Burn for Me: An Urban Fantasy Romance with Magic and Intrigue (Hidden Legacy Book 1)

V. Jones

Incredible read! Highly recommended!

"There aren’t enough words in the English language to help me describe how amazing ‘Burn for Me’ by Ilona Andrews is, but I am going to try. ‘Burn for Me’ is the first book in the Hidden Legacies series, although the world may be familiar if you ever read Ilona Andrews ‘Of Swine and Roses’ short story. The setting is an alternative Earth where in 1863 European scientists discovered the Osiris serum. A serum that manifested magical talents in people that ranged from the fairly benign to the utterly destructive. The serum spread across the globe, causing the rise and fall of families and countries. Those families with strong magic talent and vast resources are called Houses and hold enormous power and influence. ‘It is a world where the more magic you have, the more powerful, the wealthier, and the more prominent you are. Some magic talents are destructive. Some are subtle. But no magic user should be taken lightly.’ In present day we meet Nevada Baylor who lives with her family in a converted warehouse in Houston, Texas. She is a 25-year-old private investigator who heads up her family’s business: Baylor Investigative Agency. Nevada is passionate about the business, started originally by her parents they are a small firm but are very successful in their cases, mainly because they don’t take on cases that they know they can’t win. They also live by three rules: Rule #1: They stay bought – once a client hires them, they are loyal to that client. Rule #2: They don’t break the law. Rule #3: At the end of the day, they still must be able to look at their reflection in the eye – this is the most important rule. Six years ago, the business had almost slowed to nothing owing to her father getting sick. In order to be able to afford her Dad’s medical bills the family had mortgaged the firm to Montgomery International Investigations, sometimes referred to as MII. Nevada has spent those years working hard to rebuild the firm’s reputation and making sure that the minimum payment terms were made every month. She loves what she does and loves the life she and her family have carved out for themselves however there is a black cloud over everything due to being in debt to one of Houston’s powerful Houses. Nevada is summoned to MII who have been charged by and even more powerful player, House Pierce, to bring in their wayward son Adam Pierce. The only problem is that Adam is a Prime – the highest magic use level. He is also a Pyrokinetic (Fire) Prime and just firebombed a bank, killing a security guard and badly wounding several others. ‘Everyone in Houston knew who Adam Pierce was. Magic users were segregated into five ranks: Minor, Average Notable, Significant, and Prime. Born with a rare pyrokinetic talent, (Adam) Pierce had Stainless Steel classification. A pyrokinetic was considered Average if he could melt a cubic foot of ice under a minute. In the same amount of time, Adam Pierce could conjure a fire that would melt a cubic foot of stainless steel.’ Nevada realises that this is a suicide mission but is forced to accept the assignment or renege on her contact with MII for which the penalty would be to immediately lose the firm, the warehouse and leave her family destitute and homeless. She sets off to find Adam, knowing that both her livelihood and life are riding on the outcome of successfully capturing a wild and dangerous man. Through her investigation she runs into Connor Rogan, also known as Mad Rogan, The Butcher of Merida, Huracan and probably a dozen other names. He is a fourth generation Prime telekinetic with off the charts magic who enlisted in the military and was used to devastating and destructive effect. Mad Rogan is now the head of his House, extremely wealthy and powerful and immediately kidnaps Nevada to try and pry the secrets about Adam from her mind. Things don’t go how Mad Rogan plans, but he still needs Nevada and her skills, and Nevada needs his magic and resources, so they form a tenuous alliance to capture Adam. The story is action packed with never a dull moment, and as per all the other Ilona Andrew books the world building is simple sublime. Yes, there is a bit to unpack in how the magic and Houses work, but it is all so skilfully delivered that it doesn’t feel like you are reading huge chunks of exposition. There is also a lot of humour in the book. Nevada is super spunky and not afraid to speak her mind. Plus, her family are amazing. They are all written to show their individual personalities and quirks. Mad Rogan really develops over the course of the book and I can’t wait to see more of him in the future instalments. Overall, ‘Burn for Me’ is a fantastic, page turning read and I highly recommend it to anyone who has read and liked Ilona Andrews’s books or Fantasy / Supernatural / Romance books. In fact, the book is so good that it’s almost as if it should come with a warning: DANGER – do not start reading unless you have no plans for the next several hours. The story just grabs you and doesn’t let go from start to finish. Honestly, there aren’t enough words, but I will leave you with this. Go. Go now. Go buy this book and enjoy the wonder of Ilona Andrews. You won’t be sorry. 5 out of 5 stars! NOTE: The only detractor to this book is the cover of all the book from the original trilogy. I honestly am not too sure who thought they looked good, but it makes me think of that good old adage: Don’t judge a book by its cover! The artwork does improve from book 3.5, ‘Diamond Fire’, which is a novella bridging moving the main heroine from Nevada to her sister Catalina. It’s still not going to detract me from giving this book its truly deserved 5 out of 5 stars! ["

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January 26, 2022 Verified Purchase

Emily Emm

Best Series Ever!

"The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews is one of my favorites of all time. Since the summer of 2022 when I first read these books, I've read them probably 10 times each (that's six books, they're all amazing). They're something special, and I'm going to try to convince you to give this urban fantasy series a chance. Nevada Baylor is a private investigator who can tell who's lying. It's her magic. Subtle, but accurate AF. She uses it to solve cases and earn good money for her large family that's been struggling since the death of her father. She is steadfast and reliable - she wears responsibility on her sleeve like an albatross. In order to keep the company afloat during difficult times, she had to mortgage the company to Montgomery Enterprises, a larger PI firm in the greater Houston area who owns the Baylor Investigative Agency as one of its subsidiaries. Now, they're calling in a mandatory case that will more than likely end in flames - locate the bad-boy wannabe Adam Pierce, a man who can burn whatever he wants with his prime status magic, and bring him back to his powerful family. Nevermind he doesn't want to be found, after he incinerated a bank and killed two police officers. But Nevada can't refuse or her family will lose everything. She must take on the case, and pray she makes it out alive. But Nevada isn't the only one looking for Pierce. Connor Rogan, one of the most powerful prime level magic users in the world, is looking for him too. The last thing Nevada wants is to get involved in magic-user politics, but she's getting nowhere on her own, and Rogan may be the only one who can help her finish the job. Nevada and Rogan must work backward to find the why behind Adam's masquerades, so they can anticipate his next moves and save Houston from the heat of his power. But as they dig deeper, they realize Adam is tangled up in a conspiracy that is far greater than they realized. Not only are these books action packed with compelling mystery and time-sensitive stakes, but the characters are well-rounded and the cast as a whole is so darned loveable. Nevada and her family each have their strengths that combine well to make their agency work, and they continue to develop as the series progresses. They're a quirky family, but they are bound by deep love, and they'll do anything for each other. The world in this series is a twist on our own. Earth, but with a magical twist. Early in the twentieth century, scientists distilled the Osiris Serum, which, when taken, either kills the recipient, warps them (don't ask!), or gives them enormous magical abilities which are passed down through generations. This has led to the development of magical families, called Houses. These magical elite scheme for generations to hone the magical abilities of their offspring, all in want of more power in society. Their matches are rarely for love, so when they are, it's often a sacrifice. Underneath the investigation, this is a love story, though I'm not sure Burn for Me can technically be classified as a romance (just don't tell that to the first cover, lol). There is a little bit of spice, but if you're one who doesn't prefer it, or needs to skip it for some reason, the spicy scenes are separate enough from the narrative that the story still works well. One of my favorite scenes in this first book is not spicy, but Nevada and Rogan are trapped for a time in a confined space, and the humor and tenderness of it is just perfection. I am convinced that just about every type of reader could enjoy this series, and I'm so glad the first trilogy got new covers because the first ones, the old-school bodice rippers, don't reflect the depth within the pages. I wish I could pluck out and distill the feelings reading this series gives me and share it with you, because if you could experience it, you wouldn't hesitate to pick it up. I've read these books again and again (and again), and I only fall more in love every time I get to revisit them. They've become my ultimate comfort read, and lucky for me, I get six (and a half) volumes to relish. That's a lot of comfort. But seriously Ilona & Andrew - when are you going to grace us with a trilogy for Arabella?! (And Leon!) You could write a hundred books in this series, and I, for one, would eat them ALL up. Bravo! ["

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September 1, 2024 Verified Purchase

Book Binger

Love this new series!

"The Ilona Andrews duo cannot write a bad book. I loved their Kate Daniel series. I also enjoyed reading the The Edge series. But, this latest book…just wow. It might be my favorite yet. Detailed world-building, magical mayhem, and sexual tension, make Burn for Me another hit. In this first book, you meet the main character, Nevada Baylor who lives in Houston, Texas. Nevada is a private investigator and runs Baylor Investigative Agency, which she inherited from her father. You learn in the book’s preface that over a century ago scientists created a serum that brought out people’s magical talents. The serum gave ordinary people powerful and deadly magical powers. The world realized the dangerous mistake they caused and locked the serum away. Since that time, families with strong hereditary magic formed Houses. These Houses have vast wealth and hold power in business and politics. The story begins with Nevada receiving a request from Augustine Montgomery to bring in Adam Pierce, who robbed a bank in Houston. The problem? Pierce is a dangerous Prime pyrokinetic, the highest rank of magic user. Nevada knows this is a suicide mission because she doesn't have the magic or manpower to bring him in but is forced to take the case. Unbeknownst to Nevada, Connor “Mad” Rogan, a handsome and powerful Prime, is also working on the case. Rogan wants to work with Nevada but Nevada thinks he’s amoral and dangerous. However, Nevada realizes Rogan would be a powerful ally and agrees to work with him. Soon, the two of them are racing to prevent an Armageddon in Houston. A creative new world, an entertaining plot, fiery sexual attraction and the Andrews’ signature brand of humor make this debut a favorite for me. Through clever and careful world building Ilona Andrews has created a fresh new modern world.I thought it interesting that a serum released one's magical abilities. It also seemed logical to me that families would form Houses to build and hoard wealth and power. (The authors provide more detail on the Hidden Legacy world at their website http://hiddenlegacy.ilona-andrews.com/magic-101/.) In an interview in USA Today, the authors divulge a big difference in the new setting compared to their other books:This world contains modern technology. Nevada uses a computer and smartphone. Her mother was in the military as a sniper. Her grandmother works on tanks. However, for me the best part of the book was the Nevada-Rogan dynamic (Roada?).Nevada is someone I can relate to since she is a working-class woman. I admire her determination to build her father's failing business.In addition, she adheres to a strong moral code, even when it may put her life in danger.And then there's Rogan, who's handsome, wealthy and ruthless.Rogan intrigued me. I wasn't sure if he was a sociopath or a man hiding his good qualities. Nevada describes him as a “dragon, regal and deadly”. Together Rogan and Nevada create enough sexual sparks to burn a house down! Nevada'a body lights up around Rogan but she refuses to give in to the attraction. First, Rogan is in a higher social class, and second,he’s ruthless, doing anything to achieve his goals. For Nevada, that spells DANGER. I admire her for making this decision. And, of course, it adds sexual tension. Rogan lusts for Nevada and tries to convince her to have a fling. When she refuses, he can't understand her objections. “Do I have any redeeming qualities?” he asked. A charming, self-deprecating dragon. No, not buying it. That charm could tear in a split second, and then there would be flame and sharp teeth. “Not running over the squirrel was in your favor.” “Mhm. Good to know.” He smiled wider. Uh-oh. If you read carefully though, there’re a few clues in the book that show Rogan is not what he seems. I predict in future books Nevada will learn his true nature and come to love him. If you enjoy reading Ilona Andrews books, read this one. If you enjoy reading a well-written paranormal mystery entwined with a hot romance, read this book! ["

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March 30, 2015 Verified Purchase

Danielle Taylor

Fantastic world building, great characters, action, suspense and the beginning of an epic romance

"Burn for Me is the first book In Ilona Andrews' new series A Hidden Legacy. I haven't read much Ilona Andrews and although the Kate Daniel's books are on my want to read list I haven't gotten around to it. I have read here On the Edge series and I liked it but didn't love it. This book however, I absolutely loved. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I guess I'm going to have to make the Kate Daniels series a priority to see if its as good as this one. This book centers around Nevada Baylor who is a small time PI that normally works insurance or cheating spouse cases. However, she is the main bread-winner for her family (grandma, mom, sisters and cousin)and so when the company that has a mortgage on her business enlists her to solve a case she doesn't have a choice. She has been tasked to bring in a fire mage and not just any fire mage but a Prime (the strongest level of magic user). Nevada's only magic is telling if someone is lying or not and she knows that her chances of success are not good. Nevada ends up joining forces with another Prime who is interested in the case and although she doesn't want to be on the radar of any prime she knows she can't do this without Mad Rogen. He wants the fire mage for his own reasons and although he has lots of money and power it seems that the fire mage is intrigued with Nevada and she has investigative skills he is lacking. The world building is simple and yet powerful. In a world, not too different from ours magic is everything. Families breed for magical power and dynasties are created in magical families. The truly powerful mages can and do get away with almost anything and are looked upon as celebrities. It was easy to understand and you didn't need chapters of information explaining the world. I didn't have to try to guess what was going on or how things worked. I could easily identify with this world and imagine living in it. I really liked Nevada's character. She is a strong, tough, intelligent and has a lot of common sense. She is very loyal to her family and has a strong moral compass. She feels very attracted to Mad Rogan but knows that they come from very different world and her fears of him chewing her up and spitting her out are completely justified. She stood up to him but was always aware of how much power he had and seemed to understand him. The other major character was Mad Rogan. Wow I really loved him. He isn't a hero by any stretch of the imagination although he does a few heroic things. He has so much power and money he's used to getting whatever he wants and has a hard time understanding why Nevada doesn't just "fall in line". He's a man who lives in a grey world - he isn't evil but he doesn't have a lot of empathy for the general public and will do whatever it takes to reach whatever goal he sets. He was such an interesting character and it was fun to try to figure out his motivations and see beneath his reputation. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well. Nevada's family was great from Grandma to her cousin and her teenage sisters. They were funny, interesting and realistic. The relationship dynamic with her family really added to the story. The romance between Mad Rogan and Nevada was different. The romance isn't the star of the book. The plot about bringing in the fire mage and what he's up to is. Mad Rogan and Nevada just happen to be very attracted to each other and they get to know one another while working together. Yes, they actually get to know each other - no instant love, sex or relationship. It's a slow build and there's no big resolution at the end of this book. It left we wanting more in a good way, I can't wait to see what is next for these two. I found the plot really entertaining and interesting as well. I wanted to know who was behind the fire mage and what the end game was. It kept me hooked and I liked figuring it out along with the characters. There were some twists and turns along the way that I didn't expect as well. I also liked hearing about the different powers and how they could be used. It will be interesting to see how Nevada's powers grow or more accurately how she begins to figure out how to use them as the story continues. I think she may be more of a match for Mad Rogan then she's given her self credit for. This was a great story, it had wonderful characters, world building, action, mystery and a the building of what I think will be an epic romance. ["

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July 14, 2015 Verified Purchase