THE ELEMENTAL MYSTERIES BLOG TOUR ~ Review: A HIDDEN FIRE, by Elizabeth Hunter

Welcome to The Bookish Babes' stop of THE ELEMENTAL MYSTERIES BLOG TOUR! This tour is being hosted by A Tale of Many Reviews. My stop includes a review of book one in the series, A HIDDEN FIRE. You can find all of the stops on the tour here.

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series. ~From GoodReads

A HIDDEN FIRE, book one in the Elemental Mysteries series, is the story of Beatrice, or "B", and the shift her world undergoes when Dr. Giovanni Vecchio enters her world. After B becomes Gio's assistant, she learns more about the supernatural world, and her past, than may be safe. She also learns that no one's past truly stays behind them.

A HIDDEN FIRE, simply based on the blurb and cover, seems like a mystery, maybe like the Da Vinci Code. And it is. But the story is more than the mystery of stolen and lost archives and documents. It's the story of a young woman with a sad past; a mysterious man with a turbulent past; and what happens when they cross paths a forge a partnership, and a tenuous relationship.

The mystery of A HIDDEN FIRE is very creative and intriguing. Anyone who is a fan or simply interested in Renaissance Italy would love this book. The historical aspect is interwoven in a beautiful way, the backstory neatly dispersed throughout the book.

My favorite aspect was the characters. B was smart, fun, and, for all of us book lovers, a librarian! She manages to show respect for Gio and his past and his work, but she is never anyone's fool or lackey. She can dish out a snarky comeback when the situations warrants it. I also enjoyed Gio. Although, B calls him "icy", that's only a front. Gio is a man of intense emotions, namely passion and protectiveness where B is concerned.  Gio and B have a slow-building relationship. Trust must be earned on both ends. But when they are finally pushed to the edge? All bets are off. Love it.

If I had any teensy qualms about A HIDDEN FIRE, it would be that sometimes, the storyline regarding Gio's past became a little bit confusing. There were several names from the past and their roles in the mystery, and sometimes a had a hard time keeping the characters straight. The other thing is, the reveal of Gio's true nature to B seemed a little bit close to a similar reveal in a book some of us know and love. Having said that, I still highly recommend this one.

A HIDDEN FIRE is a book filled with the best of all worlds. There is romance, friendship, continuous revelations, danger, betrayal, and yes, heartbreak. A friend of mine has continued the series and professes that each book gets better and better. I am definitely going to continue with The Elemental Mysteries series.


Favorite Quote:
(My actual favorite is too spoilery. Sadface.)

"She gasped when she heard the door slam. Giovanni spun her around, pulling her into his arms before his mouth crashed down and his arm encircled her waist." (pg. 175)

Published October 18th 2011 by E. Hunter

You can purchase A HIDDEN FIRE at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review.