Heaven's Hero (Romance of the Millennium)

Rating:
Summary: Heaven's Hero
Review: A great sequel to Heaven's Rogue! Colleen Shannon has a talent for bringing her characters to life and you feel like you know them personally.

Rating:
Summary: Don't pass this one by!
Review: Former cop, Nicco Escavedo, has abandoned his faith in heroes. But, an adventure back in time through a magical mirror to 1500's Italy may be just the thing to soften his hardened heart and restore his sagging faith. But first, he has to survive Lady Isabella Catherine Giovanni.

Lady Isabella, dressed as a man in her mail, fought along side the men, defending her land and castillo. She was tough and independent, and needed no man. That is, until her greatest adversary captured her home, held her brother captive, and claimed she would be his.

But her connection to Nick, a man who had mysteriously appeared from another time, could lead to her death. Before she could be sentenced as a witch, Lady Isabella and Nick were on the run across time to the 21st century. Only, this time, they had to stop Luccio Landucci from creating murder and mayhem in present-day New York. With all their differences, Nick and Lady Isabella must find and nurture a bond of love that drew them together across time.

Fast paced, funny, and entertaining, "Heaven's Hero" is jam packed with clever characters, historical faces, and snappy dialogue. Don't pass this one up!

Rating:
Summary: Don't pass this one by!
Review: Former cop, Nicco Escavedo, has abandoned his faith in heroes. But, an adventure back in time through a magical mirror to 1500's Italy may be just the thing to soften his hardened heart and restore his sagging faith. But first, he has to survive Lady Isabella Catherine Giovanni.

Lady Isabella, dressed as a man in her mail, fought along side the men, defending her land and castillo. She was tough and independent, and needed no man. That is, until her greatest adversary captured her home, held her brother captive, and claimed she would be his.

But her connection to Nick, a man who had mysteriously appeared from another time, could lead to her death. Before she could be sentenced as a witch, Lady Isabella and Nick were on the run across time to the 21st century. Only, this time, they had to stop Luccio Landucci from creating murder and mayhem in present-day New York. With all their differences, Nick and Lady Isabella must find and nurture a bond of love that drew them together across time.

Fast paced, funny, and entertaining, "Heaven's Hero" is jam packed with clever characters, historical faces, and snappy dialogue. Don't pass this one up!

Rating:
Summary: Tortured Hero regains his Faith - Lots of fun!
Review: This is the second book in Ms. Shannon's Heaven series. It takes place in our time shortly after Dom and Honor (the hero/heroine of Heaven's Rogue) are spirited back to Renaissance Italy. Time has progressed six years in there, to 1505. Dom and Honor are the parents of two lovely children, a young daughter who is very ill, and small son.

The present:

Former Police officer Nick Escavido (a major side character in Heaven's Rogue) no longer believes in heroes. He'd followed his conscience and it has cost him his wife, his job, and his faith in the system and in God. No, Nick doesn't believe in angels either, though his brother Ernie insists he's seen one. Their other roommate, Dom's descendant Rafe, could back Ernie up but he doesn't want to talk about it.

In spite of everything Nick has still has a good heart. He is his younger brother's self-appointed protector. Ernie is a scholar not a fighter and who because of his alternative lifestyle and slighter build is an easy victim. Nick is worried about Ernie delusions and is on the brink of getting professional help for him.

Ernie has been having troublesome dreams regarding Honor. She is pleading to him for help. Her daughter is gravely ill. Isabella, the chatelaine of Castello di Giovanni has attempted to heal the child with her herbal remedies, to no avail. Honor is depending on Ernie to find a way to deliver modern medicines to this day gone by.

Ernie has spent his entire inheritance on a "magic" mirror and Nick is deeply worried. His worry turns to shock and wonder as an angel appears and the mirror changes shape. His brother leaps in eagerly and Nick is not fast enough to prevent it. Nick is at a loss as to what to do, but the angel allows him to see what is about to occur. Ernie is in grave danger. Poor Ernie is about to be run to ground by a knight on horseback sporting a large lance. Without hesitation, Nick does what come naturally. He follows to defend his brother.

Renaissance Italy 1505:

Imagine Nicks surprise when he unseats the knight to find not a ferocious warrior but a stunning young woman. He is even more surprised at the instant chemistry between them. Isabella has enemies though, and is not inclined to trust him. Because of her friendship with Honor and Dom and her love for their sick daughter, she takes Nick and Ernie to see them. This makes a believer out of Nick but he still doesn't want to be a hero. Heaven, however, has a different plan. Ernie is in his element in this age of enlightenment.

Even after her friends vouch for the brothers, Isabella is not sure she wants to trust Nick. He is still a threat - to her independence!

Isabella Catherine Giovanni is a woman born ahead of her time. She is strong and independent. She alone has protected her lands and her younger brother from the threat of Luccio Landucci an ally of the hated de Medicis. Landucci is power hungry and evil. He will stop at nothing to acquire Giovanni lands and Isabella. Isabella has no wish to be a man's possession. She does not expect to ever wed, but if she did it would be to a man could view her as his equal. She does not believe such a man exists. Nick inspires altogether different feelings in her. He seems to respect her but his protective instincts could be an obstacle to a relationship. Nick knows he must soon return to his own time and begins to wonder if Isabella could be happy with him there. Before Isabella can give him her complete trust, another occurrence makes the decision for her. For the two to be truly happy Nick must learn to believe in heaven, heroes, and the power of love.

I enjoyed this story very much. It was a very complete story but left room for a third story about Dom's descendant Rafe who did not appear much in the story but showed a definite uneasiness about the mirror in Ernie's room, and he's also been restless of late. I hope Ms. Shannon will write a story for him. I love big tough, vulnerable heroes and Rafe has definite potential. Besides I think he need to be a hero again to feel good about himself. I have heard whispers of a possible futuristic tale for him, so keep you fingers crossed.

Rating:
Summary: Tortured Hero regains his Faith - Lots of fun!
Review: This is the second book in Ms. Shannon's Heaven series. It takes place in our time shortly after Dom and Honor (the hero/heroine of Heaven's Rogue) are spirited back to Renaissance Italy. Time has progressed six years in there, to 1505. Dom and Honor are the parents of two lovely children, a young daughter who is very ill, and small son.

The present:

Former Police officer Nick Escavido (a major side character in Heaven's Rogue) no longer believes in heroes. He'd followed his conscience and it has cost him his wife, his job, and his faith in the system and in God. No, Nick doesn't believe in angels either, though his brother Ernie insists he's seen one. Their other roommate, Dom's descendant Rafe, could back Ernie up but he doesn't want to talk about it.

In spite of everything Nick has still has a good heart. He is his younger brother's self-appointed protector. Ernie is a scholar not a fighter and who because of his alternative lifestyle and slighter build is an easy victim. Nick is worried about Ernie delusions and is on the brink of getting professional help for him.

Ernie has been having troublesome dreams regarding Honor. She is pleading to him for help. Her daughter is gravely ill. Isabella, the chatelaine of Castello di Giovanni has attempted to heal the child with her herbal remedies, to no avail. Honor is depending on Ernie to find a way to deliver modern medicines to this day gone by.

Ernie has spent his entire inheritance on a "magic" mirror and Nick is deeply worried. His worry turns to shock and wonder as an angel appears and the mirror changes shape. His brother leaps in eagerly and Nick is not fast enough to prevent it. Nick is at a loss as to what to do, but the angel allows him to see what is about to occur. Ernie is in grave danger. Poor Ernie is about to be run to ground by a knight on horseback sporting a large lance. Without hesitation, Nick does what come naturally. He follows to defend his brother.

Renaissance Italy 1505:

Imagine Nicks surprise when he unseats the knight to find not a ferocious warrior but a stunning young woman. He is even more surprised at the instant chemistry between them. Isabella has enemies though, and is not inclined to trust him. Because of her friendship with Honor and Dom and her love for their sick daughter, she takes Nick and Ernie to see them. This makes a believer out of Nick but he still doesn't want to be a hero. Heaven, however, has a different plan. Ernie is in his element in this age of enlightenment.

Even after her friends vouch for the brothers, Isabella is not sure she wants to trust Nick. He is still a threat - to her independence!

Isabella Catherine Giovanni is a woman born ahead of her time. She is strong and independent. She alone has protected her lands and her younger brother from the threat of Luccio Landucci an ally of the hated de Medicis. Landucci is power hungry and evil. He will stop at nothing to acquire Giovanni lands and Isabella. Isabella has no wish to be a man's possession. She does not expect to ever wed, but if she did it would be to a man could view her as his equal. She does not believe such a man exists. Nick inspires altogether different feelings in her. He seems to respect her but his protective instincts could be an obstacle to a relationship. Nick knows he must soon return to his own time and begins to wonder if Isabella could be happy with him there. Before Isabella can give him her complete trust, another occurrence makes the decision for her. For the two to be truly happy Nick must learn to believe in heaven, heroes, and the power of love.

I enjoyed this story very much. It was a very complete story but left room for a third story about Dom's descendant Rafe who did not appear much in the story but showed a definite uneasiness about the mirror in Ernie's room, and he's also been restless of late. I hope Ms. Shannon will write a story for him. I love big tough, vulnerable heroes and Rafe has definite potential. Besides I think he need to be a hero again to feel good about himself. I have heard whispers of a possible futuristic tale for him, so keep you fingers crossed.