A review by julie_loves_books
Fables & Other Lies by Claire Contreras
5.0
“What are you?” I asked after a moment. “What are you, really?”
“Yours. If you’ll have me.” I laughed through the tears, because of all of the things he could have said, that was the most perfect.
"Anywhere? Any time?"
"Until the end of time."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I adored this book! As a child, I loved to read fables and this felt like a modern day cross between an old-fashioned fable and a fairy tale. There's a legend, a curse, mysterious characters and an old, gothic manor.
Penelope Guzman and River Caliban have been raised as enemies, as one family put a curse on the other. But, they are inexplicably drawn to each other...first by attraction, then eventually by something much deeper. I just loved these two. River is truly a charming gentleman and totally gave off this sexy, old Hollywood vibe and it only added to the fabulous banter that these two shared between them.
C.C. did such a great job of squeezing this story in to a longer novella. I totally would have loved to have had even more of the story though. I think there's so much we could explore with each of their characters and the history of their families. But, this was great as it was.
I will say that the first 25% was a bit on the slower side, but once you get past that, you won't be able to put it down. It's original and such a great concept that I'd love to have a whole anthology of stories like this.
Nickname: Little Witch
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, and his voice, a low, sexy growl, vibrated through me.
The most powerful man on the island, the most sought after, the most mysterious, the one I was told to never, ever summon by name, was holding my hand.
“Why’d you pick me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“There are a lot of women on the island.”
“Why’d you stand in line?”
“I thought it was the bathroom.”
“Really?” He brought a fist up to cough into it, hiding a laugh.
“I’m not joking.” I clenched my shaky hands into fists.
“I didn’t think you were.” I swallowed.
“So, why would you pick me?”
“Why would I not?”
“Do you dance?” I glanced at the people around us.
“Only with beautiful women.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip.
“Do you dance?”
“Only with handsome men.”
“Well, then, you’re in luck.” He set down his now empty glass on the table beside him and closed the distance between us, offering me his hand.
“I didn’t say you were handsome.” I put my hand in his.
“You didn’t have to.”
“You just assume everyone thinks you’re handsome?”
“I just assume people who look at me the way you do, like it’s a struggle to look away, think I am.” I rolled my eyes.
“So arrogant.”
“Rightfully so, some would say.”
The only thing I could think was, What the hell just happened? And the only answer I could come up with was River Caliban. He happened.
“What’s the matter, afraid they’ll think you like me?”
“Who says I like you?” I raised my chin defiantly, meeting his dark expression with my own.
“No one has to say you do.” His eyes danced. “But we both know that doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“I had a dream about you.” I licked my lips.
“A good dream?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Hm.”
“Do you dream?”
“Everyone dreams.”
“Do you have good dreams?”
“Only when you’re in them.”
“People call my family witches. They want to cast stones at us, burn our land.” His mouth pulled up slightly. “But you’re the one who’s bewitched me."
Behind my eyelids, I saw colors flashing, the stars shooting to and from their place in space. With his tongue, he drew another constellation, a private one, just for me, and when I orgasmed, it was his face that I saw painted in all those colors.
“You have a very dirty mind, little witch. I like it."
“I love you,” I whispered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” He kissed me then, deeply, with an ardor and longing I knew I’d have for him as long as I lived, and when we found ecstasy, he smiled down at me.
“Your love sustained me and made up for a lifetime of loneliness," he said. "I'll love you for eternity."
“You’re so much more beautiful than I remembered, little witch."
“What are you?” I asked after a moment. “What are you, really?”
“Yours. If you’ll have me.” I laughed through the tears, because of all of the things he could have said, that was the most perfect.
"Anywhere? Any time?"
"Until the end of time."
“The only thing that feels like home to me is you.”
“Good, because the feeling’s mutual.” He pressed his lips against me then and kissed me with the fire of a thousand souls trying to get back to their other half.
“Yours. If you’ll have me.” I laughed through the tears, because of all of the things he could have said, that was the most perfect.
"Anywhere? Any time?"
"Until the end of time."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I adored this book! As a child, I loved to read fables and this felt like a modern day cross between an old-fashioned fable and a fairy tale. There's a legend, a curse, mysterious characters and an old, gothic manor.
Penelope Guzman and River Caliban have been raised as enemies, as one family put a curse on the other. But, they are inexplicably drawn to each other...first by attraction, then eventually by something much deeper. I just loved these two. River is truly a charming gentleman and totally gave off this sexy, old Hollywood vibe and it only added to the fabulous banter that these two shared between them.
C.C. did such a great job of squeezing this story in to a longer novella. I totally would have loved to have had even more of the story though. I think there's so much we could explore with each of their characters and the history of their families. But, this was great as it was.
I will say that the first 25% was a bit on the slower side, but once you get past that, you won't be able to put it down. It's original and such a great concept that I'd love to have a whole anthology of stories like this.
Nickname: Little Witch
“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, and his voice, a low, sexy growl, vibrated through me.
The most powerful man on the island, the most sought after, the most mysterious, the one I was told to never, ever summon by name, was holding my hand.
“Why’d you pick me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“There are a lot of women on the island.”
“Why’d you stand in line?”
“I thought it was the bathroom.”
“Really?” He brought a fist up to cough into it, hiding a laugh.
“I’m not joking.” I clenched my shaky hands into fists.
“I didn’t think you were.” I swallowed.
“So, why would you pick me?”
“Why would I not?”
“Do you dance?” I glanced at the people around us.
“Only with beautiful women.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip.
“Do you dance?”
“Only with handsome men.”
“Well, then, you’re in luck.” He set down his now empty glass on the table beside him and closed the distance between us, offering me his hand.
“I didn’t say you were handsome.” I put my hand in his.
“You didn’t have to.”
“You just assume everyone thinks you’re handsome?”
“I just assume people who look at me the way you do, like it’s a struggle to look away, think I am.” I rolled my eyes.
“So arrogant.”
“Rightfully so, some would say.”
The only thing I could think was, What the hell just happened? And the only answer I could come up with was River Caliban. He happened.
“What’s the matter, afraid they’ll think you like me?”
“Who says I like you?” I raised my chin defiantly, meeting his dark expression with my own.
“No one has to say you do.” His eyes danced. “But we both know that doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“I had a dream about you.” I licked my lips.
“A good dream?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Hm.”
“Do you dream?”
“Everyone dreams.”
“Do you have good dreams?”
“Only when you’re in them.”
“People call my family witches. They want to cast stones at us, burn our land.” His mouth pulled up slightly. “But you’re the one who’s bewitched me."
Behind my eyelids, I saw colors flashing, the stars shooting to and from their place in space. With his tongue, he drew another constellation, a private one, just for me, and when I orgasmed, it was his face that I saw painted in all those colors.
“You have a very dirty mind, little witch. I like it."
“I love you,” I whispered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” He kissed me then, deeply, with an ardor and longing I knew I’d have for him as long as I lived, and when we found ecstasy, he smiled down at me.
“Your love sustained me and made up for a lifetime of loneliness," he said. "I'll love you for eternity."
“You’re so much more beautiful than I remembered, little witch."
“What are you?” I asked after a moment. “What are you, really?”
“Yours. If you’ll have me.” I laughed through the tears, because of all of the things he could have said, that was the most perfect.
"Anywhere? Any time?"
"Until the end of time."
“The only thing that feels like home to me is you.”
“Good, because the feeling’s mutual.” He pressed his lips against me then and kissed me with the fire of a thousand souls trying to get back to their other half.