Book Review: Hunter by Jacquelyn Frank (or Jax)

Hunter by Jacquelyn Frank (or Jax) is a paranormal romance. Tatyana Petrova is on a crazy road that seems to go no where, and no one knows where she is. When her car breaks down on a freezing New Years Eve, there is no cell phone service and she starts walking towards her destination. She practically falls into the arms of Hunter Finn. Hunter has just returned home from a self imposed exile to take up his mantle as Sentinel of Willow Coven, a group of good witches with unimaginable power defending their lives and home from danger. The attraction between the two is instant, but before long danger is upon them and Tatyana is initiated into a world of magic and danger.

Hunter offers fans of Jacquelyn Frank, or Jax, what they have come to expect. The characters are strong and smart, no shirking violets or fainting damsels here, and the actions scenes are as fast and furious as the romantic sparks between the main characters. While the attraction is sudden, it does not equal the pair falling into bed immediately, rather the pair seem to consider honor and the consequences prior to moving forward.  I rather like the fact that characters can think beyond attraction and hormones. I did feel like I missed something, as I have read many of Frank's books but do not seem to remember the story around Tatyana's brother meeting the coven and falling in love, which would have let me immerse myself into the created world a little faster. However, the story here did answer most of the questions I had about the coven and past exploits and left me feeling satisfied that I understood what was going on.

Tatyana has come to the home, uninvited, in search from her brother and finds much more than she bargained far. I liked the familial ties that moved the action of the story forward, and the foreshadowing that it offers for the series, but I think the same connections open up more questions. If my sibling when in search for another, and then pulled the same kind of disappearing act (including from their job) I would be on a warpath and in search of answers.I think that was the only plot point that irked me, but I fully expect that to be a part of the story in future novels.

I recommend Hunter to fans of Jacquelyn Frank or Jax. She does not disappoint those that come with an idea of what to expect. For readers that have yet to explore Frank's work, while I did enjoy Hunter, I still think that my favorite works from the author are in the Nightwalkers series, including Jacob, Gideon, and Elijah.