Scorpio Rising

The Scorpio Series #1

by Monique Domovitch

Set in New York and Paris amid the glamorous and competitive worlds of art and real estate, Scorpio Rising takes the reader from the late 1940s to the 1960s through the tumultuous lives of its heroes.

There is Alex Ivanov, the son of a Russian immigrant and part-time prostitute. He yearns to escape his sordid life and achieve fame and fortune. His dreams of becoming a world-class builder are met with countless obstacles, yet he perseveres in the hope of someday receiving the recognition he craves.

Half a world away, Brigitte Dartois is an abused teenager who runs into the arms of a benefactor with an agenda all his own. When she finds out that her boss has an ulterior motive, she flees again, determined to earn her living through her art. This career brings her fame, but also the unwanted attention of her early abuser.

Monique Domovitch’s debut novel, Scorpio Rising, is a compelling tale filled with finely etched characters and a superb understanding of the power of ambition. Scorpio Rising promises to resonate with all who once had a dream.



Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite
I found this book quite enticing and very difficult to put down. In fact I read it in one morning. The lead characters Brigitte and Alex are quite captivating and work well together. Domovitch is a master of characterization, even developing the cast of secondary characters. This would make a great movie. This plot has it all drama dealing with life in general, greed, and deception. This book plays on the readers emotions, with an ending that leaves the reader ready to jump into the sequel. If you enjoy a good drama, this is the book for you.

Even as a young man during the early 1950's, Alex Ivanov's is determined to leave his life of poverty and become rich. He soon finds, however, that in order to achieve his dreams he must make some sacrifices. Thousands of miles away, in Paris, beautiful Brigitte Dartois escapes from her abusive childhood and struggles to make it on her own. But when fame comes knocking, it also brings dangers from the past.
Some people have ambitions so great that they will trample on anything and anyone to achieve it. Born in Brooklyn from an embittered mother, Alexander Ivanov climbs his way to a better life in New York. Thousands of miles away, beautiful Brigitte Dartois also has big dreams and raging ambitions. Scorpio Rising is an American saga, the story of two people whose single-minded obsessions are put to the test when they meet.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Amazon, Cultural

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2011

About the author

MC Domovitch is the author of multiple novels. She writes cozy mysteries as Carol Ann Martin (The Weaving Mystery Series for Obsidian, an imprint of Penguin) and as Monique Domovitch (The Chef Landry Mysteries series for Carina Press).
She also writes suspense thrillers as M.C. Domovitch for Lansen Publishing. Her tenth novel, Seeing Evil, the second in her Mindsight series is due out on November 23rd 2016.
Scar Tissue, the first of this series, is a stronger genre, blending suspense and thriller to create an edge of your seat novel that keeps readers turning the pages late into the night. Already recognized as a strong suspense author, Domovitch's new series had lauded her been garnering her much praise and countless new fans.

Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their two dogs, dividing their time between homes in Toronto Canada and the Florida Keys.

Reviews

[Monique Domovitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

hey, this is my book, so of course I love it. When it comes to my own writing, I like to give it the test is time. If I still love the book when I re-read it months after having finished it, then I did a good job. And when I re-read Scorpio Rising, I once again got completely swept away in the lives and passions of the characters.
Please read it, and let me know what you think,
Monique

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Format: Kindle Edition
* File Size: 466 KB
* Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
* Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press LLC (December 1, 2011)
* Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
* ASIN: B006H4UBRK
* Author: J.W. Baccaro
* Cover art: Love it, if there is a horse, it's always good!
* Over all rating ***** out of 5 stars
* Obtained: Sent from the author.





*This is information of the kindle version, I have a paperback*

“Darshun Luthais—Nasharin warrior and chosen Guardian of earth, continues his journey across the arctic land of Syngothra, seeking to destroy Abaddon’s Unholy Altar of Power, and bring the Second Great War to an end. But when a new and deadly sorcerer working for Abaddon discovers his plan, he sets up a trap for Darshun and his five companions, a colossal army of darkness lying in wait among the frozen elements, ready to unleash its fury once the intruders are in sight.
Now it is up to King Loreus—ruler of Loreladia to unify the scattered races of Light, and charge into Syngothra before the trap is sprung. For Loreus wields the Golden Sword of Purity, a weapon forged long ago by the Five Holy Races, before darkness had separated them. With little time to spare, the Loreladian King must stop the Elves from another civil war, gain their trust and then encounter the Centaurs of Cestmir, a pious Matriarchy and self-righteous race, where if they do not remember the Sword, they may prove to be more of an enemy than Abaddon." (Synopsis provided by Amazon)

This is a hard one to review without giving away anything, as this series progresses it gets harder and harder to do a spoiler free review.
If you haven't started reading this series, what are you waiting for? Seriously, it's one of the best adult series I have come across in years! It has everything, magic, suspense, war! Each of these books gets better and better!
This book picks up where book three left off and right away we see action! Baccaro, doesn't make his readers wait for stuff to happen, it happens right away. We get see our favorite characters develop and face new challenges, this book did throw me through a loop there were some surprises I didn't see coming which was AWESOME! I loved this book and the whole series, can't wait to see what happens next!

[Melissa Storm]

What a read! The very first word that comes to mind in my attempt to summarize Scorpio Rising is HUGE--huge characters, huge setting, huge story, huge. This novel spans two continents, two primary characters and several colorful supporting cast members, and two very large dreams.

