Violet Patterson

Blending Celtic myth, shape-changers, angels and demons (perhaps), paranormal powers and paranormal romance, Violet Patterson’s Ryder on the Storm brings readers into a complex word of gods, seraphs and humans, bound to the myth of the Emerald Seer and curious questions about its provenance. When good intentions go awry and well-meaning guardians betray, Storm Sullivan finds she’s inherited far more than she bargained for. Seemingly alone in the world, except for two hunky friends, she’s hardly equipped to cope with an unknown history, still less dangerous threats from handsome strangers. But lots of mysteries will come to light as the story progresses and Storm’s strange powers meet Ryder’s potent threat.

Ryder on the Storm has plenty of romance, intimate bedroom scenes, modern-day action, and suspense of mythical proportions. Characters grow and change pleasingly as the story switches between Storm and Ryder’s points of view. Occasionally odd word usages tripped me up, but not enough to detract from a fast fun tale with pleasant good humor and a nice sense for twisted mythology.

The end is not the end, of course, since it’s part one of a series. But enough threads are resolved to make this an enjoyable exciting read.

Disclosure: I heard about this during the author’s blog tour and was pleased to have the opportunity to read the book.… (mere)

3 & 1/2 stars - I had trouble connecting with the story and the characters, but I think this is because I am not a huge fan of Celtic based Urban Fantasy / Romance. The story itself is well-written and fleshed out, and the characters are unique. I did like Storm's character very much, although I spent most of the book wishing she would push Ryder off an immortal cliff and take Dan or Shane instead. I just had trouble liking Ryder, but I think that was part of his character. Some of the story building near the end felt like it happened so fast, and there were some hu? info-dump moments. The ending did feel a little too easy, with being able to call on a goddess for help instead of being able to solve it on their own … (mere)

3 & 1/2 stars - I had trouble connecting with the story and the characters, but I think this is because I am not a huge fan of Celtic based Urban Fantasy / Romance. The story itself is well-written and fleshed out, and the characters are unique. I did like Storm's character very much, although I spent most of the book wishing she would push Ryder off an immortal cliff and take Dan or Shane instead. I just had trouble liking Ryder, but I think that was part of his character. Some of the story building near the end felt like it happened so fast, and there were some hu? info-dump moments. The ending did feel a little too easy, with being able to call on a goddess for help instead of being able to solve it on their own … (mere)

Written by Violet Paterson, Edited by Trace Broyles

Overall *** Plot *** Interactions *** Characters *** World **** Originality **** Grammar **** Style ****

This review is based upon a review copy given to me by the author.

The main protagonist, Storm Sullivan comes from a long line of Seers, but she doesn't care. In fact, for most of her life, she hasn't cared about much of anything. When she learns of her Aunt Trin's death, no tears come. Her two best friends Dan and Shane are gorgeous men who both love her, but she feels no attraction to them. In fact, she's never really felt any attraction for any man. Until she meets Ryder, an immortal who has been tasked to destroy the Sullivan seer's to avert the fulfillment of an old prophecy.

When Storm meets Ryder, the sheer intensity of the physical attraction between the two overwhelms them, leaving both of them shocked and confused.

After Storm encounters Ryder, her life changes. Suddenly she can feel again and just as suddenly, powers that she has never experienced before begin to manifest. At the same time, ancient prophecies by her ancestor's come to the fore and she finds herself in the middle of a battleground between her kind and the immortals.

The writing in Ryder On The Storm is generally solid and clean. It is told from the points of view of the two main characters, Ryder and Storm (thus the title). It fulfills its role as a paranormal romance and should satisfy lover's of that genre.

In Ryder, Violet Patterson has a deft hand at description, but some of her dialog seems a bit forced or out of place. The book starts up and grabs the readers attention quickly, and I found myself enjoying the story. It carried my interested even though the characters felt a little two dimensional. It wasn't enough to seriously interfere with my enjoyment of the book or the characters, but with one exception, there were few surprises lurking inside the characters.

The story-line is engaging and satisfying through the majority of the book. I found myself drawn into Storm and Ryder's world and found it easy to root for both protagonists and their budding romance. Unfortunately for me, I found the ending a bit flat. The climax and conclusion of the story was a bit forced and held very little tension. When it was over I found myself wondering if the author had just gotten tired of the story.

Despite the uninspiring conclusion, overall, this is a fun quick read and not a bad start to a new series. Typically, as a series continues, the author's skills improve markedly and I wouldn't be surprised to see that here.
… (mere)