Title: Crush
Author: Christina Strigas
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb:
It was love at first sight when Maria met Jack on a beach all those years ago. But when Jack suddenly disappears, Maria is thrust closer to Hunter, their long-time friend, taking them on a journey that changes all three of their lives forever. Maria is a lonely young woman who finds love and acceptance with Jack, a free spirited musician. In Maria, Jack finally has the girl of his dreams by his side. When Jack introduces Maria to his best friend, Hunter, he feels an instant connection to Maria, but he buries his feelings—along with his secret that he's a vampire—for the love of his friend. Set in Saint-Tropez, Crush is a vampire tale with a twist. Spanning decades and delving into the past of each character in this thorny love triangle, it is about a woman who must choose between the man she's in love with and the man who is her soul mate. Adventure, love, romance, and vampires all collide in this unique novel filled with powerful emotion, heartbreak, and the question of undying love.
My Review:
Torn between love for a mortal and love for a vampire, Maria must choose or be crushed by the consequences. Maria aches with loneliness, so much so, she plunges headlong into love at first sight when she meets handsome Jack. He fulfills her every desire and she’s happy. When Jack introduces Maria to his best friend, Hunter, everything changes. She’s drawn to Hunter and she can’t figure out what it is about him that she’s attracted to. They’re inseparable, the three of them, as they live in the French Riveria until Jack disappears. Bereft and alone, Maria clings to Hunter. He’s hiding a dark secret, one that could destroy them all. As the years go by, Maria must choose who she’ll vow her undying love to, and her choice will either free or crush her.
Crush is a paranormal romance with a gothic vibe. I’ve read a lot of paranormal romance over the years, and I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before. The love triangle is not what you expect. I found myself lured into the romance by the poetic prose and lyrical descriptive narration. The three main characters are complete opposites yet together, they’re the perfect match. The plot moves at an erratic pace with some jumpiness in parts. I found the pacing very jarring at times. The romance itself is dark, disturbing, and quite original. The vampire lore is completely new to me which I give huge credit to the author for incorporating it into a very crammed genre. If you’re looking for a twisted paranormal romance unlike anything you’ve read before, pick up Crush. You won’t forget this one after reading it.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DB2MXJ4
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09DB2MXJ4
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DB2MXJ4
Author Biography:
Christina Strigas is an author and poet, raised by Greek immigrants, and has written four poetry books. Her popular poetry book, LOVE & VODKA, has been featured by CBC Books in, “Your Ultimate Canadian Poetry List: 68 Poetry Collections Recommended by you.” Her fourth poetry book, LOVE & METAXA, has just been released to rave reviews from Pank Magazine.
Strigas’s poems have appeared in Montreal Writes, Feminine Collective; Neon Mariposa Magazine; Pink Plastic House Journal; BlazeVOX; Thimble Lit Magazine; Twist in Time Literary Magazine; The Temz Review, and Coffin Bell Journal, to name a few. Her poem, “Dead Wife” was nominated for best of the net 2020.
She has also self-published a self-help/poetry book based on her popular quotes that went viral on Twitter. She writes romantic love poetry in a stream of consciousness narrative prose. Her influences are Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Mary Oliver, the Romantics, and Pablo Neruda.
Christina Strigas will be releasing The Wanting, an erotic romance novel with The Wild Rose Press, on Sept. 27, 2021. She will also be rereleasing Crush, a paranormal romance novel on October 13, 2021, with The Wild Rose Press.
Christina Strigas holds a BA in English Literature from Concordia University and a Teaching Certificate from Universite de Montreal. She teaches English and French in an elementary school and is a Course Lecturer at McGill University.
She created the popular @ArielPoets on Twitter along with poetry editor and poet, Alexandra Meehan, where they inspire writers and poets to believe in the power of poetry.
In her spare time, Christina enjoys foreign cinema, reading the classics, and cooking traditional Greek recipes that have been handed down from her grandmother.
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Reviewed by: Mrs. N