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The Gifted One

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As his birthday approaches, Matthew Westlake fears more than just growing a year older. He fears never seeing another year at all. Each birthday brings a close call with death, leaving holes in his memory, recurring nightmares, and one more glimpse of his guardian angel. This birthday Matt must stand against ancient evils that have hounded him since birth, because he is a Gifted One—a seventh son of a seventh son.Within Matt rests the unlocked potential of a force for good, but it also makes him a target. Being the Gifted One and dodging demonic attacks aren’t Matt’s only problems, though. He’s fallen in love with his protector, the Archangel Gabriel, and Heaven will condemn that love to save Matt’s soul. But Heaven doesn’t count on Gabriel loving Matt in return, defying divine law and placing them in danger from demons and angels alike.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2013

9 people are currently reading
328 people want to read

About the author

Jacob Z. Flores

20 books320 followers
Jacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.

Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse. When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.

You can follow Jacob’s musings on his blog at http://jacobzflores.com or become a part of his social media network by visiting http://www.facebook.com/jacob.flores2
or http://twitter.com/#!/JacobZFlores.

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5 stars
56 (31%)
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62 (35%)
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40 (22%)
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12 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for BevS.
2,853 reviews2 followers
May 15, 2013
Well, how on earth do I begin to review this book? I'll start by saying that I wasn't going to do this tonight...I was supposed to be going to watch the new Star Trek film (yeah I'm a Trekkie, so sue me!!), but hubbie was 'unavoidably detained', and no, not by the police...I thought yay, I'll do my Gifted One review...so, I'm sorry Chris and Zachary, I'm pining for you already, but it's a hot date for tomorrow guys!! 4 stars

I made more notes for this book than any other book I've read so far, so that should tell you that it was quite a complex book. I have to admit that I was initially drawn to the artwork on the cover which is beautiful...shallow I know, so the signs were promising as far as I was concerned for the book...although of course, the opposite can also be true unfortunately; however, this time I struck gold!!

The Dreamspinner blurb on this book was intriguing. I'm not particularly religious, so was hoping it wouldn't be a 'wrath of God' type book, and although there were some elements of that, they were interwoven into the story so deftly by the author that you didn't feel he was pointing a finger at you in particular. Father God makes several guest appearances, as do the Heavenly Host, seraphim, archangels, lots of demons and joy of joys, the Gifted One Matthew, who is the seventh son of a seventh son, and therefore someone very special indeed with a larger than life destiny!!

Nothing seems to go right for Matthew Westlake, tragedy stalks him, especially around the date of his birthday. His family were killed on that date, and he himself keeps having near-death experiences on his birthday every year. He also has terrifying nightmares, they begin to get more frequent, and are so disturbing that he consults a psychiatrist...the therapist helps him to understand that the nightmares are symptomatic of his fears about his childhood and what happened to his family. He is obviously unaware that he is the Gifted One, part of some Grand Design that only Father God knows about, but he has his own Guardian Angel Gabriel, and he has watched over Matthew since he was born. Matt is a nurse, who although he doesn't realise it, has some inkling or special knowledge as to what illnesses or ailments patients have, sometimes even before they've seen the doctor, this 'gift' has obviously been given to him in readiness for his eventual destiny. He loves helping others, and although he has good friends, and a 'sort of' family in the people that adopted him, is still searching for the elusive 'love of his life' that he is certain exists somewhere for him, and him alone.

On this particular day in this particular year, fate in the guise of demons, is waiting in the wings yet again, poised to try and kill Matt to ensure that the balance between good and evil is tipped a little more firmly in evil's favour; however, Gabriel is lurking in the shadows, sure in the knowledge that nothing will happen to Matt on his watch...he is the Angel of Vengeance, and will stand for no nonsense. He saves Matt yet again, and this time, a very strong connection is formed between Matt and his saviour Gabriel....Matt cannot get Gabriel out of his mind, and Gabriel, well, he is not allowed to feel anything for humans as it interferes with his ability to look after his charge, but it's too late for that.....

Gabriel is aware that he is getting too close to Matt, but cannot help himself and they fall deeply in love. This threatens his Divine purpose, and the other archangels, Michael in particular, pay him visits to re-iterate that this is not something he can do...he is the Angel of Vengeance and cannot fall in love with a human, it is throwing the Grand Design off course and there will be consequences. I'm going to leave it there, you will have to discover for yourself what happens to Matt and Gabriel, and whether good triumphs over evil. I will just throw you a bone here...another 'someone' comes along and falls in love with Matt, and plays a major part in how the book ends...if indeed that is what happens.

Yes, I enjoyed the story, and although the language was a little flowery at times, and I didn't understand why demons could only materialise through a human host when the angels could appear at will, it certainly didn't lessen the story in any way, shape or form for me, it's a winner.
Profile Image for Susan65.
1,649 reviews53 followers
April 13, 2013
Not kidding when I say this was a labor in love...for Matt, Gabriel, for me...and for Craig. And no, this is not a menage. You have to read and read and read to get to the conclusion and, thank you God it ended in the most satisfactory way ever.

I admit I was starting to get very, very nervous that what I'd hoped would happen, wouldn't happen. Super nervous. So very happy I got my wish and my miracle.

This is NOT your typical mm romance novel. It's more like a Dean Koontz novel with a little man-love sprinkled on top. Well some seriously saucy and steamy man-love, so maybe not so Dean Koontzy after all ;-)

It was long and the world building was detailed, but very necessary to understand the whats and the whys and how comes. You can tell this was a labor in love from the author and no corners were cut to get to the end. I almost wished it did because at about half way I almost jumped to the last page to see how it ended.

I had NO IDEA how it would end until almost the very end. But suffice it to say that it was worth the ride.

Profile Image for Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews.
1,206 reviews43 followers
April 4, 2013
3 1/3 - 4 Hearts

Review written for MM Good Book Reviews

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...

Matthew has had many tragedies throughout his life, and each year his birthday brings danger but his guardian angel Gabriel is always there in the background keeping him safe. But, this year is different as the forces of evil are determined to put an end to the Gifted One and Gabriel crosses a line never meant to be crossed. Matt and Gabriel jeopardise God’s Grand Design by falling in love, defying God’s laws and now a sacrifice must be made before it is too late.

This is a great good vs evil, heavenly powers story. Matthew is the Gifted One and since the night of his birth has been hunted by evil and Gabriel is the Archangel charged with keeping him safe, but Gabriel has grown to love the mortal under his protection and he breaks the rules when he shows himself to Matt. Matt is confused about his instant connection to the mysterious Gabriel, but he tries to put it to the side to make a go of it with Craig, a man who has great potential in the boyfriend stakes. Evil still haunts Matt and monsters from his past are poised to strike and the contact with Gabriel pushes their feelings to the surface, but acting on their love could prove too dangerous with the powers of heaven disapproving.

I enjoyed most of this book, but I have to admit to disliking parts of it, especially when it came to Matt’s inability to basically stand up for himself against his friends and how understanding he had to be all the time, it wasn’t natural. The storyline was great and Gabriel and Matt were an interesting couple, I liked the way that the past was told in full for the pivotal moments and the way that evil twisted humans to do its bidding. The way the story flows is brilliant and it has emotional twists and turns, with some heavenly aspects and stories lending to the story. There’s lots of danger with rescues, some angst, arguing, forgiveness and love, there are some horrifying moments but also some moments of great sacrifice and devotion.

I will recommend this to those who love Angels and evil, some hot sex, Archangels giving it all up for love, danger, and a great ending.
Profile Image for Blue Bayou . .
503 reviews18 followers
Read
April 15, 2013
Not sure if I am going rate this right now. I did not finish but I did. Sort of.

I got all the way to chapter 21 and then skipped to the last chapter. Why did I do that? Well I was pushing myself to read this story by then, it didn't really hold my attention. By the time I got to Chapter 21, Matthew had been having a relationship with Craig and some supernatural stuff starts happening that makes Craig leave and Gabriel comes back. I don't really have an issue with leaving one lover for another however the 'love' between Matthew and Gabriel was not flushed out enough for me to believe. (Craig and Matthew had a love that I would have followed).
When Chapter 21 starts Gabriel and Matthew are finally together and getting ready to consummate their love. The scene was odd to say the least. In previous scenes with Craig and Matt, Craig was the aggressive one. When Gabriel and Matt get it going, Matt is the aggressive one. And not so much aggressive but controlling. In Matt thoughts I am told why but to doesn't ring true. Another issue I had was the lack of lube, yeah yeah I know it's a story and its fantasy. Again, I say if you've ever had it, then you know you NEED it.

