Female werewolf detective Amelia Jones, bites off more than she can chew when she goes undercover to catch her client's sexy husband cheating. A 25 year-old virgin lacking control over her emotions and animal instincts, she finds herself on a collision course with temptations that put her life, sanity, and family at risk.
Pandora Richardson, a visionary in Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, invites readers into worlds where mystery meets magic. Her first novel, Lost, published in 2012, introduced readers to the captivating Amelia Jones series, and after a writing hiatus, she’s back, more inspired than ever. Recently, Pandora completed Book 2 of the Amelia Jones series and is deep into her next planned novel series. When she’s not conjuring new realms, you might find her savoring a scoop of Chunky Monkey, always ready for the next twist in the tale.
The premise of this debut novel was a good one. Amelia Jones is a 24-year old private detective of limited experience, financially strapped, and faced with the prospect of being evicted from her apartment. Away from her office, Amelia leads a rather self-contained, circumscribed existence. Aside from her two adopted dads (who have been the only loving family she has known all her life), Amelia has steeled her heart and emotions, steering clear of most men. For while Amelia hasn't been a private detective for very long, she possesses a special power that gives her certain advantages that aides her in solving cases. Amelia is a werewolf, albeit a reluctant one who, aside from full-moon nights, firmly suppresses the lycanthropic side of her nature. What's more, she's also a virgin, which can pose challenging problems for Amelia whenever her feral side is stirred up to boiling point.
Amelia was desperate for a case when she was approached in her office by a wealthy heiress to "get the goods" on her younger husband, Matthew Harold, a successful businessman, whom she suspects of cheating on her. So, Amelia goes about gathering clues, putting her ears to the wind (literally), and learns that Mr. Harold is on a recruitment drive in his high-rise downtown office. Amelia puts on a disguise and is interviewed by Mr. Harold. She soon finds herself in a situation that puts her emotions to the test. Amelia is no longer sure she wants the case, which entails upon acceptance of Mr. Harold's job offer, accompanying him on a special job assignment to an obscure Caribbean island, lapped in luxury. But her client, the heiress, won't hear of Amelia walking away from the case. She offers Amelia enough money to keep her afloat for months. Just catch Mr. Harold "in the act", furnish proof of his "indiscretions" to the heiress' satisfaction and all will be well.
The storyline was easy to follow. But the novel needed some more editing. And Mr. Harold's 2-man security detail, his chauffeur Badrani, one of the waiters who waited on Mr. Harold and Amelia when they had breakfast one morning on the idyllic isle, and a couple of other men the author fleshed out were all ruggedly handsome like Chippendale dancers, and babe magnets. (Of course, Mr. Harold was also exceptionally good-looking with his piercing blue eyes as well as being saavy, poised, and the one man Amelia found herself strongly drawn to, try as she does to resist him - and he her.)
What's more: while there was tension in the novel, the buildup to the denouement wasn't what I had thought it would be. To be honest, I felt a bit let down, which is why I can only rate "LOST" with 2 stars. Notwithstanding that, I am prepared to give Pandora Richardson the benefit of the doubt that she'll bring out more drama and ACTION in the second novel in the series. If so, I'd say to her: "Get cracking!"
Amelia Jones is many things. She's a woman, obviously, a private detective, and a werewolf. Keeping her werewolf nature hidden all these years has also led her, even though she's in her twenties, to be unmarried, totally single, and still a virgin. Throw a very handsome, Calvin Klein model handsome, man who's attracted to Amelia....and married...to her client...into the mix and you've got a recipe for disaster.
It took me a little bit to get into Lost, but around 35% on my Kindle's standards, I couldn't put the book down. I became engrossed in Amelia's dilemmas and the drama surrounding her. Amelia has two dads, she's now a grown woman fighting to survive on her own. It's made even harder by the fact that she's a werewolf fighting her very nature. She's been forcing the wolf down for a long time, and it's getting harder and harder. Especially around Matthew, her clients husband.
Amelia is hired to find out if Matthew is cheating on his much older wife. Unfortunately for Amelia, Matthew runs an escort business. And in order to go undercover she's going to have to join his world. This means traveling with him to paradise and getting pampered a la` Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. What she runs into there is so much more than expected. A mystery to be solved, danger, and an attraction that might be hard to avoid.
As I said before, it was a little before I got into it, but then I loved it. The suspense and mystery, along with the werewolf paranormal, was great. The one thing I will say is that towards the end there is a scene that might be difficult for a woman who has suffered rape or a sexual attack to read. Other than that, I enjoyed the book and can't wait for book 2. The ending was cliffhanger and I'm now in love with Amelia Jones.
I was not paid for this review, the opinions expressed here are my own and were in no way swayed. I was gifted this book by the author and that is it. Thank you for taking the time to read! -Melissa A room without books is like a body without a soul. -Cicero
This book was an exciting tease. I love the mystery of the main character Amelia Jones and her struggle with relationships and finding her place in the real world. I cant wait for the next book to see how the author allows her to mature and solve mysteries all at the same time. This was a very juicy read in my opinion! JaPrina Lassiter
I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I didn’t know if the case Amelia was on would be paranormal in nature or if something else in her life would be. Instead nothing but herself was supernatural. Don’t get me wrong, it was still an interesting book. I was just a little disappointed. I mean here you have a female werewolf, who is a private detective no less. That has all the makings for a really good urban fantasy/paranormal book.
Nonetheless I was still entertained by Amelia’s attempts at solving the case of the cheating wealthy cheating husband. This was no YA book. She’s a 25-year-old virgin and is suddenly beset with raging hormones that has her lusting after nearly ever man she comes across. It was definitely steamy.
Matthew, the cheating husband, is a near Adonis and practically had me salivating. He was hot in the looks department. He was suave and smooth. All of that and more! How can you not find him hot?
Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that Amelia was black and that her parents were a gay couple. I truly love diversity in paranormal/UF books. There was a lot of her experiences growing up as a black girl with two dad’s. I really appreciated the author’s daring to go off the beaten path.
It wasn’t all peaches and cream. The end of the book felt really rushed though which really ruined my enjoyment. One minute I was enjoying the pacing of the book and the momentum that was building. The next minute it was over. It really was much too rushed.
So while this book had some rough edges, it was quite good as a debut novel. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing where it goes. Amelia is definitely a heroine to keep your eyes on. I should warn you there are some graphic violent scenes and near sexual encounters.
*A free copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I saw "virgin werewolf Private Detective" and knew I had to read this one. I love a good mystery especially when there's some paranormal thrown into the mix and Lost just sounded like a fun story. And it turned out to be a very entertaining read :)
I really liked the main character, Amelia, who is struggling to find a bit of independence from her dads (yep you read that right. Amelia has two dads) and keep her wolfie side in check. The story is told from her point of view and the whole time I was listening to her talk it felt just like I was listening to one of my girlfriends telling a story over drinks. I was comfortable with her right from the start and really sympathized with her emotional turmoil and all the ups and downs she went through.
The story was very easy for me to get into and flowed nicely despite a couple editing blips along the way. There's a lot going on to keep things interesting as Amelia takes on the case of investigating a cheating husband even though things seem...off to her. It was kinda fun going along on the ride with her and knowing something just wasn't right but not being able to quite put your finger on it. And this case definitely pushes Amelia in all parts of her life. Upsetting her home life with her parents, sparking strange reactions and lusts inside of her she doesn't understand, etc.
The ending was pretty interesting and turned a lot darker than I expected which might be hard for some women to get through. . Things end with a lot of questions still left up in the air and not quite explained. It's got me really curious to see where book two will take things and what answers will be uncovered. I'm really hoping her backstory will be fleshed out a bit more as well. I'd love to know more about how her family came to be. If you like mysteries with a little paranormal in the mix this one's a fun little read to check out.
*A copy of Lost was provided for an honest opinion.
Alright Pandora Richardson, I have a request for you. PLEASE release the next book in this series soon! Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top? I really can't wait to read more about Amelia. Congratulations, you succeeded in gaining a new fan! When I first got the invitation to host a stop on this book's blog tour I was immediately drawn to it because of the cover. I mean look at it, isn't it great? I love how dark and sinister it looks and it's probably one of my favourite covers of the year and it certainly fits in with the book. While the book starts off a wee bit slow it doesn't take long for the story of Amelia, the virgin werewolf private detective. This is a theme I've been noticing showing up more and more in novels and let me tell you it's a nice change from the others where the characters are a little less virginal shall we say. I loved learning about Amelia's back story I thought it was interesting and it certainly helped round out the whole story worked out well. There was enough mystery and danger in the novel so that I didn't find this to be a fluffy werewolf read but one that was strong enough to truly stand on its own. Plus the writing was pretty darn good, even though there were a couple of times in the book where there were spots where the timeline went a little fuzzy and all of a sudden I jumped ahead in the book due to rapid scene changes. I think that this book was a strong debut by the author as she has her own unique writing style. The writing itself is strong and helps support the characters who were also well thought out. I thought the whole book worked out wonderfully and as you can probably tell I can't wait for the next one to be written. I would recommend this one to lovers of paranormal novels with a mystery twist.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this story. My first by Pandora Richardson. Interesting characters and intrigue fill the pages of this book. The storyline has enough twists to make a corkscrew jealous. The author's choice of parentage for our main character is endearing as well as daring, but I felt as if it were just thrown at the reader. I would have liked a little more closure in the story. There seem to be just a few too many loose ends, but perhaps that is the author's way of building for the next book in the series. I am hoping that it was building because I really want to know what happens next!!!!! The characters and their interactions are great. Amelia waffles between being a tough shifter woman and being a young, vulnerable virgin. I am excited to see which side of her personality wins out in the next book. I am also looking forward to some explanations to things from the first book, and of course to seeing how Matthew fits into Amelia's life. Although not flawless, definitely well worth a read. I will be waiting impatiently for more from Pandora Richardson and Amelia Jones!
Just finished Lost . . .and where's the sequel?????? . . . .I was absorbed in this book from the beginning . . . the story is told in such a clever way that the reader is given just enough information to be interested but still to be asking enough questions. Amelia is such an great character to follow through the course of the book . . . she is strong and independent, yet she questions herself and she has lessons to learn . . . . just how will she develop????? The paranormal element is strong throughout the course of the book, yet there is a mystery/thriller story written around that and the added will they/won't they plot line. I could re read this book as it was so enjoyable, yet also complex, and I thank Pandora Richardson for my copy.
I have to start by saying this book was fantastic, how could you go wrong with a private detective that is also a werewolf. The suspense and mystery, along with the werewolf paranormal, was great.When I was finished reading the book, it had me wanting more. I was not able to put this book down once I started. The cover is wonderful, just seeing the cover makes me want to read it, it looks dark and appealing. Lost was subperbly written. I have to say while reading Lost I felt like I was right there with Amelia. The writing itself is strong and helps support the characters who were also well thought out. I can't wait for the next book.
Disclosure: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
In this obvious first attempt, Pandora Richardson introduces us to Amelia Jones, a private detective with a hairy secret.
Faced with mounting expenses and the possibility of losing everything she owns, Amelia Jones is approached with a generous offer to investigate suspected adultery. Tempted by the money, Amelia accepts, and finds herself plunged into a case with many twists and turns that leave her feeling "lost".
Warnings: graphic near sexual encounters, bondage, attempted rape.
Thoughts: great plot that is marred by inconsistencies, awkward time skips, multiple sub-plots, a rushed climax and conclusion, and lack of good editing.
I did enjoy reading and learning about Amelia. And I look forward to book two. However, I think a lot was put into book one. There was some time skips but there was also a lot of side things. Like questions about other people, side task, and it could get a bit confusing.
However, I did think the concept was good. I want to read more of Amelia and see how she tackles on what still lays ahead of her. She has cases to solve and growing up to do. Can't wait to see what situations she finds herself in next.
Private Detective ... Werewolf .... Amelia is both. Life is looking grim for her agency, however things suddenly change when she almost crashes into a new client. Amelia goes on the adventure of a lifetime some good some not so. It's a well written novel that let's you get inside of the character and imagine the everyday struggle she has to control her animal instincts. I thoroughly enjoyed the touch of intimacy and lust mixed in with the mystery and twists that the story held. I truly would love to see a sequel. This ebook was gifted to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.