ARC REVIEW: "Soulbound" by Kristen Callihan

Once two souls are joined...

When Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled—and now Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone...

Their hearts will beat together forever...

No matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn't stand the thought of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers she is being hunted—by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam's kindness is an unexpected refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken...

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Utterly compelling and soulful. These were my first thoughts after I finished Kristen Callihan’s Soulbound, Book 6 in the Darkest London series.

This series is one of my favorites because of the Ms. Callihan’s creativity.  Her characters standout in a crowded field of paranormal and mythical characters. She brings a special twist to each of her stories and this one is a prime example of that.   

Adam is a reoccurring character from previous books. What we know is that he is the creator of the GIMs – the Ghosts in the Machine. But who is he?  Where does he come from? What is his connection to the fae? How does Eliza fit into his world?

In an imaginatively written narrative, we discover Adam’s identity and how he becomes the entity that he is.  We discover so much more about him than in the previous books – and that alone is worth the wait. He is mercurial, bossy, demanding, controlling, caring, fatherly, innocent, and oh, so sexy. Eliza is a reluctant heroine.  She escapes from Adam in the last book.  Now she finds herself having to partner with him against a common enemy.  And although she has many reasons to despise Adam, she begrudging starts to admire and then care for him.

One of the highlights of this story is how the characters of previous stories are expertly woven into this one without overtaking the main narrative. We gain insights into Archer’s story, background into Lucien’s past, check-ins with Jack, Mary, Daisy and Ian among others. It’s like puzzle pieces coming together.  We are just beginning to see the larger picture.

Did I mention this was a satisfying read? It is especially for those who have been following the series.  I don’t recall if I recommended the previous books as a standalones, but this one needs and deserves the support of books 1 through 5.

In A Nutshell:

If you are a fan of the Darkest London series, run, don’t walk, to get your copy (or simply press your 1-Click button).  If you’ve been thinking about starting this series, today is a good day to begin.  One day you’ll be getting to book six, and then you can thank me for the recommendation.

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she'd rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer's Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine's Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher's Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading. 

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.