Sandy M’s review of Chosen by Desire (Guardians of Destiny, Book 2) by Kate Perry
Paranormal Romance published by Forever 1 Oct 09

This book has it all. Mysteries from the ancient past, a brooding, sexy, alpha hero, an intelligent and independent heroine, betrayal, danger, sizzling love scenes, and a lot more. I’m very glad I’ve discovered Kate Perry and her Guardians of Destiny series.

Besides all of that, this hero and heroine actually talk to one another, get their issues out in the open and deal with them. That’s so very refreshing.

Carrie is working on her thesis, and when she learns of information about the Scrolls of Destiny, she heads to China and the monastery where they’re housed. She means to only get a look at the scrolls to authenticate her paper that will give her tenure at UC Berkeley, but her plans go awry and she ends up leaving the monastery and the country with the scrolls. She vows to return them once her work is done, despite the monk who seems to know what she’s done though he doesn’t pursue her.

At least that’s what she thinks until she receives a job offer of translating another ancient text belonging to millionaire Maximillian Prescott. He’s the monk who watched her so intently in China. He’s also a Guardian, a man of few words, a man betrayed, and the handsomest and sexiest man she’s ever seen. Their attraction is immediate and neither of them can deny their need for the other.

Max is sent to Carrie to retrieve the scrolls and make sure she doesn’t make any of their sacred information public. He doesn’t expect to want her as fiercely as he does, especially considering how he’s been betrayed before by a woman and his best friend, his brother. After spending so many years in seclusion at the monastery, controlling his desire for this woman is very difficult, and once he touches her he knows he’ll never let her go.

I, of course, love Max. He’s as alpha as can be, has shut his heart away and definitely needs someone like Carrie to bring him to life again. Carrie is the typical woman who thinks she’s not beautiful, she’s chunky, she’s bookish, so no man like Max could want her, but she learns very quickly that isn’t true. I also enjoyed the mystery of the scrolls and the ensuing danger to Carrie once it’s known she has the ancient tomes. The culprit is a surprise and is revealed very late in the book, so you’re kept guessing quite a long time.

Liking this book so much, I’m determined to track down a copy of the first book in the series, whose characters are featured in CbD quite a bit and I like them a lot. I’m hoping this series goes on for a while. There is a third book coming, but couldn’t find any information beyond that on the author’s web site. Keeping my fingers crossed, though.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Carrie Woods just can’t resist temptation. To solve an ancient mystery, she “borrows” a precious, legend-cursed scroll from a Chinese monastery. But with the scroll comes danger: bizarre powers, life-threatening accidents, and, most frightening of all, one sexy Guardian’s icy-hot gaze.Maximillian Prescott is all too happy to strip this innocent-eyed thief of her secrets and the scroll, yet he’s determined to fight the undeniable attraction pulling them together.

But Max isn’t Carrie’s only pursuer, and there’s just one way to keep the scroll safe. This adventurous blonde and brooding Guardian must dare to join forces and bare their souls to each other. . . before their enemies take not only the scroll but Carrie’s life.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: