Firelight

Darkest London, Book 1

By: Kristen Callihan

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

London, 1881

Once the flames are ignited...

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity...

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

©2012 Kristen Callihan (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

2012, RT Book Reviews' Seal of Excellence, Winner

"Callihan has a great talent for sexual tension and jaw-dropping plots that weave together brilliantly in the end."—Diana Gabaldon, New York Times bestselling author

"Beauty and the Beast meets Phantom of the Opera (with hints of Carrie and an abundance of Egyptian mythology) in this gripping, intoxicating story, simmering with incendiary sensuality and featuring a heroine who risks all to save the man she loves. An exceptional debut and the first of what promises to be a compelling series."—Library Journal, starred review

"Compulsively readable...a compelling Victorian paranormal with heart and soul."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

A Perfect Book

What did you love best about Firelight?

This book is one of the best that I've listened to. Great story with well paced action. Absolutely no slow spots. A Historical/Paranormal Romance that doesn't seem forced at all. And Moira Quirk's narration was flawless. I gave serious thought to listening to this book again half an hour after finishing it the first time. It's a book I'm glad to have on those occasions when I'm out of credits. Miranda's very entertaining sisters have their own books coming out. This is a no-brainer, auto-buy series. Very well done.

Enjoyable

Would you try another book from Kristen Callihan and/or Moira Quirk?

The author tells a good tale. The reader was a bit on the breathy side, kind of airy, but she did a good job and was worth listening to.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I tend to read romance's for the interaction between the hero and heroine, this was missing a bit of that. The murderer is kind of easy to figure out. The lying and hiding between the two is a bit off putting and kind of made it hard to finish.

What three words best describe Moira Quirk’s performance?

Breathy, Quiet, Solid

What would have made this romance irresistible?

More interaction between the two main characters, more dialogue and chemistry.

Any additional comments?

This is an entertaining book, not something I was expecting. I did enjoy most of it and found it worth the listen. I wish it had more romance as it is a romance and less focus on other characters or the non-mysterious murder. But it is worth the listen.

Very different but very entertaining

Absolutely excellent narrator she has just made it in my top 3 the story was very cool I enjoy the change from the normal romance

...long to warm up...

This was like reading in the dark. I hoped by reading the first book in the series it would build the premise of the magic of the series. I felt that it was just assumed in many instances that the reader understood the authors ideas. By the end of the book I think I understood the storyline, but it would have made more interesting reading if we had more of the characters powers of magic up front. I felt the whole story was out of rhythm, written maybe as a form book without a clear vision from the author. Possibly the next books ripen, but I am waiting for the reviews before I invest.

Pleasantly surprised

I didn't have any high expectations for this book but I was pleasantly surprised, I really liked the story and was completely sucked in. Paranormal lore creatures running into each other in the 19th century with a side of lust and passion...what's not to love? Firelight's heroine is Miranda a beautiful fiery red head with green eyes, she is the youngest sister out of three sisters, with a special secret ability. Miranda's father is ruined in the world of business and is completely broke and so her father sells her hand in marriage to Lord Archer who literally hides behind a mask because he has a dark secret of his own. The book is very mysterious and alluring, which I completely love in a story.
This book is credit worthy in my opinion.

What a fantastic tale!!!

I was glued to this book from the word go and eventually I could not stop listening until the end. A wonderful tale of intrigue, love, lust, and the darker side. Moira Quirk is one of my all time favourite narrators who was at her usual best. The anticpation of these two getting together was excruciating and a long time coming but wonderful when they finally did. Definitely worth a credit if you are a romance junkie like me.

Yes yes yes!

First, Moira Quirk does a fantastic job at narrating as always.
Second, the story was well written and flowed perfectly.
Third, I wish there was a series dedicated specifically to Ben and Meri. I could listen to their adventures and heated lovemaking for days. They each have such fascinating experiences and backstories. Their love is deep and binding. They are just great.
Finally, I highly recommend this book. It is not erotic but there is a good amount of steam so it is definitely not for those whom don’t enjoy dirty talk and explicit content.
I’m looking forward to continuing this period paranormal adventure.

This is the most frustrating book I ever read!!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I am not sure how to rate this book the story was great but the writer just took too long to get to the point. A few times I just wanted to tear my hair out. I stopped listening few times.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Get to the point !!! it was frustrating !!!

GREAT STORY

Enjoyed this audio. First audio i have listened too by KC, wont be the last. Loved the characters and plots, had me guessing till near the end who the villain really was. Story was well written keeping you interested, didn't feel once the "Oh come on, get on with it". It was refreshing just to listen to another author who created a great story with great characters.

PNR + Historical Romance = a new favorite series!

My two favorite genres in one delightful read! I really enjoyed this book and am writing this review while devouring the third installment! This series is fantastic and romantic and all the wonderful things I love in a story.

For years Miranda has been paying for a past misdeed that has left her family destitute. Her bravery and wit in addition to her striking beauty catches the eye of Lord Archer and she is forced by her father and her circumstances to marry the mysterious, masked man.

This story was so much fun to read. The dialogue between the main characters and the tension throughout the tale ensnared me and had me plugged in until the very end. Miranda is brave and fierce in her loyalty to Archer and I loved the evolution of their romance. Archer was gentle and kind and I adored how he immediately embraced Miranda into his life, treating her like a partner and not like a wife with wifely duties. The paranormal aspect in this tale is superb and the way Callihan writes it, you can't help but eat up the pages quickly so you can find out what happens next. There is also a great supporting cast that are in subsequent stories and are/will be strong characters in unwrapping the world Callihan created.

This story is a must read for any paranormal romance fan and historical romance fan and if you are like me and happen to be a fan of both genres, well then the combination provides a synergistic effect.

Narration
Narrator: Moira Quirk
Performance: 4/5
Quirk does a fantastic job with the accents. The characters in the tale having a proper British and a cockney accent. I listened to this read in a 1.25x the normal setting and the pace was perfect and her tone and inflections right on.