Curse of Passion

Welcome to small town San Julio, a place of secrets and dark legends.

Johanna has lived her life believing in the legend of La Llorona...that she is destined to be alone, no man will ever stay with her. Her own mother, crazed in her belief of the legend, even tried to drown a young Johanna and her sister Carmen in the river before taking her own life in it. "They all leave, Joey. Every last one of them. no man will stay with you. You're cursed." Since then, Johanna has made sure to keep herself and her sister safe. She is so sure neither of them will have a relationship that lasts, that even when she's attracted to her old friend and now her boss, principal Ray, she doesn't pursue him when he tells her he can't be involved with her. "...Ray was a man. And men left the Rios women. Always."

That is about to change though. When killings start in the name of La Llorona and Johanna is being stalked...the evidence is mounting that she will be the killer's final target. As much as Ray has fought his attraction to Johanna, he is determined to do everything he can to protect this beautiful, intelligent yet vulnerable woman. Johanna is thankful that she finally has someone to lean on, even if just for a little while. But as the killer gets closer and danger threatens, Johanna and Ray also find themselves getting closer, and Johanna finally thinks that maybe she can have a forever. Neither Johanna or Ray were looking to get involved with anyone, let alone fall in love. But when Ray looked at Johanna "He felt like he'd just found a light at the end of the tunnel he'd been slogging through for the last God knows how many years." Will they get the chance to be together, or will the killer get to Johanna first? Is La Llorona purely legendary...or is Johanna doomed?

Melissa really wowed me with Curse of Passion! I love how she's woven the legend of La Llorona so realistically into the romance and suspense of Curse of Passion. La Llorona is indeed a real legend, which makes the story even more realistic, and a little bit scary at times! Melissa gives us great background on the legend as it's told in Curse of Passion, and she weaves it well into the plot. Ray and Johanna were two people who you really hope make it and have a chance together...I really liked them both. Melissa gives us perspective from both Ray and Johanna, so we are able to get into their minds and see things how they do, which make them all the more relate-able. Even though Curse of Passion takes place over a short period of time, I really felt like the characters were able to grow and become stronger in that time.

Curse of Passion is a dark, thrilling story of legends, love, and fear. I highly recommend this!

Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC in return for an honest review.
5/5 stars