The Mandorla Medallion
Madison FoxeContemporary erotic romance
Available from Extasy Books
ISBN: 1-55410-200-6
September 2004
| Shawn, a freelance photographer, receives a tip about a collector intending to steal an artifact said to house a daemonic incubus from Tanzania, Africa. The man uses the Sutratma Society as a cover, and Shawn intends to be there when the man tries to steal the figurine, especially since it is not the first time obscure, occult pieces have been stolen by the organization. And his lover, Posh, insists on going with him, never expecting to have him die in her arms.
Over a year later, Posh still hasn't recovered from his death, and has no clue that Shawn was there for a reason other than a civil uprising. But Posh's friend, and owner of the magazine Enigma, nags her into taking on a small project. Several bog mummies have been found, and it'd make an interesting article. Her photographer is Nemesis Danos, an incredibly sexy Cajun. He tempts her, and he knows more about the reason behind going to investigate the bog mummies than he lets on. The Mandorla Medallion originally caught my interest through a rather sexy excerpt with Nemesis as the focus. I will say that, while the story does have romance, it's towards the end, and the HEA is ambiguous. That left me feeling a little let down, but I did enjoy the book. Nemesis was very carnal, and, like all Cajun heroes, had that oh-so-sexy accent. The sex was also very hot, even though the descriptions used weren't quite what I was used to. I rather liked the suspense. It wasn't heart-pounding, but it did entertain me. It was well-written enough that I could enjoy the developing suspense without expecting a long and detailed action plot. This is one of those stories that is good without a really specific reason. However, one of the things I can specifically say I enjoyed (lol), was the difference of Nemesis and Posh. Nemesis wasn't just any character; he was a completely sexual male, willing to do some unsavory things in pursuit of rightful vengeance, and, while he was attracted and intrigued by Posh, able to find desire for other women until she dealt with her demons. The realness of his character was different, which was a plus. Posh, too, wasn't the average heroine. She had to work through her problems and reluctancy when considering Nemesis as a possible lover, yet she didn't rely on him to convince her. The Mandorla Medallion should attract readers, if only because it is a different kind of story. And though I've come to avoid serials and series, I'd love to see more of Nemesis.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Tara Black |
