Just a quick post today – I am winding up my annual holiday so I’m exhausted! Now I need a holiday to recover…
So a quickie review. My friend Marcia has gone a little further off the beaten track than she usually does, and ventured further into a delightful paranormal story, a novella spin off from her Riverbend series.
Blurb
An angel’s work is never done—that’s part of the gig. But angels hadn’t been created to deal with such a vastly over-populated planet, rife with misery, suffering, and general chaos. Helping souls in peril has become a nearly impossible job, and even angelic tempers are frayed.
The archangel Azrael has had enough. He believes he’s found a way to ease their burden while saving jeopardized humans, too—hired help.
When Jake Daughtry lost his life rescuing a total stranger from certain death, he was on the fast track to Heaven. But that was before Azrael pulled him right out of line at the Pearly Gates. Now, as an Emissary to the Angels, Jake is taking to the highway in a quest to help souls in trouble. But the innate stubbornness of human beings bent on self-destruction is a challenge unlike any he’s ever faced.
It’s up to Jake and Azrael to bridge the gap between humans and angels. Will they ever convince the Council of Angels this endeavor is worthwhile? Can Jake figure out how to play by Azrael’s complicated rules? Will Azrael ever master the use of contractions in general conversation?
To find out the answers, hop on board Jake’s big red-and-white semi and travel the roads from the Florida Keys to north Georgia on an adventure that will make you laugh hard and cry even harder.
My Review
The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella by Marcia Meara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh, how I’d like to think this was true! To be reborn as a guardian angel (well, almost), with the remit of stepping in before things go too horrendously wrong, and saving people from their own self-inflicted ghastly futures. If only…
I’ve not yet read the book from which this novella evolved, but I sure will. The wonderful humour that shines through, especially with the banter between Jake and Azrael, brought more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. There is also the opposite end of the spectrum, with despair so graphic I felt it myself.
Meara packs an awful lot into one novella, but it’s a perfect length for the tale. Although I would have liked to see what happened next, and I’m rather hoping there will be more at some future date.
Visit Marcia on her blog: THE WRITE STUFF to find out more about her and her books.
deborahjay 
I to have so often wished I could do something so selfless. Sounds like a wonderful book.
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Well worth the small time investment 😀
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Thank you so much for such a lovely review, Debby!! I’m SO glad you enjoyed this one. And I had the best time writing it of anything I’ve done, I think. While there are supernatural elements in the Wake-Robin Ridge series (ghosts, ESP, the Black Dog), the Riverbend series has none of that. Yet, even though the main character in The Emissary was briefly introduced in Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2, he isn’t from there, nor does he return there, so I felt comfortable with his tale being completely fantasy/urban fantasy.
I’m very much looking forward to continuing this series of novellas–partly because my beta readers will rise up against me if I don’t–so yes, you can look forward to more from Jake, Azrael, and Crew. My plan is to sandwich each new episode between my full length books, so look for Emissary 2 in the fall. I’m hoping to get a new WRR/Rabbit book out for spring, and then jump right back into that red and white semi, and hit the road with Jake. 😀
Thanks again for the beautiful review, and I’m reblogging and sharing everywhere, for sure! 😀 ❤
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Excellent news – I can always squish in a novella where I can struggle to find time for a whole novel 😀
So glad you enjoyed writing it, that came over in the humour. I really enjoy writing my fantasy novels because they totally free up the imagination. I see you going the same way.
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Baby steps with full fantasy, Debby. I’m not as comfortable with world-building as you are, nor as good, so urban fantasy is a better fit for me, at least for now. BTW, I was halfway through The Prince’s Man when Irma struck, and cut my already skimpy reading time down to ten minutes here or there. I’m BY GOSH gonna get it finished, though. It’s just taking me even longer than usual! 🙂 But even at this point, I’m impressed, as always, by your world-building skills. I can barely deal with the world I actually live in! 😯 You rock! 😀 ❤
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I totally love writing my urban fantasy as well. I know what you mean about world building, it is a vast topic and crucial to a fantasy novel to get it consistent. I enjoy creating rules as much as inventing stuff. But you know I’m weird, right?
How dare Irma interrupt you like that! How very rude she was, on so many fronts. Literally. Hope you continue to enjoy when you get back to Prince’s Man – it’ll take you a while at 10 minutes a pop!
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A lovely review of Marcia’s book. Sharing.
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Thanks for the share, Robbie 😀
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Thanks for sharing, Robbie! I really appreciate it! 🙂
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
So excited to find Deborah Jay’s lovely review of The Emissary awaiting me this morning. It made my day to read her comments, and I’m hoping you guys will check it out, too, and share all over creation! With no time to market this one (so far), your help getting the word out would mean the world to me. Thanks, and my heartfelt thanks to Debby, too! ❤
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A lovely review. I have a thing about angels (and I wrote a series about them) so I must try and read this one. Well, and the rest of Marcia’s novels. Thanks for the review, Deborah and I hope you recover well from the holiday
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Thank you, and you really must, I just loved Marcia’s depiction of Azrael and his cohorts.
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What? Olga! Are you saying you don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything you want, and even more importantly, READ everything you want? How can that be? Oh, wait. I don’t have enough hours, either! 😀 Well, when you DO find time to check out The Emissary, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great day! 😀 ❤
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Irma has a lot to answer for, Debby, for sure. And we are WAAAAAY down on the bottom of the list, as far as terrible things go. But it HAS been very frustrating, so I’ll be glad to have this stuff behind us. $60,500+ in damages to the garage (to date) and $5600 to the brand new Honda. And I’m going to be a MONTH without a car, starting tomorrow. 😥 But we were incredibly lucky, compared to so many! We’ll come out the other side just fine. 😀
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A wonderful review. Congrats, Marcia!
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😀
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Thanks, Darlene! I thought it was lovely, myself, and am so happy Debby enjoyed the book. 🙂
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Great review, Deborah. That’s a great idea to use your Goodreads link to list all your reviews for folks to see… Nice one!
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Thanks, Kev. I always post my reviews to Goodreads as well as Amazon (US & UK), and it offers a pre-formatted (in HTML) ‘copy this review’, which, when you copy and paste it into your blog, provides that link every time. Very nifty.
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I do the same when posting my reviews. Love the nifty link thing… I don’t do that.
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this review of the book, The Emissary, by Marcia Meara, as featured on author Deborah Jay’s blog.
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Thanks for the reblog, Don 😀
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You’re welcome.
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Thanks so much for sharing, Don. It’s most appreciated! 🙂
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You’re welcome.
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Fab review. I’d expect no less from Marsh and can’t wait to read! 🙂 xx
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I was so looking forward to it, being more up my usual alley for reading material, and as expected it didn’t disappoint 😀
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Whew. It was a big relief to hear that you enjoyed it, Debby! I was really hoping you would. (BTW, when I referred to the Prince’s MAN above, I actually meant The Prince’s SON. I’ve already read and reviewed the first one, way back when. And I’ll find time to finish this one, too, I promise. Once again, it has pulled me in, but Real Life keeps pulling me back OUT. 😦 )
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Yep, just realised that! I’m glad this one is pulling you in, even it circumstances are contesting for your time. Oh, and BTW, in case you hadn’t yet figured it, this one is even LONGER than Prince’s Man 🙂
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Well I love your reviews, so looking forward to the read. 🙂
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Thanks, Deb! And I really hope you enjoy it when you are able to get to it. I can’t wait to write the next “episode.” 😀 ❤
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No doubts I will Marsh. ❤
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[…] Here is my review of Marcia’s most recent novella: THE EMMISARY […]
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Fantastic post 🙂
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Cheers! And welcome to my blog 😀
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[…] I am delighted to share with you the imminent release of Marcia Meara’s second Emissary novella – when I say I’m waiting with bated breath to read it, I mean it! Take a look at my review of #1 HERE […]
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[…] You may remember how much I loved #1, but if you don’t, take a look at my review HERE […]
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What a lovely review! And from what I’ve read of this book so far, I heartily agree, I’m really enjoying it, moving and at times funny with very easy to relate to characters!
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So glad you are enjoying The Emissary, Hywela! It was a joy to write, and the 2nd one was just as much fun. Yes, there are some scenes that made me snivel a bit while I was writing them, but that’s the way life is. Ups and downs, even if you are an Emissary to the Angels. 😀 Hope you enjoy the rest of the book, and get a chance to read the 2nd one soon. I’ll be interested in hearing your final thoughts. 🙂 ❤
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I loved it, glad you are enjoying it too 😀
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Reblogged this on Romance That's 'Out Of This World' and commented:
A lovely review of the book I’m currently reading!
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And thank you so much for sharing! I truly appreciate that! 🙂 ❤
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You’re very welcome, Marcia x
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Thanks for the reblog ❤
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[…] You may recall I loved the first one and have eagerly been awaiting this latest. If you didn’t see my review of #1, you can read it HERE […]
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[…] The Emissary […]
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