Eternal Flame

Guardians #1

by Valerie Twombly

A woman he cannot have, a man who is only a dream... When guardian Marcus Dagotto, discovers the gods have gifted him with a mate, he is pissed. He has no room for love and even less for a human who has no idea he exists. Cassandra Jensen, has a shattered heart and has given up on men. Only one man can set her body on fire, but he is a fantasy that haunts her sleep. Two worlds, one desire. When the two collide, fate will rip them apart and test their resolve. Will darkness and evil prevail? Or, will love conquer all?

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Amazon, Vampire Romance

294 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2013

About the author

Award winning and bestselling author Valerie Twombly grew up watching Dark Shadows over her mother's shoulder, and from there her love of the fanged creatures blossomed. Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put it to paper.

When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby and dog, in Northern IL.

Reviews

[Kat valentine ( Katsbookcornerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires mate is a sexy ride from start to finish with great immortal vamps and a very interesting storyline!! Valerie twombly is a fabulous storyteller as well. Marcus's mate was killed many years ago along by drayos and his demons,but he has been given another mate ,the only problem is she's a human! When Cassandra locks eyes with Marcus from across the bar room floor she can't believe it's the lover who's be rocking her world in her dreams and when Cassandra targeted by the evil Dragon shifter odage Marcus can't fight fate any longer, cass is his mate and he will protect her at any cost! This is the start to a awesome series and can't wait to read more stories from these men and women vampire guardians,their all amazing!!😉

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenida, llena de acción y suspenso

Cassie no cree que pueda tener una relación de nuevo, pero cuando conoce a Marcus en un bar siente una atracción instantánea con él. Sin embargo, Marcus no es lo que parece, y Cassie debe aprender a aceptar ese nuevo mundo si quiere tener lo que siempre ha soñado.

Para ser el comienzo de una serie, es bastante entretenido. El autor nos pinta un universo muy típico, dónde hay vampiros, demonios, angeles y dioses, entre otros. Pero falla en la química real entre los protas, sustituyendolas con muchas escenas eróticas sin mucha sustancia.
Me gusta mucho lo de la trama principal se distribuya entre varios libros de la serie mientras cada persona consigue su pareja, pero sentí que en este libro apresuraron el final feliz.
En fin, me gustó el libro y es probable que lea los próximos de la serie más adelante.

[Renea Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love paranormal romance, you'll love this book. It's well-written and a classic tale that vampire fans will love. Marcus is hot and commanding. You can't go wrong. Can't wait to read more from Valerie Twombly.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Christine Feehan's Carpathian series then you will love Valerie Twombly's Eternal Flame. It is like the Carpathian series with a really big twist. This book had my full attention from beginning to end and I am craving more. I love how it all flows and just keeps getting better with every flip of the page. Valerie Twombly has just became another of my top author's that I really love. I love all the character's and the way they harass and banter with each other. The author puts just enough humor into this book; made me laugh so hard thought I was going to wake my husband at 3 in the morning.

[Aubrey Wynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranormal is not my usual genre but my sister insisted I give this one a try. Wow. It's not just a vampire tale. Twombly creates a unique storyline with two complex heroes, Marcus and Cassie, and and extraordinary cast of secondary characters that include-yes-dragons. Steamy, exciting and hard to put down.

[Tamera McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eternal Flame by Valerie Twombly

I have read this book twice now, and it had me from start to finish. If you like paranormal romance you will love this one! Be still my heart!
I laughed, cried, held my breath,loved and disliked people and places through out the book. To be sure Hell was not one of my favorite places to visit.
We have Gods- who are just as impossible/arrogant pain in the asses as we all know them to be.
We have Guardians who are born with both light/blessing and dark/curse, who are the protectors of the humans from the bad in the darkness.
There are shape shifters and dragons too! Oh my!!
The main characters in this book are Marcus who is Guardian/Vampire/healer with the looks of a Greek god. he is strong and stubborn who has a heart that is tourched from loss who feels unworthy.
Zark the god who made the guardians has blessed Marcus with a mate. Yet as we all know Gods are funny style and talk in riddles. He as given Marcus human Female as a mate.
Cassandra is a nurse who has not had the best of luck in love and for the most part given up on finding it. As she has personal issues that make her think she is not worthy to have love.
I enjoyed the way Valerie makes a world you can dive into and feel. She puts things in like how Cassandra says
"I need to stop reading paranormal romance novels. They're showing up in my dreams!"
how many of us have said that ? I know I have! there are many such phrases that make the book come alive and pull you in. I think it makes the book even more fun to read and lose yourself in. by the end of the book you are craving and wanting more! Valerie has woven such a world with many different people that I am exited to see who and what and where it all goes from here. I am so looking forward to the second book!!

[Melissa Weeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love paranormal romance, you'll love this book. I loved this book it was filled with action adventure and love all these are a good combo to a great book. the book starts out in the heat of a treible Demonic war with the Demon Drayos. He has caused a curse over the mates of the Guardians and other immortals they have to kill their mates or risk them giving birth to the demons spawn.
Then we go to the present where Marcus the main guy in this book is told he has a mate but not just any mate a human mate and marcus thinks he is being cursed because he will have to watch her grow old and die. Cassandra who is a nurse who has not had the best of luck in love and she feel she is undeserving of any type of love she takes us on a journey to Romania.Then a brief stay in Egypt and the worst place ever hell.

Will Cassandra get back to marcus? Will marcus save Cassandra? will they get there Happily ever after? well like in all my review i say this If you want to know i you should get the book to find out!
I cant wait fro the next book.

*book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange*

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book from Valerie Twombly. I also read her short story Demon Slayer (you should read it too) and was excited for a novel from her. There is great conflict, compelling characters and excellent steaminess! The main characters, Marcus and Cassie, have an impressive supporting cast and even though they have a great HEA, there is so much going on I'm excited to see which pieces Twombly picks up and runs with for book 2. I enjoyed the honourable lives of her vampires and am intrigued by the shape-shifting dragons. I look forward to learning more about them!

[Leta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Valerie can transport you into an immortal world and make you feel that you are a part of it! This book is awesome and I can't wait for more from her! Dragons, vampires and Gods grace this story and make you wish you lived in the era! No spoilers!

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book as part of the blog tour and in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of romance, adventure, action, some heart ache and turmoil with a light dusting of steaminess; tasteful steaminess!

Eternal Flame introduces us to so many awesome paranormal creatures. Like: Shifters, Demons, Dragons, Vampires, Gods and Guardians.

The God's rule over all others; there is one God who rules over the other God's too; his name is Zarek.
The Guardians are sworn to protect humans and to keep the peace between the other immortals. The Guardians have both light and dark within their souls.

One of the Guardians we meet; Marcus Dagotto; is a vampire, warrior and healer. Marcus is also Aiden; the Guardian King's; 1st in command. Marcus and Aiden have both had a rough past in which they have been forced to kill members of their own family and Marcus even had to kill his own mate!

Aiden, Marcus and the other Guardians are trying to find out what is happening to both human and demon females. It appears that a Dragon; Odeage; have been kidnapping them and selling them into slavery.
Zarek decides partway through their investigation to bless Marcus with another mate; another chance at happiness. Marcus is not happy with his God's decision and Marcus is even less happy when he learns that his mate is human! Marcus is determined that he doesn't want or need another mate, especially not now. Could Marcus be wrong?

Cassie is the human female that Zarek has chosen for Marcus. Cassie is a nurse, who after having her heart broken before had convinced herself that she doesn't deserve to be loved and doesn't want her heart broken again. But then the dreams begin (and oh what dreams they are)! Her dreams begin to make her wonder if she could ever have something like that or if it really exists. Especially once she meets the man of her dreams in the flesh!

I was so engrossed in this book that I couldn't put it down. I laughed, held my breath and even felt a little tearful at times.

Valerie Twombly had a great writing style which makes it very easy to become completely immersed in the adventures had by the characters. The world created by Valerie Twombly's words had so many different and we'll crafted characters.

I can't wait to see how things pan out for everyone in the next instalment. I have been left craving more; I can't wait for book 2 in the Guardian Series.

If you like paranormal romance then I think you should definitely add this to your TBR pile.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ 4 Eternal Flame Stars ~

Eternal Flame is book one in Valerie Twombly Guardians series. She starts us off with action, heartache, loss and war. The ending leaves us wanting to know what happens to the rest of the guardians as well as some other characters introduced to us in this book. I enjoyed how the book starts and ends.

For some reason I thought this book was going to be all about dragons. No I did not read the book blurb. I do that some times think its something and it totally turns out to be something else. Yes we do have dragons in this book, but we also have vampires, demons, gods and goddesses. This book has lots of twists and turns, betrayal and romance. Being that it is the first book in the series we get a ton of characters and back ground building. I cried, laughed, loved and disliked people and places through out this book, but one thing is for sure I feel into the world and by the end wanted more.

Marcus is a Guardian, vampire Guardian, a healer among his people. He has suffered with guilt over killing his mate 300 years ago in the Demon Wars. Cassie is a nurse, who has been alone since her ex dumped her on their wedding day (ouch) that will leave emotional scares.

Ms. Twombly makes some defiant changes to the vampire theme that makes it quit interesting, it grabs you from the begging and does not let up. We also get gods who like to stick their noses in when they feel like it, but if they did’t then where would some of the fun be at, plus we get bad guys who add to the plot and suspense.

I am looking forward to finding out what happens in this plot with our bad guys as well as seeing the other guardians and some other characters get mated off. Oh what an adventure it will be! If you like paranormal romance you will enjoy Eternal Flame.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was given this book free, in exchange for an honest review*

Guardian are born with both light and darkness in them. A blessing and a curse. They are sworn to protect humans from the dark powers that be. Marcus is second in command to his King Aidyn. Zarek, the God who created the Guardian’s grants Marcus a new mate. A human mate, not even some one immortal like him. He’d watch her age and die, it wasn’t fair, a cruel trick of the Gods. Marcus and the other guardian’s are on the hunt for the leader of the Dragons, yes Dragons! He is kidnapping women, but for what purpose? It is while Marcus is on the trail for the Dragon that he finds her and knows at that moment, it doesn’t matter that she is human, she is HIS.

Cassie has been alone for so long, that her dreams are the best part of her day. She can dream of an amazing man who does things to her body that are ohh so perfect. But when she see’s her dream man in a bar, it freaks her out. Yet, there is something about him, something that draws her to him. She trusts him, she understands him, she needs him and wants him badly.

Follow Marcus and Cassie as they struggle to stay together and overcome the Dragon’s and people from the past. Even the trip to HELL can’t split them up. You can read the love that they have, it’s almost tangible.

There are a host of characters introduced in this book. Being the first book in the series there is tons of character and background building. I liked most of the characters, some of the God’s annoyed me, because of how aloof they were. There were some characters that could have been left out, they were just filler at least for me.

The only low point for me, was the fight between Cassie and Eliza, Marcus’ original mate. It was anticlimactic. I wanted more, I wanted Cassie pinned to the wall on the brink of death before it was ended. I wanted conflict, I wanted angst. It was just too clean cut for me. But that didn’t make me like the book less.

I am anxiously awaiting book #2.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lordy....... Lordy....... Lordy....... where to start with this review..... first I want to say how much I love Paranormal romances. There is just something about the love between two people who try and fight it for the sake of the other that I love. But what was different for me in this reading was the paranormal element. There was so many different paranormal beings from shifters to guardians to vampires and Gods that I was so enraptured in my reading that I could not out it down.

Marcus Dagotto is a guardian who loves his life just the way it is until the Gods decide he needs a mate. Being a vampire and a healer is enough for him but the God Zark has spoken and he has chosen a mate for Marcus so Marcus is curious as to who he has chosen for him as a mate. When Zark tells Marcus he has chosen a human mate for him Marcus blows a gasket because there is no way in hell he wants a mate let alone a very human mate. But Marcus knows better than to mess with the Gods so he sets out to meet his mate and what he finds is not what he expected.

Cassandra Jensen is a nurse who loves her job. All she has is her job because she has sworn off love. She is tired of getting hurt and she has decided she will protect her heart with everything she has in her. She has her dreams of a man she wants but the thing is it is nothing more than a dream. Can her dream man come true and save her from her broken heart? Or is she destined to stay single and broken hearted? Can she let go of her past and let her dream man love her.......

Will Marcus save Cass or will he walk away from her and face the wrath of the Gods..................

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story has great potential but it in my opinion it still needs a bit of work done. To me a lot of the sentences seemed choppy and details were missing to make the transitions between one scene to the next smoother. Like in one part of the book Marcus was with Cassie in the kitchen and then he's out the door, but he didn't teleport there. This lack of transitions happens a little bit too much in the book. Then the attempt to make Marcus resistant to having Cassie as a mate is very short lived so to me it's like it should not be a major part of the synopsis.
On a personal level I have read something close to the whole demons being kidnapped and sold as sex slaves with the sister being captured and the brother searching for her, so I couldn't really get back into the story after that. One part of the book that really had me shaking my head was when Cassie was so surprised to hear Baal is safe, but a couple pages previous she had a mental conversation with someone who told her Baal was with her husband in the rescue party coming to get her. So obviously he can't still be held captive and is fine enough to go on a search party.
I did like the world the author built and some of the characters were interesting. But, for me if the writing became more detailed I might have liked it more instead of feeling like I was being rushed through the sequence of events.
*book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange*

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I received this book from the author via Paranormal Romance and Authors that rock, for a fair and honest review and I thank you kindly for such a smashing read!

