Somebody's Angel (Rescue Me Saga) (Volume 4) by Kallypso Masters (2014-04-10)

Somebody’s Angel by Kallypso Masters was one novel I have been eagerly anticipating. It was well worth the wait and is probably my favorite book of the series because of the myriad of emotions it brought forth from tears and sadness to laughter and joy. I was drawn into the story from the first page and long after having finished it I am still thinking about each person and their journey to happiness. I just wish I had more than five stars to give to this amazing book. Somebody’s Angel is the continuation of Marc and Angelina’s story. We first met Marc and Angelina when Ms. Masters told their story in Nobody’s Angel. While we originally thought that they had reached their happily ever after, Ms. Masters has stated that Marc’s story wasn’t complete. Marc was keeping a big secret and that was causing problems in his relationship with Angelina. Their story needed to be resolved, thus Somebody’s Angel. Ms. Masters has created characters so real that I feel they are actual people. When they hurt, I hurt. I cried copious tears throughout the book. My heart was ripped from my chest, thrown to the ground and stomped on more than once. I ached for Marc and Angelina to work through their problems. I feel so vested in these characters’ lives. Ms. Masters has done a tremendous job of writing a passion filled series. When Somebody’s Angel arrived on my e-reader, I disappeared into my room to lose myself in its pages. Interruptions irritated me because I didn’t want anything to come between me and my book. I know that the character of Marc has had his critics and hopefully after reading Somebody’s Angel, they will understand him more. Personally, I have always enjoyed Marc and am so pleased that even more of his back story was revealed. Marc is a complex character with a lot of inner pain and guilt. He knows he loves Angelina but something is holding him back. Marc and Angelina’s journey to their happy ever after was frustrating but ultimately satisfying. I love that Angelina and Marc made mistakes along the way because no one is perfect. Their moments of selfishness, immaturity, and even stupidity, made them even more human. Real relationships are difficult and not without some drama. But once Angelina, and ultimately Marc, dug in their heels determined to make their relationship work, it made the success even sweeter. While Somebody’s Angel focuses on Marc and Angelina’s story, we are able to revisit those friends we have made in the previous books. I am so glad that we were able to spend time with Karla and Adam as they work through their issues typical to first time parents. We also were able to see more of Savi and Damien’s story including their beautiful and touching wedding. Somebody’s Angel is not a standalone novel. You really need to read the entire series starting with Master at Arms. You won’t regret it though. And then you’ll find yourself looking forward to Luke and Cassie’s story as much as I am.

Angel and Marc are my second favorite couple in this series (first being Savi and Damian). Although their story started in book 2, Nobody's Angel, you are left with a somewhat happily ever after. There was that little doubt that Angel had at the end of that book. The story wasn't quite finished. Kally revealed what happened in a Q&A hosted by Sizzling Hot Book Reviews on Facebook last night. "6. You have stated that Somebody's Angel came about while you were writing Nobody's Perfect. Where do your ideas come from? "Ideas come from the characters. I usually meet the character first and then slowly dig at them until they reveal their deepest darkest secrets. Marc was the toughest nut to crack. I'd tried in Nobody's Angel, but he just shut down and so I moved on in the series, figuring I'd come back to him whenever he was ready. While writing Nobody's Perfect, he finally revealed what was going on (it turned out to be the tip of the iceberg as I learned after peeling away layer after layer of Marc's barriers until we got to the core of what was eating at him). I will say that music can inspire me sometimes, although I usually hear the song and equate it to an existing character in my head. I can't think of any song that has inspired a character. They just show up in my head (or in my journal, when I write in it). Some are reluctant, like Mistress Grant who plays it very close to the vest. Others are more open and their stories just flow like water." ****This story is raw and contains harsh treatment, however, remember Marc consented to give Adam complete control. As Kally pointed out to me, that this scene "was Risk Aware Consensual Kink, meaning the risks were higher but the party being acted upon knew that and consented anyway. Most RACK scenes include safewords, but Marc made it even more unsafe by foregoing his. Of course, he trusted Adam not to do harm but there were great risks involved, including psychological damage". PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME! Thank you Kally for the correction!******* Through all of this, nothing compares to the strength that Angelina has when she tells Marc over and over that if he can't open himself to her, then she can't be with him. This goes to show that being submissive doesn't mean you are a doormat. Any relationship, especially one in the Lifestyle, communication is key. You can't pick and choose what parts of yourself to share with someone and then expect them to give all of what they are to you. Every relationship is a two-way street. I would guess that applies doubly in BDSM. At least, that is what I found in this book. If a Master gives all of Himself to His submissive, then it is more likely for His submissive to submit all of her/himself to Him. To me, this book is all about healing.....Marc, his relationship with Angel, his brother, his mother, and more. By the end I was in tears and felt at peace. It is an awsome author that can do that to a reader! Thank you Kally. Somebody's Angelis definitely a book that is worthy of my highest rating of Five Hearts! This is a Series worth reading and must be read in order. Master at Arms Nobody's Angel Nobody's Hero Nobody's Perfect Somebody's Angel I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Nobody's Dream (Rescue Me #6), which will tell the story of Luke and Cassie.

I love the Masters at Arms series, however this has been my least favorite book so far. It was not one of those books I just couldn't put down. At times it felt like a chore to get through. However, it ended well and is important to read for the continuing series as a whole. I enjoyed seeing the continuation of each character. I like how they each have a distinct voice and personality. The author does a great job with that. It was good to learn more about what happened to Marc and Angelina. I felt like the first half of this book was filled with the two of them repeating their insecurities in their mind over and over. I started skimming paragraphs and felt it could have been shortened and less repetitive. However, I think the author was trying to get into the psyche of the characters in this book. It had a different feel. There was a lot more psychoanalysis than sex scenes. I did not care for the interrogation scene. After that scene we start to see progress in Mark's journey into his past. It goes pretty deep and makes lots of connections. It's an interesting portrayal of how our childhood affects the rest of our life. Overall I'm glad I read this book, but it wasn't my favorite in the series. I'm looking forward to Luke & Cassie next!

Every time Kallypso Masters writes a new book is cause for celebration. It is wonderful catching up with all of these amazing characters! Somebody's Angel centers around Marc and Angelina, whom we first met in Nobody's Angel. We also get to see what's going on with Adam and Karla, Damian and Savannah, and Luke and Cassie. By the way, if you haven't read the other books in this awesome series yet, stop reading this review and go check out Masters At Arms and Nobody's Angel. You can buy them both together for only $.99. That's a lot less money than the cost of the Starbucks you had this morning, and way more interesting and memorable! Back to my review: All his life, Marc has had problems expressing his emotions and letting others in. Without realizing it, he sabotages any relationship he's in, then gets upset when that relationship ends. He knows his inability to commit lies buried in his past. So, when Angelina leaves him (as he pretty much ensured would happen, by his behavior) he knows the only way he's going to get her back is to confront his past head-on, and lessen its power over him. To that end, he persuades Adam to help him undergo a military-style interrogation scene. The interrogation scene was so intense that I had to put my Kindle down several times, just to remind myself that he volunteered for this, that he knew what he was getting into, that he consented to it. Even then, it wasn't easy reading! I have to say that before reading Somebody's Angel, Marc wasn't my favorite character in the series. Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike him, I just preferred Adam and Damian, especially Adam. And Damian. But now, I finally see in him what Angelina saw all along, and I'm so glad they finally found their way to each other! Thank you so much Kallypso Masters, for writing this amazing series, and for bringing all these wonderful characters to life for us!

Somebody’s Angel is the continuation of the Rescue Me Saga and gives fans of the series the opportunity to keep up with the lives of Adam & Karla, Damian & Savannah, and Angelina & Marc. Masters is one of the few authors I read whose books have overlapping timelines that aren’t a regurgitation of previous scenes and this installment is no different. Despite their seemingly happy ending in Nobody’s Angel, the author returns the focus to Marc and Angelina’s relationship and we learn that while things may look great from the outside, Marc’s inability to open up and trust Angelina has worn on her over time and she’s no longer sure that they have a future together. Where Nobody’s Angel focused on Angelina and how Marc helped her to overcome her painful introduction to BDSM, to be comfortable within her own skin, and to embrace her sexuality, Somebody’s Angel focuses on Marc as he must come to terms with his past or lose Angelina forever. Marc’s journey is a harrowing one as he learns truths about his parentage, his brother’s relationship with Melissa, and how he was used by the women who introduced him to BDSM and how it affected the way he saw himself as a dom. While some of what he must deal with is readily accessible by his memories – even if he doesn’t want to face them – it is the memories that are deeply buried that push Marc to take drastic measures to uncover them. This is not the first time that I have read Somebody’s Angel and I cannot believe that I forgot just how intense the interrogation scene was, and not just for Marc. Adam’s commitment to help Marc discover his deeply buried secrets illustrated just how much the man cares for his “family” as Adam himself experienced a resurfacing of painful memories as he took Marc through days of interrogation. As disturbing as it was to watch Marc come apart at the seams, it was necessary for him to do so if he wanted to get his future back. But Masters takes Marc’s recovery one step further by sending him and Angelina off to Italy where Marc gets the chance to face his past literally. While this was not the story I had wanted when the book was originally released (I was hoping for Luke and Cassie’s tale at the time), I devoured it the first time I read it and even though I took my time reading it this time around, it was still just as emotional of a read. I am looking forward to continuing the series (as I haven’t read any of the books after this one, even though I own them) and finding out how Marc, Angelina, and the rest of the crew have fared. I reviewed my personal copy of the book. Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Marc and Angelina both have insecurities but Marc hides them with a mask. He holds himself back from everyone, including Adam and the rest of the Masters in Arms family as well as Marc's own family. He and Angelina go through some a separation, twice really before Marc takes drastic measures to find out who he is and the memories that keep him from committing to Angelina. With the help of Adam, Grant, and Damian he embarks on a scene at the club like no other. Eventually they need Angelina's help and well she learns a few things about herself and Marc. This scene is not for whimps. It is brutal and emotional but necessary as you will see. Marc and Angelina are perfect together but they have to go through hell before they can be together. Both are strong characters in their own right. This was a story of healing but also one of love and acceptance. Both characters did what they needed to do to get the outcome that they wanted. They had such strength and determination even when it seemed like one or the other would quit. It was an emotional story at times and one that needed to be told in order for their story to move on. The ending was so sweet and brought tears to my eyes. I look forward to reading the next book in the saga.

TITLE: Somebody's Angel AUTHOR: Kallypso Masters. Contact: [...] Also on Facebook. MALE LEAD: Marc FEMALE LEAD: Angelina SERIES: The Masters/Rescue Me series, Book 5 STORYLINE: The continuing story of Marc & Angelina. Marc decides to undergo a risky procedure in an attempt to figure out why he is the way he is. Secondarily Savannah's rescue, Luke's rescue, Damian & Savannah's wedding. GRADING (scale 1 - 10, with 1 being horrid and 10 being HEA material) Likability (Male Lead): Going in about a 3. Coming out about a 9. We find out why Marc is the way he is. We find ourselves going through the healing process with him and see him become a better man...person...in the process. Likability (Female Lead): 1. Less if possible. I haven't liked her since she ruined Karla & Adam's first scene, deliberately. I guess she couldn't take not being the center of attention. She was mean to Karla in this book - very mean and when she left Marc, she went straight to Luke. She leaves because Marc won't share his feelings blah blah blah with her. Granted he shared everything else with her, including supporting her ass...but that's not enough. He has to basically change who he is and if he doesn't, she will leave and then does. Though I wanted to like her, I couldn't. Her selfishness hurts Karla and Marisol, and she thinks I'm sorry are the magic words to excuse her behavior. She was disrespectful to Adam, who has loved Marc as a brother since their days in the military. I wanted him to throw her away, the way she threw Marc away. Without giving away anything, after this procedure/scene (which goes on for days, by the way), Marc is emotionally, mentally and physically beyond wrung out. You're not even sure he will recover fully and that b-word pushes her way in and when Marc, mind you virtually incoherent in physical, emotional, and mental pain won't again share with her, she wonders if it was all worth it - if he still won't change. That's when my hatred of her was cemented. Again, it's all about her. It's never about anyone else. Hot Factor between Leads: 1, strictly due my fierce dislike of her. Hot Factors between Secondary Characters: There were no sex scenes. There was a sorta-scene between Adam and Karla; but it wasn't very hot. LIKELIEHOOD OF THE SERIES CONTINUING: 100%, much to the delight of the author's huge fan base. WHAT I LIKED ABOUT HE BOOK: (1) The change in Marc. He was able to heal from the trauma of his childhood and let his guard down. His relationship with his parents changed, which I thought was very sweet. (2) Absolutely loved Marisol and the secondary stories of Damian/Savannah/Marisol, Adam/Karla, and the beginning of the one we are waiting for Luke/Cassie. WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK: (1) Angelina to infinity and beyond. KEEP or REFUND: Were it a stand-alone book, I would probably say REFUND, but it is a part of a series and if you like the series, you will want this book as part of it. And honestly, the portions with Damian/Savannah/Marisol are more than worth the price of the book. Get it for that alone and just swipe past all the Angelina crap.

This latest installment in the Rescue Me series had me scratching my head. I loved the previous books in this series and have been not so patiently waiting for this latest installment since the last one was published more than a year ago. I find myself a tad bit disappointed by the end result of all that waiting. This book deals with resolution of the more significant problems faced by the couple from the book Nobody's Angel, Marc and Angelina. Masters admitted that this book existed because she found that trying to write the continuation of theire story as a subplot to "Nobody's Perfect" didn't work. This is the reason that the first half of this book is an overlap of the events of that book. And it's the first half of the book where I take my issues. It's almost like there are two different books here in one. The first half of the book isn't at all as well written as what you would expect from Masters. There is a lot of repetition, particularly of the thought processes and dialogue of the main characters. This became annoying, and I couldn't understand how Master's army of beta readers and editors could have allowed something like that to get by. That and the bad plotting of the way events seemed to unfold. Now granted your dealing with someone uncovering repressed memories so some things aren't going to make a whole lot of sense to the character but at the same time the reader needs to be able to follow the action enough to stay engaged and interested. I suspected that she had trouble taking the subplot she'd been writing into a more front burning narrative. By the time I got to the middle of the book I was beginning to wonder if I wanted to continue reading. That was when things picked up. In fact, they picked up so much that I had trouble putting the book down. The story begins to move into what I have come to expect from Masters, a gripping emotional tale about real people with real problems. While some of the things that happen in the story may have been somewhat unrealistic it was still emotionally appealing and made for great storytelling. I actually would like to give this book 3.5 stars. Amazon doesn't allow that so I went with 4 because I thought 3 wasn't quite enough. It's my hope that with the next of Master's books that there is a little more scrutiny of the story structure as there was in previous versions.