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Truth Seers #1
Prodigal Son
Prodigal Son—the new paranormal romance from acclaimed historical romance author Debra Mullins
Bounty hunter Rafe Montana is a Seer, descended from the fabled Atlanteans. He uses his inherited power to “see” criminals across the globe and track them down, and he’s just started on a new case. Danny Cangialosi is accused of disappearing with a stolen car…but for the first time in his life, when Rafe goes looking, he is unable to “see” him. Instead, his search leads him to Danny’s stubborn, meddling, and very cute stepsister, Cara McGaffigan.
Cara is looking for Danny, too, but not to turn him in. He is her brother, after all, and she’s convinced he has a good heart. If she can just find him before the cops do, she’ll figure out a way to get him out of this. But Cara didn’t count on a scorching-hot bounty hunter getting in her way.
Despite instant chemistry, Rafe and Cara know they’re never going to see eye-to-eye when it comes to Danny. What they don’t know is that Danny didn’t just steal a car—he stole a precious stone, a stone right out of the legends of Atlantis. It holds powers they can only dream of…and its owner wants it back.
Bounty hunter Rafe Montana is a Seer, descended from the fabled Atlanteans. He uses his inherited power to “see” criminals across the globe and track them down, and he’s just started on a new case. Danny Cangialosi is accused of disappearing with a stolen car…but for the first time in his life, when Rafe goes looking, he is unable to “see” him. Instead, his search leads him to Danny’s stubborn, meddling, and very cute stepsister, Cara McGaffigan.
Cara is looking for Danny, too, but not to turn him in. He is her brother, after all, and she’s convinced he has a good heart. If she can just find him before the cops do, she’ll figure out a way to get him out of this. But Cara didn’t count on a scorching-hot bounty hunter getting in her way.
Despite instant chemistry, Rafe and Cara know they’re never going to see eye-to-eye when it comes to Danny. What they don’t know is that Danny didn’t just steal a car—he stole a precious stone, a stone right out of the legends of Atlantis. It holds powers they can only dream of…and its owner wants it back.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
6 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Debra Mullins
23 books133 followers(from website)I hate writing bios. They always seem so cut and dried. But you came to my website to learn more about me, so here goes.
I’m the oldest of four sisters, and we are full-blooded Irish on our father’s side. Oh, and our house had one bathroom. If you have any questions about where I got my flair for drama, just imagine that scenario on a Saturday night when four teen-aged girls need to get ready for their dates all at the same time.
‘Nuff said.
So, I am the writer in the family, though I always had a secret dream to be a torch singer. You know, like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys. My voice is OK, but the only place I feel comfortable singing is in the shower, so that was out. Besides, my sister Kate would kill me. She’s the singer in the family. Seriously, she sang at Carnegie Hall once (yeah, as part of a choir and with the orchestra and a bunch of other people, but Carnegie Hall! How many people can say that and be telling the truth?)
Anyway, I settled on writer and left the singing to Kate. My other two sisters are both artists, and no, they don’t have anything in the Louvre, but my sister Christine paints her house constantly, always changing the décor in her kids’ rooms. So you see? Creative impetus will out, and there’s no stopping it. Better to just give in and have the chocolate standing by for those moments of Artistic Frustration.
After giving up my torch singer aspirations (but before I fully accepted that I am A Writer) I gave serious thought to a practical career. The term “starving artist” was not conceived out of whimsy, you know, and I did have a fondness for food and shelter. So, soon after high school, I considered a career as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN.
I heard you giggle. Yes, I did. So let me clarify by adding that I have a gift for languages and had already taken several years of Spanish, French and Italian by the time I graduated high school, AND I had done the exchange thing in France, where I lived for a summer with a family, speaking nothing but French. So there.
Ahem. Anyway, in order to be a simultaneous interpreter, you need to know five languages. I had four under my belt (since I do know grammar and punctuation, I consider English the fourth language). I just had to learn one more language.
But that never happened. I chose True Love over College, then got married and started a family young.
Yes, you can laugh now.
Anyway, years pass. I gave in to my natural tendency to be a storyteller and started working on the one thing I had ever finished—a hand-written, 100 page “novel” about a Spanish pirate that I had completed in junior high. As an adult, I still felt there was a story there. That novel evolved into my first published work, ONCE A MISTRESS (Written in English, though my pirate does say cool Spanish words like mi amor and mi querida. Sigh. Swoon!) In 1996, ONCE A MISTRESS was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart competition run by Romance Writers of America. Two years later—OK, on January 26, 1998 at 4:06PM—Avon Books called and offered to publish my opus.
So there you go. I’ve written eight more books since then, often utilizing my knowledge of other languages for flavor. I visited the old West with DONOVAN’S BED and THE LAWMAN’S SURRENDER. (Oh, and DONOVAN’S BED was a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award for Best Short Historical in 2001, which is like an Oscar nomination in the land of romance writing. How cool is that?) Then I visited the Regency era. I won the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Historical (2003) with A NECESSARY BRIDE. In 2005, THREE NIGHTS… was nominated for Best Historical Romance in competition for Virginia Romance Writers’ prestigious Holt Medallion.
All of my Regency historicals have been optioned as featured selections by Doubleday Book Club and Rhapsody Book Club. My books have also been translated into Hungarian, Russian, and Portuguese f
I’m the oldest of four sisters, and we are full-blooded Irish on our father’s side. Oh, and our house had one bathroom. If you have any questions about where I got my flair for drama, just imagine that scenario on a Saturday night when four teen-aged girls need to get ready for their dates all at the same time.
‘Nuff said.
So, I am the writer in the family, though I always had a secret dream to be a torch singer. You know, like Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys. My voice is OK, but the only place I feel comfortable singing is in the shower, so that was out. Besides, my sister Kate would kill me. She’s the singer in the family. Seriously, she sang at Carnegie Hall once (yeah, as part of a choir and with the orchestra and a bunch of other people, but Carnegie Hall! How many people can say that and be telling the truth?)
Anyway, I settled on writer and left the singing to Kate. My other two sisters are both artists, and no, they don’t have anything in the Louvre, but my sister Christine paints her house constantly, always changing the décor in her kids’ rooms. So you see? Creative impetus will out, and there’s no stopping it. Better to just give in and have the chocolate standing by for those moments of Artistic Frustration.
After giving up my torch singer aspirations (but before I fully accepted that I am A Writer) I gave serious thought to a practical career. The term “starving artist” was not conceived out of whimsy, you know, and I did have a fondness for food and shelter. So, soon after high school, I considered a career as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN.
I heard you giggle. Yes, I did. So let me clarify by adding that I have a gift for languages and had already taken several years of Spanish, French and Italian by the time I graduated high school, AND I had done the exchange thing in France, where I lived for a summer with a family, speaking nothing but French. So there.
Ahem. Anyway, in order to be a simultaneous interpreter, you need to know five languages. I had four under my belt (since I do know grammar and punctuation, I consider English the fourth language). I just had to learn one more language.
But that never happened. I chose True Love over College, then got married and started a family young.
Yes, you can laugh now.
Anyway, years pass. I gave in to my natural tendency to be a storyteller and started working on the one thing I had ever finished—a hand-written, 100 page “novel” about a Spanish pirate that I had completed in junior high. As an adult, I still felt there was a story there. That novel evolved into my first published work, ONCE A MISTRESS (Written in English, though my pirate does say cool Spanish words like mi amor and mi querida. Sigh. Swoon!) In 1996, ONCE A MISTRESS was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart competition run by Romance Writers of America. Two years later—OK, on January 26, 1998 at 4:06PM—Avon Books called and offered to publish my opus.
So there you go. I’ve written eight more books since then, often utilizing my knowledge of other languages for flavor. I visited the old West with DONOVAN’S BED and THE LAWMAN’S SURRENDER. (Oh, and DONOVAN’S BED was a finalist for RWA’s RITA Award for Best Short Historical in 2001, which is like an Oscar nomination in the land of romance writing. How cool is that?) Then I visited the Regency era. I won the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Historical (2003) with A NECESSARY BRIDE. In 2005, THREE NIGHTS… was nominated for Best Historical Romance in competition for Virginia Romance Writers’ prestigious Holt Medallion.
All of my Regency historicals have been optioned as featured selections by Doubleday Book Club and Rhapsody Book Club. My books have also been translated into Hungarian, Russian, and Portuguese f
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 3, 2013
Rafael "Rafe" Montana, a descendent of the lost City of Atlantis, uses his special abilities as a seer to capture criminals. By looking into a person's eyes, in person or by way of a photograph, he can visualize their location. He also knows whether the person is dead or alive--a color visualization means the person is still alive, while a black and white image means the person is dead. This has always been the case. The only exception to his gifts has to do with family. Rafe cannot see the location of family members. And so, in his routine work as a bounty hunter, and in perusing the otherwise mundane cases on his boss's desk, he is struck by an image of a man named Danny Cangialosi. Something is very wrong.
The image is in color, so Rafe knows that Danny is still alive. The problem is, he cannot see Danny's location. Utterly perplexed, Rafe accepts the otherwise straightforward case, and begins his search for Danny the old fashioned way. He has no idea that the search will make a full circle, bringing him face to face with his past, his family, and with a history that is far more complex than he ever imagined!
I enjoyed the banter between Rafe and Danny's step-sister, Cara. They share an instant attraction. And while they both are eager to find Danny, Cara knows that she needs to get to him first. Eventually, seeing that they share a mutual goal, they join forces. Still, their interactions are strained by the fact that Cara believes Danny is innocent, while Rafe believes Danny is running from the law. But Rafe is a strong, handsome, and protective man with superhuman powers. How can Cara resist such charms? Together, they embark on a journey of danger, discovery, and self awareness surrounding where they came from and (more importantly) where they are going. There were some inconsistencies near the end. But still, this was a great story with some unexpected twists!
The image is in color, so Rafe knows that Danny is still alive. The problem is, he cannot see Danny's location. Utterly perplexed, Rafe accepts the otherwise straightforward case, and begins his search for Danny the old fashioned way. He has no idea that the search will make a full circle, bringing him face to face with his past, his family, and with a history that is far more complex than he ever imagined!
I enjoyed the banter between Rafe and Danny's step-sister, Cara. They share an instant attraction. And while they both are eager to find Danny, Cara knows that she needs to get to him first. Eventually, seeing that they share a mutual goal, they join forces. Still, their interactions are strained by the fact that Cara believes Danny is innocent, while Rafe believes Danny is running from the law. But Rafe is a strong, handsome, and protective man with superhuman powers. How can Cara resist such charms? Together, they embark on a journey of danger, discovery, and self awareness surrounding where they came from and (more importantly) where they are going. There were some inconsistencies near the end. But still, this was a great story with some unexpected twists!
August 13, 2013
Full disclosure, I was a beta reader on this book. Would really give this a 4.5.
Rafe is my kind of hero. *guh* Cara is the kind of woman that… drives me a little crazy. I’ve never liked how much she lets her step-brother walk all over her and while I understand that without that element, she wouldn’t have met Rafe and we wouldn’t get the character growth that we see in the book, it still just bugs me.
The sex in this book is hot. HOT. I’ll-be-in-my-bunk hot. If you like that kind of thing.
I like that while the overarching Atlantis plot is not resolved and there is more revealed that pulls the story forward, there isn’t a frustrating cliffhanger at the end f the book that makes you want to throw it against the wall. It’s a satisfying ending while also making you curious about the next story in the series. Just how I like books in a series to be.
I enjoyed it thoroughly and found the world that Deb created excited and one that I’d like to spend more time in. Like many other books, I found some of the side characters SUPER intriguing, almost more so than the main characters, and can’t wait to read THEIR books (*hint hint Deb*), esp. Adrian. Hoo boy, does that guy need his own book.
All in all, would rec this to anyone who likes a good paranormal romance and is looking for something fun and different from your average vampire/werewolf fare.
Rafe is my kind of hero. *guh* Cara is the kind of woman that… drives me a little crazy. I’ve never liked how much she lets her step-brother walk all over her and while I understand that without that element, she wouldn’t have met Rafe and we wouldn’t get the character growth that we see in the book, it still just bugs me.
The sex in this book is hot. HOT. I’ll-be-in-my-bunk hot. If you like that kind of thing.
I like that while the overarching Atlantis plot is not resolved and there is more revealed that pulls the story forward, there isn’t a frustrating cliffhanger at the end f the book that makes you want to throw it against the wall. It’s a satisfying ending while also making you curious about the next story in the series. Just how I like books in a series to be.
I enjoyed it thoroughly and found the world that Deb created excited and one that I’d like to spend more time in. Like many other books, I found some of the side characters SUPER intriguing, almost more so than the main characters, and can’t wait to read THEIR books (*hint hint Deb*), esp. Adrian. Hoo boy, does that guy need his own book.
All in all, would rec this to anyone who likes a good paranormal romance and is looking for something fun and different from your average vampire/werewolf fare.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2017
3.5
*Book source ~ NetGalley
Rafe Montana is a bounty hunter with a little something extra. He’s a Seer and it makes him exceptional at his job. However, there are serious shenanigans afoot and Rafe gets caught up in the middle of it along with his new skip trace, Danny Cangialosi and Danny’s step-sister Cara McGaffigan. Now it’s not just a matter of bringing back an errant alleged criminal, it’s a race to prevent evil from destroying mankind.
An interesting concept about Atlanteans, their descendants and how they have powers. I like the backstory and the characters are decently crafted. However, the dialogue lacks at times, the plot drags here and there, and some of the actions stretch the bounds of believability. Like Cara. She can be totally stupid at times which jars when she’s being pretty smart. I mean, come on. All-in-all a so-so read and I may continue with the rest of the books at some point. Right now there appears to only be two more, so maybe it’s only a trilogy.
*Book source ~ NetGalley
Rafe Montana is a bounty hunter with a little something extra. He’s a Seer and it makes him exceptional at his job. However, there are serious shenanigans afoot and Rafe gets caught up in the middle of it along with his new skip trace, Danny Cangialosi and Danny’s step-sister Cara McGaffigan. Now it’s not just a matter of bringing back an errant alleged criminal, it’s a race to prevent evil from destroying mankind.
An interesting concept about Atlanteans, their descendants and how they have powers. I like the backstory and the characters are decently crafted. However, the dialogue lacks at times, the plot drags here and there, and some of the actions stretch the bounds of believability. Like Cara. She can be totally stupid at times which jars when she’s being pretty smart. I mean, come on. All-in-all a so-so read and I may continue with the rest of the books at some point. Right now there appears to only be two more, so maybe it’s only a trilogy.
June 21, 2013
So, so good.
November 20, 2013
Three Stars: An interesting beginning but it lacks a depth.
Rafe is in a tough situation. As a bounty hunter it is his job to track down criminals and those who have skipped town. His current assignment just so happens to be his former mentor. Rafe is hoping against hope that he is wrong about his friend, but unfortunately when he tracks him down, the hard truth comes out. His former friend is jealous of Rafe. The reason is that Rafe has never failed at bringing in an outstanding bond. Not once. Now everyone looks up to Rafe. The reason for his stunning track record is that he has special talents. He can see the criminals with his gift of sight. When he is in danger, Rafe has a darker, more primitive side known as the Hunter that takes over and battles. Rafe has these talents because he is a descendant of Atlantis. Little does Rafe know that his next bounty job will lead him back to his roots and uncover some startling secrets as well as deliver him a woman who might just be his other half. Will Rafe be able to hold onto his heart and face down his past?
What I Liked:
*If you are a fan of paranormal romance you will be pleased to discover that this has many of the elements you love in a good paranormal romance. It has the hot, sexy, brooding hero with paranormal powers, a sizzling hot romance and some interesting and unique paranormal concepts.
*I enjoyed that this book featured descendants of the lost continent of Atlantis. Those who have descended from Atlantis, have striking blue eyes and possess special powers. Some are seers who have visions of the future. Others can whisper and manipulate people into doing their will, and then there is Rafe who has the gift of sight and the power of the Hunter. Rafe has incredible strength and power that he can tap into by using his focusing crystal. Once he channels the Hunter, he is an incredible fighting machine, but if he lets the Hunter completely take over he lose control of himself. Needless to say, I enjoyed the original and interesting paranormal ideas presented in this one.
*The romance starts out a bit shaky and hesitant. Cara is miles away from home trying to find her missing stepbrother. She is worried and concerned and still nursing a broken heart. She has no intention of getting involved with someone. Rafe at first meeting, sees Cara's impending death. He does not want to intervene and end up losing his heart to someone who is marked by death. Circumstances end up throwing the two together and what ensues is a heated attraction that moves into something beyond lust and sex. At first, I was a bit worried that this was too much of a case of lust moving into instalove, but I was satisfied with the explanation and I liked seeing how the couple came together.
*I appreciated the strong focus on family. Cara has lost everyone except her step brother, Danny. She knows all to well the importance of familial ties. Rafe has been estranged from his family for five years due to a rash mistake he made in his youth. He ends up going home and once there, with Cara's insight, he begins to realize the mistake he made in abandoning his family. I loved watching him heal his bonds and I liked watching the interaction between Rafe and his siblings. I especially liked seeing him repair the damaged relationship with his older brother. I liked the witty banter and sibling rival between the two.
And The Not So Much:
*I was totally drawn in from the opening chapter and I was expecting a thrilling read, but I was a bit disappointed. I don't know what happened, but I think the reason that this wasn't as good as it could be was because it lacked depth. The book moves at a rapid pace and it doesn't take time to develop story lines and characters. Too many times things are dropped and not revisited. The ending especially is too quick and it leaves too many unresolved issues. I wished that the author had taken the time to slow it down and really explain and develop her ideas further.
*Adrian Gray was an enigmatic character that I was drawn to. He is one who will keep you guessing as to his true intentions. I was surprised to learn more about him, and I was excited to see how things would develop. Then due to the rapid, quick fire pace, his part falters and he just disappears at the end without further discussion. I very much wanted to learn more about his knowledge regarding Atlantis and his skills. I am guessing he will be back in the second book, but I really felt he was not utilized well in this book.
*The villain was not well developed. He didn't elicit much response in me and in fact, his parts are rather small in the book. He really needed more scenes to expose his villainous nature.
*There are some concepts and ideas presented regarding Atlantis, but once again they are not fully explained. I was hopeful that I would learn more once Adrian Gray met Rafe's mother and they agreed to exchange information. Unfortunately, that meeting doesn't happen. I ended up finishing wanting to know a whole lot more about Atlantis and its descendants.
The Prodigal Son was an interesting and entertaining book that involved some exciting paranormal concepts and descendants of Atlantis. Unfortunately for me, the book moved at a rapid pace causing the book to lack depth. It is a good book, but I was hoping for exceptional. Still if you are a fan of paranormal romance and you are wanting something that steers away from vampires, give this a go.
Favorite Quotations:
"Life's too short, so laugh while you can."
"He'd had dozens of women in his life, but she left him as rattled as a teenager fumbling with his first bra hooks."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Rafe is in a tough situation. As a bounty hunter it is his job to track down criminals and those who have skipped town. His current assignment just so happens to be his former mentor. Rafe is hoping against hope that he is wrong about his friend, but unfortunately when he tracks him down, the hard truth comes out. His former friend is jealous of Rafe. The reason is that Rafe has never failed at bringing in an outstanding bond. Not once. Now everyone looks up to Rafe. The reason for his stunning track record is that he has special talents. He can see the criminals with his gift of sight. When he is in danger, Rafe has a darker, more primitive side known as the Hunter that takes over and battles. Rafe has these talents because he is a descendant of Atlantis. Little does Rafe know that his next bounty job will lead him back to his roots and uncover some startling secrets as well as deliver him a woman who might just be his other half. Will Rafe be able to hold onto his heart and face down his past?
What I Liked:
*If you are a fan of paranormal romance you will be pleased to discover that this has many of the elements you love in a good paranormal romance. It has the hot, sexy, brooding hero with paranormal powers, a sizzling hot romance and some interesting and unique paranormal concepts.
*I enjoyed that this book featured descendants of the lost continent of Atlantis. Those who have descended from Atlantis, have striking blue eyes and possess special powers. Some are seers who have visions of the future. Others can whisper and manipulate people into doing their will, and then there is Rafe who has the gift of sight and the power of the Hunter. Rafe has incredible strength and power that he can tap into by using his focusing crystal. Once he channels the Hunter, he is an incredible fighting machine, but if he lets the Hunter completely take over he lose control of himself. Needless to say, I enjoyed the original and interesting paranormal ideas presented in this one.
*The romance starts out a bit shaky and hesitant. Cara is miles away from home trying to find her missing stepbrother. She is worried and concerned and still nursing a broken heart. She has no intention of getting involved with someone. Rafe at first meeting, sees Cara's impending death. He does not want to intervene and end up losing his heart to someone who is marked by death. Circumstances end up throwing the two together and what ensues is a heated attraction that moves into something beyond lust and sex. At first, I was a bit worried that this was too much of a case of lust moving into instalove, but I was satisfied with the explanation and I liked seeing how the couple came together.
*I appreciated the strong focus on family. Cara has lost everyone except her step brother, Danny. She knows all to well the importance of familial ties. Rafe has been estranged from his family for five years due to a rash mistake he made in his youth. He ends up going home and once there, with Cara's insight, he begins to realize the mistake he made in abandoning his family. I loved watching him heal his bonds and I liked watching the interaction between Rafe and his siblings. I especially liked seeing him repair the damaged relationship with his older brother. I liked the witty banter and sibling rival between the two.
And The Not So Much:
*I was totally drawn in from the opening chapter and I was expecting a thrilling read, but I was a bit disappointed. I don't know what happened, but I think the reason that this wasn't as good as it could be was because it lacked depth. The book moves at a rapid pace and it doesn't take time to develop story lines and characters. Too many times things are dropped and not revisited. The ending especially is too quick and it leaves too many unresolved issues. I wished that the author had taken the time to slow it down and really explain and develop her ideas further.
*Adrian Gray was an enigmatic character that I was drawn to. He is one who will keep you guessing as to his true intentions. I was surprised to learn more about him, and I was excited to see how things would develop. Then due to the rapid, quick fire pace, his part falters and he just disappears at the end without further discussion. I very much wanted to learn more about his knowledge regarding Atlantis and his skills. I am guessing he will be back in the second book, but I really felt he was not utilized well in this book.
*The villain was not well developed. He didn't elicit much response in me and in fact, his parts are rather small in the book. He really needed more scenes to expose his villainous nature.
*There are some concepts and ideas presented regarding Atlantis, but once again they are not fully explained. I was hopeful that I would learn more once Adrian Gray met Rafe's mother and they agreed to exchange information. Unfortunately, that meeting doesn't happen. I ended up finishing wanting to know a whole lot more about Atlantis and its descendants.
The Prodigal Son was an interesting and entertaining book that involved some exciting paranormal concepts and descendants of Atlantis. Unfortunately for me, the book moved at a rapid pace causing the book to lack depth. It is a good book, but I was hoping for exceptional. Still if you are a fan of paranormal romance and you are wanting something that steers away from vampires, give this a go.
Favorite Quotations:
"Life's too short, so laugh while you can."
"He'd had dozens of women in his life, but she left him as rattled as a teenager fumbling with his first bra hooks."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
September 17, 2013
Oh what a delightful read Debra Mullins has crafted for us. Teasing us with promises of Atlantis and yet really offering us a faced paced action thriller.. I am going to state right off, this had better be the beginning of a series because I fell in LUV.. with the characters, all of them.. the good, the snarky and the cantankerous..
As a youth Rafe Montana wanted to use his gifts and talents the only way he knew how. As a member of his father's "team". Only his family had a we don't use our talents for profit rule. As a young man, he decided he was ready to prove them wrong. Acting as a hot headed youth, got one man killed and his beloved brother paralyzed . Knowing his talent as a "Hunter" was uncontrollable he left the family. No word, no note, nothing for five long years. He has used his talented in a limited manner and become one of the best bounty hunters out there. Only now things are getting weird and his talents are skipping in and out. How can that be? Is he being punished? Rafe has no clue but he does know that he is no longer a hero.. yet when he sees a vision of the sister of his current bounty, lying dead, he knows he can not turn his back.
Cara McGaffigan is a brilliant, successful business owner. Ok, things got a little tough and she had to accept a couple of partners a few years back.. and sure one of them was her then fiance, whom will from this moment forward be referred to as "the sleaze". Seems he was intimidated by a woman with a brain and only used her to become partner.. left some serious wounds.. when he dumped her and married the office receptionist. And she can't just get rid of him, he's a full partner.. But none of that matters when she finds out that her beloved Step-brother, the only family she has left, is once again in trouble. She immediately leaves for Vegas to see if she can find anything out. Once there this strong, independent woman keeps getting convinced to do things not normal or in character (sure when you have a descendant of Atlantis playing with your brain). The only thing Cara is sure of is that Rafe Montana is the best and he is on her brother's case.. so she is sticking to him like glue. The instant lust induced attraction doesn't hurt either..
Rafe firmly believes his family are the sole descendants of the only survivor from the destruction of Atlantis. So when things start getting weirder than normal he is totally confused and when his life is in jeopardy he has only one place to go.. home.. Where things are not all rosy and perfect.. and he finds out there are secrets he never knew of..
Suddenly all trails point to Atlantis and Cara and Rafe have to work together.. Even when Rafe, sort of explains who and what he is. That scene was perfect.. it was so what I would imagine such a discussion going.. Up to and including Cara's Stop the Car!! (they were driving from Vegas to AZ at the time, not the best time to stop the car and get out).
While Cara tried to wrap her mind around all this Atlantis info.. Rafe is trying to protect Cara.. he knows there is a strong bond between them and he is totally confused at her steadying influence on his "hunter". All this and trying to walk the murky paths of redemption and forgiveness with his family..
A true page turner.. I zoomed through this book and seriously Ms Mullins if you are reading this.. I want MORE..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Prodigal Son provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2013
As a youth Rafe Montana wanted to use his gifts and talents the only way he knew how. As a member of his father's "team". Only his family had a we don't use our talents for profit rule. As a young man, he decided he was ready to prove them wrong. Acting as a hot headed youth, got one man killed and his beloved brother paralyzed . Knowing his talent as a "Hunter" was uncontrollable he left the family. No word, no note, nothing for five long years. He has used his talented in a limited manner and become one of the best bounty hunters out there. Only now things are getting weird and his talents are skipping in and out. How can that be? Is he being punished? Rafe has no clue but he does know that he is no longer a hero.. yet when he sees a vision of the sister of his current bounty, lying dead, he knows he can not turn his back.
Cara McGaffigan is a brilliant, successful business owner. Ok, things got a little tough and she had to accept a couple of partners a few years back.. and sure one of them was her then fiance, whom will from this moment forward be referred to as "the sleaze". Seems he was intimidated by a woman with a brain and only used her to become partner.. left some serious wounds.. when he dumped her and married the office receptionist. And she can't just get rid of him, he's a full partner.. But none of that matters when she finds out that her beloved Step-brother, the only family she has left, is once again in trouble. She immediately leaves for Vegas to see if she can find anything out. Once there this strong, independent woman keeps getting convinced to do things not normal or in character (sure when you have a descendant of Atlantis playing with your brain). The only thing Cara is sure of is that Rafe Montana is the best and he is on her brother's case.. so she is sticking to him like glue. The instant lust induced attraction doesn't hurt either..
Rafe firmly believes his family are the sole descendants of the only survivor from the destruction of Atlantis. So when things start getting weirder than normal he is totally confused and when his life is in jeopardy he has only one place to go.. home.. Where things are not all rosy and perfect.. and he finds out there are secrets he never knew of..
Suddenly all trails point to Atlantis and Cara and Rafe have to work together.. Even when Rafe, sort of explains who and what he is. That scene was perfect.. it was so what I would imagine such a discussion going.. Up to and including Cara's Stop the Car!! (they were driving from Vegas to AZ at the time, not the best time to stop the car and get out).
While Cara tried to wrap her mind around all this Atlantis info.. Rafe is trying to protect Cara.. he knows there is a strong bond between them and he is totally confused at her steadying influence on his "hunter". All this and trying to walk the murky paths of redemption and forgiveness with his family..
A true page turner.. I zoomed through this book and seriously Ms Mullins if you are reading this.. I want MORE..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Prodigal Son provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2013
October 1, 2013
Prodigal Son. Debra Mullins.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
I've never read any of Debra's work before so went into this blind. She's a great writing style though, and I was quickly drawn into the story. It's paranormal romance, but with a gripping mystery backing the romance and leading the characters into life-threatening danger. Its an interesting twist on the paranormal genre, no vamps or werewolves, no witches or magicians, but ordinary people with an incredible heritage which leaves them with special powers. Rafe is estranged from his family, we don't know why at the start, just that something went badly wrong, and he felt he had to leave for their safety. His siblings and mother are all Seer's, being descended from the race that lived on Atlantis. At least that’s his mothers story, incredible though it seems, and she says they are from the only family to escape.. Rafe's also a Hunter, as was his grandfather, and when the Hunter takes over he does so absolutely, leaving Rafe not in control any more. He's learned to control the Hunter over the past few years, and only use part of the strength offered by it, and uses his seer powers to become a very successful bounty hunter. He sees the file for Danny, can't “see” him, which is something that has never happened, and so decides to take the case to find out more about what’s happened to his gift.
He meets Danny's step-sister Cara, and there's an immediate searing attraction between them, which both of them fight. Through circumstances though they end up together on a trip to find Danny, and the passion flows into some rivetingly sensual, hot, erotic sex. Of course as well as pleasure that brings complications, especially when Cara starts to see him use more of his powers and won't be placated with the usual excuses.
Its a fabulous book, the plots flow well, the characters are superb, and the action has just the right amount of drama, no overkill, pages and pages of drawn out descriptions but succinct, and interesting, using ordinary and extraordinary abilities.
I really enjoyed this novel, had me lost within the story, rooting for the good guys, hoping Rafe and Cara could work things out, wondering if Adrian and Tessa(? Rafe's sister) would get together...there's a pull there – maybe in a future book? The story is certainly open for more, though I don't know if a series is intended, I hope so because it has all the elements of an outstanding one, one I’d read and reread :)
Its priced at £8.62 for 336 pages, so if that price is correct it is IMO quite expensive, but it's also such a great read that if you love your romance with some paranormal adventure you may be tempted. You won't be disappointed in the story, its a great balance of all the elements needed for a riveting read.
Stars: full five, can't fault this book.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
I've never read any of Debra's work before so went into this blind. She's a great writing style though, and I was quickly drawn into the story. It's paranormal romance, but with a gripping mystery backing the romance and leading the characters into life-threatening danger. Its an interesting twist on the paranormal genre, no vamps or werewolves, no witches or magicians, but ordinary people with an incredible heritage which leaves them with special powers. Rafe is estranged from his family, we don't know why at the start, just that something went badly wrong, and he felt he had to leave for their safety. His siblings and mother are all Seer's, being descended from the race that lived on Atlantis. At least that’s his mothers story, incredible though it seems, and she says they are from the only family to escape.. Rafe's also a Hunter, as was his grandfather, and when the Hunter takes over he does so absolutely, leaving Rafe not in control any more. He's learned to control the Hunter over the past few years, and only use part of the strength offered by it, and uses his seer powers to become a very successful bounty hunter. He sees the file for Danny, can't “see” him, which is something that has never happened, and so decides to take the case to find out more about what’s happened to his gift.
He meets Danny's step-sister Cara, and there's an immediate searing attraction between them, which both of them fight. Through circumstances though they end up together on a trip to find Danny, and the passion flows into some rivetingly sensual, hot, erotic sex. Of course as well as pleasure that brings complications, especially when Cara starts to see him use more of his powers and won't be placated with the usual excuses.
Its a fabulous book, the plots flow well, the characters are superb, and the action has just the right amount of drama, no overkill, pages and pages of drawn out descriptions but succinct, and interesting, using ordinary and extraordinary abilities.
I really enjoyed this novel, had me lost within the story, rooting for the good guys, hoping Rafe and Cara could work things out, wondering if Adrian and Tessa(? Rafe's sister) would get together...there's a pull there – maybe in a future book? The story is certainly open for more, though I don't know if a series is intended, I hope so because it has all the elements of an outstanding one, one I’d read and reread :)
Its priced at £8.62 for 336 pages, so if that price is correct it is IMO quite expensive, but it's also such a great read that if you love your romance with some paranormal adventure you may be tempted. You won't be disappointed in the story, its a great balance of all the elements needed for a riveting read.
Stars: full five, can't fault this book.
October 19, 2013
Cara arrives in Vegas looking for her step-brother Danny. He stole a car, then jumped bail, and with her condo resting on him being found, she decides to look for him herself. But his boss and his mysterious security guy Adrian seem to be able to persuade her to do things she doesn't want to do. That is, until she bumps into Rafe, and he decides it's safer for her to stay with him. Now she's on the weirdest road trip ever, with a guy she has no intention of falling for after the last guy broke of their engagement.
Rafe is a descendant of the lost city of Atlantis, and like the rest of his family, he is a seer, but his powers are a little different. When Rafe unleashes his power, the Hunter, people get hurt and he can't control it or remember it. He can also see where a person is, whether alive or dead, a useful skill when you're a bounty hunter. But when he's sifting through new cases he finds one person he can't see....Danny. When he meets Cara he can sense someone's been tampering with her mind, and he's betting on the creepy Adrian dude. Taking her with him to find Danny, their attraction hard to resist, will he get more than he bargained for? Especially when he comes face to face with his past, his family and a woman he can't kick to the curb.
I enjoyed this book, the Atlantean descendants angle was like nothing i'd ever read before and I enjoyed reading the mythology surrounding it and the different types of power and the people who possess them. It gave it a unique and fresh element.
I thought the book was fast paced and flowed well. The information and the descriptions needed to understand what was going on and who was who where concise, and gave us everything we needed to know without boring us and ruining the flow. The characters where will written, and drew you into the book. It was hard to put down and you can disappear entirely into the story.
I loved the banter between Cara and Rafe, yes it was one of those instant connection things that I know some people loathe and hate, but it was done superbly so you weren't drowning in a sea of unicorns and rainbows and vomming in your mind. Rafe and Cara have an instant attraction but they try not to act on it and when they do it's kind of like a business deal, but the real deep, love attraction happens bit by bit. It was great how you saw the relationship and the action develop from both Cara and Rafe's point of views as well instead of just one.
I thought the book was funny, action packed, different, and very unique. I loved how in the author note Debra told us she'd based on a little snippet of history, i'm a sucker for that sort of thing. It's well worth a read, and i'm so rooting for a follow up book complete with Tessa/Adrian romance! Don't let me down Debra!
Rafe is a descendant of the lost city of Atlantis, and like the rest of his family, he is a seer, but his powers are a little different. When Rafe unleashes his power, the Hunter, people get hurt and he can't control it or remember it. He can also see where a person is, whether alive or dead, a useful skill when you're a bounty hunter. But when he's sifting through new cases he finds one person he can't see....Danny. When he meets Cara he can sense someone's been tampering with her mind, and he's betting on the creepy Adrian dude. Taking her with him to find Danny, their attraction hard to resist, will he get more than he bargained for? Especially when he comes face to face with his past, his family and a woman he can't kick to the curb.
I enjoyed this book, the Atlantean descendants angle was like nothing i'd ever read before and I enjoyed reading the mythology surrounding it and the different types of power and the people who possess them. It gave it a unique and fresh element.
I thought the book was fast paced and flowed well. The information and the descriptions needed to understand what was going on and who was who where concise, and gave us everything we needed to know without boring us and ruining the flow. The characters where will written, and drew you into the book. It was hard to put down and you can disappear entirely into the story.
I loved the banter between Cara and Rafe, yes it was one of those instant connection things that I know some people loathe and hate, but it was done superbly so you weren't drowning in a sea of unicorns and rainbows and vomming in your mind. Rafe and Cara have an instant attraction but they try not to act on it and when they do it's kind of like a business deal, but the real deep, love attraction happens bit by bit. It was great how you saw the relationship and the action develop from both Cara and Rafe's point of views as well instead of just one.
I thought the book was funny, action packed, different, and very unique. I loved how in the author note Debra told us she'd based on a little snippet of history, i'm a sucker for that sort of thing. It's well worth a read, and i'm so rooting for a follow up book complete with Tessa/Adrian romance! Don't let me down Debra!
September 27, 2014
4.5*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Prodigal Son is the first book in the ‘Truth Seers’ series by Debra Mullins and thought it was fantastic! I love the idea of a ‘gifted’ bounty hunter that uses his gifts to track down criminals and Rafe was a great leading man, he had a lone wolf, brooding, mystery about him and I couldn’t wait to unlock some of his secrets. I was very intrigued by his visions and his ‘Hunter’, it made his character even more interesting. I really liked the connection to Cara when she entered his life, it made sense for them to team up considering it was her brother they were trying to find but neither were prepared for the attraction they shared, it was electric. I loved what she could do for him further into the story and that there is talk of ‘mates’ – we all know how much I love soul mates - and they fit well together and made the chemistry very believable & I liked what they brought to each others lives. Rafe also has some unfinished business with his family which ties into the book so well and was the cause of some bad blood, I enjoyed this part too and I got why he turned into the bounty hunter and why he became the loner we first meet, it goes a long way into getting to know the character a lot more and a great introduction to his family and their powers too. I thought the storyline was great and quite original, I loved the idea that there are descendants of survivors from Atlantis and they possess certain powers. I also like how the Atlantis connection isn’t cut and dried and that throughout the book it is opened up a lot more showing us a variation in those powers. I really liked that Rafe chose to be a bounty hunter and how his gifts were an asset to his profession, I liked how he used them and the premonitions he got and I especially liked the use of precious stones to enhance and channel the power and energy and thought they were used well throughout the book. The threat was really good and sinister too because of what the enemy could do, it gave a feel that no matter what happened that Rafe & Cara would never be safe especially with the run and chase scenario that happens for a good portion of the book. It was a very intriguing book and I loved the mystery of it all, it really kept me on my toes and interested, the pacing was great and I loved that there were surprises thrown in at random to grab my interest even more. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel to find out more about Rafe, Cara and his family.
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Prodigal Son is the first book in the ‘Truth Seers’ series by Debra Mullins and thought it was fantastic! I love the idea of a ‘gifted’ bounty hunter that uses his gifts to track down criminals and Rafe was a great leading man, he had a lone wolf, brooding, mystery about him and I couldn’t wait to unlock some of his secrets. I was very intrigued by his visions and his ‘Hunter’, it made his character even more interesting. I really liked the connection to Cara when she entered his life, it made sense for them to team up considering it was her brother they were trying to find but neither were prepared for the attraction they shared, it was electric. I loved what she could do for him further into the story and that there is talk of ‘mates’ – we all know how much I love soul mates - and they fit well together and made the chemistry very believable & I liked what they brought to each others lives. Rafe also has some unfinished business with his family which ties into the book so well and was the cause of some bad blood, I enjoyed this part too and I got why he turned into the bounty hunter and why he became the loner we first meet, it goes a long way into getting to know the character a lot more and a great introduction to his family and their powers too. I thought the storyline was great and quite original, I loved the idea that there are descendants of survivors from Atlantis and they possess certain powers. I also like how the Atlantis connection isn’t cut and dried and that throughout the book it is opened up a lot more showing us a variation in those powers. I really liked that Rafe chose to be a bounty hunter and how his gifts were an asset to his profession, I liked how he used them and the premonitions he got and I especially liked the use of precious stones to enhance and channel the power and energy and thought they were used well throughout the book. The threat was really good and sinister too because of what the enemy could do, it gave a feel that no matter what happened that Rafe & Cara would never be safe especially with the run and chase scenario that happens for a good portion of the book. It was a very intriguing book and I loved the mystery of it all, it really kept me on my toes and interested, the pacing was great and I loved that there were surprises thrown in at random to grab my interest even more. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel to find out more about Rafe, Cara and his family.
August 17, 2013
Since this book will only be out in a few weeks (Pub. date: Oct 1st), I will briefly try to convey my enthusiasm over my experience while reading this book.
I craved entertainment, action and adventure and I got it all in Prodigal Son.
