For Whom the Bell Tolls by CyraBear

Official Description:

There’s a dusty old bookstore in Seattle where the proprietor keeps odd hours and knows the location of every book in his stock. What surprises hide in its stacks?

I am thrilled to gush about For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ms. CyraBear. This story owned me from the first chapter! It is witty, romantic, mysterious and well written.

In addition to my teensy crush on Edward Cullen I get weak in the knees for a romance centered around literature. So, when I read the summary I knew I’d be hooked. Two days later I was caught up and jonesing for another fix. Luckily, Ms. CyraBear updates regularly.

We begin with Bella wandering around a small bookshop. Despite being totally confused by the store’s bizarre organization (which is brilliant by the way and I want to spend a day in this shop) she browses the stacks for hours without interruption.

“Smiling with the pleasure of discovery, Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The smell of old books, of dust and history, was all around her. Underneath that smell, though, was a tantalizing perfume. She couldn’t be sure if it was floral, or spice, or musk, but it made her fingers tingle and her head spin. This was a place of excitement and surprises and hidden knowledge – she couldn’t wait to start exploring.”

Of course she stumbles when surprised by the shop’s reclusive owner but from the moment she catches his deep dark eyes she recognizes this as a watershed moment in her life.

Sometimes, I have a hard time liking fic Bella. She is either too naive or too insecure. Not so with this Bella! She is smart, funny and not afraid to speak her mind. I was cheering her on during one particularly feisty chat with Edward.

Make no mistake this Edward oozes mystery and is dangerously handsome but he is also intelligent, witty and snarky. Did I mention he does things with those long strong fingers and a flick of his tongue that make me whimper? Cause he does, frequently.

Speaking of seduction, the rising sexual tension is killing me! It’s both tantalizing and smoldering. Here is one of their first encounters…

“She closed the distance between them, brushing her lips ever so lightly against his. The coldness was shocking – but in a sensual, intensely erotic way. She felt like she was kissing stone made exquisitely alive, hard-soft under her mouth. His taste, a thousand times more evocative than his scent, flooded her senses. She gasped, clutched at the fabric of his shirt to steady herself.
He made a soft sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan, his hands tightening in her hair. It hurt, but she welcomed the hurt, pressing closer to him – but he moved infinitesimally backwards, maintaining their light connection. “Edward,” she whispered, pleading with him. Kiss me, please…before I die from wanting you. I was made to be with you.”

If the teasing lemons aren’t enough, she gives us additional access to Edward’s mind by including his diary styled letters to Carlisle discussing his confusion and longing for Bella. I haven’t seen this done in quite the same manner in any other fic, just one more delicious layer of Edward goodness.

Speaking of the Cullens, the rest of the family is hysterical. Ms. CyraBear uses them to tweak Edward, welcome Bella and further along the underlying mystery. I was in tears from laughter when Alice and Esme renovate Edward’s home for Bella’s comfort before she and Edward are even in a relationship.

I hope you take a look at this story, I promise you won’t be disappointed! We’re twenty-five chapters in, so if a work in progress scares you, don’t let it, you have oodles to keep you busy.

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