Best-selling paranormal author Jeaniene Frost launches a new series with The Beautiful Ashes, a Broken Destiny novel. Twenty-year-old Ivy Jenkins’ world is shattered when her adoptive parents die in a car accident while searching for their missing daughter, Jasmine. Grieving but determined to find her only surviving family member, Ivy conducts her own investigation and quickly discovers that her beloved sister has been kidnapped by a demon. That’s right—a demon. Ivy has spent her short life being treated for hallucinations of a truly terrifying nature. Now, the distractingly handsome Adrian, a man with amazing paranormal powers, tells her that what she thought were mental aberrations are actually real. Ivy has the ability to see through demonic glamour to the dark reality beneath. Those terrifying images she thought were caused by her mind playing tricks on her are, in fact, much too real.
Ivy soon learns that her sister is being held captive in a parallel world ruled by the demons that haunt her visions, and only Adrian can help Ivy rescue Jasmine. To do that, they must enter the demon realm, find a supernatural weapon that only Ivy is destined to wield, locate Jasmine and somehow escape back into the normal world again.
Their task seems impossible, but it appears to be the only choice. Ivy must rescue her sister, and Adrian is committed to fulfilling the role fate has set for him, even though he knows fate has also decreed that he will ultimately betray Ivy. The task is made more difficult by the overwhelming attraction they feel for each other. Nevertheless, they set off together, knowing full well they may not survive the coming test of strength, endurance, loyalty and character.
Frost has created an interesting world in The Beautiful Ashes, peopled with demons, minions, angels, gargoyles and other mythological creatures. The demon realm is dark and violent, yet it eerily echoes many aspects of the human world. Readers will root for Ivy and Adrian to succeed, both in their quest to save Jasmine and in reaching a happily ever after for their seemingly doomed romance. If you prefer nail-biting, other-worldly suspense and adventure with your love story, this one’s for you.
Lois Dyer writes from Port Orchard, Washington
