Rachel Brackett arrives in Sullivan, Montana with simple goals: relocate, settle an estate, and manage her own antique store. Her parents and friends back home called it running away. That’s just fine with her.
Rachel’s curiosity leads her into the forest, and she finds creatures who know more about her ominous heritage than she does. The creatures only exist in nightmares – grotesque mutants and shapeshifters. They seek vengeance for hideous crimes in genetic engineering, and Rachel is the prime target for retribution. While Rachel searches for the truth behind the family she never knew, a bounty hunter stalks her every move. Only Leonardo, a figure shrouded in the shadows, offers protection. A were lion with the perfect blend of human and feline features. Terrifying. Impossible. Alluring.
When Rachel’s home is ripped apart and a friend attacked, it’s clear there is no safe haven. She is no longer running from her past, but trying to survive to make it to her future.
RM Alexander is an author of Sweet / Clean Romances that are sometimes contemporary, sometimes paranormal or suspense, but are always ruled by the heart of true romance.
With characters who look for love in wrong places and are victims of the worse kind of betrayals while fighting for what they want and believe in, RM's novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.
When she's not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and fans.
I would have given this one 3 1/2 stars. I really liked the suspense and surprising twists that were found between the pages of this book.Romance is the one thing that would make this book better. I have high hopes there may be more of it in future books.
I should warn, if you are looking for scenes that are hot and sweaty, you won't find them. The most romantic action is a kiss on the cheek.
The type of characters were interesting to say the least.
I feel a lot of sympathy and compassion for the torrents and for Rachel as well. I was intrigued by the characters and their circumstances.
I am eager to find out more about Rachel, her grandparents, Telov, and of course the torrents too. I also can't help but feel there is something suspicious going on with Emma and Todd.
This was a great start to a series full of intrigue, shifters, secrets, deceit, cover ups, and much much more.
I don't want to give too much away but I will say that if you like shifters, you should read this one.
I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rachel's husband dies in the military and her life takes a drastic turn. When she inherits from her grandmother (whom she has never met , with good reason I think ) she sees a chance for a fresh start away from the memories.
Rachel years to Sullivan with clear goals in mind but dear Rachel comes face to face with a lot more than she bargained for. It seems Granny and grandpa were genetic engineers and as is with most things that are immoral and illegal , they attracted the attention of unsavoury characters .
It would seem the old folk weren't the cotton candy kind of people , they were more likely to lace your truffles with arsenic .
Lucky for Rachel one of her grandparent's creations is on her side and tries to protect her as much as he can.
Veil of Secrecy was enjoyable and with all the whackos we have in the world today , who knows , it may not be too far from the truth
One of the best romance books I read in a very long time! You have romance, shifters, suspense and a twist of thriller all in one! A must read. Rachel Brackett just lost her husband and became a heiress all at once.She decides to move away from her memories of her life with her husband. She moves to Sullivan where she inherited a house from her late grandmother. where she meets unbelievable character Leonardo and his family of Torrents. Creatures who were created in a lab by her grandparents. Rachel and Leonardo start as friends but she is hunted by a bounty hunter who is out to get Leonardo because he is a natural shifter. This is an excellent book. All great genre rolled into one! I can't wait for book 2 in this series! Excellent job RM Alexander.
This paranormal story is unlike anything I've read before. It has so many twist that it keeps you glued until you finish the book. Yes I finished it in one day because it's that good. The flow of this story is what keeps you reading plus the unique characters that pop up a long the way. Can't wait to see what happens with these characters in the next book. I love that this story is clean and the romance tugs at your heart.
Possible spoilers in this review. I wanted very much to enjoy this story, but one theme kept popping into my head while reading it. "Beauty And The Beast". The original series and the current remake. Was this story supposed to be fan fiction?
Rachel Brackett is on the run. With her soldier husband now dead, she moves to Montana to live and fix up her deceased grandparents’ mansion. She also wants to fix up a small forefront in town. Helped by a lovely couple, she is soon jarred when a creepy man seems to be following her. Then things really start to spiral out of control. At the mansion, she discovers secrets regarding her grandparents’ house and their former livelihood: covert genetic experiments between animals and humans.
