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Touching the Moon #1
Touching the Moon
A gifted healer with a genetic secret and a haunted past, Julie Hastings takes her new veterinary degree to South Dakota hoping to bury memories of a physically abusive stepfather and un-protective mother. Although intending to lead a quiet life, she finds herself relentlessly pursued by two unwelcome suitors: the Chief of Police and a powerful member of the Sioux Indian Nation.
The man she chooses shatters her world-view. Her stepfather taught her that not all monsters run on four legs. Now Julie must face another truth—some beasts are good.
The man she chooses shatters her world-view. Her stepfather taught her that not all monsters run on four legs. Now Julie must face another truth—some beasts are good.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2012
52 people are currently reading
712 people want to read
About the author
Lisa M. Airey
3 books76 followersLisa has worked in the wine industry for 20 years, the most recent eight in education with the Society of Wine Educators and the French Wine Society.
In these roles, she has authored and/or edited wine study manuals and developed or expanded certification programs for the wine trade.
In her free-time, she writes fiction...naturally, with a glass of wine at the elbow.
She is a Maryland Master Gardener and puts that training into practice in her sizable vegetable garden. To assist her, she has recruited the services of a very helpful staff: two Chinese geese, two mini-Rex rabbits and 2,000 red wigglers (worms)…all of which are “master composters”. An adopted feral cat guards the perimeters and keeps the groundhogs at bay. She resides in Monkton, Maryland.
In these roles, she has authored and/or edited wine study manuals and developed or expanded certification programs for the wine trade.
In her free-time, she writes fiction...naturally, with a glass of wine at the elbow.
She is a Maryland Master Gardener and puts that training into practice in her sizable vegetable garden. To assist her, she has recruited the services of a very helpful staff: two Chinese geese, two mini-Rex rabbits and 2,000 red wigglers (worms)…all of which are “master composters”. An adopted feral cat guards the perimeters and keeps the groundhogs at bay. She resides in Monkton, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 16, 2015
Reminds me a bit of Patricia Briggs' books, the rich Native American traditions and culture in a very small town South Dakota setting.
The world building and pacing in the book was just the way I liked it!
The h was admirable, over coming a terrible childhood to become a vet, find her way in the world and make a place for herself in her new community - she wasn't perfect in many ways, she scared easy, but she worked hard, had fun, made friends, gave back to the community.
She also stood up for her friends, I loved the moment she took a bat to the car of the abusive dad. Wish there were more h's like her , not tstl , not in your face. She was just quietly strong, self- deprecating.
And Gray, he was just so patient, as alpha as he was he let h take her time to trust him, as opposed to the other wolves, he's so delish - quiet, massively strong but loveable, a fearsome protector. My new book boyfriend!!
The OM was also very much into the h, but I liked how this wasn't a proper love triangle. h pretty much told him early on that she was with H; hope in sequel OM meets someone special.
Plus the constant stalking danger, we're never sure till the end who's the villain, I thought it was well done and integrated into the story plus the violence is never gratuitous or excessive.
A very special PNR romance , a 5 star read, something like this doesn't come by too often!
The world building and pacing in the book was just the way I liked it!
The h was admirable, over coming a terrible childhood to become a vet, find her way in the world and make a place for herself in her new community - she wasn't perfect in many ways, she scared easy, but she worked hard, had fun, made friends, gave back to the community.
She also stood up for her friends, I loved the moment she took a bat to the car of the abusive dad. Wish there were more h's like her , not tstl , not in your face. She was just quietly strong, self- deprecating.
And Gray, he was just so patient, as alpha as he was he let h take her time to trust him, as opposed to the other wolves, he's so delish - quiet, massively strong but loveable, a fearsome protector. My new book boyfriend!!
The OM was also very much into the h, but I liked how this wasn't a proper love triangle. h pretty much told him early on that she was with H; hope in sequel OM meets someone special.
Plus the constant stalking danger, we're never sure till the end who's the villain, I thought it was well done and integrated into the story plus the violence is never gratuitous or excessive.
A very special PNR romance , a 5 star read, something like this doesn't come by too often!
April 13, 2015
My first book by author Lisa M. Airey and I am eagerly awaiting the release of book 2 "Touched by the Moon".
The story begins with Julie Hastings graduating college with a degree in veterinary medicine, she takes all that she owns packs it into a used car and drives off to South Dakota, where she has accepted a position as the new Veterinarian. It is a small town in South Dakota in the city of Fallston, where everyone knows each other, some people have left to go live in bigger cities while most have stayed behind. Clearly Julie has some people wondering about what would make a young woman come all the way from Virginia to out to their town but all Julie wants to do is her job and be the best at what she can be.
