you can pick this up without reading What a Goddess Wants first.
The plot is rather simple. Lucy is the goddess of the moon and hunted by a demon, because of her powers. Those are still strong, because her lucani, humans who can turn into a wolf, are still worshipping her.
She has two weaknesses: Hockey and the sexy Hockeyplayer Brandon.
Brandon will do anything to protect Lucy, but he soon realises that a human can´t do anything against a demon. He has to unleash his beast deep within before it is too late.
The story is fast-pasted and full of sexual tension. Brandon and Lucy have great chemistry and their physical relationship starts rather quickly, which fits to the plot and the whole world Julian created. I wouldn´t have expected less of an erotica.
This novel contains graphic language, which at some point gets annoying. Brandon uses the F-word in almost every spoken (and unspoken) sentence. This made him seem dumber than he actually is. However, Brandon is a character female readers just cannot resist. He is charming and gorgeous.
I found it rather sad that we don´t get to know more about Brandon´s background. I´d be really interested in a book featuring his parents since both of them seem to be really interesting and fun characters.
All in all I enjoyed this erotica really much and I guess I will have to read the first book in the series in order to keep up with the world Julian created. There are lots of strange terms that describe certain species, so it takes some time to adapt and to remember those terms when they are mentioned again.
I didn´t even notice that this novel was part of a series, so I guess you can pick this up without reading What a Goddess Wants first.
November 23, 2011
If you were to tell me two days ago that there would be a viable story about an ancient Etruscan Moon Goddess and Hockey players in Reading, Pennsylvania, I would have thought you were nuts.
The cover is kind of wacky: In the book the Hockey player she loves is a dirty-blond haired white guy and I am pretty sure the guy on the cover is African-American. At least she isn't wearing a ball gown.
The story has a lot of caring love making; messy, dripping sex. A lot. But there is also a plot and it has good consistency. I had to look at the author's website to get some definitions of the different species, the Fata, Enu, Eteri. I had an E-Galley though and am unaware of there is a page for that in the book but there is quite a bit on StephanieJulian.com.
Plot, pantheon and sex take up most of the book's pages. The characters are sketched. The sex borders on the okay side of icky—meaning it is graphic and messy and I wasn't totally crazy for some of the phrasing.
I do have to say, there are books where you are pretty sure what the end will be. Most of the times Paranormal Erotica gives you a happy ending. I was on the edge in this one whether there would be an HEA. Julian did a good job keeping the events suspenseful.
This is a good piece of Paranormal Erotica. It is what it is. If you are looking for sexy guys, and a sexy woman doing very sexy paranormal stuff then How to Worship A Goddess would suit you. If you are looking for The Old Man and The Sea, or Moby Dick, (so-called "great" literature) well, honey, you are so in the wrong place!
Original Review and more news, reviews and commentary: http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
The cover is kind of wacky: In the book the Hockey player she loves is a dirty-blond haired white guy and I am pretty sure the guy on the cover is African-American. At least she isn't wearing a ball gown.
The story has a lot of caring love making; messy, dripping sex. A lot. But there is also a plot and it has good consistency. I had to look at the author's website to get some definitions of the different species, the Fata, Enu, Eteri. I had an E-Galley though and am unaware of there is a page for that in the book but there is quite a bit on StephanieJulian.com.
Plot, pantheon and sex take up most of the book's pages. The characters are sketched. The sex borders on the okay side of icky—meaning it is graphic and messy and I wasn't totally crazy for some of the phrasing.
I do have to say, there are books where you are pretty sure what the end will be. Most of the times Paranormal Erotica gives you a happy ending. I was on the edge in this one whether there would be an HEA. Julian did a good job keeping the events suspenseful.
This is a good piece of Paranormal Erotica. It is what it is. If you are looking for sexy guys, and a sexy woman doing very sexy paranormal stuff then How to Worship A Goddess would suit you. If you are looking for The Old Man and The Sea, or Moby Dick, (so-called "great" literature) well, honey, you are so in the wrong place!
Original Review and more news, reviews and commentary: http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...
December 8, 2011
Lucy is another forgotten goddess but she still has her loyal followers. Lucy has set up a life for herself running a bar and surrounding herself with the lucani. She's also an avid hockey fan and has the hots for hockey player Brandon Stevenson. Lucy attends every game to watch her crush in action. Unbeknownst to her, Brandon has noticed Lucy noticing him and looks for her at every game. Brandon decides that he's tired of watching Lucy from the comfort of the rink and decides that it's time they meet face-to-face.
How To Worship a Goddess is the second book in this series and it does not disappoint with the romance and the sex. Brandon and Lucy do not waste time hitting the sheets. Lucy has been without male companionship for a long time and this is the first time a man, any man, has made her feel. Throughout the book Lucy struggles between doing what's right (hiding her true identity from Brandon because he's human) and doing something selfish (continue to see Brandon).
Brand is not your typical hero. He's rough around the edges and there's more to him than meets the eye. Brand is constantly worrying about being too rough and crass around Lucy. The chemistry between Brand and Lucy is explosive. There is a lot of sex in this book and at some points I felt like it was a bit too much. We find out something about Brand's background that changes the game towards the end and I felt that more time should have been spent exploring this and maybe a little less sexy time.
How To Worship a Goddess was a great addition to the series. I love the Estruscan mythology and can't wait to read more about this world. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
C
How To Worship a Goddess is the second book in this series and it does not disappoint with the romance and the sex. Brandon and Lucy do not waste time hitting the sheets. Lucy has been without male companionship for a long time and this is the first time a man, any man, has made her feel. Throughout the book Lucy struggles between doing what's right (hiding her true identity from Brandon because he's human) and doing something selfish (continue to see Brandon).
Brand is not your typical hero. He's rough around the edges and there's more to him than meets the eye. Brand is constantly worrying about being too rough and crass around Lucy. The chemistry between Brand and Lucy is explosive. There is a lot of sex in this book and at some points I felt like it was a bit too much. We find out something about Brand's background that changes the game towards the end and I felt that more time should have been spent exploring this and maybe a little less sexy time.
How To Worship a Goddess was a great addition to the series. I love the Estruscan mythology and can't wait to read more about this world. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
C
December 15, 2011
Brandon Stevenson has quickly become Lucy’s favorite hockey player. She attends every game just to watch him. Little does she know that he watches her from the ice. Brandon decides he’s tired of just watching, he needs to meet her. When Lucy sees Brandon walk into her bar she knows that she will be able to enjoy one night with the man, after all he is human (he is right?) and can know nothing of her world.
I truly believe this is one of the sexiest books I have read in a long time. Lucy and Brandon have an intensely passionate sexual relationship. They really burn up the pages. Julian has included some amazingly hot sex scenes in How to Worship a Goddess. They have an intimate connection from the very beginning.
I also like the history/series/world lesson that was involved. Julian’s Etruscan world is fascinating. I’ve read several of her series and have picked up numerous intriguing details about it. The characters in this book explain so much of their world while welcoming Brandon into it. I enjoyed the way Julian worked all this information in, while showing her characters bonding to the new person in their lives. This also made the secondary characters flesh out to people one could easily imagine sitting at a bar having a few beers with.
How to Worship a Goddess takes place in Julian’s lucani world. I have not read her Lucani Lovers series. I will definitely read it shortly. Readers who have read the series will see many characters from those books. People like me will run out and by those books due to the curiosity of needing to know them better.
I truly believe this is one of the sexiest books I have read in a long time. Lucy and Brandon have an intensely passionate sexual relationship. They really burn up the pages. Julian has included some amazingly hot sex scenes in How to Worship a Goddess. They have an intimate connection from the very beginning.
I also like the history/series/world lesson that was involved. Julian’s Etruscan world is fascinating. I’ve read several of her series and have picked up numerous intriguing details about it. The characters in this book explain so much of their world while welcoming Brandon into it. I enjoyed the way Julian worked all this information in, while showing her characters bonding to the new person in their lives. This also made the secondary characters flesh out to people one could easily imagine sitting at a bar having a few beers with.
