Review - Liam's Gold

From Samhain Press:

"He’s the leprechaun, but she’s the one who can make his dreams come true.
Sal Winter, a computer tech, has lived next door to Liam for years. They’re friends—just not that kind of friends. Sal wishes it could be more, but she’s come to accept Liam will never want anything from her except her computer skills.

As for Liam, he’s a leprechaun in disguise who has no intention of granting anyone’s wish except his own: to taste the delights of one Miss Salvia Rose Winter before his sojourn in humanspace comes to an end. Sal possesses a gene that gives her the power to detect leprechauns. The closer Liam sticks to Sal, the greater the risk—and the better his cover, which is becoming critical as his time in humanspace runs short.

Time isn’t the only thing running short for Liam. A nemesis from the Realm is bearing down on him, determined to do anything to prevent his return to their homeland. Including murder the woman he’s only just realized he loves."

Liam's Gold by Jody Wallace is a paranormal novella with a twist. Instead of the dark, brooding vamps, werewolves, and - more recently - demons that clutter the pages of many paranormal stories, Liam's Gold is a whimsical, upbeat tale of a handsome leprechaun trying to avoid detection until he has saved up enough magic to make it home. What's standing in his way? The extreme attraction for his smart, feisty, computer savvy next-door-neighbor, of course.

Ok, that's oversimplifying things a bit. There are political issues fueling Liam's desire to head home, a responsibility to his people and a sense of morality that war with his desire to experience the one pleasure he's denied himself while in humanspace, Salvia Winter. There's also Sal, who is as smart as she is beautiful, and not willing to sacrifice her heart and self-respect for a momentary thrill, even with a guy she's lusted after for years. Throw into this mix an evil leprechaun set on stealing Liam's power, and you have a lot of action, wit, and emotion packed into a a fast-paced novela that I couldn't put down.

I'm afraid to say much more, because I don't want to give away any plot points. So I'll finish by saying that Liam's Gold contains that same humor and unique wit I've come to associate with Jody's stories. After reading so many paranormals filled with manufactured doom and gloom, it was refreshing to read a story that was both funny and quirky, without dumbing itself or its characters down.

Rating: 5/5


~Lily