Crux
What a sensational start to a series! I’ve had the Southern Arcana series on my TBR list for a while now, so when Moira Rogers (a pseudonym for Bree and Donna) offered review copies to bloggers for their release of book #4 in the series, Cipher, I jumped at the chance. Now I ask myself, why the hell did I wait so long?!?!
Mackenzie Brooks is on the run from a crazy stalker who claims she is his mate and they are destined to be together and save their race. One big problem in the mix of many there, he claims that their race is not of the human variety! Traveling city to city, his thugs always seem to find her but when she takes a job as a bartender in New Orleans she may of finally found a place where she is safe.
When a good friend asks Jackson Holt to check into her newest employee he readily agrees, an easy job for an experienced P.I. such as himself and it will lower his bar tab! Jackson right away knows that Mackenzie is not human, as a Spell Caster he can sense other supernatural beings, but he can’t pin down exactly what she is. When trouble comes knocking at her door though, he realizes just what a rare creature she is and that there are others out there that will go to any lengths to get their hands on her. Now he must keep her out of the hands of a powerful warlock, but can he keep his hands off her?
As danger surrounds them, so does desire. Can Mackenzie accept this world that she has been thrust into and can Jackson protect her in it?
Crux kept me glued to the pages the whole way through! Face paced and action packed, Moira Rogers sets the stage for an interesting cast of characters and a new, intriguing paranormal world. From the main characters to the secondary ones I found myself swept away into this story of magic and shifters. I loved watching Mackenzie and Jackson’s relationship develop from those subtle stirrings of physical attraction to full blown love and respect as well as the revealing of Mackenzie’s mysterious past and her introduction into the paranormal world. Through it all, Jackson was there for her to be her rock and patiently explain any aspects to her. He is definitely a swoon worthy main man. Mackenzie is a strong heroine that I easily got behind, a fresh take on the role where so many are now cold, arrogant and most often than not, independent to ridiculous levels unwilling to accept help from anyone.
The dynamics of each race, such as the werewolves, was interesting and I hope to see more of it in future installments along with several other characters that caught my attention. With a fluid writing style and easy to understand world building, Crux was a great read that was strong on the urban fantasy scale but has all the aspects of a paranormal romance that you love.