Let me start by swooning over Mr Rafael Montana, or Rafe for those of us who are more familiar with him...Aaaaaahhhh Rafe *sigh* he is such a hot badass! As an outcast Seer from a family of such, he is a Bounty Hunter in Las Vegas, with 'zero percent failure rate'. He has the super-powers to find people easily, discern when people tell the truth or lie and when in need, he can turn into a super-Hulk-like person an invite a 'Hunter' entity that is dormant inside him. Our dear tormented and loner Rafe ends up taking a mysterious yet simple case: to find a guy (Danny), who fled bail in connection to a car robbery. Because Danny is Cara's stepbrother, Cara inevitably crosses into Rafe's path.
Cara is strong, smart and extremely loyal towards those she cares. Even though she is a fictional character, her concerns and worries felt very real. I cheered for her!
Prodigal Son tells a great fast-paced urban fantasy romantic story.
All the good stuff I like in this genre is present: a cool setting (Las Vegas and a very detailed road trip), intricate plot, great chemistry between the two main characters and hot sexy scenes.
I would have liked a bit more of a background story in how Danny ends up in this whole mess, but perhaps it will just unnecessarily drag the story...
I devoured this book in two days and can't wait to see what Debra Mullins will do with this interesting world, mythology and characters in future stories. I am dying to know more about Mr. Gray...
---
I received this book from its publishers, Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an early reading and review through NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me the wonderful chance to read this story in advance!
I craved entertainment, action and adventure and I got it all in Prodigal Son.
Let me start by swooning over Mr Rafael Montana, or Rafe for those of us who are more familiar with him...Aaaaaahhhh Rafe *sigh* he is such a hot badass! As an outcast Seer from a family of such, he is a Bounty Hunter in Las Vegas, with 'zero percent failure rate'. He has the super-powers to find people easily, discern when people tell the truth or lie and when in need, he can turn into a super-Hulk-like person an invite a 'Hunter' entity that is dormant inside him. Our dear tormented and loner Rafe ends up taking a mysterious yet simple case: to find a guy (Danny), who fled bail in connection to a car robbery. Because Danny is Cara's stepbrother, Cara inevitably crosses into Rafe's path.
Cara is strong, smart and extremely loyal towards those she cares. Even though she is a fictional character, her concerns and worries felt very real. I cheered for her!
Prodigal Son tells a great fast-paced urban fantasy romantic story.
All the good stuff I like in this genre is present: a cool setting (Las Vegas and a very detailed road trip), intricate plot, great chemistry between the two main characters and hot sexy scenes.
I would have liked a bit more of a background story in how Danny ends up in this whole mess, but perhaps it will just unnecessarily drag the story...
I devoured this book in two days and can't wait to see what Debra Mullins will do with this interesting world, mythology and characters in future stories. I am dying to know more about Mr. Gray...
---
I received this book from its publishers, Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an early reading and review through NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me the wonderful chance to read this story in advance!
October 18, 2013
Holy Bounty Hunter!
This book took me by storm. I mean I have read a few books with Seers int hem but Lord help Jesus I loved the idea of the seer coming from Atlantis and coming from generations of Seers. To see Rafe in action had me swooning something fierce because he was no joke. He took his job seriously and never ever did anything without thinking it through. Rafe's job is simple he tracks down criminals and brings them to justice.
On one of his tracking's he is to locate a guy who stole a car. But everything is not what it seems because when Rafe goes looking for the car thief he does not find him. Rafe can't see him with his special vision and that is new for Rafe because his powers are spot on but when it comes to finding Danny he will have to work a lot harder because he can't see him or sense him. So when Rafe goes looking for Danny he finds his stepsister Cara who is looking for her brother to.
When Cara meets Rafe she is hesitant to help him find her brother because she does not want Danny to go to jail but she has no other option because she fears for Danny's life. As the search for Danny continues Cara and Rafe find out that Danny not only stole a car but he stole a precious stone from Atlantis and the owner wants it back and if they don't get it back they will kill Danny.
Will Cara and Rafe find Danny in time..... That is the question!
This book took me by storm. I mean I have read a few books with Seers int hem but Lord help Jesus I loved the idea of the seer coming from Atlantis and coming from generations of Seers. To see Rafe in action had me swooning something fierce because he was no joke. He took his job seriously and never ever did anything without thinking it through. Rafe's job is simple he tracks down criminals and brings them to justice.
On one of his tracking's he is to locate a guy who stole a car. But everything is not what it seems because when Rafe goes looking for the car thief he does not find him. Rafe can't see him with his special vision and that is new for Rafe because his powers are spot on but when it comes to finding Danny he will have to work a lot harder because he can't see him or sense him. So when Rafe goes looking for Danny he finds his stepsister Cara who is looking for her brother to.
When Cara meets Rafe she is hesitant to help him find her brother because she does not want Danny to go to jail but she has no other option because she fears for Danny's life. As the search for Danny continues Cara and Rafe find out that Danny not only stole a car but he stole a precious stone from Atlantis and the owner wants it back and if they don't get it back they will kill Danny.
Will Cara and Rafe find Danny in time..... That is the question!
November 27, 2013
It has been awhile since I've read a story where the hero gets all of the special talents and interesting characteristics and he isn't complimented by a woman that matches him as an equal. But despite the lack of a kick ass heroine, this was still an enjoyable paranormal romance.
The story was very character driven and focused on Rafe Montana's psychic gifts and his struggles with controlling a force known as the Hunter. Along with the supernatural strength that the Hunter provides him, Rafe also possesses a unique tracking ability and is able to detect lies from truth. He uses these talents in his job as a bounty hunter and this is how he meets Cara McGaffigan.
Rafe and Cara together had great chemistry and I enjoyed the interactions between her and Rafe's family. If there were ever a story that followed his sister, Tessa, or brother, Darius, I would definitely be interested in reading it.
Overall, Prodigal Son was a sexy paranormal romance with many interesting aspects, but I didn't feel as if I were reading anything entirely original. It was a fun, easy read, but not exactly a memorable one.
http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013...
The story was very character driven and focused on Rafe Montana's psychic gifts and his struggles with controlling a force known as the Hunter. Along with the supernatural strength that the Hunter provides him, Rafe also possesses a unique tracking ability and is able to detect lies from truth. He uses these talents in his job as a bounty hunter and this is how he meets Cara McGaffigan.
Rafe and Cara together had great chemistry and I enjoyed the interactions between her and Rafe's family. If there were ever a story that followed his sister, Tessa, or brother, Darius, I would definitely be interested in reading it.
Overall, Prodigal Son was a sexy paranormal romance with many interesting aspects, but I didn't feel as if I were reading anything entirely original. It was a fun, easy read, but not exactly a memorable one.
http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013...
August 25, 2013
Prodigal Son is the first book in Debra Mullins' Truth Seers series and was a good beginning. I loved Rafe, thought the mythology was interesting and different, found several of the secondary characters really engaging but still something just didn't work for me.
At times I liked the heroine, Cara, but at other times she acted completely out of character and I found myself severely irritated with her. I get that there needs to be drama with a big reveal (involving psychic abilities and the lost city of Atlantis) but not when it changes a character's personality. I think better editing would've fixed that issue.
Being a fan of all thing Atlantis, I will read the next book in the Truth Seers series as there is a lot of potential for development and Prodigal Son had a few great moments. I really hope the next book is about Tessa and Adrian as they were the two characters that really stood out for me. I give Prodigal Son 3.5 stars.
*eARC PROVIDED BY MACMILLAN-TOR/FORGE BOOKS VIA NETGALLEY*
At times I liked the heroine, Cara, but at other times she acted completely out of character and I found myself severely irritated with her. I get that there needs to be drama with a big reveal (involving psychic abilities and the lost city of Atlantis) but not when it changes a character's personality. I think better editing would've fixed that issue.
Being a fan of all thing Atlantis, I will read the next book in the Truth Seers series as there is a lot of potential for development and Prodigal Son had a few great moments. I really hope the next book is about Tessa and Adrian as they were the two characters that really stood out for me. I give Prodigal Son 3.5 stars.
*eARC PROVIDED BY MACMILLAN-TOR/FORGE BOOKS VIA NETGALLEY*
September 15, 2013
Prodigal Son by Debra Mullins
3.5 Stars
Prodigal Son is the first installment in the Truth Seeres series by Debra Mullins. This book had the perfect mix of action, romance, and paranormal for me. It took me a few chapters to have me completely engulfed but soon after the pages turned without hesitation.
The seers are decedents from an ancient line of not quite humans and can see where people are in the world, glimpses of the future, and if they are going to die. Being a seer makes Rafe Montana a great bounty hunter. After completing a case, he is on the look out for a new adventure in bounty hunting. When he views the files he comes across a low ball case, but sees that the perps stepsister, Cara, will die. Not wanting to get involved but not wanting someone to die, Rafe takes the case.
To see the rest of this series click here
September 11, 2013
Debra Mullins created a nice plot and set up for sequels, but I felt there was something missing from the ending. I waited to write the review for a couple days so that I could figure out what was missing, but I still can't put my finger on it. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, it may have what I'm looking for.
This review is based on the ARC of Prodigal Son provided by Goodreads First Reads.
This review is based on the ARC of Prodigal Son provided by Goodreads First Reads.
October 11, 2013
I absolutely loved this book of non stop action and flawless characters. See my full review on Bookish live right now http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2013...
Debra Mullins
Debra Mullins
June 23, 2016
This was a fantastic book. I love the twist from just supernatural to a whole level of ancient times. I'd say more about that but i don't want to spoil the book. Debra Mullins has taken psychics to a whole new realm. I can't wait for the next book.
October 3, 2013
Check out my review and tour post at
Esacpe by Fiction
!!
October 28, 2017
Wonderful new series with a different take on the Atlantis mythos that is no less intriguing and at the same time believable a wonderful mix of writing styles Of Alyssa Day & Cherry Adair which is a wonderful combo ;)
August 19, 2020
A good way to spend my time, but never again 😅 the story was easily predictable and because of that, a little boring. But it was fun to read.
November 9, 2023
This book had a CB little bit of everything. A love story, a bad ass bounty hunter who happens to be a descendant of Atlantis. A lot of supernatural powers being played CB out on both sides.
