Semi-Charmed by Isabel Jordan
August 29, 2014
Paranormal Romance
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi

I guess you could say I was semi-charmed by this book. The hero and heroine were intriguing and engaging, but this book had an overall rushed feel to it and a disappointing resolution with the bad guy. While it’s an okay paranormal romance, it could have been better.

Harper Hall gets premonitions – visions of crimes as they are happening, which greatly  help the police in some cases. She started getting these visions when she was quite young, so they have almost always been a part of her life. In this world, vampires have only recently come out to the public. When they were still in hiding, member of the Sentry would kill vampires to keep the public safe. But now that they are out in the open, they want rights, and they don’t want to be hunted, so the Sentry is now looked down upon. Harper has become a private investigator to pay the bills, but she is still struggling to make ends meet. Her on and off again partner is a drunk but everyone wants to work with him rather than a girl.

Noah Riddick is a slayer who doesn’t have a job anymore that he can’t kill vampires. Noah is a recluse, feared by many. Ruthless and tormented, he is dangerous. Yet, Harper lusts after him – isn’t that always the case? When Harper hears of a boy who has been kidnapped by a very bad vampire, she begs Noah to help her recover him. Partly because she knows he has excellent hunting skills, and partly because he intrigues her.

Noah is all secrets and firm abs, not a bad combination. He becomes obsessed with Harper in his stern way, and I liked it.

“For Christ’s sake, Harper, I’m obsessed with you!” He set her away from him firmly. “I don’t have a single fucking thought anymore that doesn’t begin and end with you, so don’t tell me I’m nothing like him.” His hands shook as he shoved them through his hair again. “The entire Whispering Hope police department couldn’t keep me from you.”

Harper’s best friend Mischa knows Noah from the past and tries to tell her again and again that he isn’t safe. But Harper doesn’t heed advice well, as we learn throughout the book. When someone tells Harper to stay, she immediately goes. So when  Mischa tells her Noah is dangerous, she doesn’t listen. But it’s okay because while he is dangerous, he isn’t a threat to Harper. She sees how he sacrifices himself to help others. There is a very bad vampire called the Phoenix who is murdering and torturing people. Noah and Harper work together to hunt him down. This is where the story falls apart a little bit. There is a lot of build up to finding the Phoenix, yet when he is eventually found, the action is over so quick. It was a definite let down. The suspense and even some of the more suspenseful scenes leading up to the Phoenix were all rushed. Mischa also gets a side-story/romance that felt a little muddled in this book.

I enjoyed Harper’s sarcastic mouth and Noah’s serious demeanor, but I needed a little more in this one. A little more depth into the relationship and a lot more into the suspense.

Rating: C+

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