Review: The Muse's Touch

The Muse's Touch by P. Stormcrow
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Traversing through dreams is a plot device I absolutely adore.  This is probably because I am a heavy and active dreamer.  In this book, an incubus, Shade aka Davin decides that he wants to stay celibate.  Exactly how a sex demon is able to stay alive without feeding...that is a question to ponder.  Davin does it and during this time, he meets Paige, an erotic romance writer.

The start of this book captures my attention immediately with Paige giving an interview about her writing and how she becomes inspired.  This nicely transitions to the dreamscape and brings forth Paige's muse...Shade.  If you can't get laid in real life, erotic bondage dreams are the next best thing.  Until Davin is exposed and Paige finds out he's real, not just a figment of her imagination.

I enjoyed the concepts of this story as well as the erotic sexy times.  What I also liked about this story is how it is more than just a love story.  There is magic, betrayal, and big reveals all rolled up in this book.  It is surprisingly compact with subplots and an overarching multi-book storyline.  I'm intrigued and want to read more. 

I liked the characters in this book because not only were they easy to remember, but they were sometimes a bit quirky.  I love quirky.  Paige is a normal girl who is kick dropped into the paranormal.  Here responses are realistic and accurate.  Davin is a bit overly guilt-ridden but he has reason to be.   Even the secondary characters are memorable.  For example, Seth the Oracle is one squirrelly dude that I'd be more than happy to throttle.  Ms. Stormcrow creates a magical coming-of-age story that is just beginning.  I can't wait to read the rest of this series.

* I received this book in a contest.  No review was requested and I wrote one anyway.