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Soulfire #3
Hold Me If You Can
"A steamy, imaginative series that hits all the right marks...readers will be captivated." --Larissa Ione, New York Times bestselling author of Eternal Rider WITHOUT HER PASSIONS, SHE HAS NO MAGIC... It's unfortunate for Natalie that Nigel Aquarian is so compelling. With his inner demons, his unbridled heat, and his "I will conquer you" looks, he calls to her in exactly the way that nearly killed her. BUT LOSING CONTROL MEANS LOSING HER LIFE... That he's an immortal warrior and that her powers rise from intense passions would seem to make them a match made in heaven, but unless they embrace their greatest fears, they'll play out their final match in hell. With a unique voice that critics say, "carves out her own niche-call it paranormal romance adventure comedy," Stephanie Rowe delivers an irresistible pair of desperadoes dancing on the edge of pure temptation. Praise for Touch If You Dare "Extraordinary settings and fiery romance...Action packed from beginning to end." --RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2012
23 people are currently reading
622 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Rowe
112 books1,537 followersHailed as a "paranormal star!" by J.R. Ward, Stephanie Rowe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty-five novels. She is the 2018 RITA® winner for Best Paranormal Romance, as well as a five-time nominee for this prestigious award. For more on Stephanie and her books, visit her at www.stephaneierowe.com, or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StephanieRow....
A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.
Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.
Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.
Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, dancing, friends, and her amazing family.
A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.
Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.
Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.
Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, dancing, friends, and her amazing family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 22, 2012
Reviewed for Wickedly Bookish
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/
It's unfortunate when the first thought that comes to your mind once you've finished a book is "Thank God it's over!"
The entire experience was painful. Hold Me If You Can is a paranormal romance so coated in sugary silliness I literally think I got a cavity. There wasn't a single moment in this book I could take seriously. The fierce warrior hero uses flower shaped throwing stars... Okay... and if that wasn't weird enough the villein's power that seems to be causing all the problems is called smut and it isn't the only thing smutty about this book. Don't get me wrong, I love trashy romances especially ones with paranormal themes, but this was just over the top. Towards the end I didn't have to read entire sentences as every other word was love. It was like my annoying Aunt Marge was pinching my cheeks and reciting, "You are such a lovey wovey lovekins!" Love was crammed into this book like nobody's squishy lovey business. Did I mention the heroine is a Sweet? No, not scrumptious dessert! Her mystical race is actually called Sweet and she actually owns a dessert shop named Scrumptious. The only cool part about this situation was that she made virility balls, a magical chocolate treat that gives men nearly perpetual erections. That was pretty cute.
Although I didn't enjoy this book very much, I did feel it had a decent message squeezed to death by all the suffocating love. Throughout the book, the heroine is encouraged by her friends and her hero to love herself, no matter how scary that may be. Self-acceptance is a powerful, wonderful message no matter what the packaging.
I really wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless they had really off the wall tastes. I'm going to have to read something really mature and serious to cleanse my pallet after this. I may just have to resort to Stephen King, and I'm really not that big of a fan.
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/
It's unfortunate when the first thought that comes to your mind once you've finished a book is "Thank God it's over!"
The entire experience was painful. Hold Me If You Can is a paranormal romance so coated in sugary silliness I literally think I got a cavity. There wasn't a single moment in this book I could take seriously. The fierce warrior hero uses flower shaped throwing stars... Okay... and if that wasn't weird enough the villein's power that seems to be causing all the problems is called smut and it isn't the only thing smutty about this book. Don't get me wrong, I love trashy romances especially ones with paranormal themes, but this was just over the top. Towards the end I didn't have to read entire sentences as every other word was love. It was like my annoying Aunt Marge was pinching my cheeks and reciting, "You are such a lovey wovey lovekins!" Love was crammed into this book like nobody's squishy lovey business. Did I mention the heroine is a Sweet? No, not scrumptious dessert! Her mystical race is actually called Sweet and she actually owns a dessert shop named Scrumptious. The only cool part about this situation was that she made virility balls, a magical chocolate treat that gives men nearly perpetual erections. That was pretty cute.
Although I didn't enjoy this book very much, I did feel it had a decent message squeezed to death by all the suffocating love. Throughout the book, the heroine is encouraged by her friends and her hero to love herself, no matter how scary that may be. Self-acceptance is a powerful, wonderful message no matter what the packaging.
I really wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless they had really off the wall tastes. I'm going to have to read something really mature and serious to cleanse my pallet after this. I may just have to resort to Stephen King, and I'm really not that big of a fan.
December 16, 2011
Hold Me If You Can is the third book in the Soulfire series by Stephanie Rowe and a Paranormal Romance from SourceBooks Casablanca.
Book Blurb:
Escaping Hell Was The Easy Part...
Nigel Aqurian has escaped with his life, and with his inner demons. He needs beautiful Natalie Fleming, the woman he’s admired from afar for years, to soothe his turmoil...if only she wasn’t consumed with her own problems...
Staying Out Is Gong To Be The Real Challenge...
Ever since her brush with death, all Natalie wants is to run her famous chocolate shop and be left alone. But the only way she can kick-start her powers is by giving free rein to her sensual side, which Nigel is more than happy to help her explore...
With Nigel making quite a convincing case for losing control, Natalie is finding the temptation darn near irresistible...
My thoughts:
Natalie Fleming is a Sweet - her blood is irresistible to the chocolate addicted Deedubs. Having escaped her fate of a death by Deedub poison, Natalie wants nothing more than to make her chocolates and help people with their sexual problems.
But now that she has escaped her fated death - the Deedubs want her more than ever.
Nigel Aquarian escaped the Den of the Death’s psycho Granny - and he has his drawing to help keep him centered.
But now his drawings are being manipulated. Death’s Granny may have left the Den, but her apprentice, Mari, is still in residence - and she is determined to drag the warriors back - one drawing at a time.
Nigel needs Natalie to use her powers of persuasion to make him stop drawing - but Natalie’s powers are blocked. If they can’t figure out something quick - all of them will wind up in Hell.
The Soulfire series is quirky and fun - I never fail to laugh. Hold Me If You Can is another enjoyable installment.
My favorite line in this book is: “Use your chocolate power to make it happen. Now.”
I give Hold Me If You Can 3 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (1-1-12)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402241976
ISBN-13: 978-1402241970
Book Blurb:
Escaping Hell Was The Easy Part...
Nigel Aqurian has escaped with his life, and with his inner demons. He needs beautiful Natalie Fleming, the woman he’s admired from afar for years, to soothe his turmoil...if only she wasn’t consumed with her own problems...
Staying Out Is Gong To Be The Real Challenge...
Ever since her brush with death, all Natalie wants is to run her famous chocolate shop and be left alone. But the only way she can kick-start her powers is by giving free rein to her sensual side, which Nigel is more than happy to help her explore...
With Nigel making quite a convincing case for losing control, Natalie is finding the temptation darn near irresistible...
My thoughts:
Natalie Fleming is a Sweet - her blood is irresistible to the chocolate addicted Deedubs. Having escaped her fate of a death by Deedub poison, Natalie wants nothing more than to make her chocolates and help people with their sexual problems.
But now that she has escaped her fated death - the Deedubs want her more than ever.
Nigel Aquarian escaped the Den of the Death’s psycho Granny - and he has his drawing to help keep him centered.
But now his drawings are being manipulated. Death’s Granny may have left the Den, but her apprentice, Mari, is still in residence - and she is determined to drag the warriors back - one drawing at a time.
Nigel needs Natalie to use her powers of persuasion to make him stop drawing - but Natalie’s powers are blocked. If they can’t figure out something quick - all of them will wind up in Hell.
The Soulfire series is quirky and fun - I never fail to laugh. Hold Me If You Can is another enjoyable installment.
My favorite line in this book is: “Use your chocolate power to make it happen. Now.”
I give Hold Me If You Can 3 out of 5 stars.
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (1-1-12)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402241976
ISBN-13: 978-1402241970
July 16, 2017
I really enjoyed Rowe's sense of humor in the first two Soulfire books. This one? No. It felt like a mish-mash of actions without the fun of the previous ones.
August 18, 2017
This has been a fun quirky series, but given the publish date of this 3rd book, it looks like the series has been abandoned by the author, sad!! :(
December 4, 2017
This series keeps getting better! This was a wonderful installment! Action, danger, romance with twists that keep you wanting more. Can't wait for the next book!