Officer Dan Keating meets Julie first as she stopped to give her car a rest lest it overheats, he welcomes her to the town and along with Officer Elliot they lead her to her new home, just a perfect police escort. Upon her arrival she goes into the animal clinic to meet her new boss and coworker. On her first day, an older gentleman brings in a wounded wolf, Julie jumps right into action taking care of him and nursing him back to health. One day while Julie was out on a hike, the same wolf that she treated came up to her, at first she was frightened but realized the wolf had no intentions whatsoever of harming her. Thus a friendship grows between Julie and her wolf.
Its not easy for Julie to trust, she was a victim of severe child abuse from her step father and her mother did absolutely nothing. Thus causing Julie to flee and never return, she trust animals way more than humans so that is why it wasn't strange to her that she has a wolf for a friend. But as the story begins to progress we see not only is the wolf constantly with her when she is hiking but she has met a mountain of a man by the name of Gray Walker, who rescues her while she was out hiking. The sheer force and size of him scares Julie witless but after a course of events and time, Julie realizes that he is a gentle giant and he happens to be very sweet on her.
Gray Walker and Officer Dan Keating had one sole purpose and that was to become the husband of Julie Hastings. Both men will try and convince Julie how they are the better man to win her hand. Who exactly will be the better man for Julie? And why? Both men have very admirable qualities, both are stand up, love the law, love their town and love their people. Only one man will get to claim Julie Hastings.
This story had everything you are looking for in a great book. Love triangle, murder, mystery, paranormal, family. There is a whole Sioux ceremony that was fascinating to read about. I need to point your attention to this, there was no sex for a good part of the book and you know what? It was not only fine but the story still flowed like a river going down the stream. The secondary characters were just as pivotal to this story, they brought just as much life to it as the main characters did.
There were such great twists and turns here, somethings I didn't see coming at all LOL!! It left me shocked and amazed that I didn't catch it. There is a painful scene of child abuse that unleashes Julie's wrath like Zeus. Honestly any further into this review I am apt to tell spoilers so I definitely don't want to do that. What I do want you to do is read this great story and get ready to purchase book 2 once its released.
Well Until My Next Review Ciao Bellas!
The story begins with Julie Hastings graduating college with a degree in veterinary medicine, she takes all that she owns packs it into a used car and drives off to South Dakota, where she has accepted a position as the new Veterinarian. It is a small town in South Dakota in the city of Fallston, where everyone knows each other, some people have left to go live in bigger cities while most have stayed behind. Clearly Julie has some people wondering about what would make a young woman come all the way from Virginia to out to their town but all Julie wants to do is her job and be the best at what she can be.
Officer Dan Keating meets Julie first as she stopped to give her car a rest lest it overheats, he welcomes her to the town and along with Officer Elliot they lead her to her new home, just a perfect police escort. Upon her arrival she goes into the animal clinic to meet her new boss and coworker. On her first day, an older gentleman brings in a wounded wolf, Julie jumps right into action taking care of him and nursing him back to health. One day while Julie was out on a hike, the same wolf that she treated came up to her, at first she was frightened but realized the wolf had no intentions whatsoever of harming her. Thus a friendship grows between Julie and her wolf.
Its not easy for Julie to trust, she was a victim of severe child abuse from her step father and her mother did absolutely nothing. Thus causing Julie to flee and never return, she trust animals way more than humans so that is why it wasn't strange to her that she has a wolf for a friend. But as the story begins to progress we see not only is the wolf constantly with her when she is hiking but she has met a mountain of a man by the name of Gray Walker, who rescues her while she was out hiking. The sheer force and size of him scares Julie witless but after a course of events and time, Julie realizes that he is a gentle giant and he happens to be very sweet on her.
Gray Walker and Officer Dan Keating had one sole purpose and that was to become the husband of Julie Hastings. Both men will try and convince Julie how they are the better man to win her hand. Who exactly will be the better man for Julie? And why? Both men have very admirable qualities, both are stand up, love the law, love their town and love their people. Only one man will get to claim Julie Hastings.
This story had everything you are looking for in a great book. Love triangle, murder, mystery, paranormal, family. There is a whole Sioux ceremony that was fascinating to read about. I need to point your attention to this, there was no sex for a good part of the book and you know what? It was not only fine but the story still flowed like a river going down the stream. The secondary characters were just as pivotal to this story, they brought just as much life to it as the main characters did.
