HUNTER'S MOON

Author: C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp ISBN: 0765349132 12/2004 PARANORMAL Publisher: TOR

Sue Quentin has reached the end of her rope-she's desperate, and there's only one way out. Her plan doesn't include falling for Tony, the mysterious hit man she hires. He listens when she speaks and somehow convinces her that maybe her problems aren't entirely insurmountable. He even thinks her little potbelly is sexy. So he's a werewolf—everyone has flaws! Sue enjoys being coddled by Tony, and, for his part, Tony likes the way Sue moans when he touches her. She begins to think she and Tony might have a shot at a future together, despite his unorthodox profession . . . and even though she doesn't know his real name. But when Tony's enemies—not all of whom are fully human—decide Sue makes a perfect target, will Tony risk letting his darker side out during the day to save her?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Well, these Tor Romance paranormals are starting out with a bang! First up was SHIFTING LOVE, by Constance O'Day Flannery, and now C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp introduce us to the world of the Sazi in HUNTER'S MOON. Keep them coming Tor, as they just keep getting better and better.

How many times can I say the story is original and fresh and still mean it without the comment sounding stale? Plenty, it seems. But this one is the MOST outrageously original book I have read to date. Yes, when you write about the paranormal—this one is about werewolves and such—you have plenty of creative license. But man, oh, man, an assassin for a mob family/werewolf hero? That is pretty out there. I love it!

Did I mention said hero, Tony Giodone, also makes no excuses for what he does and stays true to himself all the way through the book? That is hard, so very hard, for an author to do with a character. Usually the hero loses a little bit of his, shall we say "bad habits" when he meets the heroine, and is reformed a bit in the sunshine of her adoration. Not Tony. Oh, he recognizes that he has to make some small changes for her safety, but he has no intention of giving up his night job. Well, unless he is killed. He is also a werewolf. Deal with it. I find that so very cool.

The heroine, Sue, has just as many issues as Tony, and sometimes I wonder how she stays around her crazy family without taking them out. No obligation is worth the crap she puts up with. But that is why Tony comes into the picture in the first place. What a plot!

There is just so much to recommend and indulge in here, that I find myself wanting to gush about the whole thing. Don't worry, though, I won't bore you with all my favorite scenes. It would take a rehashing of the whole story. Let's just say this one is worth your time and opens up a new world in the paranormal you can't wait to explore. I know other books will spin off of this one. You just can't leave something this unique, hot, wild and crazy alone.