Midnight Secretary

New Orleans After Dark #1

by Erin Bedford

There is an alternate cover edition for this ASIN here.

Wait until he gets a taste of her.

Tossed out by her coven, Abigail has to brave the human world and get a real job. With no skills outside of potions and spells, she magics her way out of unemployment and into the executive suite of Midnight Pharmaceutical.

But something strange is going on at Midnight. While her boss is the very definition of dark and mysterious, he makes her witchy sense tingle with his odd hours and the string of women leaving his office every day...

She'll find out what's happening at Midnight; if her boss doesn't take a bite out of her first.

A standalone, with a HEA, and no cheating!

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Witches, Magic, Supernatural

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2017

About the author

Erin Bedford is an otaku, recovering coffee addict, and Legend of Zelda fanatic. Her brain is so full of stories that need to be told that she must get them out or explode into a million screaming chibis. Obsessed with fairy tales and bad boys, she hasn’t found a story she can’t twist to match her deviant mind full of innuendos, snarky humor, and dream guys.

On the outside, she’s a work from home mom and bookbinger. One the inside, she’s a thirteen-year-old boy screaming to get out and tell you the pervy joke they found online. As an ex-computer programmer, she dreams of one day combining her love for writing and college credits to make the ultimate video game!

Until then, when she’s not writing, Erin is devouring as many books as possible on her quest to have the biggest book gut of all time. She’s written over thirty books, ranging from paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and even scifi romance.

Also, third person is really weird when writing about yourself. Just putting that out there.

Come chat me up!
www.erinbedford.com
Facebook.com/erinrbedford
twitter.com/erin_bedford

Don’t forget to follow me on Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vampire CEO Part Three is the third and final installment of this series by Erin R. Bedford. For me, what started out as a really strong series in the first part, sort of fizzled out. It was sort of anticlimactic.

The book starts out exactly where part two ended. Abigail Blanchard is face to face with her boss from Midnight Pharmaceuticals only that he is also the owner of the club she was applying for a job at since she wanted to quit Midnight Pharm. You see, things between she and Sebastian Storm, her boss, had gotten a bit complicated. And she felt it was just better to get a different job. Now, Sebastian wants an explanation. Why is she looking for a new job?

Abigail’s life is getting more and more complicated. Her mother is very ill and the coven wants Abigail to step back in and take over her mother’s duties as head of the coven. They also want Abigail to try to use her powers to heal her mother. These are the same powers that got her kicked out of the coven to begin with. They are dark magic and she can’t control them. She could hurt her mother.

“Magic is a tool to bend to our will. There is no limit to what it can do if one has the desire to do so.”

This is the chaos of Abigail’s life. Her mother is dying. She is filled with dark magic she can’t control, and she is fighting the crazy connection between she and Sebastian. She’s a witch, he’s a vampire. It would never work, would it?

“Just looking at him took her breath away.”

So, I was hoping for a big ending here and it just sort of fizzled out for me. Abigail was so hot and cold, I want him, I don’t want him. She even admits it in this book but still, it drove me crazy. The chemistry was crazy strong between them but Sebastian couldn’t keep up with her off and on attitude. So, for me, this was just okay. I’m glad I finished it so at least I have closure and it is very short. But yeah, Abigail just didn’t work for me.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING 4.5 STARS

This is part one of the three part serial series, Vampire CEO by Erin R. Bedford. I’ve never read anything by Ms. Bedford before so I really had no idea what to expect and what a wonderful surprise this was.

Abigail Blanchard was pretty much considered royalty in the witches community since she was the daughter of the revered Bianca Blanchard who is the head priestess of the New Orleans coven. But Abigail has been kicked out of the coven. She let the magic take over her life and she was forced out into the human world. Abigail is doing her best to live as a human and not use her magic. But she needs a job. She just might need to use a little bit of that magic to get hired since she has no marketable skills.



She is hired as a secretary to the CEO of Midnight Pharmaceuticals, Sebastian Storm. It doesn’t take long for her to notice some strange happenings while at work. Strange comings and goings by beautiful women. And then there is the way that he makes all her girly parts tingle whenever he is nearby. But she is determined to be successful. She can’t lose this job. No matter how sexy her new boss is.



Abigail eventually discovers that there is more to her new boss than meets the eye. He is a vampire. Vampires are drawn to witch blood more than any other kind so she has to keep her magic a secret at all costs. She can’t let Sebastian discover what she really is. Since sexual attraction makes it even harder to keep her magic quiet, that task becomes harder and harder.

“You are not the boss of me.”
“On the contrary, Miss Blanchard. I am your boss, and I can tell you to do whatever I please.”



I loved this first installment of this series. Sebastian is most definitely full of secrets I can’t wait to discover. And how could I not love the quirky Abigail. And WOW, what an ending. There is so much more to Abigail’s problem with magic than I realized. There is so much to come for these two and I can’t wait to see what it is. These two have chemistry like crazy and my fingers are crossed that we get to explore that further! The second installment will be released on January 30 and I am so excited to see what happens next.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part two in the Vampire CEO serial series by Erin R. Bedford.

We start out the morning after where part one ended. Abigail is overwhelmed with guilt over what she did. How could Sebastian, her boss, want her to continue to work for him now that he’s seen what she’s capable of? Abigail decides she needs to confess to her parents what happened but when she arrives, she is again shocked with what is going on.



The attraction between she and Sebastian intensifies to say the least. When these two are together, it’s like spontaneous combustion. Sebastian, though, is still such a mystery. I’m struggling a bit with that part, having no idea what so ever what he is thinking. But, I suppose that is what keeps me coming back for more, wondering…

“The taste of him was addicting, and though she knew they were no good for each other, she couldn’t help but crave more.”



Of course, we end on a cliffy, but there is hardly any time at all until the third and final part is released. I can’t wait to see what happens.

[Nathalie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tooo short .. did I ever need more, the story needed a bit more the characters needed a bit more, outside the bedroom needed more .. in the bedroom DAMN! That was hot .. baby you could bite me anytime!

[Nathalie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short story... Onto part 2

[Lyndi W.]

LOL what? Okay, let me spoil the first chapter for you and you can join me on the Rollercoaster of Disbelief.

So this witch has been training to be a priestess her whole life, but now she actually has to get a 9-5 job instead. Bummer. She's never had a job and has no skills to be a secretary, so she applies to be a secretary. Because she has no job history or references, she lies on her resume and casts a "spell of persuasion" on herself to convince the employer she's the real deal. She goes to the interview - "Oh my god, this job interview is for the position of secretary to the CEO?! And it's a night shift job?! Whaaaat?" - where the HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES asks her why they should hire her. She literally triggers her spell and says "Because I'm the right person for the job." Boom, she's fuckin' hired, here's your employee handbook, blah-ditty-blah-blah-blah. They leave the interview room and she crashes into the Adonis-like CEO, creams her panties, and can't even function enough to stand on her own two legs in the presence of her new boss. Next day it's time to go to work, time for the Big First Day pep talk about how she's strong and smart, she earned this job, she's got the skills... and... talent to wait, what? She didn't earn this job. She has none of the skill sets required to be the secretary for the CEO of a major corporation. She didn't even read the fucking employment ad! She's a witch and didn't even make her own damn persuasion spell - she spent most of her savings on buying it! And let me tell you: it was a shit spell if it persuaded the user of her lies instead of just the employer.

I dislike this girl so strongly, I'm not even gonna bother trying chapter two.

[Nathalie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

The writing flowed better in this book :) the story is interesting cute and sexy :)

[Nisareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

She’s a witch. He’s a vampire. It would never work, would it?

Twenty two year old Abigail Blanchard is the daughter of the High Priestess of the New Orleans Coven. Her rebellious nature and reluctance to taken over her mother’s role leads her to dabbling in the dark arts. Luckily with her mother’s intervention, her addiction to black magic is curbed. As a consequence however, she’s ousted from her coven.

Passing herself off as human in order to get a job, Abigail applies for a secretarial position at Midnight Pharmaceutical. Sparks fly when Abigail meets her boss who happens to be none other than the CEO, Sebastian Storm. As the attraction between the two intensifies, Abigail’s magic threatens to spiral out of control. It soon becomes apparent however, that Sebastian is hiding a secret of his own. He’s a vampire and as a witch, her blood is particularly intoxicating...

Vampire CEO is the first book in the New Orleans After Dark series and was my first introduction to the author. The writing was fluid, the plot was engaging and both characters had great chemistry. Abigail was an appealing, relatable albeit flawed protagonist, who the reader instantly connects with. Sebastian is charming, broody and charismatic. Sadly the lack of background on Sebastian meant that he remained somewhat of an enigma throughout the course of the book. Also the ending seemed a tad rushed, with a short epilogue added in an effort to tie up loose ends. As a result I felt that the book fell slightly short of reaching its full potential.

Ideal for fans of paranormal/urban fantasy, vampires, witches, covens, dark magic etc

I received an advanced free audible copy of Vampire CEO and I am voluntarily reviewing it. Kryse Janae did an excellent job in bringing the characters and the story to life with her clear, concise delivery which made it easy to differentiate between characters.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent start, but not interesting enough for me to want to move on to the next two parts.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 continues on from book one so I recommend you read book one first. Erin Bedford tell a great story and this series is no exception. However I have only given it 4 stars due to the length, as all three books together would make a great story and I would have given more than 5 stars. If you enjoy books about vampires, witches and the odd werewolf then you will enjoy these books.Abigail now knows her boss Sebastian is a vampire and even though she is warned off him she can't help her attraction to him, so her job has become more than she can handle. Abigail has a past she's not proud of and it has resurfaced, which leaves her worried about what will happen next. With Sebastian becoming more than just her boss, she has to decide whether to stay or go, she knows the smart option would be to go, but she's never been one to take the smart option. I can't wait to read book three I won't tell you any more as I hate when reviewers say too much and spoil the story for other readers.

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just because you were born into a family dont really mean that where you are suppose to end up. The story moves along at a good pace and doesn't overwhelm you with so much graphic language. I liked that she is a powerful witch who is trying to overcome her addiction to the dark side of magic. I would like to read more in this series.

[Jan Niblock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the action really picks up and things get very sexy. There is a lot of sexual scenes, more than the others, with Abigail and Sebastian. Abigail really has to grow up in this part and she had tough choices to make. Sebastian remains an enigma throughout most of the book. He does say something that is very important about the two of them and you don’t realize how important until the end. No spoilers, you have to read to find out. It is a fast moving story and I could not put it down.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad story, full of drama, romance and a few laughs. I enjoyed it

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

So the premise for this book is good and I was liking the characters which is a great set-up. The problem was that as the story keeps moving I just kept felling blah which is awful when reading about vampires, magic, secrets, and more. I think it just took a while to really get going but then it was flowing better by the end which gives me high hopes for book two. So while I like Bedford's writing and style I can only give this one 3/5 stars since I liked it but that's it.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a junkie for this series. After reading book one, I went through withdrawal symptoms waiting for part two to come out. I tried to be patient but you know how it is when you become so attached to a book series, patience goes out the window. I fantasized various scenarios (some outlandish, most super-sexy) and when I finally read part two (in one sitting), Erin Bedford blew my freakin’ mind!



Part two picks up the morning after where part one leaves off. Abigail is in her apartment reliving what happened the night before. She knows she needs to tell her mother what happened before the High Priestess hears it from someone else. But she might be too late as her mother is gravely ill. Grief-stricken and not feeling up to facing her sex-on-a-stick boss, Sebastian, she calls in sick. Several HOT encounters between Sebastian (on the couch, in the office, in a darkened alleyway) only reaffirms Abigail’s decision to find another job.



Meanwhile her witchy friend, Rebecca, gets drunk and Abigail gets a call from the bartender asking for help. Even though it’s 3 am, she’s gotta go and rescue several beefy bouncers and bartenders from a single petite female who happens to be a powerful witch. (Best scene ever!) Abbie to the rescue and on her way out the door, she asks about a job at the club. A waitressing job is better than working so closely with Sebastian.



Abigail’s backsliding in part one has opened the door to the darkness inside her and she’s finding it harder and harder to resist. Sebastian feeds her desire and if she loses total control, there won’t be anything left of Abigail, much less those she loves. But when she goes to the waitressing interview, all reason leaves her.



WOW! I loved this part even more than part one. Filled with a lot more smexy interaction between Abigail and Sebastian (no, I won’t give you any spoilers), the stakes couldn’t be higher for Abigail. Her mother’s illness, Sebastian’s coolness then boiling hot behavior leaves her bewildered, not to mention giving into temptation. A witch and a vampire? What happens when he sinks his fangs into her?



Gimme more, Erin Bedford! Counting the days until part three comes out.



Favorite Character: Abigail. I understood her pain as she’s dealing with a lot. If her mother dies, will she ascend as High Priestess? Even though there’s some in the coven who despise her? And what about Sebastian and her dark fantasies about him sinking his fangs into her while they have sex? Mmm, deliciously dark and seductive.



Favorite Quote: “Then you have to keep your mouth and fangs to yourself!” she jumped up from the couch, not minding the blanket that fell to the floor.





My Rating: 5+ stars




This review first appeared: https://princessofthelight.wordpress....

[Jennifer Scarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this a hard one. I really liked the authors writing style, I liked her take on magic and the characters overall. . My issue with the story is that it seems incomplete, thus the rating. There are many questions left. We get an ending that's pleasant enough, but it's not an HEA. Do they love each other? Can her life span match his, because if not that's kind of depressing. What's the deal with the blood courteseans he uses? Will they have a future together? At one point she considers the fact they didnt use protection and wonders if she could be pregnant, if that's even possible with a vamp. What happens with that? What does her blood do for him? She's extremely powerful so I expected there to be some sort of amazing development with a powerful vamp being with a powerful witch. There is so much untapped potential with this story line. Her family is extremely well revered and strong so if they could ally themselves with a vamp like him the ripple effect could be tremendous. Again it's a really great story line but it seems incomplete and falls short of its potential. I love the way the author writes, she's clearly talented and am certainly going to look more into her other work. I just felt deflated and underwhelmed with this one. I received a review copy and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*

I think I figured out what my issue is with this series. Abigail is too indecisive. I really prefer a stronger heroine. She might have strong powers but she can't make up her mind about anything. Also, the only resistance she seems to come up against is herself. The plot is weak and almost non-existent. That being said, part 3 is better than part 2. There was a lot of potential but it fell kind of short. Not horrible but definitely not something I would read second time.

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supernatural beings, how a mix and switch can make a story. This book was intriguing because not everything were there to discover and moreover it wasn't like I was expecting answers, I just read it. A story about a girl, a witch, out of her covent and being the heir of the highest priestess.The story about her journey. And certainly not there to speculate. And facts just came naturally and gradually questions came to the point of "eager for the next one".

[Clara I · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, and after reading several rave reviews on this book , I went in with high expectations. Boy was I disappointed! While the notion of a book about a Vampire and a witch definently seems like it would have great possibilities, the author's storytelling seemed amateurish. It seemed as there were two major plot lines struggling for attention, one being the dark magic hidden within Abigail that had caused her so much trouble and the relationship with her family, and the other being the attraction she feels for her Vampire boss at her new job. The two plots don't seem to intermingle well and seem to fight for competition for which one is the real plot, until it's just confusing to figure out which one is. The book starts off painfully slow too, and then when things finally start happening, all the sudden you get a big " to be continued" - huh? Accordinding to my kindle at the point I got the "to be continued" the already very short book was only 75% through! Turn the page to find out she's giving us excerpts to to next book - so now that one will seem even shorter because we will have already read part of it, and part of some other book. I felt a little like I got ripped off only getting 75% of a book that was shorter than most novellas as it was. Judging by what was in the excerpt from the next book, I don't think I'll be buying any more of this series. I was shocked how many good reviews it got, but to each their own I guess.

[Aanchal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first two parts but the ending was just meh. It was still a quick read, though.

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part one of the Vampire CEO series. After being tossed out by her witch's coven in New Orleans, Abigail Blanchard has to brave the human world and get a real job. While she lands a job using magic, as secretary to Midnight Pharmaceuticals, CEO Sebastian Storm. Who is a dark & mysterious vampire. An engaging novella that is very well developed with no plot holes. The descriptions are very detailed & extremely vivid & realistic as they draw you in right from the beginning. With entertaining character's that are intriguing. Another phenomenonal novel by one of my favourite authors as the premise is captivating. I love the distinctive writing style of this author. I highly recommend reading this paranormal romance novella as it is fabulous. So excited for book 2 in this remarkable series.

This is part two of a three part novella series & begin's right where part one left off. I am absolutely in love with this series. This story is highly intriguing & you will not be able to put it down. The characters are compelling & the plot is captivating. A must read paranormal romance.

TOO SHORT! DID NOT WANT IT TO END! This is the final part in this three part novella series. I am so sad to see it end. I loved it so much & wish there was more. The writing style, plot, & characters are remarkable. A perfect ending to a compelling series.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one should be a little less than a 3 stars because it was so missing/short/unfold/lack
Uncompleted....what about her story, her mapping. Sure, not yet as the great priestess with the ability to bend... so much more to know. I discovered that many pnr are different, some kind of different twist/folk so it's intriguing but this series was so cut short, I would have like a bit more.

[Angela Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an advanced copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.

After Abigail's relapse, the first thing she wants to do is get as far away from Sebastian as possible. Unfortunately, she needs her job, and he doesn't take no for an answer.
When Abigail receives disturbing news, it nearly breaks her. She returns to work and things get heated.
Will Abigail ever be able to escape her out of control hormones? Will she relapse into the darkness that threatens to consume her? Better yet, will Sebastian let her be free from his possessive grasp? Only time will tell as these two clash.
Erin continues to draw me into this amazing story, weaving a thrilling tale of mystery, heated passion and a personal struggle between duty to do what's right and self preservation. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the third installment! 5 stars!

[Angela Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Abigail is a witch. Not just any witch, but daughter of the High Priestess in New Orleans, trying to live a normal, magic-free life in the French Quarter. When she starts working for the infamous, Sebastian Storm, her rolling emotions make it hard to hide her erratic magic. There's something about this gorgeous specimen of man that makes her want to lose all control, but she has to make this new normal work. She knows he has secrets, but she does as well.
Will Abigail be able to hide herself from Sebastian or will dark forces from her past force her to lose all control?
This is a must-read! It's an excellent first addition to what will be a wonderful series! I give it a well-deserved 5 stars!

[Angela Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As Abigail fights with her new responsibilities, she fights an internal battle as well. Her thoughts of Sebastian are never-ending and the magical struggle within keeps holding her back. Abigail has no faith in herself or her true magic, leaving her vulnerable in more ways than one.
She plays a tug of war game with Sebastian. She wants him. She doesn't want him. But in the end, will he be the answer Abigail's been searching for all along or the darkness that engulfs her?
Erin completed a steamy, magical writing sensation in this three-part series. If you're looking for a hot, Vampire read with a magical twist, this is the book for you! 5 stars!

[Angala Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was a great continuation the Vampire CEO series. I loved this book so much I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait for part three. Definitely recommend this must read.

[Angala Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
I loved the first part of this series. It was a quick read but definitely worth it. I can't wait for the next part of this series.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

At twenty-two, Abigail was the daughter of the High Priestess of the New Orleans coven. All Abigail knew how to do was spells and potions. When her mother did an intervention for Abigail, it resulted in Abigail getting expelled from the coven. She did not know how to control her use of magic. Her mother told her if she did not curb her use it would eventually overtake her life. Abigail was full force using dark magic that when used, would take someone's life away. She was a junkie that got high off of taking someone's life force.That was before her mother intervened. It took months for her mother to detox Abigail's soul and the urge never left her. No longer part of the coven, she was living in the human world, she had to get a paying job. She had to pay for her rent, food and clothes to buy. She applied for a job as a secretary at Midnight Pharmaceutical and inadvertently got the job assigned to the CEO. When Abigail meets Sebastian Storm, she goes all gaga all over him and starts having childish fantasies about him. Which she had to put to an end. But she could not help herself when he was around. She blamed it on the year long abstinence she was going through. This was the beginning of their professional and personal relationship. Abigail's temper was hindering her relationship with Sebastian. She had a habit of jumping to conclusions. Also her mother became severely ill and the doctors said there was no hope. Abigail's mother had become ill because of the energy expended trying to cleanse her of the dark magic. Abigail had to decide if she would take her mother's place as high priestess while she was ill. Thank goodness Sebastian had an extraordinary amount of patience with Abigail. Not that he did not get upset, but he controlled himself. This was a simple read, moderately paced and full of drama. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ronan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's one of those books where I looked at the premise and thought it was interesting, but didn't expect the writing to be my type of thing. For the most part, that was about right for me since I ended up laughing most of the time.
I don't usually read the romance genre - I just liked the idea of a vampire being secretly the CEO of a company without anyone knowing. Then there was a whole witch subplot with the main female lead, which was more than I was expecting, but coming from fantasy books I would've liked to see more of that. I'm aware that's not the priority of this book though, so I won't hold that against it too much.
I just wish that this romance wasn't so reliant on romance tropes. Yes, some are explained well by him literally being a vampire, but you could also say that about Twilight and these tropes aren't any less creepy or annoying.
Sure, I like it when Sebastian's shown to be an alright person despite being a vampire, but can we show male love interests being good people without them showing up to beat up a random guy? I know that's not how it ends up playing out, but the intention at the start of the scenario was to beat up the guy. Not only that, but refusing to let people leave and stalking them? Not cool.
But more importantly, if you're going to be a vampire, please be an actual vampire and not just when the story remembers. I know that it was going for "not all stories about people are true" which is fine in world-building in general, but the best way to subvert the love interest that stalks you and comes in your house without you knowing or not wanting them to was right there. And then you acknowledge that you ignored that way to fix that tired trope. Why book, why?

The witch subplot parts were my favourite bits of the book, to be honest. It's not bad for what it is - I was even pleasantly surprised - but I mean.

Come on, Sebastian.

[Melanie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

She bewitches him; he enthralls her

What do you get when you cross a witch with a vampire? If you are author Erin Bedford, what you get is this sexy and charming story of a rebellious young witch whose distaste for tradition leads her into dabbling with black magic, which leads her coven to expel her, which leads her to pas herself off as human and get a job. Her boss? A hot-as-sin vampire who craves more than just a taste... But Sebastian's a gentleman. He wins her "Old School" - with hot and slow seduction, and his own irresistible undead chivalry. Witches and vampires traditionally are like cats and dogs - they don't mix well - but proximity and the need for a paycheck abet Sebastian's charm and magnetism, and Abigail finds herself falling for her forbidden boss. His unexpected support during her attempted reconciliation with her mother and the coven opens some closed minds, and Abigail, as a witch and a woman grows up, steps up, and learns to appreciate both true love and scorched sheets. The writing is a little choppy and the occasional shifts in time and verb tense make the reading a bit rough, but the story is hot and sweet, the characters are engaging, the sex is pretty steamy and I enjoyed the read.
I was offered a free copy of this book via Booksprout, but elected to purchase instead. Nevertheless, this review is voluntary, independent, and uncompensated.