I found myself in both Alex and Brigitte, which is a feat by this author considering I'm a Sagittarius ;-) Alex's drive to work harder than any sane person would to pursue his dream of building skyscrapers that stand proudly against the New York skyline, Brigitte's refusal to give up on her dream of painting for a living despite the narrow odds of success--the reader can't help but root for them. Even the villainess Anne was immaculately crafted. She was the under-handed, materialistic b-word, who had no problem stepping all over others with her Manolo Blahniks just to get closer to marrying (and subsequently divorcing) the richest man she could find. Yes, this was a big book, but it never felt too big. If you're looking to laugh, to cry, to curl your fists in anger, and, most importantly, to dream, pick-up a copy of Scorpio Rising. You won't regret it.

[Kriss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by stating when I signed up to read this as part of the Book Club Bash, I had not realized I had at one point begun to read it last year when it came out. The opening scene turned me off and I was not interested in reading about a male protagonist at the time mainly, from what I can remember, because of the way she does character building. I did not like Alex at first so I had put it aside and never did finish it. Boy I could not have been more wrong, the beginning may bother you like it did me the first time and again this is all because of how Ms. Domovitch does her character building. Just one example of this is how she uses the experiences of the past to develop the experiences in the future for the group of players within the pages of Scorpio Rising. My advice? Push on through the first two or three chapters you will not be disappointed.

There are two main protagonist and a few supporting characters in this who come together in a type of blended montage of old and new. Ms. Domovitch writes in alternating narratives and with the all the characters having such strong voices it is easy to follow. The narratives blend and weave back and forth, their stories each seeming to have the flavors of different literary pieces from the past, almost a classical feeling. And with the story's setting from the era of early 1940's America and France to the early to mid 1960's it gives it an edge of those paperbacks you would find around the summer rental growing up (if you are my age which is mid-40's).

Alex comes from a horrific childhood which he did not let set him back in his dreams in fact he uses these experiences as a way to catapult and keep them solidified throughout his advanced schooling to be an architect. Despite his mother being a prostitute who would practice her trade while he tried to sleep in his own bed, in the same room, he ended up achieving one dream, to finish school and move across the bridge and into Manhattan where his dreams rose above the tallest buildings and beyond. However he never was quite able to rid himself as many of us have experienced in our lives, of all the dirty remnants of the past. Damaging his ability to have any lasting or healthy relationships with women, which will end up biting him back hard in the end, it ends up doing the opposite to his ambition. His drive was strong and at the expense of repeating another reviewer, I to had the feeling of Mad Men, which makes sense since it is set to be in the expanse of the 1940'so the early 60's, however for me it reminded me more of the 1970's era. There was a sense of the disco mentality, but I am wondering if the feeling was due to his lack of being able to connect emotionally with not just women but anyone. The 70's were all about the "me" no one made connections on an intimate level. It was a rebellion of the 60's love fest where you love everyone and the beginning of the love myself, not thy neighbor. I am taken to the backseat of the car at the beginning scene to "Saturday Night Fever" where in the end his exclamation of, "what was your name again?" comes to mind.

Brigitte gave me the same feeling I had when I read a novel years ago based on the early life of Coco Chanel. It had the same feeling of rising from the bottom and entering into a world from nothing to become something and shining. Like Alex, she took what she had from a broken home, quite literally in fact and had to overcome her misconceptions and warped sense of relationships due to the abuse from her step-father and abandonment of her mother. Through her rebirth she ends up not only being able to cope but nearing the end of her this part of the series, end up being an influence to so many with her art.

Bridgette's story is still at the beginning, at least for me, and her character is not as strong as Coco's (and she will not go on to spy for Nazi Germany either) but as with Coco in the 20's she created style as she moved upward with experience, talent and age. Bridgette has many facet's and aspects which I have yet to really come to terms with, though I think this has more to do with the fact of the author having her past come back to haunt her constantly. Alex also has his past beginning to bite him in his nether regions but it has yet to be addressed fully in this novel, he first in the Scorpio Series.

The story builds into a strong and tall tale, structurally sound and full of bright colors where there was once the water-color mix of brownish grey; a 2 year old's blend of everything in her small white palette to an exquisite use of oil's used in a striking presentation of strength, beauty and grace. Each character becoming more and more complex as they gain not only life experience, but reclaim their damaged existence by creating their own futures. When they meet it can be described as a multimedia collage in narrative voices, some convoluted weaker sub-plots which stand up within the story due to the stronger "medium" of the main characters and presented on a global canvas.

My main issues are it took to long to get to the point, though a solid read, and one I could not stop reading once I was able to plug my way through all the back stories, was it ended with way to many ribbons and trails left untold and unfinished. I hope they are wrapped up in the second and final book, and considering our cliff hanger they will. Another issue is how easily Alex seems to give up his dream, but... perhaps he does not? No one knows until they pick the second one up, The Sting of The Scorpio (available on Amazon).

I highly recommend this as a not only a great book club read, but also one that would be great over the holidays when visiting those wonderful families we oh so miss each year and when we get there we need to find a bit of escape. This would be a grand way to escape the chaos of the holidays.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

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This is an incredibly fast-paced book that tells the story of Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois — two different people in two different parts of the world. They both start out with rough lives, but constantly work hard and their ambitions pay off. Throughout the story, we see these two characters’ lives change and evolve, and finally intertwine.

I don’t normally read books that are this fast-paced. A few hundred pages covers a time span of probably over 10 years. I was a little iffy at first, but soon realized that the time frame made this book very intriguing and difficult to put down! I read the entire thing in one sitting! There’s so much going on that there’s never a dull moment and you’re always eager for more.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Alex because of his attitude towards women. To be fair, he had a tough start to life that basically taught him women could be used for sex. That resulted in him for the most part seeing women as a way to “fulfil his sexual needs.” However, there were two characters I absolutely LOVED!!

