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Dying was so beneath her.
Of course, she hadn’t done much living lately, so if he caught her now… Well, that would just suck. Because she’d recently decided it was time to change her ways. Get out more. Live a little. Get laid.
How pitiful was it that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had sex? Or if it had even been any good.
Pretty freaking pitiful.
Thesan, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, Lady of the Golden Light, was sick of being a pretty, useless deity. Much less a pretty, useless one usually just called Tessa.
For centuries… millennia… she’d brought light and beauty to the world. She’d guided the sun into the morning sky. She’d seen the rise and fall of empires. Gods had lusted after her. She’d worn out her share of mortal men in her bed.
She’d been worshipped by millions. Okay, maybe millions was stretching it just a bit. Still, she’d had a following, people who’d adored her and who’d worshipped her.
Now she was being chased by a crazed god intent on consuming her powers and leaving what was left of her soul to rot for all eternity in the dreary Etruscan Underworld of Aitás.
That totally sucked.
So did this. Her lungs heaved as she ran through a dark forest, the night sky black. No moon shone above. No stars twinkled. No reflected sunlight gave her even a hint of power.
Her legs shook like wet noodles, threatening to collapse at any moment. The underbrush swiped at her calves, and tree limbs caught at her hair, yanking and pulling.
Peering over her shoulder, she saw a dark shape weaving through the trees behind her. Her heart hurt as it pounded in her chest. Her bare feet bled and ached as she stumbled along.
Oh, she knew she really wasn’t running. She was actually asleep in her lonely bed in her home in the quiet hills of eastern Pennsylvania. She knew that because she’d had the same dream for the past three weeks.
Charun, that blackhearted bastard, was taunting her like a high school bully picking on a weaker kid. But Charun’s intent wasn’t to merely frighten her, though the bastard did get a kick out of it.
No, he was wearing her down, waiting for her to make a mistake so he could pinpoint her location. So far, she’d been able to keep her whereabouts a secret. But when he broke through her defenses, he’d send one of his demons to drag her down to Aitás. To him.
The bastard couldn’t come himself. He was tied to Aitás by bindings even he couldn’t break. At least, not now.
But if he found her, if he managed to accomplish what she thought he had planned, then soon, maybe, he would be able to break those bonds. And this world would suffer as the demons and the damned escaped with him.
And she’d never get laid again. Damn it, she’d much rather go out with a literal bang than a figurative one.
With a gasp, she broke free of the dream and sat straight up in her bed, blinking at the bright light even though it was… three o’clock in the morning, according to the clock on the bedside table.
She’d left all the lamps blazing in her bedroom. An infomercial blared from the television, and the stereo on the nightstand blasted Puccini. None of it had been able to keep her awake. Probably because she could count on both hands the number of hours she’d slept in the past three weeks.
Damn it, she needed help.
Her nose wrinkled at the thought. She, a goddess, needed help. Wasn’t that a real kick in a perfectly fine ass?
“Which won’t mean a damn thing if Charun gets hold of it,” she muttered to absolutely no one.
Hell, if she survived Charun, she needed to get out of the house so someone could see her fine ass again. Playing the hermit didn’t suit her. She’d been one of the original party girls in her day, playing all night before hurrying off to meet the lovely sun each morning.
But now she was a forgotten goddess, her main reason for being usurped by that bitch of a Roman goddess named Aurora—
She took a deep breath. No, she couldn’t think about that. Those thoughts led to teeth gnashing and sore jaws.
Still, she’d become a goddess without a true calling. What should she do with her never-ending life?
Oh, she delivered a baby or ten or twenty every year. In addition to being a sun goddess, she also helped bring new life into the world, one of the more pleasurable aspects of her life.
But that left her with a whole hell of a lot of time to fill. A girl could only do so much shopping and have so much sex before it all became so very… mundane.
She wanted to be useful again. She wanted the remaining Etruscans, those who still followed the old ways, to remember that she even existed. And she most certainly did not want to be eaten by Charun.
She needed help. And she knew just the person to help her find it.