Marcus is a Guardian, a vampire Guardian, a healer amongst his people. he has been alone since he had to kill his mate after she was taken n the Demon Wars some 300 years before. Cassie is a nurse, who has been alone since her ex dumped her on their wedding day, cos he wanted children she could not give him. Shocking twists and turns and betrayal of the highest sort, this book tells of their fight to be together, after of course, they both admit they need each other!

oh this book has it all! vampires, dragon shifters, demon shifters, Gods who like to stick their noses in as and when they fell like it, bad guys galore too!

sufficiently different to the vampire theme to make it interesting, it grabs from the beginning and does not let you go. I read this in one sitting, or rather one very long soak in the tub! I could not put it down! I loved the little dig about sparkly vampires too! "babe, please! only if you spread me with glue and dip me in glitter!"

I think the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is there is yet a second book out, but I sincerely hope their will be. I can see a story between Cassie's sister and one of the Guardians, possibly Seth. but they all deserve their own book, and if they are written, I WILL be buying them!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus Dagotto never wanted another mate, but he has been gifted with one, a human whose life is slowly dwindling with each day she takes a breath. Marcus had lost his mate once before, he doesn't want to feel those feelings of loss again but the more time he spends with Cassandra Jensen. the harder it is to resist.

Action packed, Eternal Flame tells the story of Vampires protecting those who deserve it, those who don't are destroyed. On the path of a dangerous demon who is planning to take over the world one victim at a time, when he takes an interest in Cassie though, Marcus vows to break the curse that has been lingering for far to long and protect his mate.

Exciting story. it had a bit of humor, surprise, and the villain was evil and captivating, but in a creepy way, he is a loose cannon and not predictable. Marcus was a charmer, he tries so hard to resist Cassie but it is so natural for him to want to be by her side, I loved the conflict and was enchanted this story.

[Kishan Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eternal Flame had me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter to the end. I laughed, held my breath, loved and hated several of the characters. Thank you Valerie Twombly for creating a world of vampire and dragon heroes. It was a world I didn't want to leave.

Merged review:

Cassie's your average beautiful woman with some very steamy dreams about a man she's never met before. Marcus is your average paranormal good guy hunk who's never gotten over losing his mate. You put these two together and then throw in Valerie Twombly's awesome writing skills into the mix and you end up with a story that is anything but average. I found myself laughing, holding my breath, and cursing from the first page to the end. From dragons, to vampires, to devils, Eternal Flame's packed with characters and rich with action. What a ride.

[Coco.V]

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[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of paranormal stories I was immediately drawn to the sweeping storyline Ms. Twombly presented to us readers. The mythology of the vampire Guardians is intriguing, if a bit confusing at times, but it allows for a diverse cast of characters with unique abilities to each. Not only is each vampire capable of unique talents to save humans as is their sworn duty, but they're all super sexy as well and I look forward to having each of their stories told with each successive installment.
This story focuses on the healer Marcus who's experienced great heartache in his hundreds of years of life. Not only did he witness and have a hand in his parent's deaths but he also was forced into killing his mate. Since then he's closed off his heart and wants nothing to do with love. Fate, in this story it's the god Zarek, has other plans and deems the human Cassie as his destined mate. From the moment he meets her his life, and that of all Guardians, will be forever changed. Their relationship doesn't progress easily though as a face from his past betrays him and puts Cassie in danger repeatedly. To get her back he literally has to go to Hell and put his life on the line to save her. Along with repeatedly proving himself in a demonic battle to win her heart he must earn her love in the human realm by getting her to accept his dark side and see the deep emotions he has for her. He must show her he's more than the stereotypes she's seen and that he'll do anything to keep her safe and happy. I found Marcus endearing. I ached for every loss he experienced and was happy he was given another chance at happiness. He was truly romantic in his gestures and was like a sad puppy when Cassie rebuffed him. Not only does he have a good heart but he's a loyal warrior too which was apparent in his numerous action-packed scenes. He was a true hero in every sense of the word.

Cassie was a little less likable at times. She was a strong-willed heroine who never became overwhelmed by all the otherworldly elements that were forced upon her. She never became frantic as some women may have. She was so calm in fact that I almost felt her to be a bit emotionless. Not until the very end did I feel that she loved Marcus as much as he loved her. He was much more demonstrative in his affections than her. Once she did come to terms with her feelings though, she wholeheartedly stuck up for him by fighting for his very soul. By the end I found her a much more worthy heroine.

Alongside Marcus are many other powerful Guardians. There's the new King Aidyn, the mind reader who's being destroyed by memories Seth, and a slew of other sexy men whose faces flashed by throughout the story at a fast pace. There's even a demon named Baal who provided some much needed comic relief. Along with these good guys are some truly vile villains with a plan to use human women to breed more of their kind and use them to open the Gates of Hell. These villains used to be allies of the Guardians, but because of one rogue dragon shifter named Odage, his compatriots have now declared war on the Guardians. Odage's plan is rather complex and requires the assistance of many other otherworldly creatures. By the end of the story his plan is still playing out with even more danger on the horizon.
This was a very ambitious story that tried to do too much at times. There were too many characters and almost no chance to take a breather as the hero and heroine went from one near death experience to the next. They actually spent more time apart than together which put a crimp in their burgeoning relationship. Along with intense action scenes came numerous sexual interludes. The whole story in fact was highly sexualized with Odage's plan relying on sex. Sexual tension abounded throughout the entire story to energize the plot even further. Ultimately I enjoyed this story though I think the author tried too hard to include so many elements that others got lost along the way. I love the Guardians though and look forward to reading more of their stories but I hope Ms. Twombly will stay more focused in the next installment and streamline her storyline to focus more on the romance. Fans of the paranormal will enjoy this unique new series with its intricate worldbuilding and I definitely recommend keeping an eye on what Ms. Twombly plans next.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valerie Twombly is offering a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one LUCKY WINNER!Ends Dec 31, 2013

Ancient vampires, with sometimes archaic speech, add dragon shifters, an ancient curse, and a god who has decided it’s time to find mates for his guardian warriors and I am hooked on Valerie Twombly’s Eternal Flame the first in her new series Guardians. Marcus has lived alone for centuries, ever since he lost his mate and that is just fine by him, no one to need, be needed by, feel pain for, etc.

Apparently, this is not to be as he is told a new mate has been chosen for him, and she is human! Cassie is all about avoiding love; it hurts too much, so her job is her life, but she can’t help dreaming of her perfect man. Of course, when they meet, the sparks fly as the heat factor rises between these two! Is Marcus too good to be true? Is there more to Cassie than meets the eye? Will the danger represented by the dragon shifters tear them apart…or worse?

Valerie Twombly has nailed this one! Her style is refreshing, with dialogue that fits the characters! Of course, ancient beings would speak more formally than contemporary humans! She has created two insecure-on-the-inside characters that just scream “right for each other,” and give them enough trouble to prove they make a good pair! With some many supporting characters that beg to be expanded on, I see some great future additions to this series that has a firmly established platform to launch from!

In exchange for my honest review, I received a review copy as part of the Valerie Twombly ETERNAL FLAME Book Tour and Giveaway at Tome Tender until December 31, 2013!

Publication Date: October 18, 2013
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Number of pages: 272
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Katie (Katie's Corner Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

see this and more at Katie's Corner

Well when I began reading, everything was super confusing, but after some time some main things cleared, and the book got even more interesting. Well you get to follow Marcus aka immortal guardian aka vampire, who is blessed by gods with a mate. There is a saying by Oscar Wilde: “when gods wish to punish us, they answer to our prayers.” And as Wilde’s gods these gods are also arrogant, and do as they wish. This time, Marcus’s mate is human – Cassandra. Follow both Marcus and Cassandra in their amazing adventures and love fest. I was laughing, crying, shouting, wanting to kill, hating alongside the characters.

The only thing which is still a mystery for me is, really from which mythology are the gods? I seriously had problems only with that. In other aspects, everything was great. I got lots of action, new interesting characters to meet. And really guys, there are dragons, or shifters which can shift into dragons. And well, there are so many different villains it was actually really interesting to read about them. You never get bored of the book, and that is one of the best parts of it. You like Cassie, and well, you like her reasoning. And well, I myself was amazed by how well and amazing was Eliza aka the bitch villain aka… (you will know that aka yourself) described. I mean, she so damn crazy! And well, her offspring, that’s something I wish to read more about in the second book.

What was so unique in this book? I mean if we exclude dragons, dragon-shifters, some crazy demon and vampire immortal villains, and some amazingly arrogant gods, amazing lead characters? Well not much, and that’s what I mean. The author had an amazing imagination, and the world she made? I mean wow, that’s something. Without the spunk she had woven into it, without the crazy characters, the book is just our average paranormal romance. But when she put all that staff into it, it became an awesome read. The only thing as I have already said was that I seriously had problems putting mythology and gods from the book together, so I will greatly appreciate if any of you will tell me which mythology she uses. I mean I have read lots of it, and don’t remember any Zareks. But if it was all a plot of her imagination, jeez, I do want to have that kind of imagination, it will definitely help me to think up some excuses.

