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The Vitruvian Man #1
Cursed
Paranormal romance novella
Book 1 of The Vitruvian Man series
Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.
During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.
For ten days, it didn’t matter.
Until I met her.
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.
Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.
Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.
Book 1 of The Vitruvian Man series
Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.
During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.
For ten days, it didn’t matter.
Until I met her.
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.
Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.
Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.
- GenresRomanceFantasyParanormal
95 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2013
84 people want to read
About the author
Cate Masters
56 books206 followersAward-winning author Cate Masters loves stories of any genre. Multi-published in contemporary to historical, fantasy/dark fantasy to paranormal, she sometimes mashes genres.
Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Writing mainstream and speculative as C.A. Masterson, visit her at http://paintingfirewithwords.blogspot....
Cate loves to hear from readers. Email her at: cate.masters@gmail.com
Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Writing mainstream and speculative as C.A. Masterson, visit her at http://paintingfirewithwords.blogspot....
Cate loves to hear from readers. Email her at: cate.masters@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 9, 2013
Favorite Lines “The beast in me had already awakened and would soon demand satisfaction if I kept it waiting. It had been much too long.”
“But no happy ending lay in store. I knew better than to expect it. But for tonight, it didn’t matter.”
“I was damned to remain a fool forever, it seemed.”
“Perhaps Leonardo granted me a favor after all. He’d brought me Melina.”
Cursed was a shockingly beautiful love story! Filled with curses, lies, love, and magic!
Bruno was cursed by none other than Leonardo Di Vinci, he liked to play with black magic and Bruno is the result of that! Chimera shares Bruno's body! Once a year he can be with the rest of the world. This year he meets Melani a brilliant scientist who has gone to The carnival to take a break from her research. When they meet its love at first touch! Will Melani love hi as ,much as he loves her?
It was a fabulously written story! I did get confused at the end though something happened and I am not sure what? I'm looking forward to the next book.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review (CBLS)
FOUR CHIMERA FAIRIES
“But no happy ending lay in store. I knew better than to expect it. But for tonight, it didn’t matter.”
“I was damned to remain a fool forever, it seemed.”
“Perhaps Leonardo granted me a favor after all. He’d brought me Melina.”
Cursed was a shockingly beautiful love story! Filled with curses, lies, love, and magic!
Bruno was cursed by none other than Leonardo Di Vinci, he liked to play with black magic and Bruno is the result of that! Chimera shares Bruno's body! Once a year he can be with the rest of the world. This year he meets Melani a brilliant scientist who has gone to The carnival to take a break from her research. When they meet its love at first touch! Will Melani love hi as ,much as he loves her?
It was a fabulously written story! I did get confused at the end though something happened and I am not sure what? I'm looking forward to the next book.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review (CBLS)
FOUR CHIMERA FAIRIES
September 8, 2013
Cate Masters series starter Cursed is a unique blend of historical facts and paranormal elements that nicely combine in an action-packed romantic story that lays the groundwork for what promises to be a memorable series. Though this story wraps up nicely it still leaves plenty of questions unanswered that will have readers clamoring for more.
Bruno's life has been one of loneliness ever since the day Leonardo daVinci used the black arts to condemn him to living as a chimera. For ten days every year he comes out of the darkness to find a brief moment of affection before returning to his underground lair. All his previous interactions were of a fleeting nature but this year he finds the one woman who incites possession and jealousy in him and has his animal side demanding to claim her. In order to have a future with her though he'll have to keep her safe from the nefarious scientist wanting to use her knowledge for their gain in the creation of an unstoppable soldier. That's not the only roadblock to their HEA as Bruno decides to undergo a ritual that will attempt to undo what was once done to him, but with a vengeful ex-lover in charge there's no guarantee he'll make it out alive.
Melina's life has been devoted to her scientific work except for the few days she's set aside to act in an uninhibited way. Carnevale gives her the opportunity to leave her staid life behind and jump at the chance to romance the mysteriously sexy man with sadness in his eyes. Even as he tries to hide what he's become Melina sees past the monster to the caring and loving man beneath, the man who would do anything to make her happy. To save him, and others whom the government plans to manipulate, she'll put her life on the line in effort to bring very bad men to justice. But just when their HEA seems within reach a jealous woman's plan might end their romance before it barely starts.
