Author: Lisa Kessler
Series: Muse Chronicles #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 18, 2017
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):
The gods never sleep...
As the mortal vessel for the Muse of Comedy, Lia Youlos lights up every room with laughter and smiles. But there are darker forces at work, and they want to snuff out her light forever.
Cooper Hanover is a hardworking paramedic who healed Lia after a fire, but something happened that day, something medical science couldn't explain. And if he doesn't figure out how it works soon, the next healing could kill him.
Lia's smile and sharp wit tempt him to love again, and he's not going to let anyone, not even the gods, take her from him.
The Prophecy - "Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse."
*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.
You guys!!!! This series keeps getting better and better! I finished this book about two nights ago and I have so many questions and a bit of a book-hangover.
Lia is the vessel of the Muse of Comedy and she is insanely funny. She is a sunny person, one that I'd love to have in my life, because she just made me smile the entire time I read her scenes. I liked her determination and her honesty towards Cooper. She knew what she wanted from a relationship with him and she wasn't even considering accepting anything less than what she deserved and less than what she was willing to give. I loved that about her.
Cooper was an interesting fellow. Up until now the Guardians have been guys that can protect the muses and, from what Hunter and Reed, two other guardians, have discovered, men that have similar characteristics to the lovers of the original muses, and Cooper certainly fits the bill, but he also has a little something more, something that I wonder if it will come up in the future, maybe towards the final battle (
that I desperately hope it will be years before it comes!). He has a pretty ugly past, and I was truly sorry to see him in so much pain.
There were a lot of interesting developments in this book. First, we get to see a muse from an older generation, which is a very, very interesting and I believe also important. Because there are questions there that need answering, about the muses in general and about the differences between generations. There's also a new enemy on the rise, and I feel like this might be a very dangerous and scary foe.
The pacing was great, I read this book in one sitting. I love where the story is going and I cannot wait to see what happens next. I have so many questions, burning questions, that I hope will get their answers in the next few books. If you haven't yet started reading this series, what are you waiting for? It is a must read.
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Excerpt
When the first song came on, he took her hand, walking her over toward the small arcade. He stopped in front of a Dark Knight pinball game.She raised a brow. “I didn’t take you for a Batman fan.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
She wet her lips. “I like surprises.”
He dropped in quarters and stepped behind her, his lips brushing her neck just below her ear as he whispered, “Lucky me.” Cooper straightened up with a spark in his blue eyes. “Let’s do this.”
Lia’s heart was pounding with a heady mixture of arousal, adrenaline, and a hunger for victory. She’d never had this much fun on a date, and they just got here.
She pulled back the plunger and launched the silver, metal ball. Her eyes tracked its course underthe glass as it bounced around, lighting up bonuses. She hit the ball with the flipper, squealing as it sailed back up into play.
The rest of the pizza parlor faded away as her focus narrowed to the game. She nailed the ball again, but out of the corner of her eye, Cooper lifted his shirt to wipe his forehead, exposing abs that would make even Batman jealous.
“What are you—” Before she could finish her sentence, the ball slipped past the flippers and intothe hole at the bottom. Her jaw dropped. “You cheated.”
He shook his head, looking far from innocent as he pulled his shirt back down. “I was just wiping the sweat off my forehead. You’re really good at pinball.”
The twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Two could play that game.
She stepped aside, giving Cooper the player-two spot. He tugged the plunger back, and let silver ball go sailing. The digital score soared higher and higher. When he was within ten thousand points, she picked up her mug and fished out an ice cube, tracing her lips with it while she watched the ball under the glass.
Suddenly it zipped right between the flippers. She lifted her gaze to find Cooper gaping. “Okay, that was playing dirty.”
She grinned, popping the cube into her mouth. “Oh please, have you not seen yourself shirtless?”
He chuckled, shaking his head and stepping aside to make room, his voice a rough growl. “I’ve never been jealous of an ice cube before.”
“All’s fair in love and pinball, right?” She yanked the plunger back and sent the ball sailing back into play. She racked up the points, making contact with the ball three times before Cooper moved behind her, his big hands sliding possessively up her back to knead her shoulders.
The damned ball vanished into the hole between the flippers, and she didn’t give a rat’s ass. Lia’seyes drifted closed, and she relaxed into him. “So unfair.”
He leaned down close to her ear. “Want me to stop?”
“Oh gods, no."
His chest vibrated as he chuckled. “My turn, right?”
“Yes.” She sighed and stepped aside.
Cooper took over, hitting the buttons on the sides of the machine. His forearms were tight, strong. She’d never been turned on by games before, but damn. She was going to have to grab the pizza to go.
When his score neared hers, she slid her hand under the back of his shirt, tracing her fingernails up his back. A muscle in his cheek clenched as he struggled to keep his eye on the ball.
She pressed against his back and whispered, “I need you.”
He turned around and wrapped her in his arms. “’Bout damned time.” He fused his lips to hers, his tongue sliding into her mouth, teasing her senses.
“Hanover!”
He broke the kiss with a breathless chuckle. “I’m getting really sick of being interrupted.”
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ABOUT LISA KESSLER
Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.
Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.
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