*3.5 stars*

A paranormal race to save us…

I grabbed this story, by a favourite author, not realizing it was way deep in an existing series (how did I miss this one?). Gargoyles, Guardians, Wardens – a lot to catch up on and I admit it was a slow start as I did so. There were many things I enjoyed – the story, once I got into it, was full of twists and turns and a buildup to a finale that was top notch. Ash and Drum were interesting even if I didn’t ‘get’ the chemistry between them. Lots of intriguing characters – I really enjoyed Maeve (Drum’s sister) even if she slapped him around (in jest) once too many…

I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series because I’m sure I would have enjoyed this read even more if I had done that…

Hard to Handle brings us a twist in the Gargoyles series with Ash being the only female gargoyle of her kind matched with a rather reluctant but gorgeous male warden.
I continue to enjoy the Gargoyles series by Christine Warren with the gargoyle Guardians tasked to save humanity against the evil of Darkness and the human Wardens who are their guides and their mates. Hard to Handle is once again a fast-paced, action-packed story with lots of lore surrounding the gargoyles and the minions of evil and many bloody battles between the two.
When the story started, I felt very sorry for Drum. He's bullied and manipulated by his sister and put in his place by his mother. It doesn't mean he's weak, simply that he's got a great love for the women in his life and a healthy respect for his mother but boy, was he rather beleaguered. Throw in the fact that he's a very accidental Warden and holds a healthy skepticism towards magic and it makes for reluctant hero.
"He had grown up as the only boy in a family of girls, and as capable as they might be, his father had raised him with a wide streak of protectiveness and somewhat antiquated chivalry. Being taken care of sat uncomfortably on his shoulders; he felt much more at ease leading the charge. Although maybe he could learn to make an exception in the case of Demons. That wouldn’t reflect poorly on his masculinity, would it?"
Fortunately, he finds his footing rather quickly when things gets serious and danger surrounds them at every turn. And even when he's outgunned and outnumbered, he holds his own and fights for what is right. I also loved his passion and feelings for Ash. He's not shy about how he feels and he's demonstrative about it.
As for Ash, she's unique. The only one of her kind, she's met with disbelief and wonder. It's a good thing Ash knows who she is and she carries the memories and knowledge of her kind within her. She has a sense of purpose and destiny to give her direction even as she flounders in the human world. While reluctant, it's a good thing she has Drum and his sister to help. Even though she's a gargoyle, and she's strong and competent, she's not masculine. Ms Warren manages to imbue Ash with the qualities of an Amazonian warrior with a balance of strength, skill, femininity and grace.
Ash and Drum make a great couple. Not once does Drum's humanity and weaker physical strength diminish him against Ash's superior gargoyle power. They work together well as a couple in and out of battle.
Things are heating up in the world when it comes to the battle against evil. I am looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how things end.

I usually enjoy the gargoyle series, but I couldn't get into this one. I don't know what it was but I found myself skipping large chunks to see if there was anything exciting. Just wasn't for me though I won't write off the series since I do like the others.

I have never shied away from the long-game types of paranormal series that leads readers down long and twisting paths against the evils of the world where ultimately only good can prevail. Christine Warren is a unique voice in any series she writes, but the Gargoyles in this series are beyond unique and going into the sometimes too strange, but that is what makes it such a good read. This series continues with the story of the first ever female Guardian springing to life to replace a warrior that was lost in the previous story. Ash has no idea when she bursts to life why she is the first and only female of her kind to ever come along, but she never questions her need to achieve her deeply ingrained goal of protecting the world from evildoers. Michael is the typical alpha Irishman, even going too far sometimes into the obnoxiousness that often makes us hate alpha males. When Michael is thrown into a world he never really believed he belonged in, where magic rules and the evil is undeniably after him, Ash is the only thing that is able to ground him and the passion she brings out in him is sometimes the only thing that feels real in his new experiences. I loved seeing these two circling one another, learning from one another, and proving that sometimes what you need is the one thing you never think you’ll want. Ash was an interesting woman, hard and soft in equal measure and of course able to kick some serious ass. Once Michael begins to understand his own power and the need that Ash brings to life in him, he is unable to deny that being with Ash will make him a better man and there is no way he will lose her to their coming enemies. This story was a wonderful tale of two individuals that are thrown into new worlds that they don’t truly understand, but they quickly learn that the only way they will survive the world around them and the enemies set to kill them all is if they work together. I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes next and learning who will be awakened and meeting their mate. Ms. Warren is an amazing author and I love all of her work, but if you haven’t ever had any experience with a story like this, I seriously recommend beginning the series at the beginning, no matter how great this story is, you can really only truly experience and understand it’s greatness if you go back to the very beginning. Long Live the Guardians! :)

Michael /Drum was a man blessed with four independent sisters. Drum had a persistant tingling at the back of his neck had plagued him with an reachable itch for the last six months. Through dreams Drum was having persistent dreams of things he refused to name and would prefer not to remember. Drum impressed on his family not to take silly chances in today’s world. The family was meant to stick together and watch each others back Drum owns a bar called Skin And Bones. Drum and his family has gifts that set them apart Drums gift is he can find things. His sister Maeve has the gift of sight. Drun did not like his sister being out alone at night. That was the night he met Ash and his life was changed forever. Ash was the first of her kind and she has no idea why she woke up or woke her up. Ash is a woman Gargoyle who is to protect humans. The Order of Darkness is a threat coming closer to being a problem. Drum and Maeve .are the only ones there and they aren’t Wardens. But Ash has to accept their help. It didn’t take long for evil to come after Ash. In the heat of the battle Drum discovers he has more gifts that he hadn’t known about and is actually a warden. Drum and Ash are very attracted to each other.
I liked this story but had mixed feelings. I had some trouble with things being repeated like Drum complaining about having his life interrupted by Ash Also there was too many villains and they didn’t last very long. I did like the fighting scenes. At times this drags for me. I liked the plot. I didn’t like Drums whining it took him awhile to man up and this annoyed me so as I said I had mixed feelings.

Hard to Handle by Christine Warren is the fifth book in the Gargoyle series. This is the only book from the series so far that I would say a newcomer would be able to fully enjoy without the prior books as reference. While those that have read the entire series will still get more out of the read, those that are picking this book up without having read others will still be able to fully understand and enjoy the action.

The only male among four sisters, Michael Drummond is no stranger to women’s strength and formidable will. His Dublin pub, the Skin & Bones, is his refuge, a reassuringly masculine retreat. Until a fierce woman warrior from another realm bursts into his life, bringing with her a battle between good and evil, and an explosive dose of desire. The first and only of her kind, Ash is a lone female gargoyle, a creature destined to protect mankind from Demons determined to unleash their darkest forces. But her arrival on Earth is more confusing than she expected: her bone-deep instinct to do battle is matched only by her untamed attraction to stubborn, stalwart Drum. If they manage to keep the world safe, can they turn the passion crackling between them into a love that will withstand the test of time.

Hard to Handle is a nice twist on the series, with our guardian and warden in switched genders. I liked that Drum is still alpha male personality wise, but smart enough to let go and let Ash take the lead in things she is better suited for than he. I really enjoyed the characters in this installment- not just our couple and returning players from previous book, but also Drum's family. I think the family connection and interplay goes a long way into showing the depth and fun or Drum's character. I think the danger level got more intense here, and I liked the way it answered more questions about the darkness and battle being fought. I did get a little impatient with the fighting, only because I wanted to see how Drum and Ash finally admitted that they loved each other and all that. I was very happen when I read how that happened, it was sweet and funny and pretty much perfect for the book, and series.

Hard to Handle is a good addition to the series, and is more accessible to those that have not read earlier books in the series than the others. It was consistent with what I expected, but did not wow me. I admit to skimming some of the fight scenes just to get to more character and relationship developments, but I am sure that's just because I was impatient to see how that was handled.

What a deliciously written, skillfully paced novel! Readers are blessed with characters that are absolutely beyond compelling and the plot sticks with you even after you're finished. What's next?

I loved this book and will be recommending it to my customers who like paranormal romances.

It was an OK read, My issues with it was there is no build up or chemistry between hero and heroine. Also very disjointed and random threats to keep action alive in book.

This book might have started a little slow, but the pace increases dramatically towards the end! Each of these books has some battle scenes in them, but each time they tend to surprise me in their abruptness.

This story is a little different than the previous gargoyle books. Rather than a male gargoyle being awakened by a female warden, we have a bit of a reverse. Ash is the first female gargoyle and she's fully aware of her unique status. When she is awakened to fight an evil sorcerer, she immediately jumps into action, after which she appears to realize that there wasn't the typical warden awakening associated with her story.

Michael and his sister encounter the gargoyle with varying degrees of skepticism (admittedly on opposite ends of the spectrum). Michael would be happy to just finish his life hiding his magical ability and tending bar at his pub. That is, of course, not what fate has in store for him. They soon realize that he's the intended participant in this plan to fight evil. Oh, and we get some of my favorite familiar faces turning up to help, too!

I still think the previous pair was my favorite, but this book was not without its romance. If you're picking up the story here, I would highly recommend you start from the beginning to get everyone's individual tale. I'm sure you could enjoy this book on its own, but it's much better as a series.

I don’t think I’ve read too many stories featuring gargoyles, and I loved that Ash, the heroine in HARD TO HANDLE is the first female gargoyle to ever exist. She’s been summoned because evil is brewing, and she’s ready to fight with claws, wings and a giant two headed axe. She rocked, but it was her romantic interest that really sold the book for me.

Although he isn’t a giant winged stone creature, Drum isn’t as helpless as an everyday human. His family has various gifts, and his centers on finding lost things. He’s always passed it off as a parlour trick, because he knows that if it’s known about or can be used to find missing people, he won’t allow himself not to use it. It made for a particularly interesting character, who wants to help people, and knows once he starts, his conscience won’t let him stop. It’s very rare in paranormal romance to find male characters who show weakness, especially fear. Drum’s protectiveness of his family is the only thing that convinces him to help Ash when she needs to find her Warden, the human who summoned her.

There are fun bits of humour throughout, which keep the tone light even though the characters are facing the end of the world.

“I always thought it was kinda there in the name. Hell. Mouth. Seems pretty self-explanatory. Didn’t you guys get Buffy the Vampire Slayer over here?”

“Please, God and Saint Peter, don’t tell me we’re going to have to deal with the vampires.”

Dag looked disdainful [...] “Do not be ridiculous. Such creatures do not exist.”

“Well, that’s something, I suppose.”
The writing is much better than other paranormal romances I’ve read before, with the characters examining their feelings with eloquence and interesting metaphors that make reading a breeze even between the action scenes. Although there was a bit of a drag when the book inevitably caught up readers to the four previous books’ heroes and heroines, I quickly forgave it and hopped back into the action. HARD TO HANDLE does feel like a middle of the series book, but there was enough fun and action to make it worth reading whether you’re into the series already or not.

I gave up any interest in this series after the first two books, but when I saw this one featuring the first female gargoyle, I thought "Oh, maybe that will be an interesting twist." Nope.

After reading Danielle Monsch's Stone Guardian featuring a gargoyle hero, I jumped on Heart of Stone because -- hey, gargoyles were now sexy. Except just like all paranormal series, different story, different rules and I wasn't all that excited about this series. I only read the second book was because I was asked to cover it for H&H. When books 3 and 4 were released, I kept my head down and hoped they didn't ask me again since I had no interest in reading any more.

So why did I read this one? I saw that this one featured the first female gargoyle ever. I really thought maybe that would be an interesting story. In fact, the main character, the female gargoyle, Ash, kept commenting that her being female must mean something. Well, guess what. Nope. There was no big revelation of why she was female. None!

The basic premise of the series is that the gargoyles fight the Darkness and are brought out of their gargoyle statue rest by their Warden when they are needed. We know from the other stories, that the Wardens were all killed by the followers of the Darkness so that there would be no one to call forth the Guardians and therefore, the Darkness would win. But in the other stories, women of magic woke the Guardians by accident.

Ash was sent to replace one of the Guardians whose statue form was blown up by the bad guys. She is the only one not awoken from her statue form, she just appeared in front of Michael Drummond and his sister. His sister can sometimes get flashes of the future. Michael's only ability is to sometimes find something which someone lost. Michael's sister want to help Ash find her Warden but Michael wants nothing to do with it and he wants Ash far away from his mother and sisters.

Michael is a bit of a douche for about the first half of the story until Ash says, "Hey, you're right. You stay with your family and I'm going to go." Suddenly, there is no way she is leaving him behind and he becomes all protective and possessive. This was not a gradual building of interest. At one point he grabs her out of the blue and kisses her, but for pages and pages he is still telling her to take a hike. Even after they have sex, he is telling her to go find her Warden and leave his family alone. He wants nothing to do with it,..until he suddenly does and declares that she is his. WTF?? It was so awkward a change and by the time he finally decides to join in, I hated him. HATED. HIM. I didn't want him in the story anymore.

The couples from book 3 and book 4 eventually join Ash and Michael to protect the people of Dublin, Ireland, where this story is set.

The stories of the original Guardians said that when they were awoken by women of magic who they fell in love with, the original Guardians were released from their duty after they defeated the Darkness and new Guardians were sent to wait in their place. This is important in this story since Ash keeps lamenting after she falls insta-love with Michael that only women of power can free a Guardian and woe is me that I will have to leave Michael and return to stone form after we defeat the Darkness. This goes on and on until someone hits her on the head and says "Dumbass, that would work for you and Michael too." Really? That was concept was too hard for her to grasp that since she is the only female Guardian, she thinks she would get screwed out of love because she loved a man with power, and not a woman with power?

And that was it. There was no big revelation why she was sent female instead of male like all the Guardians before her. Nothing.

I kicked myself for falling for it and picking up this book.

Hard to Handle: A Beauty and Beast Novel (Gargoyles Series) a great addition to this series. The characters and story line are well-developed. Ash is the only female Gargoyle in forever! What Ash doesn't know is that Michael is her mate. Now she is the Guardian that helps keep the world safe from Demons, and to keep her mate safe. what Michael don't know is that he is descended from a long line of magic users who team up with the Guardians to keep the world safe. Now with the threat of Nazgahchuhl; the big bad demon; on the horizon. They must prevent him from gaining a foot hold in this world. I love this series and this book, and recommend it to everyone. I give HARD TO HANDLE 5/5 stars.

PNR in Ireland. Demons want to unleash their Masters and more of their kind on the world. A gifted family is at the center of the story. Michael Drummond and his sister Maeve witness the emergence of the first female gargoyle when the powers of darkness cause an earthquake. A rescue mission, action, magic. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

✦Review: Hard to Handle: A Beauty and Beast Novel (Gargoyles Series) by Christine Warren http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-7RJ
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars

I had fun reading this Gargoyle story. Drum was a humorous reluctant hero with enough sex appeal to thaw even a stone Gargoyle’s heart. Ash made a good counterpoint to Drum and I enjoyed watching her learn about life and love. The crazy Wardens and Guardians around them provided enough humor to counteract the evil surrounding them. (Drum’s inner thoughts were my favorite though.) It was a fast paced and action packed read that kept me wanting more.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle $7.99 http://amzn.to/2iihrsV | Amazon Series Link: http://amzn.to/2kfaLwD
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GARGOYLES SERIES BY CHRISTINE WARREN

Book 1: Heart of Stone http://amzn.to/2kYNVh2
Book 2: Stone Cold Lover http://amzn.to/2l37Wmj
Book 3: Hard as a Rock http://amzn.to/2kf6skR
Book 4: Rocked By Love http://amzn.to/2kfbaz2
Book 5: Hard to Handle http://amzn.to/2iihrsV

A SEDUCTION STRONGER THAN STONE

The only male among four sisters, Michael Drummond is no stranger to women’s strength and formidable will. His Dublin pub, the Skin & Bones, is his refuge, a reassuringly masculine retreat. Until a fierce woman warrior from another realm bursts into his life, bringing with her a battle between good and evil…and an explosive dose of desire.

The first and only of her kind, Ash is a lone female gargoyle, a creature destined to protect mankind from Demons determined to unleash their darkest forces. But her arrival on Earth is more confusing than she expected: her bone-deep instinct to do battle is matched only by her untamed attraction to stubborn, stalwart Drum. If they manage to keep the world safe, can they turn the passion crackling between them into a love that will withstand the test of time?




Review:




In this next installment of this series, another Guardian has awoken. This time it is the first female Guardian. I liked the switch up. It was fun to see how the others reacted to this revelation. Then to have the Warden be the male lead to some interesting twists in the book and series. I liked that there is a lot of tension at first between Ash and Drum and some definite love/hate going on. I think it makes sense to the story. I mean you are a gargoyle and just wake up and then encounter Maeve and Drum who have powers but have no idea about all the supernatural world around them definitely makes for a lot of emotions and tension between all. Then of course neither Drum or Ash want to admit to the attraction they have for each other. You have to take a leap with the insta-love but other than that, they are super steamy together. There is also a lot of action in this story as the fight with the Darkness escalates. Of course, we get to see the other Guardians and Wardens also.


The Author does an great job of not making the reader feel lost if reading these out of order. My recommendation is to read them in order. They each build on the other and the storyline continues from one book to the next as they try to save the world from The Darkness. I do love the snarky/witty dialogue that this Author comes up with, even in tense situations there is some levity.




3.5Stars




*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*


@ChristineWarren @SMPRomance

I really liked this read. I loved that there was a role reversal, because Ash is the first female Guardian in the history of their existence and she was such a warrior. Definitely no damsel in distress here! She was freakin AWESOME!

Lol, her H, Drum took some getting used to. I admit at first I found him to be too much of a scaredy-cat and I wanted him to be more assertive but after taking a step back and reevaluating him, I can see that his reactions (although OTT) seemed the kind of reaction a normal average guy would have when faced with the end of humanity as we know it. I get it, doesn’t mean I had to like how long it took for him to stop his whining and step up, but I get him a bit better now. Once he accepted his role in the grand scheme of things he was 100% better imo.

This had some crazy fight scenes that were done really well and the smexy times were pretty hot. Especially if the fast and hard variety is up your alley. This is part of an ongoing series and this is the fifth installment so there are four other couples we see and hear about that, if you’re not familiar with, might get a bit confusing trying to keep them straight. I didn’t think it effected the story’s impact at all and I was still able to really get into Ash and Drum’s story.

The romance was speed-of-light fast! One minute Drum is mistrustful, resentful and a huge mother effin jerk to Ash and then BAM! He’s overruled by his libido and all up in that poor little gargoyle! I definitely think that a bit more time could have been invested in Drum and Ash getting over their initial dislike for each other before things went down that road, but it all worked out in the end and I was just happy Ash got her mate! Oh, and that the end of the world as we know it was averted . . . until the next book! Haha!

BEST/FAVORITE LINE:
. . . love is the greatest weapon the Light has against the Darkness. Love is a source of happiness, of joy, of contentment. It’s a source of life, because people who love each other build lives together. They build families together. The Light doesn’t care who’s male and who’s female and which on carries the sword in the family. The Light just wants us to love.

Aaahhh! That line was so beautiful and had me feeling all mushy inside!!

Book 5 in the fabulous Gargoyles Series, Hard to Handle by Christine Warren has some delightful twists in the story that I thoroughly loved. Two very different main characters from the previous books but it totally worked for me. The change up in the role of characters brought a freshness to the series. The inner conflict along with the conflict between the main characters kept the paranormal story realistic; if such a thing can be.

Ms. Warren brings her marvelous style of writing to Ash and Drum’s characters and the plot of the story. She makes it easy to become immense in the world in which Gargoyles could exist as well as invested in the outcome. There are battles disagreement, confusion, physical attraction which is quite steamy and finally love. All the making for an intriguing read which Ms. Warren has done so well.

I’m not sure if this would qualify as a stand-alone. Michael Drummond 'Drum' and Ash’s personal story does come to a pleasing conclusion, it would enrich the pleasure of reading it by having read the previous books in the series. I say this because some other Guardians and their Wardens make an important appearance in Hard to Handle.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

Christine Warren never fails to deliver! I enjoyed this book just as much as all of the rest. I like how she isn't just sticking to one idea, but is incorporating different characters with different abilities in her stories. She is always on my must read list!

Like all the rest of the books in this series I really liked Hard to Handle. It's well written with characters you want to read about. Warren knows how to write characters that make you chuckle and want to know.