Review: Forsaken - S.J. Harper

Join Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong
She protected him. He loved her.
They can trust one another with their lives, but what about their hearts?

Special Agent Emma Monroe is a Fallen Siren seeking redemption. Thousands of years ago, she was banished from Mount Olympus by Zeus and cursed by Demeter for failing to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades. Now she’s working for the FBI, seeking salvation while searching for and finding the missing. Her partner, Zack Armstrong, is a werewolf with a grievance of his own.

The former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments is atoning for his past. Ironically, Zack’s just discovered an important piece of his past has been magically wiped from his memory—an affair with Emma. It doesn’t matter she used the spell to save his life, that’s something he’ll never know. With trust eroded and love overshadowed by betrayal the only thing holding them together is the job.

When the son of multi-billionaire Roger Maitlan is kidnapped and his babysitter murdered in cold blood, Emma and Zack travel to New York to work the case. They go undercover, infiltrating a playground of private dungeons where those who are rich and powerful can live out fantasies without consequence. What they find is a conspiracy born of a twisted mind and fueled by greed. The clock is ticking. Will Zack and Emma be able to find the missing boy and their way back to one another?

Fallen Siren Series:
Captured (Novella)
Cursed
Reckoning
Forsaken (Novella)

Visit S.J. Harper's website for more information

Review:
Forsaken picks up the story right after the ending of Reckoning so things are pretty tense between Emma and Zack. It's not been long since Zack found out that Emma had messed with his memory and he's angry and hurt. It doesn't help that Emma can't explain her actions because she refuses to risk his life by telling him the truth. She is terrified he is going to walk away from her forever but at the same time she knows that is probably the safest option for him. They have to put their feelings to one side when the child of a well known billionaire is kidnapped though. The two are sent to New York to work the case and they know that the child's life is more important than any hurt feelings between them. Can Zack and Emma find a way to work together in spite of their issues or will a child suffer because of them?

I've really fallen in love with this series so I was incredibly excited to read Forsaken, after the way things ended in the previous book I was nervous about how things would be between Zack and Emma. It's hard because as a reader we can fully understand where they're both coming from. If I was in Zack's position I'm not sure I'd be able to forgive Emma's actions because he doesn't know her reasoning but obviously knowing what we do about Demeter and Emma's curse we can understand why she keeps the secret. There really isn't an easy answer to the issues between them and it's hard to see how much pain they're both in. I do love that they are able to put their problems to one side and get on with their job though, of course there is tension between them and they still have that spike of attraction that isn't going anywhere but they will do whatever it takes to find the missing child and I respect them both for that. It was nice to see them starting to work things out too, they still have a long way to go but we're left with a feeling of hope that Zack has started to figure out that something is going on that Emma can't talk about.

This was a great addition to the series and I'm sure fans will love it. My only issue was that I wanted it to be longer, not because the story wasn't satisfying because it definitely was, but because I love this world and these characters and I wanted to spend more time with them! I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment of the series!

Source: Received from the authors in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Reckoning - S.J. Harper

Join Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.
She’s sacrificed. He’s suffered. They’ve both been betrayed.
Now it’s time for a reckoning.

Special Agent Emma Monroe has a secret. She’s a Fallen Siren, cursed by the gods and banished to Earth for her failure to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone. As an FBI agent she saves the lives of others believing redemption could be one rescue away.

Her partner Zack is a werewolf and former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments. Now he’s determined to atone for his past. Ironically, there’s a portion of his past Zack doesn’t remember—an affair with Emma. Giving into their attraction for one another almost led to their undoing. Now it’s back to business as usual.

While trying to unravel the mystery behind a series of kidnappings in Southern California, Emma and Zack become entangled with political tensions in the vampire and Were worlds. Not to mention the struggles they face in their relationship with one another. With so much uncertainty, they come to realize the only thing they can really count on is one another…or can they?

Fallen Siren Series:
Captured (Novella)
Cursed
Reckoning
Forsaken (Novella)

Visit S.J. Harper's website for more information

Review:
Emma is a siren who was cursed thousands of years ago by the goddess Demeter for not preventing Hades from kidnapping her daughter Persephone. Emma and her sisters have spent their whole lives trying to atone for their mistake in the hope that they will achieve redemption and be allowed to return to their home. As part of their punishment they are forbidden from falling in love, if they do their partner will suffer Demeter's wrath. Emma is working as an FBI agent and has a strong bond with her werewolf partner Zack but to protect him and save his life she had to wipe his memory of the intimate part of their relationship. It's the worst kind of torture for Emma, she gets to spend her days with the man she loves knowing that they can never have any kind of personal relationship. Zack may not remember the time they spent together but that doesn't mean he has lost his feelings for her and he doesn't understand what has Emma running so scared when he knows she is attracted to him.

This series is going to break my heart, I can't even tell you how much I love Zack and want him and Emma to find a way to be together but everything is against them and has been from the very beginning. The opening few pages of this book almost had me jumping for joy but even though I knew deep down that things couldn't possibly be what I thought they were I still found myself incredibly disappointed when I realised that Emma has started a relationship with someone else. The only reason she is with the vampire Kallistos is because she knows there is no chance she will fall in love with him and that's a pretty sad kind of relationship if you ask me. She is with him because she wants a connection with someone but he will never be that equal partner she has in Zack. I hate to say it but I'm really not a fan of Kallistos, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him and I don't think he has Emma's best interests at heart. Unlike Zack I can't imagine Kallistos risking anything to protect her unless he has something else to get out of it. Kallistos lies to her, he treats her like his property and I don't think he has any respect for her.

Seeing Emma with Kallistos was enough to drive me crazy, it was just so obvious that they're wrong for each other and I really wanted to climb into the book and shake some sense into her. I can understand why she is afraid to be with Zack and she's doing it to protect him but that's no reason to be with someone else. I know she's a siren but women can be single and happy for crying out loud! We do get a bit of light at the end of the tunnel as far as Emma and Zack goes later on in the book but they aren't out of the woods yet and it's quite obvious that Demeter has a few more tricks up her sleeves when it comes to the two of them. I really do want to see them work things out though because they're obviously meant to be together.

I know I've spent a lot of time talking about the romance but that isn't all that this series is about and just like with the previous stories there is plenty of action and mystery going on as Emma and Zack investigate another missing persons case. This time they are looking into the disappearance of three teenage girls, girls from poor families that have received no ransom demands. Emma is determined to find them and bring them home but as they dig deeper they find more questions than answers. Can they find the girls in time or have they already lost their lives?

This series is going from strength to strength and I really hope we don't have to wait too much longer for the next instalment!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Captured - S.J. Harper

Join FBI Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.
She’s a Siren. He’s a Werewolf.
Their mission is redemption.

Emma Monroe is a Fallen Siren, cursed by the gods and banished to Earth for her failure to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now she works for the FBI and is on temporary assignment in Charleston. Solving this next missing persons case could be the key to ending her ancient curse—unless the temptation that’s her new partner gets in the way.

Zack Armstrong is a Werewolf. Tall, dark, and dangerous, he currently works for one of the bureau’s elite Child Abduction Rapid Deployment teams. In many respects the man is every bit as mysterious as his secret and perilous past. But there are two things he’s certain about, that he’s going to get his man and his woman.

When Zack finds himself suddenly shy a partner and a third child goes missing in Charleston, Emma goes from consultant to CARD team member in the space of a few hours. The abductions of the first two boys ended in murder, an outcome that neither Zack nor Emma can abide. As they race against time to track down the kidnapper and rescue the latest victim, they find themselves fighting something just as treacherous—a growing attraction that can’t be ignored or denied.

Fallen Siren Series:
Captured (Novella)
Cursed
Reckoning
Forsaken (Novella)

Visit S.J. Harper's website for more information

Review:
I really enjoyed the Cursed when I read it last year so when I was offered a review copy of the prequel novel Captured I jumped at the chance of reading it. Captured may be a prequel but at around 170 pages you certainly get plenty of story and I really enjoyed getting to see Emma and Zack's first meeting. If you are new to the Fallen Siren series then you can definitely start here, you'll even find an extract of Cursed included at the end so you can make a start on it immediately after finishing this. Captured is a fab introduction to the series and it's one I'm really looking forward to continuing.

For those that haven't come across these books before the main character is Emma, a siren who was cursed by the god Demeter and who has spent centuries trying to atone for her sins so that the curse will be lifted. Emma works as an FBI Agent and her current case involves her travelling to Charleston to help find a kidnapped child. Cooper is the third child to be taken and the previous two were found murdered so the FBI need to work fast if they are going to find him alive. Emma has been brought in to work alongside another agent, Zack, and the chemistry between them is sizzling from their very first meeting. Zack is not just an FBI agent, he's also a werewolf, but he doesn't know that Emma is a siren and she will do whatever it takes to keep it a secret from him. Emma may be attracted to Zack she has very good reasons to avoid getting into any kind of relationship and she is determined to keep him at arm's length no matter how charming he is or how much she wishes she could take things further.

Although we get a little information about the curse placed on Emma and what that means for her life this prequel focuses much more on introducing the main characters and showing how well they work together. Don't worry though because you'll get a lot more detail about the supernatural side to the world in the next book and there is enough here to give you a good idea of what to expect from the series. Anyone who has already read Cursed will know that Emma and Zack had worked together previously and I really enjoyed seeing that in a lot more detail. I also liked the mystery of who was behind the kidnappings and didn't put everything together until about the same time that Emma and Zack started to figure things out.

Captured is a nice introduction to the series for newbies but it was also a great way of giving fans of Cursed more background information about the main characters. It helped to tide me over until the next novel, Reckoning, is released in October but it has left me eager to spend more time with these characters.

Source: Received from the authors in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Cursed - S.J. Harper (+ International Giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card)

Meet FBI Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.

She’s cursed. He’s damned. Together, they make one hell of a team.

Emma Monroe is a Siren, cursed by the gods and bound to earth to atone for an ancient failure. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now that she works missing persons cases for the FBI, it could be just a rescue away. Unless her new partner leads her astray.

Special Agent Zack Armstrong just transferred into the San Diego Field Office. He’s a werewolf, doing his best to beat back the demons from his dark and dangerous past. As a former Black Ops sniper, he’s taken enough lives. Now he’s doing penance by saving them.

Emma and Zack’s very first case draws them deep into the realm of the paranormal and forces them to use their own supernatural abilities. But that leaves each of them vulnerable, and there are lines partners should not cross. As secrets are revealed and more women go missing, one thing becomes clear: as they race to save the victims, Emma and Zack risk losing themselves.

Fallen Siren Series:
Captured (Novella)
Cursed
Reckoning
Forsaken (Novella)

Visit S.J. Harper's website for more information

Review:
Emma is an immortal siren, cursed by the Goddess Demeter for failing to protect Persephone from Hades, she is forced to remain on earth until she has atoned for her sin. Emma must protect the innocent to redeem herself and she is forbidden from finding love and happiness until Demeter agrees that she has suffered enough. Zack has just transferred to Emma's FBI office and become her new partner, Emma knows that Zack is a werewolf but he has no idea that she is even aware of the supernatural community, let alone that she isn't human. Their latest investigation starts out as a simple missing person case but soon becomes a whole lot more complicated when they uncover more victims and realise that none of them were quite what they seemed. Working so closely together makes it very difficult for them to keep their secrets, especially when their case drags them deep into the supernatural community, but can they trust each other enough to share the full truth?

S.J. Harper is the pen name of the two authors Samantha Sommersby and Jeanne C. Stein, I hadn't actually read works by either of these authors before but having really enjoyed their collaboration I'll definitely be checking out some of their individual works in the future. Cursed is a great start to a new urban fantasy series and I'm already looking forward to getting my hands on the next book. I really liked both of the main characters and I enjoyed learning about the world the authors have created. The mystery was solid and kept my interest throughout and I hadn't guessed the who or why until quite near the end of the story.

Emma has spent centuries suffering for her failure to protect Persephone, she has no idea how far away she is from redemption and just has to keep on doing her best to protect the innocent in the hope that she will finally be given her freedom. She knows the cost of letting anyone get to close to her and it isn't something that she is prepared to let happen again so no matter how attracted she is to Zack she is determined not to act on it. Zack on the other hand knows exactly how good he and Emma are together and wants them to pursue a relationship, he doesn't understand her reluctance and finds it frustrating. They have a great working relationship and quickly become friends but he wants much more than that with her and he is a very difficult man to resist! I loved the will they / won't they element to their relationship, even though you know they could be great together we understand exactly what the stakes are and the odds are against them. I did find myself a little frustrated that Emma wouldn't be more upfront with Zack about the real reasons they couldn't be together but I could understand her fears and see why she kept her secrets so close to her chest. I have high hopes for the two of them in the future but I have no idea how they'll actually manage to get around Demeter's curse.

Alongside Emma and Zack we are introduced to some interesting side characters, particularly Emma's best friend Liz who is a powerful witch and a helpful ally. I'm also incredibly intrigued by a certain vampire and I'm wondering if Emma's sisters may have a role to play in future books. I'm looking forward to learning more about Zack's reasons for leaving his pack and moving to San Diego, and it will be interesting to see how things play out with his stalker ex-girlfriend too. Cursed is definitely an interesting start to the series and I have high hopes for future instalments. I just hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book to be released!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback:



International Giveaway:

As part of the Cursed blog tour S.J. Harper is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter form below, the winner will be contacted directly by S.J. Harper so they can arrange sending the prize.

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