I also wasn't a fan of Matthew's friends Shane and Dee. I am sure they were added for levity however they just irritated me.

So by now I have skipped to Chapter 31. I did this not because I had to find out what happened but because I read a review that said by the end you'll understand. Maybe had I read all of the story I would have understood more but by the time I got there it wasn't so much that I didn't understand the ending, I just didn't like it. I won't say here what the ending is because even though I a 'spoilering' this whole review I don't want to give it away. Suffice to say I've not seen an ending like this one before and I would prefer not to see it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Paul.
648 reviews
March 8, 2017
4.5 STARS
If you like a good story involving the myths of archangel's and demon's fighting each other for plight of The Gifted One (no it's not Buffy) with flavour of urban fantasy/thriller and a modern day setting, this this is a fun read.

I really liked the originality of the storyline, so many are very similar where this one is not, well nothing I've read in this genre was similar in nature.

It's very well written and takes you through a great amount of different emotions from fun, happy, sexy, sad and creepy quite flawlessly. It keeps a good pace up too making it a page turner. I didn't come across any parts that felt like filler.

So it has a great plot with sub-plots, that merge seamlessly as the book progresses. The MC's are excellent and I loved them but a couple of the OC's were a tiny bit annoying at times but it was minimal and they were important, the mythology was engaging even if it was incorrect, I'm not saying it is because I don't know but it worked for me. Overall this was definitely one of the better angelic romances I've read.
Profile Image for M.
1,197 reviews172 followers
September 6, 2013
This book didn't sit well with me. I found the metaphors and similes too florid, and it seemed to me an uneasy balance of extremely gory and violent and extremely cheesy. So, I was all set to one-star it. But then this line happened: 'I'll squash your baby head if I have to' (in reference to a demonic baby clown). That kind of giggles deserves an extra star.
Profile Image for Elin.
219 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2014
We have Matthew Westlake, a nurse with a past filled with one disaster after the next. He's often found in mortal danger on his birthday,
Then there's the archangel Gabriel, he has been Matt's guardian angel since his birth,
Then there's Craig Belton, a police officer.

This was pretty bad, but lets start with the good things. First we have the "Duchess" Joanna Westlake, Matt's grandmother, she was well written and the only character that felt genuine. I also liked how God was written as someone constantly switching from appearance to appearance, it was a nice way to handle the question of how God would look.

So, what I didn't like.
The writing felt very rigid and to distant, it made it hard to feel for the characters. And the sex scenes, they felt more wtf than hot, it was like the writer went overboard with the metaphors and it did not have a good result. I also felt like the characters became completely different personalities when they were having sex, .
Now, the story-line. First, I should probably say that I don't normally like this kind of books, but it could have been done better.
But story-wise, what bugged me the most was the ending, after the stand-off.
Profile Image for LiveYourLife BuyTheBook.
616 reviews58 followers
April 24, 2013
4.5 Stars

The blurb on this book sounded so good, I had to read it. The cover was stunning and the concept was intriguing. We have God, his angels and the archangel Gabriel as a guardian angel to The Gifted One in one m/m, paranormal romance. Sold! I was eager to dig in for a great read and I was not disappointed.

Tragedy stalks Matthew Westlake relentlessly, especially on his birthday. He lost his family and he continues to have near-death experiences every year on this day. Matt is the seventh son of a seventh son who is known to Heaven as a Gifted One and although Matt is unaware of it, he has a larger destiny to fulfill. He is a skilled nurse who was born with a “knowing” that is particularly helpful in diagnosing what ailments affect his patients. He is a man who is happy assisting others. Matt is also in search of true love so the timing is perfect as Gabriel appears to save Matt’s life on his birthday this year. Once he is safe, Matt can’t get the intense connection he feels for his unexpected savior out of his mind.....

See Carli's full review at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
Profile Image for Aeren.
510 reviews29 followers
Read
May 22, 2016
DNF no voy a darle estrellas ni nada porque no he conseguido superar más que el 45% de la novela. :(
Profile Image for Chris Jeffreys.
241 reviews18 followers
April 7, 2013
4.5 stars.

This book is a roller coaster ride of a mortal's interaction with the Devine, Archangel Gabriel, and compelling secondary characters that are well developed and intriguing.

I won't give anything away in the story, so here's the barest of thumb-nail summaries of the intricate plot. Matt Westlake is the seventh son of a seventh son who is known as the Gifted One in this book. In his reality, he is a skilled nurse with a knack for knowing what ailments afflict his patients. But, he is a man in search of eternal love.

Through his life, he has faced and survived extreme adversity, although those who are around him have not fared as well. While his survival is initially thought to be coincidence, clearly there is Devine intervention involved in his protection. As the Gifted One, he plays an integral (if yet unspoken) role in the future of mankind. Evil forces and Devine forces are locked in a constant battle to eliminate (or protect) him.

But, at its base, this is a love story. Surely, it is a fractured love story caused by the circumstances surrounding Matt's existence; however, it is a love story nonetheless. As you can note from the comments that I wrote as I was reading this book, there was a recurrent question in my mind whether this author could bring together a suitable ending to this novel. In the end, I believe the author fashioned the only possible ending to this novel that would not cause readers to revolt en masse. Whether the ending is good or a bad must be left to each individual reader.

Without revealing any more of the novel, I can say that this is a compelling story that was quite a page turner. The plot is far more than just one sex scene after the next. But, as an aside, when the author does write sex scenes in this book, they are erotically charged and very hot.

If we judge a novel on its ability to hold the readers' attention, and draw the readers into the emotion of the characters, then this novel succeeds. I am just not certain whether the ending of this novel was sufficiently satisfying to give it five stars (but, it is a close call). Four and a half stars from me for this book.

There's a hint in this story that the future of Matt's role as the Gifted One could give rise to a sequel. It would be interesting to see how earthly and divine intervention can again come into the characters' future lives, and I would encourage the author to pursue that storyline.
Profile Image for Josie.
1,409 reviews13 followers
October 13, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. The blurb sounded interesting and I enjoy reading books that expand upon/use lesser known apocryphal books or mythologies. So I was excited to read it, but excitement quickly turned into eye rolling and stalling on finishing. When I HAVE to take a break from a book, in order to make myself finish it, that book better have a stellar sprint to the finish line to make it worth while, but nope, failed there as well.

My main issues were: 1) the writing style, which bordered on overdone and swung between extremes of painfully flowery prose to crudity that was supposed to seem sexy and intimate; 2) the character interactions and 3) how the plot developed.

What bothered me most was that much of the dialogue and some of the secondary character interactions came across as over the top soap opera drama because of their immediate and extreme feelings for the two men in Matt's life, Craig and Gabriel. It was like the best friends HAD to love one and hate the other to give the story more "dramatic tension", but at best it was poorly executed and at worst unnecessary, especially with the almost rabid way Matt's friend Dee expressed her feelings/concern. Concern is one thing, but the way she was portrayed was intrusive, irritating and seemingly written to incorporate the addition of the drama of "strained long term friendships" to the increasingly operatic triangle, which just made me dread scenes with her and Shane b/c it became a predictable pattern of them ganging up on Matt w/o letting him speak, Shane being inappropriate and Dee screeching about something.

Regarding the plot, it was pretty straight forward and progressed steadily if not very engagingly, despite the distracting dialogue, until about the last 30% of the book. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that the manner in which the book is going to end becomes readily apparent after certain events, and feels like a cop-out to all the drama and angst intrinsic in Matt and Gabriel's potential relationship. The writing style, character interactions and the almost blah and uninspiring use of apocryphal background all combined to make this story only an "Eh" for me.
Profile Image for Letti.
152 reviews3 followers
June 4, 2013
Matt’s life has been plagued with misfortunate events and many of those were catastrophic. Being born -the seventh son of a seventh son, his destiny was written, he become a key player, and someone who is important to the Grand Design. Because of that importance he was granted a protector the Archangel Gabriel. Gabriel has been by Matt’s side since the very beginning but has rarely revealed himself; Gabriel’s sole purpose was to protect his ward and let the Grand Design run its course.

But things begin to change when Matt is tormented with nightmares; he knows that the dreams are the key to unlocking his past. He suffers from dissociative amnesia due to a traumatic and stressful incident that transpired on his tenth birthday. Birthdays aren’t agreeable with him, because his potential resonates strongest on that day.

This is an enchanting tale of good vs. evil, Angelic Forces vs. Demonic that interweave basic Christian Mythology, at times it was so engaging I could hardly tear my eyes away from the words, I was sucked into Flores magnificent world. Certain parts of the book was heart-rendering, where my soul literally felt like it was being ripped out of me, during that moment I cussed Mr. Flores for capturing that heinous moment. And FYI that is something no mother should every read.

You can read my full review atOn Top Down Under Book Reviews
http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...
Profile Image for Lissel.
544 reviews15 followers
May 17, 2015
This is a book I´ve had on my "to read" shelf for quite a while, but for some reason I just never felt like coming round to reading it.
Now I´ve finally done it I must say I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I enjoyed the plot and the writting style of the author. I also really liked the angels, especially Michael, though Gabriel was really cool too. BUT, I just couldn´t like Matt, and since he is the MC and one half of the couple, my not liking him made me not enjoy the book as much as I would have if I had liked the Mc. Why didn´t I like him? he was just too perfect, too good. I like flaws in my characters. I very rarely like flawless characters, it happens once in a while, but those are special cases. Matt simply didn´t do it for me. But the worst were Matt´s friends Dee and Shane. I understand they were supposed to be Matt´s unconditional suporters and also provide for a bit of comic relief, but instead they annoyed the hell out of me.
All in all, I enjoyed it but I wasn´t crazy about it.
Profile Image for ☆ Todd.
1,441 reviews1,583 followers
April 28, 2013
I liked the book, but didn't really fall in love with it.

And there wasn't much time focused on the main characters getting to really, truly know one another. For Matt, it was more love at first sight, 'nuff said.

The first couple of intimate scenes were kind of "Who's your dirty girl? Yeah, I'm your dirty girl" feeling, which I didn't really care much for at all. Fast forward.

I more enjoyed the storyline of Gabriel and Michael's brotherly relationship, how through the conflict, their love and mutual respect survived.

Not a bad read, but I enjoyed T.J. Klune's "Into This River I Drown" much more. That was a book I fell head over heels for.
Profile Image for Simon.
639 reviews90 followers
May 11, 2020
Great. Worth a read.
Profile Image for Bruce Tharp.
1 review4 followers
April 11, 2013
Being a good southern boy with a strong Baptist upbringing, I thought romance and angels? Hmmmm.....I was intrigued and a little wary of the subject matter. However from the first, thrilling chapter that quickly introduces the main characters and sets the premise for this fast paced story, I was drawn into the story.

Mathew Westlake is the seventh son of a seventh son and God has great plans for him. His guardian angel is given the task of watching over him and protecting him from the evil that has besieged him all of his life. The kink comes when Gabriel his guardian angel is forced to reveal himself and things snowball from there. There is suspense, danger and foremost love that serves as an undercurrent throughout this great story.

I loved the biblical background that serves as a subplot of this story based on biblical apocrophyal writings. The author does a tremendous job of weaving these "myths" into the story which help make this story come to life.

If you want to read a good love story that just happens to involve angels, then this is the book for you!
Profile Image for Chris.
2,882 reviews209 followers
contemplating-its-sins
September 25, 2013
The florid language just didn't work for me, to the point that I couldn't get into this book at all.
Profile Image for A.
268 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2013
4.5 Stars. Matthew Westlake was born the Seventh Son of the Seventh Son. I don't know what that means exactly, other than he's being protected by Gabriel, the archangel of vengeance, and has many, many people after his life. In fact, he's lost a lot of people close to him as the bad guys seek his death. He's also a nurse, and has within him the ability to be able to detect people's problems immediately, helping to save lives every day.

Matthew is also just a guy who is looking for someone to love. In his search, he meets Craig Belton, a police officer, who sweeps him off his feet. The problem is, Matthew is also drawn to a man he keeps meeting whenever his life is in jeopardy -- Gabriel -- and while he doesn't know his role in his life, he cannot deny the feelings that he has for the angel.

And then things go completely crazy. I loved this book in the sense that it was unlike anything else out there. It has a romantic element, yes, but it's also suspenseful and gets sickeningly, only in your wildest nightmares graphic at times. Jacob Flores is not messing around. This is a battle in every sense of the world. Between good and evil. Between heaven and earth. And between love and duty. So when I say pretty much anything can happen and does, I'm not kidding. It maybe goes a little over the top at times, but it certainly kept me entertained and fascinated and, I'll admit, a little freaked out. A book should make you feel strong emotions, and this one did. Completely.

There are some weaknesses here. Like I said, it's a bit of an everything and the kitchen sink mentality, which was a little confusing at points, a lot of information that sometimes felt overwhelming. And things maybe were a little too conveniently wrapped up with the caveat that with God, all is possible. I liked how things turned out, but I'm not sure it felt completely believable to me. And while the love scenes were much more grounded than the ones in 3, I still felt some of the flowery language and descriptions to be a tad bit distracting.

I completely loved the supporting characters in this book. The Duchess is a riot, and Matthew's two best friends are total messes but would do anything to help their friend. Together, their interaction is hilarious. I also loved the angel brothers. I found that aspect of the book to be fascinating. Yes, it's been dealt with many times before, but I felt like the relationship between the brothers was compelling and I wanted to read more about each one. To Jacob Flores: Just a suggestion for the next book? Michael and Craig. I know it's a little weird, considering the circumstances, but at least consider it for me, would you? And if you could add Dutch into the mix as well, I'd worship you forever. (I can't overlap your books like that? Why not?!?)

Profile Image for GayListBookReviews.
472 reviews52 followers
April 16, 2013
Gabriel and Matt are a sweet couple. They’re very much in love and you can’t help hoping that they somehow beat all of the forces of heaven and hell that are set against them being together. It’s a struggle to keep Matt alive, it seems that every time they turn around there is another attack coming their way, much less fighting heaven to get a happy ending. They are so special together. Angels aren't supposed to feel love as humans do but there is something about Matt that transcends the normal rules for Gabriel, and he can't help but fall in love.

Gabriel is delicious. It doesn’t get hotter than a protector who is kick ass, whose name fills the world with fear at his power and purpose, yet he stares at his love with big doe eyes full of love and adoration. Matt is so sweet, strong and resilient. The things he has suffered through in his life have only made him a kinder and more loving person and make him worthy of Gabriel’s devotion. They were smoking hot together and when they finally give in to the feelings between them, well lets just say it’s steamy and Gabriel is surprisingly creative.

The story keeps a fast pace and has a strong supporting cast that are integral to the story. Matt’s friends are family, and family is part of the strength that Matt must draw upon if he is to triumph over evil. The bond of brotherhood that exists between the archangels was done well and I really enjoyed their relationships.

The depiction of heaven and demons and fallen angels while a familiar trope was done with a different slant that I really enjoyed. The angels are made very real and it was fun to read this version of God.

The writing is strong and the characters and storyline well done but the ending fell a little bit flat for me. I felt that there was an essential element left unresolved and while I enjoyed the ending it left me feeling something was missing. This was a solid B maybe even a B+ but the unresolved issue left me feeling frustrated and venting in poor Beans ear.

Reviewed by Nina
Profile Image for Pam Kay.
586 reviews9 followers
February 15, 2015
This novel was absolutely amazing!!! Jacob did a beautiful job in maintaining a strong story line intertwining the characters lives dealing with the forces of good and evil. Matt had led a life of fighting his unknown past, nightmares, and constant tragic happenings which he always seemed to come out unscathed. An archangel, Gabriel, came into his life when he was almost killed and saved him. When Matt saw him, he felt like he had always known him and that he was safe with him. Unknown to Matt, Gabriel had been assigned by the Father to protect him all his life. The forces of evil were continually trying to kill Matt because he was "The Gifted One" since birth. Matt had also met a police officer, Craig, about the same time and thought something good would come out of their relationship...Until one night Matt has one of his nightmares and yells out Gabriel's name to help him. Craig leaves telling Matt that he has to sort out his feelings for Gabriel. The forces of evil churn around him as Gabriel and him fall in love breaking all the rules of Heaven. No angel was to ever to be with a human. The Grand Design was being changed due to Gabriel's indiscretions. This is a story that is intense, dramatic, loving, sad, but joyous at the same time with Hot Sex at the right times. Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down. It was fast moving and so many facets to it that kept me engrossed in it. Character development was brilliant and it all felt believable with the detail. Felt like these things could definitely be happening around us. Good versus Evil... I highly recommend this book. I truly loved it.... The ending was heart wrenching where the forces clash, with good winning out....
Good Always Wins Over Evil!!
Profile Image for Mel.
154 reviews39 followers
May 26, 2013
What can I say; I’m a sucker for a beautifully written book. And this book… this book is flawlessly beautiful. The quality of the writing alone is enough to garner it a 5-star plus rating. The hallmark of a well-written book is its ability to transport the reader directly into the scene. The vivid descriptions allow you to picture the scene in your mind’s eye and the dialogue flows so naturally that you hear the scene played out in your head. Jacob Z. Flores accomplishes all these things in spades in “The Gifted One.” The book touches on so many genres: romance, philosophical, action and mystery-thriller; and he pulls them all together in a seemingly effortless manner.

The angel/demon lore and biblical references were well researched. The imagery, particularly on the heavenly plane, is stunning. The descriptions of Matt’s nightmares are riveting and Gabriel’s adoration of Matt is spellbinding.

The love between Gabriel and Matt is palpable. Mr. Flores's descriptions of the way they gaze into each other’s eyes makes you shiver, curls your toes.

And the love scenes not only ooze sensuality… they are breathtaking.

This book will go on my OMG Shelf because five stars are just not enough.
Profile Image for Michelle.
289 reviews4 followers
December 7, 2016
★★★★ = I may not read it again but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I did not expect this to be so good. What-so-ever. I have not liked many (if any) free novels that I've read. So, I had very low expectations for this. However, it was very enjoyable. It was long, which was a bonus, and I enjoyed following Matt along and the events that unfolded with his life. It's about God, demons, angels and the Gifted One but it doesn't go into lengthly monologging about God and Jesus and why you should believe in God, which was good because I'm not one for faith themed romances.

The POV swaps did get a little annoying as there were so many characters but it added to the end result, which made it worth it.

I was pleasantly surprised by this which left me with a good overall feeling. I probably won't read it again but it is a nice addition to my collection.
Profile Image for Rin.
338 reviews
July 15, 2015
It took me a few days to finish this book.

First of all, the author has clearly researched rather extensively for this book and it shows. In a good way. The way the angels talked, the image of Father always changing and how the past was depicted. They all fit in nicely.

I was originally wary of the plot in the sense that there seemed to be too many obstacles coming from literally every direction. It was like one of those "us against the entire world" sort of relationship where no one else seemed to approve of it and went out of the way to try and break everything and that suck big time.

Yet I really like the way everything sort of falls into place. I wasn't entirely sure how there could be a HEA even as I was near the ending but the ending was perfect.
Profile Image for ~♥ Elle ♥~.
304 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2013
This book was brilliant! This was a complex dark tale about a man who is destined to become the Gifted one. Hunted by the horde since birth, he was assigned a guardian angel to look after him until he reaches his potential. Now a grown man, he falls in love with his guardian who has sworn not to be too invested with his charge.

The author really did well with infusing some suspense-thriller elements that pull readers into the story. Once you start, you cannot put it down. There were some dark and disturbing times in the life of the MC and the author captures the readers with the emotions in the scenes. I found the ending very moving and powerful. Definitely a book worth reading.
Profile Image for Alexis Woods.
Author 49 books84 followers
September 9, 2016
Wow. Just superb. I was blown away by this author (new for me).

Even when I thought I knew how the story would end, the author kept me questioning. The wonderful descriptions of both the angels and demons made them come alive. Ancient biblical texts morphed the contemporary setting, stirring the war between the Archangels and the Fallen to new heights.

And the romance... sigh. An intriguing triangle to say the least. Each criminal and hero and friend was well developed to the point where I could almost imagine them in front of me.

This simple review simply does not do this story justice. Just go read it.
Profile Image for Denise.
61 reviews8 followers
October 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The use of mythology, superstitions and Biblical tales was really excellent and enhanced the story. Gabriel has protected Matt his entire life, and Matt has loved him without truly being aware of it. Their journey toward a true relationship and the cosmic upheaval that results make for a great story. As far as I'm concerned, this is Jacob's best.
634 reviews
September 30, 2014
This was almost a 5 star for me until the ending. It was a great ending but not where my mind had been going, so it totally threw me when it was revealed. I was completely engrossed in this book and its characters. I had a hard time putting it down when I needed to be 'mom'.
1 review
May 22, 2013
The Gifted One is a great book. The cover of the book doesn't just intrigue you but it promises something different. The characters pull you into the story and you hope to be saved.

So do yourself a favor read the book.
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