| Genre | Gay / Urban Fantasy / Shifters / Magic / Wizards, Witches, and Mages / Interspecies / Erotic Romance / Action/Adventure |
| Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 24-January-2017 |
Like the electricity he commands, Pierce Blackmoor streaks through life on raw power and pure sexual energy. His conquests on the battlefield and in the bedroom form his foundation, but that bedrock crumbles when his younger brothers’ abilities surpass his own. Pierce finds himself at an all-time low, and clawing his way back to the top becomes his only concern.
Pierce's plan to reassert his dominance, however, takes a backseat when he wounds Kale Aquilo, an emissary of the Beast King, lord of all shifters.
Kale’s beguiling nature shoots like a lightning bolt straight to Pierce’s soul, and when the soft-spoken Kale relays that a virus is killing his people, Pierce abandons his quest for power to do something he has never done before—protect someone other than himself.
As Kale, Pierce, and his brothers struggle to find the root of the magical virus spreading plague across Aeaea, the shifter island, they face a gauntlet of old and new foes. Soul struck, Pierce and Kale must uncover the truth behind the conspiracy gathering in the shadows.
Ever since the first book in this magically wonderful series, which I would strongly recommend you read in sequence, I have been looking forward to Pierce’s story. He has been such a remote, almost unlikable character so far that finding out more about him and seeing him struggle with romance was bound to be a treat. I am so glad to report that I was right! ‘Soul Struck’ would be awesome for that reason alone. But there is more! The shifters, whose existence has so far only been mentioned, make an appearance. There is an overwhelming threat the Havenbridge brothers have to fight, and new alliances are made. Definitely more than enough happens to fill a novel and keep me in suspense and entertained.
Pierce, at first glance, is an immature twenty-eight-year-old with self-confidence issues now that his younger brothers have become more powerful than he is. He seems power hungry and believes that being dominant at all times is the way to show strength. Pierce is supposed to take over as high priest of the family once his father steps down though, so the pressure on him is significant. As the story develops, it becomes clear that much of his posturing is insecurity and fear. What he has to learn is how to deal with that and become a worthy successor, while also figuring out the sudden increase in his power – electricity – that he has no control over at first. Quite a tall order!
Kale does not have an easy time of it. His king has made him an emissary to the Conclave, the ruling body of all warlocks, wizards, and witches. The shifters desperately need help dealing with a mysterious virus that is decimating their numbers, but shifters and magical beings have not gotten along for a very long time. Then Kale gets injured when Pierce loses control of his power, he has no idea whom to trust, and the urgency increases the longer they’re trying to figure out what to do to prevent the worst from happening.
Pierce and Kale’s relationship, as expected, does not develop easily and they have to overcome a few obstacles. Pierce learns and changes a lot and I loved watching that, but the way his powers grow I found really fascinating. There is more than enough adventure, with some old enemies reappearing, new ones popping up, and the ongoing threat of the plague-virus doesn’t make things easy either. And based on the ending, I am sure there is even more to come –and I can’t wait.
If you like the world of the Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge, if you enjoy stories where characters have lots to learn, if action/adventure and an exciting quest are your things, and if you’re looking for a read full of mystery, suspense, revelations, and interesting characters, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. I am so glad number four is about to be released.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
| Format | ebook and print |
| Length | Novel, 224 pages/75477 words |
| Heat Level | |
| Publication Date | 14-December-2015 |
| Price | $6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle |
| Buy Link | https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/soul-struck-by-jacob-z-flores-5056-b |
