A Lovely Drop

The NeverNeath #2

by Darynda Jones

A woman who claims to do the impossible...

Andrea Grace comes from a long line of women who can do the impossible: They can eavesdrop on the past. But ever since her mother's suspicious death, Andrea has led a half-life, guarding herself from those who would kill to get their hands on her. From heads of states to the most violent criminals craving what she has to offer, every drop she makes puts her at risk.

But one fateful night, Andrea decides to anonymously help authorities solve a murder, a particularly horrendous one, and she gets a taste of what it feels like to use her powers for good. And she's hooked. She continues solving crimes with no one the wiser and does so for years until one single mistake gets her caught. And what does she do to get out of the bind she finds herself in? She tells the ludicrous, inconceivable truth.

...meets a man who believes her.

Special Agent Sebastian Strand is almost desperate enough to believe the girl's claim that she can see through the veil of time. Almost. But when he tests the defiant redhead and discovers her gift seems as real as the resentment she wears like a bulletproof vest, he asks for her help to stop a terrorist.

Now, the only element Andrea's been able to control her whole life is the only thing she needs more of as she races against time with an FBI agent hell-bent on saving the world. But will she be too late to save the embittered man's life? Or will she lose her own life, not to mention her heart, before time runs out?

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Novella, Mystery

93 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 13, 2020

About the author

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier, and her books have been translated into 17 languages. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, certain they went away the better for it. She penned the international bestselling Charley Davidson series and is currently working on several beloved projects, most notably the Sunshine Vicram Mystery Series with St. Martin's Press and the Betwixt and Between Series of paranormal women's fiction. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

Click here to read one of the more popular short stories by Darynda called The Monster:
https://theneverneath.com/2018/02/02/...

She can be found at http://www.daryndajones.com

Reviews

[Ira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this short story, it kind of time travel but it wasn’t.
I would say, a suspense paranormal with dash of romance?

I hope Darynda will make this couple into a new series, I really like the idea what this heroine can do with her new job. I’ve never read someone with her ability before, so let’s see:)

Get this book for free here, https://dl.bookfunnel.com/j138p67e2v

❤️

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 short story stars

I picked up this free short story not really knowing what it was about but I enjoy Darynda Jones most of the time so this was an easy selection for me.

Andrea has a special gift, she can rewind time and see what happened at any location for the last 24 hours. She has been secretly doing this to help the police solve crimes anonymously but when she is found out and detained Special Agent Strand has a case, he really needs her help to solve.

I didn’t do anything illegal. What could they charge me with? Aiding and abetting an investigation?

This is a really quick tale that jumps into some of the benefits and pitfalls of being able to relive crimes and catch the bad guy. I enjoyed it for the most part and the sexual tension between Andrea and Stand was nice and thick in the air the entire time.

I didn’t love that Andrea dropped back in time and saw Strand having sex with another woman. The voyeuristic nature of her gift made her want him even more after that and I was just ewe but that would be one of the pitfalls of her gift. She has watched so many horrific scenes that one probably didn’t even register.

I could see this being a bigger story or book as there is a lot of great raw material to work with.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎎🎉

This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 1 of 1.

Darynda Jones is one of my favorite authors. I have listened to a number of books and not been disappointed.

Another will written novella with interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to the romantic conclusion.

I would recommend this novella and author the readers of action mystery novels. 2024

[Tez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was all set to give this 4 stars, until the romance kicked in. Just didn't care after that.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but great. Highlights everything I love about Ms Jones. Action packed, witty and great characters. I would love for this to turn into a series (hint hint). I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! I first read this story a few years ago as part of a collection called Twelve Shades of Midnight. In my review, at that time, I wished that Darynda would write more about these characters. Unfortunately, this is the same story not a new one but it was just as fun reading it this time as it was the first time. The characters are engaging, the story exciting and the action is non-stop. I still hope that the future contains more stories about these characters but as long as Darynda is writing, I will be happy.

[Alina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept! I would love a follow-up book. It would be interesting to see their work dynamic along with their personal relationship!

[Betül · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lovely Drop was great even if it was on the very short side. I was able to connect to the main character Andrea and looked forward to seeing what she could do. I love when suspense is combined with paranormal elements, and I really should read more of this subgenre. Darynda Jones is one of my all time favorite authors, so I don't know why I didn't read this book the moment it released. The chemistry between Andrea and Special Agent Sebastian Strand was great and I really wish this book was a full-length novel because I wanted to see these characters spend more time together. I really hope Darynda will decide to turn the NeverNeath into a series, because I love what I have read in this book. It has a lot of potential and I definitely didn't want to say goodbye to the world I was introduced to in A Lovely Drop.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this short free story. It features a young lonely woman with the amazing ability to watch timelines unfold. Having hidden for so long it's a scary moment when she's actually found by Homeland Security but things get way more complicated when she's suddenly helping to defend national security !
Ok I loved the ideas here and really warmed to the two main characters. Obviously I wanted more because I'm a very greedy reader but this short story entertained me and kept me smiling so yes I'm now a very happy reader !

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lovely Drop
The NeverNeath, Book 2

I Picked Up This Book Because: Fan of the author

The Characters:

Andrea Grace:
Special Agent Sebastian Strand:


The Story:

Andrea Grace has very special skills that she has been warned not to use to help humans. They will take advantage of you and she has seen this first hand. Her anonymous help is noticed by Agent Strand and Andrea is forced to help Agent Strand solve the murder of his partner and a whole town.

I liked the dynamic between Andrea and Sebastian. There is instant attraction but it’s not acted on, in fact they both fight against it. I like how Andrea grows in her confidence and powers as the story progresses. I do hope we get to see more of them in the future.

The Random Thoughts:



The Score Card:



4 Stars

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lovely Drop was very interesting and intriguing. I’m very much looking forward to reading more in this world. It’s a Paranormal Romantic Suspense. It’s pretty short but good. I can’t wait to read more about Andrea and Sebastian. I definitely recommend it.


Copy won in a contest hosted by author

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need lots more in this world!!

[Sue MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing read, great story line.
This really makes you pay attention and it is worth it.
Glad to see the ending came out the way it did.
Might have to follow this author a bit closer now.

[Debrac2014 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a freebie! Very good short story!

[Lyndi W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The heroine was a little angsty and all up in her own head, but I really did enjoy the story. Could make a great crime solving series.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not generally a fan of novellas that aren't connected to a bigger series but Darynda made me rethink. This was a fun paranormal read.

[Susan Parks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet, to the point. I would love to see more in this world.

[Ivana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick but quite enjoyable read.

[Val Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Very fun and different. Can't wait to see what's next!

[Ladyhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little story. Totally D. Jones!

[debturk1970_bookvibes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Time Rewinder & A Special Agent Join Forces!!😲💥🔥⌚💫
A Lovely Drop: A Story of the Neverneath

I loved this quirky & intriguing crime story with a huge twist!🌟 We first meet Andrea being transported in the back of a Police Van, she's got a good over her head & is cuffed!!😳 Once they stop she's taken outside to what is obviously a crime scene, it's swarming with Officers, Plain Cloths too. She's escorted into a kitchen that's covered in blood & blood splatter and told it was a murder suicide. A Special Agent Sebastian Strand, from Homeland Security, comes in & tells her what they want from her, or else!!😡😭😲 He's stunningly hot with a deep sexy voice but his words sends ice through her veins!💔💥

Andrea has a gift that is passed through the female line in her family, it has been for generations. Her late Mum warned her never to tell anyone & never to help anyone with it either, they're too easily exploited!!😱 She can rewind & move through a time period of up to 24 hours from when she arrives at any location, she calls it 'Dropping'. A few months after losing her Mum she had become very lost & despondent. Then whilst on a milk run at her local shop she passes a crime scene & decides to 'Drop' to find out what all of the sirens were about the night before. She's horrified to witness a man assault & murder a woman!😱😭 When she's home & recovered her equilibrium a bit she decides to put all of her art training to work & draws the man she saw commit the awful crime, she then anonymously drops the picture off for the Chief of Police stating that it's the murderer. He's subsequently caught!🙏 She feels a glimmer of life & hope seep back into her life so continues to this for a number of years!👍 Then she's arrested!!😲😭

This was an exciting story which had a wonderful pace. The two main characters had real chemistry.🔥😍 Andrea is funny & quirky, Sebastian is a force to be reckoned with but he also cares a great deal. They seem to initially bond over their shared emotional responses!!🙏 I'm really hoping this short story will lead into a series as I can see myself becoming addicted to it!🌟

Debbie, 1970, UK

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

At last this short story has a beginning and an end, and it was also not bad, I mean the idea was pretty cool even if, due to the fact that it was a novella, it was used way too fast, but I wouldn't mind meeting Andrea and Sebastian again in the future...or maybe in the past :)

Almeno questa storia ha un inizio ed una fine, e non é manco brutta, anzi, soprattutto l'idea della trama non é niente male, purtroppo peró, siccome era una novella, "si brucia in fretta", ma non mi dispiacerebbe rincontrare Andrea e Sebastian in futuro, o anche in passato ;)

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

This was quite a fun read. I liked the idea of dropping into time and replaying events and that was The main reason I decided to read it.The writing was kind of grungy, which set the scene really well for the hard ass undercover detective scenario. This was fast paced and high on believable action. I wasn't too fussed by the romance / sexual desire part with chiselled jaws, muscular buttocks, rippling chest, and erections sticking in the small of backs. I am sure straight women would find it titillating, but I'm clearly not the right orientation for the intended audience. I just skipped those bits a little because they were having the opposite affect to what they were supposed to have.

Overall, this was a quick and exciting read; a good way to spend a couple of hours. If you like hot and sexy men, all the better.

[James Wharton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Darynda Jones and I loved it. My only regret is that it was too short. The story grabbed me at the first paragraph and did not let go through the end.

The author has a unique take on astral projection which is central to the plot. Andrea (Andi) was taken into custody by Homeland Security after providing information resulting in the solving of several crimes. She has inherited a special ability that can result in insanity for her or abuse by unscrupulous individuals. The elements of the story logically progress and flow smoothly. I'm looking forward to reading the next book about the Neverneath.

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never doubt that Darynda Jones is a gifted storyteller...from Charlie to Sunshine, and now Andrea, I fly through her stories. When I’m reading one of her stories, I’m immersed in it...this new one was no different. Sebastian was larger than life, as depicted, he’s hard to forget about once the story ends. I hope that there’ll be more Sebastian and Andrea in future books in this series

[Romance Rehab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance Rehab: Book recs, author services, general badassery: https://www.romancerehab.com/

I don’t know when or why Darynda Jones decided to self-publish, but I AM THERE FOR IT!!!

Plot overview: Andrea has the ability to time travel (essentially...it’s a little more complicated than that) and witness crimes. She’s “asked” (forced, really) to help a sexy Special Agent do just that.

This isn’t so much a romance novel as it is a novella that I could see being a great series starter. I’m not sure what the plans are for this book/series, but here’s what I love.

1. The premise is something I’ve never seen before. It’s very different from the typical psychic romances you find in PNR. And when you find a unique premise in PNR...folks, it’s like finding a freakin’ unicorn that poops rainbows. It’s that special.

2. Andrea is just the kind of heroine you’d expect Darynda Jones to write: strong, supernaturally talented, empathetic, and just left of “normal.” Quirky and proud of it. I LOVE a good quirky heroine.

3. Sebastian is all kinds of hot. His willingness to believe in the impossible things that Andrea can do is refreshing. He’s not the typical “I only believe what I’ve experienced” alphaholes that you typically find in PNR where psychics and witches and other powerful women are concerned. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to solve his case, and if that means believing in the quirky heroine who no ones else believes in, so be it. I liked him a lot.

Frankly, the only thing I wasn’t crazy about in this story was the length. It was too short to provide a lot of “getting to know you” moments between the characters. What they had was more of a deep sexual attraction than a “romance”, per se. I wanted more, I guess. But in the context of a short story, it was pretty awesome. (If it had been a full-length romance, though, it would have been MIND BLOWING. Just sayin’.)

But, long-story-short, if this was a series starter and there are full-length novels on the horizon, I will 1-click every last one of those full-length with a quickness, because this was a fun read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice surprise since I knew about the Charlie Davidson books and the Sunshine book, but was unaware there are (and have been) other Darynda Jones offerings in recent times, which I discovered the other night. Being on a budget, I started with this one because it was the cheapest (not that any were expensive, but buying too many nicely priced Kindle offerings at once can still add up to spending a lot of money.

I liked the story and its premise. I started off thinking the heroine’s supernatural talent was fairly limited, so by the end was impressed with all she’d been able to do with it. I liked the beginning better than the end, and I think it may have had to do with how much power/ability beyond the norm her power gave her. Also having to suspend disbelief around the ethical issues that would come into play in a romantic relationship between a supervisor and employee detracted from the end as well. In between there’s a too fast romantic relationship, probably because a novella taking place over a 48 hour time period doesn’t allow for much in the way of slow or meaningful development, and a somewhat squishy sex scene involving sex used as a means to entrap someone not trustworthy and voyeurism, which made me like both main characters a bit less for their choices. Mostly I guess I thought it perfect as a novella, and in need of some reworking if it were to be anything more.

[Becca Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and definitely think it is worth a read. I had not heard of this author before, but I loved the title and had the opportunity to read it for free.
I would love to read more from this author. The characters were well developed and interesting, the story flowed well and the pace was excellent. I like Sebastian and Andrea, they had great chemistry.
I was very interested by Andrea's ability, I really want to know why she has it and what caused it. Does it develop more now that she can manipulate it to change the present? I am hooked!
It does bring an interesting argument to light. She has the power to help solve crimes. Does this mean that she should? She could make a difference, but she has her own choices. In the story she is forced to witness a murder, she could give closure to the case but at a cost to herself and her own sanity. It clearly affected her mother, and I could see why she helped through her letters so she could not be used.
I thought the writing was excellent, my heart went out to the happily married couple. You knew something bad was going to happen but I could not stop reading.
I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Ciru · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a novella, previously published as part of an another anthology.

We have Andrea who can rewind time, for the past 24 hours. She was taught to keep her gift a secret but decided to help the police with it, and as it happened, is eventually caught.

Here comes in Sebastian. Tall, dark and handsome and for all intents, Andrea's handler.

She drops in time, proves her gift, helps solve a major crime, prevent another large scale one, prevent her+Sebastian's deaths and also get to snoop on him.

As per every other review on here, you can't help but draw contrasts between Andrea and Charley and especially Sebastian and Reyes.

Then at the end, we have Chapter 1&2 of the upcoming Sunny Vicram series. It wets your appetite just enough to look forward to 7th April.

My question is, book 1 of Neverneath is not related to book 2 and while I enjoyed booked 2, I want more of Andrea+Sebastian, so will we have more from each book's characters in other stories or is this just a series of urban fantasy novellas?

[iamGamz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darynda Jones hasn’t written a book that I didn’t love. She’s brilliant. A Lovely Drop May be a free short story but it can easily become a wonderful series. And gaaawd I hope the Neverneath stories become full series’s.

Andrea Grace has a unique talent. She can go back in time, up to 24 hours, and see the events that happened. She used this talent to send clues to the cops to help them solve unsolvable crimes. And then she was caught and accused of being a terrorist and held by Homeland Security for 3 days.

Until Strand came along and asked for her help in a murder suicide. But it wasn’t. It was a test. A test that led to her solving the horrific murder of everyone in a small town and saving the life of someone she came to care deeply about.

It was short, but so damned well written that I was depressed at the end. I wanted it to go on. I want to know where the story goes after this one ends. I felt the same about the first Neverneath story, Monster.

Ms. Jones is one of my favorite authors and will forever be on my pre-order list.