Angel with Attitude

Sometimes you finish a good, close it with a smile, and nod. "That was good," you say, and put it in the pile of paperbacks that you'll keep to read again down the road and not donate to the local thrift shop. Then sometimes you finish and say, "Why the hell didn't this hit the bestseller lists?" In the case of "Angel With Attitude", it's a question I'm not sure I can answer. Honestly, I'm left trying to figure that one out. On the other hand it's a book I had trouble finishing. Why? Because it's good. Damned good. With a great line-up of characters like AwA has, it's hard saying goodbye at the end of the book. Anyway, one of the first things to mention -- wow. Just wow. Michelle Rowen (though I'd never doubted before) can write... emotion. And not just love, lust as so many romance authors seem limited to. You're so very aware of everything Rowen's perky fallen angel, Valerie, feels -- her pain, fear, desolation. It must go with her overall power of descriptions -- Rowen has fantastic settings. "Unpredictable" is such an underrated plus in the swarming paranormal/fantasy genres so popular now, where everything seems to tend towards variation off the medieval. After all, who'd have thought that Dante's famed Underworld looks like... well... now... I can't tell you that, now can I? They are multidimensional. They are compelling. They are enticing and sexy. And at times, they're sometimes rats. (Literally.) They are the cast of Angel With Attitude. Yowza, Rowen, They are good. The central pair is... captivating. "Incandescent" also comes to mind. The side characters rock -- and even they're never quite what they seem. I won't say anything so obvious as "Nathaniel is hot", however. Hello -- demon! It goes along with hailing from the land of hellfire and brimstone, eh? And as refreshingly complex and enjoyable as Angel's plot runs, there's always the one-line, glib remark from our heroine, or well-placed reference to pop culture that keeps it rooted to reality throughout. And yes, once I willed myself to actually quit procrastinating (and rereading the rest of the book) and read it, I loved the ending. Kudos to the author of this -- well, it ain't fanged... but... it's still a fabulous book.

Valerie Grace was literally pushed out of heaven. She doesn't know why but she desperately wants to get back. She finds herself staying and working at Paradise Inn. Before she was thrown out of heaven, Valerie was given a golden scroll to read through. It has tips for making the adjustment from angel to human slightly easier. One of the rules states very emphatically to stay away from Tempter Demons because they will try to tempt her to go to hell. Valerie is on earth for two months before her Tempter Demon arrives. His name is Nathaniel and he is very tempting! With the help of a nine-year old psychic named Seraphina, Valerie discovers why she was cast out of heaven. Valerie is then given further instructions, but they are a riddle that she doesn't understand. Valerie develops friendships with some very intriguing characters; some are human, some are not. They help her with her human / angel / demon issues. When a bad guy turns out to maybe be a good guy, she needs to follow her heart this time to see her through. Oh, and Valerie also needs to find a certain demon who holds the key that could cause the end of the world. She has her work cut out for her. Angel With Attitude is an absolute blast! I loved it! Hilarious antics, outrageous characters, witty dialog and a unique storyline that held me mesmerized from the first page to the last. I was enamored by Valerie and completely seduced by Nathaniel. He would have tempted me straight to hell immediately! Angel With Attitude is one of those books that you simply cannot put down once you have started it. Using the immortal words from Valerie; I command you to read this book. Now! Nannette Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Break out the Calgon and take yourself away with Angel with Attitude, especially if you've just had a bad day, because you will definitely be turning that frown upside down. This is escapism at its best with a sympathetic hero and heroine, with believable weaknesses and even better strengths, butterfly in your tummy sexual tension, quirky characters, plot twists and Ms. Rowen's talent for creating witty dialogue.

I loved this book! Rowen's unique take on angels was fantastic, and I loved the hot demon (yum, yum). Lots of great plot twists, a fantastic sense of humor, and plenty of near-death moments to keep the pages turning. Great job!

Valerie Grace isn't sure why she was thrown out of Heaven. One minute she was conducting her angelic duties up in Heaven and the next minute she was spitting out water in the killer whale tank at MarineLand in Niagara Falls! She gets a job as a maid at the Paradise Inn but is determined to get back to Heaven- even though it means denying the advances of her sexy assigned Temptor Demon, Nathaniel. Val has all sorts of surprises in store for her as a human. First, however, she has to relocate the Key to Heaven that was stolen by the demon Julian, Lucifer's son. Accompanied by her rodent friend, Reggie (he was turned into a rat by his girlfriend, Claire), Val compels Nathaniel to take her to the Underworld. Love is stronger than any force of evil and Val learns that having a caring heart isn't always easy. ANGEL WITH ATTITUDE is a hilarious adventure readers will definitely want to go on. Reggie is the perfect sidekick and definitely steals the show at times. Who couldn't love a male character that was turned into a rat by his girlfriend so that his outside appearance would match his cheating character? The romance between Val and Nathaniel is sweet as Michelle Rowan has created two very endearing characters. Val's inner purity shines through as she is caring and compassionate. Despite her naiveté, she is an interesting character. Nathaniel, on the other hand, is very conflicted over his status as a Temptor Demon. Nathaniel's hidden goodness is present, and Ms. Rowen does an excellent job at making him likeable even when he is trying to lead Val astray. ANGEL WITH ATTITUDE is a wonderful successor to last year's hilarious BITTEN AND SMITTEN. While the story takes place in an entirely different world, fans will recognize Ms. Rowen's style and thoroughly enjoy this new world she has created. Michelle Rowen is demonstrating that she is definitely a writer to watch out for as her blend of paranormal romance and comedy is superb! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES