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Etruscan Legacies #1
Spell Bound
She’s running from fate…
Shea Tedaldi is the only thing standing between her six-year-old brother and the men who killed their parents. Descendants of the ancient Etruscan magical race, Shea and her brother keep powerful secrets that make them the targets of the evil Malandante. They’ve been looking for a safe haven but the bad guys are gaining on them and Shea needs a hero, a guardian who won’t falter in the face of danger…
He’s looking for the key to break the spell…
Gabriel Borelli is a warrior born to protect the Etruscan witches living under a curse. He’s dedicated to breaking the spell and avenging the murder of his father by the Malandante. He won’t let anything—or anyone—get in his way. Not even the one woman who may hold the key to his quest…and his heart.
Shea Tedaldi is the only thing standing between her six-year-old brother and the men who killed their parents. Descendants of the ancient Etruscan magical race, Shea and her brother keep powerful secrets that make them the targets of the evil Malandante. They’ve been looking for a safe haven but the bad guys are gaining on them and Shea needs a hero, a guardian who won’t falter in the face of danger…
He’s looking for the key to break the spell…
Gabriel Borelli is a warrior born to protect the Etruscan witches living under a curse. He’s dedicated to breaking the spell and avenging the murder of his father by the Malandante. He won’t let anything—or anyone—get in his way. Not even the one woman who may hold the key to his quest…and his heart.
350 pages, Nook
First published September 22, 2011
101 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Julian
163 books1,056 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 26, 2011
Stephanie Julian sets up a magical world that will leave you in wanting more. But I have to admit I was confused (I say this was totally my fault somehow) for the first 2 chapters as I keep plugging along I found things were falling in place and then I couldn’t get enough. I found a great story along with a great romance. There were a couple of things that stood out. One was Stephanie packed a lot in for 158 pgs. The other was this is not a quick romance as you see in these shorter books. No, these two set a slow pace and it ended up making a better read all the way around for me.
I enjoyed reading the characters and I loved the tension between Shea and Gabriel. One holds the key to break a spell while the other holds the key to open a heart.
I loved the magic and the way Stephanie brought the events back around from the prologue, plus added some surprises in.
If your one who has never tried Stephanie’s books this would be a great start. You might just find yourself another author that you can’t get enough of. I myself can't wait to see what's next.....
I enjoyed reading the characters and I loved the tension between Shea and Gabriel. One holds the key to break a spell while the other holds the key to open a heart.
I loved the magic and the way Stephanie brought the events back around from the prologue, plus added some surprises in.
If your one who has never tried Stephanie’s books this would be a great start. You might just find yourself another author that you can’t get enough of. I myself can't wait to see what's next.....
September 30, 2011
Shea is running. She’s running with her little brother from the nightmare that killed her parents. She keeps going because she knows that the people who are after her little brother have all kinds of vile intentions for him. The running is wearing her down and she has begun to realize that she can’t do this on her own any longer. She has to start seeking out the protector that her mother told her about in her final letter to her.
Gabriel is a grigori (warrior.) He is part of the Etruscan race born to protect the streghe (witch.) Gabriel is very persistent in his search to find and eliminate the family who cursed a specific group of thirteen streghe nearly five hundred years ago. His frustrations are running very high as Dario and the rest of his Malandante minions consistently stay one step ahead of him.
I love how Gabriel and Shea come together, both after the exact same thing, for completely different reasons. He is attempting to put an end to a curse. She has no clue what curse he is talking about. He believes that if she is truly who she claims to be then she should just know what she is. I liked the way the romantic built up in Spell Bound. Shea and Gabriel throw sparks from the very beginning, but it takes some time for them to see what exactly can become of those sparks. Julian has also woven a complex plot into this tale. I felt like I got more of the Etruscan world with this book than I have with other books set in this world. This curse has affected numerous individuals over the course of the past five hundred years. It was interesting to read about how the curse affected the different secondary characters and not just the main characters.
The cast of secondary characters were fantastic. I would love to know more about them all. I’m hoping Julian goes more in depth into their lives in future books. Quinn’s life is so terribly heartbreaking. To know that he is someone’s blood bound mate, for that person to deny him, and for him to know all the reasons he is denied and still he wants to be with her. Matt has to have an interesting past. He is blunt and to the point. His fellow grigori brothers all think him a bit crazy. Leo, even though he is just a child played a fairly large role in Spell Bound. It would be interesting to see where all of his extraordinary abilities take him once he is an adult. I can easily see Leo having an incredible book. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed!
I know I’ve said this numerous times before but I really love Julian’s magical Etruscan world. Each book in each of her series’ gives readers a taste of this world from a different magical beings perspective. The series’ are loosely tied to each other, readers can definitely read one series without reading the others. If you’ve never read any of her books before this would be an easy place to start. I can guarantee that you’ll soon have read all of her different series’.
***authors note at the end states that Spell Bound take place before Seduced by Magic. Having read both books I can honestly say that one can be read without having read the other***
Gabriel is a grigori (warrior.) He is part of the Etruscan race born to protect the streghe (witch.) Gabriel is very persistent in his search to find and eliminate the family who cursed a specific group of thirteen streghe nearly five hundred years ago. His frustrations are running very high as Dario and the rest of his Malandante minions consistently stay one step ahead of him.
I love how Gabriel and Shea come together, both after the exact same thing, for completely different reasons. He is attempting to put an end to a curse. She has no clue what curse he is talking about. He believes that if she is truly who she claims to be then she should just know what she is. I liked the way the romantic built up in Spell Bound. Shea and Gabriel throw sparks from the very beginning, but it takes some time for them to see what exactly can become of those sparks. Julian has also woven a complex plot into this tale. I felt like I got more of the Etruscan world with this book than I have with other books set in this world. This curse has affected numerous individuals over the course of the past five hundred years. It was interesting to read about how the curse affected the different secondary characters and not just the main characters.
The cast of secondary characters were fantastic. I would love to know more about them all. I’m hoping Julian goes more in depth into their lives in future books. Quinn’s life is so terribly heartbreaking. To know that he is someone’s blood bound mate, for that person to deny him, and for him to know all the reasons he is denied and still he wants to be with her. Matt has to have an interesting past. He is blunt and to the point. His fellow grigori brothers all think him a bit crazy. Leo, even though he is just a child played a fairly large role in Spell Bound. It would be interesting to see where all of his extraordinary abilities take him once he is an adult. I can easily see Leo having an incredible book. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed!
I know I’ve said this numerous times before but I really love Julian’s magical Etruscan world. Each book in each of her series’ gives readers a taste of this world from a different magical beings perspective. The series’ are loosely tied to each other, readers can definitely read one series without reading the others. If you’ve never read any of her books before this would be an easy place to start. I can guarantee that you’ll soon have read all of her different series’.
***authors note at the end states that Spell Bound take place before Seduced by Magic. Having read both books I can honestly say that one can be read without having read the other***
February 19, 2015
Shea and her brother Leo are descendants of the Etruscan magical race. Ever since their parents were killed, they have been almost constant danger. Gaberial is a warrior, it's his job to protect the Etruscan witches. But he is cursed and is forever trying to break it. Shea and Gaberial can find salvation in each other, for they share a common enemy.
Wonderful read! A story filled with magic, love and danger. Spell Bound is the first in a series called Darkly Enchanted. I enjoy this story, although I did feel The first few chapters were a bit slow. But by Chapter 5 things start to kick into gear. The pairing of Shea and Gabriel was delectable. Though neither of them make it easy. I love that Ms. Julian keeps expanding her Etruscan world. If you've read any of the three previous series you know what I mean. Any of the Etruscan books are a must read for fantasy romance lovers.
Wonderful read! A story filled with magic, love and danger. Spell Bound is the first in a series called Darkly Enchanted. I enjoy this story, although I did feel The first few chapters were a bit slow. But by Chapter 5 things start to kick into gear. The pairing of Shea and Gabriel was delectable. Though neither of them make it easy. I love that Ms. Julian keeps expanding her Etruscan world. If you've read any of the three previous series you know what I mean. Any of the Etruscan books are a must read for fantasy romance lovers.
December 24, 2011
I was given this book for my honest thoughts and words... So here goes...
If you come to my place often, you know I am not a newbie to Ms. Stephanie Julian writing. This woman can create worlds that make you want to fall in... and never surface. She wraps you around in the blanket of mystery, a cloak of suspense. She charms you into the heart of her character, she will cast you in a spell of desire, and weave a web of a hell'va story....
Now first, I need to let you in on something... I have read Ms. Julian's other stories where there was Boschetta, Goddess Gifts, Lucani, Stega, Versipellis, Mal, Etruscan witches and creatures like that... I know the lingo, I know the vocabulary... So... if you have not read a book of this world.... You will be a bit lost in the beginning. But I promise, hang on and keep reading because this world will enchant you... maybe even bewitch you... So, bear with the confusion for a bit... because I promise you it is well worth the ride!
Ms. Stephanie did an awesome job at capturing me in a world that had me having dreams of my own when I closed my eyes and went to sleep. Her world captured me so much I could not put it down....
Shea is a woman I want on my good side. That is if she stayed in one place long enough. She is on the run and on the run for good reasons... Someone or should I say someone(s) is/are after her and her brother... They are deadly, they are powerful and they want her brother... But Shea has no one to turn to... No parents she can run to for protection. No friends to trust long enough to feel safe. I truly admire Shea for what life has dealt her. She does not fall down and play victim. She picks herself up and dust herself off.
Shea is a woman hell bent on saving and protecting her brother - no matter the cost. She knows she is different, but how different she truly does not know. Not until....
Gabriel is a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was born to serve and protect, he was born to never fail... But with a five hundred curse on his ass, well... any man would be kinda scare to fail. But that all changed when the one mission he cannot fail at walks up to him and ask him for help. Help of which he refuses.... Only due to his own stubbornness, but what struck him the most was the mission, Shea, did not take any crap from him. Gabriel is a man you do not want to reckon with... Well, maybe in bed. Hint hint... You will want to read about this one! But what happens when the mission... is no longer protecting and serving the people you are sworn to... But when you are trying to protect your heart... and the mission comes to mean saving your world... What will Gabriel do...
This is truly a wonderful start to an amazing story to come... Ms. Stephanie's craftsmanship at creating a world in which you will fall will leave you enthralled. Can't wait for more to come of this series.
If you come to my place often, you know I am not a newbie to Ms. Stephanie Julian writing. This woman can create worlds that make you want to fall in... and never surface. She wraps you around in the blanket of mystery, a cloak of suspense. She charms you into the heart of her character, she will cast you in a spell of desire, and weave a web of a hell'va story....
Now first, I need to let you in on something... I have read Ms. Julian's other stories where there was Boschetta, Goddess Gifts, Lucani, Stega, Versipellis, Mal, Etruscan witches and creatures like that... I know the lingo, I know the vocabulary... So... if you have not read a book of this world.... You will be a bit lost in the beginning. But I promise, hang on and keep reading because this world will enchant you... maybe even bewitch you... So, bear with the confusion for a bit... because I promise you it is well worth the ride!
Ms. Stephanie did an awesome job at capturing me in a world that had me having dreams of my own when I closed my eyes and went to sleep. Her world captured me so much I could not put it down....
Shea is a woman I want on my good side. That is if she stayed in one place long enough. She is on the run and on the run for good reasons... Someone or should I say someone(s) is/are after her and her brother... They are deadly, they are powerful and they want her brother... But Shea has no one to turn to... No parents she can run to for protection. No friends to trust long enough to feel safe. I truly admire Shea for what life has dealt her. She does not fall down and play victim. She picks herself up and dust herself off.
Shea is a woman hell bent on saving and protecting her brother - no matter the cost. She knows she is different, but how different she truly does not know. Not until....
Gabriel is a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was born to serve and protect, he was born to never fail... But with a five hundred curse on his ass, well... any man would be kinda scare to fail. But that all changed when the one mission he cannot fail at walks up to him and ask him for help. Help of which he refuses.... Only due to his own stubbornness, but what struck him the most was the mission, Shea, did not take any crap from him. Gabriel is a man you do not want to reckon with... Well, maybe in bed. Hint hint... You will want to read about this one! But what happens when the mission... is no longer protecting and serving the people you are sworn to... But when you are trying to protect your heart... and the mission comes to mean saving your world... What will Gabriel do...
This is truly a wonderful start to an amazing story to come... Ms. Stephanie's craftsmanship at creating a world in which you will fall will leave you enthralled. Can't wait for more to come of this series.
May 24, 2012
Many moons ago a curse was laid against the Etruscan women. The Etruscan women are magical women and since the curse they have lived in shadows praying for the day the curse ends. They have suffered through long solitary lives forced to watch the people they love die.
Shea Tedaldi is on the run with her six year old brother, Leo. Since their parents death they have been trying to stay ahead of the evil that would like to take Leo’s powers and pervert it for evil. Shea will do whatever it takes to protect her little brother including seek help from a man she’s never met. Shea doesn’t know just how important she is to the Etruscan community but she’s about to find out.
Gabriel Borelli is a warrior sworn to protect the Etruscan race. When a woman comes to him with a six year old and a far-fetched story he is skeptical but there is something about the woman that draws him in.
Gabriel and Shea begin a harrowing journey to decipher the curse and escape the evil that lurks close.
Spell Bound is an outstanding edge of your seat novel. Spell Bound is rich with a unique and intriguing history. Stephanie Julian has created a thrilling world in Spell Bound! I thoroughly enjoyed Spell Bound. Shea is such an endearing character. She is strong, stubborn and I just love her internal struggle. Gabriel is a sexy warrior carved in stone. He isn’t cool with showing his emotions and I just love that Shea brings about emotions that make him flustered. There is blistering chemistry between Shea and Gabriel! I am definitely a fan of little Leo! He’s not to be underestimated he packs a punch in the power department. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Darkly Enchanted series! Spell Bound is a sublime start to a thrilling series!
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
Shea Tedaldi is on the run with her six year old brother, Leo. Since their parents death they have been trying to stay ahead of the evil that would like to take Leo’s powers and pervert it for evil. Shea will do whatever it takes to protect her little brother including seek help from a man she’s never met. Shea doesn’t know just how important she is to the Etruscan community but she’s about to find out.
Gabriel Borelli is a warrior sworn to protect the Etruscan race. When a woman comes to him with a six year old and a far-fetched story he is skeptical but there is something about the woman that draws him in.
Gabriel and Shea begin a harrowing journey to decipher the curse and escape the evil that lurks close.
Spell Bound is an outstanding edge of your seat novel. Spell Bound is rich with a unique and intriguing history. Stephanie Julian has created a thrilling world in Spell Bound! I thoroughly enjoyed Spell Bound. Shea is such an endearing character. She is strong, stubborn and I just love her internal struggle. Gabriel is a sexy warrior carved in stone. He isn’t cool with showing his emotions and I just love that Shea brings about emotions that make him flustered. There is blistering chemistry between Shea and Gabriel! I am definitely a fan of little Leo! He’s not to be underestimated he packs a punch in the power department. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Darkly Enchanted series! Spell Bound is a sublime start to a thrilling series!
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
February 22, 2015
This book was in the Tall Dark and Paranormal collection. If I have previously read the author, I do not recall it.
