#Review: Protecting His Witch by Zoe Forward - 5 Wine Glasses

Title: Protecting His Witch
Series: Keeper Of The Veil #1
Author: Zoe Forward
Format: eBook/Paperback, 1st Edition, 244 pages
Published: October 27th 2014
ISBN: 1502746948
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

The last thing he wanted was to fall for a witch...

Veterinarian Kat Ramsey hasn't a clue that she's a witch. Sure, she can read minds, and there's the whole “dimension-hopping” issue that she can't quite control, but Kat is determined to keep things normal. That is, until she accidentally hops into the Otherworld, and runs smack into Matthew Ryan–the seriously hot one-night stand from years ago who shoved her out of his dorm. Naked.

And there's the tiny matter of the curse she gave him.

May you never find satisfaction with another woman. Billionaire and former druid Matthew Ryan hasn't forgotten the curse, or the witch who gave it to him. Kat's unexpected return means the curse will finally be broken. Unfortunately, his libido has other ideas–like how to get her back into his bed one last time. But far more worrying is his suspicion that Kat is the seventh Pleiades witch. Because while he's turned his back on his druidic ways, he's still bound to protect the woman who made his life hell...

Linda's Thoughts:
Holy cow, she'd just slept with the hottest guy in the universe. She, the super science geek. The you-go-girl side of her brain wahooed. The rational side of her brain spat out a resounding, Oh shit.

PROTECTING HIS WITCH by Zoe Forward has officially blown me away! I had requested an advanced reader copy about six months ago as I enjoy witchy books. I'm so glad I did! While I was waiting on a take-out order two days ago, I started reading it and found myself hooked within minutes. I ended up binge-reading it into the morning hours. Yes, it's that good. However, now I'm suffering from witch-withdrawal and need the next book NOW! I'm so glad this book is the first installment in the author's new Keeper of the Veil series and Zoe has posted on her Facebook page that the next two books will be published shortly!

PROTECTING HIS WITCH is the story of veterinarian Kat Ramsey and former druid Matthew Ryan. Kat is unaware that she is a witch, one of the seven Pleiades, female descendants from goddesses, who must meet once every seven years to ensure that the veil that prohibits evil from being released into the world remains closed. On a good note, she can read minds and she can calm animals - talents that come in handy in her chosen profession. On the bad side, she has Otherworld episodes. Thankfully, they don't happen that often - but when they do, she is thrown into another dimension with no control of how, when or where.

On one very memorable Otherworld episode, she had a one-night stand at a college party with yummy, smokin' hot Matthew after they'd both imbibed in too many purplish libations. They'd had mind-blowing sex - a first for Kat as she was a science geek  and was most assuredly not a woman of loose morals until she got around Matthew. Unfortunately, Matthew had a girlfriend who discovered them together and Matthew pushed a naked Kat out of his dorm room wrapped only in a sheet the next morning. I don't blame her for cursing him - even if she wasn't aware that she could!

She blinked against the sting of tears. Fury curled in her stomach. She narrowed her eyes, and slapped him. She gritted out "May you never find satisfaction with another woman."

"Did you just curse me?"

I connected with Kat right away. She was a nerd and had been orphaned at an early age with no memory of either of her parents. I liked how she connected with animals and I could sympathize with her naiveté about being a witch. I liked that her best friend was a gay guy who dressed extravagantly and thought it was awesome that she and he Latin-danced; Little did she know that witches were prohibited from dancing.

Matthew knew that he'd behaved badly - both for jumping into bed with Kat as he did when he had a girlfriend and for not defending Kat and for hastily extricating her from his bed as he did. Even though Matthew could act quite the cad, I still liked him. He was sexy as hell and had had a rough life. He'd violently lost his father and he was abused by his stepfather, yet he had stepped up to assume control of his stepfather's company to support his mother and sister even though it was not what he wanted. Saddled with a job that gave him no satisfaction, and cursed by a beautiful enticing witch so sex with other women had become a chore, Matthew was miserable.

Matthew's and Kat's bantering was a snarky, amusing treat. Their sexual tension was off-the-chart; My kindle was literally steaming. The fate of the world depended upon whether the two of them could put aside their differences and accept their destinies. BUT would they be able to stop fighting and tearing off each other's clothes to come together? It didn't seem promising...

The primary villains were the OLM - The Order Lutomaleficum, a fanatical fundamentalist killer sect, who had any and all supernaturals - from the Pleiades to the druids who protected them - in their malevolent sights.

I'm really looking forward to reading the stories of the other Pleiades and their mates. Special mention to Matt's brother, Eli, and two of the other witches, take-charge, but entertaining Charlotte and free-spirited, kick-ass Serenity.

I haven't decided whether to feel sorry for the witches' mates or not. Mates are treated to oodles of sizzling hot sex, but they also have to keep their mates safe from the sinister, always threatening, OLM and sire daughters to continue the Pleiades line.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes:

"Why should I trust you?" Her eyes narrowed. "All I really know about you is that you're not loyal to your girlfriends, you treat one-night stands like crap, and apparently you've made quite a name for yourself not only in the business world, but also in the bedroom since we last met."
---

He roughly grated out, "Don't run from me. Not now. This is for both of us." He held her thighs apart to force her to continue to accept the powerful thrusts. Changing his angle ever so slightly, he hit that one location that turned her world into a starry night. Her body shattered. Muscles ripples, gripped, and clamped down.
---

"It's hotter in here than a goat's ass in a pepper patch."
---

"...I'm hanging onto my sanity by a thread. I'll have you up against this tree and be inside you in about one second."

PROTECTING HIS WITCH is truly a wonderfully imaginative, well-written start to this promising new series. This book stole my heart and I bet it will steal yours too! If you enjoy witchy paranormal romances with steamy sex, tons of sweet, fascinating supporting characters, a spellbinding storyline and a hero and heroine you won't be able to resist, look no further than PROTECTING HIS WITCH! I'm dying to find out which Pleiades witch will meet her mate next!