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    Heart of Stone
    Heart of Stone
    Heart of Stone
    Audiobook4 hours

    Heart of Stone

    Written by Tess Oliver and Anna Hart

    Narrated by Maxine Mitchell and Joe Arden

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook


    A bitter, dark childhood has left Hunter Stone hardened to the world around him. Giving his heart to anyone, even Amy Linton, the woman he cares most about, is impossible. Hunter will do anything for Amy, anything, that is, except commit. At the same time, he can't tolerate any guy getting close to her. But Amy needs more, and now Hunter faces the prospect of losing her for good.Contains mature themes.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateNov 3, 2015
    ISBN9781494588076
    Heart of Stone

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    Reviews for Heart of Stone

    3.5/5

    52 ratings8 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Ella is not normal like everyone surrounding her. Ella possesses psychic ability, but one she keeps under wraps. Ever since her parents died in a fatal accident that she believes is her fault in her failure to keep a tight leash on her powers, she does everything possible to hide them, even from herself. One evening while working at a museum, she is attacked, and a gargoyle statue comes to life saving her. Kees is a guardian in the shape of a gargoyle, keeping demons away. His duty is to protect and destroy evil, but then he is awakened by a woman's cry, and every protective instinct he has goes into overdrive. He never expected to be put asleep for hundreds of years, or that he would yearn for this woman who fires his blood in a way he has never felt before. Ella is shocked to discover that certain gargoyles aren't normal statues, they are guardians, and the world is in trouble. That Kees and his fellow guardians are the only ones that stand in the way between evil demons and humanity. It will take Kees and Ella working together to destroy a enemy that seems to surround them on all sides, will they be able to rely on each other and their abilities, to survive the coming battle on the horizon or be destroyed?I was able to obtain a copy of this ARC through St Martins Press via Netgalley. I only received this a few weeks ago, and after reading some amazing reviews, I knew I had to pick it up. I love shifter romances, and I was intrigued by the "gargoyle" theme this author has going here. The story starts out tame and normal, where nothing abnormal ever happens right? well, the story quickly escalates into a fierce battle of good vs. evil. After Ella gets attacked, Kees stays by her side, with a full Alpha Male personality calling her "Mine" whenever she attempts to get back to her normal routine. Kees is very old and has lived for centuries, and so he is bound to cause complications for a modern day woman right? Well their relationship is tested when evil stalks them, and as they search for aid in helping Ella develop her powers more, they start to realize how dire the situation is. That they, currently, are the only ones that have a chance to defeat the demons that are intent are destroying every guardian and mage out there, that are fighting to protect humanity. The story line is quite full of suspenseful scenes and dramatic action that heats the blood. Danger is around every corner, and my heart just went out to Kees and Ella for not getting much of a break. I enjoyed seeing the intense tone to the plot that kept me on the edge the whole way through.Now let me talk a bit about the characters involved in the story. The two main characters, Kees and Ella, are wonderful together. From beginning to end there is a sizzling desire that you feel from the first moment Kees has been awakened. Kees is somewhat unique as far as shifters go, since he can turn from a stone beast to a gorgeous hunk of a male in a instant. He is from a older time, so has strong possessive traits especially when it comes to the one woman that matters more than life to him. I have to say that Kees definitely raised the heat meter sky high. There wasn't anything I disliked about him. He adapts quickly to modern life and I love the way he compromises with Ella time from time, but at others, their fights could be catastrophe at times--but enjoyable at the same time. Now Ella....how do I describe her adequately enough or how much I liked her spunk. One of my favorite aspects of Ella as the heroine is the inner strength she has, but her vulnerabilities that shine through and make her so real to the reader. Ella is the perfect mate for Kees, strong and capable, passionate and full of zeal for life. She brought such zest to the story and I enjoyed the sparks between this couple that never seemed to end. They also seemed to be a solid fighting couple too, especially considering what a novice Ella is.Overall a surprisingly intense paranormal romance that will set you on a roller coaster of delights, twist and turns, dangers around every corner, and a plot guaranteed to give you a thrill of a adventure!! Hold tight, because Heart of Stone will give you a ride of a lifetime of two people that have discovered a fierce love while battling the greatest evil that threatens the destruction of the world!!!
    • 4/5
      *Book source ~ NetGalleyElla Harrow has a terrible secret she’s kept since she was twelve. But forget the past. She has another secret in the present that she doesn’t realize is putting her in very real danger. Until one night when she’s attacked at the museum where she works and she wakes a Guardian named Kees. She freaks out, not so much from the attack, but from the fact that the gargoyle statue has come to life and defended her. Has she lost her mind? Is she hallucinating? Has she been knocked out and this is just a dream? What the hell is going on?I’ve been reading paranormal books for quite a few years now and while I love vampires and shifters I do love to read about something different every once in awhile. Gargoyles. Now, that’s different. Though technically Kees is a Guardian and not a gargoyle even though he has fangs, claws, horns, skin like stone and wings. Once out of his slumber he can change to look more human and then back to his Guardian form at will. He has no magic of his own, but he’s made from magic so he’s extremely hard to kill. Good thing because he and his six brother Guardians are what keep the Seven from overrunning the Earth and destroying all of mankind. But something terrible has been happening while he and his brothers slumber and it’s up to Kees and Ella to find and wake the other Guardians, and stay alive while being pursued by vile creatures, before all is lost.I love this new world and the people who inhabit it. Kees is a hunk of nommy badassness and Ella is spunky and smart. It’s fast, funny, hot, interesting and full of magic and danger. Ella’s friend Fil (Felicity) is introduced and I like her. Good thing since she’s in the next book. I look forward to reading more about this world.
    • 3/5
      I wasn't sure I was going to finish this book at first. The beginning was a bit disjointed, didn't like the characters or the action much.
      I think the book was supposed to start off with a bang...which I guess it did, unfortunately not in the way intended by the author.

      After about 20% the book got much better and I enjoyed the read.
      There's lots of action, seems like everyone they talk to get killed. The whole gargoyle premise was fun, it's just not something we see too often. Unfortunately, Mr. Gargoyle is a super hot superjerk. There's a very detailed love scene early in the book. He seems to enjoy himself very much and then turns into Mr. Stone Cold (pun intended).

      overall I liked the book. But it could have been a lot better. I think I would read a sequel with the hopes that it is written better than the first. This read like a first effort of a new author, so was disappointing from a best selling author like Christine Warren.
    • 3/5
      Christine Warren’s Heart of Stone came to me through Netgalley.com, with a request for interview. Honestly, what drew it to me was the “gargoyle” theme, as gargoyles have been an obsession for me since I was a child. Honestly, the main character in the book, Kees (pronounced like ‘peace’) is not a true “gargoyle” but is instead a “grotesque,” a gargoyle-like character which was designed for protection rather than the movement of water along the gutters of ancient French rooftops. And protector he is. Kees and his six brothers were called centuries ago to protect humanity from The Darkness, an ancient evil that even the Light of the Universe cannot overcome.

      Ella Harrow, on the other hand, is definitely not a protector in her present standing. Instead, she is a quiet, reserved, and introverted museum docent who would rather walk over hot coals than interact with people. She isn’t just shy – she is terrified of people and crowds. I love Ella. Absolutely love her. She is quiet and shy, and more damaged than anyone would ever understand. She has horrors in her background – horrors which she can never allow to be known.

      Tonight, Ella has suffered through the quarterly fundraiser, and is more than ready to go home and curl up in her apartment, her ‘Fortress of Solitude,’ and forget all about having to interact with all the museum contributors. However, Ella’s life is about to change, and change drastically. No longer will she be able to run and hide, to shy away . . . for there are people, and creatures, after her. And only the statue, a grotesque come to life, will be able to help her to reach her true potential. If she lives long enough.

      I hadn’t realized that I had read any of Christine Warren’s works before. I once read part of On The Prowl and hadn’t remembered it. That particular book didn’t impress me at all – in fact, I gave it a 1-star rating on Amazon. I actually called it another poorly written, poorly conceptualized bomb of a book and I still stand by that review. To say that the lead female character was spineless and embarrassingly stupid was an understatement. I am glad I didn’t remember that book before I picked this one up or I wouldn’t have read it. This female character is much more self actualized and better written. Overall, this book, the first of a projected series, was worth the time I took to read it, and I will be watching for the next volume.

      The Netgalley copy that I received was an unedited volume with extensive errors that I am hoping were corrected in the final volume which was published in December 2013.
    • 3/5
      This series reads like it’s going to be pretty good. Gargoyles aren’t your typical paranormal paramours, but Ms. Warren does an exceptional job of getting the reader captivated by the possibility. I was fascinated by the back-story of Kees and his brethren, the Guardians, and how they are the opposition to the Dark demons and their quest to takeover the world. Ms. Warren has set up a seemingly insurmountable task for Guardians with the destruction of their home base and multiple murders of those who are meant to protect them in their dormant stone state.The only reason I gave it a 3 instead of a 4 was Ella. We just didn’t click, and her character was like nails on a chalkboard to me throughout the entire story. If the rest of it hadn’t hooked me so deeply, I wouldn’t spend any more time on this series. However, she is but a small part in a large production, and I can overlook that when Book #2, Stone Cold Lover comes out late this summer. It is at the top of my “to read” list, for sure!Rating: 3HEAT Rating: HotReviewed By: Daysie W. Review Courtesy of: My Book Addiction and More
    • 4/5
      Originally published on Tales to Tide You OverHeart of Stone is an odd mix of a spunky main character urban fantasy and a romance bordering on straight-laced erotica. The sex scenes are long and explicit so if that’s a problem, this is not the book for you. I’ll admit to skimming at points, though the existence of the sex scenes was critical to the story.With that out of the way, I’m going to talk story.This is just the type of romance tale I love. Both of Kees and Ella have given up on love for very good reasons, though in Kees’ instance, he believes himself to be incapable of it from the way he was created. They both have to work through their own expectations and issues before they can accept what’s happening.Ella loves easily, but is slow to trust not so much Kees but herself. She needs to heal from a traumatic past where she lost both parents in unusual circumstances. Kees, on the other hand, denies what’s happening because he “knows” it’s impossible. When he turns around, it’s very quick, but the timing of his change makes sense. While not always likeable, in Kees’ case, they are characters I could connect with, both in purpose and in failings, though that might be something odd to say when one is a grotesque. Not grotesque in appearance but rather was frozen in a statue that resembles a gargoyle except does not funnel water away from a building, a neat little art historian fact brought out in the story. His natural appearance is both intimidating and haunting, while his human appearance is traditionally impressive.The urban fantasy side of the story was everything an urban fantasy should be. It has a complicated history, revealed in dribs and drabs as the book progresses, that leads up to this moment. There’s an ongoing threat for which this book is the opening move. We learn what’s happening in two ways: Through Kees telling Ella only what he thinks she needs to know until he finds someone official to take her in and train her. And through what they discover while looking for that mentor as they dodge the evil powers set to releasing demons to ravage the Earth.It’s strong, dramatic, and compelling.I didn’t need the explanation at the end (based on a recounting of something learned about their history from a mage’s grimoire), but I’m good at picking up on story clues and even figured out the twist…well, one of them. This did not, however, prevent me from enjoying the story.As I said, an odd mix, but don’t get the impression that it’s two stories mashed together, however. The romance is crucial to the events in the urban fantasy, especially where Ella’s healing is concerned, and without mystical powers and demons to fight, Kees would have been nothing but the stone statue where he begins the story. Christine Warren manages to blend the two genres until one could not be extracted without harming the other. Together they form a tale with a strong heart and compelling story.P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      Are Gargoyles the new Vampires?This is a great start to a new series. When a huge stone gargoyle, Kees comes to life just in time to rescue museum employee Ella it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Granted there are some bumps in the road as Kees struggles to find out what happened to the handful of his brethren who are tasked to save the world from the constant threat of dark evil and the organization of Watchers they work with while Ella contends with getting a handle on the raw power she has struggled to hide since childhood. And of course there's that smoking hot sexual attraction between the two of them. Ella is a terrific heroine. She is smart, down to earth and holds her own in the upheaval of life as she knew it. Kees' is one hot gargoyle - even with horns and a tail. (Although he has a gorgeous human form.) Warrior Kees works to handle the new found human emotions that Ella brings out in him while he works with her to control her power to aid in facing the oncoming evil. There were some parts that could have been developed out better in terms of character continuity but I found the story to be a delightful romance and fun paranormal adventure. I am excited that this is the beginning of a series although it can basically be read as a stand alone in terms of the romance. I can't wait to meet the next Gargoyle and his human soul mate as they meet and join the fight to save the world.I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
    • 2/5
      Ella is a whimsical character with an incredible job. Her faults are painstaking to the point she is isolated from the world around her. She is socially inept and does not appear to be have any friends, only a few colleagues. Until Kees, aka Sir Arthur, rescues her from being mugged after a fundraiser gala. The author does a flawless job a sifting Ella’s new reality and introducing magic into her world. However, I had issues bonding with Kees. He is so unemotional that I wanted to take a rock-hammer to his skull. I understood that it was a large part of his personality but I felt that it held back an otherwise fantastic protagonist. This reader was fascinated by the concept of ancient guardians protecting the world from dark magic and demons. The uniqueness of this tale added to its overall appeal. Yet, as I began reading I felt disappointment at the unsteady flow. I forged through this story with the hope that the author would revive my interest – she partially succeeded. I will follow the series; I believe it has incredible potential.The potential I anticipate is based solely on how the author set up the latent characters. Now that the world/rules have been established I predict that the next book will be a smoother, more organized, read. Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.