What do you think?
Rate this book
Linked
Daphne Foster is a substitute teacher stuck in an English class, waiting for that dreaded parent-teacher conference. With much preparation and anxiety, she encounters the unforgettable Charlie Cross. His charm and good looks, win her over but rumors of his involvement with organized crime make his continued disappearances disturbing. In walks Heathcliff Vanderpool, creating a love triangle of unusual sorts. Unknown to Daphne, Heathcliff and Charlie are old friends: Older than she could have imagined. With Charlie away on business, Daphne and Heathcliff discover a passion between them lying beneath the surface. As their souls link, pulling away from Charlie becomes next to impossible. Will his involvement in organized crime consume them both before she's able to get free? When you become "linked," the choice may not be your own.
- GenresParanormalVampires
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2013
36 people want to read
About the author
Judy Serrano
14 books99 followersJudy Serrano holds a Master of Arts in English from Texas A&M University, Commerce. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Service, and was an adjunct professor at a local college. Currently she teaches high school English and is a freelance writer for certain on-line publications. Judy also writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series,The Linked Series, and Ivy Vines, Visions.
Although originally form New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband, four boys, four dogs and now two cats. She sings and plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical family in church when she is able.
Although originally form New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband, four boys, four dogs and now two cats. She sings and plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical family in church when she is able.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 28, 2014
I’m not one for romance novels. But Judy Serrano has written a romance suspense thriller. She captured my attention on the first sentence and kept it until the last page. She has an uncanny ability to tell a story. Her characters are masterfully woven together. Linked is about Daphne, a substitute high school teacher. One night, she meets Charlie, the parent of one of her students, Michael during a parent teacher conference. She feels Michael is disruptive in class and his behavior needs to change. Daphne doesn’t know why, but she finds herself drawn to Charlie in a way she’s never felt before.
As the story unfolds, Daphne discovers Charlie is part of the mob. She also finds out he’s a vampire. The feelings she has for Charlie are very strong and she can’t deny him, no matter how hard she tries. A relationship ensues and she falls in love with him, and he with her. Charlie tells her the reason they feel so strong about each other is because they are Linked.
But there’s one problem. Charlie is married and his wife lashes out at Daphne. Just when you think things are heating up, Daphne meets Cliff, another vampire with the mob. Daphne is at a loss when her feelings for Cliff are stronger than her love for Charlie. Her mind races to know why. Could they be Linked?
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, Werewolves come into the picture. At first, I thought the story might change and I would be reading another version of Twilight, but I was wrong. Judy tells a better story. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend. Linked is a story about a woman who gets lost in a world of good and evil. There’s action in every scene. As Daphne tries to figure out who is good and who is not, her life will be changed forever…
I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s an easy read with twists and turns around every corner. Judy Serrano has a gift for grabbing your attention and never letting you go.
As the story unfolds, Daphne discovers Charlie is part of the mob. She also finds out he’s a vampire. The feelings she has for Charlie are very strong and she can’t deny him, no matter how hard she tries. A relationship ensues and she falls in love with him, and he with her. Charlie tells her the reason they feel so strong about each other is because they are Linked.
But there’s one problem. Charlie is married and his wife lashes out at Daphne. Just when you think things are heating up, Daphne meets Cliff, another vampire with the mob. Daphne is at a loss when her feelings for Cliff are stronger than her love for Charlie. Her mind races to know why. Could they be Linked?
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, Werewolves come into the picture. At first, I thought the story might change and I would be reading another version of Twilight, but I was wrong. Judy tells a better story. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend. Linked is a story about a woman who gets lost in a world of good and evil. There’s action in every scene. As Daphne tries to figure out who is good and who is not, her life will be changed forever…
I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s an easy read with twists and turns around every corner. Judy Serrano has a gift for grabbing your attention and never letting you go.
July 16, 2013
Wow Judy Serrano has done it again! Linked was a fantastic book to read and I was totally hooked by it from the start.
Daphne was a really likable character although I think she was a bit naive when it came to men having no experience of them so when Charlie walks into her life she pretty much laps it up but then Heathcliff appears. It gets pretty awkward to say the least. There are a lot of twists and turns in Linked which I knew there would be as Judy is a fantastic writer and she writes so well and I was on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. I felt like I was living Daphne’s life which again only shows how well the book was written.
The book was left on a massive cliffhanger, that Judy keeps doing to me and I am begging for book 2 to be out soon so I can carry on reading about Daphne and the vampires.
Daphne was a really likable character although I think she was a bit naive when it came to men having no experience of them so when Charlie walks into her life she pretty much laps it up but then Heathcliff appears. It gets pretty awkward to say the least. There are a lot of twists and turns in Linked which I knew there would be as Judy is a fantastic writer and she writes so well and I was on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. I felt like I was living Daphne’s life which again only shows how well the book was written.
The book was left on a massive cliffhanger, that Judy keeps doing to me and I am begging for book 2 to be out soon so I can carry on reading about Daphne and the vampires.
September 8, 2013
Original review over at Hanging On Every Word
You would be forgiven for thinking this was just another story about vampires. At first look, you wouldn't even realise that this story involved vampires at all! Daphne is a meek substitute teacher who just happens to cross paths with Charlie Cross, a man well known for being involved in organised crime. She slowly gets drawn into his web but his constant flakiness leads to Daphne falling for someone else which leads to a very tense storyline.
This book involves a variety of genres rolled into one and makes this a very worthwhile read - romance, thriller, suspense, paranormal - something to suit everyone! I would suggest that this is read by 16+ however due to some of the sexual scenes.
So what did I think of the book? It definitely is unlike any other vampire novel I have come across before and that is meant in a good way. It kept me gripped and I couldn't wait to see what was happening.
You would be forgiven for thinking this was just another story about vampires. At first look, you wouldn't even realise that this story involved vampires at all! Daphne is a meek substitute teacher who just happens to cross paths with Charlie Cross, a man well known for being involved in organised crime. She slowly gets drawn into his web but his constant flakiness leads to Daphne falling for someone else which leads to a very tense storyline.
This book involves a variety of genres rolled into one and makes this a very worthwhile read - romance, thriller, suspense, paranormal - something to suit everyone! I would suggest that this is read by 16+ however due to some of the sexual scenes.
So what did I think of the book? It definitely is unlike any other vampire novel I have come across before and that is meant in a good way. It kept me gripped and I couldn't wait to see what was happening.
June 13, 2014
Linked caught my attention around the 20% point. This book is a bit of Fifty Shades meets Twilight with a splash of Sookie. It's got a very taboo kind of tone. At some points the story had my total buy-in and others were a little too much.
The biggest issue I had was with the main character. As a woman, I felt she was wishy-washy with her affections and lacked focus.
I will say, however, Serrano can most certainly write a scene fraught with sexual tension. Dirty girl!
Will there be any additional books in the series? The ending felt like it could go either way. And I would definitely be interested in seeing where things go.
I know one of the most annoying things a reviewer can say is 'it's not my usual genre', but it's true...you all know I'm a blood and guts kind of gal. This wasn't my normal reading content, but it held my interest...and that's a feat considering my severe lack of focus these days.
The biggest issue I had was with the main character. As a woman, I felt she was wishy-washy with her affections and lacked focus.
I will say, however, Serrano can most certainly write a scene fraught with sexual tension. Dirty girl!
Will there be any additional books in the series? The ending felt like it could go either way. And I would definitely be interested in seeing where things go.
I know one of the most annoying things a reviewer can say is 'it's not my usual genre', but it's true...you all know I'm a blood and guts kind of gal. This wasn't my normal reading content, but it held my interest...and that's a feat considering my severe lack of focus these days.
October 11, 2016
This is my first review of a DNF (did not finish). Honestly, I can't account for all of the 4 & 5 Stars that Linked has received. While I admire anyone that can write, complete, and publish a book, and I thought the premise of this one very original and intriguing, I can't qualify its ratings.
The plot is interesting. A young woman finds herself in the midst of a love triangle with supernatural beings, her soul linked to one or both because when they lost their soul she received it. Family drama, suspense, supposedly hot love scenes...sign me up. Unfortunately, Linked fell short almost from the start.
The characters are very one-dimensional and the men almost verbally abusive towards the heroine. Joe, the human mentioned in the summary, almost assaults the heroine early on, but she acts like it never happened. One of the two men in the love triangle initially balked at involvement with the heroine because he "doesn't do sloppy seconds". I almost put the book down at this point. I felt the heroine was constantly slut-shamed (though some may find this deserved as she engages in an affair with a married man).
Even if I could have ignored the above, it was hard to read the immature and sometimes cliche dialogue. The hero saying "If I don't have you now I might explode" is just an example of this. The heroine had no backbone, falling prey to the married man's promise of leaving his wife in his attempt to get her into bed. While the reader is eventually supposed to believe they fell in love instantly because of their linked souls this is never conveyed through the characters, instead it's told to us after the fact. The love scenes were not hot, at least not in my opinion, and at times what was happening didn't add up to what the heroine was feeling. It felt like something written by a young, inexperienced person.
Admittedly, I did not finish this and the book could have picked up considerably in the second half.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
The plot is interesting. A young woman finds herself in the midst of a love triangle with supernatural beings, her soul linked to one or both because when they lost their soul she received it. Family drama, suspense, supposedly hot love scenes...sign me up. Unfortunately, Linked fell short almost from the start.
The characters are very one-dimensional and the men almost verbally abusive towards the heroine. Joe, the human mentioned in the summary, almost assaults the heroine early on, but she acts like it never happened. One of the two men in the love triangle initially balked at involvement with the heroine because he "doesn't do sloppy seconds". I almost put the book down at this point. I felt the heroine was constantly slut-shamed (though some may find this deserved as she engages in an affair with a married man).
Even if I could have ignored the above, it was hard to read the immature and sometimes cliche dialogue. The hero saying "If I don't have you now I might explode" is just an example of this. The heroine had no backbone, falling prey to the married man's promise of leaving his wife in his attempt to get her into bed. While the reader is eventually supposed to believe they fell in love instantly because of their linked souls this is never conveyed through the characters, instead it's told to us after the fact. The love scenes were not hot, at least not in my opinion, and at times what was happening didn't add up to what the heroine was feeling. It felt like something written by a young, inexperienced person.
Admittedly, I did not finish this and the book could have picked up considerably in the second half.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
August 23, 2013
Well, let me start off by saying I really liked this book. But be warned it is a Cliff Hanger if I’ve ever read one.
It starts off at a fairly decent pace. You meet Daphne, a permanent substitute/soon (hopefully) to be High School Teacher and a really sweet naïve person. In comes Charlie Cross, the drop dead gorgeous father to one of her problem students Michael, for a parent/ teacher meeting. Sparks fly immediately. Then you add an old boyfriend, another drop dead gorgeous potential boyfriend, crazy friends and things start to move at a very fast pace. Who is she or who will she “link” with?
Now that, my friends is where it gets very complicated. Sometimes I had to reread things to keep up with who was who and doing what and with whom, but it didn’t take away from the book. It has everything I love, sexy vampires, gangster vampires at that, werewolves, suspense, action, romance, just all of it, wrapped up in a nice little neat book, lol.
What was different about this book was that the romance was done very tastefully, and yet I still loved it. Yes, even I like a little, ok maybe a lot of raunchy-ness sometimes (Shhhh, don’t tell)! But I really did enjoy this book, I literally read it in about 5 hrs, it had me so hooked. The poor kids had snacks for lunch, nah, but I hated to put it down even to fix lunch.
I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow Paranormal Lovers out there. Just remember I warned you, major cliff hanger, Grrrr. I am SO not a patient woman, so Judy Serrano, if by some miracle you read this, you had better get to publishing the next one, and fast!!!
****I received this book free as part of a book tour for an HONEST review, and I am brutally honest, so if I did not like it I would review it as such.****
It starts off at a fairly decent pace. You meet Daphne, a permanent substitute/soon (hopefully) to be High School Teacher and a really sweet naïve person. In comes Charlie Cross, the drop dead gorgeous father to one of her problem students Michael, for a parent/ teacher meeting. Sparks fly immediately. Then you add an old boyfriend, another drop dead gorgeous potential boyfriend, crazy friends and things start to move at a very fast pace. Who is she or who will she “link” with?
Now that, my friends is where it gets very complicated. Sometimes I had to reread things to keep up with who was who and doing what and with whom, but it didn’t take away from the book. It has everything I love, sexy vampires, gangster vampires at that, werewolves, suspense, action, romance, just all of it, wrapped up in a nice little neat book, lol.
What was different about this book was that the romance was done very tastefully, and yet I still loved it. Yes, even I like a little, ok maybe a lot of raunchy-ness sometimes (Shhhh, don’t tell)! But I really did enjoy this book, I literally read it in about 5 hrs, it had me so hooked. The poor kids had snacks for lunch, nah, but I hated to put it down even to fix lunch.
I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow Paranormal Lovers out there. Just remember I warned you, major cliff hanger, Grrrr. I am SO not a patient woman, so Judy Serrano, if by some miracle you read this, you had better get to publishing the next one, and fast!!!
****I received this book free as part of a book tour for an HONEST review, and I am brutally honest, so if I did not like it I would review it as such.****
November 13, 2013
GUEST REVIEW BY PAT SHEPPARD
Daphne is a substitute teacher hoping for a promising career as a full time teacher sometime soon. There is only one things that scares her at the moment and that is a parent teacher conference for one of her troubled students. Daphne is expecting the student's mother, but his father comes instead.
Charlie comes to the parent teacher conference with the knowledge that whatever problems his son is having they will all go away as soon as he gives the word. He doesn't expect to come up against Daphne. Daphne truly cares about her students and will not just pass Charlie's son like all the other teachers have done. What she doesn't know is that she had set in motion a battle of wills.
Joe is an old high school flame that Daphne's parents love and wished she would settle down with. They set her up on a blind date with him to try and get things started. But in steps Charlie to shut Joe down. Charlie is determined to get what he wants. He is always where Daphne is and she doesn't know how he does it. He brings her flowers, takes her out to dinner and always at the end of the night he ask her if he can be invited into her home. Hum!! To tell you more would ruin it for you.
I found this book very rewarding. There are so many twist and turns. Affairs are on sale in this book and everyone is buying one. Charlie holds his character well. I love the playfulness of the interaction between the two rivals. And the family dynamics are hip slapping crazy. But what happens when another man enters the picture? Who does Daphne love? Who can she love forever? Who will she love forever? The next time someone insists on an invitation before they enter your house, close the door and lock it.
~PAT SHEPPARD~
Daphne is a substitute teacher hoping for a promising career as a full time teacher sometime soon. There is only one things that scares her at the moment and that is a parent teacher conference for one of her troubled students. Daphne is expecting the student's mother, but his father comes instead.
Charlie comes to the parent teacher conference with the knowledge that whatever problems his son is having they will all go away as soon as he gives the word. He doesn't expect to come up against Daphne. Daphne truly cares about her students and will not just pass Charlie's son like all the other teachers have done. What she doesn't know is that she had set in motion a battle of wills.
Joe is an old high school flame that Daphne's parents love and wished she would settle down with. They set her up on a blind date with him to try and get things started. But in steps Charlie to shut Joe down. Charlie is determined to get what he wants. He is always where Daphne is and she doesn't know how he does it. He brings her flowers, takes her out to dinner and always at the end of the night he ask her if he can be invited into her home. Hum!! To tell you more would ruin it for you.
