Out of Mind by Stella Cameron (Court of Angels #2)
March 30, 2010
Paranormal Romance
Paperback, 400 Pages
Harlequin (MIRA)
Reviewed by Amanda
Willow is part of the Millet family, known throughout New Orleans for their ‘Natural Talent’. Willow refuses to acknowledge her powers and those of the rest of her family. Even though she tries her hardest, her psychic powers are well and truly there. Willow has an affinity to see the face of a person with evil intent even sometimes long before she meets or sees the person for the first time.
We’re thrown straight into the French Quarters of New Orleans. Willow isn’t like the rest of her family, she doesn’t embrace her gifts, she chooses to ignore them and throw all her energy into running her own business ‘Mean and Green Concierge’ something her uncle Pascal, head of the family does not agree with.
Willow lives with the rest of the family in the Court of Angels behind the J. Clive Antiques shop. This makes it increasingly difficult for her to escape the constant watching of her family to monitor her affinity for the psychic while not allowing her the respite she desperately desires from her family and their ‘gifts’.
For the past few days Willow has been feeling uneasy, with the feeling that someone or something has been watching her, but her gift has deserted her for she can’t see the person/thing that she knows is following her. Willow is well and truly spooked by the feeling. Her family have noticed something is bothering her and are worried about her, and that’s before the crash helmet with all the mirrors arrives with a handgun!
Enter hottie Ben Fortune. Ben is the man that who was formerly pledged to be her life long (bonded) partner. He is worried for Willow too as he’s seen the handgun Willow has purchased and worries about her motives and how she’ll cope with it. Couple all of this with him trying to get a measure of Willow. Willow dismissed the pledge and sent Ben away two years ago and he has been waiting for her to come around and call him back to her.
Ben believes their bonding was preordained from the foreplay/make out sessions that they’ve had before. He knows that he can feel her as a bonded couple should – the other’s thoughts, both pain and pleasure.
Willow is not happy to see Ben. She cut him out of her life to make things easier, to try and be normal, plus there are reasons that Ben doesn’t know that had Willow wanting to break the pledge. Ben suspects there was something behind it all or someone.
Willow becomes the centre of a criminal investigation when people she knows start turning up dead in suspicious circumstances. Willow, the police and her family know there are sinister forces at work here. The same forces that we first meet in Out of Body.
Ben knows that he must help Willow and keep her safe while trying to make her realize that they are perfect for each other and their bonding will be amazing if only she will let him in.
Out of Mind is an awesome read that I couldn’t put it down. Right now I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series, but seeing as I didn’t read Out of Body, I might go back and read the whole series first.
I think anyone who loves a good paranormal tale with romance thrown in and revisiting families and characters from previous stories will love this book.
Out of Sight book three of the court of Angels is out at the end of this month.
Rating: 4/5
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Thanks Amanda!
Nicola O. says
Hmmm. I gave up on Cameron a while ago when she moved into contemp suspense (also, I met her once and found her to be kind of snotty, though I'm given to understand that's unusual for her).
Somehow the serial-killer stuff that I dislike a lot in contemporary "realistic" romance doesn't bother me as much when it's PNR. Maybe I'll give her another go.
VampFanGirl says
Great review Amanda!
However, I don't think this book is my cuppa. I have a hard time reading and connecting with a heroine that tries so hard to be something she's just not and this heroine seems to take that stubborness to an extreme when she shuts out those that love her.
Thanks for the recommendation though!
:) VFG
orannia says
Thank you Mandi. Hmmm…I'm not a fan of the serial killer plotline…
Is it explained why Willow is still living with her family even though she wants to escape them?
Gina says
Thanks for this helpful review. I myself prefer books that are odd, do not follow a formula, and possibly leave me uncomfortable in some way.