Tag Archives: Elisabeth Naughton

BOUND TO SEDUCTION (Firebrand #1) -by Elisabeth Naughton-a new release review

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BOUND TO SEDUCTION (Firebrand Series #1) by Elisabeth Naughton

BOUND TO SEDUCTION is the premiere novella and May 29, 2012 release in Elisabeth Naughton’s new Firebrand series of novels. Elisabeth introduces a passionate storyline of slavery, seduction and the cost of one man’s freedom.


Mira Dawson is tired of rejection. Although she is beautiful and talented, the men in her life never want to stay around. And she wanted someone in her life. With her sights sent on Devin Sloan, a fellow employee, Mira goes on the hunt for the elusive Firebrand Opal-said to contain magical and unique properties that will ensure all of your fantasies. But with possession, comes a heavy price. Heeding the warning, Mira’s quest for a relationship will take on an entire different direction when a gorgeous man suddenly appears in her doorway asking her heart’s desire.

Tariq is an enslaved warrior, a Djinn Prince of the Marid Tribe, a brother to Ashur and Nasir, and commander of his father’s armies. But a near fatal error has cost him his freedom. For the past 10 years, Tariq has been bound by Zoraida, a powerful sorceress. Using the Firebrand Opal, Zoraida controls and bids Tariq corrupt the human souls by granting their wishes. Used as a pleasure slave, Tariq must fulfill the fantasies of those who command the Firebrand Opal in the human realm. But when the beautiful Mira Dawson calls forth the power of the Opal, Tariq knows that he will never allow Zoraida to gain access to Mira’s soul.

The attraction between Tariq and Mira is immediate and Mira becomes aware that what she desires most will have to be taught by the mysterious stranger who calls to her soul. When Tariq pulls away too quickly, it is Mira whose heart will break until she discovers the true reason for the sudden withdrawal. But with each caress of the Firebrand Opal, Mira will learn what it is to love an immortal Djinn warrior and the cost to each to save the life of the man who she will call her own. With the help of a Djinn lore historian, Mira is determined to put an end to Tariq’s enslavement and put the Prince of the Marid back into the command of his army.

BOUND TO SEDUCTION is a short story written to introduce the premise behind Elisabeth Naughton’s new Firebrand series. With the introduction of Tariq’s brothers, Elisabeth has offered a peak into the future storylines of those bound by the Firebrand Opal. A wonderful start, a great premise and I am looking forward to her next novel in the series in August 2012-Slave to Passion-Nasir’s story.

reviewed by Sandy

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An Interview with Elisabeth Naughton

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An Interview with Elisabeth Naughton

 

As most of you know, The Reading Cafe has featured Elisabeth Naughton this week. You have been able to read reviews on some of her books, to give you an idea on what you are missing, if you have not read them. We have also given an insight into Elisabeth with her Biography, as well as a detailed listing of all her novels. Now let us begin our interview.

 

Elisabeth, we at the Reading Café would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. 

EN: Thanks so much for inviting me to stop by today!

TRC: Please tell us about yourself

EN: I always wish I had a really cool answer to this question:  A former Olympic gymnast who won three gold medals, then turned her attention to writing…but alas…that would just be fiction. The real me is not quite as exciting. I have a Bachelor’s degree in science and a Masters in teaching. I live in western Oregon with my hubby and three kids and most days pray for sunshine (If you’ve ever been to the Pacific Northwest, you know why). We have two Dalmatian pups who are just over a year old and who pretty much run our household, and when I’m not writing I’m either driving carpool, hanging out at the baseball field watching my kids play or trying to figure out a way to get out of running with my girlfriends who are marathon runners (I am so not a long-distance runner). I love to travel, I love to read and I love to get lost in my characters lives. (Hm…that sounds like I want to escape…some days I do!)

TRC: When and how did you first become interested in writing?  We understand you started this later on, after staying home with your children.

EN: You’re right, I wasn’t one of those writers who knew she wanted to write from an early age. I was a junior high science teacher in my previous life. Loved teaching, loved the kids, but burned out fast because I was one of those teachers who took on everything – student council advisor, coached multiple sports, outdoor school teacher, etc. I started writing after taking a years’ leave of absence from my job and fell in love with the written word. For a science geek, that was quite a stretch (my principal once asked me to teach a language arts class and I said no way!), but the change turned out to be the best thing for me. Ten years later I can’t imagine doing anything other than writing romantic fiction. I’m thrilled I finally found a career I’m passionate about, and which pays me to do what I love!

TRC: What was your first book ever published?

EN: My very first published book was STOLEN FURY. It released in January 2009 and was a 2010 double RITA nominee for Best First Book and Best Romantic Suspense. The RITA awards are like the Oscars of romantic fiction, so it was a total thrill to be nominated with my first book.

TRC: How did you come up with the idea for your Stolen trilogy?  How did you decide to use Archaeology in this romantic adventure?

EN: Well, like I mentioned before, I’ve always been a science buff. When I was teaching I used to bore my kids with a lot of chemistry and geology. The idea for the Stolen books really grew out of my love for adventure flicks like Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, and after I wrote STOLEN FURY I knew I wanted to write more linked books that featured treasure hunt themes.

TRC: The Stolen Trilogy is has been re-released as one book.  Can you give a brief description to those who have not read this series.

EN: Absolutely!

The Stolen books are three loosely connected romantic suspense books centered around an antiquities dealership in Florida. STOLEN FURY, the first book in the series, features a thief hot on the trail of three ancient Greek relics of the Three Furies, and the Archaeologist he teams up with along the way to find them. The second book in the series—STOLEN HEAT—features the owner of the antiquities dealership and the Egyptologist he fell in love with years before and lost. And finally, STOLEN SEDUCTION is about a race to find a rare and very valuable statue linked to a mysterious murder.

TRC: The Eternal Guardian series is Greek Mythology, what made you choose that theme?

EN: I actually came up with the idea for MARKED, the first book in the Eternal Guardians series, while I was writing STOLEN FURY. I’m a real sucker for Greek mythology and I did so much research during the writing of that book that I knew I wanted to write a new series linked to Greek mythology. One day while perusing a writer’s blog, someone commented that they’d love to see more about the heroes from Greek mythology, and bam, the idea for MARKED hit me out of the blue.

TRC: Enraptured is the 4th book in the Eternal Guardian series.  Give us a brief description of the book.

EN: ENRAPTURED is Orpheus’s book. Orpheus is not one of the Eternal Guardians. He’s Gryphon’s older brother, and because he was passed over to serve with the guardians, he’s had a major chip on his shoulder for years, usually to the point of doing whatever he can to undermine what the guardians do.  In TEMPTED, book three, Gryphon is injured in battle and his soul is sent to the Underworld. Orpheus feels responsible for what happened to Gryphon, and in ENRAPTURED he’s trying to find a way to rescue his brother’s soul. He doesn’t consider himself a hero, doesn’t want to be a hero, and doesn’t want to serve with the guardians. He just wants to set right a wrong that never should have happened. However, he never imaged he’d be distracted along the way by an attractive Siren—one of Zeus’s elite assassins—or that they would have an unexplainable connection that could just change everything about the Eternal Guardians.

TRC: How many books are planned for the Eternal Guardian series?

EN: I’m starting work on book six right now, and book seven will likely be the last book in this series. However, there are still three more characters I want to write books for in this world, but they’ll likely be part of a spinoff series. (At least that’s the plan right now.)

TRC: Wait for Me is different then either of the above series, being straight Romance. What made you write a standalone book?

EN: Every author has one book that is “the book of their heart”. WAIT FOR ME is that book for me. It’s not the book I wrote first, but it’s the story that got me writing. I wrote it years before I was published, but the published version is a hundred and eighty degrees different from that early version. Every time I’d learn something new about writing, I’d go back to WAIT FOR ME and revise. It is the book that’s been with me the longest, and it is the one that I could never let go of. I’m really happy with the final product and am so happy readers have a chance to read it. I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a full book for Mitch and Simone (a secondary couple in WAIT FOR ME) but haven’t yet decided.

TRC: Which genre do you consider your favorite to write?

EN: Anything with adventure! My first love will always probably be romantic suspense because that’s what I started out writing. But the transition to paranormal was easy because my paranormals include a lot of the same elements as my romantic suspense books–adventure, romance, fast-paced plots and lots of action. I really love both genres and enjoy bouncing back and forth between books. Keeps my muse happy and engaged.

TRC: What do you have planned for future books or series.  Are you working on any different series?

EN: Right now I’m working on a new romantic suspense series that will hopefully be available to readers in May 2012. I’m also working on a brand new paranormal romantic suspense series I’m super excited about.

TRC: Who is your Muse?

EN: Who? She doesn’t have a name. But if I had to describe her, I’d say she’s a lot like the Fates in my Eternal Guardians series. She’s wise, she wears diaphanous robes, and she never tells me what to do, just encourages me to get on with the writing and get busy writing romances my readers will love. 

 

LIGHTNING ROUND:

FAVORITE FOOD – Brie en croute

FAVORITE DESSERT – currently its vanilla pudding with sliced bananas, topped with whipped cream (like a low cal alternative to banana cream pie!)

BOXERS, BRIEFS, COMMANDO – Boxer briefs

RED OR WHITE ROSES – Neither. Roses die so fast. I prefer lilacs.

FAVORITE AUTHOR – Do I have to pick just one? Ack. That’s like asking which child is my favorite. I don’t have ONE favorite. I love too many…Judith McNaught, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, JRR Tolkien, Joan Swan

FAVORITE BOOK – Favorite romance(s): PERFECT by Judith McNaught and MATCH ME IF YOU CAN by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Favorite non-romance is THE LORD OF THE RINGS by JRR Tolkien

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING – I’m currently reading two ARCs – the first is ABOUT THAT NIGHT by Julie James and the other is WEST OF WANT by Laura Kaye

LAST VACATION SPOT  – Ka’anapali, Maui

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Thank you, Elisabeth for this wonderful interview. We wish you the best of luck with Enraptured, and look forward to working with you again. 

Thanks so much for the fun interview!

 

If you want to learn more about Elisabeth, below are the links to her sites:

Website: http://www.elisabethnaughton.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisabeth.naughton1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/ElisNaughton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2002988.Elisabeth_Naughton/

 

                        GIVEAWAY!!!