Bruno is a delightful hero who's caring while being mysterious and brooding. He's tired of being alone but scared of being turned away because of his looks and his time with Melina makes for a gut-wrenching romance. Melina is a worthy heroine though she sometimes does things that make her TSTL (too stupid to live). Thank heavens she has Bruno to keep saving her! Not only are her actions silly at times, so too are the villains who appear bumbling and over the top dramatic throughout the story. The scientific plot is intriguing though and I wish it had been dealt with more here but it definitely has me excited for future installments as there are men out there who've been experimented on with outcomes that appear precarious. The romance is hot and immensely satisfying and is nicely balanced with a storyline that keeps you guessing and has me counting down the days until the next installment of this series. Ms. Masters has created a story that will entice fans of the paranormal and fantasy genre and I recommend readers give this short story a chance.
Bruno's life has been one of loneliness ever since the day Leonardo daVinci used the black arts to condemn him to living as a chimera. For ten days every year he comes out of the darkness to find a brief moment of affection before returning to his underground lair. All his previous interactions were of a fleeting nature but this year he finds the one woman who incites possession and jealousy in him and has his animal side demanding to claim her. In order to have a future with her though he'll have to keep her safe from the nefarious scientist wanting to use her knowledge for their gain in the creation of an unstoppable soldier. That's not the only roadblock to their HEA as Bruno decides to undergo a ritual that will attempt to undo what was once done to him, but with a vengeful ex-lover in charge there's no guarantee he'll make it out alive.
Melina's life has been devoted to her scientific work except for the few days she's set aside to act in an uninhibited way. Carnevale gives her the opportunity to leave her staid life behind and jump at the chance to romance the mysteriously sexy man with sadness in his eyes. Even as he tries to hide what he's become Melina sees past the monster to the caring and loving man beneath, the man who would do anything to make her happy. To save him, and others whom the government plans to manipulate, she'll put her life on the line in effort to bring very bad men to justice. But just when their HEA seems within reach a jealous woman's plan might end their romance before it barely starts.
Bruno is a delightful hero who's caring while being mysterious and brooding. He's tired of being alone but scared of being turned away because of his looks and his time with Melina makes for a gut-wrenching romance. Melina is a worthy heroine though she sometimes does things that make her TSTL (too stupid to live). Thank heavens she has Bruno to keep saving her! Not only are her actions silly at times, so too are the villains who appear bumbling and over the top dramatic throughout the story. The scientific plot is intriguing though and I wish it had been dealt with more here but it definitely has me excited for future installments as there are men out there who've been experimented on with outcomes that appear precarious. The romance is hot and immensely satisfying and is nicely balanced with a storyline that keeps you guessing and has me counting down the days until the next installment of this series. Ms. Masters has created a story that will entice fans of the paranormal and fantasy genre and I recommend readers give this short story a chance.
September 4, 2013
(Originally posted on SnarkyMomReads where a copy of this story was provided in exchange for the review.)
So we've all seen the Da Vinci picture of the Vitruvian Man (but how many folks could actually NAME the drawing? Well, now YOU can!) and just the thought that Da Vinci, all those hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years ago had figured out a way to mess with humanity just intrigued me. Cate Masters has an intriguing thought process regarding Da Vinci; it is that he was actually mad and dabbling in the "dark arts" of magic. Bruno, who Da Vinci mentored, actually drew the Vitruvian Man, and Da Vinci took it upon himself to try to make a Vitruvian Man. Unfortunately for Bruno, it resulted in him becoming a chimera - dragon scaled legs and a man/lion upper body. Due to his physical deformities, he can only go into public during Carnevale in Venice, ten days of everyone in costume.
Melina is a genetic scientist on vacation from Pennsylvania; she and Bruno meet and the attraction is strong and instantaneous. However, there is a sorceress in Bruno's life that wants him for herself, and Melina's boss wants her to return to work from Venice. The fact that Melina's scientific work parallels the horrors of Da Vinci's "work" should not be lost on the reader. This is "Book 1″ of The Vitruvian Man series; it can be read as a standalone since there is an "ending" - but the ending is quite unsettling and makes one realize - it really isn't over for Bruno & Melina's story. Cate Masters does an extraordinary job of creating the scenery of Carnevale and the sumptousness of the life that Bruno lives in his lair. The point of view changes can be a bit confusing when they happen - they shift between third person & first person for both Bruno & Melina, but that also helps you to get inside of their heads as characters to hear & feel what is happening.
Just be aware - if you are looking for a happy happy paranormal story about witches and werewolves, this is NOT it. These characters mean business - and there is a pervasive darkness throughout the whole story that caused this reader, at the end, to just sit for a while to soak it all in. Wow. Great read, but make sure to do it somewhere where you can think about the implications of what you are reading - so not a good soccer practice read - you need to stay alert for those wayward balls!
So we've all seen the Da Vinci picture of the Vitruvian Man (but how many folks could actually NAME the drawing? Well, now YOU can!) and just the thought that Da Vinci, all those hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years ago had figured out a way to mess with humanity just intrigued me. Cate Masters has an intriguing thought process regarding Da Vinci; it is that he was actually mad and dabbling in the "dark arts" of magic. Bruno, who Da Vinci mentored, actually drew the Vitruvian Man, and Da Vinci took it upon himself to try to make a Vitruvian Man. Unfortunately for Bruno, it resulted in him becoming a chimera - dragon scaled legs and a man/lion upper body. Due to his physical deformities, he can only go into public during Carnevale in Venice, ten days of everyone in costume.
Melina is a genetic scientist on vacation from Pennsylvania; she and Bruno meet and the attraction is strong and instantaneous. However, there is a sorceress in Bruno's life that wants him for herself, and Melina's boss wants her to return to work from Venice. The fact that Melina's scientific work parallels the horrors of Da Vinci's "work" should not be lost on the reader. This is "Book 1″ of The Vitruvian Man series; it can be read as a standalone since there is an "ending" - but the ending is quite unsettling and makes one realize - it really isn't over for Bruno & Melina's story. Cate Masters does an extraordinary job of creating the scenery of Carnevale and the sumptousness of the life that Bruno lives in his lair. The point of view changes can be a bit confusing when they happen - they shift between third person & first person for both Bruno & Melina, but that also helps you to get inside of their heads as characters to hear & feel what is happening.
Just be aware - if you are looking for a happy happy paranormal story about witches and werewolves, this is NOT it. These characters mean business - and there is a pervasive darkness throughout the whole story that caused this reader, at the end, to just sit for a while to soak it all in. Wow. Great read, but make sure to do it somewhere where you can think about the implications of what you are reading - so not a good soccer practice read - you need to stay alert for those wayward balls!
August 10, 2013
This book was awesome. It was short but packed a lot in the story.
The characters in this story were great. Although at the start you are left hanging as to what is wrong with Bruno and why can’t he show his face. (It is in the summary but it had been awhile since I read it.) I felt sorry for Bruno from the start. You could feel that he was very lonely and unhappy with having to always hide. Melina at the start seems to be a very outgoing, bold person. However as we later find out she is there to be someone else for a while and feel alive instead of always dull and boring in her lab.
The romance between the two main characters shows chemistry right from the start. Bruno was scared of Melina rejecting him once she found out the truth. Melina was scared that she would not see him again. I also enjoyed how DaVinci was the one who made Bruno what he is today and hope that there is more of both in the future novellas.
My favorite part was the costumes and atmosphere described for Carnevale. It really helped bring it alive and made you feel like you were there. The thing I didn’t like as much was that sometimes Melina just doesn’t always make the best decisions. Like when you have a man out to catch you and he is staying in your hotel. Bruno helps you get away but then you sneak back out to your hotel room and big surprise the bad guy is waiting for you in your hotel room. I wanted to grab her and shake her at this point in the book. Thankfully she doesn’t make decisions like this all through the book or she probably wouldn’t be around for the sequel.
