Caught in a FAB Romance (@TheLoveJunkee)

PJV Quickie:Wow, is this really book 9?  The books go by so fast with a series you love! Patty Briggs' Mercedes Thompson series is excellent and I think Fire Touched is near the top as a favorite book in this series.

Review:

Patricia Briggs is a genius storyteller. If you haven't read any of her books, I am here to tell you that you are in for a treat any time you crack one of her books open.  If you have read her books, you know I'm not exaggerating.  Since this is book 9 in the series, I'm not going into background story, I'm just going to dive right in:

Briggs doesn't waste any time in Fire Touched - as the book opens, we are immediately alerted to Mercy's sense that trouble is near.  As if her word isn't enough,  one of my favorite mysteries in the Mercy universe appears on page 2 - the walking stick.   (If you've wondered about the walking stick as much as I have then you're not going to want to skip this book.)  What follows is a riveting tale of magic and danger, infused with humor and a little romance.

After a battle with a bridge troll (she was right, trouble was right around the corner!), Mercy ends up claiming the Tri-Cities area as Pack territory and offers sanctuary to any who ask.  Relations with the fae are strained at best, and the human boy who asks for sanctuary has the potential to shatter the delicate truce, such as it is, between the Pack and the fae.  Not only the fae, but werewolf and other supernatural relationships are affected by Mercy's declaration.

Fire Touched is a gift to fans of the series - we are reunited with many previous characters (friend and foe) and introduced to new ones.  Some of the things that happen in Fire Touched are game changers and will leave you wondering how Mercy, Adam, and the Pack will survive in this new normal that's been created.  I loved that Mercy and Adam worked as a team throughout the story, and that the Pack is growing and changing for the better. Some readers were upset with the Pack's treatment of Mercy in book 8, Night Broken, and I think Adam will be redeemed in their eyes by his actions in Fire Touched.

Recommendation:

Fans of the series aren't going to want to miss this one.  If you've fallen away or are thinking the series is too long, give it one more chance with Fire Touched.

I would not recommend as a stand-alone, there's too much back-story for most of the book to make sense. Start with the first book - Moon Called - you won't regret it.