Book Review: Inhale

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Inhale
Author: Kendall Grey
Publisher: Howling Mad Press
Pages: Paperback; 453
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Source: Author
——————————–
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers looking for a steamy read with wonderful characters and a unique plot.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

Strangers in reality, inseparable in dreams…

After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.

Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.

Zoe is a perfect protagonist. Sassy, smart and willing to stand up for whatever she believes in. Heaven help you if you get on the wrong side of this girl. Zoe’s passion for whales can only be described as an obsession. It’s her thing, and she’s good at what she does. Then there’s Gavin. Brooding, sexy, deliciously Australian, Gavin. He’s Zoe’s counterpart and protector. Once again, he’s good at what he does. Did I mention that he’s hot? He is. I could go on for ages about the characters to be honest. They are wonderfully written, and all so different! The biggest compliment I can give here is that they are believable. The ones you’re supposed to like, you’ll fall in love with. The ones you are supposed to hate? Well you’ll hate them with a passion. That’s the best part.

The story line in this book is unique, and the plot moves at a nice pace. Grey’s world-building is fantastic. The author vividly brings to life the elements of air, fire, earth and water in her world, and gives a voice to the whales. It’s all beautifully done, and it will suck you in. Without spoiling too much, I can tell you that Zoe and Gavin meet in their dreams. It is here that the story is mainly built between these two. Zoe isn’t sure who the man is in her dreams, but she does know he’s “Perfect”. Gavin’s job is to keep Zoe safe, and he knows he’ll only be able to do that if she stays slightly in the dark about what is truly going on. The suspense of waiting for Zoe to figure out the truth definitely keeps you on your toes. I found myself anxious to get back to The Dreaming, just to see what they would do next. I’ll admit that there were a few things left unexplained, which was the one thing that drove me a little mad. This is a trilogy though, so it’s possible they are just waiting to be shared later on.

STEAM WARNING. This book gets very very intense at some points. Let’s just say that the sexy-times in this book are not at all lacking in their descriptions. They don’t really take away from the overall story, and in my opinion actually add to it, but they are pretty graphic. If you aren’t a fan of these types of scenes, this might not be a book for you. However if you are a person who doesn’t mind some steam in your story, read away!

Inhale has a little bit of everything. There is the magic of the elements, sex, love, jealousy, assassination, war, Aboriginal lore, and a good old fashioned love story all melded together in this story. It might sound like a lot to fit in one book, but it’s done so well you won’t even realize it’s all there until you’ve finished. Kendall Grey has crafted something beautiful and unique here, and I for one can’t wait for more. I’d recommend it to adults who enjoy Urban Fantasy, and aren’t afraid of some graphic sexual scenes. 
Engrossing and quick moving, Inhale is definitely a read to pick up!

This is a joint review. 
Ms. K did the reading, and Jessica did the review writing!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.