Who Would Like This Book:
If you love slow-burn paranormal romance with a touch of mystery, snappy banter, and a fresh take on vampire lore, this is your book! "A Hidden Fire" is brimming with witty dialogue, clever world-building (vampires tied to elemental powers - yes, please!), and features a smart librarian heroine and a centuries-old vampire hero with plenty of moody charisma. Bookworms who appreciate academia, a dash of historical intrigue, and character-driven stories will feel right at home.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you’re looking for non-stop action or steamy scenes right from page one, you might find this book a bit slow - the romance simmers across several novels, and the plot takes its time before the big twists and battles hit. Some readers found the middle sagged with back-and-forth debates on vampirism and wanted a little more closure at the end instead of setting up the next book. If you’re not a fan of slow burn or series with cliffhangers, proceed with caution.
About:
'A Hidden Fire' by Elizabeth Hunter is a paranormal romance novel that introduces readers to a world where vampires coexist with humans. The story follows Beatrice, a librarian who stumbles upon mysterious documents that lead her to Giovanni, a vampire who is intrigued by her ability to resist his powers. As their paths intertwine, secrets of the vampire world unravel, and a slow-burn romance develops between Giovanni and Beatrice. The plot is a mix of romance, mystery, and supernatural elements, with a writing style that balances character development and world-building.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Has Romance?
The romance between Giovanni and Beatrice is a central focus of the narrative, marked by chemistry and a slow-building connection.
From The Publisher:
"No secret stays hidden forever." A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted. A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.
Ratings (14)
Incredible (4) | |
Loved It (4) | |
Liked It (1) | |
It Was OK (3) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (61):
Read It (18) | |
Want To Read (32) | |
Not Interested (11) |
3 comment(s)
Dnf
I grabbed
A Hidden Fire as
an Amazon freebie years ago and I'm glad I finally picked it up.
"Library wins?"
"Every single time."
Immediately, I was drawn to Beatrice and Giovanni's tale. I found Beatice's (B, for short) love of books relatable.
... she pulled herself out of depression by escaping into the other worlds books offered
B is a college student who takes over for Charlotte, her boss, working part-time in the library Special Collections reading room. It's there that she meets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio, a mysterious man who comes in every week to transcribe a Tibetan manuscript.
From there things move slowly so very slowly. But, I found the story of these two, their shared love of books, and their interminable search for what has been lost to be intriguing. I loved the side characters - B's grandmother and Gio's friends: Carwyn ap Bryn, a priest and a thousand-year-old vampire; Gavin Wallace, vampire and owner of the Night Hawk pub, which served the finest whiskeys and bourbons; Tenzin, a five thousand-year-old wind vampire; and, last but not least, Caspar, Gio's like-a-son, friend, and confidante. I want to know more about them all, especially Carwyn, who immediately won my heart.
Whenever I put the book down, I was drawn back to it. The pace was so slow I would've guessed it'd be a turn-off yet the opposite happened. While the pace was
much (I cannot stress this enough) slower than I'm used to, I didn't mind it. And, knowing the series is complete and has a spin-off (
Elemental World), I'm anxious to read them all and learn more.
(Rating: ✮✮✮✮½)
It definitely has potential. Going to read more in the series, see where it goes!
What can you read after
A Hidden Fire?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
