Marked: Eternal Guardians, #1 by Elisabeth Naughton

Publisher: Love Spell

Published: 5/27/2010

Buy links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Rating: Entrée






 


In a realm unknown to humans, descendants from the Gods and Titans of Olympus still exist and on occasion venture into the human realm. These portals are closely watched by the Argonauts, protectors and defenders of their realm. As leader of the Argonauts, Theron shoulders a mighty burden, he is also betrothed to their king’s ailing daughter. In order for her to live and assume the crown, another must die, and it is Theron who must find the unlucky human. Coming off her shift as a cocktail waitress at a strip club, Casey wanders upon the gorgeous man she saw inside getting beaten to a pulp by a gang of huge men, who fled the scene when she arrived. Casey is surprised to see the man is still alive. Casey had no idea that helping an injured man would lead to her ultimate demise. No good deed ever goes unpunished.

This series was actually on my list of 2012 book resolutions as a series to start, and lo and behold, I won a copy from the magnificent ladies at Riverina Romantics and received it in December. (Is that an omen? I think it is!) I was all about Casey in this book. Theron, while gorgeous, was going to marry a woman he didn't love just to appease his nasty ol' king. Casey was just minding her own business and trying to help out a fella, when Bam! Along comes Mr. Duty-bound trying to end her meager little lifespan. Puh=lease! She might have a thing or two to say about that, not to mention the mysterious and uber hunky Nick Blades. But don't get me wrong, Theron is not a bad guy, he just has one hell of a legacy (he is a descendant of Hercules after all), and there was tremendous unrest in Argolea (the realm of the Argonauts and their people). So he sees himself as sacrificing his happiness for the betterment of Argolea, darn that dreaded noble streak. And he has been taught from birth that emotions are for the weak and female. Poor Casey just gets caught up in the drama (and has a major butt munch for a dad). I mean really, who could be prepared for an immortal warrior to come after you in order to save the princess.


This is definitely in the "Must read" series column now. The world of Argolea and Theron's fellow Argonauts was wonderfully entertaining and had the prefect mix of drama, sex and snark. The half breed settlements in the human realm promise great fodder for future books, and the other Argonauts.....well they are all prime specimens of  IPDs (instant panty droppers). Needless to say this was one of the easiest resolutions I ever kept......yay, me!