Celtic Moon by Jan DeLima
Series: Celtic Wolves #1
Published by ACE
Published on: September 24, 2013
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Werewolves
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Author
Amazon | Book Depo | GoodReads
Like father, like son…
Sophie Thibodeau has been on the run from the father of her son for more than fifteen years. Now her son, Joshua, is changing, and her greatest fears are about to be realized. He’s going to end up being just like his father—a man who can change into a wolf.
Dylan Black has been hunting for Sophie since the night she ran from him—an obsession he cannot afford in the midst of an impending war. Dylan controls Rhuddin Village, an isolated town in Maine where he lives with an ancient Celtic tribe. One of the few of his clan who can still shift into a wolf, he must protect his people from the Guardians, vicious warriors who seek to destroy them.
When Sophie and Dylan come together for the sake of their son, their reunion reignites the fierce passion they once shared. For the first time in years, Dylan’s lost family is within his grasp. But will he lose them all over again? Are Joshua and Sophie strong enough to fight alongside Dylan in battle? Nothing less than the fate of his tribe depends on it…
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I’m not sure if this is a new trend in Paranormal Romance but more and more titles have been featuring “older” heroines and Celtic Moon falls into that category with Sophie, a 36 year old protagonist. Thibodeau doesn’t just stand out because of her age, she also brings to the table something that a lot of female characters lack: experience. You can’t help but admire a woman that’s willing to put her fears aside in order to do right by her child; even if it means confronting the man that she’s been running from for over fifteen years. My respect for her continued to increase with every new page I read because Sophie not only learned from her previous mistakes but actually took steps to ensure that she’d never be a victim again.
Two of my favourite things come together in this book: werewolves and Celtic mythology. Both elements are closely intertwined in this story and I loved how rich the lore was as a result. The author incorporates a few very unique components which helped it stand-out from other comparable titles in this genre. It’s been weeks since I finished reading Celtic Moon and yet, I’m still thinking about the extremely memorable “serpent” weapon. I’d be curious to find out whether its origins stem from historical facts or are the imaginings of a very talented author. Either way, I approve! In my opinion, this first installment is only the tip of the iceberg where the Celtic Wolves are concerned!
DeLima allows readers to make up their own minds about what actually happened fifteen years ago by presenting the facts from three very different perspectives. I really enjoyed weighing each character’s viewpoint and drawing my own conclusions; even though I knew what the end result was going to be, I still appreciated the process. This book has a real story within a story feel to it which makes it as fulfilling as it is entertaining. I also liked that the author didn’t rush the romance and gave the characters time to adjust. There may be danger on the horizon but that’s still no excuse for jumping in bed with your ex!
Celtic Moon is not your average werewolf book thanks the Jan Delima’s distinctive layered writing style, original mythology and unlikely heroine. A brilliant effort by this debut author!
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
I’ve been counting the days for this one to release and your review has only increased that anticipation.
Well you don’t have much longer to wait (only 1 more day)! 🙂
Thank you so much for taking the time to read an early copy of Celtic Moon and for writing such a lovely review! I do appreciate it! Also, I had to log in to answer your question about the serpent belt. First, let me apologize because this is probably going to be my longest comment ever on a review post, but you posed the one question I simply couldn’t resist explaining.
The serpent was inspired by Celtic lore, with a bit of imagination thrown in. There are depictions of it on several Celtic artifacts. It can be seen on the Gundestrup cauldron that dates approximately 200 BC, give or take a few hundred years. Celtic mythology is one of the original sources of shifter lore in human history. I did extensive research to build this fantasy world but worked very hard to blend those historical elements into each character’s personality and the events of the story without inundating it with historical references. It might be interesting to note that the terms I used for wolf, Guardian and Evil Bringer are the actual terms taken from medieval Welsh manuscripts that date approximately around the 14th century. Celtic folklore is filled with shape-shifters and wolves. It was so much fun to research and bring to a modern day story.
Also, I must mention that you are not the first reviewer to note Sophie’s age. I thought I would share a bit about that. I actually chose her son’s age first. I needed him to be old enough to face some brutal circumstances and I thought any younger than fifteen would have changed the dynamic. Then I did the math. At thirty-six, Sophie would have been twenty-one at the time she got pregnant and that was as young as I felt comfortable going. Plus she hasn’t aged since carrying a shifter’s son, so I needed that ambiguous age that could potentially look twenty-ish but wasn’t. I love writing fantasy.
Thanks again!
Jan
Thanks for the very in-depth answer! I always enjoy getting the inside scoop on how an specific book came to be. Glad you liked my review and please keep me in mind for book 2! 😀
Sophie was my favorite part about book. So much respect for her!
She definitely made this book for me.
This is the first time I’m hearing about this book but it sounds really good. I like that it has layers and isn’t just a plain ol’ werewolf romance. I will have to add this to my list.
This book has a nice mix of unique elements and tried & true classic paranormal romance ones.
Thank you for putting another good series on my radar, you are one of the big reasons I not longer have to buy many audiobooks on the blind 🙂 Thanks!
Looks like we added to each other’s TBR piles today. LOL
I saw this one while preparing for my Tempt Me Tuesday post and thought it sounded really good. Now with your review it’s a must read…in fact just pre-ordered! Also, thank you Ms. DeLima for the additional info. I’m fascinated by Celtic mythology and really appreciate when authors integrate the reality with fantasy.
Doing weekly new release posts are hard on my shelves too. Hehe I hope you enjoy it!
Great review Carmel, I look forward to reading this book.
Thanks! It’s out today so what are you waiting for? 😉