Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews Series: Hidden Legacy #1
Publisher: Avon on October 28, 2014
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Adult
Pages: 382
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Rating:
Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.
Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.
Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.
At A Glance
Sociopath-erific!
The Good
Okay. So much! Well, a while back this serum brought any magical abilities a person had to the surface. Fast-forward to today and the serum has been destroyed but the world is now (mostly) ruled by the most wealthy magical families who breed with other wealthy magical families to create the best wealthy magical babies. They call super magical people Primes because why the hell not.
Now to the meat of the story. Nevada, with her ability to tell if someone is lying, runs a PI business with her family. Circumstances have led to them selling their mortgage to one of these wealthy magical families. This wealthy magical family is calling in the debt to make Nevada take on an impossible case of a Prime burning down a bank and killing someone. This is not Nevada’s wheelhouse but she will make a great scapegoat when she fails, or dies. Which leads her to team up with sociopath Mad Rogan, the tippy topist of magical ability and wealth. He’s the only one who can stop the bad Prime from killing others, to bad he’s crazy too!
Nevada, right away, was easy to like. She likes it simple: take care of her family and stay out of trouble. Yeah, like it was going to be that easy. She’s a down-to-earth girl with a strong sense of responsibility towards keeping the family business running. Which leads her to many bad things. I also loved Nevada’s grandma. She was a hoot and a half. Her whole family is unconventional and lovable.
Mad Rogan is..is…something. Pretty much a self-proclaimed sociopath. He doesn’t care for other people, he uses them to get what he wants. Just pray he doesn’t want you. After he kidnaps Nevada for information, he realizes it’s just easier to work with her instead. You can imagine how thrilled Nevada was to hear this. *snickers* But I will give him this, he’s pure sex. Even I can see why Nevada wants to lick every inch of him.
These two go on many dangerous adventures, people die, cities burn, you know, the usual. Burn for Me was exciting the whole time. Lots of great characters and lots of action. I am super excited to continue this series. Ilona has never let me down, so I feel confident in the rest of Hidden Legacy. However, the Kate Daniels series is still my favorite.
The Bad
Okay, you know I love sociopaths. I love when my characters are sociopaths and I still love them. But I just don’t see how Nevada can ever get over what Mad Rogan did to her and her family, multiple times. What’s a little kidnapping amongst strangers, you say? Well, when you torture (yes, torture) a girl for almost a day, I think there are some lines crossed that can never be uncrossed. I get Nevada lusting after Mad Rogan because a nice hunk of man meat is still a nice hunk of man meat despite being fucked in the head. But I can never see her loving him for realsy reals.
The Snuggly
I gotta admit, for someone who hates writing love scenes, Ilona melted the pages with just a few passionate kisses. Yum!
Final Thoughts
If you love Ilona Andrews then this is a must read. Though this series has nothing to do with the Kate Daniels series, if you haven’t read anything by this writing duo yet, go with the Kate Daniels series first. It’s their shining star. Then move on to this series, which is solid so far. Highly recommended.
Quotes
“Yes, I’m a hermit. Mostly I brood,” Mad Rogan said. “Also, I’m very good at wallowing in self-pity. I spend my days steeped in melancholy, looking out the window. Occasionally a single tear quietly rolls down my cheek.”
“One school of thought says that the best way to handle an issue like this is exposure therapy,” Mad Rogan said. “For example, if you’re terrified of snakes, repeated handling of them will cure it.”
Aha. “I’m not handling your snake.”
“How about you don’t kill anybody for a little bit?”
“I can’t make that promise.”
Small talk with the dragon. How are you? Eaten any adventurers lately? Sure, just had one this morning. Look, I still got his femur stuck in my teeth. Is that upsetting to you?”
“I would really like to know”, he said with genuine curiosity. “The next time I kill someone, I’d like to do it in a way that doesn’t freak you out.”
“And let’s be honest, you weren’t exactly harmed. I even took you home.”
“You dumped me on my doorstep. According to my mother, I looked half dead.”
“Your mother exaggerates. A third dead at most.”
I stared at him. Wow. Just wow.”
Christy LoveOfBooks
Haha .. I think you’ll change your mind about her being able to love him for realsy realz in the net books. I’m usually hard on that type of stuff (kidnapping then relationship), but it didn’t bother me here because I guess I saw it from his POV too. He thought she was one of “them” working with Adams group, so it was strictly “business” at that point. I love this series a lot. I love Kate to pieces, but would rather have more of Nevada & this world than a KD spin-off for now.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Wow, that is a big statement. I will say after reading book 2 I see it now. But Kate is my die-hard fav forever.
Nathan
I think being kidnapped might be forgivable but torture, no. That crosses lines that can never be uncrossed no matter what.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
The torture was just not right!
Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous)
This sounds really good but I think the love interest and all the horrible things he did to her and her family would really bother. I mean, how could you lust after someone who tortured you?!
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
That’s what I’m saying!
Erin @Paperbackstash
Loved this book – was a favorite last year. The second was good this year, have the third I’m going to start tomorrow.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
The series got really freaking good with each book.
Braine
I got the books, I haven’t read them yet because I thought they’re PNR and I have to be in the mood for some PNR. After everyone’s reviews I obviously need to get in the bandwagon ASAP
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
They may be labeled PNR but they do not read that way. Sure, there is more detailed sex but very little. It reads like a UF.
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
I’m trying to get to this one now. I’ve read 10 pages and life keeps getting in the way. I want to read it! LOL! Thanks.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Oh, I hate that!
Olivia Roach
Girl, I don’t think I will ever be able to get enough of your writing style. It kind of gives me life when I read your reviews. And of all the Illona Andrews books I have heard about, this one is by far the one I most want to read.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Awww, that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thank you.