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The Collector by Nora Roberts – a Review

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The Collector by Nora Roberts – a Review

 

The CollectorAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . .

 

Review:

As I said before, when I need a break from all my paranormal and fantasy genre books, Nora Roberts is my go to author, and with her latest stand alone book The Collector, I couldn’t have been happier to step away from my favourite genres. Even though Nora is classified a romance writer, I find more and more with her stand alone books at least, that the romance in the book isn’t the central plot. For me, it feels more like she’s telling a story of suspense, murder and adventure with a lovely romance intricately weaved throughout the main plot. As is the case in her latest book The Collector.

Right from the first chapter Nora draws the reader into her story with her heroine Lila Emerson witnessing the death of a total stranger. Thanks to her joy of people watching while house sitting, her life is turned upside down and poor Lila soon finds she’s smack in the middle of a crime investigation /adventure where not only is her life in jeopardy, but so too is her soon to be lover and artist Ashton Archer(don’t you just love his name?), who just happens to be the half brother to one of the deceased.

While trying to solve his half brother’s murder both Lila and Ashton keep getting deeper and deeper into a world of high stakes thievery and murder. With a hit-woman hot on their trail as they try to discover who is behind the murders of his family members over lost Russian Faberge Eggs, Lila and Ashton find romance and love as he discovers she’s his muse and needs to paint or sketch her, and Lila discovers that it’s okay to let someone in and allow herself to depend on someone else for a change.

I really enjoyed the way Nora set up the romance between Lila and Ashton. At first I thought these two characters are complete opposites of each other, and just how is this romance going to work? Well, being Nora, she found just the right way and weaved a beautiful romance around mystery, murder and adventure. I love the fact that with any of her books Nora never rushes the romantic plot. She keeps it slow and low key at the beginning but then once the romance takes off, the characters run with it and it pulls the reader in even more. Yes I will admit at times I wanted to smack Ashton for his over bearing ways where Lila is concerned, but as we get to know more and more about Ashton and his life, I began to see why he’s like that. I finally stopped wanting to smack him and instead began swooning over him and his protective ways. As it turns out Lila is the perfect female for him because she brings out the best in him not only with his art, but also his personality. I also love Lila as the heroine, she’s funny, flirty, and keeps our poor hero on his toes every moment of the day. He never knows just where she’s going or what she’s rambling on about most times, and it’s these scenes in the book that pull the hero and heroine even closer together.

The romance between Lila and Ashton is fun, sexy, flirty but with danger and murder following their every move. I absolutely loved the whole Faberge Egg and Russian Tsar history we got in this one. I absolutely love that kind of history and the stories that go with it. Nora really did her research on that part of plot and had me wanting to book a trip to Russia and Italy to visit some of the places that our couple journey too as they try and solve the murder mystery while dodging a crazed hit-woman who’s after them. I got so carried away while reading this book thanks to Nora’s amazing way with words and the pictures she can paint in my head that there were a few times I jumped when my phone or doorbell went off. For all I know it could have been the crazed hit-woman coming after me, LOL!!! If you are a Nora Roberts fan I promise you this one won’t disappoint. Nora paints a world full of danger, thievery, murder, cons, Russian atifacts, and romance all wrapped up in one fun filled adventure.

Until next time, happy reading!!

Reviewed by Marcie

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The Collector by Victoria Scott – a Review

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The Collector by Victoria Scott – a Review

The Collector

Links to order The Collector: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

The Collector by Victoria Scott is her first book in her new Dante Walker series.

Dante Walker is a cocky, arrogant,  selfish soul collector.  His mission is to claim the souls of the earth’s less than stellar humanity.

Dante is called upon by The Boss Man (Lucifer) and is told to collect the soul of one Charlie Cooper and to do it any way possible.  He has ten days to accomplish this goal.  Dante is on it – but little did he know that by taking on this mission his world would change forever, and not in the way he expected.

Charlie is young, innocent and pure of heart.  Her intentions are always for the good of others.  Charlie lives her life by the rules.  Stays within the bounderies of what is acceptable and never does anything to get into trouble.  That’s about to change.

Upon meeting Charlie – Dante wonders what is so special about her.  She is not the least bit attractive, she walks with a limp, she’s that girl in school that never gets noticed, that you never give a second thought about.  But she has her friends Blue and Annabelle and her loyalties to them run deep.  What could The Boss Man possibly want with her soul?  And at what lengths will Dante go to claim it?

I must admit that at the start of this book – I despised Dante, did not like him one ounce.  Even though he is young and extremely attractive – I found his attitude and demeanor off-putting.  To the point that I did not want him near Charlie and almost didn’t want to finish the book.  But it was this strange range of emotions that Dante brought out in me that made me continue reading and push forward and I am extremely happy that I did.   I ended up coming to adore Dante and the relationship he shared with Charlie and her friends.  While clearly his intentions were not real in the beginning – watching him grow into the character he became was heart warming. To watch him form relationships with others that he had never had in his life before was endearing.  I will even admit that in the end – Dante even made me cry!

This book is filled with teen angst, turmoil, tragedy and love. It is heart warming, gut-wrenching and satisfying.

The ending was not at all what I was expecting and the few loose ends leaves you wanting more.  I look forward to the next installment of Dante!

Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Publisher

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THE COLLECTOR (Sentinel Wars) by Shannon K. Butcher-a review

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THE COLLECTOR (Sentinel Wars) by Shannon K Butcher

THE COLLECTOR by Shannon K Butcher

THE COLLECTOR by Shannon K Butcher is a novella found in the anthology ON THE HUNT. Part of the Sentinel Wars series of books, The Collector considered number 3.5 in the series is Neal Etan and Vivian Rowan’s story. Like the previous novels, the Sentinels are descended from an ancient race of guardians known as the Thernai, and without a mate to absorb the excess of power to save their dying souls, the Sentinel warrior suffers immense pain and their Tree of Life-lifemark begins to lose its leaves.

Neal Etan is a warrior on the hunt. Hoping to locate the missing medallions that will save his friend Torr, Neal must convince antique’s collector Vivian Rowan that the medallions she has in her possession, will cure his friend’s paralysis. Still suffering the lingering side effects from a near –electrocution, Neal’s amped up power reserve is tapping his lifemark faster than normal, and the pain has increased exponentially. But when Vivian offers her hand in introduction, Neal’s years of pain and suffering are eased and with it the knowledge that she is his soulmate-his other half-the woman who can syphon the mounting power that Is building within his body.

Vivian Rowan has always felt alone. All her life, as an adopted child, she has never fit in. But one touch from Neal Etan, has marked her forever. There is a connection unlike anything she has ever felt. With her power to sense when something or someone is near, Vivian knows that this man is somehow connected to the many antique collectibles that she has amassed over the years. She is drawn to these ancient articles, feeling a connection to their history and lore. But Neal’s aggression and need for the medallions forces Vivian to send Neal away.

A call to Drake, another Theronai warrior reveals that now that Neal has connected with his soulmate, she is at risk for an attack by the Synestryn demons. Her protective barriers are no longer able to hide her Theronai heritage and presence in the human world. Hoping to protect his future mate, Neal arrives only to find the demons have already located Vivian. Using his skill as a warrior and the magic sword, Neal and Vivian make their escape.

But Neal is still in need of the medallions, and Vivian is not willing to acknowledge their existence. To complicate matters, the medallions have been separated and Vivian can only sense the whereabouts of one

Vivian takes Neal to Professor Reynold’s house, where she has hidden the first of the medallions, but it is too late. The Synestryn demons have already killed the professor and now Vivian blames herself for her friend’s death. When Neal finally locates the medallion, he urges Vivian to use her to locate the other antiquity, but her powers are not strong enough.

Neal, needing the connection to his mate, reluctantly offers a deal. Trying not to overwhelm his mate, Neal explains a partial history of the Sentinel Warriors who guard the gate between Athanasia and the human world, and suggests that to heighten her powers of sense, she wear his Luceria-a necklace that symbolizes the mated pair, and one that will increase their powers together.

Because The Collector is a short story, the relationship development is quick.  When Vivian agrees, Neal pledges his life to protect his mate, but she is still reticent and is not willing to pledge an eternity to the man, who may be her future. Neal knows to complete the bonding, the pair must engage is making love, but if Vivian walks away from their relationship, Neal will die- a risk he is willing to take to save the life of his friend and his mate. With her new powers, Vivian locates the second medallion at a limestone cave, but they are once again attacked by the Sgath demons. Channeling her new-found powers, Vivian draws energy from her mate, and aids Neal in his battle to save their lives and the life of his friend. Vivian and Neal’s connection, and her proclamation of love and pledge to protect her mate, the luceria colors of bronze to match, as does her new title of The Bronze Lady.

THE COLLECTOR is a wonderful short story. We were first introduced to Neal in the earlier storylines and now that he has found his mate, we hope to hear more about these characters. I always worry, that when an author writes a novella, the mated pair tend to fall by the wayside, rarely to be heard from again. But with his friend Torr still in need and the many other Sentinels still requiring mates, I am hoping for a reunion of all the warriors when we meet again. Another great story from Shannon in The Sentinel Wars series.

Reviewed by Sandy

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