Horrified, she also finds out there’s a target on her head¬¬––but by whom? As danger closes in on her, she begins to rely more and more on an unlikely savior: a half man, half animal experiment. Along with lovely, extremely well written descriptions, the author also had me turning those pages, wondering how the story would actually end. Highly recommended!
Different type of book than I usually read. Loved the mystery and the hook that makes you want to read the rest of the series. First time I read from this author and she dazzled me. Will but some more of her books
A sweet and romantic version of beauty and the beast. I had a hard time putting this down, anxious to know how Rachel would reconcile her two separate lives. Well done!
I thought this book was very interesting with a different twist. The author gives you some really heartbreaking scenes, betrayal no doubt of the worse kind along with starting over. It is never easy to start over when your love one has been killed. For it to happen why in the military to a almost new bride goes beyond the call of duty. I have always said the spouse serve our country just as the ones at war. This book shows that over again, what do you do when it feels like everyone is against you, his family blames you for his death, your military friends are no longer your friends. You pack up and go where? Home? There isn’t anything waiting there for you, with nowhere to go or run to lick her wounds Rachel decides to go to the one place she has never been. The grandmother she has never met left her a big estate. Everything, money, a big house and a note that said I am sorry. The mystery begins as Rachel starts over rebuilding her life. What she finds is life might not be as safe as she goes into the forest, she feel something there she is afraid, then it attacks, something or someone comes along, she passes out and wakes to a voice that said do not be afraid I will not hurt you, you are safe. She sees nothing but feels comfort, the voice keeps her there until morning than tells her how to get home and never come back. She doesn’t know what to feel or think. There is a man who is watching her making her feel uneasy, he comforts her which even unsettles her more. What is he talking about, what could this all mean….Danger is near, nearer than she thinks….There are to many secretes that she must uncover to find the true meaning and just what did her grandmothers note mean? She finds not everyone is happy she is there, to many things go wrong, to many people are on the hunt…but for what?
The narrator Shana Pennington-Baird I thought did a great job of narrating. Her different voices added a lot to the audio. It was easy to tell which was male and female and what emotions she was trying to betray. The only problem I saw in this audio was at the beginning of some chapters her voice was louder than the one she just finished. I am guessing this is when she took a break and came back to start recording again. I cannot say it took away from the audio it was more of wow that is different but it isn’t long before you get right back into this story. It was a story I did have trouble setting down and really wanted to continue it. There was no background noise at all just nice smooth listening with just the voice getting louder at the beginning of some chapters. Would I listen to more by this narrator you can bet the bank I would. She really does have a smooth voice that pulls you in and holds you there, at times with your heart in your throat.
The author gives a story with many twists and turns that will keep you interested as she tells you a heartbreaking story of love lost and starting over. She takes you on a journey through the forest of the unnatural and Rachel pieces together her family, their lies, betrayal which will cause her lots of pain. It is heartbreaking to see these half human half animals and all they have had to deal with. Life is dangerous as a bounty hunter is following her wanting information she doesn’t have. He will get his information at all cost whatever it takes.
You get to meet some wonderful characters that have their own painful story to tell. They come together to unite as a family keeping all those like them safe. Each are special in their own way but Leonardo stands out as he keeps Rachel safe through the many different issues that happen. As a reader it is hard for your heart not to go out to these characters when you learn their story. Rachel at times I just wish I could have pulled her out of the book to safety and take her sorrow away. The author gives you characters you do not know if you can trust one minute and the next they are dearing and you just love them. Do not believe everything you see for it might not be. As I listened along thoughts started stirring and I thought this it is how it is. To find out I was correct I was like YES but I never thought it was going to be that way. I would have to say the ending is painful and heartbreaking but at the same time sweet and happy. You are torn between how you think it will go and how you want it to end. This is a series and I am so looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for me. This story can go many different ways and with this authors mind you just never know. If you haven’t read anything by RM Alexander this would be a great one to start with. The audio is outstanding as the book is.
Looking for a story about a love that seems impossible, enjoy a bit of paranormal, and don't mind a bit of action and betrayal. Than this book is a great read.
Rachel left her past for a future that would help her escape. Little did she know that her grandmother would open a door to a new world she did not know existed. In her journey to self discovery she encounters a mystery that is heard to explain. Leonardo saves her from danger, but little does he know she will change his life as well as he hers. Follow them through some intense moments. Discover a love that seems impossible, but allows hope. While they do this they will encounter danger, betrayal, and a chance for change. Justin and Shakira are torrent who will also assist in molding what the future holds for Rachel and Leonardo.
I found myself hoping that Rachel overcame some issues in her life, and allowed for what was happening to help her heal. I feared when bot Leonardo and her seemed to encounter danger. I never expected for this book to be intense and have you wondering why?
It was a great read that ends in a sweet way, but also has you wanting to know more. So many questions un answered. I look forward to finding the answers. This writer has a unique and interesting way of telling her stories. So far I have not been disappointed.
Rachel's husband died in the military. Not long after his funeral, she finds that she's an heir to her grandmother's large estate. Her mother never spoke about her grandparents and she had never met them. Rachel was equally shocked that they had money. Rachel just wanted a new start. She wanted to be far away from her memories and past. This was her chance at living again. Upon arriving in town, she feels uneasy, especially by another guest at the hotel. She brushes it off as the small town atmosphere and sets about restoring the house as well as establishing a small business on main street. It begins to bother her that the townsfolk know more about her than she does. She slowly begins to unravel the mysteries of her past and her grandparents life with the help of some "locals". She knew they were scientists, but discovers the science they were involved in was not only morally wrong but also illegal. The experiments performed in the labs located in the forest outside of town went horribly wrong and ruined many lives. As heir to their legacy, Rachel becomes a target to some equally evil people that will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. In the middle of all this chaos and deceit, she meets one person that looks at her not her heritage. Leonardo lives in the forest and tries to protect her from anything affiliated with the lab.
This book was a gift from the author and Paranormal Romance & Authors That Rock for an honest review.
Rachel has decided to start her life over after a personal tragedy. Thanks to a surprise inheritance, she makes her move across the country. Things are not as they seem. What is the strange lab in the National Forest? Why have hikers disappeared on the trails? There is a wonderful twist I certainly didn't see coming in the last part of the book.
While it is technically a romance, it is more of a shifter suspense/mystery book. The romance part is pretty much in the background and only comes to the surface near the end (with a kiss on the cheek). I am hoping there will be more in the other 2 books. If you like shifter books (I certainly do!), you should enjoy the different way the author has introduced her shifters.
4 stars losing one for the lack of romance in a romance book, but I am certainly looking forward to reading the other 2!
Romance, suspense and paranormal! I really enjoyed this book it takes some of my favorite genres and mashed them up into one great story. This story is about Rachel, and she loses her husband in death. Not long after, she gets a chance at a fresh start. She gets an inheritance from a grandmother that she never knew, and that her mother never talked about. Sounds like perfect timing right? We shall see. Rachel makes the move, and the towns people act strangely towards her. Them it seems that everyone knows something, but what? This story is a very different take on shifters, it also is full of twists and turns, and secrets. There is just a touch of romance and that is fine with me, perhaps there will be a bit more in the next book. I look forward to reading book 2 and hopefully uncovering more of the secrets that must be lying under the surface. I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel is running from her past and feels she needs to have a break so she goes to the home of her grandparents and wants to open an antique store. No sooner does she arrive in town she starts to feel as though someone is watching her. Little does she know of the past of her grandparents will hunt her down and make her pay for their faults. An unlikely ally she finds in Leonardo but she learns there is more to him and the people he protects than she knows. Will Rachel discover the truth behind her family's past before it is too late? What about Leonardo, will they be able to get past his secret? What of the man stalking and hunting her or is it really even a man?
This book was a nice read and it kept me connected with the characters. The Audio was very easy to listen to and I did not find myself losing interest in it. You will enjoy this story with a paranormal twist.
Rachel is running from her past and feels she needs to have a break so she goes to the home of her grandparents and wants to open an antique store. No sooner does she arrive in town she starts to feel as though someone is watching her. Little does she know of the past of her grandparents will hunt her down and make her pay for their faults. An unlikely ally she finds in Leonardo but she learns there is more to him and the people he protects than she knows. Will Rachel discover the truth behind her family's past before it is too late? What about Leonardo, will they be able to get past his secret? What of the man stalking and hunting her or is it really even a man?
This book was a nice read and it kept me connected with the characters. The Audio was very easy to listen to and I did not find myself losing interest in it. You will enjoy this story with a paranormal twist.
A book with a very interesting premise: the family must suffer for the sins of the grandparents. Only in this case, the family is innocent. Rachel Brackett is out to make a new start far away from her tears and the pain of losing her husband to a landmine. Best place to go, the home she spent time in as a child.
Only things have changed. Grandma and Grandpa aren't there any more but the creatures they helped create are. And they are NOT happy. Terrible things were done to them as humans and not, well - inhuman is too kind a word. She nearly hits a grizzly bear but he just stares at her and moves on. Hmmmm.
She is soon to find that the grizzly is part of the changed group who want to hurt her. With one exception: Leonardo who lives in the shadows is kind to her and protects her. She has no idea what (and who) he is protecting her from.
I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
Something about this book drew me - I can't put my finger on it exactly. The author had a way of taking me into this mysterious world full of wonder, suspense, fear, love, tragedy and so much more, yet in between grounded me by taking me back into the heroine's normal world of her mansion and antique shop (ooh, I love antique shops!). I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting read with all its twists and turns. I adored Leonardo and his history - imagine finding a man who's lived so long!
Her settings were magical - she has a way with words.
This author has a unique voice which I would enjoy reading again.
Very unique and refreshing plot line. It's hard to find books that break the mold these days!
Tons of suspense and secrets. I can't wait to find out more about this world.
I found the growing relationship between Rachel and Leonardo took me awhile to latch onto chemistry wise which is why I had to bump it down to 4 stars. I had this Justisz/Rachel thing beginning in my head!
Speaking of Justisz, he became a very intriguing character to me and hope to see tons more of him in #2.
Would definitely recommend anyone into paranormal or UF to give this book a read.
Kudos to RMA for making a dedicated romance without the sex scenes. Im no prude, I am also no voyeur. Perfectly done! The story side was creepy as heck with the government having a secret experimental laboratory creating creature mixtures with humans...most with disastrous results. Hard to read, but I plowed through. This is a trilogy,however it stands up well alone. Usually I complete trilogies. This one, no. I may read a different set of books from this author, I WILL be watching her progress and am itching to give her work 5 stars! As a sidenote, should be proofread again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved this book.. It had twists I never seen coming!! I really liked the flow and feel of the story. I have never read a story like this. I enjoyed the charters a lot. Each so different and bering texture to the story. It took me a minute to get use to the authors style with some wording. But I ended up really enjoying her style!! If you are looking for a soft love, thrill twist, I highly recommend this book!!
*An ARC was provided in exchange of an honest review*
Now that was a Paranormal romance that completely will grab ahold of you and not let go! Rachel goes through loss in her life & it made my heart heart for her. She does what is necessary for her to move forward with her life and I applaud her for that alone! What she is encountered with brings such suspense that you will not want to stop reading because you will want to know how it all goes!! Great read!!
A very different read for me. But a really good one. RM is an excellent writer. This book really takes you on a journey. It was full of suspense and twists and turns. Not much romance at all. However, it had a sense of magic to it that made me keep turning the pages. The character Rachel was very well represented. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
Suspenseful & Intriguing! RM Alexander delivers a creative, suspenseful story with twists and turns you won't anticipate. The storyline is intriguing and will keep you riveted as you meet the many creatures portrayed in the story. A dark family secret is revealed and takes Rachael Brackett on a race for survival. If you enjoy a good paranormal mystery pick this one up!
Loved how this book was extremely intriguing to say the least. The twist and turns kept me on the edge waiting to see what would come next. Very well written and a mystery to find out what secrets lay in the wake. Get your copy so that you can read just what really happens!
What a shame. Would've been a 5 star review if not for the innumerable errors. Not only typos and grammar but the misuse of words, i.e. quacking in place of quaking, this is only one such example. Aside from these issues, I found the story compelling, the characters were likeable. I would love to read more of the series, but I hesitate because of the afore mentioned problems.
Within 20 minutes of finishing this book I bought the rest of the series. The idea of secret labs performing genetic experiments on humans and animals seems not all that impossible, considering genetically modified foods are part of today's normality. Leonardo the "natural" were-cat is delightfully lovable--though it may help to be a cat fancier, as I am.
I was not expecting this twist of a paranormal read. So much mystery and storyline, I couldn't stop reading it. Definitely a very unique read. Remember there are 2 more books, so you will definitely be able to continue on with this group of characters...