January 15, 2012
You can also read this at Reflections on Reading Romance
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
The other day I posted on Twitter that Stephanie Rowe’s Hold Me If You Can is crazy goofy but lots of fun. That pretty much says it all! This was one hilarious paranormal romance, full of all kinds of silliness. I happen to love that sort of book, but if you’re more into gritty urban fantasy or less humorous paranormal romance, this book is not for you.
I have to admit that I haven’t read any of Ms. Rowe’s books before, and when I started reading this book, I didn’t realize that this was the third book in a series. In some series, you can dive right in at any point in the series with few problems. This is not one of those series. In fact, I was seriously annoyed and frustrated at the very beginning, because I had NO idea what was going on. References were made to certain creatures and magical terms, and I was completely lost. However, the zaniness soon drew me in, and I was able to catch up fairly easily once I’d read a little further. By the time I’d finished the book I’d definitely changed my initial opinion. For that reason, I’d recommend that you begin the series with the first book, Kiss At Your Own Risk, rather than starting with this one. If you do decide to begin with Hold Me If You Can, you might want to read a synopsis of the other two books or a review of this one to catch up on some of the terminology. I think you’ll have a more pleasant reading experience that way.
The heroine, Natalie Fleming, is a sweet. She has magical powers and her blood attracts demons called deedubs. Natalie has just finished renovating her magical sweet shop, called Scrumptious, for an inspection by the Michelin-O (for otherworld) guide. Natalie makes chocolates that can help with sensual matters (ie – chocolate goodies that have a Viagra effect), but her magic seems to be failing her and her recent escape from death at the hands of a deedub has made her infamous, making her a target.
Nigel Aquarian is a warrior and healer who spent the last 150 years being tortured by Angelica, Satan’s grandmother, in a place called the Den of Womanly Pursuits. (Prepare for the zaniness!) In the Den, Angelica and her minions used beauty implements as weapons and torture devices (curling irons and bobby pins as weapons), to change warriors like Nigel into more sensitive men. Now that Nigel and the others have escaped Angelica’s clutches, they still eat sushi pizza and engage in more “sensitive” pursuits, even while they watch sports on their large screen tvs, which frankly had me busting a gut from laughter.
Nigel is drawn to Natalie and vows to protect her from the deedubs, but he and his fellow escapees are under attack by one of Angelica’s former minions. The two would-be lovers must find a way for Natalie to get back her former mojo so she can defend herself against the deedubs, while rescuing their friends from the Den of Womanly Pursuits.
The humor in this book is a big selling point. Ms. Rowe’s use of beauty implements as weapons is hysterically funny, and the lighthearted tone of the novel makes for easy reading. Nigel and Natalie are both afraid to let go and be themselves, but in the end they learn to accept who they are, granting them even more power. All of this is accomplished with lots of bad puns, and silly, over the top villains, but that just makes the book all that more fun to read.
My biggest criticism is that it’s very difficult to immerse yourself in the world without having read any of the earlier books. There were many times in the first 25% of the novel when I found myself lost at some of the terms (smut, Magicks, Mystics, deedubs?), which was discouraging. Fortunately, I kept reading and was able to follow along fairly easy once I was into the book, but I fear many new readers will give up before that point.
Also, if you’re not into silly, comic paranormal romance, you just won’t enjoy this book. I loved it and found the craziness to be a big selling point, but I know that not all readers would agree.
Overall, this was a lot of fun to read, and I’m planning on checking out the rest of the books in the series to catch up. Any author who considers beauty tools torture devices is a-okay in my book!
I received this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5
The other day I posted on Twitter that Stephanie Rowe’s Hold Me If You Can is crazy goofy but lots of fun. That pretty much says it all! This was one hilarious paranormal romance, full of all kinds of silliness. I happen to love that sort of book, but if you’re more into gritty urban fantasy or less humorous paranormal romance, this book is not for you.
I have to admit that I haven’t read any of Ms. Rowe’s books before, and when I started reading this book, I didn’t realize that this was the third book in a series. In some series, you can dive right in at any point in the series with few problems. This is not one of those series. In fact, I was seriously annoyed and frustrated at the very beginning, because I had NO idea what was going on. References were made to certain creatures and magical terms, and I was completely lost. However, the zaniness soon drew me in, and I was able to catch up fairly easily once I’d read a little further. By the time I’d finished the book I’d definitely changed my initial opinion. For that reason, I’d recommend that you begin the series with the first book, Kiss At Your Own Risk, rather than starting with this one. If you do decide to begin with Hold Me If You Can, you might want to read a synopsis of the other two books or a review of this one to catch up on some of the terminology. I think you’ll have a more pleasant reading experience that way.
The heroine, Natalie Fleming, is a sweet. She has magical powers and her blood attracts demons called deedubs. Natalie has just finished renovating her magical sweet shop, called Scrumptious, for an inspection by the Michelin-O (for otherworld) guide. Natalie makes chocolates that can help with sensual matters (ie – chocolate goodies that have a Viagra effect), but her magic seems to be failing her and her recent escape from death at the hands of a deedub has made her infamous, making her a target.
Nigel Aquarian is a warrior and healer who spent the last 150 years being tortured by Angelica, Satan’s grandmother, in a place called the Den of Womanly Pursuits. (Prepare for the zaniness!) In the Den, Angelica and her minions used beauty implements as weapons and torture devices (curling irons and bobby pins as weapons), to change warriors like Nigel into more sensitive men. Now that Nigel and the others have escaped Angelica’s clutches, they still eat sushi pizza and engage in more “sensitive” pursuits, even while they watch sports on their large screen tvs, which frankly had me busting a gut from laughter.
Nigel is drawn to Natalie and vows to protect her from the deedubs, but he and his fellow escapees are under attack by one of Angelica’s former minions. The two would-be lovers must find a way for Natalie to get back her former mojo so she can defend herself against the deedubs, while rescuing their friends from the Den of Womanly Pursuits.
The humor in this book is a big selling point. Ms. Rowe’s use of beauty implements as weapons is hysterically funny, and the lighthearted tone of the novel makes for easy reading. Nigel and Natalie are both afraid to let go and be themselves, but in the end they learn to accept who they are, granting them even more power. All of this is accomplished with lots of bad puns, and silly, over the top villains, but that just makes the book all that more fun to read.
My biggest criticism is that it’s very difficult to immerse yourself in the world without having read any of the earlier books. There were many times in the first 25% of the novel when I found myself lost at some of the terms (smut, Magicks, Mystics, deedubs?), which was discouraging. Fortunately, I kept reading and was able to follow along fairly easy once I was into the book, but I fear many new readers will give up before that point.
Also, if you’re not into silly, comic paranormal romance, you just won’t enjoy this book. I loved it and found the craziness to be a big selling point, but I know that not all readers would agree.
Overall, this was a lot of fun to read, and I’m planning on checking out the rest of the books in the series to catch up. Any author who considers beauty tools torture devices is a-okay in my book!
I received this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
June 25, 2012
HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is a paranormal romance with a lot of spunk and heart! Stephanie Rowe has crafted a fun and fantastically addictive series with zany characters and plenty of thrills.
Surviving her first murder by a deedub was one thing, but opening her boutique chocolate shop is a whole other kind of nightmare. Natalie Fleming is trying to shake her difficult past and look forward to a bright new future. Still, the dreaded deebubs keep tracking Natalie down, attempting to finish the job they failed at before. Luckily for her, she has a warrior like Nigel Aquarian around to protect her. Yet when someone from Nigel's past returns to make him a permanent prisoner in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, Natalie may be the only person who can save him. Yet if Natalie wants to help him, she has to let go of her sensual side, something that she refuses to do because of the repercussions she has suffered in the past. Nigel may be the one thing that changes her mind, because she soon finds she would do anything to protect this fierce warrior who has claimed her heart.
Nigel was the alpha hero with a soft side. I loved the artistic side of him that brought out the sensitive emotions, it was charming and sweet. Yet that doesn't completely describe Nigel at all. He is fierce, compulsive and always willing to fight for what he believes in. Natalie was the perfect match for him by the fact that she was just as stubborn and courageous as Nigel. Her past led her to live life a little on the safe side, but the more drama that came her way, the more determined she was to protect everything that mattered to her.
While the leads were incredible, it's hard to forget that Ms Rowe creates a world with crazy characters that make the novel an absolute treat. Whether it was the villains or the friends, the companions in this series stand out just enough to catch your attention. They make you anxious to learn more about them and eager to read about it!
This was an extremely fun novel, but some things were really out there...even for a paranormal. Nigel has a pink rose tattoo on his cheek, which I found really difficult to visualize on an alpha hero, and blades rapidly shoot out of his skin. This was another thing my poor little brain had problems imagining. Nearly all of Ms Rowe's world-building aspects made the story very enjoyable. Yet there were still a few things that were more difficult to process. When you read "Use your chocolate power to make it happen! Now!" in the middle of a dramatic fight scene, you have to assess the kind of book you are reading. Despite all that, that is the unique appeal of the Soulfire series. It certainly wasn't anything I expected it to be, which is always a nice refreshing change when you step into a paranormal. You don't always want to read the same bland generic plot lines, so HOLD ME IF YOU CAN certainly made my reading more fun and enjoyable.
All small problems aside, I will say this: I had great difficultly putting this book down. As a matter of fact, I really only stopped reading the book once or twice. I devoured this book in a few sittings. Mainly because among the humor and excitement was a truly captivating story! HOLD ME IF YOU CAN will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what's going on and how the story will pan out. Not to mention the fact that this book is dangerously sexy. Natalie and Nigel have a pretty amazing chemistry that will leave readers gasping for breath. I'm very excited to re-visit the imaginative world Stephanie Rowe has created in future novels.
HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is the latest installment in what I've learned to be a very unique, yet fascinating series. I was very intrigued and surprised by it all. Considering the fact that it is a paranormal, Ms Rowe may have overcome one of the most difficult obstacles and that is keeping the novel fresh. Yes, it's chessy, but it's the awesome kind of cheesy. The kind of cheesy where the spectacle of it all brings you back again and again. HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is unique, it's funny and it's one helluva of a ride!
Originally posted at The Romance Reviews
Surviving her first murder by a deedub was one thing, but opening her boutique chocolate shop is a whole other kind of nightmare. Natalie Fleming is trying to shake her difficult past and look forward to a bright new future. Still, the dreaded deebubs keep tracking Natalie down, attempting to finish the job they failed at before. Luckily for her, she has a warrior like Nigel Aquarian around to protect her. Yet when someone from Nigel's past returns to make him a permanent prisoner in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, Natalie may be the only person who can save him. Yet if Natalie wants to help him, she has to let go of her sensual side, something that she refuses to do because of the repercussions she has suffered in the past. Nigel may be the one thing that changes her mind, because she soon finds she would do anything to protect this fierce warrior who has claimed her heart.
Nigel was the alpha hero with a soft side. I loved the artistic side of him that brought out the sensitive emotions, it was charming and sweet. Yet that doesn't completely describe Nigel at all. He is fierce, compulsive and always willing to fight for what he believes in. Natalie was the perfect match for him by the fact that she was just as stubborn and courageous as Nigel. Her past led her to live life a little on the safe side, but the more drama that came her way, the more determined she was to protect everything that mattered to her.
While the leads were incredible, it's hard to forget that Ms Rowe creates a world with crazy characters that make the novel an absolute treat. Whether it was the villains or the friends, the companions in this series stand out just enough to catch your attention. They make you anxious to learn more about them and eager to read about it!
This was an extremely fun novel, but some things were really out there...even for a paranormal. Nigel has a pink rose tattoo on his cheek, which I found really difficult to visualize on an alpha hero, and blades rapidly shoot out of his skin. This was another thing my poor little brain had problems imagining. Nearly all of Ms Rowe's world-building aspects made the story very enjoyable. Yet there were still a few things that were more difficult to process. When you read "Use your chocolate power to make it happen! Now!" in the middle of a dramatic fight scene, you have to assess the kind of book you are reading. Despite all that, that is the unique appeal of the Soulfire series. It certainly wasn't anything I expected it to be, which is always a nice refreshing change when you step into a paranormal. You don't always want to read the same bland generic plot lines, so HOLD ME IF YOU CAN certainly made my reading more fun and enjoyable.
All small problems aside, I will say this: I had great difficultly putting this book down. As a matter of fact, I really only stopped reading the book once or twice. I devoured this book in a few sittings. Mainly because among the humor and excitement was a truly captivating story! HOLD ME IF YOU CAN will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what's going on and how the story will pan out. Not to mention the fact that this book is dangerously sexy. Natalie and Nigel have a pretty amazing chemistry that will leave readers gasping for breath. I'm very excited to re-visit the imaginative world Stephanie Rowe has created in future novels.
HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is the latest installment in what I've learned to be a very unique, yet fascinating series. I was very intrigued and surprised by it all. Considering the fact that it is a paranormal, Ms Rowe may have overcome one of the most difficult obstacles and that is keeping the novel fresh. Yes, it's chessy, but it's the awesome kind of cheesy. The kind of cheesy where the spectacle of it all brings you back again and again. HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is unique, it's funny and it's one helluva of a ride!
Originally posted at The Romance Reviews
December 15, 2011
Release Date: January 1st, 2012
Summary:
Natalie has been given a second chance in life after she was bite by a Deedum while she was very young she was left with an expiration date, having already lost her mother and everyone of her sisters except Reina, Natalie knows loss. Natalie beat the curse and now she wants to live her life, but she doesn’t know how, she lived in fear her whole life and then lived out of control before her “death” she now doesn’t know how to find that happy medium so has shut down everything having to do with sensuality and exists solely to get her shop back up and running and to catch glimpses of Nigel, the fearsome warrior yet sensitive artist that is best friends with her sisters mate. Nigel has lived with the curse of his metal all of his life, after killing his mother with them he has lived in fear of losing control. The only thing that has managed to help him keep his stability and serenity has been his art. Now that has been threatened and he can no longer draw, his stability has been compromised and the only person that can help him get it back is Natalie with her power of persuasion. For weeks Nigel has been watching and drawing Natalie but keeping his distance, but now he has no choice he needs her. Natalie’s power of persuasion is gone and right before the reopening of her store. She needs to get it back, and then Nigel comes to her for her help, but to be able to help him and herself she has to tap into a place within that she refuses to go, her sensuality. Nigel is willing to take one for the team, he has to get Pascal back from Mari, but to do so he has to be stable, so whats a man to do… He’s got to help Natalie tap into her inner sex pot. In the midst of seducing Natalie, stabilizing Nigel, setting up the store, avoiding more Deedums, rescuing Pascal from the clutches of Mari, they discover that Natalie has become Mari’s smut deposit and she is turning into the thing she fears most a Deedum. Things are not looking good for Nigel and Natalie, it is doubtful that either come out of the alive and sane.
Review:
I have to say that this series is one of my favorite paranormal series, it’s just so refreshing and not quite like anything else out. Stephanie Rowe really knows how to create a unique world and I am happy to visit it anytime. Nigel is sexy and that interesting combination between artist and warrior, who could resist a combination like that, it’s like getting the best of both worlds. He’s protective and fierce, yet understands what Natalie needs even if she doesn’t and can see deep into her soul. Natalie is trapped within herself; she has lived in fear for so long and then lived so far out of control she doesn’t know how to live and now she has lost her powers and that is terrifying in itself. Natalie manages to stifle her inner essence, the thing that makes her who she is and Nigel is just the man to help her find it again. For Nigel she is willing to try. This book actually made me sit back and think a bit on myself and the way I live my life and reflect to see if I am living true to myself and it’s rare for that to happen and not unwelcome. However, while you are sitting there contemplating life you are still entertained by the twists and turns S. Rowe takes you on and laugh the whole way through. You really can’t ask for more. The only thing I missed in this book were my beloved cooky side characters, Augustus was barely there, the Godfather was only mentioned, Death and his crazy grandmother were not to be seen as well as my Blaine, Trinity and Reina. Oh how I love my strange characters from this series and oh how I missed you. Although, S. Rowe did give me some new ones and let me tell you, she left me dying to read the next installment! I don’t know when it’s going to be released but it’s not soon enough!
Rating:4.5
*This book was provided to me for an honest review through NetGalley.
Summary:
Natalie has been given a second chance in life after she was bite by a Deedum while she was very young she was left with an expiration date, having already lost her mother and everyone of her sisters except Reina, Natalie knows loss. Natalie beat the curse and now she wants to live her life, but she doesn’t know how, she lived in fear her whole life and then lived out of control before her “death” she now doesn’t know how to find that happy medium so has shut down everything having to do with sensuality and exists solely to get her shop back up and running and to catch glimpses of Nigel, the fearsome warrior yet sensitive artist that is best friends with her sisters mate. Nigel has lived with the curse of his metal all of his life, after killing his mother with them he has lived in fear of losing control. The only thing that has managed to help him keep his stability and serenity has been his art. Now that has been threatened and he can no longer draw, his stability has been compromised and the only person that can help him get it back is Natalie with her power of persuasion. For weeks Nigel has been watching and drawing Natalie but keeping his distance, but now he has no choice he needs her. Natalie’s power of persuasion is gone and right before the reopening of her store. She needs to get it back, and then Nigel comes to her for her help, but to be able to help him and herself she has to tap into a place within that she refuses to go, her sensuality. Nigel is willing to take one for the team, he has to get Pascal back from Mari, but to do so he has to be stable, so whats a man to do… He’s got to help Natalie tap into her inner sex pot. In the midst of seducing Natalie, stabilizing Nigel, setting up the store, avoiding more Deedums, rescuing Pascal from the clutches of Mari, they discover that Natalie has become Mari’s smut deposit and she is turning into the thing she fears most a Deedum. Things are not looking good for Nigel and Natalie, it is doubtful that either come out of the alive and sane.