November 30, 2014
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I did not know anything about the series nor the author but with the release of the second volume, I was curious to discover a little more about it. Have you seen the mention of Atlantis? I admit that it is something that intrigued me right away. Who would not to? There is always so much to do on this subject and the author has been very successful in reusing the theme.
Cara has always helped her brother whatever the problem, but the later could cause more trouble than expected. Indeed, after stealing a car and a very powerful stone, it seems that everyone is on his pursuit. Yet Cara has no use of it because she wants to help him and to save him from this new problem. But nothing is simple and it starts with Rafe, a weird bounty hunter. While they must team up together for various reasons, new problems will arise, and our heroes will have to make decisions that will change their lives completely.
I loved Cara, she is a young woman full of sensitivity but who is willing to do anything for the people she loves. Her brother is the only one that remains and she is quite determined to do anything to save him. Her association with Rafe however, is not something that can help him and yet this man seems to have a great talent and is able to keep her alive by the time she is able to find her brother. She did not even expect this great attraction that appears between them and thwarts his plans as well as her own. I also enjoyed Rafe. This is a man who is haunted by his own demons and past and he is trying to forget about all that, hoping that it will not catch him up. Alas, his meeting with Cara changes the situation and what he thought forgotten finally reappears. Yes, because this man is not a common human, oh no, because he is a descendant of a survivor of Atlantis and thus he has some strange powers. Indeed, Rafe is able to find anyone on the planet, manages to have visions of the future in some cases and even to know when a person is telling the truth or not. Well, in fact, I do not know if I would enjoy having such a gift because it has to be very difficult to wear something like that… Don’t you think? But in any case, Rafe used that brilliantly in his profession. But that’s not all because an entity lives inside him, « the hunter », this one can takes control without him ever knowing the consequences of his act. This is also why he is trying as best as he can to keep control. In any case I like to see the relationship between the two characters growing slowly even if I wanted to shake them from time to time. They were quite touching both in the end.
I enjoyed discovering the stories and characters related to Atlantis. It was something very original and even if it is true that I wished we learned a little more about this mythical people, the history of the descendants was fascinating. In terms of plot, I was quite surprised by one of the villain chasing the stone, but he is not alone and the other is determined to reclaim what is his. I think this is the only aspect of the story for me was a little less well done for real, but considering everything, it’s not really a problem.
I had in any case a good time with this first volume and I’ll start the second featuring Rafe’s brother, Darius soon. I am curious to read more about him.
My English review
I did not know anything about the series nor the author but with the release of the second volume, I was curious to discover a little more about it. Have you seen the mention of Atlantis? I admit that it is something that intrigued me right away. Who would not to? There is always so much to do on this subject and the author has been very successful in reusing the theme.
Cara has always helped her brother whatever the problem, but the later could cause more trouble than expected. Indeed, after stealing a car and a very powerful stone, it seems that everyone is on his pursuit. Yet Cara has no use of it because she wants to help him and to save him from this new problem. But nothing is simple and it starts with Rafe, a weird bounty hunter. While they must team up together for various reasons, new problems will arise, and our heroes will have to make decisions that will change their lives completely.
I loved Cara, she is a young woman full of sensitivity but who is willing to do anything for the people she loves. Her brother is the only one that remains and she is quite determined to do anything to save him. Her association with Rafe however, is not something that can help him and yet this man seems to have a great talent and is able to keep her alive by the time she is able to find her brother. She did not even expect this great attraction that appears between them and thwarts his plans as well as her own. I also enjoyed Rafe. This is a man who is haunted by his own demons and past and he is trying to forget about all that, hoping that it will not catch him up. Alas, his meeting with Cara changes the situation and what he thought forgotten finally reappears. Yes, because this man is not a common human, oh no, because he is a descendant of a survivor of Atlantis and thus he has some strange powers. Indeed, Rafe is able to find anyone on the planet, manages to have visions of the future in some cases and even to know when a person is telling the truth or not. Well, in fact, I do not know if I would enjoy having such a gift because it has to be very difficult to wear something like that… Don’t you think? But in any case, Rafe used that brilliantly in his profession. But that’s not all because an entity lives inside him, « the hunter », this one can takes control without him ever knowing the consequences of his act. This is also why he is trying as best as he can to keep control. In any case I like to see the relationship between the two characters growing slowly even if I wanted to shake them from time to time. They were quite touching both in the end.
I enjoyed discovering the stories and characters related to Atlantis. It was something very original and even if it is true that I wished we learned a little more about this mythical people, the history of the descendants was fascinating. In terms of plot, I was quite surprised by one of the villain chasing the stone, but he is not alone and the other is determined to reclaim what is his. I think this is the only aspect of the story for me was a little less well done for real, but considering everything, it’s not really a problem.
I had in any case a good time with this first volume and I’ll start the second featuring Rafe’s brother, Darius soon. I am curious to read more about him.
December 27, 2016
This blew past my expectations! I thought I was going to mildly like this book, but it turns out I actually loved it. What? Yes.
Now, this story follows Rafe who has some powers that he uses for his bounty hunter gig. Cara is a smart business owner who is looking for her stepbrother who skipped bail. Rafe, oddly enough, is assigned this case and is hunting down Cara’s brother. They meet up and decide to team up to find him. There is more at play that they both don’t understand. The brother stole a magical stone and is now being hunted down.
The plot seems simple on the surface, but after reading it the plot is a lot deeper than I imagined. And that made me happy! Rafe is not the only one with powers. His family has powers too and so do some others. Their powers stem from the lost city of Atlantis. His family and a few others are descendants of the few survivors. This was a cool concept and I’m excited to learn more about Rafe, his family, and the others. I am especially interested in Gray. He seemed to be a baddie, but he isn’t. He is just a guy with his own agenda. I like characters like that. He seems complex and I am curious. He does have a book in the future, so I want to read that. The next book is about Rafe’s brother, Darius, and that seems like it will be interesting too because Darius has some issues.
There was insta-lust in this, but it took FOREVER for any sort of love to happen. I’m cool with that. They have a lot of things to sort out, so lust first is totally fine. I would have lust if I stumbled into Rafe. Big ol’ bounty hunter who is hot? Who wouldn’t!?
You can tell I like Rafe. However, he was an asshat when things got too real/feely and he had an issue trusting himself and his powers, so he likes to push people away. Which you can’t blame him for his feelings…he did hurt people he cared about when he was younger and didn’t have full control of his powers.
Cara has some issues since her parents died and all she has is a deadbeat stepbrother who she can’t help but love. She also had a failed engagement to super jerk who used her to only get some shares and partial ownership of her company. However, a part of her is still in love with him. Without these two things she would pretty much be a perfect character. She’s smart and pretty and understanding and not too slutty, but good in bed. Thank goodness she has some flaws or I would’ve been annoyed at her. *wipes sweat from brow*
But yes, these two have issues.
My only issue with the story was the main baddie. I don’t understand him or his powers. Maybe it’ll be better explained in the next one. One can always hope.
In the end, this was really good. I loved the world and I am curious to learn more! The concept is super interesting and unique. Yes, there is romance, but it doesn’t take over the plot. Super insta-lust, but better than insta-love. There are some external issues happening and some internal with all the characters. I want to read the next one. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 5.
Now, this story follows Rafe who has some powers that he uses for his bounty hunter gig. Cara is a smart business owner who is looking for her stepbrother who skipped bail. Rafe, oddly enough, is assigned this case and is hunting down Cara’s brother. They meet up and decide to team up to find him. There is more at play that they both don’t understand. The brother stole a magical stone and is now being hunted down.
The plot seems simple on the surface, but after reading it the plot is a lot deeper than I imagined. And that made me happy! Rafe is not the only one with powers. His family has powers too and so do some others. Their powers stem from the lost city of Atlantis. His family and a few others are descendants of the few survivors. This was a cool concept and I’m excited to learn more about Rafe, his family, and the others. I am especially interested in Gray. He seemed to be a baddie, but he isn’t. He is just a guy with his own agenda. I like characters like that. He seems complex and I am curious. He does have a book in the future, so I want to read that. The next book is about Rafe’s brother, Darius, and that seems like it will be interesting too because Darius has some issues.
There was insta-lust in this, but it took FOREVER for any sort of love to happen. I’m cool with that. They have a lot of things to sort out, so lust first is totally fine. I would have lust if I stumbled into Rafe. Big ol’ bounty hunter who is hot? Who wouldn’t!?
You can tell I like Rafe. However, he was an asshat when things got too real/feely and he had an issue trusting himself and his powers, so he likes to push people away. Which you can’t blame him for his feelings…he did hurt people he cared about when he was younger and didn’t have full control of his powers.
Cara has some issues since her parents died and all she has is a deadbeat stepbrother who she can’t help but love. She also had a failed engagement to super jerk who used her to only get some shares and partial ownership of her company. However, a part of her is still in love with him. Without these two things she would pretty much be a perfect character. She’s smart and pretty and understanding and not too slutty, but good in bed. Thank goodness she has some flaws or I would’ve been annoyed at her. *wipes sweat from brow*
But yes, these two have issues.
My only issue with the story was the main baddie. I don’t understand him or his powers. Maybe it’ll be better explained in the next one. One can always hope.
In the end, this was really good. I loved the world and I am curious to learn more! The concept is super interesting and unique. Yes, there is romance, but it doesn’t take over the plot. Super insta-lust, but better than insta-love. There are some external issues happening and some internal with all the characters. I want to read the next one. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 5.
August 20, 2014
Title: Prodigal Son (The Truthseers)
Series: The Truthseers bk 1
Author: Debra Mullins
Genre: Paranormal
Book Blurb:
Bounty hunter Rafe Montana is a Seer, descended from the fabled Atlanteans. He uses his inherited power to “see” criminals across the globe and track them down, and he’s just started on a new case. Danny Cangialosi is accused of disappearing with a stolen car…but for the first time in his life, when Rafe goes looking, he is unable to “see” him. Instead, his search leads him to Danny’s stubborn, meddling, and very cute stepsister, Cara McGaffigan.
Cara is looking for Danny, too, but not to turn him in. He is her brother, after all, and she’s convinced he has a good heart. If she can just find him before the cops do, she’ll figure out a way to get him out of this. But Cara didn’t count on a scorching-hot bounty hunter getting in her way.
