Her Sexy Sentinel - Jenn Burke

Her Sexy Sentinel - Jenn Burke
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 8, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆

I keep hoping one day I’ll encounter a paranormal romance that I just get blown away by, the same way I did by Innocence by Dean Koontz. This one came so close, but in the end left me feeling like something was missing. Don’t know what, but something.

In all seriousness, I could sum up this book in one word. Well, a sound, really. Mmm.

I think Her Sexy Sentinel really says a lot about Burke as a writer. I love her descriptive style, the way it just captures the mundane in a way that translates so well from words to an image in the minds eye. She doesn’t overdo it, and finds ways to describe things you wouldn’t normally think of, but are those little details that make everything so crisp and well put-together.

She also amazes me in the way she writes the thoughts and thought process of her characters. It flows so naturally, and isn’t forced at all. I could only wish to have talent like hers!

She also does a great job at making us absolutely HATE Derrick for a few minutes, too. Mmm.

There are a few things that niggled at me a little bit. Some things weren’t explained, or weren’t fleshed out as much as I think they could have been, and some things just didn’t make sense, period, but of course those are things that could be construed as spoilers. There were some awkward transitions, like despite her typically flawless descriptive capabilities there were just a few moments where her brain got stuck and she couldn’t find the right words.

About the Book
So, there’s magic. Does magic rule everything though? No. This isn’t high fantasy where magic is the be all and end all of a society. It’s just kind of there, hanging out at the back of your mind until, hey, the dam’s open. Lemme out!

Seriously? Seriously.

That was nice. I really love the way magic was handled.

I know I’ve already made mention about how seamlessly Burke writes internal dialogue, but I have to mention it again, and not to emphasize her skill as a writer. The way she makes her characters think and the thoughts that they have show a keen insight into the human psyche, and she has used that to make Derrick one of my favorite Hero’s ever in paranormal fiction. He’s seriously like the perfect guy – bordering on too perfect, but as mentioned earlier: We do get to hate him for being a jackass for a few minutes.

All of the characters, even the ones who only made token appearances, were so well fleshed out I was able to connect and empathize and FEEL. And laugh. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book not because of things being humorous or funny (though there were those moments, too) but because a scene or an incident was just that enjoyable that it merited a laugh.

The twist at the end… that was definitely out of left field. I loved it. This is a book where you definitely will not be disappointed by the ending.

I really look forward to reading more from Burke in the future. I enjoy her style, her characters, her dialogue, and Her Sexy Sentinel highlights all of those things.