RELEASE DAY-REVIEW: Velvet Wings - Pine Ridge Universe- S.C. Principale

Title: Velvet Wings
Series: Pine Ridge Universe
Author: S.C. Principale
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Fantasy Romance, Cozy Monster Romance
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Format: Kindle
Pages: 438
Source: Amazon

Lennox

I’m having a very bad day. No, let’s make that a very bad month.

It’s not enough to be one of the only mothmen left in West Virginia, or that I have no hope of finding a mate or even being able to pop into the grocery store without attracting terrified screams—but now my home has been destroyed, too.

With my forest gone and my career as an amateur arborist kaput, I do the unthinkable. I leave my family and head to paranormal-friendly Pine Ridge, knowing that I can find safety there…and maybe even get WiFi and the occasional convenience store veggie wrap. If I really want to shoot for the moon, perhaps in a year or two I’ll be doing well enough to convince my hothead brother to leave the ruins of our old life and join me.

Cindy

I’m getting old. Okay, no, not really, but I’m becoming more mature. I just watched one of my best friends seize life with both hands and go from a struggling, single waitress to an engaged pastry chef and business owner. I want that. Okay, maybe I don’t want to own a business, but I’m tired of random hookups and fun flings. I want to find my person, that one special somebody and Pine Ridge seems like the place to do it. I don’t know what it is about this little town, but wedding bells always seem to be ringing!

There’s just one problem. I’m not the good girl type. I don’t know how to keep things serious. I don’t even know where to find a guy who wants to settle down and start a new life. Even if I did, I don’t know if he’d be into someone like me. (My friends say I’m kind of a lot.)

It’s not like Mr. Sweet-And-Sensitive is going to fall out of the sky and land at my feet…

Enjoy a low angst, high steam standalone in the cozy paranormal world of Pine Ridge! A happy ending is guaranteed!

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Lennox watched as lightning destroyed the woods he called home and now he had a huge decision to make, move on or try to make the most of it. He chose to move on to a supernatural friendly town and chose Pine Ridge, NY. Lennox spent his entire life hiding from humans, humans killed his parents and there is no way he can mix in with them. He leaves behind his only living relative, his brother Marlow, who refuses to relocate.

As a Mothman Lennox knows he will face criticism and fear both from humans and supernaturals so his first order of business is finding food and a place to build his nest.

The weather is freezing but he finds a tree to set up his nest and a dumpster outside a restaurant to find food. Hiding behind a dumpster he is discovered by a woman who doesn’t see him but speaks to him. She offers him food and promises to bring food every night. So far, his new location is proving to be a good choice but how long will it last.

Cindy has lived in Pine Ridge for six years and is totally unaware of the supernaturals living around her, even her boss Georgie, the owner of the coffee shop is an Orc. We met Georgie and his love Claire and now they are planning their wedding. Cindy continues to bring Lennox food each night and supplies that would make his living arrangements more comfortable. She tries to encourage him to come out and meet her, but he has grown to like her and is sure she would run screaming when she saw him.

It took a blizzard and Lennox falling out of the tree for him to reveal himself in all his glory to Cindy. Rather than run she asks him to come home with her for warmth, which he does. Lennox was the monster that opened the door to all the other monsters living around Cindy, some of whom she called friends.

Cindy is a woman who never fully connected to any man, it was all about sex which most of the times she didn’t enjoy, then a Mothman came into her life and fulfilled every desire she ever had and left her enjoying having him live with her for the time being.

Lennox met other supernaturals and began to be less fearful, he managed to get a job at the White Pines estate owned by Gloria, a ghost and her human husband. The job came with a small cottage so now he and Cindy have two places to hang out in.

Lennox has fallen hard for Cindy but keeps questioning whether being with him is just a novelty and how long before she tells him goodbye, a goodbye that doesn’t seem to come. Never expecting it Cindy finds herself loving Lennox, his warmth, caring and sweetness and his desire to always make her happy.

The author promised a HEA and I got it but watching as Cindy and Lennox grew to love each other was a very sexy trip to that HEA. This is my first monster romance starring a Mothman and I have ready many, many monster romances and paranormal romances too so that just brought my interest level up.

If you are familiar with Ms. Principal’s books, then you already know you are in for a very sexy read, if you are not familiar with her books then this is the perfect time to start.