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Burn for Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel
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Burn for Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel
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Burn for Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel
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Burn for Me: A Hidden Legacy Novel

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About this ebook

In this spellbinding first novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’s urban fantasy Hidden Legacy series, private detective Nevada Baylor navigates her way through an alternate world where dynasties, built on inherited wealth and magic, guide the course of humanity.

?Nevada Baylor runs a small-time detective agency in Houston, Texas, busting scammers, exposing cheaters, and dealing with petty criminals. She’s very good at her job—helped by a magical ability to sense when someone tells the truth or lies. But when she’s forced into accepting a case to find a radical pyrotechnic who can conjure heat and fire at will, Nevada knows she’s out of her league. To bring him to justice, she’ll have to join forces with someone who wields an even more dangerous power.

Connor “Mad” Rogan is a former combat mage, a telekinetic singularly responsible for mass destruction in war-torn countries, and a member of one of the most powerful magic families in the world. His nephew has been kidnapped by the fugitive pyromaniac, and Nevada is his best chance at finding them both. But unlike Nevada, Connor could care less about societal law and order, and has no qualms about extinguishing his family’s enemy.

Bound by their mission, Nevada and Connor clash over their tactics and moral beliefs, even as things undeniably heat up between them. But the man they’re chasing is involved in a darker conspiracy that threatens to destroy the city—and destabilize the balance of power the elite magical families use to influence every nation on Earth.


LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperCollins
Release dateOct 28, 2014
ISBN9780062289247
Author

Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team, Gordon and Ilona. They currently reside in Texas with their two children and numerous dogs and cats. The couple are the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors of the Kate Daniels and Kate Daniels World novels as well as The Edge and Hidden Legacy series. They also write the Innkeeper Chronicles series, which they post as a free weekly serial. For a complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at http://www.ilona-andrews.com/.

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Reviews for Burn for Me

Rating: 4.2436397416829745 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fun book. Boy meets girl and despite the attraction she says no.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved it but couldn't help feeling that Nevada was Kate and Mad Ronen was Currin.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In Burn For Me, we have a fiery stunning story where the reader is drawn into a unique world that Ilona Andrews has introduced for us. Our Heroine, Nevada, has been working hard to keep her late father's business of detective work alive. But her family's home and business is on the line, when she is ordered that she has to obtain, a dangerous criminal...a cop killer and is very unpredictable and moody. Then she meets Rogan....one of the most lethal of men, rich and has the honor of prestige and power. No one dares crosses him except for Nevada, who fights him on every turn despite the desire that starts to erupt between them.This story does end with a bit of a teaser, I have a feeling this series will be similar to her Kate Daniels series, where we see their relationship deepen as it further goes along. I loved the chemistry between these two. Its very raw and powerful, and we see the tone of the story isn't about to let you set this one aside until you read the last page. What a page turner, and I was very intrigued to see where this book was leading up to in the beginning. What was even more intriguing was seeing the way these two develop a tenuous relationship. It doesn't start off easy, but as they work together to bring down a most dangerous enemy, they also uncover a hidden passion.Whew what a story this turned out to be and even though I didn't care for the HFN type of ending, it does lead us to get excited for the second book. What I grew to admire about this story was seeing the way that it evolves and shapes. Definitely a must read for PNR and UF lovers
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    8/28/18 I really liked this story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another great book for the writing team of Ilona Andrews! I'm not a huge fan of the cover for BURN FOR ME, but I AM a huge fan of Ilona Andrews so there was no doubt in my mind that I had to read it. As the head of her families PI firm it's up to Nevada to keep her family safe and their bank account in the black. Unfortunately the company that owns the loan on her family business has a job for her and if she says no her family will lose everything. Nevada lives in a world where if you don't have strong magic, you don't really matter. She was taught from an early age to hide the magic, but she might have to reveal herself to get through this hurtle. The Baylor family is really close. It's really hard not to fall in love with each and every one of them and Nevada is no exception. She has a great head on her shoulder and works really hard to make sure her family's safe and has what they need.I really loved Mad Rogan. He was nothing like he was made out to be in the beginning of the book but he was still a force to be reckoned with and Nevada and him together made a perfect team. Although Nevada is attracted to him she really wants nothing to do with him. Their relationship is pretty love hate for a while but when they finally get on the same page they have crazy chemistry. Come to think of it, their relationship is a lot like Curran and Kate's relationship in the beginning. I enjoyed every moment of it. If you are fan of Ilona Andrews writing already you are going to fall in love with BURN FOR ME. The world, the characters, and the story all work together to rock out a great story. Not sure when book 2 will be out, but it already has a spot on my bookshelf.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Love Love Love!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My ReviewThis book was absolutely amazing. The writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews have consistently been able to produce books that are written to a higher standard. I have only one complaint regarding this book - the cover. Nevada looks like a damsel in distress on the cover instead of the strong woman she is in the book. Can someone please tell me why Mad Rogan's shirt is half off on this cover? If Mad Rogan (or this cover model) were anywhere near me, I would encourage him to remove his shirt right away but I don't think this image represents the book at all.I loved that the world this book is set in was so easy to jump into. There is a very brief intro before the prologue that really sets the stage for the novel very well. I never felt lost regarding the rules of this world which is a major strength for a first book in a series. The characters were phenomenal! Nevada is a competent, strong woman who places her family above all else. Nevada does not yet seem to know the extent of her power and I look forward to watching her learn throughout this series. Her family was so much fun. How can you not love Grandma? Everybody who reads this book should love Grandma. Mad Rogan is your average lovable psychopath. Alright, maybe he is not a psychopath (or average) but he does have a few violent tendencies. And he is powerful and he knows exactly how to use his powers. The powers that the characters had were just so much fun. I would love to be able to shake a building when I feel that I am being ignored - I bet that would get my husband's attention even when his favorite show in on television.This book had tons of action and kept the excitement going. The banter between the characters was some of the best that I have ever encountered in a book. The sexual tension between Mad and Nevada was intense but we will have to wait until later books to see that fully realized. This book ended up being everything I had hoped it would be and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this series. I would highly recommend this book and all other Ilona Andrews books to everyone. The AudioRenee Raudman does a fabulous job narrating this audiobook. All of the characters have a unique voice and the dialog between them always felt very natural. Nevada experiences a wide range of emotions over the course of this story and it was really well portrayed in the delivery of the audiobook. I think that the way the story was told added to the story making the exciting parts more exciting, the funny parts even funnier, and the chemistry between Mad Rogan and Nevada was even more intense. I have already pre-ordered the audiobooks for the next two books in the series and cannot wait to listen to them.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I’ve heard good things about Ilona Andrews, but this is not the series for me. I wanted to be interested! The world was interesting, the characters, even the plot. Unfortunately, the romance aspect in this particular book is extremely distasteful to me, enough to overshadow everything that I liked in the book. If you’re curious, the main character (an otherwise fantastic woman PI) is completely irrationally attracted to both the man she’s chasing (who may be physically attractive, but who cares? he is a complete asshole and totally condescending to her, and he tries to burn down her home with her family inside) and the man who ends up “helping” her with her case (who she first meets when he kidnaps her and spends all day torturing her). No. No. Absolutely not.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Nevada, a young woman with a rare power is tasked to apprehend a man who could burn her with a thought. Mad Rogan the highest powered telekenetic kidnaps her thinking she is a minion of the pyromancer and they enter an uneasy partnership to hunt him down. Of course he is a complete hunk and wants her. It is a fast easy read full of silly lust with all the usual misunderstandings.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Burn for Me is not at all what the cover makes it seem; it is solidly urban fantasy without any actual sex! The new world created in Burn for Me is very cool and Nevada has a pretty awesome magic power, though she's just a small fish in the huge magic pond. The family-owned business with strong family dynamics was fun to read about along with a very slow burn romance. The one thing I found most troubling though is that the romantic advances continue despite Nevada saying she wasn't interested for many reasons. I just don't like these vibes even though it is clear where things are going. If this was a real situation, I would be terrified for her safety since the behavior gets kind of stalkery.... I'll still be reading the next book, but I wish the alpha male trope would back down a bit.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire. Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive. Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. I think I’m getting to the point where I’ve read too much by the Gordon team. Yes, there is such a point. I’m starting to catch their plot tricks and story fillers, and they’re starting to bother me a bit. That does not mean I won’t be continuing -- this was a fun book, and a great way to give myself a break after some heavier reading, and I’m all for fun.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book, man. I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been away from Urban Fantasy for WAY too long, if it was just really a fantastic story, or my brain is broke (quite possibly all of the above) but I’ve been in a book funk since finishing because I can’t find anything to compare. The publisher was kind enough to send me an ARC of this waaaay back in September 2014 but it sat gathering dust. Why? Well, not to be a cover snob, but have you seen that thing? Despite my love of Andrews’ Kate Daniels series, I just never got around to starting this one. I picked this one up at random this past week, read like a maniac till I finished, and now I’ve read the first page of about a dozen books and nothing is enticing me.So for starters, I’m NOT going off that horrendously awful cover because good gawd the CHEESE. Their “Rogan” interpretation isn’t really all that hot (sorry random cover dude) so I took it upon myself to picture Tom Hardy which definitely helps things. Okay, honestly all of my fictional man crushes take the appearance of Tom Hardy but WHATEVER. I do what I want.It has to be said: I’m really not one for fictional man crushes. I don’t obsess over “ships” or any of that. Kind of rethinking that stance after this read because good gawd, the swoons were severe. Rogan is not only charming in that way only the boys steeped in danger can be but his zingy one-liners were a constant source of laughs for me.“Hold on. I’m trying to figure out a place where nobody will recognize us.”“If you prefer, I can acquire a windowless creeper van, and we can huddle in it and have greasy takeout.”“Yes, I’m a hermit. Mostly I brood,” Mad Rogan said. “Also, I’m very good at wallowing in self-pity. I spend my days steeped in melancholy, looking out the window. Occasionally a single tear quietly rolls down my cheek.”“If you keep wiggling, things might get uncomfortable,” he said into my ear, his voice like a caress. “I’m doing my best, but thinking about baseball only takes you so far.” I froze.I legit did this clapping giggly thing at one point then looked up and realized I had forgotten I was in public. I’m a nutter, I know, but this book just totally hit the right spot. But moving on from Tom Hardy, ahem, Rogan…SO, the plot. Burn For Me is set in a fascinating world where a serum was created in the 1800s which brought out latent magical powers in individuals. It was used by the military, politicians, and anyone that could afford to get a hold of it. These magical talents were different for everyone and they were passed down to their children making picking a spouse of the utmost importance. Magical families were considered to be “Houses” (i.e. House Rogan, House Pierce) and the stronger the House, the more influential and powerful the family members. In the very beginning, Kelly Waller is distraught about her missing son Gavin after him and another boy, Adam Pierce, were involved in an arson that resulted in the deaths of a police officer and his family. She reaches out to her cousin, Mad Rogan, who is infamous for his magical powers and the destruction he brings, to bring him safely home. Trouble is, someone else is on the trail of Adam Pierce: Nevada Baylor, private investigator. Naturally, Rogan and Nevada cross paths. *cue giggles* The two realize that there is something far bigger at work here than just a random arson incident and it forces them to work together to stop the next attack.Seriously though, I loved this, and Nevada and Rogan’s chemistry were off the charts. The naiveté that I find typical in stories of this ilk with the woman falling for the bad guy was completely absent here, thankfully. Nevada and Rogan first began working together (after he briefly kidnapped her, of course, ha) and she was determined to keep it professional. She may have ended up becoming attracted to him but the fact that she recognizes the danger he represents and isn’t idiotically oblivious made it so much more tolerable. The build up was perfect and I’m oh so anxious for the next installment… which doesn’t come out till May 2017. I know, right? That’s not a typo. In addition to the sexual chemistry, there were so many fantastic side characters that made this story even more enjoyable. Nevada’s Grandma specifically was all kinds of hilarious in her obsession over hot, younger men.“Did you know that Adam Pierce showed up at our house last night?”Grandma’s eyes went wide. “He was here?”“She met him outside.”Grandma swung toward me. “Did you take any pictures? […] Pictures or it didn’t happen!” Grandma declared.This was really so much fun though and highly recommended for all you Urban Fantasy fans. Hoping now that I’ve sufficiently gushed about this one I can now find my next read. Wish me luck, guys.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    *I read this book for my own enjoyment.I love that Nevada has a great family. There are 2 sisters, 2 cousins, her mom, and her grandma all living together. They have strong and different personalities. But they are also the reason Nevada takes the job she does. She wants to take care of them all, being the oldest child... and maybe some guilt in there too. But she loves them and wants they cared for as best as possible.Hahaha. Nevada and Mad Rogan. I love the banter between these two. Of course he gets off on a bad footing when they first meet, but Nevada won't take any of his crap. I love this as she's a strong personality. Mad Rogan has gotten under her skin though. She finds his eyes, and maybe other parts, attention holding.Then there's the sexy yet "guilty" party that Nevada's to bring in. Adam Pierce. Oh he is a hoot. He's so full of himself. Then there's Mad Rogan. Oh my. He is a man to dream about. And what his magic can do... Well, it's dangerous. He's definitely got a few other issues though. But that makes him a good contrast for Nevada. It's like she's teaching him to be a human being as the story goes. I love how Nevada's view on these two different men are written and perceived from Nevada's eyes. This influences how we feel about them, though I do still smile at Adam's flirting as Grandma just loves him.I enjoyed the story and the strong personality interaction with Nevada and Mad Rogan, after I let the kidnapping go in my mind. The kidnapping... ugh. It was rough, but it ended well. I *guess* Mad Rogan isn't as bad a guy as thought. But once I was past this, I can see why women are attracted to Rogan.The book had a few great points to make that felt to hit the heart. Nevada is a strong willed woman. She sees things and points them out. Like the woman that still fall over Mad Rogan because of who he is, looks like, and can do even after he's cruel to them. Seriously. Nevada even points out the response to his mean actions and woman are better than that. That the woman should care more about herself and he doesn't need to act like that. Even family points, loving each other and caring for each other. Nevada's sisters and cousins are still in school (of some sort). It's great at advice that's given at times when those characters are in the scene. I love the family aspect.The magic system is complex and we get to learn it as we go. This author team gives us the pieces we need of the system with each scene so we can learn it through the characters and world instead of dropping it all in our laps. This works better for me as a reader. And I know there's more to learn, which will come with each book.The beginning felt like the story wasn't going anywhere. No, not that. It felt as the case Nevada was put on was going to go nowhere. There were no leads, no tips, nothing to work with. Nevada has contacts and makes things happen though. We still didn't get the whole picture of what's going on. We get a solution to Nevada's one purpose on the case, but we are left holding the bag wanting to know the BIG picture. The ending felt really fast for me. I'll have to reread the epilogue and last chapter again and pull it apart.Am I excited for the next book? Absolutely! I enjoyed Nevada and her life adventures. I'm curious as to what the bigger picture is and what troubles will be in the near future. I'll be picking the next book up.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think I'm turning into an Ilona Andrews fan girl. This is the third series by the author I've tried and it did not disappoint. This one leans more paranormal romance than I normally go for but turns out I didn't mind as much as I thought I would. There was enough urban fantasy mixed in to balance the romance out.Nevada Baylor has been put in a bad situation. She can either take a suicidal mission or forfeit the family business to the corporation who owns their mortgage. Feeling like she's been set up to fail Nevada takes the job, determined not to cave to corporate bullying. Of course all she has to do is find and convince Adam Pierce, a pyrotechnic Prime (the most powerful classification of magic users), to come home to his family. Just as Nevada gets going she finds herself kidnapped by Connor "Mad" Rogan, a telekinetic Prime who is also trying to track down Pierce. Rogan needs the information Nevada's gathered and Nevada needs a Prime on her side if she wants to have any hope of surviving.The world building is interesting. The story is set in alternate Houston. Back in the 1800s scientists discovered a serum that unlocks magic powers in humans. Turns out these powers can be inherited by future generations. Magical abilities manifest differently in each person, both in the nature and magnitude of the power, and as with many hereditary traits they stay relatively similar throughout a family line. Naturally the wealthy worked hard to match up the best bloodlines to build up their families, which are now called Houses. In modern day this has lead to many Houses that vie for power over the world.Nevada is a strong heroine. She's fierce, protective of her family, very determined, has a solid set of morals and a healthy dose of compassion. She has a low grade power of being a human lie detector, which comes in quite useful in her line of work. The rest of the Baylor family is a great supporting cast and their family dynamics are hilarious. Everyone pitches in though Nevada is the primary breadwinner since their father died and mom suffers from an old army injury that limits her mobility. Even the younger siblings and cousin provide assistance. I think I love grandma the most, in her 70s and still a tech mage that fixes tanks! On the flip side you have Connor, aka Mad Rogan. He is morally ambiguous, lived a life of privilege though didn't have a great childhood, is ex-military and his the control he has over his powers scares most people. Yes, he's quite the bad ass. I'm still not entirely sure of his motivations though he and Nevada seem to be a good pair. They challenge each other which provides opportunities for each to grow.About the romance. I like that it is more drawn out. Instead of insta-love it starts as insta-lust, which is much more believable to me, and seems like it will work its way to the real thing in the next book or two. Also the Andrews can write a steamy kiss that puts many sex scenes to shame. I did get tired of Nevada's habit to obsess about it in her mind. Thankfully those sections never lasted too long.The book has other flaws too but in the end I just didn't care. The story has tons of action, a neat mystery, fun characters, an interesting world and is just so darn entertaining that I could overlook the inconsistencies.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Burn for Me
    5 Stars

    Tasked with bringing in a fugitive pyrokinetic, private investigator Nevada Baylor knows when she is in over her head. Things go from bad to worse when rogue billionaire, Connor “Mad” Rogan reveals an interest in the case and decides the best course of action is to kidnap Nevada and coerce information from her. So begins a volatile relationship in which Nevada and Rogan will have to depend on each other if they want to save their city from a rampaging psychopath who may have a hidden agenda …

    Incredible world building, brilliant dialogue, sizzling chemistry and a gripping storyline - Ilona Andrews is beyond compare when it comes to Urban Fantasy!

    Despite the recognizable similarities between this book and Andrews’ other series, Kate Daniels and The Edge, the differences are sufficient to make this story unique and interesting in its own right.

    In a genre inundated with alternate magical worlds, Andrews has formulated a concept that is both original and compelling. Not only does magic in this world have a genetic basis, but it is also the foundation on which financial power and social status is consolidated. Thus, the various characters preoccupation and even obsession with magical genetics and hierarchy adds additional tension and nuance to the setting, characterization and plot.

    Like Andrews’ other heroines, Nevada is intelligent, resourceful, snarky, feisty and loyal to a fault. She is also cautious and in possession of a level of self awareness that makes her particularly appealing. Rogan’s physical presence and power as well as his alpha tendencies are reminiscent of Curran yet the nature of his abilities, his family background and his dark and troubling past make him a remarkable hero.

    The trademarks of Andrews’ writing are evident in Nevada and Rogan’s relationship whether it be in the sarcastic banter, the off the charts chemistry or the palpable sexual tension that build slowly but surely between them. The potential for romance is definitely there and it will be fascinating to see where it goes in future installments.

    The plot is action packed with numerous twists and turns not to mention an abundance of corpses littering the streets (not wholly unexpected in an Andrews novel). Renee Raudman’s narration is fantastic as usual and no one could possibly be better at bringing these characters to life.

    All in all, a must read for all lovers of Urban Fantasy and the only bad thing about the book is that it had to come to an end. It will be a long and difficult wait for the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although I like Ilona Andrews' work a lot, so far I'm not as enthusiastic about the Hidden Legacy series. Mad Rogan is so Alpha, he's obnoxious. I understand why writers use the Alpha character -- to make the change in the character due to his love for the heroine appear even stronger when he falls for her. But if the Alpha charcter is so out there, why would she be interested in him in the first place? In this book, his main and only appeal to he heroine is sexual. He's so gorgeous in her eyes she can't help but be attracted to him. That's usually the start to a bad romance in real life.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Team Ilona Andrews does it again! A fantastic new story with a strong leading female and apex male. Great plot, storyline, & character development. Drama, suspense, & sexual chemistry abound. I'm looking forward to book #2.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this first glimpse into Ilona Andrews' HIDDEN LEGACY world; the magic was fascinating, the characters were insta-hits, and the plot just didn't quit. Mad Rogan was everything I wanted in a bad boy—a powerful, borderline sociopath with mega sex appeal—and, Nevada was an absolute delight. Renée Raudman's narration was flawless, the family dynamics of the Baylor clan leaped off the pages, and the romantic elements left me anxious to listen to the next installment. 4.5 stars.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Sort of made me want to re-read the Kate Daniels series, which was a lot better.

    I appreciate what Illona Andrews was attempting here. A sort of urban fantasy take on the Cinderella/Billionaire Boys Club/Military Bad Boy trope, with superpowers. But unfortunately, neither character jumps out at you. Granted its just the first book, and sometimes it takes a while to build character and momentum. But I wish she'd emphasized the romance less - like she did with the Kate Daniels series initially. Since, I'm unconvinced that romance and sex scenes are this writers strength.
    The romantic portions and sexual elements felt forced and not organic to the story.

    Also the plot wandered a bit. Did however appreciate the twist at the end - which gave the hero, who up until that point felt a bit like your boilerplate power hungry bad boy, some depth. But the twist didn't quite save it. Although, I think it worked, all things considered.

    I enjoy Andrews dry humor and banter. And her use of middle eastern and asian mythology as opposed to Judeo/Christian, is refreshing.

    But I wish the age range was closer...47 and 26? Seriously? Why? Also, it confused me. Because he was 19 and she was in high school when she saw him on tv, when he was 19. So, how could he be 47 and she 26, unless there's a time warp? Did I read it wrong? I admittedly tend to skim a lot in this genre.

    Loved the family dynamics, which is often built better than the romance. And there's potential here -- regarding Nevada's particular brand of power. Nevada doesn't know what she can do, or that she is a Prime, which clearly her grandmother has some inkling of, and father most likely did know -- but they protected her from that knowledge and didn't teach her how to use it.It's a story trope that I'm fond of - the reluctant hero or the hero who doesn't know how powerful they are and slowly discovers it over time.

    Also, there's a level of irony here - since Nevada has a low opinion of Primes.

    Connor "Mad" Rogan - could become interesting. Right now, he feels a bit bland. But there's potential here. We don't know his past, or what motivates him or why. Just that he is insanely powerful and used to getting whatever he wants when he wants it (ie. spoiled). But also that he's been through something horrific and shut down emotionally as a result. And that he can't control his power - that when he gets in the zone, he can't stop and destroys everything around him. Nevada is appealing to him - because a) she's unavailable, and b) she broke through and was able to stop him. She challenges him. (Another trope that I like - equality and challenge in a romantic relationship.)

    The wealth fantasy bits - wonderful cars, apartments, etc - will either turn you on or off. It's basically the Cinderella Fantasy trope. Poor girl meets insanely rich prince. And, yes, it sort of turns me on. I admit it. Not all that realistic though -- but this is urban fantasy, not supposed to be realistic. Want realism? Read Anne Tyler, Elmore Leonard, or James Joyce or Margaret Atwood.

    So while, I can't give this book a high rating. I can say that I may check out the next one in the series, to see if it improves.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fantastic! I've enjoyed Andrews' Kate Daniels series, and this one didn't disappoint.Nevada is a tough young woman, determined to keep the detective agency her father started alive, so she can support her big family. As lower-level magic users, she and her family are used to being ignored, but when the giant corporation that owns their contract needs someone expendable to go after a very dangerous, very powerful rogue magic user, Nevada is forced to either risk her life trying to catch the guy...or lose the business and her family's home.Nevada's the type of smart, quick-witted, and independent character I love, and while there are no sexy times between her and the man who decides to help her catch the bad guy, there are some SERIOUS sparks!Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, or Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ilona Andrews has long been one of my go-to authors for well-crafted urban fantasy/paranormal romance. While I don't always find the men that attractive--I don't really like rich alpha males with giant muscles that much--the heroines are always interesting and the worlds they live in are incredibly rich. Burn For Me was a great start to a new series, and I actually thought it was better than the last couple of Kate Daniels books. Can't wait for the next one!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Listened for Fun/Read for Review (Audible/Avon Addict)Overall Rating: 5.00Story Rating: 5.00Character Rating: 5.00Audio Rating: 4.00First Thought when Finished: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews was just downright addictive. I enjoyed the action, the characters, and the world building. Can't wait till there is more!Narrator Thoughts: Renee Raudman and Ilona Andrews make a great team (because threesome just sounds naughty)! Renee nails their style of writing and brings the characters to life! BRAVO!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Apparently a new series from Andrews, who specializes in urban fantasy with alpha males competing for the favors of alpha females who have lots of obligations. Here, Nevada is the young woman responsible for her family’s private investigation firm—her mother is too injured to work much; her younger siblings are only barely able to contribute; and her father died after a long illness that left them financially unstable. The magical family that owns their extensive debt sends Nevada on a suicide mission to bring in a rogue family member who’s committing crimes too overt to be covered up. But Mad Rogan, a superpowered former soldier, is also looking for her target—and then he decides that Nevada is also of interest. While I generally like the format, this alpha male edged too far over “aggressive” to “rapey” for me—at one point Rogan gives Nevada a magical orgasm when she has clearly rejected his advances. And Nevada’s grandmother (not a witness to that particular event, thank G-d) ends the book by saying how adorable his pursuit of her is, and is clearly supposed to be the voice of greater understanding, so, ugh. A shame because I liked the worldbuilding otherwise.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I’ve learned from past experience that books with man titty on the cover are generally not for me, but for Ilona Andrews I’ll take a leap of faith. As it turns out, Burn for Me is one of those books that rides the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Thankfully, there’s no insta-love (plenty of insta-lust, though), no gratuitous sex, and no destined/eternal soul mates. The only elements that make Burn for Me lean towards paranormal romance is the narrator’s constant inner monologue about how scorching hot the hero is, plus a few steamy kisses.As an urban fantasy, on the other hand, Burn for Me is exactly what I’ve come to expect from Ilona Andrews. The worldbuilding is unique, rich, and evocative; the supporting characters are intriguing and well fleshed-out; and moments of humor help lighten an otherwise dark and gritty story. I loved reading about a heroine with a happy, healthy family life for a change. Even though the writing isn’t quite as polished as Andrew’s other books (and maybe it’s just me, but Nevada and Rogan’s voices sound eerily similar to Kate and Curran’s), Burn for Me definitely makes the grade as an urban fantasy.Besides the needlessly long descriptions of the hero’s sexiness, the only thing I disliked about the book is the hero himself. He’s arrogant and manipulative, and he acts like a complete asshole 99% of the time. But what bothered me the most was how he kept pushing and pushing Nevada to get with him, even after she explicitly told him she wasn’t interested. I can get down with the whole alpha-male personality, but it’s not romantic when a guy repeatedly disrespects a woman’s boundaries (verbally, emotionally, or physically). Not even Nevada’s family called him out on this, acting like she was the silly one for resisting his aggressive advances. Again, I can see shades of Kate and Curran in this relationship dynamic, but Burn for Me takes it to another level. Quite frankly, I found it a little disturbing.Despite my problems with Nevada’s love interest, I’ll probably continue reading the series for the awesome worldbuilding and the overarching mystery that was hinted at in this installment. I also have enough faith in Ilona Andrews’ writing that I’ll hold out hope for the hero’s behavior to change. Maybe after Nevada warms his cold, dead heart he’ll actually become somewhat likable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.altlhingsuf.comBURN FOR ME is the Andrews writing team at their best. Complex and original world building, vivid characterization, witty banter, and sexual chemistry that extends beyond the physical.The fantastic characterization starts with the heroine and continues on to the background characters, everyone from her family to villains, both the magically murderous and the venial bureaucrats. Nevada is smart, professional, and determined not to let circumstances swamp her, and Rogan may just supplant Thea Harrison's Dragos as my favorite dragon, metaphorical or not. While the romantic elements in BURN FOR ME are well defined enough to make a case for Paranormal Romance, clearly this series will have some serious Urban Fantasy chops as well. Come for the smoldering, stay for the action and apocalyptic magic.The worst part about reading BURN FOR ME is knowing it's sequel won't be out until 2015. Then again, one month after finishing this story for the first time, I was already back for a re-read. An absolutely fantastic book (again and again), this series is already on my "Favorites" shelf.Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Detective Nevada Baylor was assigned a mission that was destined to fail; apprehend Prime Adam Pierce, a high-ranking magic user who can set anything on fire, and return him to his family. Unfortunately, Nevada is not the only person interested in finding Pierce, Connor “Mad” Rogan, one of the most powerful known mages, also has an interest in Pierce’s capture. Nevada is a worthy heroine. She is selfless, considering her family’s needs above her own. She is brave and intelligent. She has kept her gift a secrete because she does not want to be used by others. I love her humor and comments.Connor “Mad” Rogan is a force to be reckoned with. He is a good business man and powerful mage. He is a bit arrogant, but it’s understandable why. I love that Nevada doesn’t cower to Mad Rogan. They have an interesting dynamic that I am looking forward to seeing evolve in future novels.Ilona Andrews’ character development is exceptional. I not only loved the primary characters, I enjoyed the secondary characters. Adam Pierce was an intriguing bad guy. Nevada’s cousin, Bern, is smart and loyal. Grandma Frida is great; most definitely not your typical grandma.The plot was clever and carefully thought out. I love the world the authors created. Burn for Me is a fantastic start to the Hidden Legacy Series. I will anxiously be awaiting the next book in the series expected to come out in 2015. Complimentary copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Got this book as an advance release for ny comic con. It is everything I hoped it would be and a wild opening to what I expect will be another great series. I also got to meet Ilona and Gordon in person and they are just as nice as you'd expect. Can't wait for the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Burn For Me is my first Ilona Andrews book and even in the opening pages of this well developed, high action urban paranormal I found lots to love. I love Nevada, the almost ordinary, barely magic main character--her power is that she can tell when people lie--who’s struggling to keep her family’s PI agency afloat in a highly stratified alternate world Houston run by powerful magic dynasties. I love Nevada’s colorful, squabbling, loyal family members, including Nevada’s four teenage siblings and cousins who help with online surveillance and research when they aren’t doing homework, Nevada’s widowed sharpshooter mother, who’s a former soldier injured in the line of duty, and Nevada’s mechanically gifted, man-obsessed grandmother, who bears some resemblance to Stephanie’s Plum’s lively Grandma Mazur except that she can build tanks and other armored artillery-enhanced vehicles. The world building is wonderfully vivid, mostly gritty but sometimes glitzy, Nevada has difficult choices to make, which kept me reading much later into the night than I meant to, and the philosophy of Hobbes is even briefly discussed, a smart touch that added to my entertainment. What I didn’t care for is the romance. When Nevada and Mad Rogan first meet he runs her down, knocks her out, chains her to his basement floor, and tortures her with magic because he wants information about the case she’s working on. While his actions make Nevada angry and wary, she finds his extreme “masculinity” a turn-on, but the episode and her response had the opposite effect on me. It took me a while to get back into the story, but the wife and husband author team writes with skillful savvy, and the many things I loved about the plot and characters meant I did enjoy most of the rest of the book. This is the first of a new series so the romance is just developing--I imagine it will become a larger part of the story as the books continue. I read an advanced review copy of this book supplied by the publisher; the review opinions are mine.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the first book in the Hidden Legacy series by husband and wife writing team Ilona Andrews. I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program (and I was super excited to get it). I love their Kate Daniels series and also really enjoyed The Edge series. This was a very well done book, with an excellent new magic system and world and very engaging characters. I enjoyed it a lot.Nevada is working as an investigator and just barely keeping her family afloat. Their agency is owned by a parent agency that blackmails Nevada into taking case in which she has to hunt down and bring back Adam Price. Adam is a Prime of the pyrokinetic kind, Primes are incredibly powerful magic users and Adam has gone rogue. It is basically a suicide mission. Then Nevada is kidnapped by the crazy dangerous Conner “Mad” Rogan, despite a tumultuous meeting Nevada realizes that working with Mad Rogan might be the only to accomplish her mission and come out alive.This was a very well done urban fantasy/paranormal romance novel. There is some excellent back story here as we learn how people got these crazy magical abilities through the Osiris vaccine. This means that the powerful have been divided into Families with magical abilities and the Families do whatever they have to to keep this power.There is an interesting new magic system as well. Many of these magic powers breed stronger with each generation, but some of them die out. We are only introduced to some of the variations in magic ability in this book. Nevada is a passive truthseeker, which means she can passively tell if someone is lying or not. She has worked hard not to develop her magic any further since she doesn’t want to become a tool for the military or government to use in questioning people. She is in a tough situation trying to provide for some younger siblings and dealing with her disabled mother. Nevada’s family was a lot of fun. Her grandma is a crazy mechanic of sorts, her mother is a tough as nails war-vet, and her brother is a super computer genius. Mad Rogan was another intriguing character. He has got this “more powerful than god” type of magic going on and is definitely alpha male. However, he is not so alpha male that he is blind to the abilities of those around him. He respects Nevada’s strengths and doesn’t hesitate to trust her to do what she does best.Nevada and Rogan have very combatative and tumultuous type of relationship. This is where the romance comes into the story. There are a couple torrid makeout scenes and quite a bit of Nevada drooling over Rogan’s abs (something I could have done without).The plot mainly involves Rogan and Nevada trying to hunt down Adam before he destroys the whole city. Some ancient artifacts get involved which really makes things interesting.Overall I really enjoyed this start to a new series by Ilona Andrews. I would compare this series more to The Edge books as far as amount of romance goes. Still, there is quite of bit of action here as well. I enjoyed the new world, the new magic system, the action scenes, and the engaging characters. I think fans of Ilona Andrew’s books will be very pleased with this new series. I can’t wait to read the next book!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the Kate Daniels series. In 1863 scientists discovered a serum that brought forth latent, specific magical abilities in people and it was given to soldiers to give them an edge in fighting their enemies. They hadn’t realized at the time that their offspring would also carry these abilities and stopped using the serum. Now, in today’s world, families with powerful magic marry to create children who have the chance of also being powerful, otherwise the magic dilutes and eventually dies off. Other than the magic, this is the world we know with cell phones, laptops and mentions of Facebook and youtube. Nevada Baylor runs a family PI firm that is mortgaged to a much larger firm that has left them alone in the past. But when a very powerful fire mage kills someone while using his magic, his influential family wants him brought in before the police find him. She can’t refuse, even knowing she’s not capable of bringing him in, or her family would lose both the business and their home. Mad Rogan, the head of another rich and powerful house, has another reason for needing to find this guy and Nevada is his best chance of finding him.This is nothing like the Kate series and yet the reader will find some similarities between characters and actions, and that’s one of the many aspects I loved about this story because the character’s philosophies and long term goals are vastly different. There’s a mystery, a great deal of action, and steamy sexual tension, although thankfully that’s a series of short sidelines that while important, don’t overwhelm the story. Like Kate’s series, the humor comes in the form of conversations, sarcastic thoughts and the sexual tension. It’s listed as a romance, but don’t expect an HEA in this book. At this point it could kill the series.Unlike Magic Bites which grabbed me from the first couple of pages with its uniqueness, this did take a little more time to get in to as we learn about the different players and situations. But once it takes off, you are in for a ride.I don’t know how many books are contracted for. We are given a preview of the next book. But I can say in all honesty, I’m as anxious to read that next book as I am to get my hands on Kate’s next story.