There were such great twists and turns here, somethings I didn't see coming at all LOL!! It left me shocked and amazed that I didn't catch it. There is a painful scene of child abuse that unleashes Julie's wrath like Zeus. Honestly any further into this review I am apt to tell spoilers so I definitely don't want to do that. What I do want you to do is read this great story and get ready to purchase book 2 once its released.
Well Until My Next Review Ciao Bellas!
April 18, 2015
I really, really enjoyed this book. The heroine is engaging, the dialogue is fantastic and the sexual tension has you starting the next chapter even though you SWORE you'd only read "just another five pages!" And while the book has its fair share of drama, it is an utterly uplifting and feel-good kind of book. It warms you up from the inside out. Highly recommended.
November 11, 2020
Julie Hastings doesn't really know what lies ahead of her, but anything's better than the life she's running from. The more miles she puts between herself and the stepfather who used her as a punching bag while her mother turned a blind eye, the better. And nowhere, South Dakota, seems like a good enough place to start.
At once, she's charmed by the town. The people there are kind and welcoming, her veterinary job is rewarding, and she's managed to catch the eye of Dan Keating, the handsome police chief who talks her into a few dates. There's even a wolf that seems to have adopted her, accompanying her on hikes and sometimes showing up at her front door, never posing a threat and always ready to protect her. Only her wolf isn't there when a hike through the wilderness lands her in the path of Gray Walker, an imposing Sioux whose sheer size is enough to terrify her. And while Dan warns her away from him, Gray just keeps showing up, always there to lend a hand when she needs it most.
But the cozy little cottage house she's renting isn't the only stuff of fairy tales in the unassuming little town of Fallston.
It's been a long, long time -- years, in fact -- since I voluntarily picked up a paranormal story of the wolf variety. Like vampires, the whole shape shifter thing seemed tired, too often used to add some flair of danger to an otherwise run of the mill romance, and I'd more or less given up on the whole subgenre. But for some reason that doesn't even make sense to me, I kept looking at the cover of this one, thinking maybe, just maybe... So I stepped out of my hermit cave and contacted another human being. Crazy, I know. As for how that turned out...
Um...wow. Touching the Moon was nothing I expected and everything I wanted, if that makes any sense. And holy @#$%&*!, what a way to start the story! I love it when authors find a good way to draw me in immediately rather than put me through a long, detailed description of the character's morning routine or whatever, but this one just might be the best opening scene I've read yet. Oh, but there's more!
The character development is uncommonly complete. So many stories wrap the hero and heroine in a little bubble, with other characters haphazardly tossed around in the background for little more than comic relief or dramatic misunderstandings, but in Touching the Moon, we're fully introduced to more than just the ones who will be riding off into the sunset together. From Julie's coworkers to the guys in the band to the boys on the baseball team, there's a full cast of characters that are anything but two dimensional. And while Julie may be unexpectedly caught in a bit of a love triangle, neither of her suitors is so ridiculously perfect that the choice is obvious, even to the reader
The romance is a slow, subtle build. Julie isn't the most trusting of women, but her past abuse isn't a crutch or an excuse she uses to be fickle. It's mentioned, it's clear it still affects her, and yet it doesn't define her. Both Dan and Gray seem to be good men, either of which she could probably have a nice, long happily-ever-after with, but she takes her time, takes their feelings seriously, and just tries to move forward. The potential relationships with both men are so believable that I started wondering if I even had it figured out, and by the time she seemed to lean toward a one of them, I half-expected a plot twist to push her in the other direction.
What struck me most, though, is how well and fully the story is told. There's no rush to explain every mystery too soon, no foreshadowing so heavily dealt that the conclusion is easily guessed. It's clear that this author knows exactly how and when to deliver more. But while the other details and subplots could have easily become dull filler, they simply added to the charm of the entire tale. I was honestly surprised when I realized how far into the story I was, still absolutely hooked, and without a clue what was going to happen next. Even the paranormal aspect was more... well, it was just more. It was traditional and new at the same time, with a fresh and somewhat frightening adult aspect thrown in that I didn't expect at all. And yet its delivery, like the rest of the story, was so perfectly timed that it surprised me just as much as it did Julie.
I could probably go on and on and on, but what's the point in that? The story is a hell of a lot better than anything I can describe here, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself. I was lucky enough to notice it on a book tour and even luckier that the author gifted the ebook to me to read since our schedule was too full to fit it in during the tour dates. But now that I know what's behind that mysteriously simple cover, you can bet I'll be lined up for the sequel.
