Reading the Paranormal: The Hunchback by Regine Abel [Review]

The Hunchback (Cosmic Fairy Tales) by Regine Abel
Format: ebook
Source: provided by the author for review

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 22, 2019

Cosmic Fairy Tales
The Hunchback - Paperback | Kindle
The Lion and the Mouse
The Frog Prince
The Ugly Dukeling
Contaminated
Jackie and the Giant
Escaping Wonderland
Rampion

Regine Abel
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Synopsis (Goodreads):

Her heart’s desire would be her downfall.

After spending her life in training, Esmerelda still can’t believe she’s been appointed to serve as the Vestal of Our Lady of Paris—the greatest temple on any planet in the Nine Circles. Her beauty and unrivaled ability to manipulate energy quickly catch the attention of Praetor Frollo, the grand magistrate of Paris, and High Seraph Phoebus, the greatest winged warrior in the solar system. But her dream of becoming the consort of one of those handsome, powerful males is forgotten the moment she lays eyes upon the hunchback secretly living in the temple.

Kwazeem feels Esmerelda’s power as soon as she lands in his city. She awakens the primal energy that has lain dormant within him—and a possessive hunger that demands he claim her. But he’s a Fallen, a monster that would be destroyed on sight if the citizens of Paris discovered his existence. Worse still, Esmerelda’s Divine Light inflicts agony upon his already tortured body if he basks in it for too long. And yet…he cannot stay away from her.

With Kwazeem’s mysterious condition and Esmeralda torn between her duties to the people and the sinful desires of her heart, is there any chance of them sharing a future?

Thoughts on The Hunchback: No lie, I love new twists on classic tales. (I also love two people snowed in unexpectedly and amnesiac vampires and werewolves in all their nuded up glory, but that's another story for another time.) Kwazeem and Esmerelda take the Hunchback story and twist it up nicely.

Kwazeen is sweet and kind and mostly resigned to the lonely, isolated life he's forced to lead. Given how the Fallen are despised for...well, it's possible the citizens of Paris don't know WHY they're despised. They just are. And, yes, there are reasons, but not all those reasons apply to Kwazeem.

And let's just say Esmerelda doesn't let herself get bogged down (much) by other people's reasons. She feels Kwazeem's power and it calls to her and that's enough for her. It doesn't hurt that she's wildly attracted to his differentness, either.

Bottom line: Frollo's a jerkface, Esmerelda and Kwazeem have quality sexy times, and their, err, coupling...coupledom?...manages to change their corner of the world. EXCELLENT!