ARC Review: Night Walker by Lisa Kessler

Night Walker

The Night Series #1

by Lisa Kessler

Paperback

Expected publication: August 2nd 2011 by Entangled Publishing 

ISBN 1937044130

Courtesy of NetGalley
GoodReads | Amazon
4 out of 5 Wine Glasses

He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her...
Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.
She’s haunted by dreams of her own death...
After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.
They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries...
Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.

My Thoughts:

Night Walker was a stellar read from new-to-me-author Lisa Kessler about a soul deep love that never dies.

Two hundred years ago Father Gregorio Salvador fell in love with one of the local tribeswomen, Tala. Secretly meeting under the veil of darkness they found each other’s soul mates in one another. When Tala discovers that she is with child, Gregorio decides to leave the church and start a new life with his love. Confessing his sins and asking for absolution, Gregorio rushes to join Tala – only to find her brutally murdered. Now, betrayed by the ones he trusted most and grieving his lost love Gregorio is taken in by Tala’s tribe and brought before the Old One who grants him the gift of immortality so that he can one day meet up with his love once again…

Now going by the name of Calisto Terana, a wealthy philanthropist, he lives among mortals using his Night Walker abilities to hunt down corrupt humans and to search for his lost love. When a chance meeting introduces him to Kate Bradley, Calisto knows that it is fate and he has found his Tala once again. However, after catching her fiancé in the arms of another woman the last thing Kate wants to do is to jump into another relationship; though she can’t deny that there is something about Calisto that calls to her, like she has known him her whole life...

Knowing without a doubt that Kate is Tala reincarnated, he woes her into his arms. But just when it seems like Calisto is finally going to have the second chance he has dreamed centuries of his old brotherhood, the Del Fuego Santo, show up with dark plans to destroy them all. Can their new love overcome the many secrets that Calisto keeps and the danger that the Del Fuego Santo bring? Or will they not only destroy their second chance of love, but their lives as well?

Night Walker is an intensely emotional and riveting paranormal romance that I could not put down! Calisto’s depth and devotion captured my attention from the start; he was a true romance hero in every way! A well written, dimensional character with an elaborate background masterfully entwined in the plot. Kate was a good, strong heroine that dealt with the obstacles thrown in her way superbly. Though her quickness to run whenever she got uncomfortable or confused was a little annoying, she has a big heart and a strong will that more than made up for that little quirk. Together Calisto and Kate made a fantastic couple. Their relationship progressed quickly but because of their past it felt believable. This led to several erotic love scenes that were exciting without being vulgar, which is a fresh breath every now and then in romances.

The plot moves at a moderate pace- not too fast, not too slow, with the story switching from past to present at different intervals; these transitions were fluid and prefaced with a handy date. The world building was exceptional and just in case you think this is your same old same old vampire romance; a Night Walker is not the same as a vampire. Calisto makes that abundantly clear! LoL The end was the most perfect and sensual ending I have read in a while and the epilogue has me so curious and ready for more! I cannot wait for Night Demon to come out in December so that I can find out what that eagle is up too, he raised several intriguing questions for me!