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Mists of Ireland #1
Haunting Beauty
A mysterious stranger...
Danni Jones believed everything about her past—that she was an unwanted child abandoned by her mother. That she was an outcast set apart by her clairvoyance. That she was alone. Then came the stranger. Dangerously seductive Sean Ballagh appears out of nowhere with a startling story that will challenge everything Danni thought was true.
A lost woman...
He claims that Danni’s family has been searching for her ever since she disappeared twenty years ago. He’s come to bring her home to Ireland. But Danni fears there’s more to his story than he dares to reveal. And the only way to find out is by following Sean back in time, to a forgotten past, to a world where nothing is what it seems.
A terrifying legacy...
Now, in a land where the mystical and the occult are as vivid as the emerald fields, Danni must rewrite history to save her family, to fight a force more evil than she ever imagined, and to reunite with the one man she was destined for—or live forever in time as nothing more than an ethereal memory, a tragic and haunting beauty...
Danni Jones believed everything about her past—that she was an unwanted child abandoned by her mother. That she was an outcast set apart by her clairvoyance. That she was alone. Then came the stranger. Dangerously seductive Sean Ballagh appears out of nowhere with a startling story that will challenge everything Danni thought was true.
A lost woman...
He claims that Danni’s family has been searching for her ever since she disappeared twenty years ago. He’s come to bring her home to Ireland. But Danni fears there’s more to his story than he dares to reveal. And the only way to find out is by following Sean back in time, to a forgotten past, to a world where nothing is what it seems.
A terrifying legacy...
Now, in a land where the mystical and the occult are as vivid as the emerald fields, Danni must rewrite history to save her family, to fight a force more evil than she ever imagined, and to reunite with the one man she was destined for—or live forever in time as nothing more than an ethereal memory, a tragic and haunting beauty...
354 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2009
164 people are currently reading
1761 people want to read
About the author
Erin Quinn
42 books243 followersNew York Times Bestselling author Erin Quinn writes romance for the thinking reader. Her books have been called “riveting,” “brilliantly plotted” and “beautifully written” and have won, placed or showed in the Booksellers Best, WILLA Award for Historical fiction, the Orange Rose, Readers Crown, Golden Quill, Best Books, and Award of Excellence. Go to www.erinquinnbooks.com for more information or follow Erin on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ErinQuinnAuthor or twitter @ErinQuinnAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 17, 2009
Erin Quinn is a new (to me) author and her book "Haunting Beauty" was quite an engrossing read. It's a curious blend of murder mystery, paranormal, time-travel (thus historical AND contemporary) and romance. If that doesn't whet your appetite, I don't know what will!
Danni is an orphan, abandoned by her mother when she was just a child. She's never been sure if her special abilities were part of the reason her mother left her, but as a result, she's been fairly hesitant about using those talents. Now suddenly she's hit with a vision of a man and danger and less than 24 hours later that same man, Sean, shows up at her doorstep. The story he has to tell is one of murder and mystery and he wants her to come meet what's left of her family in Ireland! Now everything Danni thought she knew about herself is changing and sexy Sean is more involved than she ever dreamed...and so are the rest of the abilities her mother's lineage granted her.
I found this book almost impossible to put down once I started it. The blend of mystery and romance with 'witchy' Irish lore sucked me in quickly and didn't let go. The story flows smoothly even with the 'traveling back in time' portions. The passion between Danni and Sean is hot from the first and only intensifies as the story and their relationship progress. For paranormal lovers looking for something different, or Irish folklore lovers, or romance lovers, or...heck...just about anybody, try this story and I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Danni is an orphan, abandoned by her mother when she was just a child. She's never been sure if her special abilities were part of the reason her mother left her, but as a result, she's been fairly hesitant about using those talents. Now suddenly she's hit with a vision of a man and danger and less than 24 hours later that same man, Sean, shows up at her doorstep. The story he has to tell is one of murder and mystery and he wants her to come meet what's left of her family in Ireland! Now everything Danni thought she knew about herself is changing and sexy Sean is more involved than she ever dreamed...and so are the rest of the abilities her mother's lineage granted her.
I found this book almost impossible to put down once I started it. The blend of mystery and romance with 'witchy' Irish lore sucked me in quickly and didn't let go. The story flows smoothly even with the 'traveling back in time' portions. The passion between Danni and Sean is hot from the first and only intensifies as the story and their relationship progress. For paranormal lovers looking for something different, or Irish folklore lovers, or romance lovers, or...heck...just about anybody, try this story and I don't think you'll be disappointed!
May 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this first book in Erin Quinn's Mists of Ireland series. This is also my first book by this author. I would recommend it but beware--you really have to pay attention and possibly reread passages. It is an intriguing story with a great hero and heroine--both troubled people and meant for each other. The story can be baffling at times but it is also hard to put down. It is a paranormal romance with several interesting twists. The author does a great job setting the mood and evoking place. It also has a great ending. I will definitely continue to read the other books in this series.
2020--this is my second reading of this first book in the Mists of Ireland series. I finally have all of the books so I wanted to reread this one. It was just as good as the first time. Still a bit confusing but a good story. I look forward to reading Rory's book next and the rest of the series soon. Recommended!
2020--this is my second reading of this first book in the Mists of Ireland series. I finally have all of the books so I wanted to reread this one. It was just as good as the first time. Still a bit confusing but a good story. I look forward to reading Rory's book next and the rest of the series soon. Recommended!
February 3, 2018
Çok ilginç bir hikayeydi, en başlarda ana karakter gibi benim de kafam karıştı defalarca. Sonrasında ise neyin ne için olduğunu anlamaya başladım ve finali gerçekten beğendim. Biraz daha uzun olsaydı keşke :)
November 6, 2009
Haunting Beauty is an intriguing, highly absorbing book that sucked me in and didn't let me go until its amazing conclusion. I was completely swept away by the mystery surrounding Sean and Danni, the magical ambience, the vivid setting, and the chilling and original plot. A highly recommended must-read!
February 10, 2022
Bizi zaman çıkmazına sokan bir kitaptı. Kurgu güzeldi bence sadece bazı yerler kafa karıştırıcıydı. En kötü yanı ise kitabın ağır ilerlemesiydi bana göre. Ama yine de güzel miydi? Güzeldi.
September 20, 2009
Prefer to give it 4 1/2 stars.
A fascinating blend of two kinds of magic: the magic of life and discovery, and the magical world of myth and legend. The normal and the paranormal. Erin Quinn has done it again as the reader becomes silent witness to both worlds.
Danni, an abandoned soul in the real world, is the catalyst that binds the story together. With no memory prior to the age of 5, she has been bumped from one foster family to another most of her life. Now as an adult is suddenly whisked away to Ireland on a voyage of self-discovery and history with little knowledge of how or why. Danni is special and is about to learn far more than she would like.
Erin Quinn has the ability to draw her audience with her through the normal and the paranormal fluidly. Her characters range from innocent to deranged, from old to young, and then there are the lovers, sensual and strong, yet fragile at the same time. Her ability to slip through time and space in her writing captured me and catapulted me into a place I’d never been. Dual characters put a different spin on the story of Danni’s past and that of the young man in the normal world, who. suddenly appeared to bring her to this place. I don’t want to write too much about the storyline itself. Be assured it is provocative and seductive, a very satisfying read. It also appears to be the beginning of an exciting series. I really enjoyed reading this book.
A fascinating blend of two kinds of magic: the magic of life and discovery, and the magical world of myth and legend. The normal and the paranormal. Erin Quinn has done it again as the reader becomes silent witness to both worlds.
Danni, an abandoned soul in the real world, is the catalyst that binds the story together. With no memory prior to the age of 5, she has been bumped from one foster family to another most of her life. Now as an adult is suddenly whisked away to Ireland on a voyage of self-discovery and history with little knowledge of how or why. Danni is special and is about to learn far more than she would like.
Erin Quinn has the ability to draw her audience with her through the normal and the paranormal fluidly. Her characters range from innocent to deranged, from old to young, and then there are the lovers, sensual and strong, yet fragile at the same time. Her ability to slip through time and space in her writing captured me and catapulted me into a place I’d never been. Dual characters put a different spin on the story of Danni’s past and that of the young man in the normal world, who. suddenly appeared to bring her to this place. I don’t want to write too much about the storyline itself. Be assured it is provocative and seductive, a very satisfying read. It also appears to be the beginning of an exciting series. I really enjoyed reading this book.
November 4, 2019
3,5 / 5
Zaman yolculuklu kitapları sevemiyorum bir türlü. Kurguyu kendi içinde bir mantığa oturtmaya çalışan beynim zaman paradoksu olayında hata veriyor 😆
Mesela Danni kitabı aldığında neden herşey en baştan değişmedi gibi 🤔
Zaman yolculuklu kitapları sevemiyorum bir türlü. Kurguyu kendi içinde bir mantığa oturtmaya çalışan beynim zaman paradoksu olayında hata veriyor 😆
Mesela Danni kitabı aldığında neden herşey en baştan değişmedi gibi 🤔
February 13, 2012
Mükemmel bir seri ve seri başlangıcı bir kitap aşk ve fantastik öğeler bir arada kesinlike tavsiyemdir.
August 22, 2009
This is the first book I have read by Erin. She also writes under Erin Grady. Surely Haunting Beauty must be a good read because Diana Gabaldon is blurbed on the cover, right? To begin with, I am not a fan of time travel books. The only one I have enjoyed is Gabaldon’s Outlander’s series. But since there has been some talk of Haunting Beauty, I decided to give it a go.
The heroine Danni Jones was abandoned by her mother when she was a child. Her mother left her at daycare when she was five and never returned. Danni was than placed in foster care and grew up never knowing where she came from or who her father is and if she has any other siblings. Out of the blue a man from Ireland knocks on her door. He is Sean Ballogh and knew her as a child. Her father has been searching for her for years and wants Danni to come back to him to Ballyfionuir Island where she was born. Danni wants nothing to do with Sean and thinks she is putting her on.
Danni does a bit of detective work and finds out that Sean is dead. Twenty years ago, Sean’s own father killed Sean, as well as her mother and brother. But how can her mother be dead if she was able to come to the states with Danni? Either the man who says he is Sean is an imposter, or something more sinister is at play. And when Sean comes to her again, they are both sent twenty years in the past where they will be able to re-write history.
I found Sean to be an interesting character but Danni just wasn’t dimensional enough for me to care about her past and what was in store for her future. For some reason I can’t understand, Sean is very attractive to Danni the moment he meets her. He lays claim to her and thinks “MINE!”. Things became very loopy for me when the ghost Sean and Danni go through a time warp. They feel like they are in a sensual dream where they have sex. In Erin’s world, the bridge to the past is intercourse? Then there is talk of a mystical and sinister book of Fennore full of dark magic that may be responsible for Danni’s journey into the past.
As soon as Danni and her ghost lover Sean find themselves on Ballyfionuir and Sean’s grandmother Colleen Ballagh knows who Danni is and tells her what she needs to do, I decided Haunting Beauty just wasn’t the book for me.
The heroine Danni Jones was abandoned by her mother when she was a child. Her mother left her at daycare when she was five and never returned. Danni was than placed in foster care and grew up never knowing where she came from or who her father is and if she has any other siblings. Out of the blue a man from Ireland knocks on her door. He is Sean Ballogh and knew her as a child. Her father has been searching for her for years and wants Danni to come back to him to Ballyfionuir Island where she was born. Danni wants nothing to do with Sean and thinks she is putting her on.
Danni does a bit of detective work and finds out that Sean is dead. Twenty years ago, Sean’s own father killed Sean, as well as her mother and brother. But how can her mother be dead if she was able to come to the states with Danni? Either the man who says he is Sean is an imposter, or something more sinister is at play. And when Sean comes to her again, they are both sent twenty years in the past where they will be able to re-write history.
I found Sean to be an interesting character but Danni just wasn’t dimensional enough for me to care about her past and what was in store for her future. For some reason I can’t understand, Sean is very attractive to Danni the moment he meets her. He lays claim to her and thinks “MINE!”. Things became very loopy for me when the ghost Sean and Danni go through a time warp. They feel like they are in a sensual dream where they have sex. In Erin’s world, the bridge to the past is intercourse? Then there is talk of a mystical and sinister book of Fennore full of dark magic that may be responsible for Danni’s journey into the past.
As soon as Danni and her ghost lover Sean find themselves on Ballyfionuir and Sean’s grandmother Colleen Ballagh knows who Danni is and tells her what she needs to do, I decided Haunting Beauty just wasn’t the book for me.
June 12, 2010
This book was a very unusual read. I can't say too much about it, as to give any kind of summary would mean giving out spoilers. So I think this review will be shorter than many and concentrate more on my feelings of the book.
First off, it's not really a romance book as I define one in my head. I don't know how to express that in words, except to say I know romance when I read it. But this was definitely romantic, very very romantic. And just because it's not your 'traditional' romance, doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I did, very much so. What I did find it to be was haunting and very poignant.
I may have got a bit impatient at times with Danni, the heroine, with her insistence that Sean tell her everything yet at the same time keeping many of her secrets from him. But Sean is the kind of hero that breaks your heart. I found myself very emotionally involved in his tragic history.
Ms. Quinn has an amazing talent for bringing you into the story and feeling what the characters themselves undergo and suffer. As a 'emotional' type reader, the story really drew me in and made me 'feel' the emotions the hero and heroine felt.
It's hard to classify this book. It could be considered a time travel. It could be considered a ghost story or it could be considered a paranormal. It has elements of all this in it.
But what it is is a book that will stay with you long after you read the last page. And don't let me scare anyone thinking about reading this book. It does have a HEA, not a traditional one mind you, but you will have to read it yourself to see what I mean.
Grading this one is very difficult. For it's originality it gets quite a high grade. For Sean, the hero it gets the highest. But my issues with Danni downgrade it a bit. And there were aspects of the book I found a bit confusing. I can't say what for fear of giving away too much.
Now I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I'm glad I read Haunting Beauty first and as soon as I'm ready to be put through an emotional wringer again, I'll return to Haunting Warrior.
First off, it's not really a romance book as I define one in my head. I don't know how to express that in words, except to say I know romance when I read it. But this was definitely romantic, very very romantic. And just because it's not your 'traditional' romance, doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I did, very much so. What I did find it to be was haunting and very poignant.
I may have got a bit impatient at times with Danni, the heroine, with her insistence that Sean tell her everything yet at the same time keeping many of her secrets from him. But Sean is the kind of hero that breaks your heart. I found myself very emotionally involved in his tragic history.
Ms. Quinn has an amazing talent for bringing you into the story and feeling what the characters themselves undergo and suffer. As a 'emotional' type reader, the story really drew me in and made me 'feel' the emotions the hero and heroine felt.
It's hard to classify this book. It could be considered a time travel. It could be considered a ghost story or it could be considered a paranormal. It has elements of all this in it.
But what it is is a book that will stay with you long after you read the last page. And don't let me scare anyone thinking about reading this book. It does have a HEA, not a traditional one mind you, but you will have to read it yourself to see what I mean.
Grading this one is very difficult. For it's originality it gets quite a high grade. For Sean, the hero it gets the highest. But my issues with Danni downgrade it a bit. And there were aspects of the book I found a bit confusing. I can't say what for fear of giving away too much.
Now I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I'm glad I read Haunting Beauty first and as soon as I'm ready to be put through an emotional wringer again, I'll return to Haunting Warrior.
September 16, 2009
Abandoned at a young age, Danni has always felt different. Afraid to open herself up and explore the oddness of who she is. Danni never knew what happened to her family. She grew up in foster home after foster home. And then one night a strange, yet somehow familiar man, appears on her doorstep, and from that moment on, everything changes. This man, Sean Ballagh, claims to know where her father is, who she is, where she's from. He has answers she's lived her entire life wondering about.
Now's her chance to discover her past, as visions unfold, and an amazing journey sweeps both Danni and Sean back in time to twenty years in the past, just a few days before the terrible events unfold that will change their life to the one they just left. It's not often second chances are given. Does Danni have the power within herself to alter the tragic events?
The imagery and tone created a mysterious and vivid story. The twisted, tangled, and devastating events from the past catapult this book on a journey to uncover the secrets that will allow Danni and Sean to find the peace and answers they need to heal and find the love of of a family Danni has always yearned to have. The twists and turns this dark tale takes you on was at times confusing, and some things were left unanswered or rather unanswerable, but I chalk that up to storytelling and the beauty of fiction. Let your mind wonder and explore the possibilities.
Complex and fascinating to say the least!
Now's her chance to discover her past, as visions unfold, and an amazing journey sweeps both Danni and Sean back in time to twenty years in the past, just a few days before the terrible events unfold that will change their life to the one they just left. It's not often second chances are given. Does Danni have the power within herself to alter the tragic events?
The imagery and tone created a mysterious and vivid story. The twisted, tangled, and devastating events from the past catapult this book on a journey to uncover the secrets that will allow Danni and Sean to find the peace and answers they need to heal and find the love of of a family Danni has always yearned to have. The twists and turns this dark tale takes you on was at times confusing, and some things were left unanswered or rather unanswerable, but I chalk that up to storytelling and the beauty of fiction. Let your mind wonder and explore the possibilities.
Complex and fascinating to say the least!
September 6, 2016
Yazarın "İrlanda Sisleri" serisinin ilk kitabıydı, içerisinde mistik öğeler, zamansal paradokslar, karanlık Fennore kitabı dahil bir çok gizemi barındıran bir kitaptı...
Danni, geçmişini hatırlamayan evlatlık verildiği ailede büyüyen bir kız , fakat gizemli bir takım mistik güçleri var, en önemlisi gördüğü vizyonlar, bir gün mutfağında beliren genç ve yakışıklı bir adam, onu irlanda'nın mistik topraklarına götürüyor, şahit oldukları korkunç anlardan sonra Dannie vizyondan çıkıp yaşadığı ana geri dönüyor, fakat ertesi gün, vizyonunda gördüğü adam Sean kapısında beliriyor, ona geçmişine dair bir takım gizemli mistik olaylar anlatıyor ve İrlanda'ya fennore adasına gitmeleri gerektiğini söylüyor...
Danni ve Sean Fennore adasına gidiyorlar ama farklı bir şekilde, birden bire başka bir vizyon eşliğinde, kendilerini yirmi yıl öncesinde, felaketin tam ortasında buluyorlar, geçmişi değiştirmek, ölümlere, yaşanacak felaketlere engel olmak sandıkları kadar kolay olmayacak ve üstelik yapacakları her hareket geleceği de değiştirecek....
Mistik öğelerin, zamansal paradoksların kafa karıştırdığı güzel bir kitaptı, özellikle sonu ilginçti, yazarın dili biraz ağırdı ama bu tarz gizemli şeyleri sevenler için mutlaka okunması gerektiğini düşünüyorum :)
Danni, geçmişini hatırlamayan evlatlık verildiği ailede büyüyen bir kız , fakat gizemli bir takım mistik güçleri var, en önemlisi gördüğü vizyonlar, bir gün mutfağında beliren genç ve yakışıklı bir adam, onu irlanda'nın mistik topraklarına götürüyor, şahit oldukları korkunç anlardan sonra Dannie vizyondan çıkıp yaşadığı ana geri dönüyor, fakat ertesi gün, vizyonunda gördüğü adam Sean kapısında beliriyor, ona geçmişine dair bir takım gizemli mistik olaylar anlatıyor ve İrlanda'ya fennore adasına gitmeleri gerektiğini söylüyor...
Danni ve Sean Fennore adasına gidiyorlar ama farklı bir şekilde, birden bire başka bir vizyon eşliğinde, kendilerini yirmi yıl öncesinde, felaketin tam ortasında buluyorlar, geçmişi değiştirmek, ölümlere, yaşanacak felaketlere engel olmak sandıkları kadar kolay olmayacak ve üstelik yapacakları her hareket geleceği de değiştirecek....
Mistik öğelerin, zamansal paradoksların kafa karıştırdığı güzel bir kitaptı, özellikle sonu ilginçti, yazarın dili biraz ağırdı ama bu tarz gizemli şeyleri sevenler için mutlaka okunması gerektiğini düşünüyorum :)
December 11, 2009
4.4
This book is exactly what it says - Haunting. Once you read the book you discover what exactly that one word can mean. You, dear reader, will also understand just why it's haunting.
I won't go into too much here because I fear that the slightest mention may in fact spoil you. Suffice it to say this book is about sacrifice and what it means to lose and gain and what one has to do in order to strike a balance.
The romance is hot, the accented dialogue is perfect, the story between Sean and Danni is beautiful and real and while this book has its imperfections I'm hard pressed to mention any just because any flaw it has is forgotten once the story is told.
True to its Celtic feel - the book is told slowly, building up to the climax and then settling under your skin like a memory too good to let go.
This book is exactly what it says - Haunting. Once you read the book you discover what exactly that one word can mean. You, dear reader, will also understand just why it's haunting.
I won't go into too much here because I fear that the slightest mention may in fact spoil you. Suffice it to say this book is about sacrifice and what it means to lose and gain and what one has to do in order to strike a balance.
The romance is hot, the accented dialogue is perfect, the story between Sean and Danni is beautiful and real and while this book has its imperfections I'm hard pressed to mention any just because any flaw it has is forgotten once the story is told.
True to its Celtic feel - the book is told slowly, building up to the climax and then settling under your skin like a memory too good to let go.
September 22, 2014
This wasn't at all what I expected. For some reason I was thinking it was time travel w/ some highlanders thrown in. Um yeah not so much. I was so wrong about the highlander part but not the time travel. These two characters Danni and Sean go back in time 20 years to try and stop something terrible that happened. I was so confused through a good part of the book. I still didn't know most of what I wanted to know until the very end. The ending was ok. I wasn't thrilled with it. I wish the the author has done more. I just felt like I needed more at the end. Some spark w/ the couple. Overall it was an interesting read.
September 11, 2009
I was swept away by this story. It is exactly what I've been looking for in the paranormal genre, and in the niche I hope to fit in myself someday. It was poignant, exciting, and full of twists that kept me riveted to the pages. I read it twice through and both times put it down wishing for more and at the same time, baffled by the beauty of the completed work. The last line brings tears to my eyes, just remembering it.
Ms. Quinn's voice has a subtle, hypnotic quality that I plan to return to. I highly recommend this book!
Ms. Quinn's voice has a subtle, hypnotic quality that I plan to return to. I highly recommend this book!
June 4, 2024
4 ⭐
Now, I read this book back when I was 12/13 in German and my brain back then could not comprehend what was going on in the book...
Now, 27 years of age, reading it in English... I still don't understand what the hell happened 😂
I love thod book, don't get me wrong, it's so well written and the story is so intriguing but I was confused for 95% of the book 😂 my brain does not seem to want to comprehend what is happening when the pair of Danni and Sean go back in time 🤯 even if it is explained, I still don't get it... But i think that's just me being stupid 😂
I enjoyed the book either way, just sadly felt the ending was suddenly a bit rushed and it just added some extra confusion to the story (because why wouldn't you want some more confusion on top of the confusion? 😉)
But I'm definitely going to read the second one at some point cause it seems like we're finding out what happened with Rory in the end 😁
Now, I read this book back when I was 12/13 in German and my brain back then could not comprehend what was going on in the book...
Now, 27 years of age, reading it in English... I still don't understand what the hell happened 😂
I love thod book, don't get me wrong, it's so well written and the story is so intriguing but I was confused for 95% of the book 😂 my brain does not seem to want to comprehend what is happening when the pair of Danni and Sean go back in time 🤯 even if it is explained, I still don't get it... But i think that's just me being stupid 😂
I enjoyed the book either way, just sadly felt the ending was suddenly a bit rushed and it just added some extra confusion to the story (because why wouldn't you want some more confusion on top of the confusion? 😉)
But I'm definitely going to read the second one at some point cause it seems like we're finding out what happened with Rory in the end 😁
August 18, 2016
4 1/2 Stars!!!
This is a riveting tale. One steeped in lore and magic that whisks the reader on a exhilarating journey from the arid deserts of Arizona to the mystic Isle of Fennore, Ireland. Its a refreshing paranormal read that for genre lovers looking for something new will happily find exactly what they seek with Erin Quinn's HAUNTING BEAUTY.
Danni Jones is a lost and bruised soul who discovers untold strength with the help of the mysterious and undoubtedly sexy, Sean Ballagh. Believing to have been abandoned by her mother when she was a five-year-old, Danni has spent her life trying to claim some measure of belonging with her antique shop and her endearing search to bring old artifacts back together. By reuniting a previously lost chair or saucer with its corresponding dinning or tea set, Danni brings solidarity to an otherwise unsteady world. But her self imposed illusions of resigned contentment are stripped fiercely away when Sean Ballagh reawakens within Danni a fearful power that will lead her unwaveringly towards a fatal destiny.
After living for several years in the foster care system, Danni knows that being special is a very bad thing. It means being rejected and transferred. It means having to live with new families, new environments time and again. Subsequently, Danni has succeeded in suppressing her unique ability to have visions - to see the future and the past - to the point that she can even convince herself that perhaps it was all just a dream. But when Sean Ballagh forces her to have the visions in her adult reality, Danni knows that what was really a time of peace is now over. And when Sean in the flesh arrives on her doorstep the very same day as her vision of him, Danni can't escape the sense of foreboding that creeps soundly into her bones.
Sean is riveted by Danni from the moment he lays eyes on her. A deep seeded yearning that feels ages old, claims his heart and soul bringing forth a very male and very desperate urge to posses her. But Danni doesn't just make Sean's heart beat wildly, she's also the key to an unsolved mystery that has plagued the town of Ballyfionúir for twenty years. Relying on Danni's need to belong, Sean strives to lure her home to Ireland by dangling the very real possibility of reuniting Danni with her family. His hope is that with the reappearance of Danni in Ballyfionúir, his father's name will be cleared of its murder suspicions that have succeeded in tarnishing his family.
Twenty years ago, Danni and her twin brother and mother disappeared but the isle's consensus was that they were murdered by Niall Ballagh, Sean's father. Cathán MacGrath, Laird of Ballyfionúir and Danni's biological father, was the only eye-witness. Unfortunately he arrived too late to prevent the fatal killing spree that resulted in Danni's assumed death along with her mother and brother - their bodies thought to be lost to the raging sea that smashed against the cave where the events took place. Niall was unable to contest the damning allegations due to his subsequent suicide immediately following the disappearances - or deaths - of Cathán's family. If Sean is able to convince Danni to come home, then she becomes obvious proof that her mother fled Ireland with her two children and his father's name can be cleared. But if Niall didn't kill the MacGrath family, then why did Fia MacGrath and her children flee Ireland?
Danni, suspicious and very distrusting by nature, knows that Sean wants something from her but the question is what. Unfortunately Danni will have little time to interrogate him before magic and fate steps in. After putting on a necklace that Sean gives her, claiming that its a very old family heirloom, the two are shockingly swept twenty years into the past to exactly two days prior to the cavern events that would ultimately destroy Danni's future along with her still missing brother and mother. It seems as if Ballyfionúir is determined to unveil the whys and perhaps give Danni the opportunity to save her family.
Confused and wary of their strange predicament of having been thrust twenty years into the past, Danni and Sean find themselves faced with their younger selves and a dangerous mystery. Fortunately one thing is for certain and that is their all consuming passion for one another but even that proves to be threatened by simple distrust. Shunned for twenty years by the townspeople, Sean has built a healthy wall around his heart while Danni has the done the same after having been abandoned by so many people. Yet trust is the very crux to the mystery that threatens them and without it, Danni and Sean will find themselves greeting the clammy hand of death.
HAUNTING BEAUTY is a novel that will leave you pondering way past its end. The mystery betwixt its pages is soaked in blood and fear but its combated by the sheer determination and selflessness of its characters. Also, the complexities of the time line, family tree, and plot twists are wonderfully choreographed leaving very little unresolved at the end. Both Danni and Sean are in the fight of their lives in HB and despite the very integral role of the mystery that's thrown them together, the romance isn't lost or drowned out.
If this review has seemed vague, that's because to reveal more than the few bits that have already been detailed would spoil everything that makes HAUNTING BEAUTY a great read. This is a novel that showcases a promising up and coming paranormal romance author that'll surely be on many an auto-buy list to come. The only thing that prevented this book from claiming an A grade was a few places here and there that could have been clarified to a deeper degree and to bring those things to light would spoil the end. Otherwise, be prepared for an awesome ride.
This is a riveting tale. One steeped in lore and magic that whisks the reader on a exhilarating journey from the arid deserts of Arizona to the mystic Isle of Fennore, Ireland. Its a refreshing paranormal read that for genre lovers looking for something new will happily find exactly what they seek with Erin Quinn's HAUNTING BEAUTY.
Danni Jones is a lost and bruised soul who discovers untold strength with the help of the mysterious and undoubtedly sexy, Sean Ballagh. Believing to have been abandoned by her mother when she was a five-year-old, Danni has spent her life trying to claim some measure of belonging with her antique shop and her endearing search to bring old artifacts back together. By reuniting a previously lost chair or saucer with its corresponding dinning or tea set, Danni brings solidarity to an otherwise unsteady world. But her self imposed illusions of resigned contentment are stripped fiercely away when Sean Ballagh reawakens within Danni a fearful power that will lead her unwaveringly towards a fatal destiny.
After living for several years in the foster care system, Danni knows that being special is a very bad thing. It means being rejected and transferred. It means having to live with new families, new environments time and again. Subsequently, Danni has succeeded in suppressing her unique ability to have visions - to see the future and the past - to the point that she can even convince herself that perhaps it was all just a dream. But when Sean Ballagh forces her to have the visions in her adult reality, Danni knows that what was really a time of peace is now over. And when Sean in the flesh arrives on her doorstep the very same day as her vision of him, Danni can't escape the sense of foreboding that creeps soundly into her bones.
Sean is riveted by Danni from the moment he lays eyes on her. A deep seeded yearning that feels ages old, claims his heart and soul bringing forth a very male and very desperate urge to posses her. But Danni doesn't just make Sean's heart beat wildly, she's also the key to an unsolved mystery that has plagued the town of Ballyfionúir for twenty years. Relying on Danni's need to belong, Sean strives to lure her home to Ireland by dangling the very real possibility of reuniting Danni with her family. His hope is that with the reappearance of Danni in Ballyfionúir, his father's name will be cleared of its murder suspicions that have succeeded in tarnishing his family.
Twenty years ago, Danni and her twin brother and mother disappeared but the isle's consensus was that they were murdered by Niall Ballagh, Sean's father. Cathán MacGrath, Laird of Ballyfionúir and Danni's biological father, was the only eye-witness. Unfortunately he arrived too late to prevent the fatal killing spree that resulted in Danni's assumed death along with her mother and brother - their bodies thought to be lost to the raging sea that smashed against the cave where the events took place. Niall was unable to contest the damning allegations due to his subsequent suicide immediately following the disappearances - or deaths - of Cathán's family. If Sean is able to convince Danni to come home, then she becomes obvious proof that her mother fled Ireland with her two children and his father's name can be cleared. But if Niall didn't kill the MacGrath family, then why did Fia MacGrath and her children flee Ireland?
Danni, suspicious and very distrusting by nature, knows that Sean wants something from her but the question is what. Unfortunately Danni will have little time to interrogate him before magic and fate steps in. After putting on a necklace that Sean gives her, claiming that its a very old family heirloom, the two are shockingly swept twenty years into the past to exactly two days prior to the cavern events that would ultimately destroy Danni's future along with her still missing brother and mother. It seems as if Ballyfionúir is determined to unveil the whys and perhaps give Danni the opportunity to save her family.
Confused and wary of their strange predicament of having been thrust twenty years into the past, Danni and Sean find themselves faced with their younger selves and a dangerous mystery. Fortunately one thing is for certain and that is their all consuming passion for one another but even that proves to be threatened by simple distrust. Shunned for twenty years by the townspeople, Sean has built a healthy wall around his heart while Danni has the done the same after having been abandoned by so many people. Yet trust is the very crux to the mystery that threatens them and without it, Danni and Sean will find themselves greeting the clammy hand of death.
HAUNTING BEAUTY is a novel that will leave you pondering way past its end. The mystery betwixt its pages is soaked in blood and fear but its combated by the sheer determination and selflessness of its characters. Also, the complexities of the time line, family tree, and plot twists are wonderfully choreographed leaving very little unresolved at the end. Both Danni and Sean are in the fight of their lives in HB and despite the very integral role of the mystery that's thrown them together, the romance isn't lost or drowned out.
If this review has seemed vague, that's because to reveal more than the few bits that have already been detailed would spoil everything that makes HAUNTING BEAUTY a great read. This is a novel that showcases a promising up and coming paranormal romance author that'll surely be on many an auto-buy list to come. The only thing that prevented this book from claiming an A grade was a few places here and there that could have been clarified to a deeper degree and to bring those things to light would spoil the end. Otherwise, be prepared for an awesome ride.
May 31, 2013
Enchanting and haunting! I was so impressed by the author's ability to strike the exact tone needed to take this book from an okay read to one that captured me and didn't let me go until the end. I know this will sound odd, but I loved the feeling of being lost and stumbling in the mist through much of the book. This book would have been boring if I had worked it all out and sat there just waiting for the characters to muddle their way through. Not that I didn't get some things worked out before they did because well, lets just say the main characters were stubbornly in denial at times and tended to hoard their thoughts.
So, this story starts out in Arizona with a young gal, Danni, being transported into a vision by a silent companion guide. The scene is disturbing and slightly familiar. She watches a tragedy unfold along with the beautiful man who shares the moment, but doesn't respond when she tries to communicate with him. After standing by a graveside where a teen boy and her adult self are dead, she is flung back into reality. Danni hasn't had a vision since she was a child and has suppressed this 'gift' until now. She is not surprised when the next day the man from her vision arrives on her doorstep to tell her about her heritage and that she must return with him to a small island off the coast of Ireland where the old ways are preserved and magic is real.
Sean has been sent by his grandmother to collect the woman whom their family has been seeking for over twenty years. Danni, her mother and brother disappeared one night and Sean's father stood accused of their murders. He dreads having to drag this poor fragile woman back into such a dark atmosphere, but he'll do what he must including telling her pretty lies just so she'll come. As he interacts with Danni and sees her real need to connect with family and the sweet lovely woman that she has become, he wants her to come back for his own personal reason too.
Danni was an abandoned child who grew up in the foster care system and fortunately landed with a good woman the last few years of her time in the system. Tragedy took this lady's family from her so they are good for each other and run an antique store together. The handsome Irish stranger bursts into this quiet existence and upsets her with his promise of family and a long family history. She knows he keeps things back and there is the vision, but she truly starts considering going along with his scheme. In the end, the choice is taken from her when they are both propelled twenty years into the past and back to the island just days before the events of her vision. I'm going to stop summarizing the story at this point because I don't want to giveaway more than I already have. I want others to have the same chance of experiencing the story that I did.
The plot was fantastic and I was so impressed with how clear it stayed considering that with the time travel stuff it could have gotten convoluted really fast. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Sean and Danni and I almost cried for them when the truth came out and it looked like no matter what happened that they wouldn't have a chance together. It was unique learning their backgrounds right along beside them with the time travel element and all. Poor Sean had a really hard set of circumstances and I was just hoping to see him get some restoration through his personal journey in the past. Danni got the opportunity to re-connect with hers and it was tough seeing her have to adjust her assumptions about family. Now, while I really liked Danni and Sean, their habits of not trusting and sharing with each other just really irritated me. I understood Danni's circumspection while Sean was a stranger and all, but once she got into the past and saw who he really was I just didn't understand her reasoning. So much trouble could have been avoided if she had just opened up to him and stopped denying that she had a gift particularly when it was obvious that she did considering where they landed. Granted, I do realize that this was a character flaw that would eventually be dealt with and it was in the end. I thought it was a little humorous that both of them accused the other of lying- and they were, but thought it was okay to hold back the truth because they thought it was for the best. The build up to the end had the perfect amount of tension and suspense leaving me with no idea how things were going to go down. And the climax was not disappointing. After 'the big bang' as I call it, things were rushed a little to the end, but not absurdly so. I liked how the time travel twist was dealt with in the epilogue leaving the door open for the rest of the series. I do hope there is more Danni and Sean even though I want Rory's story too.
The backdrop of the island, its culture, and its people was a strong component in this story and written well. I loved meeting the other characters and the scenes with them even if they were a character that I didn't like. The book of Fennore was a mystical object, but the way it was described made it seem almost like another character- an evil villain.
Wrapping up, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to the remainder of the series. Those who enjoy a bittersweet tang and a mystic feel to their paranormal romance should definitely give this series a try.
So, this story starts out in Arizona with a young gal, Danni, being transported into a vision by a silent companion guide. The scene is disturbing and slightly familiar. She watches a tragedy unfold along with the beautiful man who shares the moment, but doesn't respond when she tries to communicate with him. After standing by a graveside where a teen boy and her adult self are dead, she is flung back into reality. Danni hasn't had a vision since she was a child and has suppressed this 'gift' until now. She is not surprised when the next day the man from her vision arrives on her doorstep to tell her about her heritage and that she must return with him to a small island off the coast of Ireland where the old ways are preserved and magic is real.
Sean has been sent by his grandmother to collect the woman whom their family has been seeking for over twenty years. Danni, her mother and brother disappeared one night and Sean's father stood accused of their murders. He dreads having to drag this poor fragile woman back into such a dark atmosphere, but he'll do what he must including telling her pretty lies just so she'll come. As he interacts with Danni and sees her real need to connect with family and the sweet lovely woman that she has become, he wants her to come back for his own personal reason too.
Danni was an abandoned child who grew up in the foster care system and fortunately landed with a good woman the last few years of her time in the system. Tragedy took this lady's family from her so they are good for each other and run an antique store together. The handsome Irish stranger bursts into this quiet existence and upsets her with his promise of family and a long family history. She knows he keeps things back and there is the vision, but she truly starts considering going along with his scheme. In the end, the choice is taken from her when they are both propelled twenty years into the past and back to the island just days before the events of her vision. I'm going to stop summarizing the story at this point because I don't want to giveaway more than I already have. I want others to have the same chance of experiencing the story that I did.
The plot was fantastic and I was so impressed with how clear it stayed considering that with the time travel stuff it could have gotten convoluted really fast. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Sean and Danni and I almost cried for them when the truth came out and it looked like no matter what happened that they wouldn't have a chance together. It was unique learning their backgrounds right along beside them with the time travel element and all. Poor Sean had a really hard set of circumstances and I was just hoping to see him get some restoration through his personal journey in the past. Danni got the opportunity to re-connect with hers and it was tough seeing her have to adjust her assumptions about family. Now, while I really liked Danni and Sean, their habits of not trusting and sharing with each other just really irritated me. I understood Danni's circumspection while Sean was a stranger and all, but once she got into the past and saw who he really was I just didn't understand her reasoning. So much trouble could have been avoided if she had just opened up to him and stopped denying that she had a gift particularly when it was obvious that she did considering where they landed. Granted, I do realize that this was a character flaw that would eventually be dealt with and it was in the end. I thought it was a little humorous that both of them accused the other of lying- and they were, but thought it was okay to hold back the truth because they thought it was for the best. The build up to the end had the perfect amount of tension and suspense leaving me with no idea how things were going to go down. And the climax was not disappointing. After 'the big bang' as I call it, things were rushed a little to the end, but not absurdly so. I liked how the time travel twist was dealt with in the epilogue leaving the door open for the rest of the series. I do hope there is more Danni and Sean even though I want Rory's story too.
The backdrop of the island, its culture, and its people was a strong component in this story and written well. I loved meeting the other characters and the scenes with them even if they were a character that I didn't like. The book of Fennore was a mystical object, but the way it was described made it seem almost like another character- an evil villain.
Wrapping up, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to the remainder of the series. Those who enjoy a bittersweet tang and a mystic feel to their paranormal romance should definitely give this series a try.
February 20, 2018
Without giving away any spoilers, this book straddles time and space, dealing in ghosts, magic, and lore. The adventure and the mysticism in this coupled with the both idyllic and frightening setting gives this paranormal/fantasy/magical realism (not sure what umbrella to put this under) romance a Gothic vibe but still keeps that sense of romantic optimism always present with happily ever afters.
May 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this. There were times, however, when I was a bit confused as to what was going on. Danni is a strong protagonist, so readers will love her.
February 6, 2022
Amazing
An amazing tale, layers wrapped in layers of a story that involves time shifting. Can she change the past? Can a dead man survive an evil, magic book?
An amazing tale, layers wrapped in layers of a story that involves time shifting. Can she change the past? Can a dead man survive an evil, magic book?
July 25, 2011
I had seen various email advertisements about this book over the last month or so before its release. The blurb sounded interesting to me, so I put it on the wishlist. Next thing I know, our Syb had the book in hand and sent it on to me. She knows me well, figured this story would be one I’d enjoy. She has no idea how right she was. And now I have just re-created a monster with that comment!
First I have to say how much I like Ms. Quinn’s voice. It’s absolutely perfect for paranormal romance, mystical and magical, and she does a beautiful job of giving the characters’ words and their world a definite Irish flavor and lilt. I felt like I was actually on the Irish island of Ballyfionuir throughout my read.
Next, the mystery that is woven into the characters’ lives is one steeped in family history, magic, and loads of evil. I love it when an author gives me something so different than what I’ve ever read before, and Ms. Quinn definitely does that. Also woven into that mystery is the paranormal. The hero, for the first part of the book, is a ghost. He’s been sent by his grandmother, who has magical powers of her own, to find the heroine and bring her home to Ireland to set right events that happened 20 years earlier. Sean and Danni end up time traveling to the time of those events, compliments of Danni and her power, so that Sean is no longer his ghostly self but a real, breathing man. Once there Danni’s visions continue to give her more information about the tragedy that hit both her and Sean’s families, and to get to the bottom of it all she has to find the Book of Fennore, an evil tome that seduces its victims into darkness.
Then there’s the characters themselves. Ms. Quinn pulls no punches and gives us a hero and heroine who we care about immediately, both because of their past, their present, and we wonder if they’ll have a future. Their lives are interwoven with each other though only Sean remembers Danni. She was much too young to remember much of anything until she’s back on Irish soil, but her memories are still sketchy. They cling to each other, being strangers to their families, and the way Ms. Quinn weaves that part of the story together is simply stellar. You see both Sean and Danni interacting with their young selves, Danni meeting the parents she can’t remember, Sean finding his memories about his father aren’t truly accurate, all the while trying to make sense of why they’ve been brought back only to live again through the most horrendous night of their lives.
The romance and the love between Sean and Danni slowly grows, goes through some very rough spots, but they show how strong they are individually as well as together. Their love scenes go from loving to furious and are so moving. They have to learn to trust one another, both afraid to tell the other everything for fear of the unknown, what will happen when things are said aloud, will the magic and the evil take more from them, forcing them to work harder for survival.
All of the secondary characters are very well done, each giving depth to their part of the storyline, each giving us a surprise here and there the more we get to know them. Ms. Quinn is great at misdirection when it comes to the villain, changing paths a few times before showing us some true colors.
This is one of the best books that I have read lately. I’m looking forward to the next book, which features Danni’s twin, and I know time is going crawl before I have it my hands.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
First I have to say how much I like Ms. Quinn’s voice. It’s absolutely perfect for paranormal romance, mystical and magical, and she does a beautiful job of giving the characters’ words and their world a definite Irish flavor and lilt. I felt like I was actually on the Irish island of Ballyfionuir throughout my read.
Next, the mystery that is woven into the characters’ lives is one steeped in family history, magic, and loads of evil. I love it when an author gives me something so different than what I’ve ever read before, and Ms. Quinn definitely does that. Also woven into that mystery is the paranormal. The hero, for the first part of the book, is a ghost. He’s been sent by his grandmother, who has magical powers of her own, to find the heroine and bring her home to Ireland to set right events that happened 20 years earlier. Sean and Danni end up time traveling to the time of those events, compliments of Danni and her power, so that Sean is no longer his ghostly self but a real, breathing man. Once there Danni’s visions continue to give her more information about the tragedy that hit both her and Sean’s families, and to get to the bottom of it all she has to find the Book of Fennore, an evil tome that seduces its victims into darkness.
Then there’s the characters themselves. Ms. Quinn pulls no punches and gives us a hero and heroine who we care about immediately, both because of their past, their present, and we wonder if they’ll have a future. Their lives are interwoven with each other though only Sean remembers Danni. She was much too young to remember much of anything until she’s back on Irish soil, but her memories are still sketchy. They cling to each other, being strangers to their families, and the way Ms. Quinn weaves that part of the story together is simply stellar. You see both Sean and Danni interacting with their young selves, Danni meeting the parents she can’t remember, Sean finding his memories about his father aren’t truly accurate, all the while trying to make sense of why they’ve been brought back only to live again through the most horrendous night of their lives.
The romance and the love between Sean and Danni slowly grows, goes through some very rough spots, but they show how strong they are individually as well as together. Their love scenes go from loving to furious and are so moving. They have to learn to trust one another, both afraid to tell the other everything for fear of the unknown, what will happen when things are said aloud, will the magic and the evil take more from them, forcing them to work harder for survival.
All of the secondary characters are very well done, each giving depth to their part of the storyline, each giving us a surprise here and there the more we get to know them. Ms. Quinn is great at misdirection when it comes to the villain, changing paths a few times before showing us some true colors.
This is one of the best books that I have read lately. I’m looking forward to the next book, which features Danni’s twin, and I know time is going crawl before I have it my hands.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
April 11, 2012
I've read two categories of books that could be considered time travel romances. Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series and the time travel romances of Constance O'Day Flannery. This book isn't as straight forward as the books I've read by Constance O'Day Flannery, but no where near the gritty historical tour de force that "Outlander" is.
Danni knows nothing of her heritage except that she was abandoned as a child. At 16 she found a foster care mother she could finally bond with, but she still feels a disconnect, not having a sense of her own heritage.
One day Sean shows up at her door. A man who claims to be a distant relative come to fetch her back to Ireland, and her father. Her mother had gone missing all those years ago, taking both her and her twin brother along. In the little village where Danni grew up, they all thought her dead.
Danni has always had visions that she has worked hard to suppress. Right before Sean shows up "in the flesh", he visits her in a vision showing her a bizarre scene from the past. Then, with Sean in her kitchen, her visions take on another dimension, sending both Sean and Danni 20 years into their own past and back to the magical village in Ireland.
It's hard to call this a simple time travel romance. For there isn't just travel back in time, or travel back and forth in time. From the moment Danni meets Sean, it's like they're caught in this bubble where time is looping endlessly, but not in the same manner. A bit of "Thrice Upon a Time", but with a "Quantum Leap" type twist - those in the past not seeing them as themselves.
Most of those from the village are of one of two families, both of which have a hint of magic in their bloodlines. Sean's grandmother has a hint of Danni's gift. She is the only one to recognize who Danni is, or at least what she represents. A chance to fix a tragic past.
No idea if I'm doing justice in describing this book. Let's just say it's one of those books that doesn't feel predictable. Much of the book, the reader is just as much in the dark as Danni and Sean are.
My only complaint, the ending felt a little rushed. After the last big action scene, things were just wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly with more "tell" than "show". A hint of "Made in Heaven" perhaps?
This review has become quite the mishmash of references, hasn't it? Feel like I'm doing it a disservice by forgoing mentioning "Groundhog Day" and the "Star Trek: the Next Generation" episode where they were stuck in the time loop. Not sure how they fit in there, but what the hell?
Recommended for ... anyone who finds any or all of the above references appealing. How's that for neat and tidy? The spine calls it paranormal romance, but it doesn't feel that predictable.
I'm going to pick up the next book, which focuses on Danni's long lost brother Rory. Not sure about the rest, as the names mean nothing to me at this point.
Danni knows nothing of her heritage except that she was abandoned as a child. At 16 she found a foster care mother she could finally bond with, but she still feels a disconnect, not having a sense of her own heritage.
One day Sean shows up at her door. A man who claims to be a distant relative come to fetch her back to Ireland, and her father. Her mother had gone missing all those years ago, taking both her and her twin brother along. In the little village where Danni grew up, they all thought her dead.
Danni has always had visions that she has worked hard to suppress. Right before Sean shows up "in the flesh", he visits her in a vision showing her a bizarre scene from the past. Then, with Sean in her kitchen, her visions take on another dimension, sending both Sean and Danni 20 years into their own past and back to the magical village in Ireland.
It's hard to call this a simple time travel romance. For there isn't just travel back in time, or travel back and forth in time. From the moment Danni meets Sean, it's like they're caught in this bubble where time is looping endlessly, but not in the same manner. A bit of "Thrice Upon a Time", but with a "Quantum Leap" type twist - those in the past not seeing them as themselves.
Most of those from the village are of one of two families, both of which have a hint of magic in their bloodlines. Sean's grandmother has a hint of Danni's gift. She is the only one to recognize who Danni is, or at least what she represents. A chance to fix a tragic past.
No idea if I'm doing justice in describing this book. Let's just say it's one of those books that doesn't feel predictable. Much of the book, the reader is just as much in the dark as Danni and Sean are.
My only complaint, the ending felt a little rushed. After the last big action scene, things were just wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly with more "tell" than "show". A hint of "Made in Heaven" perhaps?
This review has become quite the mishmash of references, hasn't it? Feel like I'm doing it a disservice by forgoing mentioning "Groundhog Day" and the "Star Trek: the Next Generation" episode where they were stuck in the time loop. Not sure how they fit in there, but what the hell?
Recommended for ... anyone who finds any or all of the above references appealing. How's that for neat and tidy? The spine calls it paranormal romance, but it doesn't feel that predictable.
I'm going to pick up the next book, which focuses on Danni's long lost brother Rory. Not sure about the rest, as the names mean nothing to me at this point.
January 4, 2012
Danni Jones grew up in the Phoenix, Arizona foster care system and had very little memory of life before her mother abandoned her at the age of five. Now over twenty years later Sean Ballagh shows up on her doorstep saying he’s been sent by her father in Ireland. There’s something not quite right about Sean. Oh, he’s good looking enough and that Irish accent is delicious, but he’s playing his cards to close to his vest and the story he’s telling her is not adding up. Then to top it all off, are the visions Danni is once again starting to experience. They are showing some disturbing things that Danni is not in a hurry to find the meaning for. Deciding to check out Sean’s story, a tale of murder, suicide and black magic starts to unfold, and the choice of whether or not to return to Ireland is taken out of Danni and Sean’s hands.
Great book! I'll be honest, it took me a bit to work out the different characters and the roles they play. This is a very detailed and complexly layered novel, and the reader MUST pay attention. The story spans generations so the reader has to become acquainted with who and what happens when. It's really hard to go into why it turned out to be such a surprising book without giving any spoilers, which would just take away a lot of the enjoyment from this story. Let's just say that some of the major players of this book have some huge blank spots in their memories and aren't at all what they seem. Since this is a story of time travel, the story is very liquid and can flow in several different directions with the blink of an eye. The romantic thread takes a little while to blossom in the story but when it does.....whoa, mama ....it explodes. Once the couple returns to Ireland, things begin to move at a very rapid pace and the story ARC becomes much, much clearer. The only thing that marred my enjoyment of the book somewhat was Danni's refusal to acknowledge what was happening even as it happened. I can see a momentary denial, but she wore blinders a great deal and it was frustrating at times. I'm glad this series was introduced to me and I have added the rest of the books to my TBR. It was quite unique from anything else I have read this year and I do believe it was a very worthy use of my time. Here's to a job well done Ms. Quinn.
Great book! I'll be honest, it took me a bit to work out the different characters and the roles they play. This is a very detailed and complexly layered novel, and the reader MUST pay attention. The story spans generations so the reader has to become acquainted with who and what happens when. It's really hard to go into why it turned out to be such a surprising book without giving any spoilers, which would just take away a lot of the enjoyment from this story. Let's just say that some of the major players of this book have some huge blank spots in their memories and aren't at all what they seem. Since this is a story of time travel, the story is very liquid and can flow in several different directions with the blink of an eye. The romantic thread takes a little while to blossom in the story but when it does.....whoa, mama ....it explodes. Once the couple returns to Ireland, things begin to move at a very rapid pace and the story ARC becomes much, much clearer. The only thing that marred my enjoyment of the book somewhat was Danni's refusal to acknowledge what was happening even as it happened. I can see a momentary denial, but she wore blinders a great deal and it was frustrating at times. I'm glad this series was introduced to me and I have added the rest of the books to my TBR. It was quite unique from anything else I have read this year and I do believe it was a very worthy use of my time. Here's to a job well done Ms. Quinn.
September 28, 2010
Good plot ideas, but I didn’t like the method of storytelling: using many partial psychic visions to create & solve mysteries.
STORY BRIEF:
Ballyfionuir, Ireland (on the Isle of Fenmore) has many people who inherit psychic and magical abilities from their ancestors. Fia had five-year-old twins Danni and Rory. A murder occurred in a cave, and the locals believe Fia and her children were also killed, but they weren’t. Fia survived and took Danni to America. She left Danni in an orphanage in Arizona. Danni was raised by foster parents. It is now 20 years later. A man named Sean appears at Danni’s home. He tells her she has a father in Ireland who wants to see her. He asks her to return to Ireland with him for a visit. Danni begins having psychic visions and dreams.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
The story is a mystery with several questions. Instead of someone investigating and talking to people to solve the mysteries, Danni has a series of visions which answer some questions and cause her to take some actions. Each vision is a partial answer and is vague. When she asks questions of others, their answers are usually “I don’t know,” even though they also have psychic abilities. This method of having visions with partial answers until the very end didn’t work for me. It didn’t allow me to enjoy a character’s personality, thinking and choices. It was too passive – waiting for more visions for more answers. The plot, the characters, the motivations, and the evil were all interesting. However, I would have preferred the story be told chronologically – not done retroactively using vague and incomplete visions drawing it out.
I liked the ending. I liked how magic was used to solve some problems at the end. Those were neat ideas.
DATA:
Story length: 341 pages. Swearing language: strong (including religious swear words). Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 4. Total number of sex scene pages: 11. Setting: current day and 20 years prior in Arizona and Ireland. Copyright: 2009. Genre: fantasy time travel romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Ballyfionuir, Ireland (on the Isle of Fenmore) has many people who inherit psychic and magical abilities from their ancestors. Fia had five-year-old twins Danni and Rory. A murder occurred in a cave, and the locals believe Fia and her children were also killed, but they weren’t. Fia survived and took Danni to America. She left Danni in an orphanage in Arizona. Danni was raised by foster parents. It is now 20 years later. A man named Sean appears at Danni’s home. He tells her she has a father in Ireland who wants to see her. He asks her to return to Ireland with him for a visit. Danni begins having psychic visions and dreams.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
The story is a mystery with several questions. Instead of someone investigating and talking to people to solve the mysteries, Danni has a series of visions which answer some questions and cause her to take some actions. Each vision is a partial answer and is vague. When she asks questions of others, their answers are usually “I don’t know,” even though they also have psychic abilities. This method of having visions with partial answers until the very end didn’t work for me. It didn’t allow me to enjoy a character’s personality, thinking and choices. It was too passive – waiting for more visions for more answers. The plot, the characters, the motivations, and the evil were all interesting. However, I would have preferred the story be told chronologically – not done retroactively using vague and incomplete visions drawing it out.
I liked the ending. I liked how magic was used to solve some problems at the end. Those were neat ideas.
DATA:
Story length: 341 pages. Swearing language: strong (including religious swear words). Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 4. Total number of sex scene pages: 11. Setting: current day and 20 years prior in Arizona and Ireland. Copyright: 2009. Genre: fantasy time travel romance.
February 21, 2012
When Sean Ballagh appears on orphan Danni Jones' doorstep, she instantly knows that something is wrong for she'd seen him in a dream-vision just the night before. He tells her an incredible story about her family and her true home in Ballyfionuir, Ireland. Her mother, Fiona MacGrath and her five year old twins (Rory and Dairinn) disappeared 20 years ago under mysterious circumstances and Sean's father, Niall was accused of the crime. Danni proceeds to have a dream-vision right there in her Arizona kitchen and awakens 20 years in the past in Ireland a few days before that fateful day. What follows is an interesting day-in-the-life, separately of both Sean's family and Danni's and their interaction with their childhood selves as well as their parents. As the events unfold, the whole story is told from each person's perspective. It's a convoluted tale that eventually comes together and makes perfect sense.
Of course, there is a dark element to the story as well...the Book of Fennore. An evil tome that seduces through the promise of untold power though you do sacrifice your soul (or more) by succumbing to the evil. When it's clear that Danni's father, Cathan MacGrath got his hands on the book, the tension is kicked up a notch and the danger even more so.
This is a wonderful start to the Mists of Ireland series and I really cannot wait to read of Rory's story in Haunting Warrior. Rory played an integral part of Danni's story but we weren't gifted with any true insight into him or his talents. His story and his version of events should be rather interesting.
Of course, there is a dark element to the story as well...the Book of Fennore. An evil tome that seduces through the promise of untold power though you do sacrifice your soul (or more) by succumbing to the evil. When it's clear that Danni's father, Cathan MacGrath got his hands on the book, the tension is kicked up a notch and the danger even more so.
This is a wonderful start to the Mists of Ireland series and I really cannot wait to read of Rory's story in Haunting Warrior. Rory played an integral part of Danni's story but we weren't gifted with any true insight into him or his talents. His story and his version of events should be rather interesting.
August 13, 2009
Full Review posted on my blog: Mom-Musings
Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Haunting Beauty tells a riveting tale of how the lives of many people changed on one tragic day. It is a riveting story of Danni's struggle to understand her knowledge and gift...to change events.
Haunting Beauty from the start enthralled and captured me. Throughout my reading, I could not escape the feeling of being haunted...of not knowing what was to come, what had come, what will come. I felt the immediate draw between Sean and Danni. I felt the seduction, passion and mystery held between them.
Sean, who is this mysterious man? I thought I had answers to that question and then would find myself, yet again, wondering. Towards the end, I did have a sense of who he was and what would come to pass, yet...I was unsure. What would come of Sean? I longed for Sean to have good fortune, longed for Sean to have...
I was nervous to have these longings for fear my hopes would be dashed.
Danni, who is she? What powers does she have? She is unsure of those answers just as I was. She haunted me throughout the book for I wanted her to have a happy ever after yet...I was sure she would not. OR...Would she?
Haunting Beauty most definitely held me at the edge of my sit as I kept turning the pages...unwilling to put the book down even as I could stay awake no longer. I awoke and besides utilizing the bathroom, the first thing I did was pick up Haunting Beauty. I needed to know Sean and Danni's story, what was to be their outcome?
I needed to know how the mysterious events would play out.
Rating: 4.75/5 stars
Haunting Beauty tells a riveting tale of how the lives of many people changed on one tragic day. It is a riveting story of Danni's struggle to understand her knowledge and gift...to change events.
Haunting Beauty from the start enthralled and captured me. Throughout my reading, I could not escape the feeling of being haunted...of not knowing what was to come, what had come, what will come. I felt the immediate draw between Sean and Danni. I felt the seduction, passion and mystery held between them.
Sean, who is this mysterious man? I thought I had answers to that question and then would find myself, yet again, wondering. Towards the end, I did have a sense of who he was and what would come to pass, yet...I was unsure. What would come of Sean? I longed for Sean to have good fortune, longed for Sean to have...
I was nervous to have these longings for fear my hopes would be dashed.
Danni, who is she? What powers does she have? She is unsure of those answers just as I was. She haunted me throughout the book for I wanted her to have a happy ever after yet...I was sure she would not. OR...Would she?
Haunting Beauty most definitely held me at the edge of my sit as I kept turning the pages...unwilling to put the book down even as I could stay awake no longer. I awoke and besides utilizing the bathroom, the first thing I did was pick up Haunting Beauty. I needed to know Sean and Danni's story, what was to be their outcome?
I needed to know how the mysterious events would play out.
March 9, 2012
**2.5 stars**
This book was a weird combination of time travel, magic and ghosts and not executed particularly well. Some of the plot points were so convoluted that they didn't make much sense and one in particular was too close to an important aspect of the Fever series for it too feel nothing other than repetitive. Maybe are part of Irish folklore (on which this book attempted to be based) but then the author should have attempted to give it her own spin.
The relationship between the main characters was very flat and I really couldn't tell why they fell in love. The supposed twist of the hero's situation was way out there and the author didn't attempt to explain how exactly that worked out. Even the ending was weird and maudlin; I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I read it.
So I'm definitely not continuing this series, even though the description of the next book appealed to me. I need my fantasy to have some logic and based on this book, I just don't trust this author to create a story where I won't need leaps of faith to even understand what's going on.
This book was a weird combination of time travel, magic and ghosts and not executed particularly well. Some of the plot points were so convoluted that they didn't make much sense and one in particular was too close to an important aspect of the Fever series for it too feel nothing other than repetitive. Maybe are part of Irish folklore (on which this book attempted to be based) but then the author should have attempted to give it her own spin.
The relationship between the main characters was very flat and I really couldn't tell why they fell in love. The supposed twist of the hero's situation was way out there and the author didn't attempt to explain how exactly that worked out. Even the ending was weird and maudlin; I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I read it.
So I'm definitely not continuing this series, even though the description of the next book appealed to me. I need my fantasy to have some logic and based on this book, I just don't trust this author to create a story where I won't need leaps of faith to even understand what's going on.
December 7, 2011
Time travel romance is a genre that has been done to death and is rarely done well. For every Cross Stitch, a dozen weak rip offs will follow. So when I saw Diana Gabaldon had provided a quote for the cover of Haunting Beauty, I was intrigued.
The story was actually quite interesting. I enjoyed the idea of the characters being caught in a loop, destined to repeat the same tragic events until finally someone is able to make things right. I was curious how events would unfold all the way to the end. Of course, thinking about the logistics of how going back in time can affect the future does make one's head spin (we've all seen Back to the Future!) but this doesn't trouble Haunting Beauty so much.
Unfortunately, I found the central romance really difficult to invest in. I'm not averse to magical 'I know you are my destiny!' pairings, provided the relationship solidifies thanks to connections forged in subsequent interactions. For Danni and Sean, there is little to their relationship beyond sex and speculation as to what is going on. A problematic epilogue that defied logic really didn't help matters.
So, though I found it quite readable, I don't think I'll be haunted by this book.
The story was actually quite interesting. I enjoyed the idea of the characters being caught in a loop, destined to repeat the same tragic events until finally someone is able to make things right. I was curious how events would unfold all the way to the end. Of course, thinking about the logistics of how going back in time can affect the future does make one's head spin (we've all seen Back to the Future!) but this doesn't trouble Haunting Beauty so much.
Unfortunately, I found the central romance really difficult to invest in. I'm not averse to magical 'I know you are my destiny!' pairings, provided the relationship solidifies thanks to connections forged in subsequent interactions. For Danni and Sean, there is little to their relationship beyond sex and speculation as to what is going on. A problematic epilogue that defied logic really didn't help matters.
So, though I found it quite readable, I don't think I'll be haunted by this book.
March 30, 2014
I'm not sure what I expected of this book, but it certainly wasn't what I got. I wish I could recall what I expected the novel to be about/feel like. I was taken quite aback at the nature of the storyline and the plot itself. Not disappointed, but completely taken aback.
I'm always a little wary of fantasy-type novels that involve a character traveling forward/backward in time to interact with his- or herself. Here, I think the author did a fine job of explaining the circumstances and smoothing the characteristics. I felt, however, one could not really see a glimpse of the older character in that of the younger one. I wish that would happen, as it would have made the characters themselves more three-dimensional and believable. There were also some unexplained (but seemingly key) components to the novel. Specifically - the necklace/charm? Will that be explained in a later book? It's not clear.
Overall, a fine novel. I may give one more book in the series a go, and hope it improves now that I have a better idea of the type of book it is.
I'm always a little wary of fantasy-type novels that involve a character traveling forward/backward in time to interact with his- or herself. Here, I think the author did a fine job of explaining the circumstances and smoothing the characteristics. I felt, however, one could not really see a glimpse of the older character in that of the younger one. I wish that would happen, as it would have made the characters themselves more three-dimensional and believable. There were also some unexplained (but seemingly key) components to the novel. Specifically - the necklace/charm? Will that be explained in a later book? It's not clear.
Overall, a fine novel. I may give one more book in the series a go, and hope it improves now that I have a better idea of the type of book it is.
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