Suzanne picked CARNAGE by Sandra R. Neely for us to read this week, which is a re-read for her. This is a historical paranormal romance with a gargoyle hero who communicates mostly in grunts. Let’s see how this worked out for all of us.

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Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley Book Review

Jump into Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley and get ready for a monster romance that packs a punch of emotion and adventure. Meet Carnage, who’s way more than his scary name suggests. Yes, he’s got the whole beast vibe going on, but get ready to be surprised by how much love this guy’s got to give. He’s the ultimate protector—kind of like that one friend who’s always got your back, just… bigger and with more teeth.

Our leading lady? She’s tough, she’s resilient, and she’s about to find out that sometimes the best allies come in unexpected packages. She’s thrown into a world of danger, but it’s her meeting with Carnage that really flips her life upside down. They’re an odd couple for sure, but they’re about to show everyone that love doesn’t care about appearances.

Fleeing through the bayou and away from the men who are trying to catch her, the last thing Carolena expects is to be rescued. However, that isn’t her biggest surprise s her rescuer isn’t entirely human. When Carnage sees the human running through the swaps, pursued by three man, he makes a split second decision which changes both his life and hers forever. Because, now she has seen him, she can never return to the human world.

Am I smiling? I feel like I’m still smiling. I can’t help it, whenever I think of this book I get a big cheesy grin on my face. Because despite the dark, slightly terrifying visage on the book cover, this was an incredibly sweet romance. We are introduced to the town of Whispers which is a sanctuary for supernatural beings, such as gargoyles and vampires, so they can live without being harassed by humans.

They have few rules, but one of them is that no humans are allowed. So when the silent Carnage, who lives very simply and apart from the rest of the community, brings back Carolena, Enthrall the leader of Whispers and a vampire is in a tricky situation.

If you’re looking for a fast paced romance full of twists and turns this isn’t the book, instead Neeley has written a really cute romance. Despite Carnage’s fearsome appearance there’s nothing cruel about him, he’s protective and earnest in his complete devotion to Carolena. Carolena has had her life turned upside down and now finds herself living in a village filled with mythical creatures and rather than being hysterical she quickly comes to appreciate the place and the people. Especially Carnage. Their romance was so adorable! I loved that despite Carnage having issues with speech Carolena never has issues understanding him.

In terms of an overall plot moving the book ahead it was a fairly slowly moving. What Carnage focused on was Carolena getting to know the residents of Whispers and finding her place within it. I really enjoyed getting to know the people such as the boisterous but lonely Destroy, another gargoyle and Enthrall the leader of Whispers. It really made reading the book a rich experience as Carolena falls in love not just with Carnage but with her new life. However, if you are after something fast paced and more story driven then this isn’t the book.

in conclusion

This was a great start to the series and I can’t wait to read more. If you are after a new paranormal romance which is a good light read but has plenty of heart then you need to give Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley a try.

Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog September 26, 2018