“Once we do come to face-to-face with the one destined for us, the interactions are far more intense, a phenomenon that engulfs both souls, intertwining them, making it physically impossible to keep any sort of distance, both physically and emotionally. When we mate, we do so for eternity. Most importantly, without our amsouelot, we would have no reason to live. In essence, we would be nothing.”

Nicole Edwards is known for her scorching hot and boundary pushing romances. Her books are downright sinful and she isn’t afraid to pull out the stops. So, when I heard that Nicole Edwards was dipping her toes into the paranormal genre, I couldn’t wait to see what she would bring to the table. I’m happy to report that Nicole Edwards new series does not disappoint and will leave readers excited for more.

Protected in Darkness is the first book in the Misplaced Halos Series and it follows the story of Penelope and Obsidian. Obsidian is part of a Celestial Brotherhood and his mission is to protect humanity from Lucifer’s demons. In return for saving humanity, Obsidian is promised a soul mate. He longs for the day that his soul finds its missing piece. Obsidian’s mission was supposed to be simple, until Obsidian learns of a traitor in their mists. Obsidian has only one objective now: find his soul mate before the traitor is able to get his hands on her…..Penelope has always known that she was a little different. She can sense others emotions and at times, it can be really overwhelming. However, as time has gone by, she’s learned how to deal. Penelope spends her days in Sin City, serving drinks in a local casino. Penelope thought she was ok with the status quo, but the moment she encounters Obsidian, her entire world is turned upside down…..

Overall, I thought this book was an enjoyable read. I really enjoyed Obsidian and Penelope together. Their chemistry was instant and definitely a case of insta-love. That being said, when it comes to these two characters, it just worked for me. I loved the tension and the pull between them. I loved the idea of soul mates and fate and a pull that can’t be denied. I liked the world that the author created, giving us a little taste of heaven and hell and everything in between. It reminded me a lot of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series and it would not surprise me one bit if I found out that this author was inspired by that series to write this book. The story felt familiar to me, yet different at the same time.

Protected in Darkness kicks off the Misplaced Halos Series to a really good start. The stage has been set and we have been introduced to a ton of characters, a few whom I’m hoping we’ll get to see more of. This story provides some good action, but is definitely a more romance based story. I’m looking forward to seeing this world expand and grow as the series goes on. I’m also looking forward to seeing more of these Celestial beings and seeing them all find their soulmates…..

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*

4 Angel Stars

Like some readers, I am apprehensive about authors who go against their usual genres. But I still gave it a go when I saw this, knowing that Nicole Edwards can always impress me with a different story regardless of the genre. She didn’t disappoint.
Obsidian and Penelope Calazans<book is a page-turner. It has action, suspense and mystery that you keep on guessing what will happen or who it be. I had fun reading this and I can't wait to read the next one.

Protected in Darkness is Nicole Edwards' first paranormal! I love a good angel, demon, vampire romance and I believe Nicole did a fantastic job! I was pulled in from the very start and didn't want to stop reading until the very end. Every character is intriguing, with a story that begs to be told. It's a series, so I know we will get all the stories we crave. But first up is Obsidian and Penelope. He's the first Warrior Angel created and sent to Earth. His brothers have been created and they make up the Misplaced Halos. Lucifer is up to something and Obsidian and his brothers need to find their amsouelot, their soul mate. They always knew it was coming and now time is of the essence. Penelope has always been different. She's an empath and studied the supernatural and has a fascination with other worldly things and beings. When she first sees Obsidian, she's drawn to him but doesn’t know why. He wants to know her, protect her and eventually make her his for eternity. Penelope and Obsidian's need for each other heightens every minute. They need to join bodies and souls soon. Will Penelope and Obsidian be able to make the ultimate sacrifice? Wow, this book was great! It has all the things I love in a paranormal romance: Lust, need, angels, fairies, sexiness, humor, intensity, suspense and more sexiness! I'm already looking for the next book. I can't wait to see whose turn it is!

"And when you're not out looking for soul mates… When you said you worked protection, you meant on a grand scale, huh?"
"Yes, I protect humanity from demons."
"My dad warned me I'd meet some strange people in Vegas."

While Nicole Edwards is one of my top 5 favorite authors (the order is fluid and those top 5 shift as my mood changes and new books are released), this is her first foray into paranormal romance. Which is funny since she’s the one that got me back into the genre a couple years ago. Being a super-fan means I also subscribe to her newsletter and she sometimes tells us what she’s reading. She got me hooked on Rebecca Zanetti when I decided to give one of her recommendations a try. (There are also some paranormal books and authors in this story that I’ll be checking out as soon as possible.) I love this author’s writing style in her contemporary romance, so knew that wouldn’t be an issue here. But it remained to be seen if she could carry off the plot and world building of a paranormal story. She can and she does!

There are a lot of characters to meet in this book, but the story quickly zooms into our main subjects for this go around so as not to get too confusing. The reader needs to meet all of Obsidian’s “family” in order to understand the story, but it’s done in an organic way that makes sense and doesn’t overwhelm. Since Penelope is on the other end of the spectrum of friends and family, meaning she’s more of a loner, we get to know her through her interactions with coworkers, her inner dialogue, and her phone calls to her best friend in another state. I enjoyed getting to know Penelope in the context of her friendship with Winnie. Although it wasn’t face to face, the things they said and did while talking really gave me a feel for her character and endeared the character to me.

Obsidian and Penelope have great chemistry from the start. Things move fast, but I love a line later in the book about humans measuring depth of emotion on time and how time is irrelevant. How true that is! I enjoy that there chemistry is very sexual, but it’s also more. They spend time talking and getting to know one another and really connect emotionally and intellectually. Although it would be so much easier for Obsidian to do things another way, he attempts to ease Penelope into things instead of going all alpha on her and bulldozing into her life. He takes great care with her brother and best friend even though they complicate matters and it would be easier to push them to the side.

There’s a lot going on in this book in order for the author to build this world. There are unfamiliar words and customs. She does a beautiful job of keeping the confusion at bay. The words can be intuited from the text and things are explained in a way that is fluid and natural to the story. All the makings of an immersive paranormal romance series. (I have to note how much I love the title now that I’ve read the book, too.)

Now that I’ve had a taste of one of my favorite authors writing outside her usual genre, I’m ready for more. This one should satisfy Nicole Edwards’ fans and paranormal romance fans alike.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

You can see more of my reviews at All In Good Time.