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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Enchanting begining to a unique paranormal series, September 11, 2007
This review is from: Familiar Stranger (Silhouette Nocturne) (Mass Market Paperback)
Jack Harris works for a P-Cell an undercover branch of MI-5 which is the equivalent of a paranormal SWAT team. He had become a demon hunter after watching helplessly as his partner had been brutally murdered by a particularly nasty specimen. Now he sought revenge, for Monica and for the end to the possibilities he'd been too afraid to explore with her. The world would be a better place without paranormal entities in it. Or so he thought until he met Mersey Bane.
As a Cadre initiate, Mersey works for the opposition. The Cadre is a hermetic order, initiated by the first Earl of St. Yves, whose mission is to keep the balance between the dark realm and the mortal one. Their members trap demons rather than destroying them like the P-Cell death merchants. They then interrogated them and either returned them to the dark realm or cataloged them if they were too dangerous to release.
Jack's approach to the job is black and white, it's either kill or be killed. He is totally unaware of the collateral damage caused by his methods until the two meet while tracking the same demon. The attraction between them is undeniable, but Mersey had been told by her mother that there was only one man for her, her chosen mate. A barbaric death merchant could never be "the one". Or could he?
Following their encounter Jack is assigned to follow Mercy and discover the whereabouts of the Cadre. Although he is an expert tracker she always manages to give him the slip until she decides to use their attraction to teach Jack the error of his ways. The truth seems the best way to begin but Jack is totally taken aback to discover that this beguiling woman is not quite human. Watching her transform takes Jack back to his childhood and a memory he had tried hard to forget. She was one of them, a paranormal entity but she was also so much more. She believed in him, thought he was a hero, and trusted him enough to lead him, the enemy, to her home in the hopes of making a believer out of him.
If this first offering is any indication the series is rightfully named Dark Enchantments. Mersey and Jack are an enchanting together and as individuals, each fighting the darkness to bring the other light. Willing to sacrifice their very lives for the other, these two personify what true love is all about. And what a love it is to survive a powerful demon, a fairy's enchantment, and the price demanded to leave the Cadre. It is a love that dwells in the heart, for they are soulmates, they are destined to be together. The ending is only unusual in that it is just the beginning.
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More like 4 1/2 stars...., August 26, 2007
This review is from: Familiar Stranger (Silhouette Nocturne) (Mass Market Paperback)
Jack Harris has been hunting demons ever since witnessing his partner's death at the hands of one particularly nasty one. He never expected to find a civilian at his latest demon hunting assignment, particularly not one as sexy as Mersey Bane. Mersey isn't an ordinary civilian, though. She works for the Cadre, an organization at odds with the goals of Jack's employer, P-Cell. Will Jack and Mersey be able to see past their differences? And just where are all these demons coming from, anyway?
Michele Hauf writes a complex story populated with secret organizations and multiple supernatural entities, from demons to familiars and even to faeries. She does a phenomenal job at describing such a vast, hidden world. Mersey's role is especially unique as Michele Hauf puts an interesting spin on what a familiar is and can do.
The twists and turns are nonstop in FAMILIAR STRANGER, as is the action. It's amazing that Michele Hauf managed to pack so much into such a short book as she did an excellent job at kicking off the Dark Enchantment series. Many times the first book in a series will get dragged down by the necessity of the world building, particularly in one as intricate as this one, but Michele Hauf doesn't fall into that trap. Instead, she sends the reader plunging headlong into the action while introducing us to the world through Jack's eyes. After all, the supernatural world is fairly new to Jack as well so his questions are ours as well.
FAMILIAR STRANGER is a very unique tale. The ending is sure to spark some debate but is perhaps the only ending that would work considering the circumstances. FAMILIAR STRANGER is not your typical paranormal romance, which readers will see as the story unfolds. However, Michele Hauf is to be commended for her daring twist in the finale as it is definitely a memorable one.
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A funny, sexy paranormal, July 19, 2007
This review is from: Familiar Stranger (Silhouette Nocturne) (Mass Market Paperback)
This is a funny, sexy book. The hero and heroine come to life on every page. Whether spattered in demon guts or borrowing a faery's glamour, Mersey and Jack are always engaging.
The author sets a breezy pace and delivers enough twists and turns to please anyone. Her world--chock-full of demons, faeries, magic rings and very odd childhood secrets--is richly imagined, but the focus is on the romance. Jack is a true hero and the love scenes are pure delight, with Mersey's feline characteristics lending a unique flavor to the action.
Fans of Buffy and Charmed will love this book. This is perfect thunderstorm reading, perfect cabin reading, perfect anytime reading.
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