Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks

Title:  Tempting Danger
Author: Eileen Wilks
Series: The World of the Lupi Book 1
Publish Date:  October 5, 2004
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Perspective: Third Person

Publisher’s Description: National bestselling author Eileen Wilks draws readers into a bold new world where the magical and mundane co-exist in an uneasy alliance and a cop balanced on her own knife-edged struggle is their only hope against a cold-blooded killer.

Lily Yu is a San Diego police detective investigating a series of grisly murders that appear to be the work of a werewolf. To hunt down the killer, she must infiltrate the clans. Only one man can help her–a were named Rule Turner, a prince of the lupi, whose charismatic presence disturbs Lily. Rule has his own reasons for helping the investigation–reasons he doesn’t want to share with Lily. Logic and honor demand she keep her distance, but the attraction between them is immediate and devastating-and beyond human reason. Now, in a race to fend off evil, Lily finds herself in uncharted territory, tested as never before, and at her back a man who she’s not sure she can trust.

SPOILERS!

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Invested Ivana says…

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the full cast audiobook of Tempting Danger produced by GraphicAudio.  That review focused more on the GraphicAudio style than on the book itself.  Since this is a series I have been wanting to catch up on anyway, I’m going to start reviewing all of the books GraphicAudio has to offer in the series. In case you missed it, I’ve also reviewed the short story prequel.

I picked up this book many years after it was first published.  I was interested in some of the later books in the series that were listed as Urban Fantasy, but of course wanted to start at the beginning.  The review I read for Tempting Danger said that, despite the cover and marketing, this book was more UF than PNR.  I’m not sure I totally agree with that statement, but since the protagonists weren’t trying to make out WHILE being chased by monsters, I’ll let it go. 😉

Main characters: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I found the character of Lily Yu easy to like.  She’s not only a woman in a “man’s” job; she’s a strong-willed woman from an Asian family.  Yes, both of these statements play to a stereotype – just remember the book is at least 11 years old.  Lily is working on her first big case as lead detective and desperately wants to prove her abilities.  During the investigation, she gets sideswiped by a mystical mating bond to the city’s most famous playboy werewolf.  Like her, I’d be furious at what’d I’d perceive as a forced pairing with someone she’s not even sure she likes, especially when it’s a distraction from a big career break.  To top it all off, she can’t even get away from the guy she’s supposedly bonded to without terrible physical pain, so he’s hanging around all the time. Lily has plenty of family telling her what to do with her life; she doesn’t need the cosmos doing it as well.

At the same time, Rule Turner, highly visible representative of his werewolf pack, acknowledged heir, and socialite playboy, is experiencing one of the most honored experiences in his culture – that of having a Chosen.  Yet, he can hardly enjoy the experience when his chosen is angry, doesn’t think much of him, and doesn’t believe in the blessings of his goddess.  If that wasn’t enough, Rule has to help his Chosen solve a series of murders that seem to indicate that werewolves are killing humans before the backlash begins.  Rule tries hard to be patient with Lily and does a pretty good job; but, at the same time he’s holding things back from her and that complicates the relationship.  The two may be Chosen for each other, but they neither know nor trust each other quite yet.

Other characters: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Rule’s friend Cullen, is a werewolf disowned by his clan because of his talent for sorcery.  He is quite the smart-ass and like to appear to have flexible morals, but he comes through in the end.  Max, the goblin who owns the nightclub Rule frequents, is vulgar but loyal.  My favorite secondary character is Lily’s grandmother.  Though Grandmother’s nature isn’t revealed in this book, we do know she is something … more.

World: ♥ ♥ ♥ The world is full of the supernatural, though normal humans may not notice.  Werewolves have just recently announced their existence; but, there is still fear and prejudice.  It’s not quite clear if other types of supernaturals are common knowledge, but I don’t think so.  There are also powerful, inter-dimensional beings labeled as demons or gods.  One of these gods, along with a few humans, is trying to break into our world.  I don’t think I cared much for the villains of the book.  There were stereotypical and didn’t interest me much.  Hopefully as the series progresses, the villain will change.

Story: ♥ ♥ ♥ Everyone’s world is getting tossed upside down!  Part of the story is how Lily and Rule deal with the mate bond; part is how they deal with the murders and the underlying cause of the murders.  The story keeps moving and there are enough mysteries solved to make the ending satisfying.

Narrator: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Again, the GraphicAudio full cast recording with background sounds made the story rich.  You can read more about my thoughts in the previous review.

Overall: ♥ ♥ ♥ I like Rule and Lily and Cullen, but this first book didn’t quite suck me in as much as I would have thought.  I think when I originally started reading the series, I read the first two or three books, and then trailed off.  I kept buying the novels and even short stories, mind you, believing I’d get back to it.  So there was enough there to make me want to continue – probably the promise of a good urban fantasy in the future.

Other reviews: 

• Errant Dreams
• Chachicks Book Nook
• Badass Book Reviews

If you like this book…

For other long-running series involving multiple supernaturals, try the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, the Hollows series by Kim Harrison, or the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris.

No promotional consideration was granted for this review.