Firelight (Darkest London) [Mass Market Paperback]

Miranda has the ability to control fire but it is a power that has caused problems for her family in the past so she keeps it a secret and tries not to use it. Archer has a disfigurement that causes him to hide his appearance behind a mask, he has only recently returned from abroad but all of polite London society is terrified of him because of his fearsome reputation. He first saw Miranda several years ago and hasn't been able to stop thinking about her since, he knows it would be selfish to marry her but he is unable to resist the temptation.

Miranda may have been reluctant to marry Archer but she soon realises that he is completely different from what she expected and she becomes determined to get to know the real man who is hidden behind the mask. As a series of gruesome murders begin and since each victim can be linked back to Archer he becomes the prime suspect. Miranda refuses to believe that her husband is behind the deaths and she sets out to prove his innocence - even if she has to put herself into harms way to do it.

It is hard to categorise Firelight since it touches on so many genres, it is definitely a historical paranormal romance but it also has a dark and Gothic feel to it and is full of mystery and suspense. At the same time it is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with enough elements from the original story to make it recognisable but unique enough to stand out on it's own merits. Kristen Callihan's debut novel is beautifully written and had me captivated from the very first page, she is definitely an author to watch out for in the future!

Archer and Miranda are one of the best couples I've read about in ages, their relationship builds slowly so you get to really see them fall for each other. They become friends first and I loved watching Miranda gradually peeling back the hard shell that Archer puts on in front of the world and uncovering the lonely, tortured man underneath. Theirs really is a relationship to savour and the building tension between them is delicious to watch. You have to wait a long time just for their first kiss but it is worth the wait as the author treats us to some of the hottest kissing scenes I've come across in a long time!

As a couple this pair is dynamite but as individuals they are equally strong characters and I enjoyed getting to know them both. Archer is currently my top book hottie, he is such a complex character and I dare anyone to try to resist his charms. Miranda is also a worthy heroine and she was certainly able to stand up for herself when Archer tried to keep his distance from her emotionally. She was able to break through his barriers with her smart mouth and attitude. I loved the fact that Miranda has to save the day, it is so nice to see the woman rescue the man for a change rather than the other way around.

I really can't recommend Firelight highly enough and considering this is a debut novel I can't wait to see what Kristen Callihan comes up with next. I received an ebook ARC of this from netgalley for review but I loved it so much that I have already ordered a print copy to take pride of place on my bookshelves. I have also pre-ordered the second book in the series Moonglow which will be released in the summer. I only pre-order books from my favourite authors so that should tell you how much I loved this book. Whatever you do you don't want to miss this one - if you love strong romance with a historical setting, a hint of the supernatural and a Gothic edge to it you have to read Firelight!

Set in London, 1881. Since her birth Miranda Ellis has had an affinity with fire. For her entire life she has struggled to control it. At the age of ten, Miranda made a mistake that cost her family their fortune. It had been an accident, but her father, Hector Ellis, refuses to let Miranda forget it. Her older sisters, Daisy and Poppy, are married and out from under their father's thumb. But Miranda is often forced to steal trinkets for her father to sell. After all, the man has already sold everything in the house worth a few coins. Now he is giving Miranda a choice: Marry the man called the Dread Lord Archer or be put out into the streets forever.

Lord Benjamin Archer, Fifth Baron Archer of Umberslade, hides his face behind dark masks. The right side of his body is deformed due to an "accident". He has been away from London for several years, searching for a cure or to help ease his pain. He knows it is selfish to take Miranda as his bride, but he feels drawn to her. He looks into her eyes and sees the reflection of his salvation. Miranda can see him, the man, instead of a monster. Miranda can ease his loneliness and Archer can ensure that she never wants for anything.

Titled men from Archer's past begin showing up dead and Archer realizes that he can no longer ignore his fate. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that pints to Archer as being the killer, yet Miranda refuses to believe it. Archer refuses to tell her what the accident was that had deformed him, so she begins searching for her own answers. Archer must give in to the beastly nature he has struggled so hard to hide if he wants to keep Miranda safe. And Miranda must enter a world of dark magic and fire if she wants to save Archer's soul.

***** FIVE STARS! It is hard to believe that this is Callihan's debut novel. The story is set during the Regency Era and has the dark flavor of an old Gothic Romance. Archer's mysterious past is slowly revealed, coaxed into the light by the curious and tenacious Miranda, and it is an unmitigated disaster. The heroine is audacious, especially when it comes to those she cares for. She is a strong-willed character and the perfect match for Archer.

The author has a rich and vivid writing style that seems to clash with the darkness of the story's plot, making it all the more fascinating to me. I was hooked almost immediately and frustrated whenever I had to put the book down for even a moment. Kristen Callihan is destined for greatness! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I think it is over a year ago that I've read a historical romance but I bless my curiosity right now for it has led me to read Firelight. Labeled as a Gothic Historical Romance with a Beauty And The Beast trope my curiosity was fired. When I read the RT review in the magazine it fueled my curiosity further. What I found surpassed everything I thought to find. Firelight gives a romance of sheer excellence that whisked me away to find adventure, curses, mystery, violence and characters whom rocked me to me core.

Callihan masterfully introduces Miranda and Archer with mystery, snappy dialogues and a 'cope a feel moment' that was rife with sensuality. The prologue was a mere appetizer for what was to come. Even with the basic storyline of Miranda forced to wed Archer out of financial gain for her father, nothing is ordinary after that. The plot begins with murder and didn't let me go. I got tantalizing pieces of the puzzle regarding the reasons behind it all but also of the secrets regarding a few significant characters. The mystery courted my curiosity. It engaged me to think about the whodunit, the why of it all and how it would affect Archer and Miranda. Because even though I was entranced by the high-octane mystery it was the romance that swept me off my feet and kept me in a perpetual state of an emotional high.

Miranda Rose Ellis is a woman with a secret, a fiery secret, but she learned to deal with it and the way life turned out. I liked, Miranda from the get-go. The prologue already told me she was going to be a fighter, that she was a resilient woman, a passionate woman. Miranda only gained depth of character, she showed me her pain, her joy, her love and everything in between. She was a reason why I was so engaged because I wanted her to find it all in life she wanted. The way she dealt with Archer showed backbone and the high-spirited woman she is. Their interaction hummed of sexual attraction and a blooming love and respect for one another.

Lord Benjamin Archer was a troubled man with a past shrouded in mystery. In this the author engaged my curiosity like nothing else. Gradually I got to peel off the layers of mystery and the man I found made my romantic heart beat so very fast. The depth of his emotions, his intellect, his honor, it all blended in to a kind of sexy that is so addictive for me.

The author made the main and secondary characters come alive for me, made their adventures and the dangers it encompassed feel real to me and in doing so I read the book cover to cover in one day. It also made the romance something to gobble up. The romantic tension rocketed from the get-go and kept building until it erupted in an ending that made me cry and smile and feel every bit of the love! Getting off that emotional high, the ending did leave me in want of an explanation how certain things worked in the end to solve the problem. It felt like the author missed to dot an I there in an otherwise flawless story.

I absolutely adored the lyrical writing style that evoked images in the mind's eye of atmospheric backdrops in Victorian London and the glitter and glamour of the society. It also enriched the dialogues and I absorbed it all eagerly. I loved how the time period, the paranormal elements and the secondary characters added its own layers and fleshed out the story to give me a more than satisfying read!

Kristin Callahan's poignant writing voice makes the reader a part of the story. FIRELIGHT contains a memorable romance steeped in an ever present sensual chemistry and a fascinating mystery! I couldn't get enough and eagerly await the second full-length story in the Darkest London series.

4.5 stars