Touch If You Dare [Mass Market Paperback]

Stephanie Rowe (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 1, 2011

"Rowe is a paranormal star!"
-JR Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Black Dagger Brotherhood Series

He's just about the hottest warrior she's ever seen...

Reina Fleming really appreciates a man who's on a mission-especially when he's a badass warrior doing his best to impress her. And Jarvis is charmed by the way Reina's magic touch can soothe his dark side.

But when Jarvis's attention puts her job, her home, and her family in danger, Reina has to decide whether love is worth the price...

Enter the nonstop, action-packed world of Stephanie Rowe's love stories-you'll never think of the manly arts in the same way again.

"Rowe carves out her very own niche-call it paranormal romance adventure comedy."
-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Vivacious characters and witty dialogue... Those who like the works of authors such as J.R. Ward and Laurell K. Hamilton will love Touch If You Dare. 4 Stars " - RT Book Reviews

"Rowe has an amazing talent with her writing. A paranormal romance rock star." - My Bookish Fairy Tale

"Be prepared to laugh, love, cheer, and laugh some more..." - Fresh Fiction

"Wow what a book, action upon action, revealing the fine line between love and hate. You cheer the characters over and over again, and at the same time want to give them a good slap. All I know is that I want a Jarvis all to myself." - Book Loons

"You cheer the characters over and over again, and at the same time want to give them a good slap. All I know is that I want a Jarvis all to myself." - Book Loons

"I think Rowe's strength in this series remains her wonderful character development. Readers will find her characters different, edgy and refreshing." - Debbie's Book Bag

"You'll find yourself rooting for some characters and hoping others fail; the story line grabs you and makes you care about those you're reading about. " - Long and Short Reviews

"A disturbingly charming novel that encourages readers to look on the bright side of the disaster about to unfold and enjoy the show. " - That's What I'm Talking About

"Quirky, funny and with a lovely, twisted plot, Touch If You Dare is a fiery, passionate love story." - Star-Crossed Romance

"Passion and romance that threatens to explode off the pages." - Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

" Stephanie Rowe writes with a wit reminiscent of bestselling author J.R. Ward, and an imagination that authors envy." - Romance Fiction on Suite101.com

"Rowe has a wonderfully creative talent in her writing, which draws me into her hysterically funny mythical world. " - Night Owl Reviews

"Amazing... Stephanie Rowe is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite authors." - Sizzling Hot Books

"A very sexy and steamy read that had quite a lot going for it. " - One Book Shy

"I'm telling you this book is one wild ride and I'm now anxiously awaiting book 3 in the series to see what happens next! " - Hanging with Bells

"The best novel [Stephanie Dare]'s ever written" - Literary Escapism

"Wickedly steamy and action packed... " - Urban Girl Reader

"A rip-roaring ride from start to finish with action packed scenes along the way" - Seriously Reviewed

"An inventive paranormal romance..." - Dark Divas Review

"A rompin' good thrill ride that any paranormal romance lover can appreciate... " - Lovin' Me Some Romance

About the Author

Four-time RITA Award nominee and Golden Heart Award winner Stephanie Rowe is an award-winning and national bestselling author of paranormal romance and has written more than twenty-five novels. Stephanie has charmed reviewers with her unique blend of humor and otherworldly magic. She lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402241968
• ISBN-13: 978-1402241963
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Four-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Heart® Award winner Stephanie Rowe is a nationally bestselling author of more than twenty books. She writes romance (paranormal, suspense and contemporary), as well as teen, pre-teen and motivational nonfiction. A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.

Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up every morning with a smile in her heart so she can spend the day doing that which makes her spirit sing.

Stephanie believes in learning to listen to your heart in order to figure out what your dreams are, and then opening yourself to the inspiration that will direct you there. She believes we all deserve the right to enjoy life, and for the ride to be as easy as we want it to be, and that we all should accept nothing less than making our dreams come true.

Stephanie lives in New England, and spends every day doing her best to fill it with people, observations and activities that uplift her soul, which include writing, tennis, friends, and her amazing family.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#54 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#54 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Read July 1, 2011

By LAS Reviewer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

She's working hard on trying to be a reaper for death. He's trying to stay alive and not explode from the hate and anger he carries around in him. Ideal couple, don't you think?

Ms. Rowe enjoys using her imagination and has created a story of magic, love, hate, and death that is total fantasy and great fun to read. She creates strong characters who care more about other people than they do themselves. She gives all them psychological hang ups of some kind that they must work through. And you just keep reading happily along to see where her story takes you next and what odd thing they must overcome next.

You have vampires who don't attack people anymore with women who will stake them because they wish to be bitten. You have a Godfather of love who makes any woman around swoon in ecstasy. A real strange assassin who uses pink Ninja stars to take people out. And there is a whole lot more going on in this story. It's busy, it flows well, the two main characters are falling love with each other but are too busy to consummate it, and you'll keep flipping those pages to see how it ends.

This is fantasy at its best, the plot holds together well and Ms. Rowe has some surprises for you. I didn't anticipate the ending. Of course, I didn't anticipate a lot of what happened in this book, but I sure did enjoy reading it!

You'll find yourself rooting for some characters and hoping others fail; the story line grabs you and makes you care about those you're reading about. It's also a good romance story. If you like a fun fantasy story with a touch of Abbott and Costello and with lots of action and odd situations salted with a touch of love, you'll love this story.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so great October 23, 2011

By Dawn

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Flat out, I did not care for this novel. It seemed to me that the author was trying far too hard to cram so many things into the novel and failed to properly follow through/explain them. I often found myself lost while trying to read through it and often had to go back a page or two and have to re-read.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Touch If You Dare August 18, 2011

By MSEreads

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I like this series even if there is some chaos.

Reina is a an assistant to Death and she is trying to be promoted to assassin so she can save her doomed sister, Natalie. Reina has a plan to save Natalie by switching her bodies and souls at the moment of death with a disenfranchised angel who is immortal. Unfortunately, to be able to switch souls Reina has to kill on assignment to be promoted. Instead, she gets fired when she can't kill the werewolf she was sent to harvest.

Jarvis, the Guardian of Hate, is beginning to implode. If he dies all of the Hate he carries will be released to poison the earth and every living thing. Jarvis is seeking his brother, Cameron, the Guardian of Love, who can save him. But Cameron has been abducted by Death for Death's new plan to help people die happy.

Jarvis needs Reina to help him get to Cameron. Reina needs Jarvis, the warrior, to teach her to kill so she can save Natalie. Natalie is being irresistibly drawn to "The Godfather" who kills his lovers by orgasm. Augustus, one of Death's Assassins, is trying to kill The Godfather and he has his scythe aimed at Reina too since she is getting in his way. Napoleaon is after Augustus who has taken Napoleon's true love, Angelica.

Jarvis' buddies, Nigel and Blaine, are mostly around to back him up but they are busy taking turns nursing the last group of friends they rescued from Angelica's torture chamber. Add in a vampire clan who need Jarvis to save their leader who has been stabbed by a woman from a fanatic group of women who kill the lethally dangerous men they love. Yes - it's convoluted. I particularly liked the character of the Grim Reaper who ends up giving aid to Jarvis and Reina.

Jarvis is careful not to touch others since he contaminates them with hate. But for some reason he is drawn to the sexy Reina and he is shocked to discover that not only can he touch her but instead of pain she brings him peace. I really enjoyed their sensual and loving encounters. I liked how Jarvis wanted to protect Reina and Reina was willing to love him unconditionally.

The story is fast paced and full of action. It is very busy and a bit confusing with all the characters and different attacks from different foes. But when you wade through all the extra activity there is a beautiful connection for Jarvis and Reina.