The Romanceaholic

Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Sharon Gerlach/Running Ink Press
Author’s Website: http://sharongerlach.wordpress.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: No
Steam Level: Chaste

Official Blurb:

HE HUNTS, SILENT AND UNSEEN.
The string of mutilated bodies points to a madman, but the police are stymied. Trace evidence yields no DNA, animal or human. Male, female, young, old—the victims fall without a struggle to the killer in the shadows.

HIS NEXT VICTIM HAS BEEN CHOSEN.
For a brief time, Suzanne Harper wielded supernatural abilities and super-human athletic prowess, but that was while she had been the lover of an angel. The murders point to her former lover, and the trail of bodies tells a terrifying tale: he’s working his way to her.

PREY BECOMES PREDATOR.
Icarus, an angel who hunts those of his kind who have fallen from grace, enlists Suzanne’s help to stop the killer, for only one as close as a lover can anticipate his next move. Now she must reconcile her heart’s longing for her lost love with her sense of justice and honor, and she must do it fast … because the next murder could be hers.

Note: As of the date of this review, Malakh is only $0.99 at Amazon and Smashwords

This is not a traditional “romance” at all. While there was absolutely no sexuality (darn it), I didn’t really mind too much because the general storyline was so interesting. Even so, there is a sort of HEA, even if it’s not exactly the one I would’ve preferred.

What worked for me:

• Loved the way that Suzanne came up with Icarus’ name.
• I really enjoyed the fact that Russ’ eyes changed colors. I could totally picture it, and that along with his general physical description made me want to swoon.
• I am completely fangirling over the idea that Suzanne had enjoyed supernatural abilities and supah physical skill back when she’d been with her angel lover, but then lost those abilities when he left her. Can you imagine being incredibly strong and fast, having incredible stamina, being able to influence others with your thoughts (and perhaps most importantly, being able to eat whatever you wanted to without gaining weight!) in addition to having an incredibly sexy and skilled lover, and then suddenly not only have you lost your beloved, but you’re back to being a “normal”, weak human again?  Talk about devastation! *scoffs* And Russ wants to rag on her about the fact she’s still pining for her former lover. C’mon, wouldn’t you?
• She twists! She turns! Like a… twisty.. turny.. thing..  The twist at the end absolutely made this story for me.

What didn’t work for me:

• Good Lord these people walked everywhere!  While it served the purpose of illustrating that Suzanne was drawing strength and endurance from Icarus, all I could think was that they really needed to just catch a cab or something.  Suzanne even mentioned the same thing about 44% in, and there was a reasonable explanation, but even so. Sheesh.
• The whole “marking” thing was never really explained to my satisfaction.

I’m so torn on the ending.  See, there was this incredible twist at the end. I’m talking a forehead-slapping, I-really-shoulda-seen-this-coming-but-didn’t-holy-crap-that’s-awesome twist.  And yet… Unfortunately, the part that bothers me is an enormous spoiler, so I can’t really say much of anything about it without ruining the entire story.  Therefore, I think I’ll have to go with “I felt misled in the end, and not because I hadn’t figured out the twist”.

Overall, a very enjoyable novella. While I wish a few things had been explained a little better, and that perhaps there’d been more worldbuilding, I still loved it. Even as a novella, it was really the perfect length where the action and story arc was concerned, so unlike most novellas I wasn’t left at the last page asking “that’s it??”, which was a nice change.

I have to say though, that despite the lack of sensuality and the fact I’m still disgruntled over the ending, that Ms. Gerlach is a masterful storyteller. The plot twist was so beautifully done that nothing became glaringly obvious until you reflected on everything after the twist had been revealed, and for that alone, I will give this one 5/5 Stars.

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