I found this book very rewarding. There are so many twist and turns. Affairs are on sale in this book and everyone is buying one. Charlie holds his character well. I love the playfulness of the interaction between the two rivals. And the family dynamics are hip slapping crazy. But what happens when another man enters the picture? Who does Daphne love? Who can she love forever? Who will she love forever? The next time someone insists on an invitation before they enter your house, close the door and lock it.
~PAT SHEPPARD~
August 3, 2013
Judy Serrano leaves no detail out in her suspense/trhiller Linked. This book is full of some good story telling and paranormal twist. The ending was very unexpected and definitely left my jaw on the ground more than once. In my opinion the book lingers on in parts and could have been edited to be a few less details.
Daphne Foster is the very human substitute teacher. She happens to have a parent teacher conference with the very non human dad , vampire , gangster Charlie Cross. Bad Boy vampires (you like) how about bad boy mafia running vampires? Charlie gives off first impressions of being a lover not a meanie but don't let him fool you . Once a bad boy always a bad boy right?
Then there is this whole linked thing. Which is pretty cool concept! I've read quite a few vampire books and this ones a new concept for me. When a vampire links with a human soul & he begins regaining his human characteristics and can eventually regain his humanity. Cool right? Here is the question is it possible for human girl Daphne to be "linked" to more than one vampire? hmmm. I enjoyed the paranormal twist, romance and love triangle that builds with this question.
The way Linked ended I could leave it at that although I'm sure a second book will be coming. I didn't feel like I was left hanging did it end how I pictured nope, did it make me say What? Definitely and that's what makes a good story right one that makes you go back and think about the ending.
If you love your vampires, or are just a Judy Serrano fan then I think you'll like this one.
"I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own. "
Daphne Foster is the very human substitute teacher. She happens to have a parent teacher conference with the very non human dad , vampire , gangster Charlie Cross. Bad Boy vampires (you like) how about bad boy mafia running vampires? Charlie gives off first impressions of being a lover not a meanie but don't let him fool you . Once a bad boy always a bad boy right?
Then there is this whole linked thing. Which is pretty cool concept! I've read quite a few vampire books and this ones a new concept for me. When a vampire links with a human soul & he begins regaining his human characteristics and can eventually regain his humanity. Cool right? Here is the question is it possible for human girl Daphne to be "linked" to more than one vampire? hmmm. I enjoyed the paranormal twist, romance and love triangle that builds with this question.
The way Linked ended I could leave it at that although I'm sure a second book will be coming. I didn't feel like I was left hanging did it end how I pictured nope, did it make me say What? Definitely and that's what makes a good story right one that makes you go back and think about the ending.
If you love your vampires, or are just a Judy Serrano fan then I think you'll like this one.
"I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own. "
October 14, 2014
This book has some great details and is a suspense/thriller/paranormal book, which I truly enjoyed. It has a great paranormal twist that I have not read before. Where a human can be Linked to a vampire (their souls link), then that vampire starts to gain their humanity back. That is a cool concept and not one I had read about before.
The story was written very well, and the ending was pretty unexpected for me, had my jaw hanging open, lol. There are a few parts that could have done with some fewer details, but that’s still better than not enough.
The whole gangsters are vampires is also a new one for me, but very interesting, and the plot was fast paced and had lots of suspense, so you didn’t want to stop reading. I liked the characters and really liked how the author brought them to life for me.
I do not want to spoil anything, so won’t go into any real details, so do not worry, lol.
I think most the ladies out there will really like Charlie Cross, he has that Bad boy vibe and is a vampire too. Yeah, it’s a thrill to read.
If you would like to read a vampire tale that is different, and you like suspense and thrillers, with some paranormal romance too, you will love this.
I highly recommend it, and give it 4 ½ out of 5 stars .
I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.
October 6, 2014
I would first like to say that I got a copy in exchange for an honest review. So now that the formalities are out of the way let me get on with it.
3.5-4 Interesting Stars
Let me first start off by saying that it is a pretty good story. There were times where I felt it was a little over done in some places. There were good characters in the story, but it was a bit overwhelming at least for me. I am okay with love triangles, shoot nowadays I even expect it to happen in most stories, but with this one the main female character in the book seemed to have men just falling out of the rafters for her. They were falling all over themselves to get to her.
Also if you aren't okay with cheating on a spouse then this book is not for you. There is some cheating going on in the beginning of the book. It is a good book, but if you are totally against any sort of cheating this may not be for you.
Now to the character :)
Daphne is a single, meek, innocent, substitute high school English teacher. She has a parent/teacher conference with a parent about a student in her class that isn't performing well in her class. When they meet something happens and she can't describe it. She fights the attraction, but something happens and she is thrown into a whirlwind of secret lives of others. The question is can she escape unscathed.
Then there is Charlie, Heathcliff, Dante, and Joe. These 3 have a secret that isn't blatantly obvious. the author eludes to things, but doesn't make them super obvious. Once it is revealed the story takes you on many twists and turns as it pulls you down the road and into the story.
3.5-4 Interesting Stars
Let me first start off by saying that it is a pretty good story. There were times where I felt it was a little over done in some places. There were good characters in the story, but it was a bit overwhelming at least for me. I am okay with love triangles, shoot nowadays I even expect it to happen in most stories, but with this one the main female character in the book seemed to have men just falling out of the rafters for her. They were falling all over themselves to get to her.
Also if you aren't okay with cheating on a spouse then this book is not for you. There is some cheating going on in the beginning of the book. It is a good book, but if you are totally against any sort of cheating this may not be for you.
Now to the character :)
Daphne is a single, meek, innocent, substitute high school English teacher. She has a parent/teacher conference with a parent about a student in her class that isn't performing well in her class. When they meet something happens and she can't describe it. She fights the attraction, but something happens and she is thrown into a whirlwind of secret lives of others. The question is can she escape unscathed.
Then there is Charlie, Heathcliff, Dante, and Joe. These 3 have a secret that isn't blatantly obvious. the author eludes to things, but doesn't make them super obvious. Once it is revealed the story takes you on many twists and turns as it pulls you down the road and into the story.
July 11, 2013
Daphne’s life is pretty consistent as she embarks on her teaching career. Upon meeting a father during a parent teacher conference, her life makes a drastic shift in direction.
Charlie Cross is every woman’s dream- from the outside. But Daphne soon finds that there’s much more to him than meets the eye. Although apprehensive about seeing a married man, she gives in & begins a torrid affair. Before she even knows what hit her, she discovers Charlie is one powerful man.
Soon Daphne finds herself connected to Charlie physically & mentally as a result of Charlie’s true lifestyle. He’s a vampire. Throwing caution to the wind, she continues along in lust with him. Charlie may be obsessed with her but he’s far from loving. When she encounters a close friend of his, Cliff, she begins to realize what a healthier relationship she could have with him over Charlie. She & Cliff know it won’t be easy to break ties, but they have to try. Along the way they encounter werewolves, lose close friends, & face death to many times to count. Will Cliff & Daphne make it or will Charlie win like he always does?
Fans of vampire lit will be thrilled with Judy Serrano’s ‘Linked’. Superbly written, she’s created unforgettable characters & built a slam dunk plot. A word of caution: there is an incredible amount of steamy sex scenes throughout the novel. Violence is minimal for a thriller. Even though it’s not my usual genre, I highly enjoyed it & recommend it with 5 stars.
Charlie Cross is every woman’s dream- from the outside. But Daphne soon finds that there’s much more to him than meets the eye. Although apprehensive about seeing a married man, she gives in & begins a torrid affair. Before she even knows what hit her, she discovers Charlie is one powerful man.
Soon Daphne finds herself connected to Charlie physically & mentally as a result of Charlie’s true lifestyle. He’s a vampire. Throwing caution to the wind, she continues along in lust with him. Charlie may be obsessed with her but he’s far from loving. When she encounters a close friend of his, Cliff, she begins to realize what a healthier relationship she could have with him over Charlie. She & Cliff know it won’t be easy to break ties, but they have to try. Along the way they encounter werewolves, lose close friends, & face death to many times to count. Will Cliff & Daphne make it or will Charlie win like he always does?
Fans of vampire lit will be thrilled with Judy Serrano’s ‘Linked’. Superbly written, she’s created unforgettable characters & built a slam dunk plot. A word of caution: there is an incredible amount of steamy sex scenes throughout the novel. Violence is minimal for a thriller. Even though it’s not my usual genre, I highly enjoyed it & recommend it with 5 stars.
July 21, 2013
I have to say that I loved this book. It is kind of a mix of Shades of Gray & Twilight, except the characters are older (not teens) and there is no bondage. You have this mixture of vampires and invisible bonds between characters with this almost obsessive need to be with each other. There is the sweet, innocent woman who falls for the hunky man that has this bad side. The story turns into a love triangle.
Judy Serrano pulls you into the story from the very beginning and never lets go. The story is full of twists and turns that you never expect. You just have to be careful because you may become the obsessed one. I know I couldn't put the book down after I was hooked. What is disappointing is now I have to wait for the next book. This is the thing I hate. I become obsessed with a series and feel that I am left on hold for what seems like an eternity waiting for the next book.
If you love vampire literature, you will love this one. I give this book a big thumbs up and a 5 star rating. However, this is not a book for children and tweens. It is definitely for young adults and older due to some of the steamy love scenes. While I know that teens would probably love this book, I think parents should read this first and decide for themselves whether or not they will let their teen read this book.
I received a copy of this book to review from CM Book Tours but all opinions are 100% mine.
Judy Serrano pulls you into the story from the very beginning and never lets go. The story is full of twists and turns that you never expect. You just have to be careful because you may become the obsessed one. I know I couldn't put the book down after I was hooked. What is disappointing is now I have to wait for the next book. This is the thing I hate. I become obsessed with a series and feel that I am left on hold for what seems like an eternity waiting for the next book.
If you love vampire literature, you will love this one. I give this book a big thumbs up and a 5 star rating. However, this is not a book for children and tweens. It is definitely for young adults and older due to some of the steamy love scenes. While I know that teens would probably love this book, I think parents should read this first and decide for themselves whether or not they will let their teen read this book.
I received a copy of this book to review from CM Book Tours but all opinions are 100% mine.
July 25, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised when Judy Serrano contacted me to review the first novel in her newest series. I love her work so I wanted to be surprised going into it and did not read the blurb. What I discovered was shocking and left me desperate for answers. Fast paced, action packed, and romance laced, Linked will have you mesmerized.
Daphne is a fill-in substitute teacher that just wants a stable job doing what she loves. Trying her hardest but working with teens, she thinks she's doing rather well until she gets notification that one of the parents wants a conference with her. What she expected to walk through the classroom door is not what she received. Not in the least.
Charlie Cross is total eye candy and there is an instant connection between the two. Honesty is laid out on the table, he admits to his unhappy marriage and the separation. Daphne can deal with this. It's all good. At least, that's what she thinks. Surprise characters rise to the surface causing delight and much trouble.
When Daphne realizes that there's more to Charlie than she ever thought possible, he acts out on it all and takes advantage. She thought she could get used to the idea but Charlie isn't letting that happen. Luckily, there's another man willing to accept Daphne with open arms. Heathcliff is special in his own way but it's something they can work on together. When you become "linked" it makes all the difference in the world.
Daphne is a fill-in substitute teacher that just wants a stable job doing what she loves. Trying her hardest but working with teens, she thinks she's doing rather well until she gets notification that one of the parents wants a conference with her. What she expected to walk through the classroom door is not what she received. Not in the least.
Charlie Cross is total eye candy and there is an instant connection between the two. Honesty is laid out on the table, he admits to his unhappy marriage and the separation. Daphne can deal with this. It's all good. At least, that's what she thinks. Surprise characters rise to the surface causing delight and much trouble.
When Daphne realizes that there's more to Charlie than she ever thought possible, he acts out on it all and takes advantage. She thought she could get used to the idea but Charlie isn't letting that happen. Luckily, there's another man willing to accept Daphne with open arms. Heathcliff is special in his own way but it's something they can work on together. When you become "linked" it makes all the difference in the world.
August 6, 2013
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Daphne Foster is a high school substitute teacher. She’s sweet, innocent and just starting out in life. Her very first parent teacher meeting turns her extremely anxious and nervous. It only gets worse when her expected parent turns out not to be Michael’s mother, but his drop dead gorgeous father, Charlie Cross. The attraction for both of them is instant. Unfortunately, his family’s organized crime, current marriage, and frequent disappearances are exceedingly disturbing.
A charity fundraiser brings Heathcliff Vanderpool into the picture. Their connection is amazing. Their souls are linked but breaking up with Charlie is nearly impossible, he’ll stop at nothing to have her. How far will he go?
This was an amazing novel that threw me for a loop. I’d never read anything from Ms. Serrano before, so I didn’t know what to expect. This was an action packed thrill ride, with lots of twists to keep you completely engrossed. It was one of the best vampire and werewolf novels I have read in a very long time. Daphne is a main character that is so easy to love. This was a fantastic book that you can easily get lost in, I love it! If you haven’t read anything by Judy Serrano, I strongly suggest you give her a try!
A charity fundraiser brings Heathcliff Vanderpool into the picture. Their connection is amazing. Their souls are linked but breaking up with Charlie is nearly impossible, he’ll stop at nothing to have her. How far will he go?
This was an amazing novel that threw me for a loop. I’d never read anything from Ms. Serrano before, so I didn’t know what to expect. This was an action packed thrill ride, with lots of twists to keep you completely engrossed. It was one of the best vampire and werewolf novels I have read in a very long time. Daphne is a main character that is so easy to love. This was a fantastic book that you can easily get lost in, I love it! If you haven’t read anything by Judy Serrano, I strongly suggest you give her a try!
September 6, 2013
I didn't read the blurb to this one, and I'm glad i didn't. I thin the story would have been a little spoilt if i did.
I enjoyed it unravelling before me and not knowing what would happen next.
We follow Daphne, a substitute teacher in a high school who falls for a parent - a married parent at that, and its against the school rules to date a parent.
Charlie, though doesn't give up easily and its not long till Daphne is swept away with his charm and falls for him deeply and heavily.
But you KNOW its not smooth sailing. Daphne is plunged into a world she had no idea existed and people she knew since a child turns out to be part of that world.
Enter Heathcliffe, a part of this world who Daphne has unexplained feelings towards and cannot resist those feelings.
But Charlie is not a man to be messed with. He's a dangerous, hard hearted man, not the one Daphne thought he was.....
A good read, easy to follow and you're swept into the story from almost page one.
I would recommend to not read all the blurb, it gives the story that much more mystery to it and more enjoyable not knowing what and who people are.
A good read, and yep, there was a cliffhanger to which i will be picking up when the sequel comes along!
Read on behalf of Bewitching Tours for an honest review
I enjoyed it unravelling before me and not knowing what would happen next.
We follow Daphne, a substitute teacher in a high school who falls for a parent - a married parent at that, and its against the school rules to date a parent.
Charlie, though doesn't give up easily and its not long till Daphne is swept away with his charm and falls for him deeply and heavily.
But you KNOW its not smooth sailing. Daphne is plunged into a world she had no idea existed and people she knew since a child turns out to be part of that world.
Enter Heathcliffe, a part of this world who Daphne has unexplained feelings towards and cannot resist those feelings.
But Charlie is not a man to be messed with. He's a dangerous, hard hearted man, not the one Daphne thought he was.....
A good read, easy to follow and you're swept into the story from almost page one.
I would recommend to not read all the blurb, it gives the story that much more mystery to it and more enjoyable not knowing what and who people are.
A good read, and yep, there was a cliffhanger to which i will be picking up when the sequel comes along!
