Three years ago, Rikki Albemarle watched her best friend die at the hands of a supernatural evil. Certain she was slated to be the next victim, Rikki fled her small Smoky Mountain hometown, vowing to never come back. Plagued by nightmares and knowing she’s the only one who believes Mina’s death was no accident, Rikki returns with hopes of finding answers and holding the killer accountable.Rikki … accountable.
Rikki is convinced the key to unlocking the secret of Mina’s death lies with Owen Amir, the alluring young army vet who once claimed her heart. But the deeper Rikki digs into Owen’s past, the more she’s torn between the urgings of her heart and her memories of him on the night Mina died.
After falling further into the rabbit hole, Rikki lands at the feet of an ancient and powerful evil determined to finish what it started years before. To survive, she’ll have to make a decision: believe Owen is the monster she always feared he might be or trust him enough to stay and fight for a second chance at love.
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An intelligent romance with a paranormal twist and wonderful well developed characters. A romance, with characters that I couldn’t help but love. Owen, he’s ex military, looking to settle down in a small town after a long tour. He meets a local girl Rikki, a hard working goal orientated woman, with dreams beyond the town. They click, a romance begins but that is only a small part of the story. Nothing was predictable, the plot, the characters, the outcome.
This book from start to finish was absolutely brilliant, I loved every minute of it.
I loved everything about this book, the story, the characters, the writing.
The book had everything I personally like in a book, action, lots of humor and snark, the right amount of romance, great supporting characters and plot twists.
About half or more of the book we get dual timelines. Present time and three years ago. I liked the dual timelines, it keeps you on the edge of you seat and guessing of what really happened that day.
I really liked both main characters, both had their strengths but also weaknesses. I liked that they balanced each other out a great deal.
Most know, I’m not a fan of insta-love or lust unless done right and that was the case here. Anything else would have been weird in this case. Also like that Rikki stayed her own person and not just throws everything out the window for a guy. The same goes for Owen though, he sticks to his plans no matter what happens or happened.
We get a pretty good twist at the end I LOVED it. I also really loved the ending it was perfect and I must admit I was a bit worried but well done Karissa Laurel.
I mentioned that I loved the supporting cast and I can’t leave this review without saying that I absolutely adored Luke. So much so, that I hope we get to see him again somehow, sometime in the future.
Overall great, great book and I give it 5 and hoping for a Luke book. #givemeLuke
Do you believe in second chances?
Touch of Smoke by Karissa Laurel is all about second chances and what happens after losing faith. The main character is Erika Albemarle, who is a twentyish nurse working oncology coming home to face what she left behind three years or so ago.
Erika Albemarle
Erika Albemarle is the only character’s head that we get into. She is the one that takes us through from the beginning to the end. Rikki, as she likes to go by and not Erika, is the only daughter of the local sheriff who is her mom, and has lived her whole life in her small town before moving to Chapel Hill, North Carolina three years before the start of the book. She is a force to be reckoned with and stubborn to boot. There is a lot of things that Rikki goes through in the book, and she is continually growing.
What I like about Rikki is that she is a fighter, and will get control of her life again even if it means coming back to the one place she never wanted to return. Another great thing about her is that she will make an effort to forgive, which shows lots of compassion. Rikki is a survivor. The one thing that I dislike about her is a spoiler, so I can’t tell.
Owen Amir
Owen Amir, while not voicing his thoughts the way Rikki does, is the cause of all her grief for the past three years. He hasn’t meant to do anything to harm Rikki, but in a way, he did when he made a choice in Iraq that he has regretted. Owen is complex and stubborn to boot that makes it hard to get him to open up. He does eventually, and it might work for him and Rikki.
What I like about Own is he tries to be a good man while letting Rikki have her space. He truly loves Rikki, and it shows a lot when he is around her or doing things that she would want him to do. I couldn’t find anything that I didn’t like about him except his stubbornness.
Four Stars
I am giving Touch of Smoke by Karissa Laurel four stars and recommending it to everyone that reads paranormal romance. This story is all about second chances along with paranormal taking a spin in Rikki’s life. These two deserved more than they got. The one thing that got me is that it was slow in the beginning. Then the way it moves from being in the present and jumping into the past for three to four chapters to go back to the present with one chapter made the flow seem out of sorts. I think if we got the past at the beginning of the book then did a part two with the present might have worked better.
Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
If you would like to read more reviews like this one please go to baronessbooktrove.com
Touch of Smoke Kindle Edition
by Karissa Laurel (Author)
I received a review copy via BookSirens and am choosing to leave a fair and honest review.
This was my introduction to Ms. Laurel’s writing and what an introduction!
Erika – call me Rikki – is planning to leave her small town in order to become an oncology nurse (as a Cancer Victor, I have respect for these nurses, even the fictional ones). The summer before she leaves, Luke, her childhood friend returns home from the Iraq War and brings with him his battle brother, Owen. The attraction between Rikki and Owen is instant and white hot. But Owen has secrets, secrets he won’t share that lead to a tragedy that sends Rikki running away.
Laid out with two narratives from Rikki, one present the other, three years ago during the fateful summer, the mystery of Owens secrets drives us forward. And those narratives keep the pages turning.
The chemistry between the two burns the pages! I really wanted more time in the past with them, but the resolution of the story promises a wonderful future. One, that I could see (or pray) turns into a series! I’m a firm believer in no spoilers, but there is a possibility in returning to hot Middle Eastern sands to finish what started that night during that summer, maybe from Owen’s point of view. Rikki’s angst is believable and, if my hope is realized in a series, may be further explored.
There are several sexy scenes but they don’t overwhelm the story and they are done very well.
Four and half stars rounded up to 5 stars.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N125J4F
First paranormal romance that I’ve really enjoyed in years
I loved this book. It was funny, scary, happy, romantic and frustrating. I had an instant connection with Owen, but Rikki just frustrated me. She used every excuse she could to paint Owen as a bad guy. Even after everything they shared. By the end I was less frustrated and very hopeful for them. Definitely a must-read book. I requested an advanced reader copy for free from BookSirens and am under no obligation to leave this review.
First let me state that I received an Advance Reader Copy, (ARC), but this in no way influences my review. I always leave an honest review. Also this author is new to me, and I hope it won’t be my last time reading her books.
Holy shiznet!!! This story is slow burn. So many times throughout this story I thought I knew what Owen’s secret was, but I didn’t. My heart broke for Rikki for all the pain & heartache she went through. But the ending as perfect. I recommend this read. 5 Thumbs up
Touch of Smoke was a fantastic read. I don’t give 5-star reviews easily. A book has to capture my attention and keep it. I have to form a connection with both the male and female lead. Touch of Smoke hit all those and then some.
Touch of Smoke has a dual plotline. One takes place in the past and the other in the present. Usually, I don’t like that type of plotlines. In my experience, this type of plotlines generally gets me confused. Which in turns makes me lose interest in the book. In this case, though, the author was obvious when she was switching from the past to the present/the present to the past. She also did not give away what happened in the past. There were hints, but nothing prepared me for what happened. She also did a fantastic job of merging the two storylines mid-book. It was flawless.
The main plotline of Touch of Smoke centers around Erika (or Rikki), Owen and what happened that night her best friend, Mina, was killed. Rikki came back to town to face her demons, which meant that she had to face Owen and his role in what happened that night. When an ancient evil arrives in Evansville, Rikki needs to make a choice. Will she trust Owen and help him? Or will Rikki stand aside and let that evil destroy him? If she does help him, what will be the price that she pays?
I loved Rikki. She was a tough cookie. She was also the hardest working character that I have come across in a while. This woman worked two jobs while going to a community college. She was an EMT, and she worked in stable, cleaning stalls. I did think she was silly for pushing Owen away. I wanted to reach through the book and shake her. Her actions at the end of the book were amazing. And selfless.
I fell in love with Owen every time he showed up in the book. Who wouldn’t? He was an Army veteran who fell head over heels with Rikki. I loved that he didn’t push her into doing anything that she didn’t want to do. He let her set the bar for their relationship. He did have his secrets, though. I liked how the author revealed them.
The romance angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific. I loved seeing Owen and Rikki’s relationship evolve. It wasn’t Instalove (far from it). The author chose to have Owen and Rikki date and go from there. The scene where Rikki decides to throw caution to the wind was poignant. Mainly because of what happened a few days (at least I think it was a few days) later.
The fantasy angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific also. I liked how the author took the jinn myth and made it her own. I had no issue believing that jinns weren’t like Genie from Aladdin. Instead, they were out for themselves. The story that Owen tells about the boy, the ring and the jinn explains everything.
The end of Touch of Smoke broke my freaking hearts into little bits. Like I mentioned above, what Rikki did was selfless. I was ugly crying in the chapter after that. Of course, I liked how the author had Owen explain everything to Rikki in a story, including what he did after. But still. Ugly Crying. In the middle of the day. Enough said!!
Rikki has left town after a terrible accident which took her best friend Mina. Because of the way the story unfolds, through the past and present, we’re not told the reason right off, which adds an air of mystery surrounding her Mina’s death.
When she meets Owen there’s just something about him that draws her in. He’s in town because after life in the army, he wants to settle down where it’s quiet. But Rikki has plans. She’s headed off to graduate school and out of the small town lifestyle, where nothing is a secret because everyone knows your business. But what if Owen wants to try, at least for the summer? If she gives in, then she might lose her heart as well as her dreams.
This is labeled as a paranormal romance, and while for a good portion of the book you get a hint of paranormal, that part doesn’t really kick in until later on. This isn’t a slight against the book at all because I gave this 5-stars, it’s a super fun read. Infusing Islamic Mythology into a paranormal story is a fresh and unique take on the paranormal genre. The characters are detailed and well thought out and the storyline is immensely engaging. Rikki is an assertive and strong main character, she’s smart and she knows what she wants. The connection between Rikki and Owen is palpable. Owen is a deep man, and when asked, he tells Rikki “I think…you could shatter me completely.” *swoon* I might have found my next book boyfriend. Such a great read!
4.5 Cranky Stars
Rikki has suffered loss in her life. Her mama is the sheriff of the town she feels she is suffocating in. She is working to save so she can leave for Chapel Hill and college and not look back. What she isn’t expecting is Owen Amir to show up in her sleepy town and knock her off her feet. He isn’t in the plan, but he works his way into her heart. She starts to notice some things about him that don’t add up to being human, but she pushes her fears down. Surely, it’s just her imagination. Yet when tragedy strikes once again it sends her running and she is gone for three years. She turns back up in town to face her demons and Owen Amir.
Owen has survived the deserts of Iraq and being a soldier. He lands in Evansville and a red-haired beauty catches his eye. Owen has secrets but all he wants is to fall in love and have a good life for himself. He finds himself going at Rikki’s pace and he knows he should push her away to protect her. When his true nature is revealed hearts are left broken and Rikki leaves. When he sees her again it sparks something in his heart and he knows he won’t let her go a second time.
I had to sit on this review for a bit. I’m trying to find the right words to portray this story. It’s a lot of story and so much backstory. It flips between past and present. I thought it would be more paranormal than it was, but the nature of Owen isn’t really shown till almost the end. You get glimmers of what he might be but you’re not sure. That ending broke my heart but gave it hope. This was a new to me author and she is proficient at world building and portraying how the characters felt. You felt like you were on the ride with Owen and Rikki. If you love a paranormal love story this is for you.
A fantastic, evocative read!
Right at the start the main female character came off selfish and pathetic. I couldn’t even get to half the book before getting frustrated with this character and not finishing.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? YOU SHOULD!
Ericka Albemarle, Rikki, is a young woman who has become afraid to love and is fighting any attraction that she has for Owen Amir, one of her best friend’s brother-in-arms. Owen smells of smoke and strange things happen around him when danger is present. It is inexplicable because it always seems to happen in the dark with a flash-bang effect. Rikki watches Owen kill her best friend, or did he, and disappears from everyone’s lives for three years; only returning when she has reached her wit’s end. Life takes a turn and Rikki learns one thing about Owen that she can’t fight. She makes a sacrifice to save Owen’s life, but also changes hers in the process.
I can’t remember the last time a character made me swoon, but Owen is just…WOW. I love everything about his character. Rikki is also fantastic. The romance aspect of Touch of Smoke is everything I wanted it to be. What I loved most about it was that while the romance is really well developed there is so much more to this story.
This book has everything. Layers of twists throughout the entire book. The mystery was so well crafted that I had no idea what was going on until it was finally revealed.
Touch Of Smoke is fabulous. The characters are really well developed and loveable, the mystery was deep and complex, and the writing was wonderful. I want more of this world. I’m a fan! Highly recommended!
* I read this book for a blog tour with R&R Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
Rikki Albermarle ran away from her tiny home town in the NC Smokey Mountains to Chapel Hill. She convinced herself she was doing what she always said she was going to do: go to UNC to be an oncology nurse. While she did do that, what she was really doing was running away from the man who killed her best friend. A monster. The man she had fallen in love with, Owen Amir. But after three years she had to go back and get some answers for her own sanity. Nightmares plagued her and it was beginning to affect her work, so back to Evansville she goes. With bridges to mend and a gut-wrenching confrontation with a killer in her plans, she’s not sure she’ll survive again.
This story alternates between past and present and sometimes that makes it hard to keep things straight. Also, Owen and Rikki are kinda hard to like. For me anyway. I’m sure many will like them just fine. Owen wants Rikki to trust him, but he won’t share his secret and Rikki is just too angsty. To be honest, I don’t particularly care for either one of them, so I’m not invested in their outcome even though that outcome is damn interesting. I did enjoy the big reveal and the final showdown, but I’m glad it’s over. Does that make any sense? LOL I this is one of those love or hate books and while I didn’t hate it I also didn’t love it. However, don’t let my ambivalence stop you from giving it a go. It just might be up your dark alley, so to speak.
OH, My… I knew that I’d have a book that I couldn’t put down as with the other Karissa Laurel books I’ve read but I didn’t know that I’d be raving about the book long after I finished the last page. The characters were fun with interesting lives that come together with heat, passion, and friendships. I love the small town that the story is set in. The people of the town are nosy, protective, and loving. They are exactly as they should be.
The story of Rikki and Owen is captivating. I love how they are strangers, they meet and the attraction is instant yet Rikki is cautious. She doesn’t jump right in and she makes him prove that he can be trusted. When things happen that can’t be explained she questions, she takes time to make decisions and still trusts that he will always put her first.
The paranormal aspect of the story is almost hidden. It is not the most prominent part of the book and I liked that it was a little behind the scenes. It was an important part of the story but it didn’t make the entire story. It was important to the story and I loved it and was excited about it but the story of Owen and Rikki was what I loved most. I loved their relationship and their strengths but I loved that Owen did what he could to make Rikki happy and to keep her safe.
The ending, oh wow! It was perfect. I love how their positions changed and their love was strong. I need more of this story, this setting, and these characters.