Catherine had a plan that left her feeling euphoric just thinking about it.  She would shoot her husband, Frank, while he slept and then tell the police that it was an attempted robbery.  The time between the actual shooting and the arrival of the police would give her ample time to mess the place up a bit and make it look like a robbery.  Her plan might have worked if Winter, her husband's faithful canine companion, had not stopped her by attacking her when she released the safety of the gun in order to shoot Frank at close range.

The dog did not merely stop the assault on Frank, he destroyed Catherine's once beautiful face forcing her to undergo several surgeries and a face transplant over several months.  Frank stayed with her even though he knew in his heart that his wife didn't love him.  He didn't mind her eyes, one now blue and the other one green, or her scars and he couldn't bring himself to leave her when she was in such a pitiful condition.

Catherine's vanity ate away at her and she did not want to live if she couldn't be beautiful.  Feeling disfigured and worthless, Catherine attempts suicide but is revived. Strange things start to happen after the failed attempt to take her own life and Frank realizes that something more has happened than just a brush with death.  Catherine is a changed woman, more like the woman he had loved before he met her, sweet and kind, loving and attentive, but it wasn't meant to last.

Frank risks everything to find the woman he loves as two souls battle over the right to keep Catherine's body and her life.  One soul is good, one soul is evil, and both souls want control.  Can Frank survive long enough to find his true love even if she has crossed to the other side?  You'll want to read this book in a single sitting to find out!

I found this book to be full of fresh ideas and suspense.  The writers have managed to weave their independent thoughts and voices together seamlessly.  It is an exciting, original and complex story with unforgettable characters and just the right balance of sensuality, excitement and dialogue.

While the concept of good and evil battling each other for a soul is not an original concept, the romantic twist and the way this story unfolds is new and held my interest.  All of the details are brought out with just the right touch, not too much and still more than enough to paint the mental image for the reader.  I would be very interested to see a continuation of this story in a sequel.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance stories with a paranormal twist.  If you enjoy Buffy the Vampire Slayer or maybe even Angel or Charmed, this book is for you!  If you have ever lived with unrequited love, this book is for you, too!

I give this book a rating of 8 campfires.

Dianna Doles Petry is a freelance writer residing in West Virginia, USA.  Her work has been included in Kudzu Monthly Magazine, Woman's World Weekly, Gambit, Blue Mountain Thunder and Storytime Tapestry as well as various web sites.  She is the author of "Memories, Stories of real life in the mountains."  Her writing affiliations include the West Virginia Writers and the West Virginia Poetry Society.

www.myspace.com/diannawv