Bittersweet Magic / Bittersweet Darkness by Nina Croft- a review
Click HERE for our review of BITTERSWEET BLOOD (Book 1)
BITTERSWEET MAGIC
(The Order #2)
by Nina Croft
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 2013
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Roz has been indebted to the demon Asmodai for five hundred years, and her freedom is just around the corner. All she has to do is complete one last task for him—obtain a key that had been hidden in a church centuries ago.
Piers, the Head of the Order and an ancient vampire, is intrigued by the woman who comes to him for help. She’s beautiful and seemingly kind, but she’s hiding something. And he’ll find out who she is and what she really wants once he uses his power to get inside her head. But Piers has no idea that Roz is immune to his mind-control…or that he is simply a pawn in her dangerous mission for freedom.
REVIEW: BITTERSWEET MAGIC is the second instalment in Nina Croft’s adult, contemporary The Order paranormal/fantasy series. This is Piers and Roz’s story. Although it is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
Piers is one of the oldest living vampires and head of the regulating vampire body, known as The Order of the Shadow Accords, that polices the supernaturals of the world; and Roz is ‘not quite human’. Indebted to the demon Asmodai for the past five hundred years, Roz is tasked to perform one final job before being released from her obligations- to find The Key-a key that will open the portal between the worlds.
Told from third person POV, the storyline follows Roz as she is targeted by several supernatural factions on her adventure in search for The Key. Not only does the Key open the door to other realms but it will free one of the most powerful demons the supernatural world have ever known. Enter Piers-the vampire with whom Roz will fall in love but not before said powerful demon makes him an offer he can’t refuse-Piers will sacrifice himself to save the world.
The relationship between Roz and Piers is slow to build. As Roz endeavors to discover the truth about her heritage and the missing Key, Piers will take advantage of Roz’s special blood on more than one occasion. Believing he is mesmerizing Roz, Piers will continue to feed from the woman all the while she is well aware of what is going on. The sex scenes are sensual and seductive; there is a true feeling of love between the vampire and his mate. But Roz has a secret buried deep within her mind and her heart, and it will take someone from her past to bring that knowledge and power to the present.
The secondary characters play a pivotal role including former head of The Order and vampire Christian Roth, and his mate Tara, whom we met in the first storyline Bittersweet Blood. We will be reintroduced to Ryan-a close friend of Roz- a human and police detective, who will become the liaison between the human and supernatural world.
BITTERSWEET MAGIC is an enchanting and fascinating storyline that was slow to build and quick to resolve. The previous storyline characters are colorful, add emotion and history, and brought a sense of continuity to the series. The reader is pulled into a story about love and understanding; betrayal and sacrifice; power and control. Nina Croft has the ability to blend present day with the fantasy of the supernatural making you believe that anything is possible.
Copy supplied by the publisher.
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BITTERSWEET DARKNESS
(The Order #3)
by Nina Croft
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 24, 2014
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There are no monsters, only good guys and bad guys. That’s the creed by which Detective Inspector Faith Connolly has always lived.
When Faith discovers that she has a time bomb counting down in her head, she has one goal; to solve the murder case she’s working on—a young girl who was found drained of blood—and in doing so gain closure for a long ago murder never solved. Her investigation brings her in contact with Ash Delacourt. Ash is all black leather, big guns and sexy bad attitude—definitely not one of the good guys.
As payment for a debt, Asmodai AKA Ash Delacourt, finds himself working with the Order of the Shadow Accords. He’s the demon representative on the newly formed Committee for the Integration of Mankind and well…everything else. It’s a chance to be near his daughter, make a new start, and—once he’s met the delectable detective—maybe have a little fun.
There are no monsters. But as Faith’s investigation deepens, her beliefs are eroded and for the first time, she is falling in love—with one of the bad guys. But how can she ever let Ash close when her time is running out…?
REVIEW: BITTERSWEET DARKNESS is the third instalment in Nina Croft’s contemporary, adult THE ORDER paranormal/fantasy series focusing on the men and women who work for The Order of the Shadow Accords. This is demon Asmodai (aka Ash Delacourt) and Detective Inspector (and human) Faith Connolly’s storyline.
The premise follows Faith Connolly as the latest recruit by a group known as MI13. MI13 is on the hunt –looking for someone connected to vampire Christian Roth (former head of The Order)-and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Enter Detective Faith Connolly, a non-believer in everything supernatural and the perfect foil with her connections to someone close to The Order. As Faith continues to investigate the strange murders of young women, she will come face to face with the man who would one day save her life. Faith’s loyalty will be tested when she uncovers the truth behind MI13 and the people at the top. There are no grey areas in Faith’s world, but the black and white begins to blur when the reality of her situation becomes all too clear.
Asmodai hasn’t had a lover in years and Faith’s presence calls to his heart. Working with The Order as the demon representative for the Committee for the Integration of Mankind, Ash is commissioned to uncover the ‘who and what’ behind Faith Connelly and finds himself falling for the spunky human with a secret that could very well end her life. When one of The Orders own goes missing, Faith is at the top of the list of suspects when betrayal and heartbreak point in her very direction.
The attraction between Ash and Faith is immediate. Something about Faith calls to Ash’s soul and it has been a very long time since Ash has felt anything for another woman. The sex scenes are intimate, hot and seductive-Ash is a demon who knows what it is every woman wants-and Faith wants Ash-if only for a very short time.
Nina Croft writes another fascinating and action-packed storyline where The Order of Shadow Accords finds themselves on the defensive against an enemy they know only too well. Nina combines a world of supernatural beings including vampires, werewolves, fae, shifters, demons and angels into a spirited and clever story-and you may hazard a guess as to which group has the reputation for being evil and unkind.
BITTERSWEET DARKNESS is an imaginative tale of betrayal and heartache; seduction and sex; friendship and love. The secondary characters continue to drive a good portion of the series-this is an ensemble storyline where everyone has a role to play in the survival of the supernatural powers.
If you are a fan of the paranormal, you MUST put Nina Croft’s THE ORDER series at the top of your list.
Copy supplied by the publisher.
Reviewed by Sandy
