Review: An Excellent Paranormal romantic suspense
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 5, 2011
Edwards crafts a paranormal tale that intrigues with the mystery of ancient blood, suspense, and love. Lily Alban has relocated to the small New England town of Rhodes End to avoid a human stalker, but danger has found her. Can Cole keep her safe or will his secret drive her away?"Ancient Blood," Book Two of the "Finding Rhodes End" series is set in the cold harsh winter of January. Lily is new to the town, but soon makes friends. Melanie is a dedicated cop, and Jane, a dedicate employee of the Benedict pharmaceutical company. Cole Benedict runs the company. He also has a secret - he's a werewolf. In fact, several members of the pack live in Rhodes End.While Lily is attracted to Cole, she learns her stalker has followed her to Rhodes End which puts her on edge. Further complicating matters Lily soon discovers she has an animal stalker as well.Lily confides in Melanie (Mel) and the chief. After several women in the town are attacked, including Jane, Cole partners with Mel's boyfriend, Steve, to have his blood analyzed. He's desperate to mate with Lily, but fears if he gets her with child, it will be the death of her, as wolf mothers have a tendency not to survive. When Cole saves Lily from a vicious attack, he confesses his secret to her and the couple makes love. Can Lily accept Cole for the man he is?Edwards pens an intriguing plot with many angles, which will keep the reader on their toes. Cole and Lily's story is in the forefront as they fight against their attraction in the face of danger. Steve, Cole's friend, works hard to overcome a mutation that prevents him from fully committing to Mel.Edwards uses a good economy of words to paint rich descriptions and set the scene. The pacing never slows, keeping the reader guessing what's coming next. Secrets blend effortlessly into the story and the reader is drawn to them like moths to a flame.Cole and Lily are interesting characters. Cole has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as leader of the pack. He's noble, honest, and protective. The chemistry between Cole and Lily could fuel a bonfire for a year.Lily is a hard worker, focused, and determined, despite her good sense, she longs to be with Cole, but dare she when two men stalk her?I'm picky about my wolves, but what I really enjoyed about Edwards story was her focus on the humanity, allowing the wolves human qualities to shine in the face of adversity.The love scenes are "sophisticated" for the readers, capturing the rich sensuality of Lily and Cole's romance. "Ancient Blood" blends humanity and the paranormal effortlessly, depicting the strength of the human heart. The novel will engage the reader on the first page and won't let go until the last.