Fresh from her photo shoot in Northern England, wildlife photographer Tala Westbrook makes a promised stop at the family manor in Staffordshire, desperately in need of renovation. Though she didn’t plan to stay longer than it took to find a contractor, she is caught up in an ancient paranormal war. Despite the danger all around, she finds herself falling for the handsome, enigmatic man assigned to protect her.
Micah Berrington, elite guardian from the realm of the Bewitan Fierd, is used to protecting men of strength in the greatest of peril, not a female looking for someone to repair her home. Yet the assignment is far more than it seems and so is the beautiful woman destined to capture his heart, regardless of the cost.
Making an impossible love quite possible after all...
Debbie is an author of sweet paranormal and fantasy romance. She has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, making an impossible love possible, and happily ever after endings. She loves music, art, beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and thunder storms.
When she's not busy conjuring her latest novel, She spends time with the members of her very large and nutty family in the lovely, arid deserts of southern Nevada. She also pursues her interests in family history, mythology, and history.
Debbie Peterson delivers again in a tale of romance, fantasy and adventure. Tala Westbrook is a photographer who finds herself caught up in an ancient war of paranormal properties involving shifters, a hidden key, tales of a black moon, and an ancestral dynasty. Micah Berrington is an immortal guardian from the secret realm of the Bewitan Fierd. Assigned to protect Tala, the two cross boundaries of time and space, fighting to stay one step ahead of Tala’s pursuers who are determined to keep her from fulfilling her destiny.
A tale rich in history with settings so vibrant the reader is quickly immersed in each bit of sensory detail. I loved the twining of folklore, history and danger in this book, but what really made it stand out for me was the slowly building romance between Tala and Micah. These two are a perfect match. From the moment they meet, through their cordial and playful banter alternately filled with old-fashioned gallantry and modern witticisms, it is impossible not to be caught up in every longing glance or tender brush of contact they share. The romance is sweet and exquisite, a tale of star-crossed lovers from different realms who ultimately want nothing more than to be together for eternity. Their journey—through a perilous ancient war, as well as the longings of the heart—make this book an engaging tale from start to finish. Ms. Peterson has done it again!
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I found the detail and depth, in the world and the story to be excellent. It was a read that your fuller immersed yourself in, and found you looked up to realise you had spent hours reading, and it only felt like minutes.
I really enjoyed the overall story, especially the fantasy elements and the photography, which linked it back to the real world. I found the story engaging and exciting, which meant that I was constantly wanting to know what was happening next. I found it hard to put the book down because of the depth the author provided, in the overall story.
The characters we created very well. They were given a lot of detail, at the beginning, both in appearance and personality. I did feel that I wished they had evolved a bit more over the length of the story, but this did not put me off at all, and I still really enjoyed getting to know each and every character.
The pace was really good. With such an engaging story and the jumps between worlds, the pace was set to swift enough that you had the feeling you were moving about with them, but you also still had plenty of time to engage and commit to the detail you were being given. I found this very important and it was done very well.
Overall, this was a good read and I am looking forward to the opportunity to read more from this author.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Despite the premise and the beginnings of the paranormal world the author fashioned being pretty creative I felt that I might be missing something. If I were more familiar with the mythology that she drew from to create the Bewitan Fierd I might have understood that part better. Another thing that just did not work for me was the wordage that the author used. Personally I don’t read too many stories with such a lyrical and romantic cast to them and believe that this book would be more suited to someone who prefers that sort of writing. The story was interesting and is a solid start to a new series. I would hope that further books flesh out the whole mythology/lore surrounding the Bewitan Fierd. It was just not the book for me.
This has been in my "to listen" pile for a while and I think it is one I got on sale, so I finally decided to start it. I'm not sure I realized this was a shifter story until the first one showed up, but this is also a different than normal shifter story, I'm not even sure what Micah is.
There was a lot of world building that was not done or not clear, I'm still a little miffed as to what actually happened in the story and the whole "political" or waring factions thing is still not clear to me. And then the epic search for a key and time hoping, I just found myself half paying attention b/c I was never brought fully into the world she created. I'm not sure if I should have read a few other books from this author, it does not show that they are a series, but maybe they are all set in the same world and I've missed out on some of the backstory world building.
So basically the story line and what was actually happening in the book and the why was completely lost on me. I was also expecting a bit more romance than actually occurred.
In short: This story, this world, these characters never drew me into the story, and I never felt a vested interest in their fates.
The narrator: Andrew McDermott, is new to me and he has a lovely voice and his accent is very nice to listen to, but at the same time his voice is so smooth and soothing that he could read bedtime stories and I'd be out like a light.
This is a Paranormal story with a bit of romance. Tala is a wildlife photographer that has been caught in a search for a key during a war. She earns herself a guardian to protect her from the convicts. They go on a merry chase through time and woods and various houses. While I was interested in this story I quickly lost that zeal. This is very slow and not much really happens. There is a lot of descriptive details given that I personally don’t need. I love conversation and action.
I listened to this on audio which started off being a treat. The narrator, Andrew McDermott, has a lovely voice but there was little inflection in the reading. No emotion. So while I LOVED listening to that accent, sometimes I struggled to stay zoned into the story. He did do a good job voicing the female and male characters. I was easily able to tell the difference. Overall it’s a good story but just not for me. If you like details and stories that travel through times, characters that keep secrets and others that are inquisitive....then this is for you!
Fantasy is the genre I listen to the least, but this story held my interest with it's unusual mix of different realms and the modern world. It even had time travel! Somehow it all worked together in a believable way within the context of the story. I could imagine it all as the author described it. The hidden, secret places of the world where the characters could slip into another time or dimension. It was fascinating, and yet also grounded the story in our reality so it didn't seem too fantastical. I also liked the historical references, which added to the realism. Micah was like a modern day knight with his honor and chivalry. The romance was in keeping with his values, and it was lovely and romantic.
I think that the narrator voiced Micah perfectly, and he also did a great job with the voices of the side characters. There were several of them, and they were easy to distinguish. His female voice was well done too and sounded believably feminine. His Irish accent was so charming and an absolute pleasure to listen to.
The story and characters are fun. The worldbuilding is well-done and interesting, with paranormal/supernatural elements handled differently than I have previously encountered. Although it is squarely in the romance genre, it is clean and not at all taudry.
My only criticism is that certain story beats are rushed, and one in particular near the end is skipped over and flashed back to in blatant disregard of the "show, don't tell" rule.
Action suspense shifters different realms along with the modern world. Great writing that provides such vivid details I felt like I was transported there experiencing everything with Tala.
The narration was amazing, Andrew McDermott has the voice every girl dreams of! Love love ❤️ the story and the narration
A wonderful story about trust and time travel What a beautiful story! Sometimes, just reading for an escape is such a soul cleansing experience! A clean story of mystery and intrigue with time travel and a bit of non-sexual romance. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to escape from this nightmare world we all find ourselves trapped in right now.
I was excited to start this book based on the description but then I found myself struggling to get into it. After a few chapters I got wrapped up in the fantasy of the characters and the worlds they were traveling to and I couldn't put it down.
I got this book from net gallery for an honest review.
Tala has just arrived in England at her family estate. The property has been vacant for quite some time and requires serious renovation. She's sees a shadow in the property and chases them through the forest.
Micah is Tala's guardian and he's been assigned to protect her. He uses his power to shield himself from her sight but when she collides into a tree and loses consciousness, he makes his presence known.
She's stubborn, curious and always asking questions - how is Micah going to get through this assignment? He's infuriating, evades answering her questions and let's not talk about his overprotective behaviour. These two share quite a lot of bantering which is incredibly funny and entertaining.
They are on a mission to find a key - but will they find more along the way? They are from two different realms: them being together now will only cause heartache later - is it worth the risk?
This book was action packed and intense from the very beginning. I liked Tala's stubborn streak- she wouldn't take no for an answer and drove Micah crazy lol. Micah had a tendency to be annoying especially, when he answers a question with another question but their characters complemented each other. They were in sync and balanced each other out nicely. A thrilling plot that keeps you flipping eagerly through the pages and loveable characters whom your heart breaks for. A beautiful enchanting story about a man who is conflicted between following his duty or his heart - what path will he choose?
Amazing story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
Though the words and descriptions were very eloquent and flowed lyrically they were a bit too much for me and stole attention from the story. The story reminded me more of a historical novel, which is usually more complicated word-wise, rather than one set in a contemporary setting. The novel was slow-paced despite the character’s stated urgency for events. The origins of the Bewitan Fierd along with the limit of their powers, especially their ability to alter time, were difficult to understand. Sometimes their powers seemed limited and others they were omnipotent, maybe in further books they will be explained more. Unfortunately this story just did not appeal to me. Llaph Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Tala is an American in England, checking on her ancestral home, before returning to the States. When she spots an intruder, she doesn't think but chases him off the property. Before she knows it, she is lost in the woods with people chasing her. This is the start of her adventure, delving into the unknown.
Involving time travel, romance, flirts, guardians, ancestral lines, there is something here for everyone who enjoys a fantastical romance. The story is swiftly-paced and yet it flows with a steady rhythm. You are not left wondering just what is happening to whom and when, it is all very clear.
With clear descriptions, this book is vivid in your imagination, as Tala and Micah face danger to do what's right. Definitely recommended.
***** I received this ARC for free from Netgalley in return for an honest review.*****
I really loved this storyline! I loved the time traveling aspect, other realms, and otherworldly protectors. I also really appreciated that while it is a romance, it's not graphic. The only negative I could say is that there are many times in the novel that the same point or thought is repeated again and again. Otherwise well done!
I enjoyed this book.I found it slow going and over explained,but good.Micah is charged with keeping the family of the Westbrooks safe.Tala is the one he is guarding and the one he is falling for.His kind don't have relationships though. Through time slips and other neat alterations to time,we learn about who he was and who they become.Andrew McDermott was a very good narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
Another great, great book by Debbie Peterson!! She is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Draw yourself a bubble bath, light a few candles and hire a babysitter. You're not going to want to put this book down!!
3.5 Stars - If you like the typical romance formula and fantastical characters and settings then you'll enjoy this book. It's a fun, predictable read. Andrew McDermott does a great job narrating and his Irish brogue is very pleasing to listen to.