Review:
I have to say that this series is one of my favorite paranormal series, it’s just so refreshing and not quite like anything else out. Stephanie Rowe really knows how to create a unique world and I am happy to visit it anytime. Nigel is sexy and that interesting combination between artist and warrior, who could resist a combination like that, it’s like getting the best of both worlds. He’s protective and fierce, yet understands what Natalie needs even if she doesn’t and can see deep into her soul. Natalie is trapped within herself; she has lived in fear for so long and then lived so far out of control she doesn’t know how to live and now she has lost her powers and that is terrifying in itself. Natalie manages to stifle her inner essence, the thing that makes her who she is and Nigel is just the man to help her find it again. For Nigel she is willing to try. This book actually made me sit back and think a bit on myself and the way I live my life and reflect to see if I am living true to myself and it’s rare for that to happen and not unwelcome. However, while you are sitting there contemplating life you are still entertained by the twists and turns S. Rowe takes you on and laugh the whole way through. You really can’t ask for more. The only thing I missed in this book were my beloved cooky side characters, Augustus was barely there, the Godfather was only mentioned, Death and his crazy grandmother were not to be seen as well as my Blaine, Trinity and Reina. Oh how I love my strange characters from this series and oh how I missed you. Although, S. Rowe did give me some new ones and let me tell you, she left me dying to read the next installment! I don’t know when it’s going to be released but it’s not soon enough!
Rating:4.5
*This book was provided to me for an honest review through NetGalley.
January 2, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
If a reader is looking for a book that teeters on the edge of a cliff, keeping them off balance with suspense and daring do, then this story will be worth checking out.
First, this is a part of a series but a new reader will have no problems with feeling connected to the storyline or characters. They are going to be consumed with Nigel and Natalie because the author focused solely on them. There are references to the previous book but in a natural way during conversations between characters so everything flows and is connected as it should.
For readers of the series, this book isn’t as funny but the tortured heroes are just as tortured and aggressive about escaping Mari’s influence in the Den as they ever were. Mari is a leftover villain who thinks she’s not evil or twisted or mean. I’ll let readers judge for themselves what role she truly plays once they’ve read this story. The author had my feelings for Mari’s character bouncing back and forth like a tennis match. I’m still not sure which side of the net I’ve landed on.
For Natalie and Nigel my sentiments aren’t as ambiguous. I liked Nigel. I’m warm to Natalie. I found Ella to be intriguing, and Christian is a man who needs saving. Pascal and Blaine haven’t been twisted in emotional pain enough to get their own story…yet. I’m betting that Christian is next. And I really want to know who he’s going to end up with because this book introduced some incredible options that beg to be explored. I’m already hooked for the next installment.
The author’s creation and use of smut, deedubs and dream genies continues to be ingenious and unique. The idea of men being part metal and having the ability to do amazing things with their bodies still entertains and fascinates. I never know what the author will come up with next. I can’t even guess. Ms. Rowe has an exceptional imagination.
Even with all the praise, Hold Me If You Can is a rollercoaster. After awhile, I got tired of the few steps forward and many steps back that Nigel and Natalie take on their journey to their happy ever after. Granted, it was suspenseful and many times dramatic; most certainly it’s well written. But, eventually I got inured to all the self flagellation and lack of confidence they both had in themselves. It slowed the story down and lasted too long. The ending didn’t seem like it had enough time to feel complete, to be enjoyed. The protagonists went through so much emotional and physical hardships, I had hoped for a more emotionally satisfying ending. I didn’t get it. Yes, they finally realized they loved each other and the final chapter had some cuteness to it, even a bit of humor. But there wasn’t enough of what I needed to keep the happy glow alive longer than it took to close the book.
Hold Me If You Can is a page turner. It has thrills and chills and quite a few fun parts to keep a reader entertained and interested. Natalie and Nigel are a vibrant couple with some quirks that make having a happily ever after a challenge to achieve. It’s how they eventually accomplish it that will amaze readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. It’s a book worth reading.
If a reader is looking for a book that teeters on the edge of a cliff, keeping them off balance with suspense and daring do, then this story will be worth checking out.
First, this is a part of a series but a new reader will have no problems with feeling connected to the storyline or characters. They are going to be consumed with Nigel and Natalie because the author focused solely on them. There are references to the previous book but in a natural way during conversations between characters so everything flows and is connected as it should.
For readers of the series, this book isn’t as funny but the tortured heroes are just as tortured and aggressive about escaping Mari’s influence in the Den as they ever were. Mari is a leftover villain who thinks she’s not evil or twisted or mean. I’ll let readers judge for themselves what role she truly plays once they’ve read this story. The author had my feelings for Mari’s character bouncing back and forth like a tennis match. I’m still not sure which side of the net I’ve landed on.
For Natalie and Nigel my sentiments aren’t as ambiguous. I liked Nigel. I’m warm to Natalie. I found Ella to be intriguing, and Christian is a man who needs saving. Pascal and Blaine haven’t been twisted in emotional pain enough to get their own story…yet. I’m betting that Christian is next. And I really want to know who he’s going to end up with because this book introduced some incredible options that beg to be explored. I’m already hooked for the next installment.
The author’s creation and use of smut, deedubs and dream genies continues to be ingenious and unique. The idea of men being part metal and having the ability to do amazing things with their bodies still entertains and fascinates. I never know what the author will come up with next. I can’t even guess. Ms. Rowe has an exceptional imagination.
Even with all the praise, Hold Me If You Can is a rollercoaster. After awhile, I got tired of the few steps forward and many steps back that Nigel and Natalie take on their journey to their happy ever after. Granted, it was suspenseful and many times dramatic; most certainly it’s well written. But, eventually I got inured to all the self flagellation and lack of confidence they both had in themselves. It slowed the story down and lasted too long. The ending didn’t seem like it had enough time to feel complete, to be enjoyed. The protagonists went through so much emotional and physical hardships, I had hoped for a more emotionally satisfying ending. I didn’t get it. Yes, they finally realized they loved each other and the final chapter had some cuteness to it, even a bit of humor. But there wasn’t enough of what I needed to keep the happy glow alive longer than it took to close the book.
Hold Me If You Can is a page turner. It has thrills and chills and quite a few fun parts to keep a reader entertained and interested. Natalie and Nigel are a vibrant couple with some quirks that make having a happily ever after a challenge to achieve. It’s how they eventually accomplish it that will amaze readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. It’s a book worth reading.
January 13, 2012
Favorite Lines: “She was desperate, she was still carrying way too much fear, terror, and generally debilitating phobia from her trek down “murder victim lane.”" (p. 15, egalley)
I only have a few things to say about Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series. First of all, I really liked the first book in the series (Kiss at Your Own Risk). It was hilarious and so different from other paranormal romances I’d read at the time. Best of all the heroine was not normal at the beginning or end of the book. Well, Rowe takes that great model and puts it back to work in book three of her Soulfire series. She also keeps her outrageous villains coming in book three, Hold Me if You Can; unfortunately, it was not a pleasant experience.
The over the top actions and language of the villains pretty much made me bust a gut when I read it in book one. When I read it in Hold Me if You Can I rolled my eyes and skipped over it. What do I mean? Well this:
"His nuts had already swollen to the size of grapefruits, and they were red and inflamed. Elephantiasis on the way. “A man’s jewels of ecstasy are personal zones of safety, woman!”"–p. 112
"Dear Lord. His nuts were like watermelons with poison ivy."–p. 112
It felt silly and immature and worked as an irritant instead of comedic relief. That irritation kept coming as the book progressed. In book one, I leaned a lot about the villain’s lair which is called the Den of Womanly Pursuits. The unique methods of torture and the abominations created there caught my interest. This go around I wasn’t half as interested. For the most part, each visit to the den became an exercise in annoyance which disappointed me because there was so much unfulfilled potential to Hold Me if You Can.
I liked the heroine and the hero, but the story felt over blown and grandiose in a bad way. Things were taken to major extremes; instead of making me laugh they made me roll my eyes and sigh. I read and enjoyed book one. I missed book two and felt lost as to what was going on in book three. Once I settled into the over the top story I understood what was going on, but I can’t say it’s a book I’d recommend.
It’s kinda like the American Pie movies. The first one shocks you into laughing and you keep watching to see what’s coming. However, by the times American Pie 2 (2001), American Wedding (2003), American Reunion(2012), as well as all the American Pie Presents videos (Band Camp, The Naked Mile, Beta House, and The Book of Love) have been released the shock factor no longer works. What was amusing in a shocking and fresh manner comes across as immature.
Once again, I’m in the minority according to GoodReads.
Scooper Speaks
I only have a few things to say about Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series. First of all, I really liked the first book in the series (Kiss at Your Own Risk). It was hilarious and so different from other paranormal romances I’d read at the time. Best of all the heroine was not normal at the beginning or end of the book. Well, Rowe takes that great model and puts it back to work in book three of her Soulfire series. She also keeps her outrageous villains coming in book three, Hold Me if You Can; unfortunately, it was not a pleasant experience.
The over the top actions and language of the villains pretty much made me bust a gut when I read it in book one. When I read it in Hold Me if You Can I rolled my eyes and skipped over it. What do I mean? Well this:
"His nuts had already swollen to the size of grapefruits, and they were red and inflamed. Elephantiasis on the way. “A man’s jewels of ecstasy are personal zones of safety, woman!”"–p. 112
"Dear Lord. His nuts were like watermelons with poison ivy."–p. 112
It felt silly and immature and worked as an irritant instead of comedic relief. That irritation kept coming as the book progressed. In book one, I leaned a lot about the villain’s lair which is called the Den of Womanly Pursuits. The unique methods of torture and the abominations created there caught my interest. This go around I wasn’t half as interested. For the most part, each visit to the den became an exercise in annoyance which disappointed me because there was so much unfulfilled potential to Hold Me if You Can.
I liked the heroine and the hero, but the story felt over blown and grandiose in a bad way. Things were taken to major extremes; instead of making me laugh they made me roll my eyes and sigh. I read and enjoyed book one. I missed book two and felt lost as to what was going on in book three. Once I settled into the over the top story I understood what was going on, but I can’t say it’s a book I’d recommend.
It’s kinda like the American Pie movies. The first one shocks you into laughing and you keep watching to see what’s coming. However, by the times American Pie 2 (2001), American Wedding (2003), American Reunion(2012), as well as all the American Pie Presents videos (Band Camp, The Naked Mile, Beta House, and The Book of Love) have been released the shock factor no longer works. What was amusing in a shocking and fresh manner comes across as immature.
Once again, I’m in the minority according to GoodReads.
Scooper Speaks
February 8, 2012
Natalie Fleming is a Sweet, a supernatural whose blood is irresistible to the Deedub race. In Touch if You Dare, Natalie was killed by a Deedub, but escaped that fate when her sister put her soul in another body. She was pretty lucky, or was she?
Nigel Aquarian is a warrior with an artistic bend. He was a warrior held captive in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, which was a hellhole where he and his warrior friends were tortured for 150 years. Some of the torture devices are just plain crazy and I’m truly amazed at Ms. Rowe’s creativity (or insanity) in thinking them up. Each warrior does something to help curb is warrior instincts. Nigel’s is drawing the emotions of his subjects and from the moment he saw Natalie he has been attracted to her.
Natalie is a chocolatier in pursuit of the distinguished Michelin-O award while trying to avoid another killer Deedub. Nigel has sworn to protect her and the antics begin. Add a psycho dream genie, another Sweet and a hedonistic researcher with a mysterious past and you have an enjoyable hot mess of a story.
Natalie and Nigel were both likeable characters for me, not lovable though. Natalie was a bit whiny and indecisive for me. Here she was given this great second chance to change and make something of her life and she falls into the same patterns that she did the first time around (while complaining about everything). Nigel was more open to change and I liked him better than Natalie. However, both of them were just stuck in their past and the book’s pacing staled in the middle while getting the hero and heroine together.
Hold Me If You Can is the third book in the Soulfire series. For those that have read the other books, well, you know what you are going to read. For those that have not read any them, well, hold on, because its going to be a non-stop ride.
The otherworld created in the Soulfire series is like nothing you have read before. The craziness of virility balls and dominatrix mistresses' reforming warriors with flower arranging and knitting is not for everyone. At times, it’s a bit cheesy and had me shaking my head. But if you are looking for a read that is not a dark, heavy paranormal then Hold Me If You Can may be a read you would enjoy. Similar type series include Aisling Grey: Guardian Series and Silver Dragons by Katie MacAlister and MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and Alaskan Royal Family series.
My rating for Hold Me If You Can is 3 flowers with a sensuality rating of 2 1/2 flames
Nigel Aquarian is a warrior with an artistic bend. He was a warrior held captive in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, which was a hellhole where he and his warrior friends were tortured for 150 years. Some of the torture devices are just plain crazy and I’m truly amazed at Ms. Rowe’s creativity (or insanity) in thinking them up. Each warrior does something to help curb is warrior instincts. Nigel’s is drawing the emotions of his subjects and from the moment he saw Natalie he has been attracted to her.
Natalie is a chocolatier in pursuit of the distinguished Michelin-O award while trying to avoid another killer Deedub. Nigel has sworn to protect her and the antics begin. Add a psycho dream genie, another Sweet and a hedonistic researcher with a mysterious past and you have an enjoyable hot mess of a story.
Natalie and Nigel were both likeable characters for me, not lovable though. Natalie was a bit whiny and indecisive for me. Here she was given this great second chance to change and make something of her life and she falls into the same patterns that she did the first time around (while complaining about everything). Nigel was more open to change and I liked him better than Natalie. However, both of them were just stuck in their past and the book’s pacing staled in the middle while getting the hero and heroine together.
Hold Me If You Can is the third book in the Soulfire series. For those that have read the other books, well, you know what you are going to read. For those that have not read any them, well, hold on, because its going to be a non-stop ride.
The otherworld created in the Soulfire series is like nothing you have read before. The craziness of virility balls and dominatrix mistresses' reforming warriors with flower arranging and knitting is not for everyone. At times, it’s a bit cheesy and had me shaking my head. But if you are looking for a read that is not a dark, heavy paranormal then Hold Me If You Can may be a read you would enjoy. Similar type series include Aisling Grey: Guardian Series and Silver Dragons by Katie MacAlister and MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and Alaskan Royal Family series.
My rating for Hold Me If You Can is 3 flowers with a sensuality rating of 2 1/2 flames
January 6, 2012
The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want. Nigel and his fellow warriors have only just escaped imprisonment when an even worse threat emerges. Natalie is the only woman who can help Nigel—but she's also the one most likely to bring him down.
Hold Me If You Can is the third instalment in Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series and features Natalie who was a secondary character in the second book Touch If You Dare, which I really liked because first off you got to know a lot about Natalie and a little about Nigel in that book which set-up Hold Me If You Can perfectly and secondly Hold Me If You Can follows on the same sort of theme, journey as the previous two books which is what I really like about this series, one of other the things I really like about this was the sense of humour Ms Rowe brings to these books through her hero’s. Yet as each book has progressed the humour in each book has been more dialled down, which is understandable as each book touches on different subject matters about the hero’s horrible past but it does lessen the uniqueness of the book for myself because I think that was one of the real winning things when I read the first book Kiss At Your Own Risk how Ms Rowe used humour through her hero’s to bond them and help them get through their past. Nigel as more of an artist wasn’t full of the humour I’ve come to know and immensely enjoy from this series but I think Natalie helped loosen Nigel up a little and brought some of the humour along. From reading Touch If You Dare it was obvious that Natalie and Nigel had something between them yet I wouldn’t have thought of putting those two together if Ms Rowe hadn’t introduced the possibility in the second book, not because they didn’t go well but because the thought never occurred to me.
Hold Me If You Can is another clever and interesting story in the Soulfire series and after reading it am possibly even more addicted in finding out where this series will take us. I’m interested in seeing who will be the hero in the next book and how this series will continue to develop.
Hold Me If You Can is the third instalment in Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series and features Natalie who was a secondary character in the second book Touch If You Dare, which I really liked because first off you got to know a lot about Natalie and a little about Nigel in that book which set-up Hold Me If You Can perfectly and secondly Hold Me If You Can follows on the same sort of theme, journey as the previous two books which is what I really like about this series, one of other the things I really like about this was the sense of humour Ms Rowe brings to these books through her hero’s. Yet as each book has progressed the humour in each book has been more dialled down, which is understandable as each book touches on different subject matters about the hero’s horrible past but it does lessen the uniqueness of the book for myself because I think that was one of the real winning things when I read the first book Kiss At Your Own Risk how Ms Rowe used humour through her hero’s to bond them and help them get through their past. Nigel as more of an artist wasn’t full of the humour I’ve come to know and immensely enjoy from this series but I think Natalie helped loosen Nigel up a little and brought some of the humour along. From reading Touch If You Dare it was obvious that Natalie and Nigel had something between them yet I wouldn’t have thought of putting those two together if Ms Rowe hadn’t introduced the possibility in the second book, not because they didn’t go well but because the thought never occurred to me.
Hold Me If You Can is another clever and interesting story in the Soulfire series and after reading it am possibly even more addicted in finding out where this series will take us. I’m interested in seeing who will be the hero in the next book and how this series will continue to develop.
December 24, 2011
Natalie has barely survived one death, now that she’s lost her power to influence, the master chocolatier may just loose her business as well. Without her magic, her virility balls no longer have that little spark that makes a man “stand tall”. Nigel has learned to release his inner aggression through his art, and this enables him to control the warrior lurking underneath his peaceful laid back exterior. Now with his artistic subjects being sent back into the hellhole known as the Den of Womanly Pursuits, he needs a magical influence to keep his warrior under control and his artistic endeavors at a standstill. He also needs to rescue his friends that he unknowingly sent back into the pit. Not enough to hold your interest yet? There’s also an insane dream genie who wants to rid the world of dreams to bring about the ultimate in peace. Sounds a lot like Buddhism to me.
I do enjoy Stephanie Rowe’s sense of the whimsically bizarre. She uses the terminally cute to paint over some seriously dark and disturbed characters. She is a master of literary illusion, and by that I mean, while I’m thinking yummy chocolate and flowers, I’m actually absorbing mass murder and unfettered soul rending. I am at a loss for how she does it. She is either brilliantly gifted or just a tad psychotic. If it’s the latter, the world is in serious trouble, because she is insidiously devious. She has created this sparkly, incredibly detailed magical world that would be absolutely perfect if not for a few heinously evil villains, who mostly feel they are trying to do good in the form of torture and murder. There are a few who just want to eat other beings, but mostly there are just the evil but seriously delusional and misguided do-gooders. Thankfully, Blaine, Jarvis, Nigel and Christian are always consistently wonderful. They have their little manly quirks, but they are like touchstones of lickable hottness. Their continued quest for freedom and peace is what drives this addictive series and keeps me coming back time after head scratching time. Every time I finish one of these books, I always ask myself “How did she do that?”. How did she take me from point A to point Q without me realizing it? It still remains a mystery. Maybe I’ll find out in Christian’s book.
I do enjoy Stephanie Rowe’s sense of the whimsically bizarre. She uses the terminally cute to paint over some seriously dark and disturbed characters. She is a master of literary illusion, and by that I mean, while I’m thinking yummy chocolate and flowers, I’m actually absorbing mass murder and unfettered soul rending. I am at a loss for how she does it. She is either brilliantly gifted or just a tad psychotic. If it’s the latter, the world is in serious trouble, because she is insidiously devious. She has created this sparkly, incredibly detailed magical world that would be absolutely perfect if not for a few heinously evil villains, who mostly feel they are trying to do good in the form of torture and murder. There are a few who just want to eat other beings, but mostly there are just the evil but seriously delusional and misguided do-gooders. Thankfully, Blaine, Jarvis, Nigel and Christian are always consistently wonderful. They have their little manly quirks, but they are like touchstones of lickable hottness. Their continued quest for freedom and peace is what drives this addictive series and keeps me coming back time after head scratching time. Every time I finish one of these books, I always ask myself “How did she do that?”. How did she take me from point A to point Q without me realizing it? It still remains a mystery. Maybe I’ll find out in Christian’s book.
March 1, 2012
Stephanie Rowe continues to be one of my favorite authors. HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is another wonderfully imaginative read full of fabulous characters one just has to love… or hate in some cases. Her heroes are not the stereotypical bad-asses. Sure, they have all the traits we expect in good guy-macho men but they also have unusual interests most consider soft, like needlework, hair styling and drawing. They are conflicted about these hobbies but find a release in them from the harsh world they’ve been forced into. This, of course, only endears them more to the women they love. Rowe’s paranormal world is refreshing because her characters are not vampires, fae, shape-shifters, etc. They are never before heard of species of villains and heroes straight from the depths of Rowe’s imagination. The women are as tough as the men in some ways but remain thoroughly feminine. Nigel and Natalie are wonderfully flawed but find the answers to their survival and happiness in each other's love despite their best efforts not to. Oh, and they manage to save each other from doom. Their attraction sizzles but there’s far more to it than just sex. I finished the book with a sense of incompleteness though. Many of the characters from the two previous books in the series are missing. Death and his grandparents were such a delicious addition to the other stories and are barely, if at all, mentioned. The villains in this story weren’t nearly as well explored as I expected. Rowe has a real talent for giving the worse bad guys traits that hint at a redeemable soul but we don’t get as much of that in this book. The story is fun in spite of these issues though. If you like your romance wrapped in a tense, unique story, you'll enjoy this book. I did.
RATING: 4
REVIEWED BY: Jeanne Stone-Hunter for My Book Addiction and More
RATING: 4
REVIEWED BY: Jeanne Stone-Hunter for My Book Addiction and More
January 5, 2012
Originally posted at The Book Bundle: http://thebookbundle.blogspot.com/201...
I’m sorry, but this really isn’t a positive review at all.
I really, really tried to give this book a chance. I made myself keep going, telling myself to see how it went as I got further. About 2/3 of the way in, though, I decided there are enough books out there I am desperate to read, so I called it a day with this.
First of all, it’s part of a series, which I didn’t realise from the description, or from being in Natalie's point of view for the first chapter. I think if I had read the earlier books, I would have understood the ‘bad guys’ more, and the threat of some of the creatures that attack our hero.
I did like the idea initially - Natalie runs a chocolate shop, where she can put a little bit of magic into the chocolate, and use it as a potion to help people. Cool idea. But we don’t see it working much, and I was too distracted by thinking “What on earth just happened here?” And I thought that a lot reading this. For a prime example, the hero is hanging out with his buddies early in the story, and they are attacked by fuzzy poodles, if memory serves. At least every few pages, something like that would happen where I had to sit up and think “Hang on, what?”
And the building of the ‘relationship’ between the two characters just felt so awkward that I couldn’t feel comfortable about them getting together. They keep almost killing each other, then they have to make Natalie feel pleasure so she can do something... it just didn't feel right that they should be getting together.
This book just really didn’t work for me in several ways. Did Not Finish, so no star rating.
I’m sorry, but this really isn’t a positive review at all.
I really, really tried to give this book a chance. I made myself keep going, telling myself to see how it went as I got further. About 2/3 of the way in, though, I decided there are enough books out there I am desperate to read, so I called it a day with this.
First of all, it’s part of a series, which I didn’t realise from the description, or from being in Natalie's point of view for the first chapter. I think if I had read the earlier books, I would have understood the ‘bad guys’ more, and the threat of some of the creatures that attack our hero.
I did like the idea initially - Natalie runs a chocolate shop, where she can put a little bit of magic into the chocolate, and use it as a potion to help people. Cool idea. But we don’t see it working much, and I was too distracted by thinking “What on earth just happened here?” And I thought that a lot reading this. For a prime example, the hero is hanging out with his buddies early in the story, and they are attacked by fuzzy poodles, if memory serves. At least every few pages, something like that would happen where I had to sit up and think “Hang on, what?”
And the building of the ‘relationship’ between the two characters just felt so awkward that I couldn’t feel comfortable about them getting together. They keep almost killing each other, then they have to make Natalie feel pleasure so she can do something... it just didn't feel right that they should be getting together.
This book just really didn’t work for me in several ways. Did Not Finish, so no star rating.
June 18, 2017
This series continues to be completely insane in the most entertaining way possible. This time we have a heroine that has chocolate related super powers of influence and persuasion. And a hero that is a human weapon factory with a penchant for sketching portraits whenever things get a little tense. Completely and utterly mad, but immensely enjoyable.
Nigel Aquarian, our hero, is the third warrior of the original four who escaped from the DWP. No, not the Department of Work and Pensions, the Den of Womanly Pursuits. A place where men are trained (read: imprisoned and tortured) to become better, more manly men, yet also sensitive to a woman's every need and schooled in the art of seduction by way of poisonous spikes to the testicles.
I did mention the mad part several times so you can stop looking at me like that.
Our heroine is Natalie, the Sweet we met in the last book who is a former victim of a Deedub bite. Think of Deedubs as demonic leprechauns who bite Sweets - people with chocolate super powers... Come on, keep up - who then slowly become stronger and more outgoing until they eventually die from some sort of dangerous activity. Like they might believe they can fly so they jump out of a window...stuff like that. *sigh* It's all perfectly straightforward really.
If you have found any of the above descriptions amusing in any way I urge you to read this series because they are really fun. It will take a certain sense of humour to truly appreciate these books and I know they won't be for everyone. They are kind of like The Fantastic four meets Monty Python. Crazy, but strangely brilliant.
Nigel Aquarian, our hero, is the third warrior of the original four who escaped from the DWP. No, not the Department of Work and Pensions, the Den of Womanly Pursuits. A place where men are trained (read: imprisoned and tortured) to become better, more manly men, yet also sensitive to a woman's every need and schooled in the art of seduction by way of poisonous spikes to the testicles.
I did mention the mad part several times so you can stop looking at me like that.
Our heroine is Natalie, the Sweet we met in the last book who is a former victim of a Deedub bite. Think of Deedubs as demonic leprechauns who bite Sweets - people with chocolate super powers... Come on, keep up - who then slowly become stronger and more outgoing until they eventually die from some sort of dangerous activity. Like they might believe they can fly so they jump out of a window...stuff like that. *sigh* It's all perfectly straightforward really.
If you have found any of the above descriptions amusing in any way I urge you to read this series because they are really fun. It will take a certain sense of humour to truly appreciate these books and I know they won't be for everyone. They are kind of like The Fantastic four meets Monty Python. Crazy, but strangely brilliant.
October 11, 2011
Nigel seeks out Natalie's help when the one thing that keeps him calm is sending his friends back to the Den. His drawing. It seems that Mari is trying to draw the warriors back to the Den using Nigel's gift. What he doesn't know is that Natalie has a problem herself. Since coming back from the dead she seems to have lost her gift of influence. She is now turning into a deebub, the thing that killed her before. So she has to race the clock to avoid the taken over by it. So Nigel has to help Natalie get her confidence back to influence him or his friends will suffer. Together they both fight to win both battles they have raging. Along the way they can't avoid their mutual attraction and realize they care for one another.
Stephanie has a great writing style. She can make a story both humorous and dramatic. It is one of the things I like about the series.I also like the romance between Nigel and Natalie. I have been rooting for Nigel to find love since I first read about him. I think the two of them complement each other. Ella is also a great character. She proved that she was truly sorry for what she did to the guys in the Den. At one point I feel bad for Mari but realize that she is still bad. Mari tends to think only of Mari.
What I didn't like was Augustus. He always seems to show up at the wrong times. His obsession with Natalie is annoying.
Overall it is a great book. It did have a few points where I wished it would just speed along but not many. A defiant recommend.
Stephanie has a great writing style. She can make a story both humorous and dramatic. It is one of the things I like about the series.I also like the romance between Nigel and Natalie. I have been rooting for Nigel to find love since I first read about him. I think the two of them complement each other. Ella is also a great character. She proved that she was truly sorry for what she did to the guys in the Den. At one point I feel bad for Mari but realize that she is still bad. Mari tends to think only of Mari.
What I didn't like was Augustus. He always seems to show up at the wrong times. His obsession with Natalie is annoying.
Overall it is a great book. It did have a few points where I wished it would just speed along but not many. A defiant recommend.
January 2, 2012
3.5 Stars
Pick up a piece of high quality chocolate and let it melt on your tongue. The smell of it, the feel of it as it melts, and the pure joy you feel all add up to the seduction that is chocolate. Imagine that all packaged inside you, understandable that there would be creatures salivating at the very sight of you.
Chocolate and seduction go hand in hand, and for Natalie you can’t separate the two. With her affinity to chocolate Natalie has survived being the target of such a creature and death. Sounds like everything else should be easy after that. But the challenges only keep getting stickier and tougher. Good thing the warrior Nigel needs her as much as she needs him, which is where the seduction comes in.
Nigel is the quiet artist, the healer, and the only one who is being used by Mari to capture the recently freed warriors. As with Rowe’s other warriors Nigel has discovered that Natalie can help pull him back from the edge. What makes his story different is all the other complications. Too many to name, and what would be the fun of spoiling it anyway?
Another fun read for the Soulfire series. Not quite as much humor as the previous two, but plenty of action and plot twists. It also leaves you hanging at the end wondering about Christian, his story had better be next or we all might have to resort to finding some sweets...chocolate that is.
Pick up a piece of high quality chocolate and let it melt on your tongue. The smell of it, the feel of it as it melts, and the pure joy you feel all add up to the seduction that is chocolate. Imagine that all packaged inside you, understandable that there would be creatures salivating at the very sight of you.
Chocolate and seduction go hand in hand, and for Natalie you can’t separate the two. With her affinity to chocolate Natalie has survived being the target of such a creature and death. Sounds like everything else should be easy after that. But the challenges only keep getting stickier and tougher. Good thing the warrior Nigel needs her as much as she needs him, which is where the seduction comes in.
Nigel is the quiet artist, the healer, and the only one who is being used by Mari to capture the recently freed warriors. As with Rowe’s other warriors Nigel has discovered that Natalie can help pull him back from the edge. What makes his story different is all the other complications. Too many to name, and what would be the fun of spoiling it anyway?
Another fun read for the Soulfire series. Not quite as much humor as the previous two, but plenty of action and plot twists. It also leaves you hanging at the end wondering about Christian, his story had better be next or we all might have to resort to finding some sweets...chocolate that is.
January 15, 2012
High-octane? High-octane? Have you ever watched the movie Crank? Ya, this book was Crank on crack. From page one it was nothing but non-stop, inexplicable, confusing, ridiculous action and bizarreness. I didn’t even have a chance to settle in to the book before the author started throwing battles with chocolate obsessed leprechauns(?) and metro-sexual warriors with roses tattooed on their faces at me. Wait, what? Who are these people?
Too many unanswered questions about the setting, the characters, their relationships to each other, their origins, and what the HECK was going on . Perhaps I wouldn’t have been so confused if I hadn’t started with book 3 in the series, but I’ve started most of my favorite series several books in and not been confused like I was with this book. I found this book to be random, raunchy, and ridiculous rather than clever, sensual, and whimsical.
This book just didn’t work for me and I couldn’t finish reading it. I stopped with 19 pages left to go (right in the middle of the 100th “final climactic battle“) because I just didn‘t care what happened and couldn’t take it anymore.
Too many unanswered questions about the setting, the characters, their relationships to each other, their origins, and what the HECK was going on . Perhaps I wouldn’t have been so confused if I hadn’t started with book 3 in the series, but I’ve started most of my favorite series several books in and not been confused like I was with this book. I found this book to be random, raunchy, and ridiculous rather than clever, sensual, and whimsical.
This book just didn’t work for me and I couldn’t finish reading it. I stopped with 19 pages left to go (right in the middle of the 100th “final climactic battle“) because I just didn‘t care what happened and couldn’t take it anymore.
December 31, 2013
I love Stephanie Rowe, I really do...but this one...not so much.
the third in the paranormal Soulfire series, it tells of Nigel and Natalie. Nigel is a warrior freed from Angelica's Den along with his friends. Natalie is Sweet, she creates and helps humans and paranormal with chocolate. Deedubs LOVE Sweets, and Natalie has survived and Deedub bite, something unheard of.
When Nigel draws (quite literally) his team mates back into the Den, he and Natalie are faced with their worst fears and have to join forces to save Pascal and Blaine.
it was soooooo hard work, this book. lots of deep soul searching, which came across as a little flat, to me, anyway. I even left it half way through and read something else and came back to it!
it does help if you have read the previous two, however there is very little back story in this one, so I would recommend it. I also feel maybe Rowe should leave these warriors to their own devises, and let them be. THAT SAID, I do wonder about the reaction of Christian to Ella, right at the end. and there is obviously something between Pascal and Danielle to be told.
the third in the paranormal Soulfire series, it tells of Nigel and Natalie. Nigel is a warrior freed from Angelica's Den along with his friends. Natalie is Sweet, she creates and helps humans and paranormal with chocolate. Deedubs LOVE Sweets, and Natalie has survived and Deedub bite, something unheard of.
When Nigel draws (quite literally) his team mates back into the Den, he and Natalie are faced with their worst fears and have to join forces to save Pascal and Blaine.
it was soooooo hard work, this book. lots of deep soul searching, which came across as a little flat, to me, anyway. I even left it half way through and read something else and came back to it!
it does help if you have read the previous two, however there is very little back story in this one, so I would recommend it. I also feel maybe Rowe should leave these warriors to their own devises, and let them be. THAT SAID, I do wonder about the reaction of Christian to Ella, right at the end. and there is obviously something between Pascal and Danielle to be told.
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December 23, 2012Originally posted on Jan 2 2012 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books:
This is a first for me (when I'm writing this; it's November, lol); finding a book that's part of a series that just makes me feel like I'm too out of context from not reading the rest of the book. Many books I've read made more sense if read in the series order but did hold their own well enough by themselves, too.
In this case, I went for about half the book before finally giving up. Just too much "Huh?" going on in my head to keep going. I liked the writing, it was fun, and the characters were likable not overly charming for me and I attribute that greatly to the fact a lot of them was directly referenced to something I didn't know about. It piqued my curiosity, this book, and the cover looked totally lovely, but I wouldn't go through the first two books to make sense of it, it didn't really grip me that much.
So I didn't finish it. Sorry...
This is a first for me (when I'm writing this; it's November, lol); finding a book that's part of a series that just makes me feel like I'm too out of context from not reading the rest of the book. Many books I've read made more sense if read in the series order but did hold their own well enough by themselves, too.
In this case, I went for about half the book before finally giving up. Just too much "Huh?" going on in my head to keep going. I liked the writing, it was fun, and the characters were likable not overly charming for me and I attribute that greatly to the fact a lot of them was directly referenced to something I didn't know about. It piqued my curiosity, this book, and the cover looked totally lovely, but I wouldn't go through the first two books to make sense of it, it didn't really grip me that much.
So I didn't finish it. Sorry...
December 2, 2014
Hmmm...
We have a h who is afraid of herself, and a H who is...afraid of himself. He uses art to calm himself so he can control his abilities. She just...avoids that side of her. And somehow, the villain's sidekick from the first book has figured out how to tap into both of them - his art teleports whomever he draws to the chick's den. She, OTOH, is getting the side effects of the chick's usage of black magic.
There were a lot of loose ends for what appears to be the last book in a trilogy. We never hear anything else from Napoleon - the ex of the villainess - for example. He was left wandering around at the end of book 2, the guy he was after is back though and...? At the end of THIS book, Christian - one of the escapees - is running out the store after a woman. Mari - the chick - is a lizard contained for some soul swapping, and... There was a point prior to that where the H had drawn a previous H. Someone went to check on him and both he and his heroine were missing. He's later mentioned as being in the Den, but she's not.
We have a h who is afraid of herself, and a H who is...afraid of himself. He uses art to calm himself so he can control his abilities. She just...avoids that side of her. And somehow, the villain's sidekick from the first book has figured out how to tap into both of them - his art teleports whomever he draws to the chick's den. She, OTOH, is getting the side effects of the chick's usage of black magic.
There were a lot of loose ends for what appears to be the last book in a trilogy. We never hear anything else from Napoleon - the ex of the villainess - for example. He was left wandering around at the end of book 2, the guy he was after is back though and...? At the end of THIS book, Christian - one of the escapees - is running out the store after a woman. Mari - the chick - is a lizard contained for some soul swapping, and... There was a point prior to that where the H had drawn a previous H. Someone went to check on him and both he and his heroine were missing. He's later mentioned as being in the Den, but she's not.
March 18, 2012
This was my favorite in the series so far. You either love these books, or you don't. If you love the Princess Bride, you should love these books. Oddly enough, I'm not a fan of the Princess Bride, however I do have a fondness for this series. They're kind of romance novel spoofs but you still get a good romance novel. I actually really liked this one for a couple of reasons. One was that it didn't follow the typical boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back format. Anytime a book can break away from that it makes me happy. I also was thrilled that the sex scenes didn't go on for a great length of pages and there weren't very many of them in the book at all. The sexual tension however was pretty intense from the start. What can I say, I'm a sucker for sexual tension. I loved Bones until they finally ended up in bed together. I kept watching JAG even though the acting was kinda sucky just because I needed to find out if the two of them ever got together.
July 28, 2012
I do believe that Stephanie Rowe is now officially a kept paranormal romance author for my shelves! Third book in her Soulfire series and I’m still enjoying them and looking forward to the next. Not only is there passion but LOTS of fighting action where good fights evil even if at some points it is themselves. LOVED it! If you like a good paranormal romance read that will make you laugh, fill you with awe, and of course have you pretending to be in on the “kick-ass” scenes, then you’ll enjoy Rowe’s book Hold Me If You Can in addition to her books Kiss At Your Own Risk and Touch If You Dare in the series. All books are great even as stand alone stories even though you’ll understand more if you read the previous books since there are references back to them. I’m VERY much looking forward to Christian’s story; assuming it’s next in the series.
dnf
February 14, 2012I could not finish this book. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a movie and missed the first hour. The book started off as if the reader should already know what is going on. Normally with books in a series, there is a little catch up that the author provides at the beginning to refresh the reader's memory or to provide background info to a reader who is new to a series. There was none of this and my frustration with not knowing or understanding what was going on had me not enjoy what little of the book I read. At first I thought it was just me, because I hadn't read the first 2 books in the series. But I spoke to someone else who read this book and read the previous two,and she had the same issue. Good to know it wasn't just me. This is one book that I don't think I will be picking back up and finishing.
March 8, 2014
This was a DNF for me, I persevered with the first two but the series just gets worse. The story lines have so much potential but they are shallow and lack detail. 3 books in and too many things are glossed over we still don't find out how they get their powers/gifts/curses other than vaguest references to Angelica's experiments, there's just not enough information about who all the other paranormals are and how they coexist with humans and instead of tidying up loose ends the author just seems to think it's ok for things to happen and we don't need to know why or how.
I found I was bored and easily distracted by the TV and other excuses to put it down. The whole concept of men being enlightened through forced involvement in craft, hair styling and other "womanly interests" could have been funny in a tongue in cheek way but the author hasn't pulled it off it just made me cringe.
I found I was bored and easily distracted by the TV and other excuses to put it down. The whole concept of men being enlightened through forced involvement in craft, hair styling and other "womanly interests" could have been funny in a tongue in cheek way but the author hasn't pulled it off it just made me cringe.
August 4, 2015
This is an really odd book. I recommend reading one of the earlier books such as, Touch Me If You Dare, or you will be completely lost at the beginning of this book like I was. While the story is cute and entertaining its weird. First time readers won't be able to stop themselves from giggling at the description of the Den of Womenly Pursuits. Its such an weird idea. The characters of Mari and Charles are laughably one dimensional. Basically, if you're interested in a quirky, amusing tale this is the book for you.
May 4, 2012
I loved this story. Nigel the tortured warrior artist was just inspiring and Natalie so relatable. I picked this one up at the library not knowing it was two others ahead of it so you can read it as a stand-alone. The romance between Nigel and Natalie was just scorching to say the least. The storyline was surprisingly fastpaced and action-packed. As well as the magical world Rowe created being fascinating and fun. I loved the other guys of the den I am hoping Christian gets a book next because I can't wait to see him get a hea.
September 27, 2014
To much angst
The plot was so screwy and beyond real that I had a lot of trouble reading this book. Natalie was just so messed up I had trouble relating to her in any way. She fought to hard to be the victim until the very end, when she finally got her act together. Now Nigel was unique but a little psychotic in his pursuit of not hurting anyone.
If there are more in this series I probably won't get the next one, which is to bad because I really like Stephanie Rowe's books! It is just this series that I had trouble with.
The plot was so screwy and beyond real that I had a lot of trouble reading this book. Natalie was just so messed up I had trouble relating to her in any way. She fought to hard to be the victim until the very end, when she finally got her act together. Now Nigel was unique but a little psychotic in his pursuit of not hurting anyone.
If there are more in this series I probably won't get the next one, which is to bad because I really like Stephanie Rowe's books! It is just this series that I had trouble with.
May 22, 2015
I'm not quite sure what to think of this story. As that it does not come out til January. I shall hold off on saying more until the pub date is closer.
edited: Not sure what to think of this story. There were a few parts of the story I like but others i just felt like i was missing something. I feel that to better understand the characters history that this author's book should be read in order of series.
3 stars
edited: Not sure what to think of this story. There were a few parts of the story I like but others i just felt like i was missing something. I feel that to better understand the characters history that this author's book should be read in order of series.
3 stars
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