Touching Charlotte by @LynHornerAuthor

Genre: Contemporary/Romantic Suspense/World Mythology/Magical Realism

Description:

“Tristan is a former NYPD cop turned celebrity pastry chef and author. Bereft by the death of his fiancée two years earlier, he has no desire for a new romance, until a gorgeous redhead catches his eye at a stuffy Park Avenue Christmas party…Charlotte is a Guardian of Danu charged with protecting one of seven valuable scrolls handed down through time by her ancestors. She works as a nurse-companion for a disabled girl, living in a lonely mansion on Long Island’s Gold Coast…

Like all of the Guardians, Char possesses a unique psychic gift, in her case the empathic ability to absorb other people’s emotions, especially through touch…So begins a romance complicated by Char’s responsibility for her young charge and her sworn duty as a Guardian. Surprise guests and evil enemies threaten to destroy their one chance for happiness. Will Tristan overcome such obstacles to win his lady? Can she trust him with terrible secrets?”

Author:

“Lyn Horner is a baby boomer born in San Francisco, California, raised in Minnesota and now residing in Texas with her husband and an ever-changing band of cantankerous, beloved cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn first worked as a fashion illustrator in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and later as an art instructor for Art Instruction Schools… After quitting work to raise her children, she took up writing to save her sanity. This hobby quickly morphed into an obsession with historical research and plot building.”

Learn more about Ms. Horner by visiting her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Charlotte Dixon has an empathetic gift which has caused her to seclude herself from most of society after she completed her education. She is now working as a live-in caretaker for the mentally - and physically - challenged daughter of a politician who cares more about her career than for her own child. Not surprisingly, Charlotte has become a surrogate mother to thirteen-year-old Marilee, who has the mental capacity of a three-year-old.

Tristen Jameson, a former police officer and now pastry chef, is able to nurture Charlotte while offering her protection. If only she would lower her walls long enough for him to touch her. Trust is one of the most important themes woven into each of the guardians’ stories. Tristen’s sexual desire for Charlotte leads him to follow her, more or less by blind faith. Charlotte’s crumbling protective walls are heart-warming as her feelings for Tristen grow.

I am loving the way Danu, mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is pairing her guardians up with mates who complement and support them. I am finding this added element for each character enthralling.

Touching Charlotte moves at a nice, steady pace, the characters are all well-developed, and the banter is also realistically engaging. The twists in the plot are unexpected as certain elements are exposed. Tension for the impending war is rising as the evil that seeks the scrolls for their own gain is becoming more evident. I am excited to meet the remaining guardians. I hope I don’t have to wait too long.

Buy now from:    Amazon US    Amazon UK

FYI:

Touching Charlotte is book four in Lyn Horner’s Romancing the Guardians series. Each book builds on the previous stories, so I would recommend reading them in order. There are explicit adult sexual scenes, but no inappropriate language.

Format/Typo Issues:

There were a small number of proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words