Review: Moonglow

Reviewed by Jen
 

I loved Firelight.  When I found out it was the first in a series, I wondered how Kristen Callihan could possibly duplicate such an arresting and unique story in a sequel.  The short answer is: she doesn't try to.  Yes, Moonglow is set in the same world, with overlapping characters.  But Daisy has a decidedly different story to tell than her sister did.  And Ian is nothing like Archer.  Their story is singular, and that is a good thing.

As the book opens, Daisy is coming out of mourning from the death of her horrible husband. She is finally free to find happiness and passion.  She is just getting started, by trysting with a handsome man outside of a party, when she witnesses a werewolf attack.  Her companion is killed and she is injured.  That's when Ian swoops in and brings her to his home.

Ian is Lycan, but he lives apart from others of his kind. He recognizes the scent of wolf at the scene of the attack and must make sure that Daisy does not spread the word of what she has seen.  As she recovers, the two pick up a flirtatious banter --that is, until he realizes she is Miranda's sister and she figures out that he is the oaf who tried to interfere with Miranda's relationship with Archer.  They plan to go their separate ways, but when it's revealed the rogue wolf is targeting women who share Daisy's scent, Ian realizes she'll only be safe in his care until he can track down the killer.

Ian carries the tragedies of his past like a boulder on his back.  A failed romance.  A lost child.  They make him afraid to open himself to love.  Beyond that, there are pack politics at play, which put him and Daisy both in danger.

Callihan has taken the world she built in Firelight and expanded it, introducing new supernatural creatures to mingle with the old.  At first, I wondered why she was introducing so many threads, but then she wove them all together, showing they were relevant from the beginning.  There was nothing predictable.  She surprised me and excited me with the werewolf arc... and still managed to answer old questions and reveal new truths about Daisy and her sisters.

The tone and the atmosphere is very similar to the last book, which I was happy about. It's still got that wonderful dark, gothic feel.  A London that is a contrast of rich lushness and dank grime. The environment was almost like its own character in the book.

I enjoyed the romance between Ian and Daisy. It was really nice to watch them overcome their old hurts to let each other in.  The sexual tension was good and the love scenes were steamy.  The resolution was unexpected and satisfying.  Plus, we've got the set up for Poppy's story.  I'm curious to see how that will play out, since she is already married to her hero and so much has already happened between them.

Very good.

Rating: A-


*ARC Provided by Grand Central Publishing

Click to purchase: Amazon

Moonglow

by Kristen Callihan

Release Date: July 31, 2012

Publisher: Forever (GCP)