Zoe Smith is not normal and she knows it, has known
it for a long time in fact, but she’s never had the courage to tell her mother about
it. All her life, Zoe has wanted to join the Council of Protectors like her father and her
half-brother Hale and save mortals, just like in comics. On her twenty-fifth birthday,
which is rapidly approaching, she has the opportunity become a Protector herself, provided
she works on developing her unusual powers, passes a test and tells her mother the truth.
However the side effects are, as her birthday approaches her senses become unusually
acute, so much so that just eating a chocolate is enough to send her into an orgasm, and
at times her powers, like the ability to fly, suddenly increase exponentially, making
leading a normal life, very difficult for her.
After taking a bullet in the line of duty, Taylor chooses to become a
P.I rather than get stuck with a cushy desk job in the police force. In his new career
he’s forced to take up cases which go against his instincts and ethics, just for the
money. On one such assignment he meets the prim and proper, but oh-so sexy librarian Zoe
and she seems like the soul of normality to this guy who has had more than his share of
bad dates with the most atypical women. The spark between them is mutual as is their
mutual reluctance to further their potential relationship because of other priorities. But
fate has a way of deliberately getting in the way of well-laid plans. An unsuspecting Zoe
and her villainous and shape-shifting cousin Mordichai are suddenly thrown in a deadly
race against time to gain possession of the ancient artifact called the Aphrodite’s
Belt which is rumored to have magical properties, and the one who gets it will become a
Protector. Villains of literally all shapes and sizes converge onto to a bewildered Zoe,
but to aid her is a mortal P.I and some remarkable friends. But can Zoe help herself? What
will George do when he finds how ‘special’ Zoe is?
Julie Kenner has penned a most unusual story in ‘Aphrodite’s
Kiss’ and the readers everywhere are advised not to miss this one for it’s entertainment
personified. It has all the charm of a Superhero comic book and the sexy appeal of a
romance! This wacky story has at its heart a typical romantic plot but the pace is
exhilarating to say the least. And the story development leaves nothing to be desired,
blending romance, mystery and superpowers in one big bubbling cauldron of euphoria. The
main protagonists are the complete opposites but in the matters of the heart and of course
in bed, they’re the perfect mates. In an intriguing twist, the heroine of this book
has all the superpowers and the hero is an ordinary mortal, which not only adds
complication to the story and their romance, but also renders this tall tale all the more
attractive. There are so many interesting secondary characters, both mortal and superhero,
and they’re all so very likeable and easy to relate to that they deserve to one day
star in a book of their own. This book is simply oozing with charm and Julie Kenner
unreservedly and sincerely deserves credit for not only writing a romance with a most
unusual twist, but also for making it so re-readable!
Reviewed By Rashmi Srinivas for The Road to Romance
May 1, 2003 |
