The Flame and the Shadow

Plot Summary: After the death of her baby, Cenda isn't interested in exploring her newfound affinity for fire magic. A friend drags her to a show, where she is mesmerized by the shadowy Duke of Ombra's music. Gray approaches her after the show, but his intentions are far from honorable. He's agreed to bring the fire witch to a powerful wizard in exchange for freedom from his own shadow, named Shad. Gray is drawn to Cenda, and the idea of kidnaping her becomes more and more distasteful, but before he can make up his mind, a multitude of badies try to snatch Cenda for themselves. The weather has turned cold around here, but this novel practically sizzles with sensuality. I'm not quite sure how to describe it actually. It's part fantasy, part futuristic romance, and a whole lot of erotica. My library stuck this over in the Science Fiction section, but they're only partially correct. For my money, this could easily be shelved with the romance novels, so perhaps I should just settle and call this a perfect blend of the two. It's a futuristic erotic romantic fantasy. What a mouthful. Did you ever read a romance and think, I want MORE when it comes to the love scenes? This book will satisfy those wicked wishes, and furthermore, it delivers a well-rounded story that could survive and thrive without the awesome bedroom scenes. I'm giving a standing O to Denise Rossetti for combing the two without sacrificing on the quality of either. It's rare. Both Cenda and Gray had tragic pasts. Gray has sealed his pain away and focuses with single-minded determination on his goal of ridding himself of Shad. Cenda is barely going through the motions of living, and Gray's attention snaps her out of her grief. I'm assuming this series will have at least five books, if we go by the pentagram theme, and the next book, Thief of Light, will be released on November 3, 2009. Oh, I should mention that each novel focuses on a different couple, but given the back story, they should probably be read in order.

Wow...This was quite a unique fantasy romance, but then again most fantasies are quite unique. Another author with an amazing way with words. Cenda, the leading female protagonist finds herself mourning the loss of her baby, but with that loss she was given a most unique "gift"...the gift of fire. Once a witch who possessed nothing but a tall skinny form, a plain and forgettable woman, now she finds herself fleeing from people who want her so they can control her gift of fire, an extremely rare talent among witches. Grayson, also known as the Duke of Ombra, has a secret. His shadow, otherwise known as Shad, is alive and of a separate mind from him. Once a mercenary, Gray is now a musician with the Unearthly Oprah. He sings most seductively, entrancing his audience. Hired by a technomage, his mission is to abduct Cenda and hand her over to her. But a wizard promises Gray that if he brings the fire witch to him he can restore his soul, relieving him of Shad, his once best friend, now his most hated, disgusting secret. Gray will do anything to eliminate the abomination that is Shad. His plan...seduce Cenda, hopefully to cause her to willingly accompany him to the wizard. But what Gray does not realize is that Cenda holds the power to heal him in a way none other ever could. As his seduction of her intensifies he realizes that she is more to him than he ever bargained for. Gray is a most complex character. His past, his relationship with Shad and the heartache and shame it has caused him, is gripping and engrossing. Denise Rossetti put together a fascinating story, rich with detail and well developed, multifaceted characters. Speaking of characters. There is a boy, Slop is his name. He's maybe ten. Dirty, a beggar. His favorite thing to say is, "Fookin' 'ell". It's rather comical. Cenda asks him to come and stay with her. He asks if he would have to stay clean. She says yes and of course his reply is "Fookin' 'ell". It was a nice little touch of lightness to mix in with all the darkness of Cenda's and Gray's past. The scenes were incredibly well written between Cenda and Gray. The role that Shad plays was an added bonus to the uniqueness of this story. The world had kind of a futuristic feel with mentions of otherworldly traveling but also had a historical feel as well. The two blended together, creating a fresh new world. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely keep my eye on the lookout for the next books to follow. An intense and well satisfying read! A for sure keeper.

Cenda is feeling lost and alone as she mourns the death of her young daughter. Awkward and lacking mastery of even the simplest Magick, Cenda barely qualified as a witch. But on the day that her daughter died, her life changed dramatically. In the wake of her grief, Cenda has discovered her gift of Fire Magick - a rare and powerful elemental ability. Believed to be the only fire witch in the known worlds, Cenda has suddenly become a valuable possession and there are those who would stop at nothing to use her for personal gain. As Cenda struggles to accept her newfound talent, danger and deception lurk in the shadows. The fire witch has enemies who seek to capture her and a handsome traveling musician will set the perfect trap. Grayson, Duke of Ombra knows it's a dirty job; however he intends to follow through. Both the Technomage Primus and the old wizard Deiter want the fire witch, but the wizard's offer is more tempting. A double cross would do the trick if Gray could pull it off. The plan is to seduce and kidnap Cenda in exchange for his sanity and the reclaiming of his soul. Gray is disgusted by the thought of it, but the end will justify the means. For his trouble, Gray will finally be rid of the dark physical presence that has attached itself to his very being. To be free of the evil and filth in his life, Gray would do anything...he would even bring devastation to the life of an unsuspecting fire witch. When Cenda meets Gray he awakens a passion in her that she has never known. Gray's desire for her is an unexpected thrill and Cenda's Fire Magick thrives as her affection grows. Gray in turn is disarmed by Cenda's innocence and inner strength. In Cenda's arms he finds peace and acceptance, thus complicating Gray's deceitful plans. Suddenly Cenda's life seems too steep a price to pay for the salvation of his corrupted soul, but keeping her safe could prove to be an impossible task. In the end, Cenda may be strong enough to face her enemies, but can she survive the cruel betrayals of the heart? THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is a dark erotic tale that is satisfying on many levels. Readers will enjoy the rich development of this fantastic world and its characters, sharing their amusement and passion while squirming at the chilling horrors they face. Cenda is endearing as the unlikely heroine and Gray is deliciously wicked as the antihero with a mysterious dark side. Additionally, there are many interesting themes and symbolism aplenty in THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW for those willing to explore some of the deeper layers of the book. Religious fundamentalism, ethics in science, what it means to love and accept oneself are just a few of the subjects that are touched upon in this book of light, dark, and shades of gray. From the mythical salamanders to the clever names of the main characters, there is much to ponder and discuss long after the last page has been read. Rossetti's first installment of The Four-Sided Pentacle se

He is Grayson of Concordia also called the Duke of Ombra; he has a problem he would like to get rid of as soon as possible. His shadow is an independent sentient entity yet it is also a part of the mercenary sorcerer. It even has his own name Shad and he loves Gray, who repels him because the sorcerer believes the shadow is the darkness manifested from his soul. He made a deal with the wizard Deiter that he would kidnap the grieving fire witch Cenda in exchange for the destruction of Shad. Gray travels to the planet Sybaris where Cenda lives grieving the death of her child that has turned her once fiery heart to ash with a desire to die. She is the first fire witch to be found in centuries and has enemies who want to abduct her to use as a weapon. Gray tries to get her off planet to his client as soon as possible. However, she discovers the secret of Shad and accepts both as one who cherish her. Stunned by her reaction, he realizes he cares for her. Once she learns what his plans for her were she is hurt and angry. He proves he cares for her by saving her from the find the technomage scientist who kidnaps her and wants to experiment on her to see if she can duplicate Cenda's powers. THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW is an erotic evocative fantasy in which science and magic coexist but practitioners fight for supremacy. Gray is a conflicted person; hating Shad for something that occurred on his home planet; he wears the scars of that incidents and wants Shad to suffer though he understands the shadow is him. Cenda is a strong willed individual who falls for all manifestations of Gray. Her acceptance brings healing and redemption to she Shadow sorcerer, but does not abate the danger to either of them or her. If this thriller is any indication, Denise Rossetti is a welcomed newcomer to the fantasy genre. Harriet Klausner

**4 1/2 Bookmarks, courtesy of Wild on Books** The death of her only daughter left Cenda a broken shell of a woman. Her heart was torn apart when that precious toddler was ripped from her life. But the illness that killed her baby left the fledgling witch with a new ability - the power to call and master fire. It is something she never wanted, certainly not at the expense of losing her child, but now Cenda must learn to master this power before it destroys her. There are those who seek the power of the Fire Witch for their own questionable purposes. To this end, they have sent bounty hunters after Cenda to kidnap her. But one is more insidious than the rest - Grayson of Concordia, aka The Duke of Ombra. With his seductive ways and disarming charm, he proves more dangerous than the most heinous of henchman, for he steals her heart effortlessly. Grayson's last hope to rid himself of the demon who has plagued him his entire life rests in this one mission. Yet when he meets Cenda, things don't seem quite so cut and dry any longer. He may have stolen her heart, but the Fire Witch causes emotions to flare inside this lonely man as surely as she can set any blaze. Can Grayson really betray her for his own needs? If you are looking for a gritty, dark paranormal romance, then look no further. THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW by Denise Rossetti fits that bill perfectly. Both Gray and Cenda are two damaged people. Gray has sustained a lifetime of trauma, and Cenda has suffered more recently, but with no less pain than Gray. In each other, they find the means to heal themselves, through love and understanding. Oh, they may not realize at first it is love, but the passion is undeniable from the moment they meet. Neither Gray nor Cenda has ever really experienced true love before, so the emotion is at first hard to recognize. I was gratified to find that although they are slow to realize they are in love, they are certainly quick to recognize how much they genuinely like each other. That instant connection makes it easy to understand why Cenda would fall into the arms of a literal stranger so quickly. Then again, her deep despair and the need to feel something, some kind of human comfort helps with that as well. Cenda goes through quite a few trials during this book, from the ache she feels from missing her daughter, to the frightening run for her life when she learns she has become a target of some nasty people, and finally to learning of Gray's intent to betray her. Beginning the story somewhat meek and unassuming, these trials build her character into a true heroine, resourceful and strong, determined to protect those she cares about while doing no harm. Gray's hurdles are huge - he has to overcome both the external protagonists in the story and his own internal demons. Not only that, he must also win Cenda's trust not once, but twice. Through it all, Gray proves himself a hero worthy of Cenda, and is an inspiration to all as he finds a w