Would probably have given this more if this wasn't the first of this series that I've read.
Catalina Baylor's grandmother is power hungry and Catalina finds herself and several of the other local houses having to discover which one is trying to backstab hard, it's her job as deputy to the Warden of Texas. Plus the sexy assassin Allesandro Sagredo is back and she's not sure what his motives are.
It's several books into a series but I did think it stood on it's own quite well and made me want to read more in this world. ( )

This is the kind of story I love to find when I open an urban fantasy novel. Magic, intrigue, multifaceted characters, intense action, and just a splash of romance. Andrews' masterful world building creates a colorful and rich history for a world not unlike our own. Because I did not realize when I picked this book up that it was part of a larger series, I was definitely missing some information, especially where the characters were concerned. That said, I had no problem following along and inferring the events of the previous books. It was still a wonderful and satisfying read.

This book is written from the perspective of the main character, Catalina Baylor. She's a Prime, meaning super-powerful magic user, and the head of a House, a magical family with political sway. Having missed the first 5? books in this series, I can't guess if she was the protagonist of the others or not, but she was fierce and intelligent, and I found it easy to relate to her from the very beginning. Her backstory is revealed in pieces throughout the book, so I was never left in the lurch.

My only complaint would be that there were so many characters thrown at me so early on. Again, this may be an effect of starting mid-series. Perhaps all these characters were introduced more slowly in earlier books. I don't know. But I did stumble several times in trying to keep track of who was who in the large cast of people both present and referenced.

The action/mystery plot was fun and fast-paced. Catalina uses her head as much as her swords to solve her problem, and while the climax might come down to an all-out battle of strength and will, I enjoyed puzzling through the twists and turns with her.

On the romance front, I found this book to be *almost* the perfect amount for me. I'm not a big romance reader, so while I enjoy romantic arcs and interactions, I don't like that to take center stage over the story. Catalina clearly had some serious history with Alessandro, the love interest in this book, and that creates a wonderful tension between the characters. I *think* these two got together in a previous book, but I don't know for sure. I was given just enough backstory to paint a decent picture of their past interactions, which got me invested in their present and future.

Overall, highly recommended. It was a very enjoyable read, and I'm definitely going to get the rest of the series. ( )

soooooo excellent ( )

I keep coming back to this series, as I generally like Ilona Andrews, and the concept and world building is intriguing. However, the paranormal romance aspect just does not do it for me at all. I don't care about the angst and pain the characters are suffering for their romantic involvement, I don't care about the carnal lust they are feeling or the actual sex they are engaging in. ( )

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 (bonus)
🌶/4

*Contains spoilers if you haven't read the previous Hidden Legacy books*

Book 2 of Catalina's trilogy and Book 5 of the Hidden Legacy series brings us back once again to Prime Catalina of House Baylor. At the end of the previous book Alessandro left her with a broken heart and she's had to pick up the pieces herself. In the months since she's seen him last, she has gone on to learn a lot from her darker grandmother and become an even more powerful Prime and Head of House.

During the previous book Catalina is somewhat forced to take a job as Deputy Warden of Texas under her now mentor, Linus Duncan. Once the powerful speaker of the Texas Assembly, now he is the Texas Warden and a representative of the National Assembly that regulates all of the magical Houses. As his Deputy, Catalina helps him investigate and handle cases that deal with illegal experimentation with stolen samples of the magical serum that gave people powers to begin with. Dangerous creatures are being created using the stolen serum and it's Catalina and Linus' job to minimize the damage and bring the experimenting criminals to justice.

Just when she thinks she's moved on, she's thrown back together with Alessandro as they have to work together to solve a dangerous and tricky case right in Houston dealing with some of the stolen serum. In the time apart Alessandro has dealt with some of his own demons and is back to try and convince Catalina that he wants to make things work.

We have dangerous creatures, new power battles, political intrigue, and intense chemistry between Catalina and Alessandro. These two have a way of seeing into the deepest parts of each others souls that makes them a perfect match. Now they have to fight against the looming danger all while fighting for each other.

A fantastic second Catalina book and a wonderful continuation of the overall Hidden Legacy series, we continue to have amazing interactions with our huge cast of smart, funny, and sassy side characters, not to mention more cameos by our favorite various animals.

I liked Nevada & Rogan, but I LOVE Catalina and Alessandro. Their relationship is built on trust, dedication to family, and incredible power. What a duo. ( )