Today, I have a fellow fantasy romance writer, Cate Masters, talking about her book, Goddess Awakened, which is a brand new release, and I had the privilege of reading it before it released.
The
Goddess Connection Book 1
Goddess,
Awakened
Blurb
With
a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn
Gibson.
A descendant of the
goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but
it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must
step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who
also happens to be the man she loves.
Joss’s new inn, a
culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make
for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and
harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.
Goddess, Awakened
The Goddess Connection, Book 1
Fantasy/paranormal romance novel
About 89,700 words
The Goddess Connection Series
Every woman should embrace her inner
goddess. What’s your connection?
In each novel of The Goddess Connection series, the
heroine is somehow connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become
strengths once she finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for
who she really is.
And in each, the heroine is encouraged to embrace
her inner goddess. And the hero treats her like one! As it should be for every
woman.
About the Author
Cate
Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be
a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be
found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and
fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company.
Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com
and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Contact Details
Twitter: @CateMasters
Book video
Mini excerpt for GODDESS, AWAKENED
In
starting her life over, Joss had expected some resistance, even some trouble,
but not this. The bedroom floor boards trembled beneath her golden-slippered
feet. Tendrils of an unseen power curled upward from deep within the ground,
tingling through her toes. She paused to steady herself, then continued to put
the finishing touches on her costume. The tremors grew into rumbles and their
hum seeped beneath her skin. When their tiny wisps twined through her mind, she
clenched her hands. Enough. Go away.
Thick
as starlight on a clear summer’s eve, sweet as the lavender blossoms she had
yet to plant, energy whooshed up through the cracks of the worn wood and out
into the October night.
She
gripped the bureau until it passed, the vibrations rolling over her in
lessening waves. Bubbly, effervescent waves. “Third time tonight, Taz.” Each
departure took longer, and more of the essence remained.
When
the dog whined, she stroked his fur. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.”
Even
if tonight the waves were palpable enough to make her hairs stand on end. Oh, no, please.
Nothing
could ruin tonight. More than a party, this event would determine her future.
And after three years of grief, she’d never allow anything to trap her in its
clutches again.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this fantasy, paranormal romance. The book had many facets and kept me gripped and entertained for hours. Jocelyn is new to town and opens up The Lavender Inn with her friend, Annie, who cooks gourmet. She's bright, kind, and energetic but hides loneliness behind her goddess persona. The setting is dreamy and I'd love to visit it, if it were not for the undercurrents of evil spiritual activity which reach a climax several times in the book. What amazes me is how the author transitions from touching romance to scary paranormal to fantasy and then to an everyday feel like Katie Fforde while she runs her inn. Jocelyn (Joss) is a goddess but denied her powers for years because her previous husband wasn't keen on the whole idea. She has to face up to her powers when the man she loves (although she doesn't know she loves him yet) is endangered by the evil powers in the area.
The book will keep you gripped. It's unique, has much conflict, and the romance keeps you hooked. It's also an escape. I loved the Lavender Inn and Taz (the dog) and have even considered planting lavender after hearing of all the benefits of the plant. Definitely one of those stories that get you pondering and thinking. Deep and sweet yet scary and suspenseful at the same time. You'll enter a fantasy world of a difference to the norm, and I'm pleased that this is the first of a series. I love the message thread throughout the book - that every woman is a goddess and should find a man who makes her feel that way.
