Goddess, Awakened
The Goddess Connection
Book 1
Fantasy/paranormal romance
novel
About 89,700 words
Blurb
With a
little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn
Gibson.
A descendant of the goddess Iris,
Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t
forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to
battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also
happens to be the man she loves.
Joss’s new inn, a culinary career
specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe
of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she
never knew she had before it’s too late.
Available from
Reviews
"The
idea of gods and goddesses living amongst us isn’t a new one. How that idea is
translated, is. Goddess, Awakened is an interesting spin on this old idea. Ms. Masters created
a woman worthy of being a goddess, not because she was drop dead gorgeous or
insanely wealthy or an alpha female. No. See, Jocelyn was a widow, a mother,
and a new businesswoman. She was strong and determined, but there was this hint
of uncertainty or unease surrounding her. It made her an interesting goddess,
one whose humanity was as much a part of her as her powers were.
As this is the first in this series, I’m anxious to discover what other adventures Ms. Masters will write, what other women she’ll introduce, what other men these women will encounter and love. Beautifully written and thoroughly engaging, Goddess is a keeper and Ms. Masters is an author I’ll be looking for more to read from."
4.5 stars - M. Smith, reviewer
http://www.amazon.com/review/R13DE2TXBSJJOU/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=283155&store=books
"At the start of GODDESS, AWAKENED, Book One of Cate Masters' Goddess Connection series, we meet Jocelyn Gibson, a decidedly different romantic heroine. "Cate Masters breaks so many tropes I could hardly keep up with her." "The good news is that this is just the first book of the Goddess Connection series. I can't wait to see where else Cate Masters takes us."
4 stars - The Romance Reviews
"Goddess, Awakened is filled with love and evil that will have you feeling real good one minute and the next minute it will have you hanging on for your life or more like one of the character's lives.
If you like reading about goddess, demons, love and goddess and demons fighting then you need to give Goddess, Awakened a try. I really liked reading about a older age group of main characters for a change, it was refreshing."
5 stars - The Avid Reader
http://www.amazon.com/review/R27W0N7KGBLKPG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK
"Cate Masters’s “Goddess, Awakened” is a curious paranormal romance. It starts out almost a quiet tale of romance between a hot veterinarian (Eric) and a bed and breakfast owner (Joss). It matures into more and the paranormal bits gradually take over the story and it becomes almost like “Charmed” at some points. There are a lot of great supporting characters and it seems like this story will spawn a good series. I am interested to see what happens in the next book in the series."
5 stars - Mathphilosopher
http://www.amazon.com/review/RK7X0J5C8T05D/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK
"I loved the mix of mythology in this one. Several more minor characters were mentioned and it was great to see them have even a tiny bit of the spotlight (I especially loved Tisiphone). There is a ton of adventure and there were times I thought Cate Masters wouldn't be able to pull off a HEA because things were so crazy. There is a pretty great battle scene that I couldn't tear myself away from."
4 stars - Bitten by Romance
Casting Call - Who did I imagine as these characters? Find out here.
As this is the first in this series, I’m anxious to discover what other adventures Ms. Masters will write, what other women she’ll introduce, what other men these women will encounter and love. Beautifully written and thoroughly engaging, Goddess is a keeper and Ms. Masters is an author I’ll be looking for more to read from."
4.5 stars - M. Smith, reviewer
http://www.amazon.com/review/R13DE2TXBSJJOU/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=283155&store=books
"At the start of GODDESS, AWAKENED, Book One of Cate Masters' Goddess Connection series, we meet Jocelyn Gibson, a decidedly different romantic heroine. "Cate Masters breaks so many tropes I could hardly keep up with her." "The good news is that this is just the first book of the Goddess Connection series. I can't wait to see where else Cate Masters takes us."
4 stars - The Romance Reviews
"Goddess, Awakened is filled with love and evil that will have you feeling real good one minute and the next minute it will have you hanging on for your life or more like one of the character's lives.
If you like reading about goddess, demons, love and goddess and demons fighting then you need to give Goddess, Awakened a try. I really liked reading about a older age group of main characters for a change, it was refreshing."
5 stars - The Avid Reader
http://www.amazon.com/review/R27W0N7KGBLKPG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK
"Cate Masters’s “Goddess, Awakened” is a curious paranormal romance. It starts out almost a quiet tale of romance between a hot veterinarian (Eric) and a bed and breakfast owner (Joss). It matures into more and the paranormal bits gradually take over the story and it becomes almost like “Charmed” at some points. There are a lot of great supporting characters and it seems like this story will spawn a good series. I am interested to see what happens in the next book in the series."
5 stars - Mathphilosopher
http://www.amazon.com/review/RK7X0J5C8T05D/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00KH7ZJRK
"I loved the mix of mythology in this one. Several more minor characters were mentioned and it was great to see them have even a tiny bit of the spotlight (I especially loved Tisiphone). There is a ton of adventure and there were times I thought Cate Masters wouldn't be able to pull off a HEA because things were so crazy. There is a pretty great battle scene that I couldn't tear myself away from."
4 stars - Bitten by Romance
Casting Call - Who did I imagine as these characters? Find out here.
Mini
excerpt for
GODDESS, AWAKENED
In starting her life over, Joss had expected some
resistance, even some trouble, but not this. The bedroom floor boards trembled
beneath her golden-slippered feet. Tendrils of an unseen power curled upward
from deep within the ground, tingling through her toes. She paused to steady
herself, then continued to put the finishing touches on her costume. The
tremors grew into rumbles and their hum seeped beneath her skin. When their tiny
wisps twined through her mind, she clenched her hands. Enough. Go away.
Thick as starlight on a clear summer’s eve, sweet as the
lavender blossoms she had yet to plant, energy whooshed up through the cracks
of the worn wood and out into the October night.
She gripped the bureau until it passed, the vibrations
rolling over her in lessening waves. Bubbly, effervescent waves. “Third time
tonight, Taz.” Each departure took longer, and more of the essence remained.
When the dog whined, she stroked his fur. “Don’t worry, it
won’t hurt you.”
Even if tonight the waves were palpable enough to make her
hairs stand on end. Oh, no, please.
Nothing could ruin tonight. More than a party, this event
would determine her future. And after three years of grief, she’d never allow
anything to trap her in its clutches again.
Full Excerpt
The sting remained
with Joss long after Eric fled the inn. Deep-rooted pain emanated from him when
he’d first entered, and his palm against her arm sent an electric shock
straight to her bones. The poor man. Grief kept him its prisoner. Joss
understood how easy it was to fall into that dark trap. The way he’d held her,
he sought escape. Comfort.
He awakened
deep-seated sensations in her. In the few moments with him, she’d felt more alive
than she had in three years.
So strange.
Normally, one look allowed her to see the person inside. With Eric Hendricks,
her receptivity went into overload. His soul, pent up for years, stirred to
life and churned up love, fear, joy, hopelessness, yearning, jumbled and
shifting faster than light. He displayed great strength in his firm stance and
gentle touch. Beneath a hard veneer of sheer pain, one other trait came through
clearly—purity of spirit, and integrity enough for many men.
The arrival of more
guests drew Joss to the foyer again. Another matronly witch and an older man
wearing a checked flannel shirt, jeans, and boots stepped inside, followed by a
princess and a boy in a fabric turtle shell.
Joss recognized the
girl as one of the riders whose horse was boarded at the inn’s stable. After
greeting them and pointing them toward refreshments, she returned to Lydia.
“Sorry about Dr. Hendricks.”
“Don’t apologize.
It’s wonderful you have so many guests.” Lydia fingered the flowers in the vase
on the table.
One woman stood in
the archway to the front room, her bright-eyed glare directed at Joss. Wearing
a short white shift adorned with large red hearts, the woman held a wand topped
with a glittering red heart.
Confused by the
woman’s malevolence, Joss approached and fought to overcome the negativity
oozing from her. “Did you try some of the booscotti?”
The woman tilted up
her chin. “I’m not hungry, Mrs. Gibson,” came her familiar nasal reply.
Recognition finally
hit. Of course—the girl who worked at the diner in town. “Sheree?”
At her curt nod,
Joss forced a smile. “I love your costume.”
Sheree’s gaze
darted her length. “Likewise.”
What could be her
problem? The woman wielded her wand like a weapon, ready to strike. “Please
have a drink and make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.” Her
narrowed eyes swept the room as if suspecting an ambush, and then she moved
stiffly away.
Joss crossed the
room to Lydia. “That was weird.”
Lydia whispered,
“Be careful of her.”
“Sheree? I can’t
imagine why.” Could she be nervous the inn would take away some of the diner’s
business? Though Joss would have liked to think it was the cause of her strange
behavior, Sheree’s vibes told Joss otherwise. Business had nothing to do with
it. The waitress directed her bad juju at Joss personally. Had Joss
unintentionally insulted Sheree? She’d barely met the woman.
Leaning close, her
aunt spoke sternly, “I warned you to watch for others who seek the power of
this place.”
Sheree? Her aunt
must be mistaken. The woman’s terrible attitude resulted from something. Maybe
an imagined slight? Joss would find a way to put Sheree at ease.
More guests
entered, and Joss excused herself. She left Lydia deeply inhaling the air. Joss
couldn’t deny the charged atmosphere was one of the reasons she’d bought the
place. Not to tap into any lines of power for herself, but maybe to enhance the
lavender field she planned. Joss needed the garden to thrive so the inn would
as well.
