Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg Series: Grave #1
Published by Kensington Books on January 3, 2013
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 294
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He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…
One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah...and gamble on a choice even an immortal can’t win.
Grave Intentions is the introductory book of the Grave series. This book takes you to a world where reapers live among us with the job of directing the souls of people whose lives were taken too early or violently.
David Anderson is head of the Orlando division of reapers, under Samuel. David currently has a trainee living with him named Adam. They take to the streets on their schedule and David teaches Adam the tough job of reaping. It is a very gruesome and heart breaking, and David has built up many hardened walls to combat the emotions the job brings. Then they meet their neighbor after a particularly gruesome job, and she helps to fix David up. David finds he can’t manipulate her mind like he can others and is intrigued. But the more he gets to know her the more intrigued he becomes until he risks those walls of his falling completely.
Sarah Griffith is a workaholic with an ailing grandmother, just on the go constantly. She also has to deal with a pretty unscrupulous boss who drugs her in attempt to get in her bed. She is rescued by the gorgeous guy next door and finds out that he’s not gay after all. Just what she needs to know to allow her interest in him to grow.
I really liked Grave Intentions. It had the bit of paranormal with the reapers and it had just enough romance to say it was romance. It is not like most paranormal romance where the guy sees the girl and instantly thinks “Mine”. Their relationship builds to the point where they know they are meant for each other at a slower pace. Don’t worry romance lovers, it is still there, just not as intense. My favorite character though, was Adam. Newbie. He is new to the job and is struggling to deal with the ramifications and what you see when you do this job. He brings home a dog that is left from one of their jobs, and that just won me over right there. When David starts to fall apart with the Sarah business, despite being new, Adam steps up to the plate. The other reapers are unique and interesting as well. Ruby is the next book and I think that is going to be a good one. That girl has some sass.
This book is probably a good introduction book to the paranormal romance genre, with the slower build and not the intense emotions and abilities of some.
About Lori Sjoberg
Lori was a born a coal miner’s daughter. No wait, that’s not right. Actually, she was born a carpenter’s daughter. Her mother was a housewife/homemaker/stay-at-home mom – whatever the politically correct term is these days. Basically, she made sure Lori didn’t get into too much trouble, a task easier said than done.
Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.
After completing her first manuscript, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at work, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.
About Lori Sjoberg
Lori was a born a coal miner’s daughter. No wait, that’s not right. Actually, she was born a carpenter’s daughter. Her mother was a housewife/homemaker/stay-at-home mom – whatever the politically correct term is these days. Basically, she made sure Lori didn’t get into too much trouble, a task easier said than done.
Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.
After completing her first manuscript, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at work, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
