Judith’s review of Seeking Charlotte by N.J. Walters
Creed Lawson knows Charlotte Jones is trouble from the moment she presses her lithe body to his and kisses him. But that doesn’t stop him from taking what she’s offering, a night of hot, uninhibited sex. But Creed hasn’t bargained for the feelings she stirs in him, nor the talk of crystals, demons and destiny.
Charlotte is an empath. The ability to feel people’s emotions has made it difficult for her to lead a normal life. At eighteen she received one of the eight pieces of the Heart of Fire, a crystal that contains untold power. She was told there was a male who held the other half of her stone, as well as a demon that coveted all the pieces of the crystal.
The demon has finally found her. But she knows that Creed is the special man she’s been waiting for. Charlotte is facing the fight of her life. Will Creed fight beside her or walk away?
This is a very compelling story about two people who have fought for years to shut out the noise of a busy, violent world. As an empath, Charlotte literally and physically hurts from being bombarded by the noise of a bar, or the emotions she receives when in a crowd of people. Creed is a loner, a successful bounty hunter, a former city cop who just couldn’t take the crowding and the noise anymore. He is sitting in a bar, nursing a beer, having just returned from an extended but successful search and apprehension of a high-profile bail jumper. Enter Charlotte, whose car has broken down 50 yards away from the entrance, and who is being stalked by one of the Princes of Hell who is bent on taking away her crystal. For some reason, in that moment of panic, Charlotte is drawn to Creed, jumps in his arms, gets his complete attention with a scorching kiss—well, the story goes on from there.
In all the books in this series, the various writers are dealing with people who have very special abilities and all of whom really feel like square pegs in round holes. All of them received their sliver of the Heart of Fire on their eighteenth birthday, and whether they believe it or not, they are each one of the Chosen. It is in this context that Creed and Charlotte find their lives woven together, even though it appears, on the surface, that this is just a pick-up in a remote bar for a one-night stand. Neither Creed or Charlotte are prepared for where their encounter ultimately takes them.
There’s lots of great romance here and the characters are interesting, multi-layered personalities, both of whom are fearful of relationships and both of whom are sub-consciously seeking something or someone who can ground them and end their emotional wanderings. The story is well written. N. J. Walters is no novice writer nor a new voice in the world of romantic fiction. As a well-established writer, Walters brings loads of experience and expertise to this writing task and proves once again that there is true talent for telling a riveting story that captures and keeps the reader’s attention.
This book has all the main ingredients of a very good love story along with fantasy and demonic warfare and the power of love and good to triumph over evil. And in the final analysis, that is the essence of a truly good romance.
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place
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