Elliott James' "Charming" could well have been called "Sassy"

The first book in the Pax Arcana series introduces us to the sarcastic and lonely John Charming, a Knight Templar cursed with the bite of a werewolf before birth.  Hunted by the Knights, and unable to hide amongst humans for too long (due to the face that he doesn't age), John has been on the run for over 50 years.  He is moonlighting in a bar in Clayburg, Virginia, when a vampire and Valkyrie enter his life and throw him into the middle of a fight for his life. 


Sig, the Valkyrie of John's dreams, is on a personal mission to save humanity from the dangerous supernatural creatures that hunt them.  She has gathered a rag-tag team of mortals, along with her scary, psychic boyfriend, to hunt down the vampires that are plaguing the town.  John's werewolf senses and reflexes, and his knight training make him a great asset to the team, and the knight oath he was born under won't let him leave until he knows the threat is over.


The instant attraction between John and Sig spells trouble, as Sig's boyfriend proves to be, not only jealous, but dangerous.  But John isn't scared off by the oversized warrior, and uses his wit and determination to show Sig that his interest in her is important to him.  He hasn't had a girlfriend in over ten years, and had never been able to keep one safe, but he isn't afraid of putting himself out there again.  He shows he has true daring when it comes to matters of the heart, and watching him "court" Sig makes the reader fall for him, just as she falls for him, too.


The witty comebacks, smart-ass remarks, and flare for dramatics is reminiscent of Jim Butcher's character Harry Dresden, or perhaps TV's Dean Winchester, created by Eric Kripke.  But, instead of feeling like a repeat, John feels like a welcome addition to the family of the dysfunctional, damaged heroes.  His self assurance when it comes to his emotions, and his determination to set things right with the knights set John a little apart from the other members of this class of heroes.  He's not too jaded to believe that things can change for the better, and he has enough self-esteem to think it possible to find a lasting love in this crazy world.


We want to see John succeed.  We want to see John happy.  The twist at the end of the book, regarding his curse, make it seem doubtful that anything will go well in either of those regards in the next book, but we can't wait to read it and find out.