There’s a reason she worked for the dead–she didn’t play well with the living.
Touched by tragedy at a young age, Catherine Adams always knew her calling was to stand for the dead. Now, as a homicide detective for the LVPD, she fulfilled that role by finding them justice.
Dispatched to the Antanasia Hotel, Cat was prepared for her next case.
What she wasn’t prepared for was its reclusive … for was its reclusive owner, Rafe Alexander.
Or his unwavering pursuit of her.
Though dedicated to the badge, the feelings Rafe awakened in her and the undeniable attraction between them had Cat thinking there might be room in her life for more than just the job.
But then unanswered questions in both the case and her personal life start piling up, and her murder investigation took twists and turns she never saw coming, forcing Cat to question whether the world was as black and white as she’d always believed.
And making her wonder if she was ready to learn the answers she was so dead set on finding.
Or would some truths be more than the detective in her could live with?
**This is a full-length novel and is the first in a new series but can be read as a standalone. Due to sex, violence, and language, it is recommended for persons over the age of 18. **
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This was an edge of your seat wonderful read about Rafe and Catherine. Loved their interaction and banter. One look and touch was all it took for them to realize this was going to change their lives forever. Loved how Rafe always made sure Cat had something to eat and was taken care of. He respected her independence and still made her feel protected. He was the ultimate possessive, tenderhearted, growly Alpha. I couldn’t stop reading until i finished this twisty, thrilling, beautiful love story. Loved this story and I can’t wait to read more by Sarah Curtis.
Cat and Rafe. Oh my goodness, what can I say. Sarah Curtis has floored me with this book. Not what I expected, and I love that!!!!! A different book and story line that has you on the edge of your seat, in a good way, waiting for all the twists to all be revealed. Loved it. Lots of chemistry and slow burn to tease you. Unputdownable!!!!!
I absolutely loved this newest book by this talented author!! Cat is a homicide detective investigating a murder at the Antanasia Hotel. She meets Rafe the mysterious owner of the hotel. She has had a rough life and what she has been through makes her very tough and no nonsense. Rafe makes her feel things that she doesn’t understand and it makes her feel uncomfortable. She tries to best to keep Rafe at a distance but Rafe is determined to take care of Cat whether she likes it or not. Their story is a very delicious slow burn that is handled beautifully. I loved their dynamic and how Rafe took care of Cat. I have read all of this author’s books but I absolutely LOVED this one!!! I highly recommend this story to all who enjoys a hot romance with some mystery, suspense, action, and hot steamy moments. Well done and I can’t wait for the next book!!!!
What an awesome book. Antanasia by Sarah Curtis is an awesome read.
Love a book were the hero is a brooding and silent type. Throw in protective and possessive alpha and I’m sold.
I won’t go much into the story because I will not spoil it for you but I will tell you that I love everything about this book. The storyline, the mystery and suspense had me hooked.
The twist and the surprise I hadn’t see it coming but it was awesome and so good love it.
Thank you Sarah, for such an awesome book and I need more ASAP!!
My Rating: STARS!
This is the story about Cat and Rafe. Cat is a homicide detective investigating a murder at the swanky Antanasia hotel in Las Vegas. While trying to figure out what happened, she meets Rafe, who just so happens to be the mysterious billionaire hotel owner.
Cat is an interesting character with a great sense of humor, who loves her job. She is a tough detective who has seen a lot in her life. She was changing and noticed the difference in herself right away after meeting Rafe and couldn’t understand feeling the connection to him. I really liked these two together especially how Rafe is so kind and concerned about her, especially about her eating. He is protective and knows he wants a relationship with her, but is delaying telling Cat some important information about himself. The suspense and mystery in the book takes off.
I was shocked at the twist in this story. That is the only thing that bothered me. I was surprised, finding out that the twist was paranormal. I didn’t expect that and must have missed that there was paranormal in the book on previews of it because I usually don’t read those. I felt things could have been different, but I am not an Author and this is only my feelings and opinion. I may have been shocked because I missed the last couple books somehow, I don’t know how. I know a lot of people seemed to like the twist by reading some reviews and posts, but it’s just not for me. I was used to the original books from this Author and I was taken by surprise. Overall, the book was very well written.
4 stars. This is a good read! Antanasia is the first book in a new series by Ms. Curtis. This book is one you should go into blind so as not to spoil the surprises. I will say this is Cat and Rafe’s story. Cat is a homicide detective investigating a murder at the swanky Antanasia hotel in Las Vegas. There she meets Rafe, the mysterious billionaire hotel owner. But this book is so much more than your average contemporary billionaire romance.
This book has a bit of a darker and more gritty feeling than other books by Ms. Curtis. Cat is an intriguing character. She is a tough detective who has seen a lot in her life. But meeting Rafe and feeling a connection to him helped her soften up and made her more relatable. I really liked she and Rafe together. He is protective and knows he wants a relationship with her, but is willing to play a long game and to go at Cat’s pace. The suspense and mystery in the book ramps up right away, while the romance is more of a slow, simmering burn going on at the same time. I really liked the twists and turns in this book, as well as the sexy romance and mystery.
Overall, I found Antanasia to have an interesting and entertaining story with good suspense and a sexy romance. I can’t wait to see what direction this series is going to go. I really enjoyed Rafe and Cat’s journey and look forward to more!
This was different than what I was expecting from a Sarah Curtis book. That being said…It was GREAT! It was so much more than I expected. I loved Cat in this story. She was such a strong character. I loved the romance with Rafe and how it evolved. The suspense and mystery was also very well done. I have to say I am hooked and looking forward to the next adventure of Cat and Rafe!
I made the conscious decision to bypass reading the blurb and dive in….something I’ve never done before. But I trust Sarah Curtis to always entertain so I figured, why not? Well….Holy Moses!! There will be absolutely no spoilers here except to say…. Expect the unexpected! That’s what this amazing piece of writing brings…the unexpected. Well and Rafe is smoking . Now I need for Sarah to hurry the hell up and write the next book!
This book was amazing, the perfect escape, and is one of my favorite books of 2020.
ANTANASIA by Sarah Curtis is a steamy, page-turner, must-read romantic suspense novel with an unexpected twist! With each book, Ms. Curtis grows as an author and continues to completely blow me away with her talent.
When I found out Ms. Curtis had a new book releasing, I was giddy with excitement. I NEEDED Sarah Curtis’s new book in my life, asap! Aside from reading the one/two-line teasers, I went into ANTANASIA blind.
And, oh, my goodness . . . WOW!
A strong, determined, and independent, yet with an underlying softness heroine.
A tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and overprotective alpha male, who is all about taking care of his woman—we all need Rafe in our lives.
A romance that is beautiful, healing, and everlasting.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED Rafe and Cat’s story!
No spoilers from me, but my spidey senses had me figuring it out pretty early. That is not a diss to the talented author; just the mind of a very suspicious reader.
It was hard not to draw a comparison between Cat/Rafe and Eve/Roarke. Both have a strong, capable, independent, awkward outside of her role as Detective heroine and a mysterious, shady, billionaire in pursuit hero that meet each other due to a murder. Some readers may be turned off by the similarities, but I contend that Eve/Roarke are a GREAT couple to be compared to, and that the author’s storytelling skill allows Cat and Rafe to stand on their own favorably. It certainly helps that the relationship development takes center stage. Cat and Rafe’s story is more slow burn than I am used to from this author, but makes perfect sense when you realize that it is the start of a (hopefully!) long series. I am thrilled that we will be meeting them again and that we can see their relationship develop and work through the obstacles that are SURELY coming their way.
I very gladly received an ARC and am pleased to leave a honest review.
Another fantastic read by Sarah Curtis! One of the things I love so much about this author’s books is the instant connection between the characters. The attraction between Rafe the hotel mogul and Cat the homicide detective is intense from the very first sight. However, these two could not be any more different and there is a mystery surrounding them that causes some reluctance for Cat. But there is something about Rafe that pulls Cat towards him. As for Rafe, he knew from the very beginning who Cat was to him and he was determined to make her his. Even though Cat is strong and independent, I absolutely adored the way Rafe always wanted to take care of her.
Like the blurb mentions, there are definitely twists and turns to their story. I was fascinated with the secrets that were kept and the ultimate decision that needed to be made. Overall a great story and it may look like there is more to come!
I LOVED this story. First, Sarah Curtis gives you a few tidbits to make you wonder, then you think “okay, yeah, I’m pretty sure I know where this is going,” and THEN you’re slapped upside the head with the doozy of a twist you’re not completely expecting!
Cat deals in finding justice for the dead, and her latest case puts her on a collision course with Rafe. He’s rich (obviously, since he owns the hotel), he’s handsome, he runs hot and cold with the affection and apparent attraction, and he’s got Cat just as confused as her case. And when every turn reveals Rafe waiting for who knows what from her, Cat isn’t sure that she even wants to solve the mysteries on her plate. Of course, she’s also not sure that she can deny the chemistry that she has with Rafe…or at least the chemistry she feels at work, because again, he’s a conundrum. When it all comes together and everything falls perfectly into place, the only thing left to want is MORE. That’s right. I’m selfish and greedy and want more. But I guess I have to wait to see what comes next in this new series. I’ll try to do so patiently.
Antanasia, by Sarah Curtis, is everything I love in a romance. That insta-spark/lust/love connection that happens when eyes meet for the first time, when hands touch for the first time, is my favorite kind of romance.
Detective Catherine (Cat) Adams always knew she wanted to be a homicide detective. After suffering loss at a young age, she knew she wanted to devote her life to making sure the bad guy always paid for his crimes. She is thirty two years old and has been with the Las Vegas Police Department for ten years. On the night she was called to the Antanasia Hotel to investigate a murder, not only does she get a perplexing case, she also comes face to face with the hotel owner, a man who instantly both puts her on edge, and awakens things in her that hadn’t been awakened for a very long time.
“For the first time, in a very long time, she was interested in a man. And that was equal parts scary and exciting.”
Rafe Alexander is the owner of Antanasia. He is a suave, sexy, alpha man who is never fazed by anything, until Cat walked into his office. He knew he would do whatever it took to make this woman his. But he also knew that he was going to have to be careful with her so he wouldn’t scare her off.
“There was a reason she worked for the dead – she didn’t play well with the living.”
Other than reading the blurb, I went into this book blind. I love every one of Sarah’s books that I’ve had the chance to read so that was enough reason for me to trust that I would love this as well. And, I did! The connection between Rafe and Cat was amazing. Cat might have been skittish at first but Rafe’s resolve to win her was everything. At the same time, Cat is trying to work through a tough case.
So, if you want an alpha hero that will make you swoon, and sweep the heroine off her feet, along with a puzzle that you, along with the heroine and her team, are trying to figure out, then this book is for you. You will swoon, sigh, smile, and perhaps gasp. And hopefully will love every minute of it.
Slow burn,steamy and great chemistry. I loved how Rafe and Cat met. I don’t want to say much,for fear of giving anything away. The chemistry between Rafe and Cat is off the charts, you can feel it. The story starts off fast and never loses steam. Mild angst. Lots of action and suspense. HEA.
Holy heck!! Sarah Curtis just took me on a journey I never saw coming!!!
As a Vegas homicide detective, Cat is called out when a body has been discovered in a room at the Antanasia Holy heck!!! This book totally blew me away! Who knew Ms. Curtis had this story lurking within? I’m so glad she decided to let it out!
’There was a reason she worked for the dead, she wasn’t that great with the living.’
As a Las Vegas homicide detective, Cat is called in to investigate a murder at the Antanasia Hotel & Casino. Within the course of her investigation she meets Rafe, a man that she reacts to in a way that she is unfamiliar with. All she wants is space between them, but that proves impossible as she needs his help to dig deeper into the murder.
Wow! Just wow! Cat was freaking awesome! She’s fierce, independent and tough. But along the way we begin to see her evolve from the girl her past has formed into a woman who can identify with both sides of herself – soft and tough. It was absolutely beautiful being privy to her inner thoughts as she slowly accepted herself even as she accepted Rafe.
Talk about alpha, protective, jealous and possessive! Rafe’s picture should be in the dictionary next to each of these adjectives! He growled at just the thought of another man with Cat, even her co-workers. He knew he wanted her and he was determined to have her. However, he recognized that she was fiercely independent and he never wanted to hinder that part of her personality. He was amazing at providing for her in a way that she accepted without stepping on her self-reliant toes.
’”And what do you feel?” Her question was whisper soft, almost as if she were afraid to ask.
“Need. Longing. Hunger. A gnawing in the pit of my stomach that grows stronger with each of our encounters.”
He watched her eyes grow larger with each word he uttered but he was too old to mince words. And suddenly, he was beyond caring if he frightened her away. Because it was too late for her, he’d never let her escape.’
Together, this couple were electric! They have a bit of a slow burn, but there are plenty of moments in between that more than solidified that Cat and Rafe sizzled when together. And when they did finally reach that point it was scorching!
This has a fast pace that engaged me from the first page and kept me turning the pages until I reached the end. There are some great secondary characters that had me smiling as they needled Cat and additional characters that added to the drama.
Overall, this was an amazing story that had some twists and turns I never saw coming, and a hero and heroine that totally stole my heart!
Rating: 4.5 stars
If spoilers do get revealed for this book, folks, it won’t be from me. Uh..uh…Nope, mum’s the word. That’s what I’m shooting for here, anyway. All I’ll say is there is a “huge” twist near the end that was quite a surprise. In fact, it switches from a murder mystery backdrop, which is mentioned in the synopsis, to include a “——” element. See, I kept my promise. (wink)
I can and will openly admit this author knows how to write an engaging, comes to life on the pages, very graphic, smexy, romantic read with a main couple that banters back and forth until they ultimately work out their differences. In this case, there is quite a doozy of a one. A world’s collide kind of situation. Usually a book of this type is openly marketed to a specific fan base. However, due to the element of surprise, it is kept on the absolute silent, low down here. I am a tad worried there will be a few mixed reactions to the different vibe/direction this book takes. Mainly just because it was very unexpected. Original is what I consider it though. Meaning, it was cool with me, because I do wade in those literary waters from time to time.
From the sizzling, at first glance, attraction/chemistry, these two destined to be together soulmates can’t help but gravitate towards one another. They soon can’t get each other out of their minds and hearts. One of them in particular won’t be swayed from this life changing, love connection.
Rafe Alexander was one smooth, tall, dark, handsome, cool drink of water. Hhmm … Hhmm … Hhmm. He was like a brooding, possessive alpha tiger and a cuddly teddy bear all rolled into one. Cat (aka Catherine), the heroine, didn’t stand a chance against such hotness and charm. Good thing she is sassy, feisty, and confident enough to handle all of him.
I wish I could linger here and go into more detail, but that jeopardizes the promise I just made. Just know I am really looking forward to reading the next sequel in this “to be continued” series.
Title: Antanasia, Author: Sarah Curtis, Pages: 289, Pub. date: 5/1/20, stand-alone, to be continued, HFN ending, tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, brooding hero, determined/dedicated detective heroine, instant attraction, romance safe, no love triangle, no OM/OW drama, no cheating, very graphic steamy scenes and huge twist/reveal late in book. Rating: 4.5 stars
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no relationship or affiliation between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or PR firm.)
I’m such a sucker for a strong, silent, and broody man, and his name is Rafe. How perfect of a name is that for this type of hero?? The way Rafe pursued Cat reminded me of a black panther stalking it’s prey. It made for an exciting pursuit.
Cat is tough as nails and isn’t exactly cooperative when it comes to that undeniable connection she feels for Rafe. She’s a cop and is used to always being in control. The best part of that, was this is why we got to see Rafe in panther mode.
This is a romantic suspense, and the suspense began right from the start. That meant the book just grabs your attention from the start and keeps you on your toes. I’m usually trying to find all the clues and guess what’s about to happen, but that twist flat out caught me off guard. I love it when an author can throw me off like that.
I really enjoyed this! I loved that instant connection while still getting a slow burn romance. The ending was satisfying while still leaving me with wanting more. Most of all, I really loved Rafe!