Review - The Shaman's Temptation

Erin has been writing her entire life, but only recently found her voice in the paranormal romance world.

She's an avowed chocoholic, loves travel and good tea, and finds her inner peace by meditating and writing. She manages her two little ones, one unruly husband, and an errant dog in Atlanta, Georgia.

Often on Twitter, she loves to connect with readers! 

Review

Erin Moore’s “The Shaman’s Temptation, is a light, fun read.  The overall flow of the story is smooth, and the characters capture the imagination.  While I enjoyed reading it, I was wondering if a deeper understanding of fantasy or Native American culture was necessary.

I’m happy to report it’s not.  Moore keep these plot points to a minimum, using them as tools for the story, but not bogging it down with them.

Moore tells the romantic story of Madeleine, a pretty bank analyst sent to a Reservation outside of Phoenix to review the financial plans for a new casino.  She taps into both the clash of modern culture with the Native American life, portrayed by Takshilim – Tak - a hunky shaman who is trying to help his people.  Before they even meet, they find they have a connection to each other.  Once they are near enough to recognize each other, the sparks really begin to fly.

Moore does a good job developing the story and the main characters, and the flow of her writing is very smooth.  Madeleine finds herself caught between her attraction for Tak, and her life as a bank analyst.  Tak, on the other hand, finds himself torn between his commitment to his people, and the obvious depth of emotions he feels for Madeleine.

Of course, not all is flowers and rainbows for Madeleine and Tak.  The loan for the Reservation’s casino, which could potentially change a whole people’s lives, is at risk.  Dangerous characters are prowling around the edges, and could force Madeleine and Tak to take sides against each other.  I think it is here that Moore lets the romance and passion of her two main character override some of the other elements of her story.  Some of the minor characters could have benefited from greater development, and the plot resolves itself too quickly.

In “The Shaman’s Template”, Moore brings life to both the romance and the mental struggle of Madeleine and Tak, as they navigate their way through their commitments and their emotional connection.  The passion gets very steamy, and the pacing moves the story along quickly.

Excerpt

Surrounded by cacti and mescal, her breath came in little pants from the exertion. She was hot, her breath ragged. But it wasn’t just the heat. Her vision expanded and swam. She felt faint and wondered if she was dehydrated, for surely she was seeing a mirage. There, perhaps twenty paces before her, was the man from her dream, as if he had materialized from behind a cactus. She had to be hallucinating.

He wore only jeans, his feet barefoot on the rocky ground, even more beautiful than in her dream. His skin shimmered in the waking sun, beads of sweat forming across his brow. High cheekbones led her gaze straight to his deep brown eyes. She walked to him slowly, eliminating the distance between them, wanting to touch him and find out if he was real or if she were still asleep. She stood before him and opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead, he reached out and traced the outline of her lips with his thumb. This was no mirage. She should have been shocked by the touch of this stranger, but it was if she were entranced, her body responding to him as if they were already lovers.

He pushed his thumb between her wet, open lips. She sucked slightly, tasting the salty tang of man. This was real. He was real.