Review: Deep Kiss of Winter by K Cole & G Showalter

Deep Kiss of Winter is an omnibus that includes a story from Kresley Cole’s Immortal’s After Dark series and a story from Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress series.


Untouchable by Kresley Cole
Book Blurb:


Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden, the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. 


A Valkyrie aching to be touched, desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?


My thoughts:


Murdoch Wroth is one of the renowned Wroth brothers - four brothers who were turned vampire over three hundred years ago.  When a man is turned vampire, his heart stops beating - only the touch of his Bride can restart his heart.
Murdoch has found his Bride - but he can’t touch her.


Daniela the Ice Maiden is part Valkyrie and part Ice Fey. She is the rightful heir to the Icere kingdom - but upon her mother’s death assassins were sent to kill her as well.


Now living in New Orleans, Danii hopes that the humid temperatures will keep the Icere assassins from finding her.


No such luck.


Murdoch finds Danii fleeing several Icere assassins and steps in to lend a hand.  Only to realize that the touch of his hand burns her flesh.


As their attraction grows, so does their frustration.  How can the overcome the painful obstacle that stands in their way?


I give Untouchable 5 out of 5 stars.


Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter
Book Blurb:


Aleaha Love can be anyone - literally. With only skin to skin contact she can change her appearance, assume any identity. Her newest identity switch has made her an AIR (alien investigation and removal) agent and sends her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. 


Only, she becomes the captured. 


Breean, a golden-skinned commander, known for his iron-will, who is dangerous and soul-shatteringly seductive, threatens her new life, because for once, she only wants to be herself.


My thoughts:


Aleaha Love has no idea what she is - human or alien - she only knows that she has to keep her identity and her abilities secret.


Keeping her identity secret is pretty easy - she just takes on another one whenever she feels threatened.  With a simple touch Aleaha can become anyone she chooses.  


Her latest persona is that of Macy Briggs, ex-cop turned AIR agent.  How ironic that Aleaha is now working for the very people she is terrified will find out her secret.


Aleaha’s first field assignment is to ambush an incoming cadre of Schon aliens bent on infecting Earth with a debilitating virus.  But the warriors that come through aren’t Schon.


Breean and his warriors hate the Schon for invading their home world and destroying it with the plague virus. Breean is now looking to make Earth their home and they are willing to work with the AIR agents against the Schon...if they can convince them that they’re telling the truth.


Aleaha is instantly attracted to Breean - and the feeling is mutual.  But Breean causes Aleaha to lose focus and her identity shifts when that happens - something she can’t allow - especially in front of her co-workers.


I like the Alien Huntress world - but it is not my favorite Showalter series.  I don’t really like it when we go from possible alien enemy to making out in the span of a chapter.


I give Tempt Me Eternally 3 out of 5 stars.    


As a whole, I give Deep Kiss of Winter 4 out of 5 stars.


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star (12-28-10)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451600054
ISBN-13: 978-1451600056