Review: Atlantis Betrayed

Atlantis Betrayed
Alyssa Day
Paranormal Romance
Warriors of Poseidon/Book 6
Berkley/September 7, 2010

From the back cover ~

A Warrior's Mission. A Woman's Desire...

What could Christophe, powerful Warrior of Poseidon, have in common with Fiona Campbell, the notorious jewel thief known as the Scarlet Ninja? Answer: The Siren, a legendary Crown Jewel that Fiona has targeted for her next heist. It's said to be worth millions, but to Christophe it's invaluable. For the Siren also happens to be one of the missing jewels from Poseidon's trident.

And The Unnatural Evil That Could Destroy Them Both.

But breaking into the Tower of London is a two-person job, and Christophe and Fiona must team up to commit the crime of the century. As new found passions fire their motive - and cloud their judgement - they realize they aren't the only ones after the priceless gem. A dark force is shadowing their every move and threatening to shatter their trust with revenge, betrayal, and a haunting revelation about the past.

Confession time: I only read this book because I wanted to read Vampire in Atlantis and I have a real hard time skipping books in series. I wasn't expecting to like this, it was more a read it so I could move on to the book that I really wanted to read. Boy was I in for a very pleasant surprise! I loved Christophe and Fiona! So far, they are my favorite couple of this series.

Christophe has a fuck it attitude and a big chip on his shoulder to go with it. He doesn't care about saving humanity but since that's what the warrior are sworn to do, he does it, if with reluctance. I didn't feel like I knew Christophe very well prior to reading Atlantis Betrayed. He seemed to stay in the background. It turns out that's were he likes to be. Christophe has a darkness from his past that colors his views of the world. I like that he's not exactly likable. You can see glimpses of his potential goodness - he just needs someone to unlock it. Then, Fiona comes along.

Lady Fiona is my kind of heroine. She's smart, loving and ballsy when needed but still manages to be a lady when it's called for. She's an interesting mix of proper lady and crusader. She's a thief that gives to the needy, looking out for those who need help. When she runs in to Christophe is friction and fire between these two. They don't waste more than a day before they get busy between the sheets. That surprised me but Fiona and Christophe both justify their quick turn in the sheets with the "it's just sex" and "I needed it really bad" logic. LOL Where have we heard that before? There is a lot of wickedly humorous banter between the two making for some amusing scenes.

There is one scene where Fiona uses her special ability while she and Christophe are getting hot and heavy on a balcony in Atlantis. It's sexy and funny and I'm so glad the author went there. No spoilers so you'll just have to read the book. :)

So the thief and the warrior have the same goal but for different reasons. Fiona wants the sword, containing The Siren to sell, Christophe wants it for Poseidon's Trident. The missing stones of the Trident need to be found before Atlantis can rise again. They're not the only ones after the Siren. The competition is fierce with the the Unseelie Fae and vampires getting involved. The action and romance are well balanced in this story, giving plenty of steam between Fiona and Christophe along with ample amounts of fighting, running and hiding to keep the plot moving.

The two secondary characters introduced in Atlantis Betrayed stood out for me. Fiona has a brother, Declan who is a computer geek extraordinaire with an exuberance for life while still holding onto a bit of innocence. He was such fun to read not only his interactions with Fiona and seeing their close relationship but also the friendship he and Christophe develop. Then there is Hopkins, Fiona's butler. But he is so much more than a butler. He keeps his composure in all and any crisis, offering tea when anyone else would be running for the door. You can see how much Fiona relies on him and how they are as close as father and daughter.

Atlantis Betrayed not only proved a highly entertaining story, it moved the series arc along quite nicely. The other warriors and their mates are still an integral part of the fight so I liked that they still maintain their importance. The vampires continue to escalate their plans to take over but they have to get past the Warriors and their allies. It should be interesting to see how the different fractions come to together to fight their common enemy.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Atlantis Rising
Atlantis Awakening
Wild Hearts in Atlantis (Wild Thing anthology)
Atlantis Unleashed
Atlantis Unmasked
Shifter's Lady (Shifter anthology)
Atlantis Redeemed
Atlantis Betrayed
Vampire in Atlantis
Heart of Atlantis (May 1, 2012)