Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Gargoyles #2

Stone Cold Lover

Rate this book
Gargoyles abound in this sexy paranormal novel from New York Times bestselling author Christine Warren. 

A prominent art restorer, Felicity is more than game to help a friend track down an obscure statue in Montreal. But when "Fil" finds it, she’s taken by surprise at how drawn she is to this statue. Attracted to it in a way a girl shouldn’t lust for a stone gargoyle, she revists it at night, longing to feel its embrace. Little does Fil know, her desire for this stone cold beast is about to heat up a notch.

Locked in stone for centuries, Spar has slept, waiting for when a human would need him. When he is awoken, Spar is taken aback to find that a human female needs his help. A very sexy woman who’s about to be the victim of a cultist attack. Saving and leaving her should be no problem. But as more questions arise, Spar knows that he cannot rest until Fil is safe in his arms

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 26, 2014

52 people are currently reading
1225 people want to read

About the author

Christine Warren

42 books1,828 followers
Born and raised in coastal New England, Christine Warren lived in the South and the Mid-Atlantic before hopping to the other side of the country to take up the life of a transplant in the Pacific Northwest. She completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her landlocking phobia. Hmm, need to research a scientific term for that...

When not scrambling frantically to complete her latest writing project, Christine spends most of her time as a crazy animal lady, hanging out with her dog Levi (he’s the one with the hair) and pretending to train him to have some manners. She also hangs out with her horse, Cal—a thoroughbred with a craving for strawberry licorice twists—her goddog, Merlin; and her best friend, fellow author Hannah Murray. In addition to playing with her pets, Christine’s hobbies include identifying dog breeds from photos of their underbellies, appreciating fine and not-so-fine wines, shopping for the perfect pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over.

She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to Christine@christinewarren.net or by postal mail to Christine Warren, PO Box 871900, Vancouver, WA 98687-1900.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/christ...

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
448 (27%)
4 stars
546 (33%)
3 stars
459 (28%)
2 stars
118 (7%)
1 star
35 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,940 reviews25.3k followers
November 11, 2015
Stone Cold Lover is book two in the Gargoyles series by Christine Warren. If you saw my review, you might remember that I fell in love with book one of this series, Heart of Stone. Because of Ms. Warren, I now have some very vivid “dreams” about gargoyles wink, wink. So I was so excited for book two to come out and it was worth the wait. I loved it.

Fil “Felicity” was sent to investigate the existence of a statue which they hoped might be one of the guardians. The first time she saw the gargoyle statue, she felt a strange connection to it, so much so that she returned one night, long after closing hours, to further investigate. Little did she know that this night her life would change. This is the night she would awaken the gargoyle and be thrust into the world of demons, magic and evil. But also she would find a happiness she never thought she could experience with her gargoyle guardian.

 photo tumblr_n862bpwz801rfyiu4o1_1280_zpsb3ae4996.jpg

Our Fil, though, is one tough girl, and she has snark. She had a little trouble in the beginning accepting that this statue she had felt so connected to came to life and became this oh so sexy gargoyle. And when he changed from his natural gargoyle self to his human disguise, well, lets just say she was staring at every woman’s fantasy. Fil was hilarious in the beginning when she kept coming up with different names for her new guardian such as statue boy, Rocky, stone face, or boulder boy. She soon learned, though, that a guardian only awakens when there is pure evil loose on earth, when he is called to defend humanity. One of the seven demons has been set free and is gaining strength. But how will Fil and Spar find it? How will they fight it?

 photo tumblr_mn2jbjMaVF1qhdexto1_250_zps604190e5.gif

Spar has no idea how this little human was able to awaken him. This is not how it is supposed to work. But he also feels the instant connection to Felicity. And he is claiming her as his. He will protect her, no matter how hard she continues to try to put herself in harms way.

“I would like to address the issue of these names you keep giving me. I told you, I am called Spar, not Rocky, not stone face, and not Einstein. You will cease to refer to me in this manner.”

Christine Warren has again written a book that is fun, suspenseful, sweet and oh so sexy! This series makes me want to go and find some gargoyle statues to see if I might be able to awaken one. Just one, that’s all I need. We get a little bit of Ella and Kees from book one. I might have liked to see a little bit more of them since I loved them so much and hope to see more of them in the following books. And we are introduced to a new character, Wynn who is a witch. I am fairly certain that the next book in the series, Hard as a Rock, will feature her as she attempts to help to find more of the guardian’s brothers and together they can attempt to stop the evil that is threatening humanity. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Christine Warren and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I absolutely loved it.
Profile Image for Melindeeloo.
3,262 reviews157 followers
July 31, 2014
4.5 stars - Art Restorer Felicity (Fil) Shaltis never expected that a friend's request that Fil locate a gargoyle statue would result in Fil being so obsessed with the stone creature that she finds herself breaking in during the wee hours of the night to get a better look at it. Or that Fil would end up attacked by a crazy guy in a robe, or saved by the very object of her obsession come to life as a seven foot fiery eyed winged warrior. When Spar awakes he is confused, but saving the little human from the minion of the Dark is a no brainer - it is his job to protect humanity - but very quickly Spar's instincts are demanding that he protect this one human above all others.

Stone Cold Lover is the second in Warren's Gargoyle series, and it is even better than the first. There are a lot of things that worked better for me this time around - though to be fair, second books don't have the same burden of establishing a world as first books do - but it pretty much boils down to the fact that I really liked the leads. Spar is not as 'stoney' emotionally as the previous leading gargoyle, so it was much easier for me to connect with him. His leading lady Fil, is great. Fil is independent and feisty and intelligent and brave - and she doesn't let Spar get away with dictating her course of actions - though Fil does accept his protection when it turns out that she is in the bad guys' cross hairs. I also really liked Fil and Spar's romance, Fil becomes important to Spar so quickly and I liked that he tries to give her some space even as he is frustrated when she keeps throwing up an emotional wall between them. And it was a nice change of pace that the obstacle to their HEA does not follow the standard 'big misunderstanding' trope and is resolved without unnecessary/artificial drama.

For the series as a whole, I really like gargoyles and also I like the way that Warren draws us into the next book of the series by introducing another intriguing woman - instead of the typical sequel bait in paranormal romance which is another 'brother'. This time around that woman is powerful witch Wynn, who gets enough screen time here to make me very interested in seeing more of her in the next book.

So, I really enjoyed Stone Cold Lover. I have been a big fan of Warren's Other series, but I am glad to see that she is hitting her stride with this new series - it must be great for her to do something new after being tied to revamping her early Elora's Cave stories for so long.

Complementary copy via NetGalley release date August 26, 2014 (thanks to dcm for the heads up:)
Profile Image for Claire.
2,323 reviews737 followers
June 6, 2016
3.5 - "You are mine, Felicity." ... "My human, my woman." Stars.

Stone Cold Lover is the second book in Christine Warrens Gargoyles Series. I loved book one, and although this one was really enjoyable too, it didn’t 100% hit the mark with me this time.

I loved Spar Mr. Tall, Gray, and Invincible, like his brother Kees (Book 1, Heart of Stone) although forged from stone he had a heart of gold. He wasn’t afraid to fight for Fil, and he definitely wasn’t afraid to show his feelings for her.

”If you give yourself to me, I will not be able to let you go.”



Ella from book one was a very independent and spunky kind of girl, and I really liked that about her, she was prepared to fight for and alongside Kees, but she also wasn’t afraid to show her feelings for him. This is where Felicity ‘Fil’ Shaltis, fell a little short for me in this book. Her constant, ‘I want him, I don’t want him, I do want him but I don’t want him to know I want him’ really started to get on my nerves as the book progressed, the poor gargoyle didn’t really know whether he was coming or going a lot of the time.

”I will not leave it alone. You behave irrationally. Last night you lay in my arms and held me close to you as you slept, but now you act as if I have committed some great evil against you. If I have done something that upsets you, I deserve the chance to make it right. Since I can think of nothing of the sort, I require you to explain it to me so that I can apologize for my actions.”

Sigh… I love this guy/gargoyle, and the way he spoke so properly, it was like Mr. Darcy, but with horns and a tail!

This book continues on from where Heart of Stone left off, the Guardians are still trying to ascertain as to whether the Nocturnis have managed to unleash one of the seven demons of the Dark. Now that two Guardians have been awakened, it seems likely that evil lurks and is waiting for its moment to strike. There are lots of thrills and spills in this book, and it kept the pace and overall development throughout nicely.



One by one, women of power appeared, and one by one each Guardian found his destined mate.

The addition of Wynn the Witch really added to this story, and I am pleased too see that she will get her own book (as well as her Guardian) in the next release in this series Hard as a Rock I cannot wait for its release March 2015.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
1,188 reviews108 followers
April 5, 2015
My Thoughts - 4 out of 5 Unicorns - I really liked it!!
***Received the ebook from St. Martin’s Press for an honest review

The cover is nice, but not as hot as the last one :) Something about a shirtless chest that just heats a cover right up :)

Gargoyles will always have a fondness in my heart because of my dad and his nicknames and for watching Gargoyles (Disney version) with him growing up :)

This is the 2nd book in the series and packed with action though Felicity (Fil) drove me nuts with her hot and cold act….poor Spar didn’t know if he was coming or going with it. Conversation is the key to all…lol Christine Warren does a fantastic job bring the story to life with her words. I felt all the pain poor Fil was put through in her adventure. Ella and Kees come back to help too which is always good for me when characters continue to be a part of the series :) We also meet a new character Wynn who I am already quite fond of and I’m looking forward to her story.

Christine Warren is a fabulous author, and I always love reading her work and collecting her books. This is definitely a series I’m adding to my library of paperbacks :) Even though each book is standalone, I recommend reading in order because the whole is worth more than just the sum of the parts.

I recommend these fabulous gargoyles to anyone who loves a good vs evil story with some HARDcore men….well men sort of ;) and especially if you love Christine Warren already, you do not want to pass up this series :)
Profile Image for Quinn.
688 reviews58 followers
October 26, 2017
I really enjoyed the first book in the Gargoyles series, Heart of Stone. Immediately after finishing that one, I started the second book in the series, Stone Cold Lover by Christine Warren. That was probably not the best decision, not taking a breather between books. While I found Heart of Stone fun, Stone Cold Lover just left me mostly annoyed.

Stone Cold Lover is about Ella’s best friend, Felicity who is an art restorer. In the previous book, Ella called Felicity to keep a lookout for Gargoyle statues, and Felicity found one that looked like what Ella was looking for. The statue, of course, turned out to be a gargoyle warden who comes to life when humanity needs help. Before Felicity knows what’s happening, this statue has come to life, and she is forced to work with Spar to save herself and to help save the world. And of course, they get together.

Honestly, Felicity was just so annoying. I never really liked her, even though I so wanted to. Felicity was so sarcastic, to the extreme. I love sassy characters, but Felicity was just plain obnoxious. Her extreme sarcasm often came off as mean, and I didn’t like that at all. She also would want to do these stupid things that would be her life in danger. She would demand to go outside, even when she knew it was dangerous.

Spar, the hero, was okay, but I think that is more because he just wasn’t as obnoxious as Felicity. It was interesting to see him deal with his feelings for Felicity, which was very new to him. I can’t say that I was really on board with the romance, either. Again, Felicity just drove me crazy, it was hard to root for her. Although, I certainly didn’t hate the romance either.

Although Stone Cold Lover has paranormal and suspense elements, so much of the book left me bored. I had to make myself pick up the book, and after a bit, I just wanted to finish it, so I could move on to something else.

So, suffice it to say, Stone Cold Lover by Christine Warren was not for me. My biggest issue was how annoying I found Felicity, the heroine, and nothing really made up for that. I can't say I'm going to rush out and read more from this series.This review was originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
267 reviews41 followers
July 9, 2015
Hm, where to start with this one, welllll "Stone Cold Lover" was much better than "Heart Of Stone". First, the romance in this one was first and foremost, which balanced out the story far better than the previous one did. Secondly, the story went somewhere, we went from point A to point B fairly quickly with more mystery and action in the midst. Both elements were very well done.

Felicity also known as Fil, is an artist that gets tangled up in this whole mess by accident, it all starts off as just a reconnaissance mission for her friend Ella, which was the heroine of the last book. Bippity Bobbity Boo! Fil now has a giant gargoyle swearing to protect her from harm and keep her forever. It's very cutesy.

Fil is witty, sarcastic,smart and has a bit of a temper, what more could you ask for? Not a whole lot! She stands up for herself, gets in said gargoyles face multiple times and is willing to do anything for her friends. Sometimes Fil makes some stupid mistakes, but once you learn her history everything neatly clicks into place. Fil made me laugh several times because she was this sweet crazy woman, it was fun to read her dialogue and inner monologue.

Spar is just plain awesome. I loved him as the hero because the poor guy just wouldn't stop trying, because he was head over heels in love with Fil. He quickly learned that adjusting his attitude and respecting his lady was the way to go, shes not some pushover he's use to. Spar definitely has the bad boy thing going for him but he's got a range of emotions and very likable. I'd really like a novella or something devoted solely to him to be honest.

Fil and Spar are great together because they're very alike, so they can understand each other pretty well. Spar is a protector which is something Fil desperately needs, even if she doesn't wanna let go of being in charge. Fil gives Spar a reason to really live, other than for just destroying evil .She gives him hope and a future to dream of. Together, they're just a lot of fun, there's some back and forth, some flirting with some hot moments. Of course, there are a few sex scenes but there more emotional than the first book displayed.

Down to the nitty gritty, the action or "story" part to this book was pretty creepy. There's more demons talked about, more magic used and the bad guys are way more in your face. Some of the stuff is kinda gross and sick, but when describing cult activities and evil people guess you gotta get your point across. The mystery element was actually pretty strong, there were a few surprises that I didnt see coming.

Altogether, I really enjoyed this one and it gives me hope the next one will be even better because the next heroine is gonna be fun;)! The story is strong, the romance is great, there's both light and heavy stuff going on in this story that kinda sucks you in. Lots of emotions and feelings also flying around, and of course a gargoyle with a screaming lady. I'd definitely recommend, this book reminded me why I love Warrens writing so much.
Profile Image for Heather andrews.
9,520 reviews160 followers
July 9, 2014
Even in the beginning Spar is intrigued by Fil, "Fil - oh, how Spar hated that named - reached up and ran a palm over her hair, then tugged at the long tail in which it was bound." He's also a caregiver, "Spar ignored her and spread a ridiculous amount of shampoo over the top of her head before beginning to work up a lather. "You are injured and in shock. I am tending to you. Now be quiet and let me tend." He's the type of man to make his intentions clear in the beginning, "be certain you do not resent my claim, little human," he panted, desire digging like talons in his gut. "If you give yourself to me, I will not be able to let you go." And all in all I loved him he's just so alpha and sexy, "he growled and bent his head back to hers. "They shall not touch you, baby. I swear it. None shall touch you but me." I can't wait to see more from this series.
Profile Image for Ami.
6,192 reviews489 followers
March 15, 2016
2.5 stars

While I was quite entertained with Fil's snarky self in the beginning but as the story went, I found myself getting detached, further and further. Fil's hot and cold attitude annoyed me and I wanted to snap at her. I guess it became MEH fast. I just couldn't fully immersed with this world nor the couple; and I started skimming to get to the end.

Oh, I totally called the part with ; that part was rather glaringly predictable (similar to the villain in book #1).

Well sometimes it happened, I just need to find another series that I feel more invested with *shrugs*

PS: Nope, I don't think I'll continue with book #3, no matter how I thought Wynn's name (Wynn Myfanwy Llewellyn Powe) to be frickin' cool.
Profile Image for Megan (BookWifeReviews).
1,564 reviews53 followers
September 22, 2015
Right off I want to say that I skipped some of the book so this isn't a completely accurate review.. I did like this one more than the first book. I didn't completely hate Fil and Spar was a better male character than the first one too. I still just couldn't fully get into the story. I am not sure what it is about it. I did LOVE Wynn though. I am actually excited to read her book.
Profile Image for The Book Junkie Reads . . ..
4,997 reviews152 followers
December 11, 2017
Much better than book one and hilarious from the start. . . .

I found that I liked Fil and Spar much more. I laughed more. I was captivated more. I was just drawn in more by their story. The demon mark. The various attacks on Fil. Her determination to defend. Her determination to be alone, even for a moment. Her determination to love Spar and let him go. She was a hardheaded female. But I liked her for her strength and determination.

Laurel Wilson need to work on consistency with the male and female. At some points in the audio the males began to sound like females.
Profile Image for Shauni.
1,061 reviews27 followers
August 13, 2014
Originally Reviewed For: Tea and Book

Excellent. Christine Warren writes a brilliant follow up to Heart of Stone, her first book in her Novels of the Gargoyles Series.Brilliantly unique with true Gargoyles.. A species of being that truly protects humanity. Just a fantastic series.

In Stone Cold Lover the race to find the Guardians (Gargoyles) Continues. It seems at demon is close to escaping. Or rather it has been called forth but is still sleeping. Allowing the minions (I seriously love that word) of evil more power but still manageable. Manageable, that is, if you have a clue what you are fighting.

Felicity "Fil" Shaltis has the ability to read auras, a skill she hasn't really practiced or enhanced. In fact it's sometimes something of a nusance. Instead she works as an art restorer, something she is very good at. But when her best friend from college gives her a call and asks her to check into a missing statue, Fil discovers there is so much more going on than a missing piece of stone. Only when she finds it, she finds so much more. First there is this freaky attraction to it. Seriously like she's drawn to a piece of rock?? Then it seems that there are others out to get it or destroy it.. and finally the freakin thing comes to life. What's with that? Poor Fil, what a way to find out that there is so much more to life than what we poor humans know about.

Spar is a powerful guardian, frozen in time until he is needed once again to protect the world. Only the world is going to hell in a handbasket and the guardians aren't being woken up. Why? Because those who have protected them and served them have been slowly taken out. There are few still alive that know what is going on. Instead the protection of the world against the evil of demons has been left to one Guardian and his mate! Spar is pulled from his stasis by a small woman with a lot of power. Amazingly for Spar there is an instant attraction. All he wants to do is discover if the feeling is mutual but first he has to save her from being blown up.

This is such an awesome concept! We all know that Gargoyles were set on buildings as a means of protection so to take that concept and turn them into sentient beings drawn from the source of all power bound to protect from the Seven Demons.. yeah great idea.To then give them an out close, to allow them to love and to find the woman who changes their lives.. wonderful.

Christine Warren makes this believable, better yet desirable. She has me looking at Gargoyles in an entirely different manner. Her character connections are great. She manages to combine some pretty serious intensity to some sometimes hoaky villains. But it works and when reading these hoaksters act exactly how they should. They too are perfectly believable.

A truly unique and fabulous book

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of Stone Cold Lover, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on August 26, 2014
Profile Image for Fangs for the Fantasy.
1,449 reviews193 followers
May 15, 2016
Felicity is asked to check out a gargoyle statue by a friend. She finds herself ridiculous drawn to the statue and even dares to break into the museum where it is being displayed in order to look at it with her second sight, certain that there must be some odd about this specific statue. What she doesn't realise is that this decision will bring her to the attention of the noctouris, a group of cultist determined to bring on the end of the world. Fortunately, the gargoyle she was interested in comes to life and because Spar is a protector, he quickly becomes all that stands between her and destruction.

I'm going to say at the outset that I am not necessarily a fan of paranormal romance; however, there were a lot of moving parts to Stone Cold Lover that held my interest. Yes, a major part of this story is to bring together Spar and Felicity; however, it is set against a plot of trying to stop a series of murders in the Montreal area which have stymied the police. Felicity is not trained in magic though she has the ability to sense it. Felicity never shies away from danger and is more than willing to sacrifice herself for her friends. It's an admirable quality in any protagonist to have. Normally in these true love scenarios, relationships between women fall by the wayside to center the romance and I am glad to say that Warren very much avoided that.

Felicity is also very much full of snark and refuses to be controlled. At times, it veers into a bit of Kellie Independence. It has become customary for the female love interest to have a tragic backstory and in this case, Warren steps up to the line and shies away from it. Felicity's mother was a drug addict and that made her unable to raise her daughter and so, Felicity was raised by her grandparents. We learn that her grandparents raised her to be resourceful; however, since the death of her grandparents, Felicity has been on her own in the world. I very much like that while Felicity is bothered by her mother's addiction, she very clearly states that she had a happy childhood. Yeah for female love interest that aren't overly damaged and have had good childhoods.

Things have gotten really bad with the dark side because they managed to get the Wardens on the run and blow up their safe house. This means that the guardians are frozen in stone until someone magical awakes them. We are told that the guild of Wardens is extremely sexist and only trains perhaps one woman out of every 100 trainees. Sexism in a very ancient order makes perfect sense to me and I like that the women in Stone Cold Lover are not shy about critiquing this. My issue is that this line of characterisation for the Guild of Wardens sets up women as temptresses who ultimately distract men from their task. We are told that the original Guardians had stopped caring about humanity and refused to wake until a woman approached one and it heard her call. All nine guardians that were awoken by women eventually quit being Guardians and new ones had to be summoned. Over time, Guardians occasionally give up their immortality to mate with women. The woman as a man stealing Jezebel trope I really could have done without it.


Read More
Profile Image for Barb Lie.
2,056 reviews4 followers
August 28, 2014
Stone Cold Lover by Christine Warren is the 2nd book in her Gargoyles series. I did not read the first book in the series, and this was not a problem, as this read so well as a standalone. We get to meet the leading characters from the first book, which was cool, and also making me want to read this first book, especially after discovering how much I enjoyed Christine Warren’s writing. Stone Cold Lover is a paranormal suspense, but such a fun and humorous read, as well as very exciting, and very sexy.

Fil (Felicity) is our heroine, and she was such a fun one at that. When helping Ella (our first book heroine), Fil goes to the museum in Montreal to look for a Gargoyle statue. She sneaks in after hours, and becomes mesmerized by the statue. While she is there, someone else comes in looking for the same statue and attacks her. All of a sudden there is glow, and the huge stuatue comes to life. After a battle, the now live Guardian (Gargoyle) saves Fil.

Spar, is a Guardian, to protect humans against the seven powerful demons, who are locked away. The Guardians are asleep as the statue for hundreds of years, until their assigned Warden wakes them up, if they are needed. As a Gargoyle, he is 7 feet tall, with wings; but he transforms into his human self, and when Fil gets a look at him, she is speechless. Of course, Fil is never speechless, and shows that to Spar as he follows her home, after he rescues her. She is now his responsibility to protect, as he tries to discover why he was awakened. Fil confuses him, but makes us laugh at her constant cursing or nick names she calls him. Pretty funny.

Fil now finds herself in the world of evil, demons, magic and constant threats against her life. Spar will not leave her side, and it doesn’t take long for the lust to build between them. Besides this sexy romance between an awesome couple, and the fun snarky comments from Fil; this is an exciting storyline that was also so much fun. Wynn is a secondary character that is introduced in this book, and she is a witch, that will help them break a curse on Fil. I loved Wynn, as she too was fun. I understand that she may be the heroine in the next book. Which I will have to read.

Stone Cold Lover was a surprising read, as I had not expected to enjoy as much as I did. It had a bit of everything; excitement, danger, suspense, great couple, great secondary characters, and an exciting ride to the finish. All this and a very sexy couple who steamed my kindle. I now have found a new author in Christine Warren to add to my list. I wholly recommend that you read this series.

Barb
The Reading Cafe
Profile Image for April Hollingworth.
Author 17 books32 followers
July 30, 2014
Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth

This is the second book in Christine Warren’s fantastically brilliant Gargoyle series. Each book can be read as a standalone. I found this book quite wonderful, filled with a gorgeous gargoyle warrior, a beautiful feisty woman and evil bad guys. What’s not to love? This is a book and series to keep, I for one will read it again and again. I loved it.

The Review:

Felicity “Fil” Shaltis, art restorer and can read the magic in peoples auras. She’s fascinated by the valuable gargoyle stature her friend Ella Harrow has begged her to locate. She can’t understand what it is about the gargoyle warrior that has her so drawn to him. Especially since gargoyles are not something she has any interest in, at all. Being attacked by a cultist bent on destroying the beautiful gargoyle shocks Fil, but not as much as when the gargoyle comes roaring to life and saves her life. Life as Fil knows it will never be the same again.
Spar is awoken unexpectedly from his slumber, but doesn’t know why, as only one of the seven demons of the Dark rising should bring his Warden to him to make him rise. A Warden who is also not around. But finding a beautiful woman being attacked by one of the Dark ones cultist brings out a protective streak in him he didn’t know he had. Rescuing the feisty woman, he can’t help but know their lives are inexplicably tied together. But as one of the seven Guardians of the earth created to vanquish the Darkness, Spar doesn’t have time for love. Though Fil being marked for the demon brings the unlikely couple closer and they must work together, find the cultist and stop them from raising the seven demons, before it’s too late.

FTC Advisory: St. Martin's Paperbacks through Net Galley provided me with a copy of Stone Cold Lover by Christine Warren. Published through St. Martin's Paperbacks. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Profile Image for Tory Michaels.
Author 4 books79 followers
September 11, 2014
I absolutely couldn't WAIT to read this book (yet, as usual, I dilly-dallied on writing the review). This is the second book in Christine Warren's gargoyle series and it was even better than the first.

Fil's fascination with the gargoyle statue she found at her old friend Ella's request (in the first book) seems bizarre, even for her as an art restorer...and that's before the statue comes to life, introducing her to a whole new world of really wierd things. Add onto that, moments after the statue wakes up, someone bombs the local and she and Mr. Gargoyle barely escape with their lives.

Spar doesn't quite know what to make of the independent little human woman who wakes him up. All he knows is she isn't one of the Wardens.

The story moves quickly on without letting up. There are new characters introduced (heroine for book 3, I assume, in the form of the witch Fel calls in to help) and old (Ella and her gargoyle from book 1). The threat posed by The Darkness and the major demons is growing at a rapid pace.

I found some of this story to be sad and poignant when Fel loses a friend, and gripping as Spar races to rescue Fel from the big bad. I loved the world building and how Ms. Warren carefully layers in the growing threat without overwhelming you. It's a careful balancing act and one Ms. Warren excels at.

Finally, given this is a romance it has to be mentioned, there is the romance between Spar and Fel. Yum. I want a gargoyle of my very own, thanks to Spar. I loved how Spar kept trying to protect/control Fel because that's what he's more or less known to do his entire existence, and how Fel didn't let him wrap her in cotton and keep her from all danger. And let's not forget the sex. Wowser.

Fantabulous book. It's part of series, but you don't really have to have read the first to get the gist of this one (though it's awesome in its own right).

Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Josette Reuel.
Author 111 books380 followers
October 9, 2014
Stone Cold Lover brings us to Guardian (they don't like being called gargoyles) number two. He has been located in the city where the heroine, Ella, from book one's friend lives. Ella asks Fil to check on the statue that could possibly be another guardian and in the process brings Fil into the world of the Warden's and the Guardians. My opinion is that this second book brings us further along in this new book world and some of the details are fleshed out and become more solid.

Mush like Heart of Stone, Stone Cold Lover does have a few minor errors, missing letters in words (ex. aching for arching, no for not), but these errors did not keep me from totally enjoying this second book in the Gargoyles series.

Stone Cold Lover is an amazing story. This unique world created by Christine warren has caught my attention for the long haul. I hope there are books for all seven of the Guardians. Christine provides us with another hero and heroine that are relatable and addictive. Fil is a stronger personality than Ella from book one - independent, tired of loss, and on her own path. Spar dumps her on her head and twists the facts as he works to get her to fall in love with him and strives to protect her from all harm.

I feel that this book is a must read for all PNR lovers.
Profile Image for Jewlsbookblog.
2,203 reviews74 followers
August 24, 2017
I like the premise of the series, good vs. evil and all that jazz. The twist with Gargoyles gives a fun mix of fantasy to the storyline. I love the Gargoyles/Guardians and their off-beat humor and desire to protect. These guys are hard not to like! However, I'm struggling with the heroines! They're too snarky for me ( I can't believe I'm saying this) and their mouthiness gets.. well..exhausting. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the turn of events and look forward to seeing what happens in the next installment.
Profile Image for Lizzie.
897 reviews57 followers
October 15, 2014
oh for once, a fresh review. i just finished this book. and it was everything i hoped it would be.and more. I am a confessed #stonelover, so this book is just my type. It was a lot of fun reading this book. It sort of went like a hurricane, spinning slowly, out of control. With Spar as the center, Fil had no choice. And trust, she fought it kicking and screaming. This was well worth the wait. #lovedit
Profile Image for Jill.
488 reviews3 followers
December 19, 2014
Enjoyed this one almost as much as the first one of the series! Fil is a strong independent woman who doesn't need a man to lean on, but doesn't mind leaning just a bit on her Guardian, Spar. Hubba hubba. I'm really enjoying this series and the world of Light and Dark and their roles in the fight. Would recommend series for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance.
Profile Image for Cindi.
1,081 reviews46 followers
April 15, 2015
Lots of fun reading about sexy gargoyles... The newest paranormal hero? Great series, and a smart author to bring back the H/h from her 1st book. Anxious to read about the witch-about-to-be-Warden, Wynn, whose book has gotta be next up.
Profile Image for Paraphrodite.
2,653 reviews51 followers
August 28, 2015
I really liked Fil's snarky personality and courageous nature. The Rocky/stone boy nicknames are so funny. A much more fun read than the first book.
Profile Image for Jill James.
Author 32 books96 followers
Read
May 8, 2016
I wish there were more than four books in this series!! I'm loving the whole world-building and the uber-hot gargoyles!!
Profile Image for DelAnne Frazee.
2,027 reviews25 followers
September 9, 2017
Title: Stone Cold Lover - A Beauty and Beast Novel - Gargoyles Series Book 2
Author: Christine Warren
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 8-26-2014
Pages: 332
Genre: Romance
Sub-Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Paranormal, Gargoyles, Erotic Romance, Gothic
ISBN: 9781250012661
ASIN: B00IHCYVTO
Reviewed For NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars


Art restorer Felicity “Fil” Shaltis can read the magic in auras, but her fascination with a valuable statue she’s asked to locate is magical in an entirely different way. Drawn to the stone beast in a way that mystifies even her, it’s all Fil can do to keep from being enraptured by the creature’s stone form. At least, until the fierce gargoyle statue comes to life as a powerful, and powerfully hot, immortal warrior …

Spar had no intention of waking unless one of the seven demons of the Dark pushed him to leave his isolation. But when a stunning, innocent woman finds herself marked by the demon, Spar is instantly drawn to her, will do anything to save her.

With a looming threat to humanity on the rise, Spar has no time to fall for the woman who’s pure beauty commands his soul. But even the most fearsome beast of all doesn’t get to choose who steals his heart…

Don't miss the other books in the Gargoyle series:
Book #1: Heart of Stone
Book #3: Hard as a Rock
Book #4: Rocked by Love
Book #5: Hard to Handle

Take one hot gargyle gardian and on stunned art restorer, mix them together and you have one hot paranormal romance to schorch your eyes with. Felicity is calm, cool and collected until she happens on Spar, then its her intellect ang heart that fights to accept and win the heart of this ancient warrior of times gone by. Spar has done his time in battle and only the attraction to this beauty in peril will draw him from his slumber. Fast paced, Fun read.


My rating of "Stone Cold Lover - A Beauty and Beast Novel - Gargoyles Series Book 2" is 4.5 out of 5 stars.


Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IHCYVTO/...

B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ston...

Books-A-Million Link: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Stone-...

Google Play Link: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...

Indigo Link: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/...

Kobo Link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ston...

GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
Profile Image for D..
70 reviews
July 9, 2018
**3 1/2 Stars

After over a year, I decided to jump back into the world of Gargoyles.

This is the 2nd installment to the Gargoyles series which takes place right after the first. A fast moving stories filled with dark evil, minions, demons, etc. The heroine, Felicity (Fil) was first introduced in the first book. An art restoration expert living in Montreal, Canada and sorority sister of Ella (1st book). In this story, similar to the first, another Guardian (Gargoyle) has been awakened without the aid of the Warden, but the presence of Fil.

Fil was assisting Ella locate another sleeping Guardian. When she had finally discovered the statue of the said Guardian/Gargoyle, an attempt by a nocturnis member had plans to blow it up. Caught and trapped in the same room with the Guardian, Fil had been cursed - left with a mark on her palm.

Guardian Spar has been awakened but there was no Warden in sight, but a female human who possessed a form of magic - energy sight. After rescuing Fil and learning that another Guardian had been awaken, the two are forced together to find what exactly the meaning of the mark/curse on Fil's hand. Like all Guardians, Spar's instinct is to protect the human world, but in this case, his protectiveness will go beyond for his little human.

This was another fast-paced book with a sassy heroine and Alpha hero. The instant attraction between the two characters is a given. They go through the story without actually revealing their emotions which causes the hot/cold interactions throughout the story.

A good read which kept this reader entertained.

Profile Image for Emma.
461 reviews54 followers
March 15, 2019
Now that ive read the second book i can tell this series is going to be pretty rinse and repeat which i mean im not mad at and sometimes i need the rom com/ fairytale formula now this wasnt exactly that either but yeah it does get old fast. I enjoyed the book enough it gets a star for originality i love 'shifters' i love mates stories in general and this is a twist on both since they are 'gargoyles' and their mate connection isnt potrayed the same as shifters which for me is downside but yeah anyway decent enough i wish the smut side was better i mean i get the story is important too and the story is part of the series plot not individual as youd expect but i dont read these stories to satisfy my intellectual side. Lol. If im looking at a fantasy romance with mates thats basically gonna be insta everything i expect more couple stuff more romance or higher quality longer scenes. Ill probably finish the series but for now im taking a break for reverse harem maybe some alien something smuttier and less murdery evil crime solving stuff.
Profile Image for Heather.
2,670 reviews19 followers
June 26, 2023
A prominent art restorer, Felicity is more than game to help a friend track down an obscure statue in Montreal. But when "Fil" finds it, she’s taken by surprise at how drawn she is to this statue. Attracted to it in a way a girl shouldn’t lust for a stone gargoyle, she revists it at night, longing to feel its embrace. Little does Fil know, her desire for this stone cold beast is about to heat up a notch.
Locked in stone for centuries, Spar has slept, waiting for when a human would need him. When he is awoken, Spar is taken aback to find that a human female needs his help. A very sexy woman who’s about to be the victim of a cultist attack. Saving and leaving her should be no problem. But as more questions arise, Spar knows that he cannot rest until Fil is safe in his arms

Heather's Notes
So I liked this story, but boy did "Fil" get on my nerves. I hate the lack of communication plot, and this one had it in spades. It really took away from the enjoyment of the book. The action however made up for it. I will probably read the next one as well.
Profile Image for Malinda.
1,185 reviews57 followers
May 29, 2025
Main Characters:
Felicity Shaltis & Spar

Review:
I'm really enjoying this series. Not quite as good as the first book. Spar was enjoyable but just not as interesting as Kees. Fil, as the human, in the relationship should know the importance of communication!

Tropes:
-Age Gap
-Bodyguard
-Canada
-Demons
-Gargoyle
-Magic
-Monsters
-Shifters
-Smut

Quotes:
"I will not leave it alone. You behave irrationally. Last night you lay in my arms and held me close to you as you slept, but now you act as if I have committed some great evil against you. If I have done something that upsets you, I deserve the chance to make it right. Since I can think of nothing of the sort, I require you to explain it to me so that I can apologize for my actions.”

"If you give yourself to me, I will not be able to let you go.”
Profile Image for Taylyn.
288 reviews
December 28, 2022

Pretty good romance

But please in real relationships remember to communicate!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the Canadian locations because I actually know where things are and can imagine the terrain.

Character types/tropes: Paranormal romance, Protector romance

Will read again when I get the full series I am ordering the next one tonight

7.5/10

4/5 stars
Profile Image for Neveth.
95 reviews6 followers
June 16, 2017
I wasn't a big fan of Spar's alpha male "cannot let her have any agency must protect" schtick, but the world building is fun enough. I will probably check out the others in the series to see if they're better about that.
Profile Image for Jennifer, Just beyond normal ♑.
470 reviews
July 21, 2017
Great book, she seems to be building up the dangers and such in each book. I am glad they finally got the two guardians together there at the end. I didn't quite like the ending, but it didn't take away from the story too much. Looking forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.