At once, she's charmed by the town. The people there are kind and welcoming, her veterinary job is rewarding, and she's managed to catch the eye of Dan Keating, the handsome police chief who talks her into a few dates. There's even a wolf that seems to have adopted her, accompanying her on hikes and sometimes showing up at her front door, never posing a threat and always ready to protect her. Only her wolf isn't there when a hike through the wilderness lands her in the path of Gray Walker, an imposing Sioux whose sheer size is enough to terrify her. And while Dan warns her away from him, Gray just keeps showing up, always there to lend a hand when she needs it most.
But the cozy little cottage house she's renting isn't the only stuff of fairy tales in the unassuming little town of Fallston.
It's been a long, long time -- years, in fact -- since I voluntarily picked up a paranormal story of the wolf variety. Like vampires, the whole shape shifter thing seemed tired, too often used to add some flair of danger to an otherwise run of the mill romance, and I'd more or less given up on the whole subgenre. But for some reason that doesn't even make sense to me, I kept looking at the cover of this one, thinking maybe, just maybe... So I stepped out of my hermit cave and contacted another human being. Crazy, I know. As for how that turned out...
Um...wow. Touching the Moon was nothing I expected and everything I wanted, if that makes any sense. And holy @#$%&*!, what a way to start the story! I love it when authors find a good way to draw me in immediately rather than put me through a long, detailed description of the character's morning routine or whatever, but this one just might be the best opening scene I've read yet. Oh, but there's more!
The character development is uncommonly complete. So many stories wrap the hero and heroine in a little bubble, with other characters haphazardly tossed around in the background for little more than comic relief or dramatic misunderstandings, but in Touching the Moon, we're fully introduced to more than just the ones who will be riding off into the sunset together. From Julie's coworkers to the guys in the band to the boys on the baseball team, there's a full cast of characters that are anything but two dimensional. And while Julie may be unexpectedly caught in a bit of a love triangle, neither of her suitors is so ridiculously perfect that the choice is obvious, even to the reader
The romance is a slow, subtle build. Julie isn't the most trusting of women, but her past abuse isn't a crutch or an excuse she uses to be fickle. It's mentioned, it's clear it still affects her, and yet it doesn't define her. Both Dan and Gray seem to be good men, either of which she could probably have a nice, long happily-ever-after with, but she takes her time, takes their feelings seriously, and just tries to move forward. The potential relationships with both men are so believable that I started wondering if I even had it figured out, and by the time she seemed to lean toward a one of them, I half-expected a plot twist to push her in the other direction.
What struck me most, though, is how well and fully the story is told. There's no rush to explain every mystery too soon, no foreshadowing so heavily dealt that the conclusion is easily guessed. It's clear that this author knows exactly how and when to deliver more. But while the other details and subplots could have easily become dull filler, they simply added to the charm of the entire tale. I was honestly surprised when I realized how far into the story I was, still absolutely hooked, and without a clue what was going to happen next. Even the paranormal aspect was more... well, it was just more. It was traditional and new at the same time, with a fresh and somewhat frightening adult aspect thrown in that I didn't expect at all. And yet its delivery, like the rest of the story, was so perfectly timed that it surprised me just as much as it did Julie.
I could probably go on and on and on, but what's the point in that? The story is a hell of a lot better than anything I can describe here, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself. I was lucky enough to notice it on a book tour and even luckier that the author gifted the ebook to me to read since our schedule was too full to fit it in during the tour dates. But now that I know what's behind that mysteriously simple cover, you can bet I'll be lined up for the sequel.
January 1, 2020
I enjoyed this paranormal romance/suspense story. Some of the world building felt a bit cliche but there was also lots of interesting references to some of the indigenous people to the Dakotas.
July 5, 2015
SPOILERS
This book was a very sweet romance. The kind that leaves you with an overall good feeling. Picking it apart makes me feel like a mean girl, but there were a lot of problems with it.
Julie the main character had a lot of Mary Sue qualities but somehow I could not dislike her for it, because she was just a really kind person.
There was a love triangle of sorts, but there was never any doubt as to who she would end up with. Both of the men were very non-abusive great guys.
The biggest problem I had with this was that so many of what should have been very major events were either glossed over or treated like afterthoughts. There is an engagement that is only revealed as the groom to be announces it to his rival, followed by a marriage but no experiencing the wedding. There is a pregnancy but we don't get to experience Julie telling her husband about it. There is a very big deal ceremony where members of the Sioux Nation invite non native Americans to become family, but the explanation of what to expect at the ceremony is more detailed than the actual ceremony itself. The sexual tension builds and builds and the husband to be makes no secret about what passionate lovers his kind are, but the love scene when it finally happens is fade to black. This normally doesn't bother me if it's the only thing left out, but in this book, every major milestone is missing.
This book was a very sweet romance. The kind that leaves you with an overall good feeling. Picking it apart makes me feel like a mean girl, but there were a lot of problems with it.
Julie the main character had a lot of Mary Sue qualities but somehow I could not dislike her for it, because she was just a really kind person.
There was a love triangle of sorts, but there was never any doubt as to who she would end up with. Both of the men were very non-abusive great guys.
The biggest problem I had with this was that so many of what should have been very major events were either glossed over or treated like afterthoughts. There is an engagement that is only revealed as the groom to be announces it to his rival, followed by a marriage but no experiencing the wedding. There is a pregnancy but we don't get to experience Julie telling her husband about it. There is a very big deal ceremony where members of the Sioux Nation invite non native Americans to become family, but the explanation of what to expect at the ceremony is more detailed than the actual ceremony itself. The sexual tension builds and builds and the husband to be makes no secret about what passionate lovers his kind are, but the love scene when it finally happens is fade to black. This normally doesn't bother me if it's the only thing left out, but in this book, every major milestone is missing.
June 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this story. It's very character driven and takes place in a small town in South Dakota.
The hero and heroine spend a lot of time getting to know each other. It was a wonderful, slow build up to the romance. The hero woos her, and gets to know her. It was adorable.
The werewolf part of the story is a small thread and mostly relates to the mystery of who is killing the women.
The book blurb mentions it is a love triangle, but I disagree. The heroine is not dating anyone and in fact makes sure everyone knows they are just friends and she does not want anything more.
I know I'll re-read this story.
The hero and heroine spend a lot of time getting to know each other. It was a wonderful, slow build up to the romance. The hero woos her, and gets to know her. It was adorable.
The werewolf part of the story is a small thread and mostly relates to the mystery of who is killing the women.
The book blurb mentions it is a love triangle, but I disagree. The heroine is not dating anyone and in fact makes sure everyone knows they are just friends and she does not want anything more.
I know I'll re-read this story.
January 7, 2013
This quick, fast-paced read is definitely a page-turner. Julie is a lovable, strong protagonist, and the characters are really memorable. Humor in the dialogue breaks up the dramatic action scenes. Chapter after chapter, there's never a dull moment in Julie's new "quiet" town in South Dakota. And not normally one for paranormal romance, I couldn't put it down. There's a perfect balance between action, romance, mystery and comic relief. If you're looking for a fun, thrilling read, I'd definitely recommend it!
October 3, 2024
Touching the Moon is a very sweet paranormal romance with extraodinary well developed characters.
Julie Hastings' quiet strength is adorable.
Dan and Gray are her very alpha male suitors and it is fun to see how each of them tries to win Julie over. There is also a bad guy in the picture – so, fans of action won’t get bored either.
I really liked the love story in this book.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Julie Hastings' quiet strength is adorable.
Dan and Gray are her very alpha male suitors and it is fun to see how each of them tries to win Julie over. There is also a bad guy in the picture – so, fans of action won’t get bored either.
I really liked the love story in this book.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
May 21, 2013
Not usually a fan of paranormals...but I got into this one before I realized...glad I did...2 thumbs up...looking forward to more from this author!
August 14, 2024
August 13, 2024 (Libby ebook)
This was a different kind of werewolf romance book. And I enjoyed it. However, the reason this doesn’t have 5 stars is that I felt left out of some moments. The author moved through time very quickly and decided to leave out key moments that me as the reader wished I got to read. Everything felt so sudden. Overall it was good. I wouldn’t recommend though. And I don’t feel the need to reread.
This was a different kind of werewolf romance book. And I enjoyed it. However, the reason this doesn’t have 5 stars is that I felt left out of some moments. The author moved through time very quickly and decided to leave out key moments that me as the reader wished I got to read. Everything felt so sudden. Overall it was good. I wouldn’t recommend though. And I don’t feel the need to reread.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2020
<2
I'm not sure what this book is about and I can't find it in me to really like the heroine. I do feel some empathy but not really understanding. She's an alien to me. But then so are the other main characters.
I'm not sure what this book is about and I can't find it in me to really like the heroine. I do feel some empathy but not really understanding. She's an alien to me. But then so are the other main characters.