I won’t bore you more with my blabbing, I hope I made myself clear that I liked the book, and that I think that you will too, and that I am super waiting for the second one. Don’t miss your chance to get lost in a new world created only for you by Valerie Twombly (okay I am be exaggerating a bit J). grab your copy now, and Happy Reading!!!! Don’t forget to leave c0mments and stop by the blog more often JJJ!!!!!!!!

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so Marcus has some serious stamina and odd sense of loyalty and guilt towards Eliza whom was granted supposed to be his mate but was also infected and needed to be eliminated for the fate of their race. To carry that guilt though all those years wow. And than his reaction to be fated another mate was just comical and sad. I mean your given another chance take the bull by the horns son and roll with it.

In the process of doing just that so many things happen. Aidyn gains power and royalty. Betrayal occurs. Wars are about to begin, slave trades amongst demons occur. Gods are betrayed how well not betrayed really but undermined by those who should be loyal to them. Secrets revealed. Miracles occur. Love overwhelms and you see friendship and loyalty at its finest.

What the guardians and friends will do for each other to help each other is wonderful to see. A kinship like no other. And Aidyn’s and Marcus’s to each other is so incredible to see. I also love Marcus’s love for his sister. To see that bond amongst the violence happening around them is so sweet.

Marcus is a loyal and kind man just riddled with guilt. He teeters on the edge of darkness but is one who wholeheartedly shows kindness and heals without thought to himself. His mate is also a healer in the human realm but she is chosen to join Marcus as a Guardian. They go through hell and back to be together and I mean that literally. He at one point has to pretend not to love her to save her.

Cassie at times really needs to be whacked upside the head I mean I understand you have trust issues with men and doubt there sincerity but geesh. Her insecurity in herself also hurts her and Marcus. She does some pretty stupid things and one puts them down a very dark road with many revelations and twists. Even with that though she is a kind person full of love and understanding. She just sometimes needs to think with the heart first.

As you go through the adventure of the story of Cassie and Marcus the side characters will be enjoyable to see. A story filled with intrigue and scorching moments with Cassie and Marcus that will need fans and a area that will have you wondering what is the reason behind it. The whole story of the Demon who turned evil but the women is what I don’t get. His jealousy towards Marcus being chosen is what I think is behind it but I am not sure entirely. Demons can be selfish creatures. But one I love is Baal and Lucan those two are a hoot and a half. A story that will have you rooting for love and good to triumph. One that will have you hoping the curse can be broken and a HEA will come about. A great tale of good vs. evil, light vs. dark and seeing if love can triumph.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me by the author and PR&ATR for an honest review. Eternal Flame is the first book in The Guardian series by Valerie Twombly. This is a paranormal romance that centers around vampires that are immortal guardians over humans. Vampires, demons, shifters, dragons, gods, angels and even a Wendigo are involved in this fast paced paranormal. Marcus Dagotto is second in command under the king and ruler of the guardians, Aidyn. The guardians have been cursed by the demon lord Drayos with a consuming dark evil that the guardians must fight to keep in check. The story begins by giving background for occurrences 300 years in the past, however doesn’t fully tie in the creation of the demons, vampires and dragons in relation to the Gods or how they became cursed.
The characters are real enough and the plot progresses rapidly, however there are a few trite themes in relation to Aidyn that continue to occur that make you want to dislike the character. The fact that he continues to say over and over in the book that he is the most powerful one of all the guardians and tout his abilities is a little tiresome. Marcus is the typical powerful male that has the overbearing protectiveness that comes with a male in love. Guardian mates are lifetime loves that are chosen by the Gods. Marcus is surprised to find that he has had a human (Cassie) chosen to be his mate, however upon first laying eyes on her he is smitten and sparks fly. Both Cassie and Marcus find themselves in peril at every turn. The dragon lord, Odage is thrown in the mix as the villain causing problems for the guardians.
Overall the characters were well written and I look forward to reading more in depth about some of the characters introduced. Cassie has a sister named Jill that I could imagine becoming a love interest in a future guardian book. The book does indeed end with a cliffhanger and some loose ends that need to be tied up in future installments in the series. With that having been said, I will welcome and enjoy reading the second installment in the Guardian series. Perhaps we will learn more of Lucan the guardian or Baal the demon, I enjoyed both of these characters in this book and would like to hear their stories. This is a book that would be best received by the adult reader with an interest in paranormal romance and adventure. I give this book 4/5 stars.