I liked how the author tied the science and technology in to this story instead of just magic or the dark arts. I look forward to the next books to see about the possibility of an extreme soldier on the loose.
The ending however left me hanging wanting to know more so I will definitely be waiting to read the next one. I want to know what happens to Bruno.
*I received this book from the Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.*
The characters in this story were great. Although at the start you are left hanging as to what is wrong with Bruno and why can’t he show his face. (It is in the summary but it had been awhile since I read it.) I felt sorry for Bruno from the start. You could feel that he was very lonely and unhappy with having to always hide. Melina at the start seems to be a very outgoing, bold person. However as we later find out she is there to be someone else for a while and feel alive instead of always dull and boring in her lab.
The romance between the two main characters shows chemistry right from the start. Bruno was scared of Melina rejecting him once she found out the truth. Melina was scared that she would not see him again. I also enjoyed how DaVinci was the one who made Bruno what he is today and hope that there is more of both in the future novellas.
My favorite part was the costumes and atmosphere described for Carnevale. It really helped bring it alive and made you feel like you were there. The thing I didn’t like as much was that sometimes Melina just doesn’t always make the best decisions. Like when you have a man out to catch you and he is staying in your hotel. Bruno helps you get away but then you sneak back out to your hotel room and big surprise the bad guy is waiting for you in your hotel room. I wanted to grab her and shake her at this point in the book. Thankfully she doesn’t make decisions like this all through the book or she probably wouldn’t be around for the sequel.
I liked how the author tied the science and technology in to this story instead of just magic or the dark arts. I look forward to the next books to see about the possibility of an extreme soldier on the loose.
The ending however left me hanging wanting to know more so I will definitely be waiting to read the next one. I want to know what happens to Bruno.
*I received this book from the Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.*
May 9, 2014
Cate Masters did a fantastic job of writing in this novella. I was very impressed with how she was able to create such vivid and beautiful scenes (especially the one where Melina tries on Elda's gift) while keeping the story a very nice novella length. Bruno diCesare is a very unique creature and she reveals him slowly. Having been turned into a chimera, he is a creature I had not come across in romance before and it was very fun to see how his special circumstances played into his life. He was a very fierce and determined man, but slowly sinking into a depression brought on by his solitary lifestyle.
Melina was the perfect way to breathe some life back into him. The scene where they meet was spectacular. Again, her imagery was spot on and I could see the fire dancing in the air around her. Her back story was interesting and perfectly tailored to add just a dash of suspense and intrigue to the story.
The one thing that kept this from being a full 5 rating happened right at the end. And it just went too smoothly - there was a lot of hype leading up to this moment and then it went on and was finished with not enough fan fare or drama for me. This is definitely an author and series I will want to read more.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/0...
Melina was the perfect way to breathe some life back into him. The scene where they meet was spectacular. Again, her imagery was spot on and I could see the fire dancing in the air around her. Her back story was interesting and perfectly tailored to add just a dash of suspense and intrigue to the story.
The one thing that kept this from being a full 5 rating happened right at the end. And it just went too smoothly - there was a lot of hype leading up to this moment and then it went on and was finished with not enough fan fare or drama for me. This is definitely an author and series I will want to read more.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/0...
April 24, 2014
* May contain spoilers*
I received this for a review and really enjoyed it. It has everything I like: mystery, intrigue, fantasy/paranormal, mythological creatures, romance and a twist.
Melina, a scientist in Philadelphia (immediately I identified since I'm from the area) goes on vacation to Venice, Italy during Carnivale- a 10 day costume festival. There she meets Bruno, a native. She'd soon find out just how native to Italy he is. He's been cursed by the dark magic of Leonardo De Vinci himself over 1000 yrs ago and now lives out his days as a chimera: a half lion type man and half dragon. In his costume he's allowed to be himself and have a wonderful fling with Melina. However her boss soon flies over to Italy himself to steal her back to the lab where, unbeknownst to her, her devised formula is being used as a military secret weapon.
After sneaking back to Italy on the last day of the festival and on the good will of Elda- long time "frienemy" of Bruno- she and Bruno find each other again.
With some "cloak and dagger" mysteries, battling the US government, and outside magical forces, Melina is able to work through her formula and De Vinci's notes and drawings and bring the Vitruvian man, Bruno, back to humanity-one day at a time.
It has just enough magic, mystery,action, and romance to make it a perfect short story.
I received this for a review and really enjoyed it. It has everything I like: mystery, intrigue, fantasy/paranormal, mythological creatures, romance and a twist.
Melina, a scientist in Philadelphia (immediately I identified since I'm from the area) goes on vacation to Venice, Italy during Carnivale- a 10 day costume festival. There she meets Bruno, a native. She'd soon find out just how native to Italy he is. He's been cursed by the dark magic of Leonardo De Vinci himself over 1000 yrs ago and now lives out his days as a chimera: a half lion type man and half dragon. In his costume he's allowed to be himself and have a wonderful fling with Melina. However her boss soon flies over to Italy himself to steal her back to the lab where, unbeknownst to her, her devised formula is being used as a military secret weapon.
After sneaking back to Italy on the last day of the festival and on the good will of Elda- long time "frienemy" of Bruno- she and Bruno find each other again.
With some "cloak and dagger" mysteries, battling the US government, and outside magical forces, Melina is able to work through her formula and De Vinci's notes and drawings and bring the Vitruvian man, Bruno, back to humanity-one day at a time.
It has just enough magic, mystery,action, and romance to make it a perfect short story.
November 13, 2014
It's probably just me and the fact that I'm a freak and geek fan but I really enjoyed reading this book for more than just its genre. Cate has done a really great job drawing the reader into her Carnevale world - which is very well described to the point of being real if you got sucked into the pages. An additional note of interest was that her characters weren't just interesting creatures of the paranormal world because they were just that way, they were made into what they were and changed by their environment. I loved the new take on Bruno's character as well as Melinda but I really wanted have more of them and their back story and I would have been a lot happier to have a better ending but I am crossing my fingers in hopes that the author expands on the world or makes it into a series because it is very easily possible. I really enjoyed reading Cursed and I'm anticipating more in the very near future.
April 21, 2014
This book is short but not too short. Bruno diCesare has lived several life times and only has ten days to do be around other people. So every year he goes to the Carnevale for ten days and hopes to meet a woman that will give him some release. This year he gets lucky and meets Melina Weaver.
Melina has ten days of doing what she loves and gets a break from being a scientist. She goes to the Carnevale and does her fire dancing and notices a man and starts to get to know him. It seems that her time is going to be cut short because her boss is wanting her to finish something that will change everything.
Bruno wants a woman to look on what is on the inside and not what he looks like on the outside. It seems that Leonardo da Vinci isn't the man we thought he was. He liked to do experiments and he did them on Bruno and turned him into a chimera. He has the face of a lion and a body of a dragon.
I believe that Bruno deserved a chance to fall in love with a great woman and having a life with her. I would hate to stay underground that long and not have a life. To go through life watching people. I want to read the rest of this series and see what happens.
Melina has ten days of doing what she loves and gets a break from being a scientist. She goes to the Carnevale and does her fire dancing and notices a man and starts to get to know him. It seems that her time is going to be cut short because her boss is wanting her to finish something that will change everything.
Bruno wants a woman to look on what is on the inside and not what he looks like on the outside. It seems that Leonardo da Vinci isn't the man we thought he was. He liked to do experiments and he did them on Bruno and turned him into a chimera. He has the face of a lion and a body of a dragon.
I believe that Bruno deserved a chance to fall in love with a great woman and having a life with her. I would hate to stay underground that long and not have a life. To go through life watching people. I want to read the rest of this series and see what happens.
