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Under a Crescent Moon
Murder, mystery, sex and magic. It's just another typical night under a crescent moon…
New Orleans Police Detective Taylor Campbell has done his best to leave Xander Cooper alone. Years ago, he joined the Army to get away from the temptation of the younger man. But a series of murders around Xander's restaurant has Taylor running scared. And when he happens upon Xander holding off a group of thugs, his honour is forgotten.
Xander Cooper fell in love with Taylor when he was a teen. Now an adult, he's waited and watched and hoped that Taylor would one day see him as more than a little kid meant to be avoided. He didn't expect murder to bring Taylor to his bed. For Xander, giving Taylor his heart is easy. Letting him in on the family secret is another thing all together.
He didn't expect that Taylor would have secrets of his own. Secrets that make a little thing like Xander being a witch seem tame…
Mercy Celeste
Born and raised in the wilds of north west Florida, I currently make my home in Mobile, Alabama, where I attended the University of South Alabama. My interests are as diverse as the topics about which I write. I love to quilt, cook, and troll resale stores for bargains. Being a good southern girl, I love football and fried food. I write southern themed spicy romance of the het and gay variety. Because love doesn't care who you are.
New Orleans Police Detective Taylor Campbell has done his best to leave Xander Cooper alone. Years ago, he joined the Army to get away from the temptation of the younger man. But a series of murders around Xander's restaurant has Taylor running scared. And when he happens upon Xander holding off a group of thugs, his honour is forgotten.
Xander Cooper fell in love with Taylor when he was a teen. Now an adult, he's waited and watched and hoped that Taylor would one day see him as more than a little kid meant to be avoided. He didn't expect murder to bring Taylor to his bed. For Xander, giving Taylor his heart is easy. Letting him in on the family secret is another thing all together.
He didn't expect that Taylor would have secrets of his own. Secrets that make a little thing like Xander being a witch seem tame…
Mercy Celeste
Born and raised in the wilds of north west Florida, I currently make my home in Mobile, Alabama, where I attended the University of South Alabama. My interests are as diverse as the topics about which I write. I love to quilt, cook, and troll resale stores for bargains. Being a good southern girl, I love football and fried food. I write southern themed spicy romance of the het and gay variety. Because love doesn't care who you are.
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2013
36 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 22, 2013
Oh who am I kidding?
(LOL seriously, I do love good tea)
Well...well...well.
If you don't know this by now, I love me some Mercy Celeste. Hard. She likes big, strong, sexually capable, Southern men with sexy drawls and sexier biting habits during sex. *growls* I lap that up like manna from heaven. Oh yes I do!
However, if there are issues in a book...I call 'em like I see 'em. And, honey, this book...it's got them. When stripped down to basics, "Under a crescent Moon"...it's standard Mercy Celeste fare with two crazy in love guys that fall for one another but not with out a bucket full of angst along the bumpy ride toward love. They have hot sex and some major damage happens, it's entertainment.
Realistic? Hell no. Plus...this is paranormal/urban fantasy...so definitely not.
Now let's add the entire luggage set of drama and tropes so I can get to my review.
Xander is a twenty five year old virgin who lives with his rich eccentric aunt Eula and staff, one house servant/butler/father type figure of sorts -Hector and maid/motherly figure/mother of the other MC, Mrs.Campbell. Xander is an orphan and has lived with his aunt since 9/11 when he was 13 years old. He's been in love with the maid's son, Taylor since he was 13 years old. Taylor is five year older but no impropriety happened because Taylor removed himself from the situation by joining the military. So we have the "loved you for years" theme which I adore in fiction. And the virgin theme, love that too.
Oh and Xander and his aunt, they're witches. But not much detail went into the paranormal theme (wish it did but Mercy Celeste's twist on witches was different).
Things start off a little wonky, in fact if I rated the first 10-15%, it'd be some where in 2-3 star range. I pushed through and of course the sex kicked it into interesting territory.
But this is Mercy Celeste, so things cannot go smoothly.
45%...the story does an unexpected 180 degree turn in WTF-land?! The mild BDSM (I hesitate to call it that, purists will not enjoy it, just FYI)...totally unexpected especially since neither MC hinted to any sort of kink predilection.
There's drug use, dubious consent...I just didn't understand the need. But it happened and both MC struggle throughout the rest of the story keeping secrets from one another, one refusing to say 'I love you' when it is so obvious that they do. Once I thought I got a sense of the main characters', they did something to add to this dramaclusterfuck that is their lives'
And the ending...it was also a dump of tropes where I questioned the need for going through all of this angst and drama.
I do like when the couple breaks up, they try to be with someone else and find that they actually belong together. But the struggle to get to the HEA...both men needed a kick in their butts a couple of times.
And if you're on the fence due to the cheating warning, it's really not cheating. Technically on paper...yeah but in reality...no.
You won't need a diagram to follow along with the multiple plot twists. But there are a lot of themes working against each other...hell there's even an 'out for you' theme thrown in at the last minute...
Luckily, I like crazy shit like this.
If you're a newbie to Mercy Celeste...this should not be your first choice. This story is not as tight with the plot lines. This is more for a seasoned Mercy Celeste reader or a MM romance reader who like hot messes served with a scoop of cray-cray.
My rating: 3.5 STARS
October 22, 2013
My history with Mercy Celeste`s books so far - 2 stars, 3 stars and a DNF.
I made the mistake to ask a friend for suggestions because I was bored and couldn`t find a book to read(!).
She suggested this book together with an evilly laughing smiley. I just thought "why not, maybe it got better, it has been a while since I read the last book by Mercy C."
It didn`t get better, it got worse.
A badly written, badly edited (if at all),and - in my opinion - incredibly silly story.
Four things are needed to read this book:
- suspending disbelief
- nerves of steel
- keeping the mind firmly in the gutter
- deactivating every functioning brain cell that might be able to pipe up and dares to question content and characterisation
142 pages of wading through molasses - one step forward, four steps back.
A neverending circle of the same whiny, nonsensical thoughts and dialogue from the two MCs - ad nauseaum. It must have been hard work to come up with characters that contradictive. Jesus H. Christ...
There was kitchen towel-swishing/fingertips-burning magic involved, but why?
To add to the "New Orleans-feeling"? Same as the Cajun-dialect thrown in here and there, and numerous references to local food. (That actually made sense. The Crescent Moon is a restaurant)
I felt absoluty nothing of the special charme that makes New Orleans.
A good editor would have thrown the `magick` out at first glance, the paranormal part added nothing to the story just fuel to the sillyness of it all.
A serial killer - pulled out of the box when needed - a murder investigation that was amateurish at best. Secondary characters right out of a Disney movie. Pseudo-rough sex-scenes in flowery language with countless "fuck me`s" - I couldn`t read them anymore after the third round, gave me the skin crawlies!
24/7 lifestyle D/s coming out of nowhere. And of course a cute baby and many, many personal secrets thrown in for good measure.
A lot of stuff for a novella and it was a glorious mess!
I won`t mention the godawful attempt at writing a credible romance here, it was painful to read. The HEA was the last straw - a sugar-overdose that put every Harlequin romance to shame.
Whoever has the time and energy can read the 32 status updates that led to this review. I just want to forget this crap as fast as possible.
I made the mistake to ask a friend for suggestions because I was bored and couldn`t find a book to read(!).
She suggested this book together with an evilly laughing smiley. I just thought "why not, maybe it got better, it has been a while since I read the last book by Mercy C."
It didn`t get better, it got worse.
A badly written, badly edited (if at all),and - in my opinion - incredibly silly story.
Four things are needed to read this book:
- suspending disbelief
- nerves of steel
- keeping the mind firmly in the gutter
- deactivating every functioning brain cell that might be able to pipe up and dares to question content and characterisation
142 pages of wading through molasses - one step forward, four steps back.
A neverending circle of the same whiny, nonsensical thoughts and dialogue from the two MCs - ad nauseaum. It must have been hard work to come up with characters that contradictive. Jesus H. Christ...
There was kitchen towel-swishing/fingertips-burning magic involved, but why?
To add to the "New Orleans-feeling"? Same as the Cajun-dialect thrown in here and there, and numerous references to local food. (That actually made sense. The Crescent Moon is a restaurant)
I felt absoluty nothing of the special charme that makes New Orleans.
A good editor would have thrown the `magick` out at first glance, the paranormal part added nothing to the story just fuel to the sillyness of it all.
A serial killer - pulled out of the box when needed - a murder investigation that was amateurish at best. Secondary characters right out of a Disney movie. Pseudo-rough sex-scenes in flowery language with countless "fuck me`s" - I couldn`t read them anymore after the third round, gave me the skin crawlies!
24/7 lifestyle D/s coming out of nowhere. And of course a cute baby and many, many personal secrets thrown in for good measure.
A lot of stuff for a novella and it was a glorious mess!
I won`t mention the godawful attempt at writing a credible romance here, it was painful to read. The HEA was the last straw - a sugar-overdose that put every Harlequin romance to shame.
Whoever has the time and energy can read the 32 status updates that led to this review. I just want to forget this crap as fast as possible.
September 30, 2013
Wowser! Its books like this that make me glad I'm a VIP member at TEB. I've just read a Mercy Celeste book recently that I couldn't put down, so as soon as I saw I could get this on early release from them, I was on it like a car bonnet!!
I think my tastes are definitely changing because as I've said before I'm not one for oodles of angst or over the top drama but I think Mercy is casting a magic spell over me because this book has über angst, BIG misunderstandings and dark drama coming out the wazoo... And I absolutely loved it!
Once again she isn't frightened of taking you out of the norm by throwing you into a plot filled with violence, dub con, BDSM, cheating, murder, secrets and lies and whatever else you can chuck in to make this as far away from your common or garden romance as you can get, but at the same time there's this magnetic pull surrounding Xander and Taylor which oozes chemistry, charisma and the most delicious simmering sizzling UST, which leads to some awesome hot love scenes filled with dramatic passion and lust. I can guarantee that there will be times when the actions of both MC's will have you tearing your hair out and stomping your feet but that didn't stop me from wanting the two of them to make it together... Warts an' all. I suppose it could be a book that you either love or you don't but I know its going to have a lot of fans and I'm one of them!
Then there's the paranormal side of the story involving magic and witches that I thought fitted perfectly into the scheme of things, especially as its set in New Orleans with its mysterious, magical atmosphere that you automatically think of when the place is mentioned.
Whatever you end up thinking of it, I've just sat and read all day, with few interruptions to finish this book. Awesome!
I think my tastes are definitely changing because as I've said before I'm not one for oodles of angst or over the top drama but I think Mercy is casting a magic spell over me because this book has über angst, BIG misunderstandings and dark drama coming out the wazoo... And I absolutely loved it!
Once again she isn't frightened of taking you out of the norm by throwing you into a plot filled with violence, dub con, BDSM, cheating, murder, secrets and lies and whatever else you can chuck in to make this as far away from your common or garden romance as you can get, but at the same time there's this magnetic pull surrounding Xander and Taylor which oozes chemistry, charisma and the most delicious simmering sizzling UST, which leads to some awesome hot love scenes filled with dramatic passion and lust. I can guarantee that there will be times when the actions of both MC's will have you tearing your hair out and stomping your feet but that didn't stop me from wanting the two of them to make it together... Warts an' all. I suppose it could be a book that you either love or you don't but I know its going to have a lot of fans and I'm one of them!
Then there's the paranormal side of the story involving magic and witches that I thought fitted perfectly into the scheme of things, especially as its set in New Orleans with its mysterious, magical atmosphere that you automatically think of when the place is mentioned.