Read on behalf of Bewitching Tours for an honest review
July 12, 2013
Wow another great story.
Judy Serrano is such a wonderful and talented story teller. There is not much she leaves out that don’t catch your attention.
You have suspense, thriller, paranormal and romance all rolled into one. The idea of taking gangsters, and making them vampires, what and awesome combination.
What I like the best was these were not your normal vampires that you read about or see in movies. And oh yes there were also werewolves and sabers you had to worry about as well. There was even one part of the book that brought a smile to my face, but not going to ruin it by telling you. You will just have to read the book and find out. But if you are a Judy Serrano fan you will understand what brought on my smile.
I’m always sad when I reach the end of one of Judy’s stories. I don’t want it to end. You can’t help but get caught up in it all. You can’t help but fall in love with her characters. Her stories bring on so many different types of emotions.
Watch out Laurell Hamilton and your Anita Blake series. Judy Serrano is in town and she has gangster vampires.
Patricia Foltz
Way2Kool.com
Judy Serrano is such a wonderful and talented story teller. There is not much she leaves out that don’t catch your attention.
You have suspense, thriller, paranormal and romance all rolled into one. The idea of taking gangsters, and making them vampires, what and awesome combination.
What I like the best was these were not your normal vampires that you read about or see in movies. And oh yes there were also werewolves and sabers you had to worry about as well. There was even one part of the book that brought a smile to my face, but not going to ruin it by telling you. You will just have to read the book and find out. But if you are a Judy Serrano fan you will understand what brought on my smile.
I’m always sad when I reach the end of one of Judy’s stories. I don’t want it to end. You can’t help but get caught up in it all. You can’t help but fall in love with her characters. Her stories bring on so many different types of emotions.
Watch out Laurell Hamilton and your Anita Blake series. Judy Serrano is in town and she has gangster vampires.
Patricia Foltz
Way2Kool.com
September 2, 2013
I read the book "Linked" for a blog tour. Just when I thought I didn't even want to think about another vampire Urban fantasy I was pleasantly proved wrong.
The story wastes no time. From the opening pages your drawn into a intense , highly inappropriate relationship . Daphne is innocent , honest with herself and the men... That's right a love triangle! This book is erotic, mysterious , and a fun surprise that to my immense displeasure leaves you dreading the fact that there just isn't enough pages for it to end in anything but a cliff- hanger.
I applaud Judy Serrano for creating a novel I was so enthralled by. The only comparison I can make is when you go to sleep and your alarm goes off, time flew.
Though in the beginning of the story the lead character Daphne is very, almost painfully innocent . This book should have a warning:) Do not read unless your in the privacy of your own home. Cheeks will flush, nails will be bitten, and you won't be happy if you are forced to put book down.
I think it's a fun read, and I will defiantly be looking forward to the next installment ! Check out http://www.mouseheadandtales@weebly.com for more reviews!
The story wastes no time. From the opening pages your drawn into a intense , highly inappropriate relationship . Daphne is innocent , honest with herself and the men... That's right a love triangle! This book is erotic, mysterious , and a fun surprise that to my immense displeasure leaves you dreading the fact that there just isn't enough pages for it to end in anything but a cliff- hanger.
I applaud Judy Serrano for creating a novel I was so enthralled by. The only comparison I can make is when you go to sleep and your alarm goes off, time flew.
Though in the beginning of the story the lead character Daphne is very, almost painfully innocent . This book should have a warning:) Do not read unless your in the privacy of your own home. Cheeks will flush, nails will be bitten, and you won't be happy if you are forced to put book down.
I think it's a fun read, and I will defiantly be looking forward to the next installment ! Check out http://www.mouseheadandtales@weebly.com for more reviews!
September 9, 2013
Daphne is working as a substitute teach when she meets Charlie Cross at a parent teacher conference. Before they know it they are involved in a relationship. Given that their relationship shouldn’t be happening and of course no one is for it (he is a married man), Daphne is head over heels for him even though he is a vampire.
Things are good in their relationship or as good as they can be if you are the other woman but then things change when Heathcliff arrives, stirring feelings for him even though she loves Charlie…oh did I mention that Charlie and Heathcliff are friends :D
All in all this was a good action packed book. The story moved along great with twists at every turn (vampires, love triangles, cheating, etc. etc.) keeping you enthralled in the book wanting to find out more. I enjoyed the characters each with their own uniqueness to the story however at times I felt like some information may have been left out about them but it wasn’t enough to ruin the story or make it hard to picture what they may look like.
I would recommend this book to be added to your to be read list!
Things are good in their relationship or as good as they can be if you are the other woman but then things change when Heathcliff arrives, stirring feelings for him even though she loves Charlie…oh did I mention that Charlie and Heathcliff are friends :D
All in all this was a good action packed book. The story moved along great with twists at every turn (vampires, love triangles, cheating, etc. etc.) keeping you enthralled in the book wanting to find out more. I enjoyed the characters each with their own uniqueness to the story however at times I felt like some information may have been left out about them but it wasn’t enough to ruin the story or make it hard to picture what they may look like.
I would recommend this book to be added to your to be read list!
July 18, 2013
It seems that vampire novels are the newest genre. I’ve read a few of them. This book however is not your typical vampire novel.
I was totally drawn to this story and read this book in a day. I didn’t just want to find out what happened with Daphne. It was like I needed to know.