Despite instant chemistry, Rafe and Cara know they’re never going to see eye-to-eye when it comes to Danny. What they don’t know is that Danny didn’t just steal a car—he stole a precious stone, a stone right out of the legends of Atlantis. It holds powers they can only dream of…and its owner wants it back.
Review:
This is the first book I've read by Debra Mullins and it won't be the last. I love paranormal romance but this took a slight twist and took you back to the history of atlantis which I loved. The hero Rafe Montana is running from his past and trying to control who/what he is and the heroine Cara McGaffigan is trying to find her stepbrother who has jumped bail after stealing a car from his boss which turns out to have a stone that many people are willing to kill for. Cara soon finds herself doing things unconsciously and Rafe realizes that someone has been bending her to their will. Eventually they end up working together to find Danny, Cara's stepbrother, as Rafe is the bounty hunter assigned to find him. As their adventure begins Rafe realizes that Cara's life is endanger and that she has a strong link to his crystal and the "Hunter" side of him. The attraction they have for each other is strong and they soon find out that she is the one thing that can tame the Hunter and energize him in seconds rather than the days it takes which is what they need while they fight their enemies. Debra Mullins keeps you on your toes with false leads, has you believing someone is a bad guy only to find out they are one of the good guys and keeps things twisting back and forth to the very end. I'm hoping there are more books to come because I'd love to read more about the Montana family and the other Atlanteans that we are introduced to .
Grade: A+
Review by: Danita
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Series: The Truthseers bk 1
Author: Debra Mullins
Genre: Paranormal
Book Blurb:
Bounty hunter Rafe Montana is a Seer, descended from the fabled Atlanteans. He uses his inherited power to “see” criminals across the globe and track them down, and he’s just started on a new case. Danny Cangialosi is accused of disappearing with a stolen car…but for the first time in his life, when Rafe goes looking, he is unable to “see” him. Instead, his search leads him to Danny’s stubborn, meddling, and very cute stepsister, Cara McGaffigan.
Cara is looking for Danny, too, but not to turn him in. He is her brother, after all, and she’s convinced he has a good heart. If she can just find him before the cops do, she’ll figure out a way to get him out of this. But Cara didn’t count on a scorching-hot bounty hunter getting in her way.
Despite instant chemistry, Rafe and Cara know they’re never going to see eye-to-eye when it comes to Danny. What they don’t know is that Danny didn’t just steal a car—he stole a precious stone, a stone right out of the legends of Atlantis. It holds powers they can only dream of…and its owner wants it back.
Review:
This is the first book I've read by Debra Mullins and it won't be the last. I love paranormal romance but this took a slight twist and took you back to the history of atlantis which I loved. The hero Rafe Montana is running from his past and trying to control who/what he is and the heroine Cara McGaffigan is trying to find her stepbrother who has jumped bail after stealing a car from his boss which turns out to have a stone that many people are willing to kill for. Cara soon finds herself doing things unconsciously and Rafe realizes that someone has been bending her to their will. Eventually they end up working together to find Danny, Cara's stepbrother, as Rafe is the bounty hunter assigned to find him. As their adventure begins Rafe realizes that Cara's life is endanger and that she has a strong link to his crystal and the "Hunter" side of him. The attraction they have for each other is strong and they soon find out that she is the one thing that can tame the Hunter and energize him in seconds rather than the days it takes which is what they need while they fight their enemies. Debra Mullins keeps you on your toes with false leads, has you believing someone is a bad guy only to find out they are one of the good guys and keeps things twisting back and forth to the very end. I'm hoping there are more books to come because I'd love to read more about the Montana family and the other Atlanteans that we are introduced to .
Grade: A+
Review by: Danita
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
October 23, 2013
✳✳ Copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Summary – 3 stars
Prodigal Son by Debra Mullins is a standard paranormal romance with an interesting twist. The standard elements of tenacious, loyal heroine, stubborn, guilty hero, selfish ex-boyfriend, and evil, insane adversary are all present. The main characters are fated mates with a supernatural connection, and the hero has to return to the family he abandoned to protect the woman he loves. Prodigal Son is reminiscent of the Arcane Society series by Jayne Ann Krentz, and anyone who likes those books will like this one as well. The tendency of supposedly strong female characters to make stupid decisions which endanger others is an annoying flaw, but overall it's an enjoyable read. This is the first book in a new series which definitely has potential. It's a bit overpriced at $8-10, but worth a read if you can find it on sale.
Fantasy World
The characters travel around the southwest including Las Vegas and Sedona. The scenery is made real enough you'll want to put on a hat and grab a bottle of water to escape the desert heat while reading. The world mythology is cohesive, and the talents of various characters play against each other very well.
Tingle Factor
Rafe and Cara definitely generate some heat, and you'll want them to give into it even more than they do.
Romance
Neither of the main characters is looking for romance, and it seems they are shoved into it almost against their will. They are each pursuing their own goals, and the romance happens by supernatural accident.
Drama
The drama is kept high as Rafe and Cara are pursued by the bad guys. It's not always simple to tell who the bad guys are, so the plot twists and turns are kept exciting.
Heroine
Cara is a mostly likeable heroine with some serious flaws. She is so family focused she is blind to everything else. Her step-brother uses this blindness to bilk her for money. Her ex-boyfriend used her flaw to take over part of her company. Cara ignores the evidence of her own senses, and makes poor decisions which put her as well as others in danger.
Hero
Rafe Montana left his family because he feels his talents are dangerous to them. He has also avoided romantic relationships for the same reason. He tries to avoid getting entangled with Cara, but can't overcome curiosity and the need to protect her. Rafe is a tall, dark bounty hunter with primal talents, which make him the perfect fantasy hero.
For access to all links in this review, please visit http://www.damesunrestrained.blogspot...
Summary – 3 stars
Prodigal Son by Debra Mullins is a standard paranormal romance with an interesting twist. The standard elements of tenacious, loyal heroine, stubborn, guilty hero, selfish ex-boyfriend, and evil, insane adversary are all present. The main characters are fated mates with a supernatural connection, and the hero has to return to the family he abandoned to protect the woman he loves. Prodigal Son is reminiscent of the Arcane Society series by Jayne Ann Krentz, and anyone who likes those books will like this one as well. The tendency of supposedly strong female characters to make stupid decisions which endanger others is an annoying flaw, but overall it's an enjoyable read. This is the first book in a new series which definitely has potential. It's a bit overpriced at $8-10, but worth a read if you can find it on sale.
Fantasy World
The characters travel around the southwest including Las Vegas and Sedona. The scenery is made real enough you'll want to put on a hat and grab a bottle of water to escape the desert heat while reading. The world mythology is cohesive, and the talents of various characters play against each other very well.
Tingle Factor
Rafe and Cara definitely generate some heat, and you'll want them to give into it even more than they do.
Romance
Neither of the main characters is looking for romance, and it seems they are shoved into it almost against their will. They are each pursuing their own goals, and the romance happens by supernatural accident.
Drama
The drama is kept high as Rafe and Cara are pursued by the bad guys. It's not always simple to tell who the bad guys are, so the plot twists and turns are kept exciting.
Heroine
Cara is a mostly likeable heroine with some serious flaws. She is so family focused she is blind to everything else. Her step-brother uses this blindness to bilk her for money. Her ex-boyfriend used her flaw to take over part of her company. Cara ignores the evidence of her own senses, and makes poor decisions which put her as well as others in danger.
Hero
Rafe Montana left his family because he feels his talents are dangerous to them. He has also avoided romantic relationships for the same reason. He tries to avoid getting entangled with Cara, but can't overcome curiosity and the need to protect her. Rafe is a tall, dark bounty hunter with primal talents, which make him the perfect fantasy hero.
For access to all links in this review, please visit http://www.damesunrestrained.blogspot...
October 25, 2013
As the promotional blurb indicates, this is a story about the relationship between a woman searching for her stepbrother who has skipped bail on a theft charge and the bail enforcement agent who is charged with the same task.
The underlying theme of the story is one of family ties: What do you do when every single blood relative you have is either dead or dead to you?
Add in the fact that the male protagonist has psychic abilities and superhuman strengths, and the relationship issues just fly off the charts.
It didn’t take reading too far into this first book of the Truth Seers series before certain elements of the story began to feel comfortably familiar. First, there is the tie-in to Atlantis, similar to Lynsay Sands’ Argeneau series. In both there are enhanced beings descended from the destruction of Atlantis, but, in this story, the beings are not vampires.
Secondly, there are elements similar to Bec McMasters’ London Steampunk series. In both, there seems to be a sentient spirit entwined in both the mind and body of the person with enhanced abilities. In both series, this sentient spirit almost feels like an energy that is using a human body as host, but in this book, that host has not become a vampire.
And thirdly, there are similarities to Jayne Ann Krentz’s Arcane Society series. The crystal technology, the sexual surge following enhanced used of a talent and the burnout following the full use of the talent are present in both.
Since I follow all three of these series’ religiously and enjoy them immensely, when I began reading this novel it felt as if I was traveling to a comfortable, familiar and enjoyable fantasy world.
AND BEFORE ANYONE GETS HIS OR HER NOSE OUT OF JOINT, I AM NOT ACCUSING THE AUTHOR OF PLAGARISM. I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE HER IDEAS ORIGINATE.
What I am saying is: if you are a fan of Sands, McMaster and/or Krentz, you will most likely thoroughly enjoy this book. The author told a story that I believe could happen and told it in a manner that made it feel as if it could unfold the way it did. There is no higher compliment for a paranormal story than that!
I received a copy of this novel through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program. That fact did not influence my opinion of this book in any way. Even though the copy provided to me was marked “uncorrected ARC,” it contained surprisingly few editing errors. I would suppose that bodes well for the finished for-sale product – a situation that enhances the reader’s experience and that helps the author’s bottom line.
The underlying theme of the story is one of family ties: What do you do when every single blood relative you have is either dead or dead to you?
Add in the fact that the male protagonist has psychic abilities and superhuman strengths, and the relationship issues just fly off the charts.
It didn’t take reading too far into this first book of the Truth Seers series before certain elements of the story began to feel comfortably familiar. First, there is the tie-in to Atlantis, similar to Lynsay Sands’ Argeneau series. In both there are enhanced beings descended from the destruction of Atlantis, but, in this story, the beings are not vampires.