Whatever you end up thinking of it, I've just sat and read all day, with few interruptions to finish this book. Awesome!
October 25, 2013
Full review at http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
I'm glad I have the GIFS I do because I'll tell you this, it is one hell of a messed up ride. Such drama, such chemistry, such aggravation, such passion. It is not going to be for everybody but I loved it all!! Remember a little book called Beyond Complicated? Well, this is its fucked up sibling.
No...it's not. It's Mercy Celeste.
Did you see the warnings? Oh, I did. Definitely heed them.
I'm glad I have the GIFS I do because I'll tell you this, it is one hell of a messed up ride. Such drama, such chemistry, such aggravation, such passion. It is not going to be for everybody but I loved it all!! Remember a little book called Beyond Complicated? Well, this is its fucked up sibling.
No...it's not. It's Mercy Celeste.
Did you see the warnings? Oh, I did. Definitely heed them.
August 26, 2020
Oh my, this is a rollercoaster from the start and it doesn't let up.
Between the unprotected sex, the angry sex, the anger/betrayal fueled BDSM, the lies, the heartbreak, the self destructive behavior, the using and the destroying this is one angst filled dark romance.
Under a Crescent Moon is seriously intense. My heart and lungs were in a vice for the entirety of this story. Also damn, I've never been as uncomfortable as I was during the BDSM scenes in this book. There was nothing playful about them. They evolved out of anger and hurt which felt wrong. Most of the romances I’ve read with BDSM lifestyle approached it from a different angle. One that felt honest and even beautiful. This is far from that. It’s dark and abusive. *shudder*
Award for best walking disaster goes to Taylor Campbell. That’s one man that has dug himself so deep nothing but a miracle of magical proportion could get him out.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, Xan. I really don’t. I’m lost here, without a map. I just know I don’t mean to hurt you.”
He might not mean to hurt, and that’s up for debate because he does, over and over again. With all his secrets, lies, selfishness, and martyrdom. You might think how can he be selfish and a martyr. He manages. He has his reasons for his behavior. Justifiable? Questionable.
Both MC’s don’t communicate well, but especially Taylor. I wanted to throttle him 80% of this story, especially when he had the audacity to be mad at Xander.
Xander. Sigh. His behavior is a lot more understandable and I felt nothing but empathy for him.
What is a man to do when he’s saved himself for the one. The boy he knew who pulled him out of his darkness. What’s he do when all he’s ever wanted was Taylor and he’s humiliated, used, betrayed and tossed aside. What’s he to do when all his life he’s held himself together, been the perfect child, the perfect adult and the one thing he’s ever wanted destroys him. Well, he’s only human so he goes down his own path of self destruction and finds himself tangled up in things he has no understanding of.
I know it might seem like I didn’t like this, and like is definitely not the word for it. I was fascinated and horrified in equal measure. I felt ALOT. This story dug it’s claws into me and didn’t let go. I don’t know if I rooted for the couple, but I definitely rooted for Xander and Taylor separately. They’re not a perfect couple, far from it. They’re not even good for each other. They did have off the charts chemistry but I was too occupied screaming NOOO! Don’t do it Xander, don’t take him back. Stop, just leave him. Just find someone worthy of you, please.
So idk, did this succeed as a romance? Perhaps. A very unique and fucked up romance.
Definitely recommend it to anyone who’s willing to jump on this wagon of crazy. I finished it with my sanity somewhat intact-ish. Honestly though anyone who's in the mood for the dark and twisted would enjoy this!
It was hard rating this but only a reluctant 4.5 Star rounded up seems fitting.
Between the unprotected sex, the angry sex, the anger/betrayal fueled BDSM, the lies, the heartbreak, the self destructive behavior, the using and the destroying this is one angst filled dark romance.
Under a Crescent Moon is seriously intense. My heart and lungs were in a vice for the entirety of this story. Also damn, I've never been as uncomfortable as I was during the BDSM scenes in this book. There was nothing playful about them. They evolved out of anger and hurt which felt wrong. Most of the romances I’ve read with BDSM lifestyle approached it from a different angle. One that felt honest and even beautiful. This is far from that. It’s dark and abusive. *shudder*
Award for best walking disaster goes to Taylor Campbell. That’s one man that has dug himself so deep nothing but a miracle of magical proportion could get him out.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, Xan. I really don’t. I’m lost here, without a map. I just know I don’t mean to hurt you.”
He might not mean to hurt, and that’s up for debate because he does, over and over again. With all his secrets, lies, selfishness, and martyrdom. You might think how can he be selfish and a martyr. He manages. He has his reasons for his behavior. Justifiable? Questionable.
Both MC’s don’t communicate well, but especially Taylor. I wanted to throttle him 80% of this story, especially when he had the audacity to be mad at Xander.
Xander. Sigh. His behavior is a lot more understandable and I felt nothing but empathy for him.
What is a man to do when he’s saved himself for the one. The boy he knew who pulled him out of his darkness. What’s he do when all he’s ever wanted was Taylor and he’s humiliated, used, betrayed and tossed aside. What’s he to do when all his life he’s held himself together, been the perfect child, the perfect adult and the one thing he’s ever wanted destroys him. Well, he’s only human so he goes down his own path of self destruction and finds himself tangled up in things he has no understanding of.
I know it might seem like I didn’t like this, and like is definitely not the word for it. I was fascinated and horrified in equal measure. I felt ALOT. This story dug it’s claws into me and didn’t let go. I don’t know if I rooted for the couple, but I definitely rooted for Xander and Taylor separately. They’re not a perfect couple, far from it. They’re not even good for each other. They did have off the charts chemistry but I was too occupied screaming NOOO! Don’t do it Xander, don’t take him back. Stop, just leave him. Just find someone worthy of you, please.
So idk, did this succeed as a romance? Perhaps. A very unique and fucked up romance.
Definitely recommend it to anyone who’s willing to jump on this wagon of crazy. I finished it with my sanity somewhat intact-ish. Honestly though anyone who's in the mood for the dark and twisted would enjoy this!
It was hard rating this but only a reluctant 4.5 Star rounded up seems fitting.
October 10, 2013
Yet another surprise hit for me from Mercy Celeste. Why am I still surprised by her writing? She knocks my socks off all the time and I'm still surprised each and every time I read her books. I think I can now firmly place this author on my auto-buy list. I love the fact that she isn't afraid to go down and dirty, get into real life issues, and doesn't sugar coat the romance and all the issues that come before it. Life is not a fairy tale and I love when I find an author that doesn't pull her punches.
With that said, isn't the cover sweet? Yeah, he's adorable and that face fooled me big time. I was expecting rainbows and unicorns with a cover that pretty but let me tell you, you can not judge a book by it's cover. You've been warned.
Xander and Taylor were raised together after the death of Xan's parents. Taylor is about 5 years older and eventually joins the army to escape his attraction to the too young Xander. However, he comes back changed and doesn't give Xander the time of day, until Xan finds himself in a pickle. The fun begins there.
This story is all over the place. I was so sure I knew what was going on but them whammo, the plot changes and I'm sitting back reeling. Wondering how the hell did I get from point A to point B...and loving every freaking moment. Obviously this story has moments that some will find objectionable, but me?, I live for the conflict and complications that make the happy ending so much more rewarding at the end.
And complications and conflict are abundant in this not so sweet book. It has its sweet moments, but you have to prepare yourself before the issues are all resolved. I honestly do not want to give anything away. Uncovering each aspect of the secrets hidden in Xander's and Taylor's lives is what makes this story so great. I had no clue what I was in for, but trust me, it is worth the ride and if you can handle a little shock here or there in your reading, then you will enjoy this story.
Reviewed for Heartsonfirereviews.com
With that said, isn't the cover sweet? Yeah, he's adorable and that face fooled me big time. I was expecting rainbows and unicorns with a cover that pretty but let me tell you, you can not judge a book by it's cover. You've been warned.
Xander and Taylor were raised together after the death of Xan's parents. Taylor is about 5 years older and eventually joins the army to escape his attraction to the too young Xander. However, he comes back changed and doesn't give Xander the time of day, until Xan finds himself in a pickle. The fun begins there.
This story is all over the place. I was so sure I knew what was going on but them whammo, the plot changes and I'm sitting back reeling. Wondering how the hell did I get from point A to point B...and loving every freaking moment. Obviously this story has moments that some will find objectionable, but me?, I live for the conflict and complications that make the happy ending so much more rewarding at the end.
And complications and conflict are abundant in this not so sweet book. It has its sweet moments, but you have to prepare yourself before the issues are all resolved. I honestly do not want to give anything away. Uncovering each aspect of the secrets hidden in Xander's and Taylor's lives is what makes this story so great. I had no clue what I was in for, but trust me, it is worth the ride and if you can handle a little shock here or there in your reading, then you will enjoy this story.
Reviewed for Heartsonfirereviews.com
October 28, 2013
New Orleans Detective Taylor Campbell has been in love with Xander Cooper for many years, but ran away at the age of nineteen because his attraction for then fourteen year old, Xander concerned him. He’s returned to New Orleans and stumbled upon a series of crimes that might affect Xander. Xander is guarded and worried of falling again for Taylor and he’s discovering and exploring secrets he’s scared to name.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. It was all over the place and that saying “throw in the kitchen sink” would apply for the plot, the characters, and the dialogue. You have to cast away any plausibility and get past a ton of flowery language. Not to mention the abundance of sex scenes.
I don’t understand why the paranormal aspect was there, either. I didn’t feel that it added anything to the story, and seemed in use at completely random times. A character appearing from the grave to ask for a favor, a character escaping cuffs in a non-threatening scene, etc. I’m also a bit weary of all of these New Orleans stories centered on witchcraft, vampires, and things of the like. It’s SO played out. It doesn’t feel fresh and I didn’t really get the vibe of the city, which is strange since I live near New Orleans.
The characters came across SO whiny, too. They just went round robin with blame, hissy fits, immature actions, and never just spitting out the truth. Non-stop fights about the past, the present, the future. Throw in sex scene after sex scene with dialogue such as this:
“You’re so beautiful right now,” I whispered against his mouth. “Pleasure flushing your skin. Your eyes gone dark and hungry.”
…and I want to claw my eyes out.
Then there was the BDSM in the book that, for me, came out of nowhere, and that’s really all I can say about that. It made me uncomfortable, and I can read BSDM no problem. Lots of people may like it, may find it oh-so angsty, and be fine with it. It wasn’t ‘wrong’; I just didn’t feel I had a solid lead into it.
But not only did you have this BDSM throw in in the middle of the book that confused me, it was tied in with some car thief thug, who somehow managed to grab the interest of one of the characters. You also had murder, which one of the characters was RIDICULOUSLY accused of initially, and some post-traumatic stress, terminal illness, a baby and lots of riches and you have me scratching my head and utterly frustrated.
Not for me.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. It was all over the place and that saying “throw in the kitchen sink” would apply for the plot, the characters, and the dialogue. You have to cast away any plausibility and get past a ton of flowery language. Not to mention the abundance of sex scenes.
I don’t understand why the paranormal aspect was there, either. I didn’t feel that it added anything to the story, and seemed in use at completely random times. A character appearing from the grave to ask for a favor, a character escaping cuffs in a non-threatening scene, etc. I’m also a bit weary of all of these New Orleans stories centered on witchcraft, vampires, and things of the like. It’s SO played out. It doesn’t feel fresh and I didn’t really get the vibe of the city, which is strange since I live near New Orleans.
The characters came across SO whiny, too. They just went round robin with blame, hissy fits, immature actions, and never just spitting out the truth. Non-stop fights about the past, the present, the future. Throw in sex scene after sex scene with dialogue such as this:
“You’re so beautiful right now,” I whispered against his mouth. “Pleasure flushing your skin. Your eyes gone dark and hungry.”
…and I want to claw my eyes out.
Then there was the BDSM in the book that, for me, came out of nowhere, and that’s really all I can say about that. It made me uncomfortable, and I can read BSDM no problem. Lots of people may like it, may find it oh-so angsty, and be fine with it. It wasn’t ‘wrong’; I just didn’t feel I had a solid lead into it.
But not only did you have this BDSM throw in in the middle of the book that confused me, it was tied in with some car thief thug, who somehow managed to grab the interest of one of the characters. You also had murder, which one of the characters was RIDICULOUSLY accused of initially, and some post-traumatic stress, terminal illness, a baby and lots of riches and you have me scratching my head and utterly frustrated.
Not for me.
February 28, 2018
This was absolutely excellent. Every time I read a book by Mercy Celeste I think I know where she's going and she come up with these amazing plot twists that completely surprise me. It is such a pleasure to read her books.
The characters in this one were so original and I loved the way their stories intertwined. Great supporting characters too, and a fun little mystery. Just a great read all around.
The characters in this one were so original and I loved the way their stories intertwined. Great supporting characters too, and a fun little mystery. Just a great read all around.
September 28, 2013
Fantastic book. A high energy, tense, sensual book that blends mystery, supernatural and plain down and dirty smexy.
Mercey Celeste knocks it out the park with this one.
Mercey Celeste knocks it out the park with this one.
September 28, 2013
I need to preface this with O. M. F. G.
I have spent the first hour of today and four hours of last night reading this book at the expense of some stuff I should have been doing, but I HAD to read it, just had to. This author has been on my "Give preference over ALL non essential and mundane occurrences except for breathing" list, there are only a few on it but she has been there since the first book I read of hers. This book will not be for everyone, this is a given, it has to be, because Mercy Celeste is an author who constantly challenges all your preconceived notions of what makes us want to love these sexy, vulnerable, multifaceted and many dimensioned main characters.
I love her writing it is honest, raw, frenetic, laid-back, laconic, sarcastic and rollicking all at once and you can hear the storyteller in your head reading it with just the right inflection and tone. The alternating 1st person viewpoint is easy to follow and highlights certain aspects of the story which could be overlooked in the more traditional single POV. It works for Mercy and it works for these guys. With Mercy I always feel like I have been taken through the wringer sideways, upside down back-to-front and inside out, (This is a GOOD thing believe me) and this lived up to EVERY expectation I went in with. (I know that can sometimes backfire, having expectations going in and it has bitten me in the butt with other authors but I can't seem to help it.)
Xander and Taylor are people who make good and bad decisions for all the right and wrong reasons and deal with and suffer through the consequences. There is what some would consider cheating on more that one front, violence, dub consent, a paranormal thread, tension, a serial killer and misdirection and a few attempts to give me MORE grey hair. I loved and disliked BOTH MC's at different times, yet understood and empathised ALL of the time, even when I was angry at them. Sometimes when a book gets all angsty it can be one sided and we all know that's not how it plays out. I love that we see from all different sides the emotional roller-coaster that these two men go thru (and take us with them giving us those scary front seats, with nothing to hang onto)
SO if you are not afraid to challenge yourself to see that EVErYONE no matter how flawed deserves a HEA then this book is for you. In fact it is a must read.. And just in case anyone was questioning my integrity, I paid for my copy, i read my copy, yes I am a friend of hers through social media, and yes if I didnt like it or something about it, I would have said so, I take any recommendation I make VERY seriously and would not like to be a hypocrite and lead you astray.
[[FYI Its amazon release is next month sorry about that, but it is available if you have VIP account at Total-E-Bound (which is easy to do even I did it)]]
I have spent the first hour of today and four hours of last night reading this book at the expense of some stuff I should have been doing, but I HAD to read it, just had to. This author has been on my "Give preference over ALL non essential and mundane occurrences except for breathing" list, there are only a few on it but she has been there since the first book I read of hers. This book will not be for everyone, this is a given, it has to be, because Mercy Celeste is an author who constantly challenges all your preconceived notions of what makes us want to love these sexy, vulnerable, multifaceted and many dimensioned main characters.
I love her writing it is honest, raw, frenetic, laid-back, laconic, sarcastic and rollicking all at once and you can hear the storyteller in your head reading it with just the right inflection and tone. The alternating 1st person viewpoint is easy to follow and highlights certain aspects of the story which could be overlooked in the more traditional single POV. It works for Mercy and it works for these guys. With Mercy I always feel like I have been taken through the wringer sideways, upside down back-to-front and inside out, (This is a GOOD thing believe me) and this lived up to EVERY expectation I went in with. (I know that can sometimes backfire, having expectations going in and it has bitten me in the butt with other authors but I can't seem to help it.)
Xander and Taylor are people who make good and bad decisions for all the right and wrong reasons and deal with and suffer through the consequences. There is what some would consider cheating on more that one front, violence, dub consent, a paranormal thread, tension, a serial killer and misdirection and a few attempts to give me MORE grey hair. I loved and disliked BOTH MC's at different times, yet understood and empathised ALL of the time, even when I was angry at them. Sometimes when a book gets all angsty it can be one sided and we all know that's not how it plays out. I love that we see from all different sides the emotional roller-coaster that these two men go thru (and take us with them giving us those scary front seats, with nothing to hang onto)
SO if you are not afraid to challenge yourself to see that EVErYONE no matter how flawed deserves a HEA then this book is for you. In fact it is a must read.. And just in case anyone was questioning my integrity, I paid for my copy, i read my copy, yes I am a friend of hers through social media, and yes if I didnt like it or something about it, I would have said so, I take any recommendation I make VERY seriously and would not like to be a hypocrite and lead you astray.
[[FYI Its amazon release is next month sorry about that, but it is available if you have VIP account at Total-E-Bound (which is easy to do even I did it)]]
September 30, 2013
I read this book in one sitting. That's right. One sitting. There are not many I do that for or get invested enough for. But what can I say. I want to be Mercy when I grow up.
This book took me on such a roller coaster of emotions that I wasn't sure if it was going up, down, around, or totally off the rails. I'm happy to say it did all that and more. The characters, all of them, were rich, the plot intricate, the place, well, N'awlins is very familiar to this southern gal, and the sex off the chain. There's humor, tension, and enough emotion to choke you. If you only read one M/M book this year, I highly recommend Under a Crescent Moon.
This book took me on such a roller coaster of emotions that I wasn't sure if it was going up, down, around, or totally off the rails. I'm happy to say it did all that and more. The characters, all of them, were rich, the plot intricate, the place, well, N'awlins is very familiar to this southern gal, and the sex off the chain. There's humor, tension, and enough emotion to choke you. If you only read one M/M book this year, I highly recommend Under a Crescent Moon.
June 10, 2018
I first heard about Mercy from one of the M/M FB pages I follow and when I read the synopsis for this book I was instantly intrigued. I love books on Magic and the M/M genre always sucks me in but when I saw it was set in NOLA WOOOOEEEEE it was an insta-buy. I read it in around 5 or so hours and I could not put it down.....which could have been bad as I run a booth in a flea market and well you know sticky fingers.
Xander was such a great character. Had the traumatizing background every good character has, and it drew me to him. His Description made him appealing and his abilities made me drool (In Jealousy). But with everything he has to go through makes him an even stronger character.
Taylor, Hmm a fan sitting in his corner rooting for him....I was not. while I understand the reasoning behind everything he did, still made me want to grab him by the collar of his shirt and shake him and say "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD!"
All side characters were all amusing mostly the Great Aunt and the Cook.
I didn't find much with the book that I didn't like, it was fast paced, descriptive, and everything I could want in a stand alone novel. I find I cannot wait to pick up another Mercy Celeste book.
Xander was such a great character. Had the traumatizing background every good character has, and it drew me to him. His Description made him appealing and his abilities made me drool (In Jealousy). But with everything he has to go through makes him an even stronger character.
Taylor, Hmm a fan sitting in his corner rooting for him....I was not. while I understand the reasoning behind everything he did, still made me want to grab him by the collar of his shirt and shake him and say "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD!"
All side characters were all amusing mostly the Great Aunt and the Cook.
I didn't find much with the book that I didn't like, it was fast paced, descriptive, and everything I could want in a stand alone novel. I find I cannot wait to pick up another Mercy Celeste book.
October 26, 2013
Please leave comments on Josie Goodread's 5 sweet pea review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
The sheer strength in his hands as he held me to the bed had me breathless. Wanting. Oh fuck, cuff me again. “Yes.” “Yes what? Give yourself to me. The way you want. I’ll be that for you. Yes what, Xander? Say it.” “Sir. Yes. Sir.” My body screamed in sheer agony, waiting for him to claim me. I wanted him to force me, or deny me. “Make me hurt. Please.”
Under a Crescent Moon by Mercy Celeste is, in my opinion, one of the best books she has ever written. Its angsty and intense, full of drama, guilt and rage, raw with the added impasse of danger leaching from every page. I lapped it up, and I still want more.
Xander Cooper and Taylor Campbell are star crossed lovers, soul mates who can’t quite get on the same page. They grew up together after Xander moved in with his Aunt Eula at the age of 13 when his parents died in the 9/11 tragedy. Taylor was the son of Eula’s housekeeper. Taylor ran from Xander and joined the army as soon as he was able, and even though he’s back he is still running, until the night he rescues Xander from the thugs who want his vintage car, and a little piece of him.
Only problem with resurrecting the attraction they both share is Taylor isn’t really able to commit, has responsibilities and commitments that Xander is oblivious to, responsibilities that come between the two men at every turn. Xander in his disappointment, feeling betrayed and used turns to the rough side of New Orleans in an effort to wipe Taylor from his mind. When their worlds collide in crushing mayhem can they work out a way forward, or are they destined to always be apart?
Mercy Celeste has a way with words that blends characters with chemistry and passion with stories of drama, intrigue and raw emotion. I don’t think there’s another author like her in the m/m genre right now. Her books tend to come with warnings for the faint hearted, but my view is if you need to read the warnings then don’t read her books, but then you’d be missing one hell of a ride. The warning for this book is cheating, and yes technically we do have cheating, Taylor isn’t free to be with Xander, but it’s not really cheating and 3/4 of the way through the book it’s all explained in a plot twist which left me satisfied, and quite proud of the way Taylor behaved. He did the right thing, the best thing, it’s a pity he didn’t talk to Xander, but hell we can’t have everything now can we.
Xander is a complex character. He runs a restaurant in New Orleans, spending most of his time in the kitchen cooking, and is quite content until Taylor comes back into his life, Taylor who ran out on Xander when he was 14. Once the two men get involved it becomes a disaster of epic proportions. The plot is complex and almost impossible to review in any kind of proper logical way but Mercy pulls all the loose threads together, almost with magic, leading to a perfect ending.
The story is told with alternate POV’s, which I loved as it gave me insight into both men. The secondary characters are wonderful, especially Aunt Eula, Esmeralda and Hector. I even loved Dominic in the end.
I adored this book, it’s a long read at 88,000 words and perfect for anyone who wants to sink into a story which consumes them. Don’t be put off Mercy’s books by warnings, romance can be messy, we don’t live in a chocolate box world of neat relationships and love can be a tricky, and a glorious wonderful beautiful mess, just like in Under a Crescent Moon.
Don’t miss this book, you’ll only pick it up eventually and go ‘now why didn’t I read this sooner!’
The sheer strength in his hands as he held me to the bed had me breathless. Wanting. Oh fuck, cuff me again. “Yes.” “Yes what? Give yourself to me. The way you want. I’ll be that for you. Yes what, Xander? Say it.” “Sir. Yes. Sir.” My body screamed in sheer agony, waiting for him to claim me. I wanted him to force me, or deny me. “Make me hurt. Please.”
Under a Crescent Moon by Mercy Celeste is, in my opinion, one of the best books she has ever written. Its angsty and intense, full of drama, guilt and rage, raw with the added impasse of danger leaching from every page. I lapped it up, and I still want more.
Xander Cooper and Taylor Campbell are star crossed lovers, soul mates who can’t quite get on the same page. They grew up together after Xander moved in with his Aunt Eula at the age of 13 when his parents died in the 9/11 tragedy. Taylor was the son of Eula’s housekeeper. Taylor ran from Xander and joined the army as soon as he was able, and even though he’s back he is still running, until the night he rescues Xander from the thugs who want his vintage car, and a little piece of him.
Only problem with resurrecting the attraction they both share is Taylor isn’t really able to commit, has responsibilities and commitments that Xander is oblivious to, responsibilities that come between the two men at every turn. Xander in his disappointment, feeling betrayed and used turns to the rough side of New Orleans in an effort to wipe Taylor from his mind. When their worlds collide in crushing mayhem can they work out a way forward, or are they destined to always be apart?
Mercy Celeste has a way with words that blends characters with chemistry and passion with stories of drama, intrigue and raw emotion. I don’t think there’s another author like her in the m/m genre right now. Her books tend to come with warnings for the faint hearted, but my view is if you need to read the warnings then don’t read her books, but then you’d be missing one hell of a ride. The warning for this book is cheating, and yes technically we do have cheating, Taylor isn’t free to be with Xander, but it’s not really cheating and 3/4 of the way through the book it’s all explained in a plot twist which left me satisfied, and quite proud of the way Taylor behaved. He did the right thing, the best thing, it’s a pity he didn’t talk to Xander, but hell we can’t have everything now can we.
Xander is a complex character. He runs a restaurant in New Orleans, spending most of his time in the kitchen cooking, and is quite content until Taylor comes back into his life, Taylor who ran out on Xander when he was 14. Once the two men get involved it becomes a disaster of epic proportions. The plot is complex and almost impossible to review in any kind of proper logical way but Mercy pulls all the loose threads together, almost with magic, leading to a perfect ending.
The story is told with alternate POV’s, which I loved as it gave me insight into both men. The secondary characters are wonderful, especially Aunt Eula, Esmeralda and Hector. I even loved Dominic in the end.
I adored this book, it’s a long read at 88,000 words and perfect for anyone who wants to sink into a story which consumes them. Don’t be put off Mercy’s books by warnings, romance can be messy, we don’t live in a chocolate box world of neat relationships and love can be a tricky, and a glorious wonderful beautiful mess, just like in Under a Crescent Moon.
Don’t miss this book, you’ll only pick it up eventually and go ‘now why didn’t I read this sooner!’
April 11, 2014
2.5 stars. The story wasn't bad, but I hated the characters. I don't honestly know that Xan and Taylor like each other, even once they decided to have a real relationship. They supposedly loved each other as teenagers, but I don't understand why they were so awful to each other through most of the book but kept sleeping together and why Xan kept letting Taylor off the hook. Maybe if I'd gotten a little more of what happened when they were teens before it jumped into them having sex then being mean to each other, things would have made more sense?! And Aunt Eula drove me nuts when she took Taylor's side. I don't understand why Eula and Taylor said he tried to explain Lenora and the baby to Xan, but he wouldn't listen. I don't remember him trying to explain. I do remember Taylor changing the subject and not wanting to talk about it. And if he did try after Xan moved on the Grimaldi, well then it was too little, too late anyway. I just don't understand why two people who've been so awful to each other would ever be together.
April 28, 2016
Well, this takes place in my very favorite city New Orleans. Taylor and Xander have known each other since they were young. Xan has loved Taylor forever. Taylor knows this, however the age difference is just too much. As a consequence he leaves to serve in the military. Taylor's been back for quite sometime, but he refuses to get involved with Xan. If you don't count that he watches Xan's restaurant every night to make sure Xan is safe.
So, I like this story even though it took awhile to like the characters. Now having said this, it felt like there were at least five, maybe more stories that were all meshed together. I wish that they had been delved into separately because there was enough going on for each to be a stand alone story. There is resolution, but it's costly for the reader because there was so much more this could be. I still recommend it, but it would have been nice as a series.
So, I like this story even though it took awhile to like the characters. Now having said this, it felt like there were at least five, maybe more stories that were all meshed together. I wish that they had been delved into separately because there was enough going on for each to be a stand alone story. There is resolution, but it's costly for the reader because there was so much more this could be. I still recommend it, but it would have been nice as a series.
September 24, 2016
Overall. not a bad story. There was just WAY too much going on. You had a murderer, Taylor and Xander's on and off again relationship, the HUGE mess that makes up the Big Misunderstanding (which would have been solved if Xander would have just sat his ass down and listened!!), magic, some out-of-the blue BDSM, and some other craziness. Yeah, it was that insane. For the most part, it worked. The murder story line really could have been left totally out. It was more of an afterthought than anything else for most of the book. The romance itself was great. Everything else was nuts.
November 25, 2013
Yeah... this book had some major issues.
Some bits seemed like bad erotica. And the relationships were all screwed up. And there was far too much angst. And nothing really made much sense. It was just a barrel of romance tropes all wrapped into one cover. Not something I can recommend, but it wasn't horrendous.
Some bits seemed like bad erotica. And the relationships were all screwed up. And there was far too much angst. And nothing really made much sense. It was just a barrel of romance tropes all wrapped into one cover. Not something I can recommend, but it wasn't horrendous.
dnf-not-4-me
October 11, 2014Uggg! I hate myself! I was unable to motivate myself to pick this up again, so I wasn't able to finish. It just wasn't working for me. But I do plan on trying again so it is going back into rotation for a future reading.
October 2, 2013
Simply fantastic! I was glued to the page. Wonderfully written with fully detailed characters. The supporting cast was just as well done. Loved the development of the story and the location of New Orleans. Just great!!
Completely agree with Rhys Ford's review. That really says it all!
Completely agree with Rhys Ford's review. That really says it all!
November 11, 2015
This was awful. The characters...*shakes head* The sheer amount of crap going on...*cries* The following is condensed from FOUR full-size notebook pages of ranting.
August 28, 2025
High in angst, lots of sexy times, and a touch of magic. Yes, there is a murder, but the key focus is the off-and-on relationship between Taylor and Xander. I actually was starting to tire of all the secrets and mis-communication, which lead to such a personality change in Xander. Overall, just an OK read.
October 13, 2015
I have mix feeling about this story. I am a fan of this author and she is one of my auto-buys. I love her complicated plots and her crazy characters, especially Levi/Liv from Sidelined, but Taylor and Xander were way over the top for me. I think it has more to do with the story and what happened to them after their first reunion.
For me, it's okay for characters to have a bumpy road to get together, but theirs seemed pointless. I didn't like the way the BDSM aspect was incorporated and how Xander's personality completely changed. The main reason the characters were separated was nothing else than a misunderstanding that could have been solved with a five minutes conversation. Plus, I think Dom needed some redemption. In the end, I'm not sure what happened with him.
All the elements for a great book are present, it's just the way they were put together that didn't work for me. Overall, a good book for a patience person, definitely, not me.
For me, it's okay for characters to have a bumpy road to get together, but theirs seemed pointless. I didn't like the way the BDSM aspect was incorporated and how Xander's personality completely changed. The main reason the characters were separated was nothing else than a misunderstanding that could have been solved with a five minutes conversation. Plus, I think Dom needed some redemption. In the end, I'm not sure what happened with him.
All the elements for a great book are present, it's just the way they were put together that didn't work for me. Overall, a good book for a patience person, definitely, not me.
June 26, 2014
Normally I really like Mercy Celeste' s novels but this one wasn't one of them. At first I didn't like either character Xander or Taylor but Xander grew on me and more than have way through the book I really felt sorry for him and all that he put himself through for the sake of love which to me even at the the end wasn't fully returned the way he deserved. This was someone who allowed himself to be drugged and abused by someone else just so he could forget about the love that wasn't returned. How messed up is that!?!?! To make matters worse Taylor found out what Xander was putting himself through and still did not come clean with his supposed feelings. This book just wasn't for me and I kept reading thinking it was going to get better because I hate to start something and totally give up. Just not a feel good one period.
September 6, 2016
So this book was all over the place for me. I liked the first part, I could see where things were going, and then I get that he was trying to make Taylor jealous but talk about personal safety. Then, it seems like out of the blue, it felt like it was just thrown in there for shock value. Taylor didn't try hard enough to talk to Xander and Xander didn't ever try hard enough to listen. Add to that some seriously unsafe sex, dubious cheating, head hopping, rushed ending and poor editing makes this only an ok read.
October 26, 2013
A bit disappointed. The story started out really well, had so much potential, but then lost me about halfway through when Xander did a 360 in personality and BDSM was introduced like a slap in the face, coming out of nowhere. Everything got mucked up after that. There were just too many things that didn't have to be included into the story, that convoluted the plot in a way that left me frowning and wondering what the hell happened. Could've really been a great story too, sigh...
July 23, 2015
3.5 stars. I love Mercy Celeste as a writer more than anyone in recent memory. And I really liked these characters. But when it takes me more than a few days to get through her book, I know there's a problem :( This one was too all over the place for me. The ups & downs and emotional twists & turns left me feeling dizzy instead of wanting more. I really loved the ending, but the getting there wasn't as enjoyable for me in this one.
January 10, 2016
Besides the unnecessary paranormal element, this book relies on unbelievably poor communication to keep the two MC's apart. Literally, a one sentence explanation from any number of characters that knew what was going on regarding the fiance would have cleared up the problem. Worse yet, the opportunities to give that explanation were so numerous it was ridiculous. Also, yet another stalker/killer book. Good writers can plot better than this and should.
June 18, 2016
When Xan's parents were killed in 9/11, he came to live with his Aunt. There he met Taylor. Several years older than him but he still feel in love with him.
So as not to give into temptation Taylor joins the Army when he is old enough but Xan never gets over his infatuation.
This story has many twists and turns which made it enjoyable for me to read.
Taylor and Xan had a few issues to work out towards their HEA but they made it in the end.
So as not to give into temptation Taylor joins the Army when he is old enough but Xan never gets over his infatuation.
This story has many twists and turns which made it enjoyable for me to read.
Taylor and Xan had a few issues to work out towards their HEA but they made it in the end.
July 27, 2017
An intriguing beginning but then everything seemed to explode and became over-the-top drama... Though I must say I have never read such a book where every possible plot device/genre element has been mixed in. Perhaps focusing on just a couple of them would have given more coherence and less frustration to the whole thing.
November 20, 2013
Not my type of book, too much angst, the Big Misunderstanding which was pointless, added in with the rape which the victim bailed his attacker out and gave him money to flee town and I was pretty much done. I'm fairly certain this will be the last Mercy Celeste book I read. There's too much unnecessary angst and the non-con is almost in every novel...yeah. Again, not my thing. YMMV.
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