Stone Cold Lover (Gargoyles #2)
by Christine Warren
Blurb:
A
prominent art restorer, Felicity is more than game to help a friend track down
an obscure statue in Montreal. But when "Fil" finds it, she’s taken
by surprise at how drawn she is to this statue. Attracted to it in a way a girl
shouldn’t lust for a stone gargoyle; she revisits it at night, longing to feel
its embrace. Little does Fil know, her desire for this stone cold beast is
about to heat up a notch.
Locked
in stone for centuries, Spar has slept, waiting for when a human would need
him. When he is awoken, Spar is taken aback to find that a human female needs
his help. A very sexy woman who’s about to be the victim of a cultist attack.
Saving and leaving her should be no problem. But as more questions arise, Spar
knows that he cannot rest until Fil is safe in his arms
Themes: paranormal,
shifters, magick
Rating: 3.5 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
Wow who would have ever thought that gargoyles
could be so sexy and desirable!?! I was skeptical about this series when I first
read that this was Christine Warren’s next project. While I have been a fan of her Others series,
I just couldn’t see how she could pull this one off. But boy am I glad I gave
the series a chance. With magic and mystery, demons and Guardians, and sexy as
hell men that can shift into deadly and terrifying gargoyles, this series is
one that should not be missed. If you missed book one in the series I recommend
going back and reading it before this one, because while you get some details
you will miss a lot of the subtext and importance without book one in your
memory banks. I cannot wait to see what
comes next and just how many of these sexy Guardians are in the world.
Fil
and Spar’s story really began in book one when her friend asks her to visit a
local museum and check into the rumor about a huge gargoyle sculpture that
might be located there. Fil finds
herself drawn inexplicably again and again to the statue and even breaking
rules to have more time to visit, but on one such visit her world is turned
upside down and inside out. When the
statue awakens, she is face-to-face with the beast that was no sculpture at
all, instead he is a Guardian who has awakened from his sleep state at the call
of danger. Spar has been asleep for
centuries and when he awakens things just do not seem to be going his way. First his warden is nowhere in sight and he
is forced to deal with the strange and unwelcoming world, and then he has to deal with a very distraught and confused Felicity and the attraction
between them that could be his downfall.
As they explore and learn more about the world that exists under the one
Fil has always inhabited, the passion between them becomes irresistible and it
is obvious that there is more to their attraction than meets the eye. Can this Guardian keep his mate safe as they battle the darkness and she learns to better understand her powers, or with the darkness
consume them both in the end?
Can
I just say the best part of any Warren novel is the dry wit and the unexpected
humor, even during the darkest of moments, which can leave you laughing so
hard it is difficult to keep reading.
Felicity is just the type of character I love by this author. She’s strong-willed, independent, sarcastic,
and irreverent, while also having a vulnerable side and the passion to handle
the hero that is thrown in her path. When
she is faced with the truth that she never even knew to look for, she doesn’t break
down and cry—too much—but instead fights for her life and finds the humor in her
new situation as a host to the sexy and dangerous Guardian she inadvertently awoke
from his supernatural sleep.
Spar
is another one of those alpha males that just makes you crazy as you listen to
him, but makes you want to drag him into your bed at the exact same moment. After
awakening into an ongoing battle, he doesn’t question his actions, just jumps
right into the fray to protect Fil and defeat the evil that is threatening them
both. Only when he has insured their safety does he begin to question their new circumstances, showing that the best
warriors know how to prioritize any situation.
I liked Spar’s curiosity and his willingness to embrace the new era he
has awoken into, getting quite a few laughs out of his opinions on cars, motorcycles
and cell phones. Accepting that Fil is
meant for him is a little more difficult, but he only resists the pull for so
long, and then the need to be with her is so all consuming that there is really
no more denying it. It is obvious he
will do anything and risk a lot to keep the world, and especially Felicity,
safe from the spreading darkness. And
when he finally takes her into his arms, you will find yourself wishing and
dreaming you were her and could have you very own sexy gargoyle.
In
the end you are left with the feeling that real changes might be coming for
these guardians and that only by finding their mates and battling together can
they ultimately defeat the demons they face and the army of evil magic users
that support them. I loved seeing Fil
and Spar interacting, one minute laughing my butt off and another reaching for
the ice water the cool down from the passion.
Fil was the ultimate example of adaptability, going with the flow as the
world around her morphs and changes into something unrecognizable, while still
finding the love of her life and accepting that being with Spar is worth any danger
or drama that might come along. Spar is the ultimate warrior, bred entirely to battle
back the darkness in the world, and protect others at any cost to himself, but
he has never had any personal motivation for the battle as important as his
Felicity. Now that he knows that his
mate exists, his highest priority becomes keeping her safe and keeping the
world safe enough for her. I enjoyed
watching them working together to defeat their enemies and uncover more of the
secrets of their world. I have a sinking
suspicion I know whose story will be next and if I’m correct it will be even
greater than the previous novels in the series.
Keep those sexy gargoyles coming my way, Christine, and I can promise you
will always have at least one tried and true fan. Great work!
*eARC provided by publisher (via
netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No
compensation was provided.
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