[Paulina Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires created to be guardians instead of leeches needing to be staked, sign me up.
Once in a while a book comes along that makes me mad when it ends. Valerie Twombly transport the reader into a world filled with vampires, demons, dragons and HELL. Yup a trip to hell is required. Towards the end I tried to slow down, hoping to spend just a little more time with my new friends.

I love strong main characters; the woman has to be just as strong as the man. She must stand on her own before she stands beside her mate and Valerie delivers two such main characters. Marcus and Cassie are both struggling with painful memories of lost and betrayal but some how they both continue on with their duties of healing, one as the next in command to King Aidyn, the other a nurse. They both believed they would forever be alone but fate and the gods had other things in store for them. They were needed, as a team, for the fight ahead and their struggle to gain their rightful place among the ranks of the guardians made me laugh, cry and fall in love.

I loved how the book flowed and the characters were well developed. Because the villain was given a voice at one point I almost fell in love with him. I could understand why he did what he did but than all that loved dried up, he was just too evil. Almost every character was given a chance to develop and than some. I can’t wait to read the other guardians story but the story I really can’t wait for is the demons, Baal.

In all if you love Christine Feehan’s Carpathian series and/or Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark-Hunter series this is the perfect series to sink your teeth into.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any one who is a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon The DARK-HUNTER Series will recognize many similarities in this story to the HUNTERS. Example: Squire to her Chosen, The Sanctuary to her Roxies and there's a lot things happening in the city of New Orleans.

The story starts out in the heat of the Demonic war with the Demon Drayos. He has caused a curse over the mates of the Guardians and other immortals leaving Marcus without a mate. Flash forward to modern day, the gods decides it time for Marcus to mate again. He's not happy, but he relents he when sees her. He almost immediately he goes into "must have and protect" mode.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I knew of the DH influences but the story is all Valerie Twombly. She take us on a journey from realm to realm, to Romania, a brief stay in Egypt and of course, hell. (That's both literal and emotional hell.)

There are times in the book were characters- not sure how to describe it except to say they speak as in times pasted, overly polite. I can't imagine a homeless men in New Orleans saying, "Thank you kind sir. I'd be much obliged." Not that the homeless can't be courteous, it just didn't feel right to me. I can see the Guardians having that type of dialect considering their age, but everyone else? Jill was cool and maybe Cassie had to do with nerves- being around Marcus and the others.

Oh, the others. Between Baal's flirty sense of humor and Seth and his memory problems, I'm so looking forward to seeing how they all get their own HEA.

[Vettech · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great paranormal series......chock full of hunky Vampires, Dragons and Demons!!! The first book in the Guardian Series and from the beginning I was totally hooked.

When Cassie Jensen dreams about a hot sexy guy...night after glorious night....little does she know that this hunk, is Marcus Dagotto, known as a guardian and from a world parallel to hers. She soon discovers she is the mate Marcus has been longing for, only problem is she's human and he's a vampire. Sometimes the gods can be so cruel, but not to worry.....buy this wonderful book and you'll see how it ends!!

As usual, this great book has it's fill of awesome rotten bad guys. The wild crazy ride Cassie is sent on sends her head spinning. There are times you'll laugh, you'll cry and even be biting your nails sitting on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what happens next. Cassie & Marcus sure do heat up the pages and the bed sheets in this fantastic paranormal urban fantasy!! Can't wait to read the next book in the series Eternal Desire!!

[Brooklynn N. Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say, the world Valerie Twombly weaved is a very interesting one. The characters are interesting and all their own, and I like that everyone gets a shot at being their own person and not shoved into the background.

There is a lot of fighting. And sex. Lots, so for those of you who love it, I think this is a book for you! I wish that the world was described a bit better, but what I did see was ok. The writing style kinda annoyed me a bit because it seemed a bit amateur - ish, but again, it was ok. Actually kind of fit.

I cant wait to get my hands on the second book. The ending left me wanting to know what happens next really bad, to the point that Im biting my nails just thinking about what could go on.

If your wanting a nice romance about a sexy vampire and his human, who much face many battles to be together, then you should definitely pick this book up!

[Amie Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock. Thanks for the awesome read! This book was heavy on the paranormal and heavy on the romance which made me oh so happy! I really loved it. Hot vamps, demons, dragons, and really strong and determined heroines. This book had it all. Between the shocking plot twist and steamy love scenes I couldn't put it down. Did I mention I loved this book? I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series and which awesome character the next book will be about. It reminded me a lot of Gena Showalters Lords of the Underworld books and definitely has the potential to be that big. One-click. You won't regret it.

[Robin Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book by the author, Valerie Twombly, for an honest review and so I shall deliver.

The Review:

This is the first book I've read by Valerie Twombly and I must say, she has some amazing talent.  The Guardian, Marcus, is sexy and Cassie is a sweetie.

The book opens with Marcus being forced to kill his mate, Eliza. She'd been turned evil by Drayos.

October 1712

Tears stung Marcus’s cheeks when he raised his sword. “I am so sorry, love. I have failed you. It should be I who dies this day.”
Eliza’s cocoa eyes looked at him but didn’t see him. Dead inside, her soul was lost. She would never again be the woman he loved.
He sucked in a breath and flexed his arms, the sword swung, slicing across her neck. The blade tore through sinew and bone and sent her head rolling across the stone floor. Reality nearly sent him to his knees, but there wasn’t time to mourn the death of his mate. The fighting outside echoed in his ears, the demons were strong and put up one hell of a fight.
Marcus advanced down the corridor of the abandoned castle. The scene played out the same in every direction. Blood bathed the floors, and his brethren’s heartsick screams echoed off the walls as they killed their mates.

He also ended up having to kill another person he loved very much.  I felt so bad for him!!

We come back to present day.  Cassandra(Cassie) keeps having some amazing sex dreams about an unknown stranger.

It always started the same, with her lying in bed naked, sleeping. A man slipped in beside her and caressed her arm. He started at the shoulder and ended at her fingertips. His lips brushed a light kiss on hers then another until he suckled her lower lip. His tongue flicked out and demanded entrance, and she submitted, parted her lips, allowing their tongues to caress each other. The kiss deepened, became desperate until he pulled away and left her gasping for air.
He traced his tongue down her neck and stopped at her shoulder, giving a playful nip before he proceeded to her left breast. Warm lips wrapped around her pink bud, pulled until it hardened. She arched her back.
“Don’t stop,” she whimpered. He never listened; instead, his tongue glided down her belly until he reached her pelvic bone.
Silver eyes flashed at her, and he smiled. “Cassie, my love, I will worship your body until you beg me to stop.” Stop? No, she’d never ask him to stop.

WHO THE HELL WOULD!!???  Umm hello!!?? Tongue...Pelvic Bone...Worship... yeah...enough said!

We eventually learn that dream man, is actually Marcus. OMG THE TONGUE COMES TO LIFE!!! 

Ok, I'm going to stop thinking about his tongue for a bit and get down to the nitty gritty.  If you've never read anything by Lara Adrian or Sherrilyn Kenyon, then you will absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! If you have, you will be able to tell those two authors are Valerie Twombly's favorites within the first couple chapters.

First off, let me explain.  No there was absolutely no plagiarism what so ever. None, zilch, nada. Anyone who says so is a damn liar. If I wasn't such an obsessed fan with those two author's series, I probably wouldn't have noticed some of the similarities. But I am and I did.  It was very subtle, but I caught it. Is this in whole a bad thing? No. Those two authors are famous for a reason and when you love someone's work, it can easily become an ingredient into your own recipe.  It however was somewhat disappointing for a couple reasons.

One, I want something different then those ladies. It's why I read other paranormal authors.

Two...and this is the ABSOLUTE MOST IMPORTANT!!!  Valerie Twombly is so fucking(yes, I must say that to express the violent strength in this next statement.) SOOO fucking talented and I hated seeing her short change herself and that talent. HER story kept me glued, the hints of her favorites(and my favorites) did not. This was Valerie's story to tell....not those other two authors...and I want Valerie's yummy recipe, that only she knows the secret ingredients to, that only SHE can create.

That being said, her writing is amazing and I was able to see that come to life later in the book.  I could literally see her confidence grow. I loved "Eternal Flame" and the story.  Marcus and Cassie were hot and so were all the other Guardians. Valerie Twombly has one hell of a formula to create a great series. As long as she stays true to herself and trusts and believes in her natural gift.

Oh...and I have to say this one word...because lately I have been seeing a LOT of people saying they want to see more of this in paranormal books....
DRAGONS!!
Valerie Twombly brings us DRAGONS!!  Finally someone who is thinking outside the box...and dammit...she better stay out there!



~Robin (Book Reads and Reviews)

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading this author and wow I absolutely loved this story. I loved the connection between Cass and Marcus, heck I loved connection between all of the characters. This was an action packed book that had some heavy loving times. I can't wait to read more by Valerie!!