How to Worship a Goddess takes place in Julian’s lucani world. I have not read her Lucani Lovers series. I will definitely read it shortly. Readers who have read the series will see many characters from those books. People like me will run out and by those books due to the curiosity of needing to know them better.
July 8, 2012
This is the second book in the series and I loved it even more than the first and if you read my review of the first book you'll know thats saying a whole lot about this one. You do need to read the first book before this one to completely understand whats going on in this story. Lucy is goddess of the moon and is one of the few that retained some of her powers. She is also the creator of the werewolves and is still worshiped by them. She is also a big fan of hockey and has had a crush on one of the players so she is not very upset when one day he shows up in her remote bar. Brandon is a quick tempered hockey player and tough as nails with a smoking hot body. What's more sexy than that? At least thats what Lucy and I think. Lucy and Brandon can't help but be drawn together no matter how hard Lucy tries to fight it. Their relationship progresses fast and is very intense it'll keep you up late at night just to see what happens next. And did I say HOT? The relationship is not the only good part about this book the actual story is awesome as well. We find out about a hidden secret of Brandon's that helps him fight off the demon that comes after Lucy and she has to make the ultimate sacrifice for her people, the werewolves. I would highly recommend this book to erotica, paranormal romance and werewolf fans. I gave this book my highest rating of 5 hearts and its a must read. I can't wait to see what Stephanie comes up with next.
November 2, 2011
Brandon, or Brand as everyone else likes to call him, is instantly enamored with the beautiful woman that attends every one of his hockey games. Finally getting up the nerve to track her down, he goes to her bar only to find that things are a little off. That is until he see the object of his desire and everything else doesn't matter.
Lucy is shocked to find Brandon here at her home. Not sure how he found her, she can't help but give in to their explosive chemistry. After failing to successfully erase his memories from the night before, she finds Brandon back at her home the very next night and knows everything. Not wanting to give each other up, there may be a way for them to be together but is Brandon strong enough to fight for his one true love?
Sexy characters and sizzling plot line makes for a delicious story that will keep you up reading way too late into the night. Brandon is a sexy as all get out hockey player with a secret desire to meet the enchantress that graces his hockey games. I loved his no backing down personality. It made for some great reading. And who wouldn't love Lucy's character. She is a freaking Goddess for crying out loud. Down to earth but knows when to lay down the law, Lucy is a wonderful leading lady that makes for some sizzling sexual escapades between her and Brandon.
Lucy is shocked to find Brandon here at her home. Not sure how he found her, she can't help but give in to their explosive chemistry. After failing to successfully erase his memories from the night before, she finds Brandon back at her home the very next night and knows everything. Not wanting to give each other up, there may be a way for them to be together but is Brandon strong enough to fight for his one true love?
Sexy characters and sizzling plot line makes for a delicious story that will keep you up reading way too late into the night. Brandon is a sexy as all get out hockey player with a secret desire to meet the enchantress that graces his hockey games. I loved his no backing down personality. It made for some great reading. And who wouldn't love Lucy's character. She is a freaking Goddess for crying out loud. Down to earth but knows when to lay down the law, Lucy is a wonderful leading lady that makes for some sizzling sexual escapades between her and Brandon.
December 8, 2011
My Rating: 3.5 stars: Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
Full Review: http://www.twimom227.com/2011/12/revi...
I was drawn into Lucy and Brandon’s story right from the start. The “lust/love at first site” trope worked for this story, and I didn’t feel like they rushed into things. I was glad that the characters didn’t find ways to drive apart their bond. The two “share their love” *wink* often - and aggressively, at times. Ms. Julian is an expert author of steamy smex scenes.
There were some interesting twists that I would have liked to have had more details flushed out for me. One involves a Lucani named Catene. This young woman was surrounded in mystery for almost the entire book, and once it was revealed why, I wanted to know more. I wonder if she’ll make another appearance in this series, or if she’ll become the focus in the Lucani Lovers series. Also, I wanted more interaction with Brand’s parents - I feel like there was no closure on that end.
Overall, I enjoyed How to Worship a Goddess and most certainly will continue reading this series. I have many questions about this little known (to me) pantheon, and I look forward to finding out where Ms. Julian will take her goddesses next.
Full Review: http://www.twimom227.com/2011/12/revi...
I was drawn into Lucy and Brandon’s story right from the start. The “lust/love at first site” trope worked for this story, and I didn’t feel like they rushed into things. I was glad that the characters didn’t find ways to drive apart their bond. The two “share their love” *wink* often - and aggressively, at times. Ms. Julian is an expert author of steamy smex scenes.
There were some interesting twists that I would have liked to have had more details flushed out for me. One involves a Lucani named Catene. This young woman was surrounded in mystery for almost the entire book, and once it was revealed why, I wanted to know more. I wonder if she’ll make another appearance in this series, or if she’ll become the focus in the Lucani Lovers series. Also, I wanted more interaction with Brand’s parents - I feel like there was no closure on that end.
Overall, I enjoyed How to Worship a Goddess and most certainly will continue reading this series. I have many questions about this little known (to me) pantheon, and I look forward to finding out where Ms. Julian will take her goddesses next.
February 19, 2015
At one time Lucy Aster was Lusna - the Goddess of the Moon, worshipped by many. Nowadays, not so much. She has lost quite a bit of her power and with it there is a lot of frustration. What she lives for now is the hockey games she attends and a certain sexy hockey player by the name of Brandon Stevenson.
I loved Lucy & Brandon's story. Out of all the Etruscan stories, this one is my favorite. How to Worship A Goddess is deliciously steamy. It down right sizzles. You'll be wishing you were in Lucy's shoes. I love that the hero was written as a hockey player, cause really what is not to like. Ms. Julian's books are a guilty pleasure - you can never read just one.
I loved Lucy & Brandon's story. Out of all the Etruscan stories, this one is my favorite. How to Worship A Goddess is deliciously steamy. It down right sizzles. You'll be wishing you were in Lucy's shoes. I love that the hero was written as a hockey player, cause really what is not to like. Ms. Julian's books are a guilty pleasure - you can never read just one.
April 17, 2012
This was sex over the top! Lucy and Brandon were like energizer bunnies! It started off hot and heavy from the get go and then the story really got going. It brough Charun back and the blue demons (I'm not even going to try and spell it), also Cal and Tessa made an appearance. Sal was a big part of it but then you brought in the wolves that worshipped Lucy. Hockey player and moon goddess...what a combo. A little far fetched that any person would be so "okay" about learning of an entire "species" that he didn't know about, but Brand did really well. Fun book...lots of sex (more than the first one...as I said...bunnies).
October 7, 2013
My main problem with books like these is why? Why does this extraordinary person suddenly fall for this normal one? This book recognizes that question, and does provide something of an answer, though not a complete one.
I found this heroine to be pretty delightful, despite her diminished powers. She is confident in who she is, but has lost confidence in her place in the world. The hero is tired but hasn't figured out his future. Well, when they get together, surprises arise. Plus, there is a bad guy looking to cause trouble.
The final action scene was a bit of a let-down in how they got out of a life-threatening situation. However, I did enjoy this light read.
I found this heroine to be pretty delightful, despite her diminished powers. She is confident in who she is, but has lost confidence in her place in the world. The hero is tired but hasn't figured out his future. Well, when they get together, surprises arise. Plus, there is a bad guy looking to cause trouble.
The final action scene was a bit of a let-down in how they got out of a life-threatening situation. However, I did enjoy this light read.
August 19, 2019
"4.5 out of 5 stars!! This novel is a sizzling romance wrapped up in intrigue and the paranormal world created by Stephanie Julian. It follows "What A Goddess Wants" with its secondary plot, while still giving you enough information to have it feel like you're reading a stand-alone novel! This is one book..."
Read more of this review and TWO TEASERS here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2011/12/feasted-on-forgotten-goddess-series.html
Read more of this review and TWO TEASERS here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2011/12/feasted-on-forgotten-goddess-series.html
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