Sandy M’s review of Kiss of Snow (Psy-Changeling Series, Book Book 10) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 31 May 11

Hope y’all haven’t had your fill of reviews about Hawke and Sienna! This is one series I aim to never get behind on, so one more review for you. Needless to say, I love everything about this book, from the lengths Hawke goes to to protect his pack to the ever-growing sizzle between him and Sienna to getting caught up with past characters.

I won’t go through a synopsis-type review, since that’s been done. I’ll just go through some of the highlights that I especially like, because we’d be here forever if I went though all that I just like!

Of course, the main bit of this book is the romance. Hawke is still resisting the pull of Sienna – she’s too young, he can’t give her what she deserves because he lost his one and only mate years ago. The wolf in him, however, doesn’t care. Take, ravish, love. Elemental, Hawke, you should listen to your inner animal. Sienna, though young, does want Hawke, won’t give him much leeway when they butt heads but does follow orders as she’s been trained and for the good of the pack. When Hawke finally does give in, it’s Sienna who’s not quite ready to take their relationship all the way, both physical – considering her X-designation – and emotional issues getting in the way. And Hawke’s restraint to give her time is monumental, especially when the alphaness and the wolf in him want it now. I like Hawke’s tenderness with Sienna when they’re surrounded by such violence at the hands of the Psy.

And those Psy are coming at SnowDancer full force. I know in one of my last reviews on this series, I said something about how the council is changing, moving away from one another, so we had to know that big changes are coming. That still goes forward in this book on a larger scale. Nikita, Anthony, and Kaleb are against the machinations of the other councilors and are helping the changelings as much as possible to prevent war between the factions. For each Psy attack on the wolf pack, SnowDancer fights back to let all know they are underestimating and dealing with an enemy protecting their own. Hawke refuses to allow his pack to be decimated as they were years before, coming back from the brink of near extinction. Each scene dealing with the Psy is intense, and it makes you wonder why the Psy show up again and again. Their logic in this area is almost arrogant, which, we all know, isn’t in them.

Another long-awaited event is the birth of Lucas’ and Sascha’s baby, and I love every minute of it, from the moment her water breaks to the Sentinels wanting to hold the newborn to Lucas’ amazement and love for his child to Sascha’s understanding to what extent a mother would do anything for her child, creating a new understanding concerning her own mother. Makes me wonder what huge plans Ms. Singh has for Nikita in the future. All very enlightening moments. I have to admit, as much as I love the wolves of SnowDancer, it’s the cats of DarkRiver who have my heart. Maybe because I’m a cat person anyway. I love the scene when Sienna goes to talk to Sascha about her situation with Hawke and Lucas is perched in a tree high above them, swishing his tail about, chuffing now and again at their conversation. One terrific scene. The way both cat and wolf idiosyncrasies are used when these characters are in human form are absolutely wonderful. Ms. Singh has the market covered there.

Then there’s Sienna’s Cardinal X designation and all that entails, her years and efforts to control the conflagration that she knows is coming and can’t do anything about, though Judd is still looking for answers. Which brings in a new twist in the form of a cryonic Alice Eldridge, who researched X-designations years before, and everyone has their hopes up that the answer lies with her. When the war with the Psy heats up, I was spellbound at the crescendo of Sienna’s abilities. And I feel for her when it’s all over with, the fear she couldn’t contain when she thinks all is lost.

I like that we still see all of the past heroes and heroines from previous books, even if it’s just a scene or two. There also a side romance between Walker Lauren and Lara, the pack’s healer, who is also terrific in those scenes where she takes care of the wounded after conflicts with the Psy.  Walker is just as scared and tortured as Judd was for his book, so beginning a relationship with Lara is not something he feels he can do, despite how much Lara wants that and let’s him know she’s interested. Though his realizations come slowly, I’m happy Walker pays attention in all the right places.

This is a very short, random, and ragtag list, of course, of what that goes on in this book; these are just a few of my favorites. I did feel the frustration at the scene changes when Hawke and Sienna are together, but for me it’s a good frustration, no different than when that type of thing happens in any other romance book, prolonging the sensual coming together of the characters. It just made my anticipation higher for the next time, wondering how it will eventually come to pass. And when it does happen, all that frustrated anticipation is worth it.

I’m now in that happy holding pattern until the next book, anxiously waiting and wondering what’s coming up, knowing that Ms. Singh will give me everything she’s got and I’ll love every second of it.

Grade: A+

Read other reviews and information on this series here.

Summary:

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

Read an excerpt.

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