[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Bitter Spirits

Jenn Bennett is the author of the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series from Pocket Books and the Roaring Twenties historical paranormal romance series from Berkley. Born in Germany, she’s lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the U.S., and the Far East. She currently lives near Atlanta with one husband and two very bad pugs.

Connect with Jenn online at her Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.

Bitter Spirits, ROARING TWENTIES Book #1

   by Jenn Bennett

Release date 1/7/14

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Synopsis:

First in a new romance series: It’s the roaring twenties, and San Francisco is a hotbed of illegal boozing, raw lust, and black magic. The fog-covered Bay Area can be an intoxicating scene, particularly when you specialize in spirits…

Aida Palmer performs a spirit medium show onstage at Chinatown’s illustrious Gris-Gris speakeasy. However, her ability to summon (and expel) the dead is more than just an act.

Winter Magnusson is a notorious bootlegger who’s more comfortable with guns than ghosts—unfortunately for him, he’s the recent target of a malevolent hex that renders him a magnet for hauntings. After Aida’s supernatural assistance is enlisted to banish the ghosts, her spirit-chilled aura heats up as the charming bootlegger casts a different sort of spell on her...

On the hunt for the curseworker responsible for the hex, Aida and Winter become drunk on passion. And the closer they become, the more they realize they have ghosts of their own to exorcise…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Vivacious Valkyrie – Marta:
*eARC Received from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The first of this authors new work called appropriately enough Roaring Twenties series! Yes the series is actually set in the time of flappers and prohibition! Not a time period I know a lot about but clearly Ms Bennett has done her research and immerses her readers in a time long gone by.

This the first of the series tells how spiritualist and medium Aida Palmer first meets notorious bootlegger Winter Magnusson. Aida is working at a speakeasy in Chinatown. Her act helps to both comfort and entertain the curious audience but Aida is the genuine article and able to both summon and despatch the dead.Asked by her employer to use her powers to get rid permanently of a ghost that's started haunting Winter she's immediately intrigued by the hulking giant. From the moment they meet the attraction is off the charts but the first order of business is helping Winter get rid of the powerful curse that's dogging him.

Winter is a man of secrets and his scarred appearance has made him distrustful of women but the feelings he has for the enigmatic Aida will not be denied. Finding out who has cursed him is proving more difficult than he thought and he turns yet again to Aida for assistance. The fact that he just wants an excuse to spend time with her is something Winter tries to keep to himself but when the supernatural attacks start to escalate her safety is all he can think about. Their mutual attraction can be denied no more but danger is stalking them. This is one Chinese puzzle that really needs solving!

I absolutely loved this! I have previously read the authors Arcadia Bell books which I'd describe as paranormal with a sensuous romance.
They are books brought to life with emotion but this book was completely different! From the very beginning this book throbbed with sexual tension and was completely addictive. I just didn't want to put it down as the pages practically caught fire! Yes it's full of heat but it's also a humorous read and the mystery and danger just lift this above the usual paranormal novel.

It's a complex storyline that will have the reader guessing and sure to inspire others to write about this exciting and dangerous time. Thoroughly enjoyable and I for one will be anxious to read any follow up.

Definitely recommended!

Bitter Spirits