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The Rousing
When unwelcome stranger Jack Pembroke arrives in Darcy McShane’s rural coastal village, the last thing she anticipates is falling for him, but a deadly storm, a night of unrestrained passion and the rousing of an ancient Irish myth conspire to change her life irrevocably.
From the authors of The Becoming Trilogy, The Rousing is an adult romance novella, set on the wild coast of Southern Ireland. The story blends mystery and eroticism with a paranormal twist on an ancient Celtic vampire legend said to have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Due to graphic scenes of sex and violence, The Rousing is recommended to an 18+ readership.
From the authors of The Becoming Trilogy, The Rousing is an adult romance novella, set on the wild coast of Southern Ireland. The story blends mystery and eroticism with a paranormal twist on an ancient Celtic vampire legend said to have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Due to graphic scenes of sex and violence, The Rousing is recommended to an 18+ readership.
143 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2014
70 people are currently reading
990 people want to read
About the author
Paula Black
7 books133 followersI am Paula Black, one half of the writing duo Jess Raven and Paula Black, authors of The Becoming Novels, a paranormal romance series set in Dublin Ireland.
Books one, Becoming Red, two, Becoming Bad, and three, Becoming Blood, are available now on Amazon in kindle and Paperback formats and on Smashwords is other ebook formats.
Books one, Becoming Red, two, Becoming Bad, and three, Becoming Blood, are available now on Amazon in kindle and Paperback formats and on Smashwords is other ebook formats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 17, 2020
Nice little twist on the Vampire myth!
Irish Vampire legend of A woman, Dearg Due who has some sort of curse against the Pembroke Men. Her grave is on the Pembroke estate. When old Mrs Pembroke dies, Darcy is the Estate agent and Jack Pembroke returns home for the first time since he was six years old. His Mother kept him away from home saying she never wanted him to return.
That is the premise of their story, of course a terrible storm hits town while Darcy and Jack are at the Mansion. The two of them get closer while Dearg Due is after Jack and other men of the town. There are other strange things are going on as well.
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“There was more I didn’t tell Jack Pembroke. Like how I’d come home early from the hospital one afternoon and found Alec in bed with my roommate, Sally. At least I’d only got a broken heart. He’d got a killer dose of herpes from Sally, and God help me, but the bitter and twisted part of me hoped it flared up on his wedding day.”
Irish Vampire legend of A woman, Dearg Due who has some sort of curse against the Pembroke Men. Her grave is on the Pembroke estate. When old Mrs Pembroke dies, Darcy is the Estate agent and Jack Pembroke returns home for the first time since he was six years old. His Mother kept him away from home saying she never wanted him to return.
That is the premise of their story, of course a terrible storm hits town while Darcy and Jack are at the Mansion. The two of them get closer while Dearg Due is after Jack and other men of the town. There are other strange things are going on as well.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
January 5, 2015
Great novella from the authors of The Becoming Trilogy! This is a stand alone short story that is a good choice if you're looking for a bit of paranormal/erotica to fill up a couple of hours of reading time. Well written, engaging and takes place in a wild and stormy setting off the coast of Ireland.
Darcy and Jack create some pretty good steam together! The mystery surrounding the Irish myth kept me guessing. And, I like it when we get a taste of the old fashioned nasty vampires. You know, the ones that don't sparkle! :)
I won't elaborate too much on the plot since this is a short story and I don't want to give too much away. My only negative was that I was left wanting more... especially with the surprise twisty ending. But, novellas are supposed to be just a taste of a story and this did the trick.
I received an ARC from the authors in exchange for a review!
www.ktbookreviews.com
Darcy and Jack create some pretty good steam together! The mystery surrounding the Irish myth kept me guessing. And, I like it when we get a taste of the old fashioned nasty vampires. You know, the ones that don't sparkle! :)
I won't elaborate too much on the plot since this is a short story and I don't want to give too much away. My only negative was that I was left wanting more... especially with the surprise twisty ending. But, novellas are supposed to be just a taste of a story and this did the trick.
I received an ARC from the authors in exchange for a review!
www.ktbookreviews.com
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November 15, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon U.S. today (11/15/2019)! 🎁
January 12, 2015
Before I get too far ahead of myself with this review, enjoy a reaction gif:
Now that that's out of the way, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I haven't read anything from the author before, but I was lucky enough to find an advertisement for a free copy on my Facebook dashboard. I'm so happy that someone decided to spread the word, because I never would've found it otherwise.
The writing itself was spectacular. I found it easy to slip inside the story, and the styling made it a really quick read. All the characters were likable in their own way, and I think this is a really good teaser for the novel that follows. I look forward to jumping back into this world soon. Irish vampire mythology isn't something that I read about a lot, but now my interest has been piqued, and I think about the whole point of a good book.
The only downside for me was the ending. I think the "love" happened too quickly, and I would've been happy with a HFN ending rather than a HEA, but that's just a personal preference. All that aside, I highly recommend this novella for its strong writing, excellent characterization, interesting mythology, and not so over-the-top smut.
Anyone who loves paranormal romance should definitely check it out!
Now that that's out of the way, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I haven't read anything from the author before, but I was lucky enough to find an advertisement for a free copy on my Facebook dashboard. I'm so happy that someone decided to spread the word, because I never would've found it otherwise.
The writing itself was spectacular. I found it easy to slip inside the story, and the styling made it a really quick read. All the characters were likable in their own way, and I think this is a really good teaser for the novel that follows. I look forward to jumping back into this world soon. Irish vampire mythology isn't something that I read about a lot, but now my interest has been piqued, and I think about the whole point of a good book.
The only downside for me was the ending. I think the "love" happened too quickly, and I would've been happy with a HFN ending rather than a HEA, but that's just a personal preference. All that aside, I highly recommend this novella for its strong writing, excellent characterization, interesting mythology, and not so over-the-top smut.
Anyone who loves paranormal romance should definitely check it out!
April 16, 2014
I was given this book by the Authors for an honest review........
Wow!!! Raven & Black sure know how to write a great story...even a novella! I wasn't sure how this would go but even for a novella these ladies do a great job! Most novellas that I've read are usually short on details because you only have so much that can be included, but this one is a jewel!
If you love anything about Irish Myths then these ladies are a must read for you. I love how everything just flows in their books.
The story follows Darcy who is a real estate agent in Ireland, she works with her brother Liam. One of the residents has died and her property is going up for sale. Darcy & her brother are the agents in charge of getting everything setup for the sale. When she gets out to the property the buyer/seller is already there and she is surprised to find that it's an American. Jack Pembroke, a publisher from New York. To say that sparks fly between them is just the beginning, but things become quite heated!!!!
So go grab your copy of this amazing story. And if you haven't read their previous series Becoming then you are really missing out!!!!!
Thanks ladies for a wonderful story!!!!!!!
Wow!!! Raven & Black sure know how to write a great story...even a novella! I wasn't sure how this would go but even for a novella these ladies do a great job! Most novellas that I've read are usually short on details because you only have so much that can be included, but this one is a jewel!
If you love anything about Irish Myths then these ladies are a must read for you. I love how everything just flows in their books.
The story follows Darcy who is a real estate agent in Ireland, she works with her brother Liam. One of the residents has died and her property is going up for sale. Darcy & her brother are the agents in charge of getting everything setup for the sale. When she gets out to the property the buyer/seller is already there and she is surprised to find that it's an American. Jack Pembroke, a publisher from New York. To say that sparks fly between them is just the beginning, but things become quite heated!!!!
So go grab your copy of this amazing story. And if you haven't read their previous series Becoming then you are really missing out!!!!!
Thanks ladies for a wonderful story!!!!!!!
March 31, 2023
You can read my novella review of The Rousing on my blog, here: https://thepaperworlds.blogspot.com/2....
This review contains spoilers! The Rousing is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.
A big shout out once again to the free romance section on iBooks -- you may let me down sometimes, but man do you deliver on occasion. Darcy lives in a coastal village in Ireland with her twin brother, Liam, and when stranger Jack comes to town on inheritance business, Darcy is not prepared for what is to come. Thrust together after a number of unfortunate circumstances, they must both begin to face reality and the supernatural together.
We only get Darcy's point of view in this story, and I wish we got a glimpse of what it was like in Jack's mind as they continued to get to know each other as the story unfolded. Based on the summary for the novella, I was expecting the story to go in a different direction, and once I realized we were not headed where I thought we were, I was a little disappointed. I was expecting some form of modern day Sanditon meets Dark Shadows, but was left a tad unsatisfied.
If you are expecting Jack to saunter in as a dark and brooding vampire, you will be disappointed -- but not for longer. Darcy does have common sense (yay!) and her character is enjoyable to follow as she learns more about Jack and the supernatural lore surrounding their village. The pacing of the book definitely allows you to read it quickly -- it does not drag on and the plot moves fast, and so do the smut scenes. We get a pretty decent scene between Darcy and Jack after only a few chapters, and I loved the way that they incorporated the lore of the town and what Jack does for business. The foreplay was fun and overall it was a great scene that definitely leaves the reader wanting more.
Darcy basically feels this insta-love for Jack, and honestly, who can blame her. He's tall and handsome, and a long-lost childhood friend who has finally returned after his mother's death. Just my type. They both have this banter going on between them before the tension really picks up, and you find yourself rooting for their relationship even though they have only just "met" a few hours prior.
For some reason, this is yet another book where the relationship between twin siblings is very much on the edge of incestuous infatuation, and I cannot go on any longer if this keeps happening. Liam and Darcy are way too involved in each other's lives, and yes, their mother passed away and their father is slowing disappearing before their eyes, but surely they have got to have some friends to get support from.
I found myself really enjoying Jack's character, and once again wish that we were able to have at least one chapter in his perspective. If you are looking for a quick and mildly steamy read, this is definitely the book for you, and will make you want to read even more of Black and Raven's works.
You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads (maddymartinelli), Instagram (@thepaperworlds), Twitter (@thepaperworlds), and following this blog in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!
January 21, 2025
Celtic vampires
I don't usually read vampire stories. They just never interested me. But I love Ireland and Celtic folklore so I was intrigued enough to give this a try. It was well written, the plot nicely worked out and nice characterization. I enjoyed the story as much as we could have, and would read more from this author.
I don't usually read vampire stories. They just never interested me. But I love Ireland and Celtic folklore so I was intrigued enough to give this a try. It was well written, the plot nicely worked out and nice characterization. I enjoyed the story as much as we could have, and would read more from this author.
November 3, 2020
I found this book to be on the edge good
The book is on the edge of your seat good. It leaves you wanting more. Jack is an excellent character and she brings him to life and the undead so vividly.
The book is on the edge of your seat good. It leaves you wanting more. Jack is an excellent character and she brings him to life and the undead so vividly.
November 7, 2022
Cursed
Darcy and her twin brother run a real estate company, that belonged to their father. The estate of Bronach was suppose to be cursed by Dearg Due. And the new owner wanted to sale. But then things took a turn.
Darcy and her twin brother run a real estate company, that belonged to their father. The estate of Bronach was suppose to be cursed by Dearg Due. And the new owner wanted to sale. But then things took a turn.
July 20, 2020
Loved it!!!
Wow! Great Celtic magic/vampire read! Loved it!!! I couldn't put it down! Can't wait to read more by this authir!
Wow! Great Celtic magic/vampire read! Loved it!!! I couldn't put it down! Can't wait to read more by this authir!
November 9, 2020
Refreshing
This book was slow getting my attention but oh what an ending. I am looking forward to reading more of this author.
This book was slow getting my attention but oh what an ending. I am looking forward to reading more of this author.
March 14, 2017
Ok so I've read the trilogy years ago and the "prequel" really didn't do it justice according to my review of the trilogy. Somewhat cheesy, some Irish "folklore", romance, vamps, but just a weird little read. Maybe I'll go back and read the trilogy, maybe it wasn't as great as I thought it was after reading the prequel. Very little descriptors of Ireland no real secondary character build ups and just insta lust/love in again a weird somewhat disjointed kind of way. Free read
July 26, 2016
I don't often read novellas or short stories as I tend to find they can be somewhat unsatisfying. It's almost as if they're a sort of literary hors d'oeuvres. Fun to nibble on, but they leave you feeling a bit empty. However, this was a freebie on Amazon, so I figured, what the heck.
This novella was very well written, and although the characters had insufficient pages to become fully developed, they certainly weren't cardboard cutouts. Likewise, the narrative was enough the paint broad strokes of the settings and folklore. Add in a couple of fairly explicit MF sex scenes (with perhaps a hint of instalust) and some setup for taking the characters further in future books without leaving the reader dangling off a cliff, and this was a fast-to-read story that held my attention over a couple of evenings. Would this have worked better with more content as a full-length novel? I'm not honestly sure it would. It didn't feel overly rushed, although perhaps the romance side would have been more tantalising if it had built up more slowly, and while I would have liked to learn more about the Dearg Due, there was enough there to fulfill the story arc.
This novella was very well written, and although the characters had insufficient pages to become fully developed, they certainly weren't cardboard cutouts. Likewise, the narrative was enough the paint broad strokes of the settings and folklore. Add in a couple of fairly explicit MF sex scenes (with perhaps a hint of instalust) and some setup for taking the characters further in future books without leaving the reader dangling off a cliff, and this was a fast-to-read story that held my attention over a couple of evenings. Would this have worked better with more content as a full-length novel? I'm not honestly sure it would. It didn't feel overly rushed, although perhaps the romance side would have been more tantalising if it had built up more slowly, and while I would have liked to learn more about the Dearg Due, there was enough there to fulfill the story arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2016
A Full Book.....
...as far as the story goes, but it could have been much longer! I can only imagine that "The Summoning", a continuation of "The Rousing", but focusing on Darcy's brother will tell more of Darcy and Jack's story. I am going to start reading it right now. I do wonder if the authors plan on continuing with these characters, making it a series, or trilogy even?
I hope so, the premise is quite interesting. They could perhaps find a way to settle the score with the girl who became a monster, for her to pass over.
Interested in seeing how the authors continue the story!
...as far as the story goes, but it could have been much longer! I can only imagine that "The Summoning", a continuation of "The Rousing", but focusing on Darcy's brother will tell more of Darcy and Jack's story. I am going to start reading it right now. I do wonder if the authors plan on continuing with these characters, making it a series, or trilogy even?
I hope so, the premise is quite interesting. They could perhaps find a way to settle the score with the girl who became a monster, for her to pass over.
Interested in seeing how the authors continue the story!
April 4, 2015
Vampire with a vengeance
It was okay. I never read a book with vampires never, so gave it a try. Still not my cup of tea.
Darcy is turning bitter because if her past. Then her brother Liam, tells her live it up. Then she meets a mysterious woman, who will reappear later.
Darcy goes to talk to a new home owner and what they want to do with house. Her and Jack have the hots for each other right away. Due to a bad storm, they give in. But, then that woman shows up and all things go badly.
It was okay. I never read a book with vampires never, so gave it a try. Still not my cup of tea.
Darcy is turning bitter because if her past. Then her brother Liam, tells her live it up. Then she meets a mysterious woman, who will reappear later.
Darcy goes to talk to a new home owner and what they want to do with house. Her and Jack have the hots for each other right away. Due to a bad storm, they give in. But, then that woman shows up and all things go badly.
October 22, 2014
I am so not a sci-fi book reader but I have to say this was pretty good for a short story.
The story is a sci-fi, sexual romance. I could see this as a series and this being an episode. Not sure how it ended up in my collection - if someone suggested it or if it was a free one from amazon but I am glad I read it.
The story is a sci-fi, sexual romance. I could see this as a series and this being an episode. Not sure how it ended up in my collection - if someone suggested it or if it was a free one from amazon but I am glad I read it.
August 24, 2016
The story itself was ok. Estranged son comes back after his mothers death to a home tied to a lot of local folklore. Jaded real estate agent goes to look at the house and gets entangled in sed folklore. The biggest issue I had were the sexy scenes...some of the wording used just made it incredibly unsexy and seeing as how these were big sections of the story I just couldn't get past it.
January 5, 2015
Surprisingly good novella
Black deftly and economically embues the characters with three-dimensional personalities in this steamy novella which hurtles at breakneck pace and concludes with the promise of an HEA. Yes, it's a case of instalust, but it's well written.
Black deftly and economically embues the characters with three-dimensional personalities in this steamy novella which hurtles at breakneck pace and concludes with the promise of an HEA. Yes, it's a case of instalust, but it's well written.
August 26, 2015
This is my first book by Paula Black and it most definitely will not be my last. It's a very well written story. The characters were very well developed and you couldn't help but feel connected to the characters.
July 11, 2016
Novella so of course everything happens faster. I would have liked to known Jack better, interesting character but really could have been so much more. Story was predictable but enjoyable I'll get the second book.
June 27, 2016
Strange
This was definitely a strange prequel to a paranormal series. I'm wondering how they became vampires I mean in the logical sense. Can they have babies? Wow Darcy really came out on top.
This was definitely a strange prequel to a paranormal series. I'm wondering how they became vampires I mean in the logical sense. Can they have babies? Wow Darcy really came out on top.
May 20, 2014
Great novella from these two authors and dying for more. They know how to mix Irish legend with a rousing storyline, he he. Keep up the good work :)
Want to read
May 17, 2015Free on amazon 5/17/15
July 11, 2014
wow... this novella was surprisingly witty, engaging, gripping, steamy hot, and creepy. It was worth my time and more than I paid!
Want to read
January 4, 2015Free 01-04-15 (PNR: Vampires)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Rousing-Cel...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Rousing-Cel...
January 28, 2015
Abrupt and too fast. Needed more backstory and character development.
February 22, 2015
The rousing
The rousing is a great read it's a little crazy but a real page turner all the same a must read
The rousing is a great read it's a little crazy but a real page turner all the same a must read
March 14, 2015
It was good
The story was short, but good. Maybe a few more details about some of the characters would be nice to have. It was good.
The story was short, but good. Maybe a few more details about some of the characters would be nice to have. It was good.
May 30, 2015
seems like young adults book
June 29, 2015
A Rousing review
This book was pretty good although I felt that they could've developed the story more if they gave more details on the folklore about the house she was selling.
This book was pretty good although I felt that they could've developed the story more if they gave more details on the folklore about the house she was selling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews