Review: Review: Savage Angel - 4 Stars, A-
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 6, 2013
My Rating: 4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking AboutSara Savitch is a top-notch security expert and next in line to take over her family business, Lynchpin Security International. Unbeknownst to anyone but family and the trusted inner circle at LSI, Sara is descended from a warrior angel, which really gives her the edge when it comes to protecting her clients. Unfortunately for Sara, her next assignment, protecting her father's wealthy friend, Noah Mandeville, will involve more than her cunning skills as a guardian.Gideon Mandeville, Noah's son, is back from a traumatic tour overseas as a battlefield doctor with the Army. Feeling survivor's remorse and suffering PTSD, Gideon has distanced himself from those that care about him. So when the one woman that rocked his world (including a steamy one-night-stand the night before he deployed) shows up as his father's body guard and head of security, Gideon attempts to discredit her and get her to leave.I am going to say right up front that I really enjoyed this Savage Angel. The mythology is unique and captivating, the action quick and entertaining, the romance sweet and passionate, and the plot completely captivating. At times the descriptive detail provided by Ms. Gail paints such a realistic visual that felt I was right there, along side the characters.First the storyline... Noah is recipient of heart from woman who was murdered suspiciously. Now the people who received her organs are also being killed. I was completely hooked right from the get go. Although I was able to identify the culprit almost immediately, the reason behind the attacks was a pleasantly surprising twist.I adore the primary female lead in Savage Angel, Sara. I cracked up and simultaneously empathized with her inner monologue spiels about how she is clueless when it comes male/female relationships and how she wonders if she is a psycho-stalker! Sara is an extremely strong woman, and I am not just referring to her physical prowess. She stands up for herself and defends those close to her. For a large chunk of the story, Gideon sends all sorts of mixed signals, and I like that Sara, although internally hurt and confused, holds Gideon to the fire and doesn't let him play her. Gideon was being a total jerk on purpose, and Sara wouldn't take it. She's the kind of girl I'd want for a best friend.Then we have Gideon, a man who is emotionally scarred from his time in combat. He sends out mixed signals because he isn't certain what he wants - or rather - what he deserves. I was disappointed that Gideon dismissed Sara as Noah's bodyguard because she is a female. However, once I got to know him, it became clear how he was pushing hard on Sara as a defense mechanism. At times Gideon was such a tortured soul, so when he pleaded with Sara and asked if he's done too much damage to their budding relationship, I totally swooned. And their first kiss... it knocked me off my feet. There is a lot of emotional intensity between Sara and Gideon.Gideon and Sara are great together. They really are two halves of a whole. They compliment each other well and help the other to be a stronger, more complete individual. They aren't needy or codependent. I do think that Gideon may have healed from his PTSD quickly, but at the same time, he did emphasize that the scars will always be there.I like the overall relationships between the characters - Sara with her dad, Gideon and his dad, and the Lynchpin team cohesion. I would love to stay and explore many of these characters, but based on how things were left in this book, I think that the focus of subsequent books will be on other "earthy angels" that we have yet to meet.Savage Angel is a wonderful story in what promises to be an exciting new series. I look forward to learning more about other descendants of the Nephilim and what lurks in the shadows...