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Touched
When inquisitive antique dealer Cami Wilson learns she’s the revered offspring of an immortal mother and a mortal father, it’s not just her hybrid status that has her all flustered. The title comes with her very own super-sexy guardian.
Jaded immortal Joseph Carlisle has only one thing on his mind; his sworn duty to protect the hybrid from those who wish her harm. Anything else would be complicated. That is until they meet.
Chemistry sizzles between them but there’s a problem—the hybrid's curse. Cami’s touch, skin to skin, proves near fatal to her and all immortals, Joseph included.
But the fated lovers discover her curse is the least of their concerns when a friend's deadly betrayal threatens to tear them apart forever.
Jaded immortal Joseph Carlisle has only one thing on his mind; his sworn duty to protect the hybrid from those who wish her harm. Anything else would be complicated. That is until they meet.
Chemistry sizzles between them but there’s a problem—the hybrid's curse. Cami’s touch, skin to skin, proves near fatal to her and all immortals, Joseph included.
But the fated lovers discover her curse is the least of their concerns when a friend's deadly betrayal threatens to tear them apart forever.
- GenresRomance
ebook
First published July 13, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2017
‘Touched’ is a romantic fantasy novel by British author, Abbey MacMunn.
MacMunn blends the outlandish with the ordinary throughout her book, along with smatterings of humour and irony. We first meet Cami, the main protagonist, enmeshed in a perilous situation. There are men with swords pursuing her in Morrisons and further into the story we are introduced to an immortal gay hairdresser, who we only meet after the main characters have found a parking space outside his salon in the rush hour in Southampton.
We see much of the story through the eyes of Cami but occasionally we glimpse an alternative perspective with insights from Joseph, her supernatural guardian and love interest.
MacMunn sometimes uses topical references and products to make her points, which may or may not stand the test of time; I suspect that she’s fine with the iconic moment when Madonna fell off stage but will an international audience know what a Tic Tac is?
The danger with the technique of dropping us directly into an action scene on page one, is that we can’t empathise with the characters at that stage. In this case, MacMunn strikes a reasonable balance between excitement and interest, giving just enough background in the first chapters for us to care about Cami. However I would have liked far more explanation as to how and why the Carlisle brothers became immortal.
Cami’s experiences were at times mind-blowing and she took an awful lot in her stride in a short space of time. She seemed to have no adjustment issues with accepting she was ‘the Hybrid’. However, from the author’s point-of-view, I can understand that to have delved deeply into Cami’s psyche would have interrupted the flow of the story and I was pleased that MacMunn managed to keep the structure reasonably tight.
I found some of the dialogue a little incongruous. Immortal beings using endearments such as ‘babe’ and ‘hun’ somehow diluted the scenes. However, the descriptive passages were vivid and I enjoyed the sights and smells that were evoked on a tour inside the manor house.
In essence, this is a love story set against a backdrop of the age old struggle between good and evil. The title suggested the main players’ desire for each other would be paramount but I could have survived without the graphic bits and would have preferred an emphasis on the tender rather than the tactile.
If you enjoy romantic, slightly raunchy novels with a large helping of the paranormal, you should suspend reality and settle down on the sofa with this book.
‘Touched’ is a light-heated read with a few new twists on a tried and tested formula and I look forward to finding out more about Cami and Joseph et al. I was torn between three-and-a-half and four stars, as I had a few reservations as noted above. However as there were far more positives than negatives and this book maintained my interest all the way through, I’m plumping for the higher rating.
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
MacMunn blends the outlandish with the ordinary throughout her book, along with smatterings of humour and irony. We first meet Cami, the main protagonist, enmeshed in a perilous situation. There are men with swords pursuing her in Morrisons and further into the story we are introduced to an immortal gay hairdresser, who we only meet after the main characters have found a parking space outside his salon in the rush hour in Southampton.
We see much of the story through the eyes of Cami but occasionally we glimpse an alternative perspective with insights from Joseph, her supernatural guardian and love interest.
MacMunn sometimes uses topical references and products to make her points, which may or may not stand the test of time; I suspect that she’s fine with the iconic moment when Madonna fell off stage but will an international audience know what a Tic Tac is?
The danger with the technique of dropping us directly into an action scene on page one, is that we can’t empathise with the characters at that stage. In this case, MacMunn strikes a reasonable balance between excitement and interest, giving just enough background in the first chapters for us to care about Cami. However I would have liked far more explanation as to how and why the Carlisle brothers became immortal.
Cami’s experiences were at times mind-blowing and she took an awful lot in her stride in a short space of time. She seemed to have no adjustment issues with accepting she was ‘the Hybrid’. However, from the author’s point-of-view, I can understand that to have delved deeply into Cami’s psyche would have interrupted the flow of the story and I was pleased that MacMunn managed to keep the structure reasonably tight.
I found some of the dialogue a little incongruous. Immortal beings using endearments such as ‘babe’ and ‘hun’ somehow diluted the scenes. However, the descriptive passages were vivid and I enjoyed the sights and smells that were evoked on a tour inside the manor house.
In essence, this is a love story set against a backdrop of the age old struggle between good and evil. The title suggested the main players’ desire for each other would be paramount but I could have survived without the graphic bits and would have preferred an emphasis on the tender rather than the tactile.
If you enjoy romantic, slightly raunchy novels with a large helping of the paranormal, you should suspend reality and settle down on the sofa with this book.
‘Touched’ is a light-heated read with a few new twists on a tried and tested formula and I look forward to finding out more about Cami and Joseph et al. I was torn between three-and-a-half and four stars, as I had a few reservations as noted above. However as there were far more positives than negatives and this book maintained my interest all the way through, I’m plumping for the higher rating.
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
October 17, 2017
If you love paranormal romance, you'll love this book! MacMunn is a gifted writer who blends dramatic tension with complex characters. Plenty of action and romance. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5+ stars
My Rating: 5+ stars
dnf
November 12, 2019DNF At 6%
I'm currently cleaning out my shelves and I think it's finally time to put this one in the DNF pile. I'm sure this is just a mood I'm in (Hello, I'm a mood reader! Nice to meet you!), but this novel is grinding every single one of my nerves. The first thing that's driving me up the metaphorical wall is all the British slang that keeps putting me out of the book. I'm fluent in American English (and I don't care much for the slang all the teens say either). I'm that old person in their early twenties who needs the urban dictionary while talking to a teenager or asking what that means every other sentence. Secondly, I dislike how pushy and judge-y the heroine is. There's a point in the novel that she's judging one of the guys for not liking the hug she forced on him and how sullen he looks. 1) It's called wanting personal space and considering you've known him an hour tops, at this point, just leave him alone. 2) Resting B*tch Face. Have you not heard of it? A lot of us suffer with it. It's perfectly normal. I don't know if I'll ever get back to this. We'll see!
I'm currently cleaning out my shelves and I think it's finally time to put this one in the DNF pile. I'm sure this is just a mood I'm in (Hello, I'm a mood reader! Nice to meet you!), but this novel is grinding every single one of my nerves. The first thing that's driving me up the metaphorical wall is all the British slang that keeps putting me out of the book. I'm fluent in American English (and I don't care much for the slang all the teens say either). I'm that old person in their early twenties who needs the urban dictionary while talking to a teenager or asking what that means every other sentence. Secondly, I dislike how pushy and judge-y the heroine is. There's a point in the novel that she's judging one of the guys for not liking the hug she forced on him and how sullen he looks. 1) It's called wanting personal space and considering you've known him an hour tops, at this point, just leave him alone. 2) Resting B*tch Face. Have you not heard of it? A lot of us suffer with it. It's perfectly normal. I don't know if I'll ever get back to this. We'll see!
July 13, 2016
Cami has been living with Nana ever since her adoptive parents died in a car crash. Her mother wrote her a letter which was given to Cami together with a box after they died. In this box is an antique brooch that once belonged to her birth mother. The gem in this brooch is exactly the same color as Cami's eyes. Cami is on her way to find out more about the brooch when her car blows up and she is rescued by the most gorgeous man she has ever seen.
Joseph and Daniel are brothers. They are also immortal. On the day that Cami was born a tattoo of the brooch appeared on their body marking them as her guards. Joseph isn't happy about being called back to duty. Ever since his wife died he is leading a secluded life. When Joseph meets Cami he can’t deny the immediate attraction he feels towards her.
Cami lives in a small city and doesn’t think of herself as anything out of the ordinary. Now that she has met Joseph and Daniel she finds out she is more special than she thought. Cami's birth parents are an immortal mother and a mortal father. This makes Cami a hybrid. An immortal isn't supposed to be able to conceive a child, so this makes Cami truly exceptional.
Every immortal and even some guards have special abilities. This can be shape shifting, exceptional hearing and many other things. Cami can see how immortals died by touching their bodies. Because of this power a lot of people don't want her to live.
Joseph and Daniel are both very handsome men. Where they look alike in appearances they are nothing alike on the inside. Joseph is very sweet, loving and kind and he's also a great warrior. He loved once and is afraid to open his heart again. Daniel has never truly known love. He is a player an relies on his good looks. Daniel is a people person, he's outgoing and never lost for words. I adored both of them straight away. When you are protecting the most important person on this earth who can you trust and who turns out to be an enemy? Joseph and Daniel have to work together like never before to keep Cami away from harm.
Cami has been through a lot in her young life, losing the only parents she ever knew. Cami is tough and faces everything head on. She learns a lot about her new life in a short period of time and instead of refusing to believe what she's being told, Cami asks the necessary questions, so she knows who and what she is up against. I liked her a lot and I was hoping that everything would turn out the way it was supposed to be.
Touched is a great read. I flew through the pages and finished reading it in one day. The mix of paranormal romance and family ties is exactly right. The story is fast-paced with lots of twists and turns, which definitely keeps the reader interested. If paranormal romance is your genre then you should absolutely pick up Touched.
Joseph and Daniel are brothers. They are also immortal. On the day that Cami was born a tattoo of the brooch appeared on their body marking them as her guards. Joseph isn't happy about being called back to duty. Ever since his wife died he is leading a secluded life. When Joseph meets Cami he can’t deny the immediate attraction he feels towards her.
Cami lives in a small city and doesn’t think of herself as anything out of the ordinary. Now that she has met Joseph and Daniel she finds out she is more special than she thought. Cami's birth parents are an immortal mother and a mortal father. This makes Cami a hybrid. An immortal isn't supposed to be able to conceive a child, so this makes Cami truly exceptional.
Every immortal and even some guards have special abilities. This can be shape shifting, exceptional hearing and many other things. Cami can see how immortals died by touching their bodies. Because of this power a lot of people don't want her to live.
Joseph and Daniel are both very handsome men. Where they look alike in appearances they are nothing alike on the inside. Joseph is very sweet, loving and kind and he's also a great warrior. He loved once and is afraid to open his heart again. Daniel has never truly known love. He is a player an relies on his good looks. Daniel is a people person, he's outgoing and never lost for words. I adored both of them straight away. When you are protecting the most important person on this earth who can you trust and who turns out to be an enemy? Joseph and Daniel have to work together like never before to keep Cami away from harm.
Cami has been through a lot in her young life, losing the only parents she ever knew. Cami is tough and faces everything head on. She learns a lot about her new life in a short period of time and instead of refusing to believe what she's being told, Cami asks the necessary questions, so she knows who and what she is up against. I liked her a lot and I was hoping that everything would turn out the way it was supposed to be.
Touched is a great read. I flew through the pages and finished reading it in one day. The mix of paranormal romance and family ties is exactly right. The story is fast-paced with lots of twists and turns, which definitely keeps the reader interested. If paranormal romance is your genre then you should absolutely pick up Touched.
July 25, 2016
Tickle, tickle. That was what I got. I got a tickle of paranormal. A tickle of romance. A tickle of humor. A tickle.
I enjoyed Cami. She was down to earth, literally. I found the read easy, casual. The brothers were sweet/hard, understanding/complicated, unsure/focused. They were a perfect counterpoint to each other. Immortals, guardians, half-breeds, a witch, a cat, and of course bad people (Faction), and then the Elders.
The pacing was good. The flow smooth. There were twist and turns. I got a very big smack of what, why, how, where in various different stages. I can see another book coming that would hopefully open up doors and provide more explanations to the what, why, how, and where.
**This ARC was provided via Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
I enjoyed Cami. She was down to earth, literally. I found the read easy, casual. The brothers were sweet/hard, understanding/complicated, unsure/focused. They were a perfect counterpoint to each other. Immortals, guardians, half-breeds, a witch, a cat, and of course bad people (Faction), and then the Elders.
The pacing was good. The flow smooth. There were twist and turns. I got a very big smack of what, why, how, where in various different stages. I can see another book coming that would hopefully open up doors and provide more explanations to the what, why, how, and where.
**This ARC was provided via Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
July 15, 2017
3.5/5.0
"Touched" dives into the action right from the beginning, and the fast pace never once slows down from that point.
Read full review in the 2017 July/August issue of InD'tale Magazine.
"Touched" dives into the action right from the beginning, and the fast pace never once slows down from that point.
Read full review in the 2017 July/August issue of InD'tale Magazine.
July 15, 2016
Two point five star rating.
Touched is a romance with a paranormal theme. It ticks all the boxes of a perfect romance; boy meets girl, love at first sight, reason for them not to be together, inevitable lusting after each other, hot sex and a happy ever after ending. Light easy reading for those who know what they want from this style of romance.
The paranormal theme gives you Cami Wilson, rescued from a car bomb by a devastatingly good looking Joseph Carlisle, who turns out to be an Immortal guardian, assigned to keep her safe from "The Faction", add in a fun witch, a crazy cat and a couple of baddies and the story ticks along at a reasonable pace.
However I was desperate for this book to take on it's own voice and be original to make it memorable. It's a bit light and fluffy like an effervescing chick-lit book. There were far too many eye-rolling moments which have been written a thousand times - eyes that the boy / girl can't resist, insta-love, sex in the kitchen etc There is very little depth to any of the main paranormal storyline, leaving huge questions about why the boys are immortal, why they were chosen as Cami's guardians, who chose them, why is the book set where it is, why do The Faction want Cami? Who are they? Who are they Elders? etc To take this book to the next level I yearned for deeper explanations.
I thought the dialogue needed more work too, all the main characters use upbeat, light casual language over-using f-bombs or Mate or hun in an attempt to differentiate them, whereas they all sounded the same to my reading ear, the opportunity to use the paranormal theme to create wonderful individual characters was lost. To the extent that at times I questioned if the book was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek comedy.
There are an overuse of cliché's and name dropping of products, places, films, music and musicians, these have all been created by someone else and don't make any use of the "author voice". Every person and element needs a purpose for it to be in the book to move the story forward. For instance why was a Tic Tac any more relevant than someone popping a fresh breath mint, or just a mint. Most readers know what a mint tastes like but others don't know what a Tic Tac is.
Both the romance, paranormal and chick-lit genres are heavily saturated and highly competitive, this might be the perfect read for some, just not for me.
Touched is a romance with a paranormal theme. It ticks all the boxes of a perfect romance; boy meets girl, love at first sight, reason for them not to be together, inevitable lusting after each other, hot sex and a happy ever after ending. Light easy reading for those who know what they want from this style of romance.
The paranormal theme gives you Cami Wilson, rescued from a car bomb by a devastatingly good looking Joseph Carlisle, who turns out to be an Immortal guardian, assigned to keep her safe from "The Faction", add in a fun witch, a crazy cat and a couple of baddies and the story ticks along at a reasonable pace.
However I was desperate for this book to take on it's own voice and be original to make it memorable. It's a bit light and fluffy like an effervescing chick-lit book. There were far too many eye-rolling moments which have been written a thousand times - eyes that the boy / girl can't resist, insta-love, sex in the kitchen etc There is very little depth to any of the main paranormal storyline, leaving huge questions about why the boys are immortal, why they were chosen as Cami's guardians, who chose them, why is the book set where it is, why do The Faction want Cami? Who are they? Who are they Elders? etc To take this book to the next level I yearned for deeper explanations.
I thought the dialogue needed more work too, all the main characters use upbeat, light casual language over-using f-bombs or Mate or hun in an attempt to differentiate them, whereas they all sounded the same to my reading ear, the opportunity to use the paranormal theme to create wonderful individual characters was lost. To the extent that at times I questioned if the book was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek comedy.
There are an overuse of cliché's and name dropping of products, places, films, music and musicians, these have all been created by someone else and don't make any use of the "author voice". Every person and element needs a purpose for it to be in the book to move the story forward. For instance why was a Tic Tac any more relevant than someone popping a fresh breath mint, or just a mint. Most readers know what a mint tastes like but others don't know what a Tic Tac is.
Both the romance, paranormal and chick-lit genres are heavily saturated and highly competitive, this might be the perfect read for some, just not for me.
July 19, 2016
Touched is written in a casual, easy to read style. The plot line is fun and the idea of the broach and guardians is interesting. Cami is a cute character. Joseph and Daniel are your routine brothers who have gotten over bad blood in the past. If you can get over the ease with with which everything casually falls into place you will be able to enjoy the story. There are immortals who die, then are alive again, then die again. It started to seem that if you die, it's really no big deal. By the end I was rolling my eyes about that part. This does not end with a cliffhanger, but there is a big wide opening for the next book. I was given this story for an honest review and this is mine.
January 23, 2017
As part of the Whispering Stories team, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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