Once Bitten, Twice Burned: Phoenix Fire #2 by Cynthia Eden
Cynthia Sax returns to the blog today with the second in her Phoenix Fire paranormal romance series, narrated by Jillian Macie.
Once Bitten, Twice Burned
This is Ryders story, an older vampire that has been imprisoned, starved and tortured all in the name of science. He’s done everything he can think of to NOT give the evil doctor a clue. And then, this starved vampire wakes to find a woman in his cell – a sacrifice that doesn’t quite smell right, but insists she is human. Sabine had been blissfully unaware of the experiments or paranormal beings as she lived her life quietly on the outside. But, now she’s been kidnapped and left in a cell… with someone.
Ryder is amazing in this story, instantly he realizes his snack of Sabine is so much more, and seeks to enlighten her as he plans to get them both out of the lab. But, finding her unharmed and alive, the doctor pulls her into the experiments, determined to discover her secrets. After meeting Ryder in the first book, I was curious to see just what he would do to break free of the torture, and if he would actually make the effort to get the other imprisoned subjects free as well. And the connection that he finds with Sabine as he explains their situation and her specialness is just marvelous. Adding the unique twist of Phoenix shifters to her stories, Eden’s characters are far more complex and nuanced than one would expect, adding the evil doctor and the various experiments paired with the red-hot connection between these two adds intrigue, drama and excitement to the story.
Narration for this story is provided by Jillian Macie again, and while I didn’t see the improvements in presentation that I was hoping for (distinct presentation of character voices, pitch and pacing changes in action and emotional situations ) again her performance did not enhance nor overtly distract from the story and plot. There were some moments that felt authentic to Sabine – particularly with her confusion, but the overall performance lacked distinction to make it memorable.
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 2 Story 5
Title: Once Bitten, Twice Burned
Author: Cynthia Eden
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Narrator: Jillian Macie
Published by: Brava, Tantor Audio
ISBN: 075828408X
Published on: 23 May, 2017
Format:Audiobook
Source: Tantor Audio
Pages: 337
Audio Length: 12 Hours: 27 minutes
Rated:
Heat:
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About the Book:
Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 X 12 cell, it's not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival - and revenge - are worth waiting for. Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine.
Sabine Acadia didn't volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power--but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she's fighting an urge to set all her desires free...
See the Phoenix Fire series on Goodreads
A copy of this title was provided via Tantor Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: