Sandy M’s review of Belonging by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Paranormal Romance ebook published by Ellora’s Cave 25 Feb 09
Shiloh Walker has become a favorite author of mine over the last couple of years. I always find myself pulled into her stories, intrigued by her characters, and enjoying myself immensely.
This is a story of wrong timing for all the characters involved. They grew up together, Cori and cousins Levi and Owen. It’s Owen and Cori who find a love match, Levi doesn’t declare his intentions when he should. During Owen and Cori’s engagement one Christmas when caught under the mistletoe, everything changes for Cori and Levi after they exchange a quick kiss. Cori knows she truly doesn’t love Owen and Levi can’t do a thing about his feelings without hurting Owen. But Cori calls off the wedding leaving Owen devastated. But she and Levi know they still can’t be together because that would only wound Owen further.
They can ignore their want for each other for only so long and nearly take what’s between them to the next level, until a call from Owen disrupts the moment and sends Cori to his side to talk things over. Things go from bad to worse, though, when they are attacked by vampires later that night, Owen left for dead and Cori nowhere to be found, later assumed to be dead also. Owen is never the same, always talking about the monsters who have Cori and how he has to save her. Guilt wracks Levi when Owen is killed in another mysterious attack years later, more guilt to go with that he’s harbored when he let Cori leave him on that fateful night.
In a haze of grief and alcohol Levi goes to the rescue of a woman in an alley, only to find she can take care of herself. But there’s something familiar about her, something that calls to him. Cori is in a haze of her own. Now a vampire, she’s been teaching at the school where she learned how deal with her new life. She’s still the shy, introverted woman she’s always been, but when she doesn’t feed on a regular basis, the need in her grows too strong. Stumbling around in the night to find anyone to ease her sexual ache, she and Levi come together and fiercely slake their need. But once again she must leave him, and that only makes him hungrier for the mystery woman he can’t get out of his mind.
Though a short story, this book has so much packed into it. This is only a small part of it. And then there’s all those secondary characters from throughout the series that I didn’t even touch. But it’s a very satisfying read whether you’ve read any of that series or not. I’ve only read a couple of books from the series, I’m not that familiar with all the characters, and I still enjoyed this one quite a bit.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Being a vampire sucks. Just ask Cori Lewis. The “Change” didn’t change her enough. She’s still shy, quiet and she never feels as though she belongs anywhere. Not even with the people who took her in after the vampire attack that left her near death. But other things have changed a lot. Cori needs sex — now!
She goes in search of a one-night stand — hot sex with an anonymous man in a dark alley — and her life changes yet again. He’s a connection to the past she thought was lost and he’s everything she’s ever dreamed. But when he finds out who she is, he might never be able to forgive her.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
