Review: A solid blend of paranormal and romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 19, 2014
A paranormal romance, Till Death and Beyond is an almost even mix of a developing relationship and mystical plots. The pacing in terms of storyline and romance were quick to establish themselves and effectively maintain a reader's interest throughout. The magical elements of the premise are frequently and creatively utilized, making it a true driving force of the plot as opposed to a throw-away backdrop that provides bells and whistles for a love story.The main characters - Amira and Raven - were both assertive, moral and sarcastic individuals that provide quick banter and respectively strong voices. They have moments that make them enduring as well as damaged that feature their depth coming into the story and development throughout.Admittedly, I found the alternating POVs jarring. There were several instances where the POV would swap unceremoniously from Amira to Raven without it switching chapters or including a page break. This would pull me out of the story as I tried to figure out whose head space I was in. I quickly adapted, which is why I'm reluctant to deduct a star from my rating; however, I want readers to be braced for potential frustration in the presentation so they won't be discouraged from giving the book a fair chance.Regarding the romance, there were some racy moments that exceed innuendo or eroticism by depicting sexual acts. I call attention to this not because I feel it was out-of-place in the story but because I know books featuring sex are a selling point to some and deal-breaker for others and want to be respectful of such preferences. Wherever your sensibilities rest in that regard, be aware that I didn't consider Till Death scandalous about including that facet of the plot and felt it accentuated the affection and yearning expressed by the characters.Overall Lyn C. Johanson is a charismatic storyteller who with a promising voice for a debut author. She has a talent for establishing a scene and applying humor to it that compliments the PNR genre by interchanging teasing exchanges with flourishing lines. I can easily imagine Johanson finding a following as continues her Witch World Series and gives her readers more love and consequences to invest in.