Review: Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Title: Firelight
Author: Kristen Callihan
Series: Darkest London, #1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Pages: 384
Rating:

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . . 
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . . 
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

“You’ve no notion of the effect you have on me.” The words gave a hard tug to her belly. She closed her eyes and swallowed. “If by effect, you mean finding yourself in uncharted waters, wondering whether you are coming or going…” She stared at his shirt, watching his breath hitch. “Then I fear you have the same effect on me, my lord.”  

FIRELIGHT was most definitely a surprising read. I didn't expect it to be as good as everyone has been telling me it was. Another thing is it is not simply one genre, it fits as a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and historical romance. I didn't know how I felt with all my favorite genres jam-packed all into one, but surprisingly it worked out splendid.

The writing and the dialogue was simply amazing and I loved our hero and heroine to death. Miranda is one strong heroine that comes off as compassionate, sweet, and caring. She is incredible, beautiful and at first uses that as a weapon to get exactly what she wants, but part of her wants people to see past the beauty and look at the woman, Miranda Fair.

"You make me laugh. And I never laugh. I go around smiling like a witless fool. So yes, I kept it from you, because I am so desperately in love with you that the knowledge that you might love me too was irresistible. And I was afraid it would turn to dust should I take off that mask.”  

If you have read FIRELIGHT and have not fallen for Archer within the first three chapter, I ask, "What is wrong with you?" Benjamin Archer has to be one of my favorite heroes in a book. Archer wears a mask hiding his face from the world and is feared as a monster. But the inside of him, his soul, is beautiful.

Archer is lonely and simply wants Miranda. The first time he seen her, he saw a woman who is strong and would not fear him, like all the rest had. Throughout the story they both fall more and more and more in love with each other. Archer and Miranda's romance story was quite lovely.

“I don’t deserve you, Miranda.” The softness in his voice made her want to smile but she kept it repressed. "Yes,I know." She straightened. "No matter, I shall soon have my revenge."  

Even though I did love FIRELIGHT I did find myself distracted quite a bit, and I found quite a few parts being a bit slow to me, though I was really just focused on the Miranda and Archer parts a lot. So I did not fall in loved with the entire book, but I did really enjoy the romance story.