 

“Hang tight… I’m coming. Just give me a minute.”
The voice came from the second floor as Tessa stood in the entry hall of the small townhouse in Reading, Pennsylvania.
In front of her, a stairway led along the right side of the house to the upper floors. To the left of the stairway, a hall led straight down the center of the house. To the far left, a doorway led into the front sitting room.
Every inch of the place looked like it belonged to an inner-city Brady Bunch, from the ’80s-era paisley wallpaper to the colonial blue paint on the trim. Cream carpet covered every inch of the floor, and an umbrella stood next to the small half-round table in the entry.
It all looked so normal, Tessa thought. So middle class.
Until Salvatorus began to stomp down the stairs. Then what would have seemed completely normal to any eteri, any nonmagical human, made a complete left turn into mythology land.
At four foot nothing, Sal had the fully developed upper body of a grown man. Wide shoulders, strong arms, nice pecs.
His face was a true marvel of his Etruscan heritage, handsome and strong. And those brown eyes, so dark they looked almost black, held a knowing warmth that always made Tessa smile.
As did the two shiny black horns sprouting from just above his forehead to peek through his glossy, black, curly hair. On any other man, those horns would have been enough to make a grown man choke on his own breath.
On Sal, well, the goat legs stole the show.
Beginning just below his belly button, those legs were covered with hide, a silky chestnut brown fur that was not a pair of pants. No, Sal had the actual legs of a goat.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said as he clomped down the stairs. “Haven’t seen you for a while. What’s up?”
His deep Noo Yawk accent made her smile grow. But her fear must have shown in her eyes because Salvatorus’s gaze narrowed.
“Are you hurt, Tessa?” He descended the rest of the steps on those small hooves so fast she worried for his safety. But he made it safely to the bottom, took her hand, and began to lead her through the house.
“No.” Not yet, anyway. “I’m fine.”
“Well, you let me be the judge of that.”
Salvatorus led her to the kitchen at the very back of the house and pointed her toward a seat at the small table there. He didn’t speak, not right away, but set about making her hot chocolate, the rich scent of it making her stomach rumble.
Tessa had been here many times before, mainly for parties. She did love a good party, and Salvatorus threw some of the best. But his home also served as a safe house for anyone of Etruscan descent, including those deities who needed his aid.
She’d never sought aid from Salvatorus before. Really, a goddess who needed help? It sounded ridiculous.
And yet, not so much now.

Summary:

Tessa, aka Thesan, Etruscan Goddess of the Sun, is running for her life. Her powers have been waning for centuries and now Charun, Etruscan God of the Underworld, is hunting her to consume her remaining magic, and is tracking her through her dreams to find where she is… Tessa needs a hero and fast.

Caligo is a warrior who doesn’t feel pain, heat or cold though he’s been burned before by spoiled deities. Still, there’s something about Tessa that makes him lust for a delicate golden blonde goddess. Caligo has never met a woman as warm, sunny and inviting as Tessa. She is a sun goddess, after all.

Their sizzling attraction overwhelms them from the start, and since Caligo has to protect Tessa while she’s asleep, he’s forced to share her bed. They figure, as long as they’re there, they might as well explore the incredible heat their togetherness is producing, and the journey of discovery that starts from there quickly sweeps the two of them into a love story that’s worthy of the gods…

Shelly’s Review:

This was my first opportunity to read a novel by Stephanie Julian and I think What A Goddess Wants is a very creative and sensual paranormal romance.

Tessa, Goddess of the Dawn, is being hunted by an evil Underworld god. He’s trying to kidnap her and steal her powers for himself. Tessa needs protection as her powers are fading. To rejuvenate her powers, she needs sexual energy and she thinks Cal, a Cimmerian warrior with a legendary sexual prowess, may be her hero.

Cal has already decided that he needs to stay away from beautiful goddesses because they’re nothing but trouble. Tessa just seems so hard to resist…

Cal is soon busy trying to keep Tessa out of trouble and completely hidden. The adventures this leads to can be outrageous and erotic. The sex not only renews Tessa’s powers, but creates an intense bond between her and Cal, which gives the reader plenty of sexual escapades to enjoy.

What A Goddess Wants is a unique paranormal romance that’s inventive and fun!

Rated 5 Delightful Divas by Shelly!

If you’re looking for a unique spin on ancient god and goddess mythology this book is for you- especially if you like your books smoking hot with a lot of sizzle.

What a Goddess Wants is Book One in the Forgotten Goddess series

Book Description:

IN HIS ARMS, HER MAGIC POWERS ARE ON THE RISE...

Tessa, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, is losing her powers and now there’s an Underworld god determined to run her down. She needs a hero and fast, because only sexual energy can give her power. So she seeks out Caligo, whose sexual prowess is legendary...

AND SHE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BRING HIM INTO THE LIGHT...

Caligo is a fabled Cimmerian warrior determined to stay away from spoiled goddesses who trample hearts after they’ve had their fun. But there’s something irresistibly hot and inviting about Tessa and he knows he’s her only change to escape the encroaching darkness...

My review:

If you aren’t a fan of books filled with super hot and numerous sex scenes, then don’t bother with this book because it’ll burn you, yup sizzle your hands into burnt cinders cause this book is on fire.

Also if you aren’t a fan of sex without love, or sex before love- don’t bother either because these 2 start out without even knowing each other’s name or what they are.

Pure fantastical sexiness. Escapist sexiness.

Don’t bring reality or prudish expectations with you when reading this book, if you do you’ll be disappointed in what you find.

Julian spins a new story from old myths- Tessa’s a forgotten goddess, forgotten enough that no one really knows who she is but not forgotten enough to be left alone because now an evil god in the underworld wants to suck her and other goddesses dry, drain them of their power so he can get out of the Underworld and wreak havoc everywhere.

Tessa needs help so she seeks out Caligo a Cimmerian warrior known for his fighting skills...and sexual prowess.

The two of them have an instant connection and a strange effect on each other.

Suddenly they need each other- but both have been burned before.

Will the sizzle between them be enough to save them both from the darkness and destruction or will the relationship go up in flames?

I was pleasantly surprised by this new take on god and goddess myths and loved the hotter than hot scenes.

Can’t wait to read more in this series.

Everyone hates having trouble sleeping, including Goddesses. Tessa is Goddess of the Dawn is being chased in her dreams by a demon of the underworld that wants to steal her powers. She is told that a Cimmerian by the name of Caligo can help her. There’s just one problem, Cal wants nothing to do with Goddesses. Venus tricked him and her lover almost killed him. So he’s sworn to not help another one again. When Cal comes home to find Tessa asleep in his bed, he knows what she is right away and let’s just say that Cal and Tessa get to know each other on a more intimate level first. *wink* When he finally hears her story he agrees to help her. He mainly does it because he is extremely attracted to her and she makes him feel something that he hasn’t felt in a long time, warmth. His kind can’t go out in the sun and when he’s around Tessa it’s like the sun is shining on him. They both team up to find a way to try to defeat the demon and get the opportunity to learn much more about one another. *fans face* Lot’s of other characters are introduced along the way and journeys are made to other planes all for trying to save not only Tessa, but other goddesses as well.

This book is truly an erotic read because it begins with sex and ends with sex...which I enjoyed very much. Hehe! Tessa and Cal are very compatible when it comes to the sack. They both seem to know what the other likes and Tessa’s power seems to strengthen when she has sex with Cal, because of this the reader gets to read some very steamy scenes. There is one scene in which they have to give a sex sacrifice on an actual altar! IT WAS HOT! Cal is a Cimmerian which is what Conan the Barbarian was in the movie. So while reading this book all I could see was Jason Momoa as Cal which upped the heat factor of this book for me. We also get to meet Cal’s brother, X which is short for Extasis and let me just say, "How you doin X?" Yeah I want to read more about him. He’s blond, blue eyed, and sexy. I hope the author reads this review and let’s me know if she’s planning on writing a book about him! Mmmmm! Let me get my mind out of the gutter and continue with this review.

I’m giving What A Goddess Wants a rating of:
4 Bells

What I liked about this book is that it wasn’t a heavy book and what I mean by that is even though Tessa was running for her life, the book has lots of funny as well as hot moments in between that balanced it out. It was entertaining and has me looking forward to seeing if the other goddesses are going to have to look over their shoulders as well. Remember Stephanie Julian, there needs to be a book about X. Your readers, ok I would love this very much.

I’ve never read Ms. Julian’s work, so I was happy to give this erotic paranormal a try. And when I say erotic, I mean erotic. Cal finds an sleeping Tessa in his house, where he proceeds to strip her naked and tie her up...and the sex doesn’t slow down. It wasn’t necessarily out of place within Tessa’s and Cal’s growing relationship — the pair also uses sex to "recharge" Tessa, so to speak — but at times I felt it wasn’t necessary for the plot and would have almost preferred conversations to the loss of clothing.

I did enjoy the world Ms. Julian created with the Etruscan goddesses, and I hope to learn more about them and the secondary cast of characters in future books of this trilogy. What a Goddess Wants is a lighter paranormal where there is the threat of death, but it’s an not overwhelming fear, though it is what brings Tessa and Cal together in the first place. It’s a quick read with a lot of sex and a bit of conflict. Mix them together and you’ve got a lot of fun.

Caligo, a Cimmerian warrior, has been used and burned by Aphrodite and has sworn off all goddesses. So imagine his surprise when he comes home one day and finds Tessa, the Etruscan goddess of the Sun, sleeping in his bed. But all it takes is one taste to change his convictions… Tessa is running for her life and needs Caligo’s help. The God of the Underworld wants to drain her of her powers (just like her fellow forgotten deities). Caligo ignites Tessa but can he really save her? Stephanie Julian has created a unique (and incredibly sexy) mythological world, one in which I can’t wait to find out what happens in next!

What A Goddess Wants is a spicy hot book that makes the perfect companion to the sticky summer heat! So mix up a mint julep and enter a world of passion and suspense.

Tessa, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, is losing her powers. To make matters worse, a nasty Underworld god is determined to remove her powers for good. She is in need of a hero because, she needs the power that only sexual energy can give her. She is advised to seek out the help of Caliago, because his sexual prowess is legendary.
Caliago is a fabled Cimmerian warrior who is determined to steer clear of goddesses. He has had his share of spoiled goddesses who use him and then trample his heart. However, there is something hot and inviting about Tessa that he is unable to resist. Will he be able to resist her charms and save her in the process?
This is a sparkling fantasy story full of passion, romance, explosive sexual scenes, and tantalizing erotica. The storyline is well written and the author weaves a tale of adventure and lust that is not for the faint of heart. The adventure takes the reader from this world into a world of make believe that is sure to please. Tessa is a goddess but she is definitely all woman and has no difficulty using her charms to get what she wants. Caliago is a warrior who has been hardened over time and thinks he is immune to love and caring. Can Tessa bring out the true man that he was meant to be? If you are not averse to vivid and intense sexual scenes, I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful read on so many levels.
I wish to thank Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an advanced readers copy to review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated in anyway except for the privilege of reading the book.

I give What a Goddess Wants 5 out of 5 stars

My Thoughts:

The first time I saw this book I knew that I had to read this one. Not only is the cover fabulous but I also adore the writer. Julian writes sexy stories with engaging plots and witty conversations thrown into the mix. Her new series focusses on the Etruscan Goddesses who are in our modern times almost completely forgotten. I never really heard of them before reading one of Julian’s books and it seems the rest of the world is the same.

What a Goddess Wants is all about Thesan, the Etruscan Goddess of Dawn. Tessa’s life is threatened by an old enemy who’s hungering for revenge Tessa doesn’t deserve. Her life in the last few millennia wasn’t easy. After the rise of the Roman Gods she lost nearly all her duties and after so many years being a party girl can get a bit boring too. Tessa is full of joy and love but her life isn’t what she planned it to be- she struggles with this but she also knows that what she has left is worth living for. I loved that she still stayed strong and never really gave up. She is one of those nice persons you just have to love.

On the other hand we have Caligo of the Cimmerians. At first I was a bit disgusted with myself because I kept imagining The Governator as Conan. But after a few pages I got over that prejudice and finally saw Cal as the hot alpha male that he is. Cal got burned in the past by a selfish goddess who only played with him to keep herself entertained and reach her own goals. He swore to never get tangled up with one of her kind again. But when he sees Tessa and how special she is, he breaks his own rules to keep the one person who makes him feel alive safe.

The attraction between our two protagonists burned hot from the start. I always love the way how Julian makes these instant attractions work. The way she describes the observations and feelings of her characters always draws me. She creates a vivid image not only of the plot itself but also of all emotions involved. The chemistry between Tessa and Cal is explosive. Their passion burns hotter than hot and will make you crave a cold shower pretty fast.

The romance is threaded carefully into the plot. I loved the way action and love were balanced. I never felt overwhelmed by one or the other. The plot moves on in a measured pace with a surprise around one or two corners. For the first book in a new series the "explaining" part isn’t too prominent. We get all the important facts without being info-dumped every third paragraph.

The world around our Etruscan characters is wonderful and fascinating. It’s nice to see an author taking a risk with introducing a not so popular and known culture. The engaging feel comes not only from the setting but also from the characters. Her side cast is varied and I already have some potential candidates I would like to read more about.

What a Goddess Wants is a fantastic start for a series that will surely go directly onto my keeper shelf. Julian’s mix of action, fun and sensuality is just what I want- and I’m happy that she always delivers. You’ve had enough of all the vampires and shapeshifters? You should give these Etruscan Goddesses a chance.

Thesan is the Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn - but she has become redundant. With the rise of the Roman deities, Thesan’s job has been taken over by Aurora. With her main duty being performed by another - Tessa has only her secondary duty to keep her occupied, that of midwife. And though midwifery is very fulfilling - Tessa longs for the days of old.

She is not the only one who remembers the power she once held. Charun, has been trapped in the Underworld for too long - and he wants out. His plan is to take what power Tessa has left, combine it with the power he can obtain from others - and use it to bust out of Aitas - bringing hell to earth.

Needing protection, Tessa reaches out to Caligo the Cimmerian warrior.

Cimmerian’s are legendary warriors, known for their battle skills. A Cimmerian will continue to fight with injuries that would have dropped lesser beings. The secret? Cimmerians do not feel pain, or cold or warmth. Over time a Cimmerian will cease to feel any thing.

But when Caligo touches Tessa - he feels warmth.

And he is determined to keep her safe. No matter the cost.

What A Goddess Wants is the first book I have read by Stephanie Julian and I really enjoyed it.

I give What A Goddess Wants 4 out of 5 stars.

What do you get when you mix an Etruscan Goddess and a Cimmerian warrior together? You get loads of trouble and lots of hot sexy fun. What a Goddess Wants is a fascinating hot book and one no erotic paranormal romance reader should miss. I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the mythology and fun Stephanie added to this book. The storyline has adventure, danger, suspense and lots of animalistic sex *still fanning self* (there’s one scene has anal intercourse.) This book has some fantastic mythological characters that Stephanie can run on for a while.

I enjoyed both Tessa and Caligo. Caligo just got burned from another Goddess, so when he finds Tessa in his home a sleep he never thought about getting in deep with another goddess. But one taste of Tessa he just can’t help himself he hast to give her what she wants. Tessa is running for her life and need some help to keep her alive ,so she turns to a friend that leads her to Caligo. She has lived a very long time and no one has ever temped her or raised her heat like Caligo, but can this hero keep her safe enough or will she loose her life no matter what he does. Oh yeah, you have to read to see how deep these two can get into. Stephanie is known for her surprises in a story, so be prepared for some shocking mouth dropping reading. Now, I have to go bug her to see who is in the next book. So get this one on your list and read it ASAP.

*Fans self* This was one hot book, so you guys know what that means. LOL

Tessa, the Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn on the run because the god of the Underworld is determined to catch her and take her powers for his own. Tessa doesn’t want this to happen but can’t seem to outrun him. She needs help and turns to her good friend Salvatorus. Salvatorus is a cunning and humorous four foot man with goat legs with a New York accent. He directs her to Caligo a Cimmerian warrior for protection.

Caligo, aka Cal, has been burned by Goddesses many times so he is reluctant about helping Tessa. He was recently nearly beaten to death by a God because of a Goddess he was trying to help and all of the betrayal has turned his heart to stone. Cimmerians are known for their amazing fighting skills and their lack of emotions and physical sensations like warmth and cold. Cal is surprised when he touches Tessa and feels warmth.

The chemistry between these two was smoking hot and I needed a shower every time. The author balances the perfect amount of romance and action so the moments between Cal and Tessa feel very real. Cal is an alpha male with a weakness for damsels in distress and while Tessa is in distress she is not your typical damsel. She is not just going to take the punches coming to her, she is going to fight back, but she still needs help since hand to hand combat is not really her thing.

If you are looking for a fast and sexy read I highly recommend reading this book!

4/5

Thanks Danielle from Sourcebooks for sending me this ARC to review, greatly appreciated!

Tessa, a forgotten Etruscan Sun goddess is not that content with her life. She’s lost her powers almost a millennia ago and her only comfort left is her job as a midwife for the remaining Etruscans. Another god, also uncomfortable with his lot in life, is determined to break free of the confines of Hell and walk the Earth. Yet, in order to do this he has to gain power. Tessa’s power is his ticket out of Hell. He stalks her dreams, waiting for her to slip far enough into darkness to be dragged under and her powers ripped from her.

To save herself, Tessa runs to one of the darkest warriors of myth, Caligo the Cimmerian. A stand-offish type, Caligo is all male and burned one to many times by a hot goddess to let his guard down…Tessa is not a welcome sight, until he ties her up on his bed and he can’t resist himself. It all goes downhill from there. Caligo and Tessa might be a tad bit over their heads when it comes to each other, but without each other Tessa is doomed…

Hot. Hot. Hot. Stephanie Julian will have you blushing, but begging for more. Tessa and Caligo are artfully crafted and their romance is definitely of godly proportions. Julian also crafts a wonderful plot around the romance so you are both entertained while romanced. Her Etruscan world is original and well thought out. This is not your everyday erotica romance.