From rising star Angie Sandro, a steamy Southern gothic romance that will appeal to fans of Beautiful Creatures . . . Is this love affair their destiny? Or is it doomed? Paradise, Louisiana, is far from idyllic for Mala LaCroix and Landry Prince. Haunted by strange visions, the pair are drawn together by a mystery concealed beneath the polite facades and the murky swamps of the Deep South. Landry had a crush on Mala all through high school and was her greatest defender, but now-up close and personal-he is starting to suspect that the rumors of witchcraft and voodoo are true. But he can't let his doubts tear them apart because a day of reckoning is coming. As Mala struggles to conceal her powers and avoid the curse that has struck generations of LaCroix women, Landry will have no choice but to face his own demons. Both of them will soon be caught up in a web of deceit that reveals the dark side of Paradise.
Angie Sandro's "Dark Paradise" was a pleasant surprise. When I received my invitation for this book, I thought it was going to be a typical romance. However, this is a bigger story with a paranormal twist and a murder mystery. Mala is a 20 year old young woman who is a decedent of a former slave and her former owner. She is also the daughter of one of the town's prostitutes and a suspected witch. She spent her life fighting her background and trying to establish herself. When she drags the body of one of the town's folk from the bayou, she becomes entrenched in this dangerous mission to discover the truth about the woman's death. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded, alternating between the romance and the mystery, and learning more about bayou culture and politics.I found that I could not read the last 20% of the book fast enough to satisfy my need to resolve the mystery and Mala's romantic drama. Lots of action, drama, mystery -- totally kept me captivated.
