Without warning, Dr. Bertel disappears. Then Julia receives threatening notes on her car, and someone has her followed. The young police officer assigned to the case, Austin Moore, believes the events are connected and asks her to help him solve the mystery of Bertel's disappearance. Instantly attracted to him, Julia agrees. Still, she knows that she has seen Austin somewhere before, if only she could put her finger on it.
Will Julia uncover the mystery of Bertel's disappearance before it's too late, and does she dare trust Austin with her heart?
Author: HG Nadel
Publisher: Sourced Media Books
Release Date: January 2, 2013
Acquired Via: TLC Book Tours
My Review
Everyone has a guilty pleasure, and romance novels are one of mine. They aren't always my thing, but sometimes they serve as a really great palate cleanser to prevent burnout from all of the science fiction and fantasy that I read. H.G. Nadel's Eternal was exactly the book that I've been needing.
Eternal is about a young girl named Julia who has just lost her mother and is working as a summer intern/research assistant at a forensic pathology lab in California. The book reminds me of M.J. Rose's The Reincarnationist series because of the strange dreams the main character, Julia, has about a girl in medieval times who looks just like her. These dreams begin to occur after an accident in the lab with her mentor, Dr. Bertel, and her meeting Detective Austin Moore, who is working the case. There is a bit of mystery and suspense in the novel surrounding the strange circumstances of Dr. Bertel's disappearance from the hospital and the strange attacks on Julia that begin to occur.
I'll be upfront with you - yes, there is the instalove, but I think you can gather that for yourself from the book's synopsis. However, I don't hate it like most people when I'm fully aware of what I'm getting from the start. It's romance - they're going to fall in love at some point in the novel. Eternal's romance was sweet and clean, so there weren't any raunchy scenes for me to skip over. (Thank Bob!)
As for the writing of Eternal, I first have to admit that it is one of the best independent novels that I've ever read. However, it did have some of the flaws that sometimes pop up in a debut. There were some scenes that felt a bit clunky, but they were few. I think it had to do with the transitioning from danger to safety, but it was nothing so terrible that it completely threw off the pacing of the novel. (I was able to read the whole book in two sittings.) Nadel shows a lot of promise, and I will be looking into more of her work in the future.
All in all, Eternal was a very enjoyable YA romance, and fans of the genre will likely adore the novel. It is the right combination of romance, mystery, betrayal, and suspense that will keep readers engaged and turning the pages.
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About the Author
H.G. Nadel was born in Paris and has spent most of her adult life in the United States. She began her professional career as a SAG/AFTRA agent and later started a successful acting school in Orange County, California. Nadel has written numerous screenplays, but her first love is novel writing. Her expertise in young adult drama has allowed her to write captivating coming-of-age stories in both English and French.
Eternal Tour Schedule
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the book from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. It has in no way affected the outcome. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
This book counts toward my completion of the Debut Author Challenge.
Brilliant review!! You sound just like me:) I love sci-fi/fantasy but do, on occasion, "cleanse the palate" with a nice romance. I'm definitely going to have to read this one. thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my review. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this one overall! Thanks for being on the tour.
ReplyDeleteNow I am addicted to your blog! Not only because of the kind review --so much to discover! Thank you! HG Nadel
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