Rating: 
Summary: Dark and Moody
Review: DARK ANGEL by Cassandra Collins feels like a film noir movie, with rainy L.A. streets and threats from all-powerful corporate bosses. The heroine of the story is Scarlet Ray, who owns a diner right out of an Edward Hopper painting. She lives in L.A., but it's the kind of L.A. that you find in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL or those old detective movies. The book even sounds like an old movie from time to time: "Layers of brown hovered over Tinsel Town like a bad reputation," etc., etc. Meanwhile, the hero is only slightly more modern; he's a 1950s, rebel-gone-wrong sort, an amalgamation of James Dean and Montgomery Clift sent by You-Know-Who to save Scarlet from an evil land developer who wants her diner. This book could have been really good, but it fell flat for several reasons. For one thing, despite the fact that it's billed as a romance, the hero and heroine spend very little time together--after the first hundred pages, they'd probably spent less than ten in eachother's company. Furthermore, the story is hideously repetitive. Everytime Scarlet sees Jake (a.k.a. James Dean), she's like, "Oh my God! I'm seeing things! I'm going insane! Can anyone else see him?" And so on and so on. This gets a little tiresome after about the tenth time and he's already explained--more than once--that he's there to protect her. The threats on Scarlet's life are extremely repetitive, as well. Same guy. Same threat. Same outcome. Yada, yada, yada. As for the characters themselves, Jake is hardly ever around, and Scarlet is wuss. I know some may disagree with me on that statement, because she does stand up to the evil land developer, but she is essentially a weak, uninteresting character--she runs her dead mother's diner even though she hates it, her social life consists of watching incredibly old movies and mooning over Cary Grant, and she's a pushover to all her so-called friends. She has no anger or passion, and she is not the type of person who goes after what she wants, or who even allows herself to want anything. I, personally, do not want to read about a character like that. As for the romance, as I mentioned before, the hero and heroine spend hardly any time at all together. The author simply tells us that Jake desires Scarlet after five seconds in her company and somehow that's supposed to convince us that these two are in love? That's just insulting. The relationship between Scarlet and the detective was more interesting. The relationship between Scarlet and her CAT was more interesting. Basically, this novel has a lot of atmosphere, but not a lot of passion or heart. It's interesting to read, but don't expect a romance when you start it.
Rating:
Summary: Dark and Moody
Review: DARK ANGEL by Cassandra Collins feels like a film noir movie, with rainy L.A. streets and threats from all-powerful corporate bosses. The heroine of the story is Scarlet Ray, who owns a diner right out of an Edward Hopper painting. She lives in L.A., but it's the kind of L.A. that you find in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL or those old detective movies. The book even sounds like an old movie from time to time: "Layers of brown hovered over Tinsel Town like a bad reputation," etc., etc. Meanwhile, the hero is only slightly more modern; he's a 1950s, rebel-gone-wrong sort, an amalgamation of James Dean and Montgomery Clift sent by You-Know-Who to save Scarlet from an evil land developer who wants her diner. This book could have been really good, but it fell flat for several reasons. For one thing, despite the fact that it's billed as a romance, the hero and heroine spend very little time together--after the first hundred pages, they'd probably spent less than ten in eachother's company. Furthermore, the story is hideously repetitive. Everytime Scarlet sees Jake (a.k.a. James Dean), she's like, "Oh my God! I'm seeing things! I'm going insane! Can anyone else see him?" And so on and so on. This gets a little tiresome after about the tenth time and he's already explained--more than once--that he's there to protect her. The threats on Scarlet's life are extremely repetitive, as well. Same guy. Same threat. Same outcome. Yada, yada, yada. As for the characters themselves, Jake is hardly ever around, and Scarlet is wuss. I know some may disagree with me on that statement, because she does stand up to the evil land developer, but she is essentially a weak, uninteresting character--she runs her dead mother's diner even though she hates it, her social life consists of watching incredibly old movies and mooning over Cary Grant, and she's a pushover to all her so-called friends. She has no anger or passion, and she is not the type of person who goes after what she wants, or who even allows herself to want anything. I, personally, do not want to read about a character like that. As for the romance, as I mentioned before, the hero and heroine spend hardly any time at all together. The author simply tells us that Jake desires Scarlet after five seconds in her company and somehow that's supposed to convince us that these two are in love? That's just insulting. The relationship between Scarlet and the detective was more interesting. The relationship between Scarlet and her CAT was more interesting. Basically, this novel has a lot of atmosphere, but not a lot of passion or heart. It's interesting to read, but don't expect a romance when you start it.
Rating: 
Summary: DifferentReading
Review: Eventually, there is a happy ending to this story. I found it lacking in paranormal because the reader is not given an understanding of the paranormal things that go on and there was very little romance. The focus is more on whether Scarlett & Ray Hamburger's will survive threat after threat from a "prominent citizen". It was more of a suspense/mystery novel with a small twist of paranormal and romance. If the author was going for a combination of these genre's, then she succeeded.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a page turner!
Review: I don't normally read romance novels, but I couldn't put this book down. It contained wonderful characterization, taut suspense, and a compelling paranormal theme. I liked this book so much I gave many as gifts for this holiday season. Keep up the great writing, Cassandra Collins, and I'll be back!
Rating:
Summary: This is a page turner!
Review: I don't normally read romance novels, but I couldn't put this book down. It contained wonderful characterization, taut suspense, and a compelling paranormal theme. I liked this book so much I gave many as gifts for this holiday season. Keep up the great writing, Cassandra Collins, and I'll be back!
Rating:
Summary: A deeper look
Review: I found Cassandra Collins book Dark Angel to be a very deep book. I found a lot going on beneath the words. Both characters Scarlett and Jake are not superficial. Both have many complex emotions that got to me and made me remember many of my regrets and inaction's that have happened in my life. Jake reminded me of times when I wished I could have or should have done something but didn't. All in all this story was more than I expected from a romance novel. steve
Rating:
Summary: A deeper look
Review: I found Cassandra Collins book Dark Angel to be a very deep book. I found a lot going on beneath the words. Both characters Scarlett and Jake are not superficial. Both have many complex emotions that got to me and made me remember many of my regrets and inaction's that have happened in my life. Jake reminded me of times when I wished I could have or should have done something but didn't. All in all this story was more than I expected from a romance novel. steve
Rating:
Summary: Dark Angel by Cassandra Collins
Review: I found Dark Angel to be a well-written, suspenseful, and wonderfully romantic book. I do not usually read romance novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I thought the characters were well developed. In fact, I loved both Jake and Scarlet! I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Dark Angel by Cassandra Collins
Review: I loved this book. I read romances, but I don't need romance on every single page to enjoy it. DARK ANGEL is refreshingly different for a romance novel--lots of suspense, heavy on twists and turns, and a fascinating concept with a dark angel as a hero, I was enthralled from page one to the end of the book. Thank you, Cassandra Collins, for a unique paranormal story!
Rating:
Summary: For a great read, buy this book!
Review: I loved this book. I read romances, but I don't need romance on every single page to enjoy it. DARK ANGEL is refreshingly different for a romance novel--lots of suspense, heavy on twists and turns, and a fascinating concept with a dark angel as a hero, I was enthralled from page one to the end of the book. Thank you, Cassandra Collins, for a unique paranormal story!
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