Like A Rock

Stone Kissed

By Keri Stevens (http://keristevens.blogspot.com/)

Carina Press

Excerpt available on Carina link

Publication date: 12/27/2010

Provided by Carina through Net Galley

No remuneration provided

Read Dec. 2-3 reviewed Dec. 5

Book Description:

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.
After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he'll allow her to oversee the restoration.
Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent-especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.
But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant's love, but for both their lives...(Net Galley)

My Take:

This has to have had one of the more unusual premises for a story I have ever read. There were lots of twists I would never expect. Delia is stubborn, quick to anger, smart, torn, under pressure, making peace. Grant is arrogant, but it is more about confidence than the assumption that everything is going to go his way. He’s smart, loyal, has a sense of integrity, and a sixth sense on what is scary. Neither of them is perfect. Delia comes from a damaged family history with a father who couldn’t come up with enough love to raise his daughter without emotionally abuse. Somehow, Delia comes up with forgiveness for her father, I don’t know how but she does.

Grant’s family comes with a lot of baggage too. And, not the past Delia assumes.

Witches seem to play a part in Delia’s family history. Maybe the women in the family had been raised with the knowledge of it in times past but all Delia can do is talk with statues, have verbal relationships with them. It’s a big secret that pretty much every one knows, some believe and some don’t. Delia has struggled to hide it and has moved to DC and become a statue restoration expert⎯the perfect foil for her gift.

Delia has been stuck on Grant unrequitedly for aeons, which is a classic romance novel device. Close proximity brings out a natural attraction on both sides. They make mistakes in judgment with each other and Delia cannot believe someone as rich and powerful as he is wants her. She has some major chips on her shoulder. It may be their collapse that allows her to make peace with her father. Grant is not a man interested in long term and that is also part of Delia’s reticence. When they meet again, she finds him gorgeous but cold and tells him he used to have a heart but not now.

There is a reasonable amount of intimacy, well written. For a human Grant has great stamina. Delia is very practical and her lingerie confirms that in her personality. But for two people with the issues they have they have an easy comfort with each other.

Interesting things happen with the statues. They know there is something wrong with Delia’s cousin Cecily, Delia does too. But even I didn’t think she was the bad actor that is revealed. She is thwarted at every turn, and lashes out each time.

There are a few loose ends, but they add to the characters’ depth and show their idiosyncrasies. To reveal them could be a bit spoilerish. Perhaps they’re there to provide a thread for a sequel. Minor.

The book, for what one would think was going to be light and fluffy had surprising depth. I really enjoyed seeing what would happen next. You’ll want to carve the name of this book into your mind for the next time you wonder what to read next.