January 31, 2014
Cate Masters spins a spellbinding tale of love, mystery, suspense and intrigue like no other. In The Vitruvian Man Trilogy we meet Melina, a self proclaimed boring genetic scientist who on holiday meets the mysterious Bruno diCesare, who is much more than meets the eye. The trilogy follows the pair through Venice and deep in to Da Vinci's secret world of magic. Melina proves herself worthy of what a great heroine strives to be in an epic battle that shows off her quick mind and her tenacity to hold on to what she holds close to her heart and you want to weep for Bruno, who after centuries of torment, is finally freed from a prison he had thought was permanent.
These books had me from the first chapter and I couldn't put them down. Paranormal romance has met it's match with these books and the history that is wound within the story sets the tone for what the underside of Venice is for those of magical persuasion.
I honestly cannot say enough about this wonderful story and once again proves that vero amore conquista tutti
These books had me from the first chapter and I couldn't put them down. Paranormal romance has met it's match with these books and the history that is wound within the story sets the tone for what the underside of Venice is for those of magical persuasion.
I honestly cannot say enough about this wonderful story and once again proves that vero amore conquista tutti
May 24, 2013
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. Once a year during the Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity, and intimacy, can he come out and play.
Melina Weaver works long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. She learned the art of fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. She has come to Carnevale for a much needed vacation and to try her hand at performing her fire Dance.
Bruno is enchanted from the minute he sees Melina and he wants her. Melina feels a very strong pull towards Bruno. Can the two of them even have a chance with so many not wanting these two together?
I really enjoyed this book. A lot like Phantom of the Opera, yet not. I had to read this in one setting! Such great characters and what a plot!
I highly recommended this book.
5 STARS
Patches
complimentary book given for a free review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
Melina Weaver works long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. She learned the art of fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. She has come to Carnevale for a much needed vacation and to try her hand at performing her fire Dance.
Bruno is enchanted from the minute he sees Melina and he wants her. Melina feels a very strong pull towards Bruno. Can the two of them even have a chance with so many not wanting these two together?
I really enjoyed this book. A lot like Phantom of the Opera, yet not. I had to read this in one setting! Such great characters and what a plot!
I highly recommended this book.
5 STARS
Patches
complimentary book given for a free review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
May 22, 2013
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. Once a year during the Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity, and intimacy, can he come out and play.
Melina Weaver works long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. She learned the art of fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. She has come to Carnevale for a much needed vacation and to try her hand at performing her fire Dance.
Bruno is enchanted from the minute he sees Melina and he wants her. Melina feels a very strong pull towards Bruno. Can the two of them even have a chance with so many not wanting these two together?
I really enjoyed this book. A lot like Phantom of the Opera, yet not. I had to read this in one setting! Such great characters and what a plot!
I highly recommended this book.
5 STARS
Patches
Melina Weaver works long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. She learned the art of fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. She has come to Carnevale for a much needed vacation and to try her hand at performing her fire Dance.
Bruno is enchanted from the minute he sees Melina and he wants her. Melina feels a very strong pull towards Bruno. Can the two of them even have a chance with so many not wanting these two together?
I really enjoyed this book. A lot like Phantom of the Opera, yet not. I had to read this in one setting! Such great characters and what a plot!
I highly recommended this book.
5 STARS
Patches
June 9, 2013
A fun little escape. Really great story with terrific pacing. Short read that packs a wallop.
Engaging characters and an intriguing plotline. I can not wait to see what is to coming in this series.Kind of reminded me of that show in the eighties with Linda Hamilton and the lion faced guy Vincent.
There were a few points where there could have been more story. Resolutions to conflict were rather simple.
Interesting start to the series.
*Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.*
Engaging characters and an intriguing plotline. I can not wait to see what is to coming in this series.Kind of reminded me of that show in the eighties with Linda Hamilton and the lion faced guy Vincent.
There were a few points where there could have been more story. Resolutions to conflict were rather simple.
Interesting start to the series.
*Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.*
August 16, 2014
3.5/5.0
A very interesting and unusual view of Leonardo da Vinci, his connection to the hidden world of magic, and even the ever-famous Mona Lisa!
Read full review in the 2013 July/August double issue of InD’tale Magazine.
A very interesting and unusual view of Leonardo da Vinci, his connection to the hidden world of magic, and even the ever-famous Mona Lisa!
Read full review in the 2013 July/August double issue of InD’tale Magazine.
December 15, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The mystery surrounding Bruno sucked me right in, and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what the mystery was and how the story would end. The entire story itself was very unique, and it was obvious Cate did her research to make the story factual where needed. I will definitely read more by Cate!
August 17, 2013
Excelent story, waiting sequel...
October 25, 2014
Written For Confessions From Romaholics
Have you ever dreamed of leaving behind everything you know and everything you are? Your life as you know it, your husband, your kids, your job, your inhibitions and whatever keeps you fixed in a life without meaning? To give up everything for a few days or even for an hour just to follow your dream or live out your fantasies? I guess that at some point in life each of us longs to do just that, but how many have the courage to take action?
This is a story of two people who take action, who no longer accept life as it is and seek escape, at least for a while. This is a story of an ordinary woman (if you think a gorgeous blonde like an avenging angel and a genetic scientist might be considered ordinary) who is looking for a little color in her boring life, a little adventure and a man who has some problems of his own. This is another retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
It is the first book from this author that I’ve read and I like her style. At first, the story flows smoothly and we meet our characters, the mystery of who Bruno is remains over the course of several chapters even while we get hints of what he is and what he struggles with. In Cursed, each character has his own story and I didn’t like that each one of them ended abruptly, too fast for me. It could have been such a great book if every story would have been given more detail and if the plots hadn’t stalled. In a scene in the story, Melina is kidnapped and held under threat of a gun. So far so good, but suddenly that’s everything, nothing special happens! I mean, the guy turns to the bar to open a bottle of wine and a click sounds at the door and Bruno walks in and he just slashes at her restraints. The man in black stands too fast and wobbles and he only says, ”No way.” I mean, come on! You are a mercenary, a soldier, for crying out loud; you have a gun, you know how to use it so why the hell do you not use the gun or at least pretend to know what is it for? He just stays there and take the blow! Arghhh!
Full Review
Have you ever dreamed of leaving behind everything you know and everything you are? Your life as you know it, your husband, your kids, your job, your inhibitions and whatever keeps you fixed in a life without meaning? To give up everything for a few days or even for an hour just to follow your dream or live out your fantasies? I guess that at some point in life each of us longs to do just that, but how many have the courage to take action?
This is a story of two people who take action, who no longer accept life as it is and seek escape, at least for a while. This is a story of an ordinary woman (if you think a gorgeous blonde like an avenging angel and a genetic scientist might be considered ordinary) who is looking for a little color in her boring life, a little adventure and a man who has some problems of his own. This is another retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
It is the first book from this author that I’ve read and I like her style. At first, the story flows smoothly and we meet our characters, the mystery of who Bruno is remains over the course of several chapters even while we get hints of what he is and what he struggles with. In Cursed, each character has his own story and I didn’t like that each one of them ended abruptly, too fast for me. It could have been such a great book if every story would have been given more detail and if the plots hadn’t stalled. In a scene in the story, Melina is kidnapped and held under threat of a gun. So far so good, but suddenly that’s everything, nothing special happens! I mean, the guy turns to the bar to open a bottle of wine and a click sounds at the door and Bruno walks in and he just slashes at her restraints. The man in black stands too fast and wobbles and he only says, ”No way.” I mean, come on! You are a mercenary, a soldier, for crying out loud; you have a gun, you know how to use it so why the hell do you not use the gun or at least pretend to know what is it for? He just stays there and take the blow! Arghhh!
Full Review
August 28, 2014
Beauty and the beast storyline. Could have used a little more information about her workplace, and her traveling to different countries. It seemed too easy for her to escape and then travel half way around the world.
June 26, 2015
A Review will be on my blog in July
Merged review:
A Short review will be on my blog in July 2015
Merged review:
A Short review will be on my blog in July 2015
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews