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Protective Instincts
Three years after her husband's murder teacher Brit Roberts has a new job in a small high school in a small, peaceful town in Georgia. She is getting her life in order, but that is about to change.
Sam Samuels has the gift or curse of premonitions. They are warning him now that his son's language arts teacher is in danger. How can he tell a woman who barely speaks to him that she is in danger and he must protect her .
Douglas Drake has a new assignment, to kill Brit Roberts, wife of Tommy Roberts, the noisy lawyer he killed three years ago. Having the interfering man hanging around her won't help, but he never fails to finish an assignment. He actually enjoys the planning and execution of each kill.
When hangup calls become harassing calls she learns the killer has been in her house and knows what she is wearing to bed.
Brit is independent and strong and doesn't want to need a man, but now she must accept the protective help of Sam Samuels, parent of one of her students.
Sam has no plans to marry again, but Brit makes him want to try.
Can Sam and Brit stay ahead of the killer?
Sam Samuels has the gift or curse of premonitions. They are warning him now that his son's language arts teacher is in danger. How can he tell a woman who barely speaks to him that she is in danger and he must protect her .
Douglas Drake has a new assignment, to kill Brit Roberts, wife of Tommy Roberts, the noisy lawyer he killed three years ago. Having the interfering man hanging around her won't help, but he never fails to finish an assignment. He actually enjoys the planning and execution of each kill.
When hangup calls become harassing calls she learns the killer has been in her house and knows what she is wearing to bed.
Brit is independent and strong and doesn't want to need a man, but now she must accept the protective help of Sam Samuels, parent of one of her students.
Sam has no plans to marry again, but Brit makes him want to try.
Can Sam and Brit stay ahead of the killer?
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2013
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 22, 2013
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really wanted to like Protective Instincts by Mary Marvella and there were parts of the book that I really enjoyed. However, there were problems with the writing that detracted from an otherwise great story. So I’m going to do something a little different with this review and divide it into two sections – the story and the writing.
Let’s begin with the story. Brit Roberts, a widow, is trying to move on with her life while coming to terms with her husband’s death in a hit and run accident. She has been receiving threatening anonymous phone calls but she is determined to live her life without fear. Sam Samuels is the father of one of Brit’s students. He has a premonition that Brit is in danger. After coming to her rescue, Sam is determined to protect Brit. He just didn’t expect to fall in love with her. They work together to solve the mystery of who is stalking Brit and to create a relationship that will last.
Protective Instincts is labeled as a paranormal romance. While Sam does have several premonitions, it’s awfully difficult to categorize this as a paranormal romance. Instead I would call this a romantic thriller as Brit and Sam try to stay one step ahead of the man determined to kill Brit. Ms. Marvella did a wonderful job ratcheting up the tension and while we knew “who done it” and “why,” I was still excited to see how the mystery would play out.
Romance novels tend to follow the same basic formula so it’s important that the writer creates characters that the reader cares about. Ms. Marvella did just that. I wanted Brit and Sam to fall in love and find their happily ever after. I really liked the hero Sam. He was so much more than your typical romance hero – tall, huge muscles, total alpha personality. He was a regular guy to who just wanted to help a woman that he happened to find himself attracted to. One of the most attractive parts of Sam was his relationship with his son and family. I even loved his relationship with his ex-wife. Brit was also a great character. I found her reaction to being attacked very believable. She didn’t curl up into a ball and hide, nor did she move on as if nothing had happened. Brit attended a support group and self-defense classes, and faced her fears head on. I even liked her family and best friend. The way the hero and heroine’s families supported them showed how close they all were.
Now on to the writing. . . The writing did not seem to flow in an easy manner. I often had to reread sentences concerned that I had missed something, when in fact I hadn’t. It was just that transitions were problematic and I often felt I was coming into the middle of a discussion. Characters would discuss something as if the reader already knew all the information, when in fact, we did not. The dialogue was also awkward. It didn’t feel natural and I couldn’t imagine people actually talking like that. Finally, Ms. Marvella was a little comma happy. I completely understand the importance of commas, but too often they were used incorrectly and it broke my reading flow. Now maybe this is something you can overlook, and I usually can, but in this instance it was chronic and truly disturbed me.
Luckily, the storyline kept me riveted and the characters were intriguing so ultimately I do recommend the book. Protective Instincts is Ms. Marvella’s first novel so I have every belief that she will only get better over time. Writing a creative story with terrific characters is more than half the battle and she succeeded in that aspect. I would definitely give her and Protective Instincts a chance.
I really wanted to like Protective Instincts by Mary Marvella and there were parts of the book that I really enjoyed. However, there were problems with the writing that detracted from an otherwise great story. So I’m going to do something a little different with this review and divide it into two sections – the story and the writing.
Let’s begin with the story. Brit Roberts, a widow, is trying to move on with her life while coming to terms with her husband’s death in a hit and run accident. She has been receiving threatening anonymous phone calls but she is determined to live her life without fear. Sam Samuels is the father of one of Brit’s students. He has a premonition that Brit is in danger. After coming to her rescue, Sam is determined to protect Brit. He just didn’t expect to fall in love with her. They work together to solve the mystery of who is stalking Brit and to create a relationship that will last.
Protective Instincts is labeled as a paranormal romance. While Sam does have several premonitions, it’s awfully difficult to categorize this as a paranormal romance. Instead I would call this a romantic thriller as Brit and Sam try to stay one step ahead of the man determined to kill Brit. Ms. Marvella did a wonderful job ratcheting up the tension and while we knew “who done it” and “why,” I was still excited to see how the mystery would play out.
Romance novels tend to follow the same basic formula so it’s important that the writer creates characters that the reader cares about. Ms. Marvella did just that. I wanted Brit and Sam to fall in love and find their happily ever after. I really liked the hero Sam. He was so much more than your typical romance hero – tall, huge muscles, total alpha personality. He was a regular guy to who just wanted to help a woman that he happened to find himself attracted to. One of the most attractive parts of Sam was his relationship with his son and family. I even loved his relationship with his ex-wife. Brit was also a great character. I found her reaction to being attacked very believable. She didn’t curl up into a ball and hide, nor did she move on as if nothing had happened. Brit attended a support group and self-defense classes, and faced her fears head on. I even liked her family and best friend. The way the hero and heroine’s families supported them showed how close they all were.
Now on to the writing. . . The writing did not seem to flow in an easy manner. I often had to reread sentences concerned that I had missed something, when in fact I hadn’t. It was just that transitions were problematic and I often felt I was coming into the middle of a discussion. Characters would discuss something as if the reader already knew all the information, when in fact, we did not. The dialogue was also awkward. It didn’t feel natural and I couldn’t imagine people actually talking like that. Finally, Ms. Marvella was a little comma happy. I completely understand the importance of commas, but too often they were used incorrectly and it broke my reading flow. Now maybe this is something you can overlook, and I usually can, but in this instance it was chronic and truly disturbed me.
Luckily, the storyline kept me riveted and the characters were intriguing so ultimately I do recommend the book. Protective Instincts is Ms. Marvella’s first novel so I have every belief that she will only get better over time. Writing a creative story with terrific characters is more than half the battle and she succeeded in that aspect. I would definitely give her and Protective Instincts a chance.
April 19, 2014
This is a thriller with Southern charm. A true Southern voice and sharp skills create the kind of characters I love to read. Even the villain was a character that I found intriquing. The hero is on a mission to protect a woman who doesn't know she needs a protector. This is a love story packed with danger and fast paced tension. I couldn't put it down. Being a teacher, I enjoy a well crafted and edited work. I was not disappointed!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews