"Sensual Gothic Paranormal"

All I can say is that if the first line of the book doesn't hook you, "I'VE HEARD that werewolves roam the woods of Germany," Elizabeth Stanwycke said, peering out of the carriage window into the dark wintry woods, the snow on the ground gleaming in the moonlight." Then you're obviously not a fan of paranormals and should definitely stop there, as the rest of this luscious well-written novel is a rare treat for werewolf paranormal genre lovers.

Elizabeth had made the heart wrenching decision to leave England after her scandalous affair had been exposed and the man she'd loved and given her innocence to turned into a cad. It wasn't as if being the poor relation and acting as governess for spoiled cosseted children was such a wonderful life, but at least it was familiar. Now in a strange land and barely speaking German, Elizabeth's introduction as she approached Wolfram Castle was to see a naked woman running across the frozen ground with a man on horseback pursuing her. Instinctively Elizabeth attempted to follow and help the woman but was hauled back into the carriage by the coachman under orders from her companion and mentor, Frau Katrina Liebner who warned that she must never go into the Wolfram forests alone at night. This was only the first of many warnings and directives she would face when introduced to the eclectic group of inhabitants at the castle, but it would be the master of the house, Nikolas von Wolfram who would prove to be the most enigmatic. Handsome beyond belief, his very presence raised not only the hairs along Elizabeth's back but melted the heart that had been frozen by a cruel betrayal.

*** Oh my, a return to the gothic romances I cut my reading teeth on! Only this one had the added bonus of giving a delicious paranormal twist and fabulous sensuality that was a pure delight. I thought the heroine a very brave and resourceful young woman who was ready to bend over backwards in trying to gather the good will of her recalcitrant young charge. Nikolas was the typical brooding dark and mysterious master of his domain, both frightening yet giving the aura of dark temptation to our intrepid heroine. Suffice it to say, that both leads were fashioned very well for one another and perfectly matched. A healthy abundance of secondary characters added even more depth to the story giving the reader a tremendous amount of choice as to who the villain in the story was. Historical aspects including the setting of Germany and the uneasy relations between France, Germany, Russia, and England added even more zest to robust the plot. The high level of sensuality was a boost in keeping the pace racing along as well as this reviewers blood pressure. With a definite feel of the old fashioned gothics but with a highly charged level of sensuality and a wonderful taste of the paranormal this is sure to please most fans of the genre.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO -- Reviewers International Organization

Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted June 18, 2006

The wait for a new take on werewolf romances is over.

It is said that werewolves roam the woods around Wolfram Castle—but Elizabeth Stanwycke, newly arrived tutor to the Count's niece, is not a child to be frightened by bedtime stories. Of more pressing concern is her attraction to the mysterious Count.

Summary

It is 1795, well past the time when folks should have abandoned such superstitious notions as a belief in werewolves, Elizabeth Stanwycke thinks as she travels into the heart of Germany to tutor a young countess in the ways of the world, and the English gentry in particular. But Elizabeth has never seen anything like Wolfram Castle, her new home for the time she is to work there, nor has she ever met any man like Count Nikolas von Wolfram, her new student's uncle. Handsome, commanding, enigmatic, he is keeping secrets, but whether they are merely sordid family tragedies of the past that he is concealing, or something more terrifying and sinister is anyone's guess.

All Elizabeth knows is, the more time she spends in Count Nikolas's company, the more she is drawn to him... but she understands only too well the price a woman pays for allowing the urgings of her heart to influence her behavior, and she is determined never to pay that price again.