I really hate to do this as I am a fan of both Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter, but I am really unhappy with both stories.

Untouchable by Kresley Cole is the story of Murdoch Wroth and his Bride. It spans the first few Immortals After Dark books and fills in some of the gaps. Unlike her previous works in the series, Untouchable lacked the captivating characterizations that are one of Ms. Cole's trademarks. I won't go into great detail about the story because if you aren't a fan of the Immortals After Dark series then you will be lost for sure while reading Untouchable. The problem that Murdoch faces is that his Bride is Daniela. Daniela is a Valkyrie but she is also part ice fey, and her skin is so cold that it burns those not of her kind. The other issue they face is that Murdoch doesn't want to be tied down. He doesn't want a Bride, and he see-saws between his wants and his needs. This frustrated me a bit, as well as her capacity for forgiveness, while admirable, had me gritting my teeth. While it was nice to see some things from previous stories from Murdoch's point of view I felt that there was a bit too much overlap present. As for them not being able to touch issue...I have to say I was a bit mystified as to why it was such a problem for them. If you've read the series then you know some basic facts about the mythos. A possible solution presented itself to me right away and indeed seemed obvious. While it's not my favorite of Ms. Cole's works it is still better than a lot of similar works on the market and if I hadn't been such a fan of the other books in the series Untouchable would have gotten higher marks.

Gena Showalter contributed Tempt Me Eternally. A short from the Alien Huntress universe Tempt Me Eternally left me wanting as well. Aleaha/Macy is an alien being who can shape shift into anyone. All she needs is skin -to- skin contact, and she can literally become you. This switch has her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly men intent on taking over. But the mission fails and she finds herself the captive of Breean, the commander of the invading force. I'm not a big fan of the "cave man" approach to romance and that was definitely the feel of this piece. I like strong alpha heroes but this time the lead male felt a bit one dimensional and with the quasi-rape feel to the early sex scenes I really didn't find anything redeeming about Breean. Aleaha/Macy was a bit more developed but only by a tiny bit. The plot was more of a set up for the sex than a true story line. I like a good sex scene, but I want it to be pertinent to the storyline, not for gratuitous reasons only. Tempt me Eternally fell flat for me. I have enjoyed Ms. Showalter in the past and will write this one up to a difference in tastes. Both are very talented authors and I looked forward to more from them in the future.

Reviewed by: Hayley