“Falling for Anthony” is a novella by Meljean Brook in the HOT SPELL anthology. It’s a paranormal romance set in the Regency period. It’s the first story in Brook’s The Guardians series. While it’s not essential to read “Falling for Anthony” before Demon Angel, the first full-length novel in the series, I found it a helpful introduction to the world in which the stories take place.
Anthony Ramsdell is an impoverished nobleman seeking to better his fortunes by training to become a medical doctor. His family reject him for taking on a profession. They would prefer to live in shabby gentility rather than sully their hands by taking a trade. Anthony is helped in his endeavour by the Earl of Norbridge, the father of his childhood friend and blood-brother, Colin Ames-Beaumont. As with everything concerning the Earl of Norbridge, his help comes with a price. At the opening of the novella, the earl has just informed Anthony that he expects him to travel to the war-torn Peninsula to serve as personal physician to his friend, Major-General Cole, for as long as the campaign against Napoleon should last.
On his last night at the Ames-Beaumont residence, Anthony comes across Emily, Colin’s spoiled and impetuous twin sister. She has cut herself playing with an ancient sword, the same one which Anthony and Colin had used to make their blood pact many years before. While tending to Emily’s wound, Colin gives in to the yearning he has long felt for her and allows Emily to seduce him. Filled with regret, Anthony leaves for the Peninsula.
Two months later, Anthony is already war-weary and sickened by the death which surrounds him. One night, he spies a strange creature attacking the dead. In an effort to save a soldier, Anthony tackles the creature and is killed by it. As he lies dying, a mysterious man appears, offering him the chance to become a Guardian as a reward for making the ultimate sacrifice. Instead of ascending to heaven, Anthony finds himself in a realm known as Caelum where he will train for one hundred years before descending to earth to defend mankind against demons and other evil creatures. But Anthony’s training is cut short by unexpected events on earth concerning the Ames-Beaumont family…
Although I’m not usually a fan of novellas, I enjoyed this one. Brook’s prose is rich in detail and the world which she creates is both intelligent and complex. The novella provides excellent background information on Brook’s interpretation of angels, demons and Guardians. The rules which she imposes upon them are clearly defined and make for interesting plot twists. For example: neither demon nor Guardian is allowed to interfere with a human’s free will. They can kill each other, but are forbidden to take a human life. Demons try to gain souls for hell by enticing humans and persuading them to commit murder and suicide. Guardians try to thwart the demons’ efforts. Both demons and Guardians hunt and kill nosferatu, bloodsucking creatures who play by their own rules, and are beholden to neither Lucifer nor God.
I admit that I enjoyed the worldbuilding more than the romance. I liked Anthony a great deal but I couldn’t warm to Emily. She is spoiled and foolish and some of her actions defied logic. The highlight of the story for me was the introduction to the Guardian, Hugh, and his nemesis, the demon, Lilith. We’re also introduced to Colin Ames-Beaumont, who plays a pivotal role in Demon Angel and is the hero in Demon Moon.
All in all, I can recommend “Falling for Anthony”. I found it a fascinating read and an excellent introduction to Brook’s world of Guardians and demons. Grade: B
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I never got around to reading this one. I started on Demon Angel and went on from there. If you like Hugh and Lilith, just wait till you read Demon Angel. I really like this series. I need to read Demon Forged.
Nice review – I am really looking forward to starting this series. I definitely think I will start with this.
I read Anthony after Demon Angel and it was great to see how Hugh became a vampire and the relationship between Hugh and Lilith and their kissing. I don’t read many short story anthologies but this one was great.
I would love to see Anthony and Emily to have a cameo in another one of Meljean’s books.
I have the Guardian series on my list of must reads. I didn’t realize there was a sort of prequel, thanks.
@Jill D. I finished Demon Angel last night and loved it! I still need to write up my review but I should post it later this week.
@Mandi I found the novella to be worth the price of the anthology (I haven’t read the other stories in it yet). The Guardian series is so far made up of five full-length novels and four novellas. As far as I can tell, reading the novellas is not essential to be able to follow the continuity of the series. Also, Meljean has an excellent Primer on her website which fills in readers on worldbuilding details if they want to start with a later book. http://meljeanbrook.com/books/the-guardian-series/primer
I am anal, though, and plan to read the novellas and books in the correct order.
@katiebabs Thanks so much for the recommendation! When you blogged that Demon Forged was your Number One read so far in 2009, I had to check this series out. Definitely a winner.
@Donna (Fantasy Dreamer) I am picky when it comes to paranormal romance/urban fantasy, but I just love the world she’s created. But then I love both Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost, both of which influence the vision of heaven and hell depicted here.
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