Brigitte, of course. She’s the amazing, strong, incredibly likeable main woman of the story. I completely admire the fact that she never lets anything bring her down. She experienced some true horrors in her life but she never let them consume her. At the beginning of the book, her mom kicks her out of her home when she’s only a young teenager. That alone would probably destroy most young girls. But Brigitte knows she has to do something about it, so she’s immediately out there looking for a job.

Later in life, Brigitte makes her way in the world by becoming an artist and trying to sell her paintings in Paris. As a bit of an artist myself, I loved reading about this! It was fascinating to see Brigitte improve her technique, live the life of a “starving artist,” and finally start to make a name for herself.

My second favourite character is Anne Turner. I love her, but I hate her. She’s a manipulative gold digger. She wants to live a life of riches and to do that, she decides she has to find and marry a rich man. She uses one man after the other, satisfying her need for luxury, until she finally sets her sights as high as they can go: William Brandon, the owner of the empire that is William Brandon & Company. She spends two years putting her plan in motion, from landing a job at his company, to seducing him and becoming his mistress, to making sure his wife finds out about the affair to break the mup, etc. She does everything she can to manipulate Brandon into giving her a ring. Let’s just say… it was SO INCREDIBLY SATISFYING to see her get what she deserves.

I did have two pretty big issues with the book though.

First, Alex enters into a very competitive “Architecture and Design International Contest.” He puts a lot of time and effort into this competition, and ultimately it’s what brings him and Brigitte together. I found myself getting really excited about the competition, hoping that Alex would somehow win, only to have the whole thing stop abruptly. From practically page 1, Alex’s ambitions were all about becoming a successful architect, so it was disappointing to see that suddenly cut short. I’m sure he’ll find another way to succeed in book 2, but this was a really interesting part of Scorpio Rising that I would have liked to see more of!

Second, is Alex and Brigitte’s relationship. I guess this is due to the fast-paced nature of the book, but it simply happened way too quickly. Their relationship felt like a combination between insta-love and a relationship of convenience. I also felt like we needed to see more growth from Alex. Previously, he had basically been all about one night stands. He had a whole system worked out where he could meet a girl, make her fall for him, sleep with her by the third date, and then break it off with her. Suddenly with Brigitte, everything is different, but I didn’t quite understand why Alex suddenly changed, and why he suddenly wanted a ‘real’ relationship.

But overall, this was a very enjoyable read. You can easily get through it in one sitting! It’s fascinating to watch the two characters grow up and try to make their dreams realities. The lives of all the characters intertwine so beautifully. One character will pop in and then leave, and you assume that will be the end of it.. only to later realize that the character still plays a very important role.

A word of caution: this book does end on an insane cliffhanger! You may want to have the second book, The Sting of the Scorpio already on hand!

[Samuel García · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be completely honest here: I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up for reading and reviewing. Judging by the title I figured it was some sort of spy novel, or any other sort of adventure driven piece.

Nope.

But the comedy of errors actually began when I started reading The Sting of the Scorpio and wondered why the hell the story seemed to begin right in the middle of a scene. It wasn’t until Chapter Three that I re-checked the Scorpio Rising tour e-mail and realized I was reading the sequel, which does begin right where Scorpio Rising ends.

Oh.

And I only had a day left to read and review an entire novel (I was already grotesquely behind schedule. Sue me.).

So I really didn’t have much time to actually enjoy the story, all the while reading a genre – Romance, as it turned out – that I’m not particularly fond of. Didn’t seem like the ideal set up, yet for all the hurdles, I actually enjoyed reading this book. In fact, what started as a lukewarm reading ended with a desire to pick the sequel immediately (not literally, it’s way past midnight and I’m sleepy).

Oh yeah, the story: Alexander Ivanov is a young Russian immigrant in New York with plenty of ambition and drive. His chosen path to glory is architecture, which is not a bad choice considering where he’s at. This kid reminded me a little bit of Joseph Gordon Levitt’s character in (500) Days of Summer, which is also a romance story with an architect in the lead. Architecture is sexy, I guess. Anyway, we follow his rise (he’s the title Scorpio, as in the astrology sign) at the same time as Brigitte Dartois’ increasing stardom as a painter in Paris in the 1950′s. Doesn’t take much to infer that Alexander is our MAN, and Brigitte is our WOMAN, and destiny has marriage in store for our heroes.

While the premise and plot follow the usual formula, that doesn’t stop it from being a fun read. In fact, there were several soap operish moments that I bookmarked on the Kindle because I enjoyed them so much. You know, the kind where you go “YEAH, TAKE THAT, BITCH!”. My favorite was the following: Brigitte is (innocently) being lead on by a rich guy who pretends to care for her in order to eventually have sex with her. His even richer wife, the one that holds all the cards in fact, is suspicious and the guy tries to be careful since, well, she holds all the cards and without her he’s nothing. But there’s so much horniness he can hold on before bursting, so he tries to seduce Brigitte and fails massively, but not before threatening Brigitte with taking everything away from her: the apartment, the clothes, the money, etc. Brigitte doesn’t take the bullshit and leaves the apartment after the guy storms out, but he doesn’t realize this until a few weeks later, when he returns to find it empty. In one of those “only in the movies” moments, his wife is right there waiting for him.

“I hope the screwing that whore gave you,” she said, sounding victorious, “was worth the screwing I’m about to give you.”

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh, hohoho!!!!

That’s not the only “TAKE THAT, BITCH!” moment in the novel, but it was the most satisfying. That line is epic.

The novel has no shortage of the obligatory asshole/bitch characters that make life miserable for our heroes (note on Alex Ivanov: he’s not a sweet angel either, he does start as an asshole himself before getting to be more likable, but that positively added a realistic, well-rounded dimension to the character). My favorite bitch was Anne Turner. Anne is the typical sexy woman who feeds on rich men’s riches in exchange for some fuck time with her. The couple chapters where she is prominently displayed were a joy to read. I mean, the way that bitch laid out her plans to trap the richest guy in the story was worthy of the Mission: Impossible team, or at least Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The novel also ends up perfectly with a cliffhanger of hers: Just wait till I find that damned Alex Ivanov. MEAOW!!!

Another aspect I liked about this particular novel was the structure. Instead of having Romeo and Juliet meet early in the story, each has his/her own plot and only near the end do the plots intersect, they finally meet and *swoon* fall in love. Neither has any shortage of soap operish troubles along the way, of course.

In short, considering how Romance is not my thing, reading this was a guilty pleasure. One that I plan to repeat with the sequel. Stay tuned.

[Embee Kuhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture is worth a thousand words - or so the saying goes right? This cover certainly speaks volumes, it is a perfect illustration of the themes in the book... and it just looks awesome. As I read the book I thought about the themes(greed, money, love, power) and how the two main characters (Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois) illustrate them.

Alex Ivanov, GREED (&Money)
This book challenged my personal definition of greed - or rather my understanding of it. The general definition of greed is: an excessive desire to possess wealth, goods, or abstract things of value with the intention to keep it for one's self. Reading Scorpio Rising, some may think that greed isn't really a theme that is covered but rather survival - which is what I thought at first.

But as I continued to read - I realized that greed is in all of us, the only thing that changes (determining whether it is good or bad) is the reason behind it - survival was the reason behind Alex's greed. Alex is greedy sure, he counts his pennies and dreams about the other side of things where the grass is greener. He has a strong disciplined nature and a steely determination to reach his goals, but there is something just beneath the surface of Alex, a seething pain that seems to hold itself back all the while growing.

Alex, whose initial greed seems solely motivated by his need to survive, is no different then real people in the world today. Many people these days can't distinguish between a want and a need; even when we can discern the line it is very grey 99% of the time.

Brigitte Dartois, LOVE (&Power)
Who doesn't want a little bit of love in there life? While greed (and money) motivate Alex to move forward in search of a good life - love (and power) drives Brigitte's life forward. It was the pain of her abuse that caused her to run from home - in search of the love she never received. It was the love of her son and the desire to be love that blinded her to the reality of peoples motives - realizing too late that she was running into one personification of her abuser after another. No matter how hard Brigitte tries - love and power (to control her own life) are always just beyond her grasp. Even as her life seems to change for the better towards the end of Scorpio Rising - she seems to subconsciously realize she is only running towards more pain, it only wears a different mask.

In Scorpio Rising the chapters take turns highlighting Alex and Brigitte's personal stories - normally this "dual story" telling is something I don't care for. I don't particularly hate the stories mind you but, the only way I can explain it is - they always seem to fall short. This isn't the case with Scorpio Rising - Monique Domovitch displayed a unique understanding of this method of story telling that only enhanced the quality of her novel. I was so enchanted by Alex and Brigitte's story, so involved in their lives as i came upon the last page that as I closed Scorpio Rising I opened The Sting of the Scorpio where their story continues.

[Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review can be found here.

Right as of the first chapter, this book hit me with its blunt approach to events and sex in particular. This actually worked really well in the story’s favour. It was refreshing to see a blunt and rather detached view of sex rather than flowery “love’s milk” or treading lightly around the subject. One quote in particular really got to me: ‘“This will be our little secret,” Lucien told her when she opened her eyes. “If you even think of telling anyone, I’ll kill you.” Then he raped her.’ (chap 2) The simplicity with which this horrible action is portrayed really worked for me. I think it’s very hard to portray rape with words because there’s so much in the action that goes beyond mere words. I commend Monique Domovitch for not trying to even go into the character’s thoughts about how she is treated, but hinting at what consequences it has on her life, thus allowing the reader to supply those thoughts for Brigitte in whatever manner works for them personally.

I was expecting a love story in this story. I expected the characters to meet and form some form of relationship and then make their way through at least some good portion of the story together working out their differences. In actual fact, they don’t meet until very close to the end of this book. I would have liked to have seen more relationship growth between them: once they do finally meet it does seem a bit rushed. I would also have liked to have seen more consequences to certain plot points that were brought up closer to the end, but as naming them would lead to spoilers I will refrain from doing so and simply state my hope that they will be addressed in the sequel.

This said, the characters not meeting until closer to the end does not have any negative effect on the story itself beyond how rushed their relationship felt. The story is about the growth of both of these people from disillusioned youths to adults who have fought tooth and nail for what little they have. The story occasionally slips into a side character’s head for a bit – my favourite of these was Anne. She’s one of those characters that you love to hate. You can understand her actions, even her motives, but you still condemn her for them (which she deserves) but this just served to make her a more interesting antagonist. I can already see her causing all sorts of problems for Alex in the sequel!

There are some really precious gem scenes in this novel. One in particular involves Alex and a certain unexpected surprise when he accompanies a Moulin Rouge dancer home. I had to stop reading to laugh! The somewhat detached bluntness of the narrative just increased the humour to be found in this scene. Loved it!

[Lissette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diverse cultures intertwine as Monique Domovitch sets the stage for a very spectacular read. Set in the 1940's, the book catapults us into the lives of Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois, two people who have no idea, as of yet, that they exist within each others worlds. Told between the perspectives of each of the characters, we're able to glimpse their triumphs and defeats, their loves and their losses, and the determination that rumbles throughout their very cores as they seek to establish themselves within the worlds they live in.

Alex, the son of a Russian immigrant, is intent on claiming the best of what the world has to offer. He's not content on being ordinary and dreams of achieving the success that his parents never had. Setting aside his insecurities, he sets off to stake his claim, intent on making his name known through out the highest circles. All the while, he makes sure his mother is comfortably provided for. Despite the fact that there are those who seek to drag him down, he's determined to show everyone that he can make the best of what he's given and immerses himself in every task he undertakes.

Brigitte Dartois' life has never been easy. Losing her father at the age of thirteen, she feels a tad embittered by the fact that her mother has remarried so quickly. Her faith in those around her is further tested when her stepfather abuses her every chance he gets. When her mother accidentally discovers her new husband within her daughter's bed, she finds herself on the streets with nothing to her name and no money within her pockets.

Flitting through life and adjusting to changes as they come along, Alex and Brigitte refuse to accept the cards they have been dealt. Their only goal is in achieving a better future - the drive that spurs them on, something we can all definitely relate to. It's hard to settle for the mediocre when something better sits around the corner.

Soon their paths unexpectedly intertwine. Alex finds himself intrigued by the beautiful woman and knows he has to stake his claim on her somehow. Brigitte, on the other hand, has her reservations about losing herself to a man she barely knows. Yet the call of the heart is hard to ignore. Little by little, the ice begins to melt and she finds herself feeling things she never knew were possible.

As they give in to the passions harbored deep inside, they realize they have nothing left to lose. Acceptance is sometimes hard to come by but with the love of another anything is possible. Yet little do they know, the ghosts of the past can sometimes come back to haunt you.

I truly enjoyed this book very much and am so looking forward to reading it's counterpart soon. Monique is quite the storyteller and she draws you in to her story from the very first page. So much so, you find yourself so immersed within the book that it's hard to put down.

[Lenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories of Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois are told in alternating narratives which is not an uncommon format for novels, but in this case it was effective for the progression of the story. On a subjective note, I tend to enjoy plot lines in which seemingly unrelated parts tie together nicely in the end, and it was one of the aspects of Scorpio Rising that I appreciated. The element of surprise in the novel is not the inevitable overlap between Brigitte and Alex but rather, the way in which they both get to that point. Author Monique Domovitch covers a large timeline building up the context for her characters starting from both of their childhoods into their adult lives.

Alex is a dreamer. He is always looking at the next step, and looking for the next way to advance. He wants to be rich and he wants to be famous and he wants to escape his past. Being raised by a single mother who also happens to work as a prostitute, Alex could not get out of his one bedroom apartment soon enough for the opportunity to re-invent himself, like he does with buildings and architecture. Whether or not it was the author's intent, I found it interesting how Alex's profession reflects his personality after he leaves his life to pursue architecture.

Brigitte, on the other hand, is a seemingly beautiful girl who cannot escape her past no matter how hard she tries. After her father passed away, her household became unkind to her, to say the least and she became distrustful of other people around her, namely men. Even when she finds her blossoming talent as an artist, she is met in different ways by pieces of her past.

The novel explores whether or not Alex can find the balance between who he was and who he wants to be. Will he find the girl with whom he won't have to show a re-invented self? Domovitch writes about a strength to Brigitte having to go through the circumstances thrown at her. Will she find the one whom she can trust enough to accept help? Scorpio Rising is a novel which blends together hardship with some fairytale romanticism.

Scorpio Rising is a straight forward story with good writing and a solid plot line. It is an example of a good fiction novel. The pace toward the end was much quicker than the beginning and the ending felt abrupt while containing a few loose ends. However, I attribute this to the fact that Scorpio Rising is not a stand alone book. It does have a sequel that I have not read yet, but am looking forward to reading.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of I.O Book Tours**

[Carmen Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Thoughts:
This scrumptious blend of cultures and times formed an engrossing read!

Scorpio Rising begins with a brief glimpse into Alex Ivanov's life. He is the son of a Russian immigrant and prostitute and grew up outside of Manhattan, New York. Needless to say, he was never handed anything in life; he constantly had to pick and save for everything that he acquired, which made him tough. As time progressed, Alex learned that he wanted to be the absolute best at whatever he chose to do. He wanted to command respect from any person he came across, and wouldn't settle for anything less than that.

Brigitte Dartois' life is no walk in the park either. She, on the other hand, grew up in Paris to a jealous mother and a loving father. When said father passes away at thirteen, Brigitte feels disheartened when her mother quickly remarries. Her life becomes even more desperate when her new step-father starts to rape and threaten her behind her mother's back. One day, her mother discovers her husband in bed with her daughter and quickly chooses his side, ultimately kicking her daughter out on the streets with absolutely nothing.

Although Alex and Brigitte's lives have been extremely rocky since birth, neither of them will except their fates lying down. They both achieve the drive and determination that can take a person far in whatever they choose to do. So what happens when these two power beings come across one another...

What I liked about this book:
The different cultures, the flow of the plot, and the passion from the characters all made this novel stand out to me! It was easy to become engaged once you started reading it, which is a necessity for people like me who have short attention spans.

Also, I think what stuck with me the most was Alex and Brigitte's desperation. They had both suffered from completely tragic lifestyles that can utterly break a person, but it seemed like they would use that to fuel their passion to succeed.

What I disliked about this book:
There wasn't a particular thing I disliked about this book. I will say that there are some casual sexual descriptions in this novel that may not be for everyone, so read at your own discretion.

Verdict:
This book left off with a huge cliffhanger, so I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

[Kevin Carey-Infante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scorpio Rising is like getting two books for the price of one!

Scorpio Rising is a tale of two separate and distinct lives: Brigette Dartois and Alexander Ivanov, both on a collision course with destiny. First we meet young Alexander Ivanov, Alex to his family and friends. Alex is born and raised in Brooklyn, New York—the end of world, as he tells us. He is the son of a single mother, an immigrant from Leningrad, who must resort to prostitution to keep a roof over her son's head and food on the table. Young Alex hates the life he was born into and decides to make it his mission to get out of Brooklyn, get educated and to make something of himself. Next, we go half way around the world to Paris, France, where we meet Brigette Dartois, a girl at the crossroads of her life. A budding artist at the age of 13, Brigette is devastated when her beloved father suddenly dies and her mother quickly marries a man who sexually abuses her every chance he gets. After 3 years of sexual assault Brigette is victimized yet again when she is forced onto the streets of Paris. Soon thereafter she learns that she is pregnant with her stepfather's child. She, like her counterpart in New York, has made it her mission to claw her way to the top of an unforgiving world.

Ms.Domovitch is a master of character development, as is evidenced by the expertly crafted lives of Brigette Dartois and Alexander Ivanov. Although we know by the end of the 2nd chapter that these two characters will ultimately meet, we are treated to two distinct coming of age stories, each worthy of their own book. When they do finally meet they must first battle the demons of their past before they can move forward. I especially enjoyed the teaser Ms. Domovitch offers us at the close of the book, pushing me to immediately turn to the sequel The Sting of the Scorpio.

Ladies and Gentlemen: the Sorpio has risen—watch out for its sting…I, for one, can't wait!

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Jeffrey Archer or Barbara Taylor Bradford novels, Monique Domovitch’s Scorpio Rising tells the separate tales of two wounded young people in the 1950s, one in America, one in France. The reader knows from the start they’re destined to meet, and the moment young Alex enters an architectural competition culminating in Paris there’s an eager sense of anticipation. But the path to meeting, even the path to survival, is strewn with challenges. In Brooklyn, 12-year-old Alex dreams tall buildings and decides to break the same sexual rules his mother flaunts. Meanwhile in Paris Brigitte Dartois stumbles from abuse of one kind to another, earnestly trying to believe in herself and her future. Alex is goal-driven, Brigitte strives for hope. But both know the shape of the art they want to create. And when they finally meet, both quickly recognize kindred spirits and true love.

Yes, it’s a love story, eventually. But it’s more than a romance. The cities of New York and Paris come to life, the cultures of architecture, fashion and art display their light and darker sides, and the era of the 1950s resonates with nicely woven details of everyday life. The writing is pleasingly fast and clear—no lingering looks, no hot breaths of passion and desire, nor even angst-driven depictions of the sexual misconduct that’s wounded this pair.

The timelines of the stories fit neatly together as the chapters progress, one in Alex’s world, one in Brigitte’s, leaving no confusion and keeping the reader turning pages faster and faster towards the end. And then, as everything’s resolved, there’s that final preview of further troubles awaiting, just in time to remind you there’s a sequel out there. Quick reading, no temptation to skim, flawed but attractive characters, and a well-told tale, this is one I have no trouble recommending.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

[Jaclyn Cotton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch

Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


Scorpio Rising is the first of two novels about the lives of Alex and Brigitte by Monique Domovitch. Alex was born and raised in Brooklyn while Brigitte was grew up in Paris. While they grew up thousands of miles apart both faced many challenges in their early youth.

I liked how the chapters alternated from whose point of view in which they were told from. Not long into the book I figured out what one of the main plots was, but enjoyed ‘watching’ it unfold. I did find that the time differences between the main characters to be confusing as they are the same age, yet many years might pass before switching back to the other characters point of view.

I thought that Alex and Brigitte were very well developed and complex main characters. I found myself rooting for them as they grew up. Both of them are very driven and motivated young people determined to get what they wanted out of life. Although sometimes at the expense of others, in the case of Alex. Both are dreamers and have big plans, but as in reality, “life happens when you’re out making other plans” and so things happens not always as either would have ideally liked. Which I think added to the realism of this book, as things don’t always go the way one wants.

I found Scorpio Rising to be a very quick yet entertaining read. Though I didn’t like that there wasn’t much a conclusion, but more of a “end of part one” type of ending which made me very glad that I had the second book already.

Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch is available now.

~Jaclyn~

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author and Novel Publicity as part of their book tour. Please see my disclaimer policy for more information.

[AWBookGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the 1950′s, Scorpio Rising tells the story of two ambitious people: Brooklyn born Alexander Ivanov and the French Brigitte Dartois. Desperate to escape his impoverished upbringing, Alex sets out to take the New York architecture world by storm. Equally desperate to escape abuse, Brigitte discovers her artistic talents and becomes the talk of Paris. Their paths cross unexpectedly, and under unlikely circumstances, love begins to bloom.

I was drawn to this blog tour because of the book title. I am a true Scorpio, so once I saw the title, how could I resist?

I wasn’t expecting the retro aspect of Scorpio Rising, and it was a nice surprise. It is easy to tell a tale of reckless ambition in our present day. But to do it well in a pre-Mad Men era takes some skill. The devices we have at the ready today to make it oh-so-easy weren’t available in the 1950′s, after all.

Alex and Brigitte are, as I mentioned earlier, desperate to escape the trappings of their youth. Neither has a good support system and must rely on themselves. Each handles it differently, Alex with a single-minded intent and determination and Brigitte with an earnest effort to grow from naive schoolgirl to an independent woman.

Monique weaves their independent stories into a plausible encounter, setting our heroine and hero up for their inevitable meeting and the ensuing drama. I will say that the cynical part of me felt that Alex and Brigitte falling in love happened too quickly, but the romantic part of me shouted back, quite loudly, “why not?!” The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, the perfect set up to the next installment.

Scorpio Rising wasn’t what I expected when I started reading it, but in a good way, and I want to know what happens to Brigitte and Alex next. If you’re a fan of chick lit, this is one you won’t want to miss.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say that adversity makes you stronger. If that is true then the characters of Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois are two of the strongest characters you’ll likely ever meet.

I really enjoyed Scorpio Rising and read it in a couple of days. I would have read it in one sitting had the laptop been at home, because I immediately felt varying emotional pulls for these two.

You just want things to work out for these characters.

I guess it has to do with our urge to root for the underdog.

Many writers have used this in their books, and it can be cliche – luckily in Scorpio Rising, Monique Domovitch has resisited the temptation to go there. Her characters remain believable and sympathetic.

Alex is driven to put the life of poverty behind him, and from a very young age works harder than some adults I’ve known to achieve that. You sense the drive in him the way the words race across the page with the urgency Alex feels.

Brigitte’s story is tragically realistic. I just wanted to pick her up and drag her home to protect her.

The courses they are traveling eventually bring them in to contact, and again Monique delighted me by not going straight down the cliched road.

Their interaction is interesting, and had me hooked.

The struggles life puts us through are what will usually eventually define us. Sometimes for good, and sometimes for bad. And the wires can get crossed so easily. Monique has created both a world and characters that epitomise just that conundrum of life and the journeys we take through it.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have often said that Sidney Sheldon was the only author who had little to no inner monologue with his characters that I could still read to completion and hunger for more (please note that this does *NOT* include the books he wrote the last decade he was "with us"). If you're a fan of Sidney Sheldon then you will love this author who has captured his unique rhythm of telling a story. In fact the entire time I read this I was constantly reminded of the old Sheldon's style.

Conversationally, if you prefer a story with lots of motive behind a character like Dean Koontz, Stephen King, or Ayn Rand then this may not be the author for you. Domovitch will not mince words by giving you very much thought and feeling behind her characters' motives but she makes up for this by zipping ahead with plenty of action. Not that she gives zero character motive but anyone familiar with Sidney Sheldon should know what I mean: a brief sentence or paragraph synopsis of what the character is thinking/feeling and then move on to the action.

Hold on to the edge of your seat because this book covers about twelve years in the span of approximately 90,000 words or less. It reads so fast that I covered the first 245 pages (out of 369) in just four hours because I had to know "what happens next".

Be forewarned though: It's strongly recommended that you buy the sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio (also the story's conclusion) at the same time you buy this one because there is a cliffhang that will leave you anxious to know how the problems were resolved.

[Jenn (Booksessed)]

This was a fantastic debut! I love that this book is set in the 50's and there's an entire story line that is set in Paris. I will read anything that is set in Paris.

I had been initially saving this book for a personal readathon, but picked it up as a transitional read during a reading slump. I had planned to read a chapter or two and go back to my original read, but I couldn't put it down. I finished it in two days. It was that amazing.

I loved that there were two very distinct storylines, one taking place in New York with Alex and one in Paris with Brigitte. Both stories had the common theme of ambition, which I thought was very different; at least, it was told in a very different way, in my opinion. Part of the appeal was wondering when the the two characters were going to meet and what happens when two people with strong, yet different ambitions collide.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was that there weren't that many characters that I found likable, but I couldn't stop reading. Some characters were just awful, hateful -- awful. Another thing that made this book worth it was to have the characters that I absolutely love to hate get their comeuppance.

There is an upcoming sequel (The Sting of the Scorpio) and I am so excited for it. This book ended on such a great cliffhanger that I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment. It's safe to say that I have a added Monique Domovitch to the list of authors that I will follow without hesitation.

[Christine Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scorpio Rising is about two characters a world apart, both yearning to escape the horrors of their daily lives. Alexander Ivanov manages to escape through some shady dealings and his counterpart Brigitte Dartois has no choice but to flee her current circumstances. Each in their own way climb the ladder of success only to be shot down time and time again. They both refuse to give up and finally begin to enjoy a measure of achievement. This brings them at last within arm’s reach of each other.

I found it difficult to relate to the horrendous childhood traumas that the main characters experienced and found myself liking the supporting characters Réjeanne and Brigitte’s son David. These supporting characters gave you hope amidst the overwhelming sorrows the main characters faced almost constantly.

Over all I enjoyed the fast paced writing and enjoyable supporting characters. My favorite part in the story was when Brigitte finally found her true calling in life and embraced it completely. I found the abrupt personality change of the Alex and Brigitte at the end of the book mildly distressing, but I think it’s to prove the adage “love conquers all.” If it were up to me any romantic chemistry would have been better pursued in the sequel.

The writing is compelling and well structured. Scorpio Rising will appeal to those that love a series with just the right amount of drama to keep the story moving along.

[Paula Acton · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the outset these two damage children grab your attention and demand their stories be heard. Opposites in the way their abuse has affected them, you are aware from very early on they are destined to meet, but the intricate web that is woven around them as they draw closer leaves you spellbound. For me the mark of a good book it that you are content to follow the journey without feeling the urge to skip ahead to see what happens and I can honestly say I read this start to finish without once feeling the need. At times the two main characters are hard to feel sympathy for despite knowing their backgrounds, Alex at times can seem arrogant and Brigitte’s naivety frustrating, yet it is a true reflection of the survival mechanisms used by many abuse victims. In spite of their faults you find yourself hoping they can find a way to help each other heal while at the same time wondering if these two complex characters can ever put their pasts behind them to allow themselves happiness. The two different locations of Paris and New York are perfectly suited to the character that inhabits it and reflects the question of whether destiny is being kind in bringing them together or whether their differences will be too great for them to ever be truly happy. I can honestly say I was left wanting more and was hugely relieved to see there was a sequel. I would recommend this book whole heartedly.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scorpio Rising details the lives of two rather compelling characters; Alex Ivanov, a young man born to a part time prostitute in Brooklyn who longs to live in Manhattan and become an architect and Brigitte Dartois a girl in France abused by her stepfather who runs away to Paris only to be saved by another predatory man. She runs again to find salvation in her talent as an artist.


Both characters are fascinating and flawed and are, of course, destined to meet.


Their stories are told in alternating chapters and this was hard for me. I had some difficulty keeping track of where I was in time between the two worlds - Paris and Manhattan. If perhaps larger pieces of each characters story had been given and then moved between it might have been easier for me to follow. But that is me - I have memory issues.


The book is short and didn't take long to read and I did find myself clicking my Nook to go from page to page. I was sent a finished copy but still found quite a few errors which was a touch disconcerting; I was missing 4 pages which did not help but I was still able to keep up with the story. Because of its length I feel that some parts were not as developed as they could have been and this first book of the series ends somewhat suddenly.

[Samantha March · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monique Domovitch is on tour with CLP Blog Tours. Scorpio Rising is set in the 1950’s, and follows the lives of Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois. Alex lives in Brooklyn and is determined be rich and successful after growing up in poverty. Brigitte resides in Paris, and has endured horrific childhood abuse. She tries many times to start over, to find her footing, but new challenges keep appearing and holding her back. The lives of these two different individuals are written with fluidity and ease by Domovitch and I was itching for the two to finally meet. I was hooked on both their stories and curious to see how they would end up. This book is a part of a series, the sequel is titled The Sting of Scorpio, so I knew the cliff-hanger was supposed to happen, but the ending felt a little too rushed for me. The whole book seems to be building on Alex and Brigitte and when they will meet, and I though the last few chapters just went way too fast for me to enjoy. I will be looking forward to the second book though, because the cliff hanger was awesome! Can’t wait to see what happens next....

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this expecting a crime thriller, based on the name, and then a romance, based on the description, and what I got was a work of literary fiction consisting of an engaging story and intriguing characters.

Given the time period and locations of Scorpio Rising, it gave off an enjoyable Mad Men vibe with much of that same ambition, drama, and sex. Come to think of it, Scorpio Rising would make an interesting TV show.

The characters were very well-written, especially the main characters, Brigitte and Alex. Brigitte is a perfect blend of strength and fragility, while Alex is charming and driven. Although it may seem unlikely that an architect from New York would cross paths with an artist in Paris, Monique Domovitch lays out the plot in a way that makes it seem not only believable but destined that these two will come to share their lives.

When you purchase Scorpio Rising you may as well go ahead and buy the sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio at the same time because as soon as the first book ends, you're going to want to jump right into the second one to see where the story goes.

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monique Domovitch has clearly shown herself to be a shining star within the genre of Romance. This captivating read provides it's audience a front row seat from which to witness the drama that seems to permeate the lives of both Alex Ivanov and Brigitte Dartois.
Though each tale presents a separate story told from both a different vantage point as well as from opposite sides of the globe; the haunting shades of despair and desperation coupled with fiery hues of passion, hope, and determination paint a picture of lives that the mind's eye must see to believe.
The seemingly endless reserves of emotionality found in this work, coupled with the complexity of an ever evolving plot, is reminiscent of masterpieces penned by long-standing greats such as Danielle Steele and Sidney Sheldon.
It is hard to believe that this is Ms. Domovitch's first novel. I am happy to confidently predict that with talent such as this, it is far from her last.
You can see this review as it appears on my blog here: http://www.wtfareyoureading.com/2012/...

[Nancy Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is powerful and well written that follows two major characters. Alex Ivanov, raised by a poor mother in Brooklyn, NY, dreams of going to Manhattan where he becomes rich and successful as an architect. The other character is Brigitte Dartois, raised in Paris. At 16 years of age she is repeatedly raped by her stepfather and escapes to live on her own. She, too, has goals of being independent and able to take care of herself through her own efforts. The avenues each take are suspenseful as well as inspiring, told extremely well by the author. Overall, the novel is intoxicating to the reader and I'm sure the sequel will be also spellbinding. Plan on having the next novel, "The Sting of the Scorpio" on hand to read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will do a thorough review later but I just finished reading and wanted to give a brief review. I loved the building up of the characters Alex and Brigitte. The whole of the story is giving the reader a detailed look at who the characters are and what drives them to do what they do. I loved knowing the characters so well. The story built to such a point that it was inevitable that the two main characters, Alex and Brigitte would meet and come together. Alex and Brigitte each had a drive to be more than what life was handing them. On separate life journeys they moved forward against all odds to finally come to the same point. Great story. Loved every minute of it.

[Juliette Swett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this book in one day. In other words, I couldn't put it down, although I don't know if it's for everyone. It was set in the 1950's and even the writing had almost a detached literal essence to it that dramas in the 50's used to have. I enjoyed that style, but some people might not. It reminded me a bit of Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips--in other words, it was a sweeping saga with lots of heroes and villains.
I have to admit that I haven't read very many books that were self published. As long as authors continue to use thoughtful editors,I think that self publishing is a great path.

[Deb Cushman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of two people living an ocean apart, struggling to survive, and making new lives for themselves. Throughout my reading, I couldn't figure out how their lives would intersect. When they did, it was worth the wait.

The attention to detail of the two different worlds of Alex and Brigitte, New York and Paris, architecture and art, added such dimension to the story. I found the characters interesting and their lives unfolded through fascinating experiences. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book of the series.

[Charlotte123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I have to admit that I bought it because of the price, 99 cents, and it did sound interesting. Wow! I loved it. I couldn't put it down. I started reading it on a Friday night, thank God, and I finished it before going to bed. And then I had to get the sequel right away. I love, love loved it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an extremely well developed plot, "Scorpio Rising" is a true page turner that you'll find hard to put down. Monique pens her characters so realistically believable that they stay with you after you finish the book. A must read for all romance/drama fans.

This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.