Secondly, there are elements similar to Bec McMasters’ London Steampunk series. In both, there seems to be a sentient spirit entwined in both the mind and body of the person with enhanced abilities. In both series, this sentient spirit almost feels like an energy that is using a human body as host, but in this book, that host has not become a vampire.
And thirdly, there are similarities to Jayne Ann Krentz’s Arcane Society series. The crystal technology, the sexual surge following enhanced used of a talent and the burnout following the full use of the talent are present in both.
Since I follow all three of these series’ religiously and enjoy them immensely, when I began reading this novel it felt as if I was traveling to a comfortable, familiar and enjoyable fantasy world.
AND BEFORE ANYONE GETS HIS OR HER NOSE OUT OF JOINT, I AM NOT ACCUSING THE AUTHOR OF PLAGARISM. I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE HER IDEAS ORIGINATE.
What I am saying is: if you are a fan of Sands, McMaster and/or Krentz, you will most likely thoroughly enjoy this book. The author told a story that I believe could happen and told it in a manner that made it feel as if it could unfold the way it did. There is no higher compliment for a paranormal story than that!
I received a copy of this novel through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program. That fact did not influence my opinion of this book in any way. Even though the copy provided to me was marked “uncorrected ARC,” it contained surprisingly few editing errors. I would suppose that bodes well for the finished for-sale product – a situation that enhances the reader’s experience and that helps the author’s bottom line.
October 8, 2013
If you enjoy books that are written along the lines of comic books, maybe you want a light read or a book that are filled with diabolical and evil people with evil intent, you may love this book. I can't seem to think clearly enough to write a synopsis without giving away most of the story - I just know that it took 60% of the book before I could finally start liking it, and then the last 20% made me just want to roll my eyes like a 13 year old and say "whatever".
This is a book in which the main characters are more like caricatures than `real' people. The heroine (and I use the term somewhat loosely) is supposed to be this very smart 29 year old holding several degrees and part owner of her own company; but what she really comes off as is a petulant, spoiled, entitled new adult who hasn't a thought to what happens around her. She wants what she wants and she wants it now. What she wants is to find her brother and what she gets is magic with a capital M. She is smart, but unable to see or accept what is happening around her.
When she meets up with Rafe, the magical bounty hunter who is also after her brother, sparks fly (naturally) and within 24 (or was that 48 hours - whatever it was it was a ridiculously short amount of time)) they find themselves in bed together. They have hot sex even though she feels she can't really trust him yet and when he finally tries to make her see what he is and what is going on around them, she just won't accept it.
Rafe is the typical romantic hero. He dark and fighting his magical nature and he is the type that believes he is bad for those who may care for him, therefore even when he does feel something like love for Cara, he will not own up to it.
Some odd things that happen to the characters in this book are so obvious to the reader, yet the characters are so clueless and you may find yourself wanting to throw your book across the room. Then there are other things that happen that are so convoluted that you might find yourself saying "hunh?" to yourself over and over.
I think what I'm trying to say, in a very roundabout way is that the characters are one dimensional, the dialogue inane, the story is thin and somewhat silly at best and the mystery was never a very big mystery.
I commend the author for not wanting to give in and kill off the bad guy - I understand that this will most likely be a series and it wouldn't do to kill the antagonist...but he really, REALLY needed killing and I think another `bad guy' could have been found!*ARC supplied by publisher*
This is a book in which the main characters are more like caricatures than `real' people. The heroine (and I use the term somewhat loosely) is supposed to be this very smart 29 year old holding several degrees and part owner of her own company; but what she really comes off as is a petulant, spoiled, entitled new adult who hasn't a thought to what happens around her. She wants what she wants and she wants it now. What she wants is to find her brother and what she gets is magic with a capital M. She is smart, but unable to see or accept what is happening around her.
When she meets up with Rafe, the magical bounty hunter who is also after her brother, sparks fly (naturally) and within 24 (or was that 48 hours - whatever it was it was a ridiculously short amount of time)) they find themselves in bed together. They have hot sex even though she feels she can't really trust him yet and when he finally tries to make her see what he is and what is going on around them, she just won't accept it.
Rafe is the typical romantic hero. He dark and fighting his magical nature and he is the type that believes he is bad for those who may care for him, therefore even when he does feel something like love for Cara, he will not own up to it.
Some odd things that happen to the characters in this book are so obvious to the reader, yet the characters are so clueless and you may find yourself wanting to throw your book across the room. Then there are other things that happen that are so convoluted that you might find yourself saying "hunh?" to yourself over and over.
I think what I'm trying to say, in a very roundabout way is that the characters are one dimensional, the dialogue inane, the story is thin and somewhat silly at best and the mystery was never a very big mystery.
I commend the author for not wanting to give in and kill off the bad guy - I understand that this will most likely be a series and it wouldn't do to kill the antagonist...but he really, REALLY needed killing and I think another `bad guy' could have been found!*ARC supplied by publisher*
October 21, 2013
This book was actually quite fantastic.
Since I have been reading so much lately, I have noticed that I have gotten picker with not just my rating scale, but I'm picker about what I enjoy. I need originality and something that's as a whole very different to keep my attention focused on the book.
This story was not just great.
It was engaging, fast paced, original, and really creative.
There is a certain lack of originality when it comes to Urban Fantasy/PNR lately. I noticed that people say this, yet when they read something different, they slaughter it because their brains are predisposed to the cookie cutter weavings of what Harlequin deemed the 'formula' for this genre of book. Well, I'm happy to report that I am not one of the brain washed masses and this story broke the mold on so many levels.
I was engaged totally with all the characters. The banter was stilted and forced. The story flowed quickly, and if I'm being honest the 'supernatural beings' in the story was totally unique. I was like, "Oh, well this is new!"
I haven't read a story this put together in this genre for quite sometime time. Everyone is so concerned with writing the next great shapeshifter novel, and there is this little gem hiding out in Tor's catalog. I feel quite bad for it. I think the cover doesn't do it a lick of justice because it doesn't really encompass what the story is trying to tell. Yes, Rafe is awesomely hunky and has a nice back--BUT the story is so much better than its packaging. I think people aren't being sold on the story description nor the cover so they are passing it by. I can only hope that my review grabs in some readers because I was so impressed by this witty, fun, and daring adventure that I can't WAIT for the sequel to come out and I can't WAIT for Darius's book! Yes, I know I'm a sucker for a fallen hero!
With characters that fly off the page, this story is truly one of the record books where PNR is concerned.
*I received a copy of this book from Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Since I have been reading so much lately, I have noticed that I have gotten picker with not just my rating scale, but I'm picker about what I enjoy. I need originality and something that's as a whole very different to keep my attention focused on the book.
This story was not just great.
It was engaging, fast paced, original, and really creative.
There is a certain lack of originality when it comes to Urban Fantasy/PNR lately. I noticed that people say this, yet when they read something different, they slaughter it because their brains are predisposed to the cookie cutter weavings of what Harlequin deemed the 'formula' for this genre of book. Well, I'm happy to report that I am not one of the brain washed masses and this story broke the mold on so many levels.
I was engaged totally with all the characters. The banter was stilted and forced. The story flowed quickly, and if I'm being honest the 'supernatural beings' in the story was totally unique. I was like, "Oh, well this is new!"
I haven't read a story this put together in this genre for quite sometime time. Everyone is so concerned with writing the next great shapeshifter novel, and there is this little gem hiding out in Tor's catalog. I feel quite bad for it. I think the cover doesn't do it a lick of justice because it doesn't really encompass what the story is trying to tell. Yes, Rafe is awesomely hunky and has a nice back--BUT the story is so much better than its packaging. I think people aren't being sold on the story description nor the cover so they are passing it by. I can only hope that my review grabs in some readers because I was so impressed by this witty, fun, and daring adventure that I can't WAIT for the sequel to come out and I can't WAIT for Darius's book! Yes, I know I'm a sucker for a fallen hero!
With characters that fly off the page, this story is truly one of the record books where PNR is concerned.
*I received a copy of this book from Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Did not finish
February 19, 2017Not my style.
October 15, 2013
Prodigal Son is an unabashed paranormal romance, complete with the gorgeous hunk protagonist, and the prominent female character who somehow finds herself in the middle of a fate-of-the-world situation unknowingly. Prodigal Son ticks off all the paranormal romance boxes. There’s almost instant love and plenty of sexual tension while the characters try to talk themselves out of it. There’s action, explosions, a jaunt through the desert, family drama, and sex.
One area where Prodigal Son sticks out is the lack of vampires. Instead, Rafe is a psychic with a family line from Atlantis, and the book is peppered with others who are likewise, or similarly gifted. On the other hand, Cara is shockingly normal, until it becomes obvious that she can do some “abnormal” things later in the book. It’s a nice switch to see two protagonists that are different from the normal paranormal romance tropes.
That being said, Prodigal Son is a fast read, and it is fairly cookie cutter. If you’ve read any paranormal romance books, you’ll be able to predict everything that happens here after you’ve read the first chapter. That’s not always a bad thing, though. Sometimes people need a fluff read. Prodigal Son is good for a mental vacation. Mullins’ writing is full of emotion that will really grab the reader. The landscape and setting takes a backseat, but the story itself is fun, if predictable. It’s more of a story about two people falling in love than anything else.
Fans of paranormal romance will love this one.
Full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/10/...
One area where Prodigal Son sticks out is the lack of vampires. Instead, Rafe is a psychic with a family line from Atlantis, and the book is peppered with others who are likewise, or similarly gifted. On the other hand, Cara is shockingly normal, until it becomes obvious that she can do some “abnormal” things later in the book. It’s a nice switch to see two protagonists that are different from the normal paranormal romance tropes.
That being said, Prodigal Son is a fast read, and it is fairly cookie cutter. If you’ve read any paranormal romance books, you’ll be able to predict everything that happens here after you’ve read the first chapter. That’s not always a bad thing, though. Sometimes people need a fluff read. Prodigal Son is good for a mental vacation. Mullins’ writing is full of emotion that will really grab the reader. The landscape and setting takes a backseat, but the story itself is fun, if predictable. It’s more of a story about two people falling in love than anything else.
Fans of paranormal romance will love this one.
Full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/10/...
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