Posts
Cynthia Eden
Paranormal Romance
The Fallen/Book 1
Brava/November 29, 2011
As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.
Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…
Fallen Angels - sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't. To believe that a being moves from angelic good to total badass overnight is quite a leap of faith. In the case of Keenan, I got the feeling this was a long time coming. He's been suppressing his needs by focusing on his duty until one night it all comes to a head.
Nicole St. James is a devoted teacher, good friend and an upstanding citizen. Then one night she's attacked and turned into a vampire. Everything she has worked for is gone and she must go into the darkness to survive. It turns out our angel Keenan isn't the only one who undergoes a radical transformation. Nicole learns how to fight and how to take a life. I liked how we see Nicole come to grips with who and what she's lost to what she must become if she's to live the new world of monsters.
Keenan has been a death angel for thousands of years. Work that long at the same job and something has to give. Keenan really struggled with his decision to save Nicole's life or take it as he was ordered to. It took him so long I thought she might just die while he continued to ponder what to do! But once Keenan decides there's no turning back. He's not a great hero, the secondary male character left a greater impression on me than Keenan did. But Keenan does have his good points, even if they were few.
The romance is one of those on-the-run types which only works sometimes. This time Nicole and Keenan let there libidos take charge a few too many times. Keenan was more fixated on Nicole because she was the reason, the catalyst, for his downfall. She thankfully, doesn't trust him right off the bat and really makes him earn that trust. Still, I wasn't feeling the romance.
The secondary characters really helped move the story along. I'm looking forward to the next book about Sammael, "call me Sam". He has badass down to an art form. Even with the issues I had with not being all that thrilled with the romance I do like what I'm seeing of the world and the fallen angels.
Rating: B-
The Fallen Series ~
Angel of Darkness
Angel Betrayed
Angel in Chains (November 27, 2012)
This series sounds interesting, Leslie. You know? I do like Cynthia Eden... I just need to give her work more of a reading chance. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. However, I've never been a fan of angels... but death angels, that a whole different story :)
ReplyDeleteHils ~ You should try her again. I know she writes RS as well as paranormal, maybe give the angels a try. :)
ReplyDeletenath ~ I'm not big into angels in PNR either but liked this one enough to want to read the next one. I guess that's a good recommendation. :)