I can usually see a twist or know how a story will end. With Linked, this was not the case. I was constantly waiting to see what would happen next.
There was a nice bonus in the book if you are a fan of Judy Serrano like I. Three characters from her other series showed up for a few minutes. I won’t tell you who they were. You will just have to read this amazing book for yourself to find out.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially if you are a vampire genre fan. There was of course a romance love story involved but even that was not your typical love story.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I love when a book in a series ends with you craving to know what happens next. - See more at: http://ginaslibrary.info/review-linke...
I was totally drawn to this story and read this book in a day. I didn’t just want to find out what happened with Daphne. It was like I needed to know.
I can usually see a twist or know how a story will end. With Linked, this was not the case. I was constantly waiting to see what would happen next.
There was a nice bonus in the book if you are a fan of Judy Serrano like I. Three characters from her other series showed up for a few minutes. I won’t tell you who they were. You will just have to read this amazing book for yourself to find out.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially if you are a vampire genre fan. There was of course a romance love story involved but even that was not your typical love story.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I love when a book in a series ends with you craving to know what happens next. - See more at: http://ginaslibrary.info/review-linke...
November 16, 2014
Let me first say I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ***
All in all a lukewarm read. It took a long time for me to get into this story. I had a hard time learning enough about the characters to really feel like I had a connection to them.
The love triangle angle was also hard to follow, and when more explanation was given, it actually made it harder to understand.
I felt like the idea was interesting, but not delivered in a way that hooked me.
The skipping around the author does makes it incredibly hard to feel invested in the story line. I found myself rewriting lines in my head to make it more interesting.
This book ends on a mild cliffhanger, and even that was not enough to sell me on getting the next book.
All in all a lukewarm read. It took a long time for me to get into this story. I had a hard time learning enough about the characters to really feel like I had a connection to them.
The love triangle angle was also hard to follow, and when more explanation was given, it actually made it harder to understand.
I felt like the idea was interesting, but not delivered in a way that hooked me.
The skipping around the author does makes it incredibly hard to feel invested in the story line. I found myself rewriting lines in my head to make it more interesting.
This book ends on a mild cliffhanger, and even that was not enough to sell me on getting the next book.
August 5, 2013
Linked focuses on Daphne a substitute teacher, single , a virgin and too innocent and naïve when it comes too men. The other two main characters are dominant men, Charlie and Heathcliff, both are handsome looking men but of course they are they are vampires very old ones at that and their business is organized crime. Two things that are dangerous but Daphne is still there and things get even more dangerous when she realizes she is falling in love with Heathcliff and they link souls while Charlie is away on business. It is all very tense. There are lots of twists with this story and I found I couldn't guess what was going to happen next. Mrs Serrano penned this extremely well.
January 19, 2015
This deserves 5 stars. What is one supposed to do when she is confronted by a man demanding to know why his "son" is failing her class? Daphne stood her ground, despite the threats from the father. The son even apologized for his father's behavior. When other teachers heard about the incident they all said the same thing just change the grade because the father is involved with the mob. No one really knew that there was something else really going on ....or did they? Charlie loves her and wants her badly and does not want to let her go despite the fact that he is married.
I can guarantee that you will love this and I hope to read more by this author in the times to come!
I can guarantee that you will love this and I hope to read more by this author in the times to come!
June 30, 2014
Well, where do I begin? Did I enjoy Linked? I loved it. It was not only good, but it was also an easy book to read.
Would I read more of Judy Serrano’s books? Of course :) Judy is a brilliant author. She had me hooked right from the first page and she dragged me deeper into the story the more I read.
I loved the mixed genre that Judy used in Linked, you have suspense, thriller, romance and paranormal all rolled into one story.
My one disappointment…. I didn’t want it to end.
Do I recommend? Oh yes definitely, Judy is one author I will be keeping an eye on.
Would I read more of Judy Serrano’s books? Of course :) Judy is a brilliant author. She had me hooked right from the first page and she dragged me deeper into the story the more I read.
I loved the mixed genre that Judy used in Linked, you have suspense, thriller, romance and paranormal all rolled into one story.
My one disappointment…. I didn’t want it to end.
Do I recommend? Oh yes definitely, Judy is one author I will be keeping an eye on.
July 22, 2013
Judy Serrano pens "Linked" in a well written plot filled with action, plenty of twists/turns, vampires, werewolves and some steamy sex scenes. The authors characters were strong, believable, likable and what I really liked is they were "older" characters instead of your usual teens. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series to find out what happens next.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
March 2, 2015
Holy crud buckets!
This was a crazy ride and one heck of a book. In this book things really play with your mind. Just when you think you have it figured out, Bam!, there is more. I love it. Besides I really have a thing for sexy Vamps.
In the beginning I wasn't sure about the writing, but I lost that weariness quick. This book is well written and developed. I loved and hated characters. I am so ready for book 2.
This was a crazy ride and one heck of a book. In this book things really play with your mind. Just when you think you have it figured out, Bam!, there is more. I love it. Besides I really have a thing for sexy Vamps.
In the beginning I wasn't sure about the writing, but I lost that weariness quick. This book is well written and developed. I loved and hated characters. I am so ready for book 2.
October 16, 2014
Review Coming Soon.
July 21, 2013
Review coming soon
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews