The Coin
By Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
~My Review~
5 stars!
The Coin is book one in a duo-logy (2 book series). I however read them out of order. This did not ruin the story for me in any way and in fact it was really fun to pick up Gabriela and Richard's story from their first meet, instead of the reunion they had in book 2.
The Coin starts out with Gabriela innocently picking up a coin while on her hike. Like her I have always been taught finding these coins is a lucky thing. She combines her lucky coins on a bracelet (which I now want one!) and while the coin is the jewelers getting put on the bracelet is when it is discovered to not just be a simple coin, but a code for terrorist. This is where Richard enters her life, and thank goodness he does, because she quickly becomes the target of some really nasty mouse and cat games!
The mystery around this story was fantastically woven and I truly feel in love with these books! I am simply sad to not have more of Richard and Gabriela's story to read, but will be looking out for more amazing mysteries by this author!
France, 1993.
Who ever thought a coin could get you
killed?
A DANGEROUS FIND
For artist Gabriela Martinez, life has
become complicated: she suspects her
mentor and friend wants her as his mistress, her husband is neglecting her, and
her latest illustration is ruined. Seeking
peace, she visits her favorite thinking spot in La Marbriére, the mountain overlooking her home in the Côte
d’Azur. Distracted, she winds up in an
unfamiliar clearing, where she discovers a 1945 French coin half-buried in the
ground. Delighted with its beauty, she
has it set on her favorite bracelet.
TREACHEROUS KNOWLEDGE
Richard Harrison, an American
intelligence officer, is livid. A simple
favor for his boss has turned his vacation in the French Riviera into a hellish
assignment. Now, not only does he learn
the truth about the coin, but he must also protect Gabriela from a cunning
killer who will stop at nothing.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT
Together with Maurice Nôret, from
French intelligence, Richard attempts to discover the madman’s identity, except
his budding love for the beautiful artist is turning into a dangerous
handicap. Every one of his moves is thwarted
with brutal counter-moves. Soon, the
psychological games to terrorize Gabriela escalate beyond his control. If Richard doesn’t find a solution, it may be
too late for them both.
Set in the exotic French Riviera, The Coin is a story of hatred, betrayal,
love and duty—of terrible and painful choices that, nonetheless, bring about
personal triumph.
EXCERPT FROM THE COIN
Richard’s warning came like an explosion. “Shit.
Hang on.”
Gabriela’s strangling grip of the seat was instinctive and
came not a moment too soon. Richard
rounded the corner into the small street at an alarming speed, the car’s rear
skidding and tires screaming against the loose gravel. Gabriela’s body thumped against the door and
she felt, rather than saw, Richard slam his foot on the accelerator.
So this was fear.
Richard didn’t transmit his, but Gabriela felt hers, tasted
it, and it was horrible. She became hot
and cold, her extremities shook, and her heart pounded inside her chest,
wanting to flee her body. Everything
took on bizarre proportions—the reckless speed of the car, the concentrated
grimace of the man beside her, the heavy forest bordering the road, the black
monstrosity
behind them that seemed to get closer and closer each time
she glanced furtively in the mirror.
“He’s catching up to us,” he stated coldly and hit the wheel
so hard, Gabriela winced. “Son-of-a-bitch
has a turbo, too, and I don’t have my gun.”
Gabriela’s muscles froze, her palms sweating so profusely
she couldn’t keep a proper grip on the seat.
The car increased its momentum, the curving road, landmarks, and trees
rushing by like an old slapstick movie.
Frantically, she prayed they wouldn’t find any traffic on this
street. It was too narrow, had too many
sheer drops on the sides, and too many trees.
There were just too many things that could get them killed. Her stomach lurched, threatening to retch its
contents any minute. She grabbed her
mouth tightly with one hand while she strangled the door handle with the other.
“Keep your wits about you,” Richard said harshly. “Concentrate on the road. I need you to guide me.” He glanced at her briefly. “Take a deep breath, hold it for a few
seconds, and exhale. You’re
hyperventilating.”
She tried to do what he suggested. Concentrate on the road, she kept repeating
to herself like a broken record. Don’t
panic. Everything will work out. Oh, God!
Oh, God! Breathe. Breathe.
The force of metal hitting metal caught her by
surprise. Her entire body jerked
forward, her head bouncing back and forth in opposing motion with the car. The second hit came as quickly, but more
viciously. Her body jerked like a rag
doll, the strap of her seat belt biting hard against her chest and
shoulders. This wasn’t real, she
thought. This could not be happening to
her.
“Brace yourself,” Richard shouted.
The car gave another sickening lurch, but this time the rear
was slammed sideways. Gabriela’s head
smashed against the window, her eyesight blurred, and she tasted the rising
bile in her mouth. To compound her
horror, the car was now out of control, heading straight for a fifteen-foot
drop. There, a front-line of grotesquely
shaped trees seemed to be eagerly extending their gnarled branches in hopes of
grabbing them. Gabriela closed her eyes
and thought, we’re dead. We’re going to
die.
Her body suddenly slammed against Richard’s as he
desperately tried to keep the car under control. A small cry escaped her lips as her body
again smacked against the door. She
heard the roar of the turbo engine as it got ready for another onslaught, and
braced her body for the impact. Her
panicky brain struggled to keep control of her body and she forced herself to
look out the window.
With a wrench, Richard maneuvered the car away from the
other. “Where do I go, Gabriela?” he
asked, his voice as tight as his hands on the steering wheel. When his question
solicited no response, his voice hardened, “Gabriela. Stay with me.
Guide me. Where?”
The Book Of Hours
By Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
~My Review~
5 stars
The book of hours is book 2 in the series, not really series, but a duo-logy. I however mistakenly read this book first! What was amazing was that the author wrote book 2 in a way that I immediately understood the story and the characters without having read her first book yet, which is impressive to say the least! I did read the coin immediately following this book and loved that I was able to get more of Gabriela's story and it definitely played as backstory for this book.
The book of hours, begins with Gabriela fighting off what she considered mundane threats from a man determined to get her amazing Manuscript at rock bottom prizes. What she doesn't know is the man has no limit to the threats he will send her way, and that he intends to carry them all out as well. This is when Richard walks back into her life and the story truly begins. Gabriela and Richard seem to have a lot to talk about and work out, but because of all the chaos and danger there is simply no time to do that. This leaves them at times at odds with each other, and that seems to happen at all the wrong times.
I loved this book, and I loved the Duo-logy! They both read so well, while the mystery at times was complex I was always able to follow the story without a single problem. The characters were very well developed and you simply learn more about the main ones between the two books. If you are looking for a great mystery read, these books will not disappoint!
About the book:
For artist
Gabriela Martinez, psychopaths do hit twice.
A LOVE IN
JEOPARDY
In 1993, artist
Gabriela Martinez almost lost her life to a sociopath’s twisted vision. If not for Richard Harrison, the operative
sent to protect her, she would have ended up dead. The dramatic showdown pushed them together, but
there were too many obstacles temporarily pulling them apart.
A NEW THREAT
After catching a
glimpse of Gabriela’s new work, The Book
of Hours, Arnold Wickeham has been like a man possessed. Now, he will do anything—anything—in order to
claim it, and nothing, especially not Gabriela, will stand in his way.
THE PAST IS
CATCHING UP
Richard Harrison
has never given up his true love, Gabriela.
Now someone new is threatening her life, and he will risk everything to
protect her. But the stakes are now
higher, and there is much more to lose. And,
if he doesn’t stay one step ahead of the danger, her life, but especially,
their future, may very well go up in flames.
A LOVE TESTED
In The Coin, Gabriela and Richard were
cruelly used by fate—and destiny isn’t done. In the shadow of this new threat, their
choices may not just save their lives, but also their love.
EXCERPT
BOOK OF HOURS
Gabriela’s
body stilled at the soft sound of her name. For a moment, she stood listening,
then shook her head like a wet dog shaking off water. You are such a fool, her mind supplied. Disgusted, she stabbed at
the cerulean blue on her palette. Her mind had deceived her yet again. She
slobbered the paint on the canvas, realized what she had done, and hissed.
Since agreeing with Jean-Louis to call Maurice later that evening, she’d been a
nervous wreck. Throughout the noon hour, her brain had staged all sorts of
encounters with one infuriating, unforgettable man. Like a dutiful stage
manager, her mind had supervised every possible scene, every possible emotion
under its tutelage. She’d jumped from rage, to indifference, to haughtiness,
but longing had finally won, hands down. No matter how hard she tried to avoid
it, she could never escape the terrible need she felt for him, a need that went
deeper than the instinct to breathe.
The
lyrics from the song she’d impulsively put on swirled around her, teased her.
The singer, in his soulful tenor voice, sang about the moment of encounter with
his beloved, anticipation heating his blood, nerves tingling in expectation of
the seduction. His words mimicked her own guilty longings, her desires. Oh, God. How would she ever get through this
day? How would she find the courage to do what must be done?
“Gabriela.”
This
time the voice penetrated, took form. It called out to her, familiar and
unmistakably real, a living entity that caressed her skin and raised goose
bumps on her warm flesh. This was no figment of her imagination, no mistake.
She felt him, her nerve endings suddenly electrified, awareness shaking her.
Panic sent her heart scurrying. Hope and love made her turn around slowly, ever
so slowly.
She blinked, thinking her eyes were deceiving her, but
Richard’s tall frame stood static before her, his chestnut hair combed by the
soft breeze, his eyes intense, pinning her and caressing her all at once. The
embers of irrational hope fanned to life like a conflagration. For an unguarded
moment, her eyes reflected her hope, her joy, but especially her hopeless love
for him.
Richard
watched those powerful emotions play across her face and relief slammed
him. Gotcha. She’d always had such an expressive,
beautiful face. Now, no matter what she
did, but especially said, he would know the truth. The love was there, and it flared like a
beacon.
About the Author:
Maria Elena
Alonso-Sierra is a romantic
suspense author with a unique point of view. Her adventure novels take place in
locales across Europe and the United States, reflecting her international
upbringing and extensive time as a global traveler. In her duology, The Coin and The Book of Hours, her characters, Gabriela and Richard, walk the
same paths as their creator, though her life was never in so much danger.
Ms. Alonso-Sierra’s writing career began circa age thirteen
with a very juvenile science fiction short story, but the writing bug hit, and
she has been writing, in one capacity or another, ever since. She has worked as a professional dancer,
singer, journalist, and literature teacher (and not necessarily in that
order—she likes variety) and holds a Masters in English literature. She loves
to hear from readers and, when not writing, roams around to discover new places
to set her novels.
Ms. Alonso-Sierra is currently working on her third novel,
and lives in North Carolina with her husband and her dog, Amber.
“You want to know what I do for a living? I rip souls out. Cut heads off. Put silver bullets where silver bullets need putting. You think there aren't any monsters? . . . I have some disturbing news for you. You might want to sit down. Monsters walk among us. I'm looking for one in particular. In the meantime? I'm keeping the rest of them from eating people like you.”
In this debut novel of her new paranormal mystery series, Juliette Harper, author of The Lockwood Legacy books and The Study Club Mysteries creates a cast of characters, most of whom have one thing in common; they don’t have a pulse. The dead are doing just fine by Selby, who is determined never to lose someone she loves again, but then a force of love more powerful than her grief changes that plan.
Join Selby Jensen as she and her team track down a shadowy figure tied to a murder at a girls’ school. What none of them realize, however, is that in solving this case, they will enter a longer battle against a larger evil.
Juliette Harper is the pen name used by the writing team of Patricia Pauletti and Rana K. Williamson. Descendants of the Rose is the first installment of Harper’s debut Selby Jensen Paranormal Mystery series.
Pauletti, an Easterner of Italian descent, is an accomplished musician with an eye for art and design. Williamson, a Texan, worked as a journalist and university history instructor before becoming a full-time freelance writer in 2002.
Juliette Harper is also the author of The Lockwood Legacy, a nine-book chronicle of the lives of three sisters who inherit a ranch in Central Texas following their father’s suicide. Four of the novels are currently available: Langston’s Daughters, Baxter’s Draw, Alice's Portrait and Mandy’s Father.
And don’t miss her hilariously funny “cozy” Study Club Mysteries, a light-hearted spinoff of The Lockwood Legacy. The books, set in the 1960s, take on the often absurd eccentricities of small town life with good-natured, droll humor. The first book, You Can’t Get Blood Out of Shag Carpet is available with the second, You Can’t Put a Corpse in a Parade, coming in Summer 2015.