Elisabeth is graciously offering a giveaway for one of our members.  She will send a signed copy of either MARKED, ENTWINED or TEMPTED (winner’s choice).  Please note you must be a member of The Reading Café to have a chance to win. If you are not a member, please register today.  The contest will close midnight April  13, 2012.  Good Luck to all.
~~~~~~~~~~~CONTEST OPEN TO US and CANADA ONLY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Elisabeth Naughton Biography – Bibliography

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Elisabeth Naughton Bio:

A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test tube set for a laptop and research books and never looked back. She now writes romantic suspense and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards including the prestigious RITA awards, the Australian Romance Readers Awards and the Golden Heart. Her latest mass market release, ENRAPTURED, the fourth book in her Eternal Guardians series, was recently listed as one of Publisher¹s Weekly top ten romances for the spring of 2012. To learn more visit www.elisabethnaughton.com.

Bibliography:

Eternal Guardians
As unrest in the Underworld threatens, seven warriors descended from the greatest heroes in all of Ancient Greece may just be mankind’s last hope.

Marked – Theron & Casey

Entwined – Zander & Callia

Tempted – Demetrius & Isadora

Enraptured – Orpheus & Skyla

 

Stolen Trilogy
Stolen Fury

Stolen Heat

Stolen Seduction

Wait for Me
He lost her once. He won’t lose her again.
A Contemporary Romance – Standalone

Anthologies
Bodyguards in Bed
There’s just one cardinal rule when it comes to being a bodyguard: no matter how tempting it may be, never, ever get romantically involved with the person you’re protecting.

Yeah, it’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it.

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Stolen Trilogy by Elisabeth Naughton – a synopsis

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Stolen Trilogy by Elisabeth Naughton

Since we have been featuring Elisabeth Naughton this week, we have been concentrating mainly on her Eternal Guardians series, as she has just this week released her latest book in the series…Enraptured.  But Elisabeth has an earlier trilogy that we thought you would enjoy.  Below is a synposis direct from Elisabeth’s site for you to read.

Stolen Trilogy

Stolen Fury – Book 1

Elisabeth Naughton: STOLEN FURY combines my love of Greek mythology and archaeology. The heroine, Lisa Maxwell, is a mini-female-version of Indiana Jones.

Synopsis:
To unearth a centuries-old secret, an archaeologist must team up with the rakish thief who’s stolen both an ancient relic and her heart…

Oh, is he handsome. And charming. And sexy as all get out. Dr. Lisa Maxwell isn’t the type to go home with a guy she barely knows. But, hey, this is Italy and the red-blooded Rafe Sullivan seems much more enticing than cataloging a bunch of dusty artifacts.

After being fully seduced, Lisa wakes to an empty bed and, worse yet, an empty safe. She’s staked her career as an archaeologist on collecting the three Furies, a priceless set of ancient Greek reliefs. Now the one she had is gone. But Lisa won’t just get mad. She’ll get even.

She tracks Rafe to Florida, and finds the sparks between them blaze hotter than the Miami sun. He may still have her relic, but he’ll never find all three without her. And they’re not the only ones on the hunt. To beat the other treasure seekers, they’ll have to partner up—because suddenly Lisa and Rafe are in a race just to stay alive.

Stolen Heat – Book 2
Elisabeth Naughton:  The love story in STOLEN HEAT is a combination of all things I love most about reunion stories – lies, betrayal, a deep emotional commitment and two people who are meant to be together.

Synopsis:
His past tore them apart. Her lies thrust them back together. Now a killer’s out for revenge, but the biggest threat for both may just be the heat they thought they’d already lost…

Antiquities dealer Peter Kauffman walked a fine line between clean and corrupt for years. And then he met the woman who changed his life—Egyptologist Katherine Meyer. Their love affair burned white-hot in Egypt, until the day Pete’s lies and half-truths caught up with him. After that, their relationship imploded, Kat walked out, and before Pete could find her to make things right, he heard she’d died in a car bomb.

Six years later, the woman Pete thought he’d lost for good is suddenly back. The lies this time aren’t just his, though. The only way he and Kat will find the truth and evade a killer out for revenge is to work together—as long as they don’t find themselves burned by the heat each thought was stolen long ago…

Stolen Seduction – Book 3
Elisabeth Naughton:  When I set out to write this series, I never intended to write STOLEN SEDUCTION. But I fell in love with both characters—Shane & Hailey—who appear in both of the first two books. After I got to know them better, I couldn’t not write their story.

Synopsis:
The individual who collects all six statues and deciphers the code locked within will be awarded controlling interest in Roarke Resorts.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS ENDEAVOR IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Hailey Roarke was never interested in her family’s fortune. That’s why she became a cop. But with her father and now her cousin dead, she’s suddenly on the wrong side of a police interrogation. The only way to clear her name is to solve the riddle before the real killer. Without getting killed herself.

Detective Shane Maxwell can’t deny the spark of lust he feels every time Hailey is near. But the woman is clearly hiding something. Trusting his gut—and the heat in her eyes—he joins her on an elaborate global treasure hunt staged by her late father. Caught between a sizzling seduction and a maniacal murderer, for Hailey and Shane the biggest reward of all will be making it out alive.

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ENRAPTURED by Elisabeth Naughton- a new release review

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ENRAPTURED by Elisabeth Naughton

ENRAPTURED by Elisabeth Naughton

ENRAPTURED is the 4th instalment and April 2012 NEW release in Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series. The Eternal Guardians series follows the lives and loves of 7 warriors descended from the god’s of Olympus, whom fate has decreed as the Eternal Guardians on earth. But this time a warrior is haunted by guilt over the destruction of his brother’s soul and memories of a past, he has somehow forgotten.

Orpheus, son of Perseus, is part daemon, part witch and part Argolean. Searching for the Orb of Kronos-the source of ultimate power-so that he may be able to bargain with the Lord of the Underworld Hades for his brother Gryphon’s soul, Orpheus finally believes he has tracked down the key to the missing Orb. But ‘goth girl’ Maelea has continued to evade capture for close to 3000 years, and refuses to be pulled into the game between Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. With the ability to detect power shifts, Maelea-the bastard child of Zeus and Persephone-knows where Orpheus can find the Orb that will aid in the release of his brother’s trapped soul.

Skyla is Athena’s number one Siren, and has been commissioned to track down the deamon known as Orpheus. But something about the daemon is very familiar and calls to her heart and soul. And it is only when she reaches into her past does she realize that she has been deceived by those who claim to be family and friends. Tailing Orpheus on his hunt for the Orb of Kronos, is becoming more complicated, when she finds herself falling for the man, the warrior and the daemon, who was once part of her past, but is now becoming part of her present and beyond.

Hoping Maelea will lead him to the Orb, or at the very least another element, Orpheus recognizes there is more to the waif-like creature than her ability to sense power shifts. There is an unsettling calm that masks a power that has yet to be unleashed. But when an avalanche engulfs the train taking the trio back through Greece, and nearly takes the life of both the waif and Skyla, Orpheus is stunned when his mind cannot comprehend, that his heart has become one with the Siren sent to take him back to hell. And the flashes of memories, from a lifetime ago, push closer to the surface, out of the abyss, where they were meant to stay.

A new breed of daemon hybrid has surfaced-one which no longer bears the hideous façade, but continues to present the face of a human. Atalanta is awaiting judgment in Tartarus (purgatory), when the news about Gryphon excites her senses. Hoping to harness the strength and knowledge of the warrior, Atalanta makes him a deal he should have refused. Humiliation and shame will engulf the once proud man, and his brother Orpheus, may not be able to bring him back from the abyss.

The Orb of Kronos is in the possession of the warlock Apophis, but without the four elements that will garner the Orb with the ultimate power, Apophis amasses a coven of witches, hoping to draw those who will lead him to the individual who knows where to find the elements. But inhabiting the physical body of a fallen warrior Apophis soon loses his battle in the war for control and the Orb of Kronos.

Betrayal and heartbreak resurface for Orpheus, when the past comes crashing down around. Not only does he suffer the guilt for his brother’s lost and tortured soul, but knowing the only person he loved more than his brother, is the one person who will destroy the heart and soul of a man whose demonic nature, was tamed by love.

As Orpheus attempts the rescue of his brother Gryphon, he is too late to save the life of another close to his heart. And it is only when Skyla listens to her heart and hears the message of the Fates, does she realize, that the man she once knew, in a life long ago, is not the same man, she has grown to love in the life she wanted in return.

Enraptured is a complicated storyline. The history of hatred between 3 brothers-Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, and the mythology behind the many stories of vengeance and the struggle for power, floods the mind with tales only the gods could have dreamed. But Elisabeth Naughton has fused the myth of the gods within a novel that will keep you reading and wanting more. Enraptured tells the story of a warrior so filled with guilt, that his only goal, is to set right, the wrong, he fears may have destroyed his brother’s soul.

And it is within the pages that a small waif-life creature seems to draw the essences of a lost soul slowly back into the light and perhaps onto the pages of another Eternal Warrior. Book 5-ENSLAVED will be released in November of 2012.

READING ORDER:

1. MARKED
2. ENTWINED
3. TEMPTED
4. ENRAPTURED
5. ENSLAVED (Nov 2012)

reviewed by Sandy

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ENTWINED by Elisabeth Naughton-a review

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ENTWINED by Elisabeth Naughton

ENTWINED by Elisabeth Naughton

ENTWINED is the second book in Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardian series. Set against the backdrop between two worlds, ENTWINED steps further into the realm of Greek mythology using the descendants of the gods and demi-gods as fodder for our senses. Our reluctant hero Zander must make a decision that could destroy his mate, his intended bride and all of their lives. But without the love of the only woman who has ever broken his heart, Zander no longer wishes to remain in the immortal world of Argolea.

Zander is a warrior who has long thought himself impervious to death-a true immortal, so while he contemplates ways to end his existence, he must face the reality that the only woman he has ever loved, betrayed him more than 10 years ago. Without his soulmate, his heart has hardened and he seeks the means to withdraw from the others.

Callia is a healer for her people and a woman who has just completed a 10 year cleansing to rid her soul of the guilt and shame she has brought upon her family. Following an affair with a warrior that left her both devastated and shattered, Callia’s father all but renounced his daughter for the humiliation and hurt. But the truth is somewhere in between.

Princess Isadora must marry and produce an heir before her father, the King succumbs to old age. But with no potential suitors and no Argolean soulmate on the horizon, the King orders Demetrius to marry his daughter. Disgusted with the idea of marrying and mating with Isadora, Demetrius is stunned when Zander steps forward to accept the King’s offer of marriage to his daughter. And Callia, both hurt and humiliated, must perform the pre-wedding physical to determine Zander’s fertility. With their previous history and 10 years of hatred for a betrayal, both Zander and Callia, must face the fact, they do not belong together.

Meanwhile, Atalanta’s 10-year old son, is being groomed to fight in the ways of the demons, but Maximus is not a demon. He is a young boy, lost in a world that is foreign to him. With the markings of a Guardian, Max knows that he does not belong with Atalanta and the demon hordes. Hoping to find the Guardians of Argolea, Max steals a valuable symbol from Atalanta, and goes in search of the Guardians. But a demon attack at a truck stop, leaves Max shaken, and again captured by the very monsters he is trying to escape..

During one of the many demon hunts, Zander and Titus are thrown into a fight, that is almost impossible to win. An injured Zander requires medical aid that only Callia is able to give, and their relationship begins to burn once again, but the memory of a betrayal is still very clear and painful to both. Their emotional wounds are deep, and when Zander accuses Callia of aborting their son 10 years earlier, a stunned and broken Callia, must face the man whom she still loves. Refusing to listen to his soulmate, Zander dismisses her tears as a ploy. When Callia finally reveals the truth about her visit to the medical centre in the mortal realm, a shaken and shattered Zander must admit that he betrayed his soulmate. He left her, thinking she had aborted their child, not knowing that she was trying to save the life of their unborn son. But the betrayal goes beyond the realm of possibilities.

Throughout the storyline, we are privy to the evil underworld controlled and ruled by Atalanta. Amassing an army of demons to destroy Argolea, Atalanta hopes to someday rule, using her ‘son’ Max as leverage. It is Callia who over hears a conversation that reveals their son is still alive, and Atalanta’s son Max is the common thread. But with the knowledge, comes a deeper betrayal by a family member that Callia will never forgive.

Princess Isadora and her half-sister Casey, agree to help Callia with her struggles finding her son. But the revelation of a ‘third’ sister and the prophecy of the Three Hours, proves these 3 ladies are tied closer together by both friendship and blood

Callia and Zander’s relationship strengthens with the discovery that their son may still be alive, but their guilt and shame will prove to be a larger obstacle then they imagined. It is only when Callia refuses Zander’s offer of marriage, because he has accepted the King’s proposal, do we find how deep their love and true feelings will go.

A betrayal by a father, innocence lost and ten years of guilt all culminate together, with a family reunion that is both sorrowful and happy. But a missing Princess and a joining ceremony between two lost souls, opens the possibility of another HEA. Another great storyline in Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series. Elisabeth Naughton is a welcome addition to my favorite author’s list.

READING ORDER:

1.  MARKED
2.  ENTWINED
3.  TEMPTED
4.  ENRAPTURED
5.  ENSLAVED (Nov 2012)

reviewed by Sandy

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MARKED by Elisabeth Naughton-a review

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MARKED by Elisabeth Naughton

MARKED by Elisabeth Naughton

MARKED is the first book in author Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series. A series set in modern day, with a portal to the realm of the immortals, the Eternal Guardian series is comprised of Greek mythology, stories, myths, prophecy and history.

Argonaut leader and descendent of Hercules- Theron- is on a mission. He has entered the mortal sphere to locate his reluctant fiancé (and the king’s daughter) Isadora and return her to the immortal realm of Argolea. She is sick, and slowly dying from a mysterious unexplained illness. But finding Isadora inside a strip-bar, intently watching one of the waitresses is distressing. What would Isadora want or need with a human waitress? And why did the man looking out for the waitress, seem familiar? But when Theron notices the waitress, something deep inside, resonates with an unknown feeling.

Acacia Simopolous, otherwise known as Casey, has been working two jobs, including waitressing at the local strip club to make ends meet. But with Nick as her self-appointed guardian, Casey’s concern is his overprotective posturing and need to keep her safe. What does he know? And now, the beautiful stranger who catches her eye, seems so familiar-perhaps someone she knows or should know. But Casey is not well. Her health is failing, and the doctors have been unable to determine the cause.

Hoping to take his fiancé Isadora home, Theron exits the club, only to find himself facing a group of Atalanta’s demons. When he sends Isadora through the portal between the worlds, he is so weakened that he is unable to protect himself. It is only when Casey arrives, do the stunned demons retreat, but not before Casey notices their register of shock at her sudden appearance. With Casey’s aid and ministrations, Theron is nursed back to health, but he soon senses that there is something different about Casey, and that his attraction to the human, is not normal. It is only when he seduces Casey, does he notice the ‘royal birthmark’ on her back.

Returning through the portal, Theron reports the discovery to the king, who acknowledges, that Casey is his daughter by a human female, and it is Theron’s duty to bring the girl back home, because it is a prophecy that must be fulfilled. As a Miso (half-breed) Casey’s kind is considered beneath the god-like Argonauts, and all children from mixed mortal heritage are hunted or destroyed, before they reveal themselves to the world. Established 1000’s of years before, when the fallen Argonaut Atalanta sold her soul to Hades in exchange for immortality, the prophecy states that the two halves must join to save the people of the immortal realm. The perfect Argolean-one half human strength/one half god strength. Casey and Isadora are half-sisters, and each is one-half of the prophecy. The king reveals to Theron that Casey must be brought back to save Isadora’s life, and their world, and in doing so, end her own.

But Theron is reluctant to release Casey to the King, for there is something about the woman, unlike any female he has met. She is THE ONE. His ONE. His soulmate. But he is betrothed to Isadora, Casey’s half-sister and a woman he does not love. As the war with the Underworld draws near, Atalanta’s demons have been commissioned to ensure Casey’s destruction-the two sisters must never be joined. But Hades, the god of the Underworld, reveals to Casey, the true nature of Theron’s journey to the mortal realm- to retrieve Casey and save the life of Isadora. Betrayed and hurt, Casey resigns herself to the knowledge, that her life will end, one way or the other, and chooses to save the life of her half-sister, than live with the pain of betrayal.

As Casey considers her options, Theron’s heart is destroyed. He has fallen for the half breed, the Miso, and has lost her to the prophecy. Meanwhile, Isadora has struck a bargain with both Hades and Persephone, that will hopefully bode well for her sister. But the joining of the two halves, will change the Argolean Argonauts, as never before seen in their world.

We meet Nick, Casey’s self-appointed guardian and a fellow Miso, as well as many of Theron’s fellow Argonauts. The death of a friend and the innocence of a lost childhood are many of the tragedies that surround warriors and friends. We will be both saddened and awed, by the colony of half-breeds, who have created an underground city for protection against those who’s goal is to destroy and use the Miso’s as cattle. The gods and demi-gods are recognizable, if only by name and reputation, but the story created by Elisabeth Naughton is a true adventure between our world and their’s.

reviewed by Sandy

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Wait for Me by Elisabeth Naughton – a Review

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Wait for Me by Elisabeth Naughton – a Review

Wait for Me is a Romantic Suspense novel by Elisabeth Naughton.  When I started this book, I expected a quick and fast read, since I am more into these days romance with paranormal or fantasy themes.  I was not expecting something that pretty early on in the story, would pull me totally in,with varying degrees of emotions along the way. 

Wait for Me begins with Kate Alexander trying to calm her nerves from losing her cool, as she is having a CAT scan done. Much to her relief, she completes her test, and as she leaves the clinic, her world turns upside down.  A plane crash is shown on the TV screen with no survivors, and Kate’s husband is on that plane. 

After the funeral, Kate goes through her husband’s papers and discovers things about her life that made no sense.  Kate knows that she woke from a coma, 18 months ago, with permanent memory loss, and did not remember her husband Jake, nor her 4 year old son, Reed.  Relying on her husband to fill in the blanks, Kate got on with her life.  Until now, when she reviews the papers in front of her, Kate begins to suspect that her husband has been lying to her.  The medical records show that what she was told that she was in a 4 day coma, was actually 3 years. She finds a picture of a little girl, and is shocked to see herself in that girl. Kate knows beyond a shadow of doubt, that the young girl in the picture is her daughter.   

Kate is determined to find out the truth, and why did her husband lie to her.  She decides to leave her home, and take her son to San Francisco, where she will embark on her own fact finding mission.  At this point, you are totally pulled into her world, and be prepared for a mix of emotions that will glue you to this wonderful book.

Ryan Harrison, lost his pregnant wife 5 years ago, when she died in a plane crash.  The tragedy devastated him, and it took him years to move on, mainly because of his daughter, Julia, who is now 9 years old.  His love for Julia, was what allowed him to pick up the pieces, but Ryan will never open his heart again. He has no problems getting women, as he is rich, and handsome, but he will never love again.  All he wants to do is take care of Julia, and bury himself into running his pharmaceutical company, of which he is the President.

Ryan’s life also takes an unexpected turn, when he sees Julia talking to a strange woman across from their house. From afar, he is shell-shocked and as he gets closer, he is looking at a woman who looks exactly like his deceased wife, Annie. Kate, tries to explain about her memory loss, is not sure who she really is, and just needs to know about her past.  Ryan, listening to her unbelievable story, is convinced she is his dead wife, but cannot handle his anger, as she does not know him, and probably ever will. He dreamed of her all these years, and now he feels that perhaps she has come back, but he is losing her again.

Kate is determined to find out everything, though she does not want to hurt Ryan and Julia.  But she needs to know if Julia is her daughter, and if she really is Annie Harrison.  Kate needs to know why the man whom proclaimed himself to be her husband, lied to her the last 5 years.

Naughton brings us such wonderful characters in Kate & Ryan, as well as the secondary characters you come to care about…Mitch, who is Annie’s brother, and Ryan’s best friend, he was fun, lots of charisma, not to mention handsome too; Simone, who is Annie’s friend, and Julia, the daughter who cannot handle the possibility that her mother has returned. 

To watch Kate discover she has another husband, and a daughter, and both of them expressing anger at her, even if she is truly the innocent one, is very emotional.  You know Kate is hurting, and you find yourself angry at Ryan and Julia, for the way they are treating her and blaming her.  You are protective of Kate, and at times would have liked to smack Ryan a few times, though you do understand his anguish, but you are torn at his behavior, the way he blamed her for everything, and this part of the book is totally intense.

Eventually, Ryan was finally able to come to terms with his anger, and Kate also begins to feel something for Ryan.  At this point, Ryan is in protective mode, as things begin to become dangerous for them all.  Whatever happened to Kate, has been hidden very well, and now someone is going out of their way to kill off anyone who remembers Kate when she was in the coma.  As they work together..Kate, Ryan, Mitch and Simone to find the truth, your emotions are now turned completely into watching them both fall in love again.  Kate though, holds back a little, in fear that Ryan expects her to be his beloved Annie, whom she is, but now very different.  Ryan, begins to see the differences between Kate and Annie, and at one point during one of their hot steamy sex, he calls her Katie, which was a blend of both of them. Kate recognizes that Ryan has melded her and Annie as one, and she realizes how much she does want to stay with Ryan.

The mystery becomes a major focal point at this time, as the danger increases for all of them.  Julia, who still harbors resentment toward Kate, is forced to spend the afternoon with her, and both end up in a fight for their lives, as the car they were in was tampered with. Also another emotional point, as after this harrowing experience, Julia having been saved by Kate, begins to look at her as her mom again.  Very well done by Naughton.  Then things come to an exciting ending, where lives are on the brink of being lost, and a surprising twist as to who is the killer.  The end is another emotional pull by Naughton, as we watch Katie and Ryan decide on their fate. 

Wait for Me was a wonderful book, very emotional, with a mixed bag of emotions, and I fully recommend you to read this book  The characters are great, as you become part of their lives.  Great story, great writing by Elisabeth Naughton.

Reviewed by Barb

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