Touched by Fire (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

Author Catherine Spangler keeps the heat on and the evil Belial creatures "in check" in book #2 of her incredible "Sentinel Series". Having read her first book TOUCHED BY DARKNESS, it did not take me long to immerse myself into the plot line especially with the very helpful glossary of terms given in the front giving new readers insight into the world of Sentinels, their purpose, their enemies, and other amazing facts of their history.

After Marla Reynolds and her sister Julia had been brutally attacked by a stalker eleven years ago, Marla has been emotionally traumatized; able to function in the work place but dead inside when it came to any kind of emotional attachment. When accompanying a friend to a local bar scene, Marla met Luke Paxton, a man who seemed to exude a combination of energy and sensual awareness Marla thought dead and buried.

Luke, a Sentinel and member of the ancient Atlantian super race, was not only attracted to the feisty, stubborn, and mouthy woman at his side, but instinctively knew she was a "conductor". A conductor being a person of the opposite sex who through a conduction could help him track down a Belian monster, who was killing off the innocents of the world. The problem Luke faced was two-fold, the conduction was accomplished with the sentinel and conductor having highly charged sexual intercourse - only Marla was a virgin, and in the Sentinel rulebook - untouchable!

Wow, this was a fast moving and action packed addition in the "Sentinel Series" that is completely stand alone and packs a terrific wallop. Spangler does not create a new world but brings to life a super human race from the myths of old regarding the lost city of Atlantis come to protect earths inhabitants. She brings us the advanced culture race of Atlantians who live in the Light and whose sole purpose is to expel the evil Belians from slaughtering innocent humans.

In creating Marla as the perfectly matched conductor to help Luke track down one of the evilest of their foes, Spangler throws up numerous road blocks in Luke being able to convince Marla, 1) that he is one of the good guys, and 2) to convince Marla that as much as he desires her, she is perfectly safe because the rules state a sentinel cannot have sex with a virgin! On top of that, Marla is unintentionally mind linking with the evil Belial who wants to control her.

Spangler packs this one with thrills, chills, titillating dialogs with marvelous comebacks, and a cast of wonderfully crafted secondary characters. Marla's sister Julia is introduced along with the head honcho Atlantian Adam Masters. They add additional spice to an already steamy read, while setting the stage for the third book in this series which by any indication of Julia's dislike for Adam's arrogant and superior persona is sure to be a highly combustible addition to this remarkable series. Paranormal fans are sure to love this highly recommended read while anxiously awaiting what happens next with Adam and Julia in TOUCHED BY LIGHT!

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization repugnance

Belians, Sentinels and Sanctioned....oh my. And no, I couldn't resist. Spangler's latest series induces all sorts of feelings when reading it: fear, anger, sympathy, trepidation...she's an author that's never failed to get my attention, especially with the second in this series. Original and suspenseful, the Sentinel books pack plenty of emotional punch and incentive to read on.

Marla Reynolds has no delusions about her looks. She's got her safe little world and she knows it limits. Stuck being the "wingman" during a night on the town with a good friend, she's patiently waiting to drive said friend home. When she sidles up bar side for a little libation, she's perplexed at the static charge that fills the air. The man to her left is one of the sexiest men she's ever seen, and he only has eyes for her. While Marla's not buying it, Luke Paxton's not giving up till the lady abides long enough to agree to a date. When Marla gives him the slip, he'll have to take matters into his own hands, even if it is a tad bit illegal. Marla is special, and Luke needs her unique abilities to track down a most unusual killer, one of the Sons of Belial. Being a Sentinel, It's Luke's job to send the Belian's soul out for rehabilitation...before he kills more people. As a Conductor, Marla can help Luke channel his powers long enough to do so. Earning her trust will require no small effort though and a past tragedy may never allow them the cooperation needed to see the deed done. But as the action heats up, more importantly, will they be able to keep it strictly business in an increasingly volatile game?

Touched by Fire sparks at the very beginning with a great first chapter intro. We learn a little bit more about the world Spangler has created and there's an introduction to the new Atlantean on the block...well, not so much new as never before seen by readers, Adam, one of the Sanctioned, which in the hierarchy are one step above the Sentinels. There's a great plug for the next book via Adam's character and his interactions with Marla's sister. Marla and Luke in the meantime are playing hot and cold, push and pull, till the fire heats up and this reader began to meltdown. Marla has a tragic past that made for a good conflict between her and Luke. She takes on her duties as Conductor with more bravado than grace, but she clearly completes Luke. Luke himself is the cool element in the duo, sexy as all get out yet deadly earnest in his duties. Determined to remain emotionally unattached, he soon finds it hard to resist the sheer bravery and fortitude Marla exhibits time and time again. I did begin to wonder at a certain point if the romance would pick up...and then it did, answering the craving for it that the first chapter began so well. The ending, it made me smile--pure Spangler magic. Wrapping the story up is a very interesting turn in Marla's sister's life, thanks to the pestering attentions of Adam. Stay tuned for the third Sentinel book, Touched by Light.

Eleven years ago Marla Reynolds had experienced true human evil when a stalker had brutally attacked and raped her sister. Marla had watched helplessly after being brutally beaten by the assailant herself while attempting to defend Julia. She had been only nineteen at the time and relationships with men had left her cold ever since. Ironically she now finds her self in a prime pick up bar thanks to a friend's automotive misfortunes. She can only hope Rebecca finds someone to go home with before someone in the bar remembered to turn on the television to reports of today's horrific tragedy. Evil has reared its ugly head once more in a bombing involving a bus full of school children.

Ordinarily Marla would have taken no notice of the handsome man who takes the seat next to her at the bar. Perhaps Luke Paxton would have taken no notice of Marla's intentionally understated beauty either had he not felt the unmistakable jolt that alerts him to the fact that she's a perfectly matched human Conductor.

Luke is a Sentinel, a reincarnated Atlantian whose sole purpose on Earth is to track and send Belian souls to Saturn for rehabilitation. Belians thrive on chaos and blood. The perpetrator of today's heinous bombing is a particularly aggressive practitioner. Marla is just who he needs to help him amplify his psychic energy to evaluate his impressions of the Belian Crime Scene.

Marla proves to be a challenge, surprising Luke when she fails to acknowledge the undeniable attraction arcing between them. He does finally manage to convince her to meet him in a neutral location of her choice for dinner but once the link is broken by distance Marla's fears resurface and she sends him her regrets. Unfortunately Luke can't afford to take no for an answer knowing that it's only a matter of time before the Belian strikes again.

Unaware of her past experience, a frustrated Luke uses his skills to let himself into Marla's home. Marla returns home to discover she's not alone and understandably thinks the worst. She's become experienced in self defense and carries a gun but is no match for Luke's superhuman abilities. The next thing she knows she's in a Sentinel safe house being told a highly unlikely tale. Is she in the hands of another psychopath or is the real danger out there ready to strike again. Can she afford not to find out?

Fortunately Luke has the wherewithal to back up his claims and once at the Belian Crime Scene Marla's own unique abilities kick in, putting her inside the twisted mind of unimaginable evil. Can she face this new terror head on and help Luke stop the Belian before more innocent lives are lost? Will she give in to the undeniable desire she feels for this man alone and convince him to give up his loner existence?

TOUCHED BY FIRE is a blazing hot romantic fantasy thriller that is impossible to put down. Catherine Spangler puts her readers into the twisted mind of a psychotic killer right along with her heroine. It is an experience that one won't soon forget. Luckily, good triumphs over evil once more, but not for long. Luke's superior Adam Masters, one of the Sanctioned (a spiritually advanced Atlantean soul) who has been above human desire for centuries, has made the startling discovery that Marla's sister is a perfectly matched Conductor as well ---- for him! Julia is as scarred as Marla if not more so, but having faced death once she's not about to let this arrogant, macho, super ego tell her what to do. I can't wait to see who ends up handling who in Book 3: TOUCHED BY LIGHT. For now, enjoy TOUCHED BY FIRE a read I recommend highly for an edge of the seat adventure and brilliant characterization.

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews