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Mar232011
BOOK REVIEW: ‘Crux’ by Moira Rogers
by Carolyn • Posted in 3.5 Star Reviews, Authors Q-T, Book Reviews, Paranormal Romance, Reviews by Laura, Samhain
Title
Author: Moira Rogers
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: March 2009
Ebook: 239 Pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Review Copy
Reviewed by: Laura
RATING: 7/10 – Very good, would definitely recommend
GOODREADS SUMMARY:
To find her destiny, she must trust him with her life…and her heart.
Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans, home of one of the largest underground supernatural populations in the United States. He and his partners have never met a case they couldn’t crack…until a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire. New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn’t explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs.
When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating. With time running out, she has no choice but to trust Jackson as he struggles to uncover the truth of her past—and her destiny.
Warning: This book contains devious schemes, epic battles, forbidden love between a shapeshifter and a spellcaster, nosy secondary characters, furniture-endangering sex and a woman fighting to choose her own destiny.
REVIEW:
This is one of those books that I have had sitting on my ereader for quite a while now but have never quite got around to reading it. Then as soon as I started it, I wondered why I’d left it so long as it was thoroughly enjoyable. Moira Rogers is the name for a writing team of two ladies, Bree and Donna, in their words: “a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and … a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy.” And a great writing team they make too.
Our heroine is Mackenzie, a frightened woman on the run from a crazy stalk who claims they are destined to be together. A man that wherever she runs to seems to eerily be able to find her. His pursuit of her is violent, unrelenting and terrifying and she has nowhere left to turn.
Ending up in New Orleans, working in a bar, she has stumbles upon a supernatural underground she didn’t even know existed. As her crazy stalker’s behaviours escalates it appears that she needs to find out about her past and where she fits into this world.
This book is like a cross between a paranormal romance and an urban fantasy novel, kind of sitting on that wavy line between the two genres. There’s darkness, horror, mystery and preternatural creatures as well as a warm and sexy romance. The action in the book keeps the pages moving and there are enough plot surprises to keep you guessing.
While Mackenzie is frightened and vulnerable, there is a tough core to her which made her likeable. It would have been very easy to make her a simpering female overwhelmed with her supernatural discovery, and I’m so glad this wasn’t the case. Scared yes, but willing to stand on her own two feet and learn to fight too.
There was something about Jackson I just couldn’t help but like. A rugged, supernatural PI, with a nice hint of gentlemanly manners. He accepts Nici’s request to investigate Mackenzie as a favour, but protects and helps her out of honour and of course as the book progresses a growing attraction between them.
This book has created a world of supernatural beings which were rich and fascinating, and I felt as though we hadn’t really scratched the surface of where the story could take it. The politics and the hierarchy system of the shape shifters alone left me intrigued and we were introduced to many characters I would like to read more about. I would go as far as to say the secondary characters were as interesting as the two main leads.
VERDICT:
A great book that will appeal to shape shifting fans. If you’re not normally a romance fan, but love urban fantasy, I would urge you to give this a go as I think you will enjoy it. It’s a romance book with a bit more grit in it and a great start to new series.
You can find out more about the author here:
This book counts towards the following BCC Reading Challenges:
5 Comments
This sounds good – I've read quite a few books recently that sit on the wavy line between PNR & UF – most of the time it annoys the hell out of me, but if the book is well written and filled with amazing characters (such as Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series) then I can cope with it LOL Love the cover of this one too.
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This sounds good and from an author I don't think I have heard of.
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@Bookchickcity I don't mind as long as books are classed as PNR or UF. I hate it when you expect UF and get PNR if that makes sense? But as I look both genres, I generally don't mind. I think you've spoken before about the trend to class one as another when they're clearly different.
@Jules I hadn't heard of this author before, but the book is very good
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This sounds like a great book, and Moira Rogers has been on my to-read list and I'm definitely bumping it up
Fantastic review, Laura!
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I think Moira Rogers consistently blurs the lines between paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I thing of their Southern Arcana series as romantic urban fantasy. I really enjoyed this on but the next book, Crossroads is my favorite.
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