I was not overly impressed with this book. It definitely could have used another dose of editing. Was a character's name Dafne or Daphne? It seemed to change on the same page anytime she was mentioned! I'll admit that I skipped the glossary, so if this was explained there I didn't read it. But it kind of makes no sense to me why one person's name would change.
Will I read the rest in the series? Probably not. I'll admit that I'm kind of curious if the curse is broken- but I'm not curious enough to pay for it.
I was not overly impressed with this book. It definitely could have used another dose of editing. Was a character's name Dafne or Daphne? It seemed to change on the same page anytime she was mentioned! I'll admit that I skipped the glossary, so if this was explained there I didn't read it. But it kind of makes no sense to me why one person's name would change.
Will I read the rest in the series? Probably not. I'll admit that I'm kind of curious if the curse is broken- but I'm not curious enough to pay for it.
May 16, 2015
An original, new paranormal world that this author brings to life with a very deft hand. The worldbuilding, characters and plot just pulled me in from start to finish.
Will definitely be reading more books in this series!
Will definitely be reading more books in this series!
September 26, 2014
I found this book well written. she is a new author for me. So if found that I would like to read more of her books.
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August 22, 2024
Shea and her 6 year old brother Leo have been on the run for over a year with no end in sight. That is until she meets Gabriel, a grigori sworn to protect a group of cursed streghe. He quickly realizes that Shea and her brother are no ordinary magic wielding Etruscans but the potential key to a 500 year long curse. Shea is tough but finds trusting Gabriel comes easy to her, it doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous.
This is my first time reading a Stephanie Julian book and it didn’t disappoint! I love the magical world she’s created and it feels very real. This book has the perfect amount of spice and it didn’t take away from the story. The thing that brought this down for me was the final few chapters. I wanted more exploration of the world and not such a simple end to the curse. The story had built up the curse so much and then the brief reveal of the curse being broken right at the end was a little bit of a let down.
This is my first time reading a Stephanie Julian book and it didn’t disappoint! I love the magical world she’s created and it feels very real. This book has the perfect amount of spice and it didn’t take away from the story. The thing that brought this down for me was the final few chapters. I wanted more exploration of the world and not such a simple end to the curse. The story had built up the curse so much and then the brief reveal of the curse being broken right at the end was a little bit of a let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2023
This was a great read a little too long but good read. And if you like paranormal, fantasy, and romance this is a good one. I’ve read a few of Stephanie’s book and have enjoyed them all. She is a favorite author to read. Shea Tedaldi and her six year old brother Leo are on the run after their parents are murdered. Her mother has instructed her to find Gabriel Borelli to protect them. He has been hunting Dario Paganelli to kill him after he murdered his father and younger brother and to protect his mother. They have all been cursed by Dario’s father over 500 years ago. This is worth the read and I throughly enjoyed it.
October 25, 2023
Picked this book up at a book festival after speaking to the author. While it took me a bit to get into, I got to a point where I couldn't put it down. There were a few things I would've liked to change, but overall, a solid read.
December 16, 2018
Delightful
I truly enjoyed this book. Sexy, intriguing, and hard to put down. Had to force myself to put it away so I could sleep.
I truly enjoyed this book. Sexy, intriguing, and hard to put down. Had to force myself to put it away so I could sleep.
October 26, 2011
When I started Spell Bound I didn't know that it was supposed to draw on all three series that Stephanie Julian has written about and creates a new world in the process. This made me confused for the first part of the book, but once I figured out that the story moved really fast and didn't slow down. How can you not love a novella that has cursed witches, almost immortal bad guys, a heroine on a run and a hero bent on getting revenge against the guy who killed his father while having to protect cursed witches at all costs??
What I really enjoyed about Spell Bound was that there were three intertwining stories: The romance between Gabriel and Shea and the mystery of solving how to break the curse of the witches & finding out who was after Shea & her brother. The three stories worked well together, and I liked how the mystery of the curse gave Sorcha and Quinn a chance to be apart of the action, and I loved their romance almost more then the main one of Gabriel and Shea. Quinn was a nice compliment to Gabriel, and I liked how Shea and Sorcha didn't sit back and let them take charge.
Shea has some problems with Gabriel, mainly because it's his way or no way, and I love that she gives him crap for that attitude. Gabriel admires her for standing up to him, and the two learn to work together not only to find out who the bad guys are after Shea and her brother but to see how to break the witches curse. Sorcha was just as stubborn as Shea when it came to her romance with Quinn, and I have a feeling that their story might be the next one in the series.
Even though both Shea and Sorcha were strong and independent I had a hard time connecting to them-especially Shea. However, my problems with them were pretty much the same thing. I hated that it took them so long to realize that Gabriel and Quinn were the right guy for them, and then they couldn't get enough of them. My being annoyed with them though could have something to do with the fact that Spell Bound was about the fifth or sixth paranormal romance I read in a row and I always have little patience left for characters when I read that many books in a row in the same genre. (I'm a quirky reader.) Gabriel and Quinn more then made up for them though, and I loved how the ending made me want more of this series.
What I really enjoyed about Spell Bound was that there were three intertwining stories: The romance between Gabriel and Shea and the mystery of solving how to break the curse of the witches & finding out who was after Shea & her brother. The three stories worked well together, and I liked how the mystery of the curse gave Sorcha and Quinn a chance to be apart of the action, and I loved their romance almost more then the main one of Gabriel and Shea. Quinn was a nice compliment to Gabriel, and I liked how Shea and Sorcha didn't sit back and let them take charge.
Shea has some problems with Gabriel, mainly because it's his way or no way, and I love that she gives him crap for that attitude. Gabriel admires her for standing up to him, and the two learn to work together not only to find out who the bad guys are after Shea and her brother but to see how to break the witches curse. Sorcha was just as stubborn as Shea when it came to her romance with Quinn, and I have a feeling that their story might be the next one in the series.
Even though both Shea and Sorcha were strong and independent I had a hard time connecting to them-especially Shea. However, my problems with them were pretty much the same thing. I hated that it took them so long to realize that Gabriel and Quinn were the right guy for them, and then they couldn't get enough of them. My being annoyed with them though could have something to do with the fact that Spell Bound was about the fifth or sixth paranormal romance I read in a row and I always have little patience left for characters when I read that many books in a row in the same genre. (I'm a quirky reader.) Gabriel and Quinn more then made up for them though, and I loved how the ending made me want more of this series.
November 2, 2011
Julian's Etruscian world is something fresh in the world of monotone mytholical settings. Her new series is again set in this world but it takes places before any of her previous series so this is actually a good way to take the chance and jump into her world. It will also show some other aspects to those of you who already fell in love with her work.
In Spell Bound we meet Shea currently on the run with her little brother. An old enemy, Dario Paganelli, is chasing them and they are in dire need of help.The siblings are totally lost in this battle even more so because they don't know why all this is happening. I have to admit that I never really warmed up to Shea. She is a strong heroine but for me she was at times too angsty and self condescending. She blamed herself for so many things and no matter what she didn't seem to want to stop doing it.
Gabriel is a Grigorio deep to the bone. He was raised to be one and it is truly his calling, I really liked him. He is a strong and stubborn man but he also has a soft side who isn't too manly to tell his mother he loves her. *sigh* He has many facets and well he just plain fascinated me- to see his soft and hard edges and the way all those made him the man he is. Just great.
I also really loved the sideplot between Quinn and Serina. So much tension and heartbreak to find in this story. I so hope these two will get their own book. They deserve a shot at love and happiness.
Sadly the mainplot didn't really keep my attention. I can't really point out why. Perhaps it didn't happen enough at times and other times the action just seemed to tumble over each other. The balance felt off. And well I admit it the romance took too long for my taste to really start. The build up was rather slow and my interest started to diminish on the way. Also I missed Julian's humor a bit. There were glimpses of it but not enough to lighten the overall mood of the book.
It seems my expectations were too high this time. It's not like this is a bad book it really isn't but it just didn't grab me as much as her previous novels did. Nonetheless Spell Bound is the start to a new promising series and well I'm already hungering to see who we will meet in the next book (chants Quinn and Serena). If you like your paranormal romances on the serious side this is just the book for you.
In Spell Bound we meet Shea currently on the run with her little brother. An old enemy, Dario Paganelli, is chasing them and they are in dire need of help.The siblings are totally lost in this battle even more so because they don't know why all this is happening. I have to admit that I never really warmed up to Shea. She is a strong heroine but for me she was at times too angsty and self condescending. She blamed herself for so many things and no matter what she didn't seem to want to stop doing it.
Gabriel is a Grigorio deep to the bone. He was raised to be one and it is truly his calling, I really liked him. He is a strong and stubborn man but he also has a soft side who isn't too manly to tell his mother he loves her. *sigh* He has many facets and well he just plain fascinated me- to see his soft and hard edges and the way all those made him the man he is. Just great.
I also really loved the sideplot between Quinn and Serina. So much tension and heartbreak to find in this story. I so hope these two will get their own book. They deserve a shot at love and happiness.
Sadly the mainplot didn't really keep my attention. I can't really point out why. Perhaps it didn't happen enough at times and other times the action just seemed to tumble over each other. The balance felt off. And well I admit it the romance took too long for my taste to really start. The build up was rather slow and my interest started to diminish on the way. Also I missed Julian's humor a bit. There were glimpses of it but not enough to lighten the overall mood of the book.
It seems my expectations were too high this time. It's not like this is a bad book it really isn't but it just didn't grab me as much as her previous novels did. Nonetheless Spell Bound is the start to a new promising series and well I'm already hungering to see who we will meet in the next book (chants Quinn and Serena). If you like your paranormal romances on the serious side this is just the book for you.
January 9, 2015
Because of a curse in 1495 by Fabrizio Paganelli all strega were being tracked down and killed. Any children would die. Dario Paganelli would take the strega boys and use them to track down and kill their families.
Shea Tedaldi was in hiding with her brother Leo who was only six years old. They were getting closer she had to move. Shea called a man, who her mother had told her before she died, who would help keep her safe.
Gaberiel Borelli was a Etruscan bad ass, but was good at keeping people alive. His job was to protect his people like his father before him. There was something about this woman and her brother. He had to keep his mind on his job.
I enjoyed this story very much. I like Stephanie Julians Goddess books which this also ties into. I also like the fact that Shea is a strong person and not a wimpy woman. The connection that they share is special and as with all novella's they are never long enough. I can't wait to read the next one. You won't be disappointed in any book by Stephanie, she is a great story teller and you will want to read them all.
Shea Tedaldi was in hiding with her brother Leo who was only six years old. They were getting closer she had to move. Shea called a man, who her mother had told her before she died, who would help keep her safe.
Gaberiel Borelli was a Etruscan bad ass, but was good at keeping people alive. His job was to protect his people like his father before him. There was something about this woman and her brother. He had to keep his mind on his job.
I enjoyed this story very much. I like Stephanie Julians Goddess books which this also ties into. I also like the fact that Shea is a strong person and not a wimpy woman. The connection that they share is special and as with all novella's they are never long enough. I can't wait to read the next one. You won't be disappointed in any book by Stephanie, she is a great story teller and you will want to read them all.
Want to read
March 22, 2024Prch Amz March 26, 2020
September 30, 2014
The book was pretty good, though it was sometimes hard to follow. I was disappointed in the ending. It was very abrupt and when things could have been wrapped up in the epilogue, it was very short and equally abrupt.
December 20, 2012
I know the curse was broken, but how?
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