June 6, 2013
More of a 4.5 stars or something similar. :)
I enjoyed this book very much - I liked the characters and how they were *real*. With real I mean they had their good sides and not so good sides, just as every human has. Everyone makes mistakes or overreacts and when a character in a book does just that, it usually makes them more real and vivid than a character who always reacts perfectly, never struggles, etc. It makes the characters come to life - at least to me. :)
I liked how Julie got to turn her life around, out of her own will and strength, and how she found a real new home, and also love and people who truly care for her. Also how she struggled to let people into her life, and then of course also with what she found out about *her* wolf. She's a strong person who got through a lot and who wasn't waiting for anyone to come running to save her - she is capable of doing her own saving. It was nice to see however that she learnt to trust and see that being with someone is a good thing - and that she doesn't lose power over her own life with that. She made her own decisions - good.
I really liked the native Indian part of the story, both wolf or not :)
And of course liked how Gray treated her, was patient and yet strong. And yeah, I was rooting for him, so yay! LOL
There are other interesting characters and I'd love to see how they will fare in a next book! :)
And then there's the suspense... uuuuuh. Up until the very last pages.
I'm not going to say much more than that it was very suspense suspense. ;D
Looking forward to a sequel, please!
I enjoyed this book very much - I liked the characters and how they were *real*. With real I mean they had their good sides and not so good sides, just as every human has. Everyone makes mistakes or overreacts and when a character in a book does just that, it usually makes them more real and vivid than a character who always reacts perfectly, never struggles, etc. It makes the characters come to life - at least to me. :)
I liked how Julie got to turn her life around, out of her own will and strength, and how she found a real new home, and also love and people who truly care for her. Also how she struggled to let people into her life, and then of course also with what she found out about *her* wolf. She's a strong person who got through a lot and who wasn't waiting for anyone to come running to save her - she is capable of doing her own saving. It was nice to see however that she learnt to trust and see that being with someone is a good thing - and that she doesn't lose power over her own life with that. She made her own decisions - good.
I really liked the native Indian part of the story, both wolf or not :)
And of course liked how Gray treated her, was patient and yet strong. And yeah, I was rooting for him, so yay! LOL
There are other interesting characters and I'd love to see how they will fare in a next book! :)
And then there's the suspense... uuuuuh. Up until the very last pages.
I'm not going to say much more than that it was very suspense suspense. ;D
Looking forward to a sequel, please!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2013
I really enjoyed reading Touching the Moon. The author drew me in from the first page... actually from the cover. (The cover is just beautiful!)
The story line was exciting. Julie moves to a new small town which is a real culture shock from city life in Virginia! She struggles to fit in at first but ends up drawing the attention of suitors as a result of a series of misadventures. The author kept me guessing right until the end. And what an ending it is!
I kind of felt bad for the main character because from the start of the book she just had one unfortunate event occur after another. She starts out feeling like an outsider in the town only to soon find herself getting way too much attention... especially from the police chief and a sketchy man from the Sioux Indian Nation. The author takes us through Julie's experiences and it is really cool to see her transformation from the beginning of the book to the end.
Touching the Moon has passion, seduction, love, intrigue, danger, and (best of all) wolves.
The story line was exciting. Julie moves to a new small town which is a real culture shock from city life in Virginia! She struggles to fit in at first but ends up drawing the attention of suitors as a result of a series of misadventures. The author kept me guessing right until the end. And what an ending it is!
I kind of felt bad for the main character because from the start of the book she just had one unfortunate event occur after another. She starts out feeling like an outsider in the town only to soon find herself getting way too much attention... especially from the police chief and a sketchy man from the Sioux Indian Nation. The author takes us through Julie's experiences and it is really cool to see her transformation from the beginning of the book to the end.
Touching the Moon has passion, seduction, love, intrigue, danger, and (best of all) wolves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2013
This was a complete and utterly delightful surprise. I picked this up for free on Amazon and I'm almost sorry I didn't have to pay for it, because it was definitely worth the investment. It was well edited, with a strong plot and really compelling characters that sucked me in from the first few pages. At times the pace was a little slow, but the slower pace really worked in this case, a character driven novel. It was actually a nice break from the typical paranormal mystery type where the heroine is constantly being bombarded with action scene after action scene. The romance here was a slow progression with the sweetest hero I've read in a while, and the actions of the main and secondary characters seemed realistic and believable.
I won't give a synopsis, because I feel the one provided in the book description pretty much sums it up, and this is the kind of book you need to take your time discovering anyway. I will definitely be looking for more from this author. Now on my favorites list. Loved it!
I won't give a synopsis, because I feel the one provided in the book description pretty much sums it up, and this is the kind of book you need to take your time discovering anyway. I will definitely be looking for more from this author. Now on my favorites list. Loved it!
September 20, 2013
I'm a big fan of romantic suspense, and Touching the Moon packed it in every which way. Not a bit of tiring detail or drawn out plot, the author takes us from hit to action to twist. I like to guess what will happen next, and although I often got part right, there was always some unexpected development that took me pleasantly by surprise--even to the very end. The paranormal was a side aspect of simple, great plotting. I recommend this book to people who like equal measures romance and suspense.
January 4, 2014
This was a delightful read with unexpected depth. It seduces you with a lyrical style to the prose, one does not expect to find in romantic fiction. The author captured the essence of beauty that exists in a wounded soul searching for peace. There was never a moment of suspending my disbelief, from the start I was drawn in to the story and the utter honesty of the characters.
The love story is a slow glide in learning to trust again & the leap of faith one takes in order to let go & not be defined by the past.
This book shows the start of a promising series and a talented writer.
The love story is a slow glide in learning to trust again & the leap of faith one takes in order to let go & not be defined by the past.
This book shows the start of a promising series and a talented writer.
January 31, 2013
I won a copy of Touching the Moon through Goodreads First Reads. However, I would definitely have purchased this if I had not won. From page one, the reader is immediately sucked into the story. There is a little bit of everything: action, adventure, romance, fantasy.... I actually read the last hundred or so pages in one sitting because I couldn't put the book down! I can't wait for the sequel!
January 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The author did a good job building a background for the main characters with just enough tension between them to keep me turning the pages. I enjoyed the way the author created a new life for Julie and how she found out that love and families can be found in unconventional ways,and strength isn't necessarily about force, but about patience and perseverence.
December 30, 2013
I enjoyed this book. At times it seemed to go on and on........and it had lots of details that I found to be irrelevant, but overall, it was still a great addition to the paranormal romance genre. I tend to like more erotic type paranormal reads, and this had none of that. It was a much cleaner read then I normally enjoy, but still quite enjoyable.
June 2, 2013
I really enjoyed Touching the Moon and cannot wait for the sequel to come out. The characters are well developed and once you get into the story, you won't want to put the book down.
November 3, 2013
great read! I enjoyed reading it very much: it was compelling, interesting and touching! also liked the Sioux story line. I had minor issues but still recommend this book to anyone who likes wolves:)
November 5, 2013
Not for me. Barely worth a 2 in the storytelling style. Very simplistic, immature 'telling'. Many pertinent event were glossed over or just relayed to rush the story along.
July 21, 2019
Still a better love story than twilight.
This would very much be on the same supernatural romance shelf though. We have a young woman from east coast America who moves to a small town in the midwest to escape her abusive family. She ends up being chased, hounded and repeatly force-fed alcohol (this really happens, and yes it's weird) by a variety of predatory men, all of whose attention she seems to actually quite enjoy for some reason. And yes, some of them are werewolves, so there is the uncomfortable undercurrent of bestiality running through the whole thing, where our main character is sleeping in bed with a wolf. Despite that, the rest of the novel is filled with what appear to be some of the more unpleasant American attitudes to life- the weirdly conservative and pseudo-Catholic ideas that women are men's property, that marriage is the ultimate commitment and binds people on some deep soul-level, that unborn children are actual people yet, that sort of thing. Plus the seeming deep shame of any actual sexual activity leaves us in the odd, classy-erotica level where people hold hands and gently caress each other, before falling asleep next to each other in a totally platonic way. It's very strange in what clearly otherwise wants to be a romance novel.
The concept of werewolves can provide a great arena for exploring aspects of humanity, and masculinity in particular. I'm note sure here if Airey is using this allegory intentionally or not. If not, it's strangely naive and missing the opportunity. If so, it's really weak (as you can probably tell given that I'm not sure!) and fails to draw any interesting points.
Still though, this is a very earnest book that clearly had a lot of passion put in to it, just somewhat unsuccesfully. It's certainly not offensively bad, like some books I've read recently. Just not for me.
This would very much be on the same supernatural romance shelf though. We have a young woman from east coast America who moves to a small town in the midwest to escape her abusive family. She ends up being chased, hounded and repeatly force-fed alcohol (this really happens, and yes it's weird) by a variety of predatory men, all of whose attention she seems to actually quite enjoy for some reason. And yes, some of them are werewolves, so there is the uncomfortable undercurrent of bestiality running through the whole thing, where our main character is sleeping in bed with a wolf. Despite that, the rest of the novel is filled with what appear to be some of the more unpleasant American attitudes to life- the weirdly conservative and pseudo-Catholic ideas that women are men's property, that marriage is the ultimate commitment and binds people on some deep soul-level, that unborn children are actual people yet, that sort of thing. Plus the seeming deep shame of any actual sexual activity leaves us in the odd, classy-erotica level where people hold hands and gently caress each other, before falling asleep next to each other in a totally platonic way. It's very strange in what clearly otherwise wants to be a romance novel.
The concept of werewolves can provide a great arena for exploring aspects of humanity, and masculinity in particular. I'm note sure here if Airey is using this allegory intentionally or not. If not, it's strangely naive and missing the opportunity. If so, it's really weak (as you can probably tell given that I'm not sure!) and fails to draw any interesting points.
Still though, this is a very earnest book that clearly had a lot of passion put in to it, just somewhat unsuccesfully. It's certainly not offensively bad, like some books I've read recently. Just not for me.
November 27, 2024
The book moved through time quite quickly and I would've preferred if there was some kind of break in the text to differentiate new scenes (different settings and points in time all happened without any kind of separation).
There were several errors that should've been easily caught in editing (for example, "Sara McLachlan" instead of "Sarah McLachlan", "felt badly" instead of "felt bad").
The two men who are vying for the main character's affection are written as extremely predatory, coercive, and possessive. I'm not sure if their actions were meant to be endearing but they made me feel uncomfortable throughout.
Also, the book is written with a sexist tone. One example of this was the description of a man who was "screaming like a girl."
There were several errors that should've been easily caught in editing (for example, "Sara McLachlan" instead of "Sarah McLachlan", "felt badly" instead of "felt bad").
The two men who are vying for the main character's affection are written as extremely predatory, coercive, and possessive. I'm not sure if their actions were meant to be endearing but they made me feel uncomfortable throughout.
Also, the book is written with a sexist tone. One example of this was the description of a man who was "screaming like a girl."
August 24, 2024
Wowzer
a what an amazing storyline. I loved the characters, the setting. I'm a true believer in the Souix ways and spiritually. They paranormal part I pretty well put together early on. I only wish I could be true, I'd love to meet a man like Grey an live in a town like Fallston. I can never give away to much when I write a review as I will get to detailed and give it all away. I can only say if you love a good love story with a few unexpected twists, some truly genuine people the world needs more of and a HEA...this is definitely a book to read.
I hope she keeps writing or turns this into series.
a what an amazing storyline. I loved the characters, the setting. I'm a true believer in the Souix ways and spiritually. They paranormal part I pretty well put together early on. I only wish I could be true, I'd love to meet a man like Grey an live in a town like Fallston. I can never give away to much when I write a review as I will get to detailed and give it all away. I can only say if you love a good love story with a few unexpected twists, some truly genuine people the world needs more of and a HEA...this is definitely a book to read.
I hope she keeps writing or turns this into series.
December 4, 2024
This was the first time reading this author, and it is a book I would have normally overlooked, however, I am glad I did not. I really enjoyed this book and it was one of those books that just sticks with you. The author does an excellent job portraying Gray and Julie. I think I had a harder time trying to get to know Dan, but I think that may be partially because of how the story goes. You can guess a lot of what happens just by reading the book summary, but it doesn’t spoil the book. I can’t wait to read book two of this series.
October 1, 2024
This story is about Julie Hastings and Gray Walker was awesome! Julie is a new Veterinary doctor running as far as she can get from her very abusive stepfather. She lands in South Dakota with an interview for a vet. She is finally on her own and working to fit in. Here comes police chief Dan and Gray a native American two men vying for Julie's attention. Very good book want to read the second book!
September 2, 2025
Story was interesting, but the editor was apparently not up to the task at all -- so many errors. Lots of telling instead of showing, and the much of the dialogue was awkward and didn't sound how real people speak at all. The love triangle thing went on for way too long when she was letting Dan feel her up when she had already said she was in a couple with Gray -- what?? Lots of cringey moments. This could have used a lot of refining before publication.
September 17, 2024
I could tell this was the novel of a first time writer. The story is not bad, I did want to see how it was going to end, but the writing itself could use some work. I don’t like it when the author tells instead of shows - we’re told that the main characters are in love, but we’re not being shown how or why they fall in love.
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