Zinnia

Written by Jayne Castle

Narrated by Tanya Eby

Capturing the "lively sensuality" (Library Journal) of the passion-filled, near-future space colony of St. Helen's, the wildly popular alter ego of bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz delivers "delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense" (Booklist).

Ever since a false tabloid story ruined her reputation and her interior design business, Zinnia Spring has been labeled the "Scarlet Lady" of St. Helen's. Now, headstrong Zinnia makes a living using her psychic abilities-a highly prized skill that attracts the attention of another planetary outcast, Nick Chastain. The rough-edged casino owner craves what he doesn't have-respectability-and he enlists Zinnia to help find his father's journal and dig up answers to his own mysterious past. Zinnia doesn't have to be psychic to know what else Nick wants; soon they're reaching the electrifying heights of ecstasy-and danger. For when a ruthless killer crosses their search, it will take everything in their power to keep their feet on terra firma and survive a deadly trap.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781541448179

Jayne Castle

The author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers, Jayne Ann Krentz writes romantic suspense in three different worlds: contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick), and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 35 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews for Zinnia

[Kimberly keegan · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Tanya Eby...just NO. I loved this book when it was previously released with a different narrator. I actually made it 30 seconds further than I thought I would (based on how I feel about Tanya Eby's narrative style). I absolutely cannot listen to the up and down nasal sound that is her voice.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Zinnia Spring is on off the chart prism talent who works best with matrix talents. She had been declared unmatchable by the very reputable marriage agency she hired to find her a husband. She has also had her reputation and new business ruined by false accusation in a tabloid. That followed her parents' deaths and the bankruptcy of the family business. But that doesn't stop her from confronting casino owner Nick Chastain when one of her clients, who was negotiation to sell him a rare book, disappears.Nick didn't have anything to do with the disappearance of Zinnia's client but he really wants the diary that the man was going to sell him. When they go to the man's store that find no diary and the dead body of Zinnia's client. Next thing Zinnia knows she's on the cover of the tabloids again. This time she's supposedly having an affair with Nick.Nick is an off-the-charts matrix talent who thinks it is time to become respectable. A part of that means finding a marriage agency approved wife. He has some problems with that though because he refuses to be tested to certify his talent but a marriage counselor who owes some money to the casino can be pressured to find Nick a wife without going through the pesky process Nick wants to avoid.Nick and Zinnia find that their two talents mesh perfectly but also know that marriage agencies seldom match high level prisms with high level talents. They are fighting their attraction to each other all the while they are trying to find the missing diary and the criminal who is killing people to keep it hidden. This was a nice romance and an intriguing mystery. It is also the second book in the St. Helens trilogy which is sort of a science fiction romantic suspense series. I enjoyed the characters and the paranormal powers they had.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't usually read this type of book but it fit a couple of my challenges so I decided to give it a go. It's set in the future on a planet called St. Helen's which is very similar to Earth. In this world, marriage is highly desirable and matched through agencies. Divorce is practically non-existent. Nick Chastain wants to marry but he owns a casino, which makes him an undesirable match, despite his good looks and money. While searching for a full-spectrum “prism” to help him locate his dead father's missing journal, he meets Zinnia, who is also unmatchable. Like all good romance novels, they are immediately attracted to one another.

This book was actually very well written and that's not a surprise, considering what a prolific writer Jayne Castle is. Her real name is Jayne Anne Krentz and she has written numerous novels and series under the pen names of Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick. It was fast paced and interesting and I would recommend it for any readers looking for a paranormal romantic mystery. It's the second book in the St. Helen's trilogy and I would pick up the other two, Orchid and Amaryllis, if they fit another one of my challenges.

[mary1963_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review for “Zinnia” by Jayne CastleThis book is set on the planet of St. Helen’s, where paranormal skills are the norm. Zinnia Spring is a focus, someone who helps others use their gifts more efficiently. Nick Chastain sees her as the one person who can help him solve the mystery of his past. Nick will do anything to be respectable, Zinnia, the “Scarlet Lady” of St. Helens is not in his long range plans. Somebody will do anything to keep Nick from discovering the truth. This is a fun series, although not as cool as the Harmony Series. Zinnia is a great character, strong and passionate.

[readinggeek451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The second of Castle's futuristic paranormal romances set on the planet St. Helens. Zinnia Spring is a 'prism', who can help other psychics focus their powers. Nick Chastain, casino owner and bastard in a very straitlaced society, is a powerful matrix talent, able to see patterns everywhere. (Matrix talents tend to be secretive and paranoid, seeing patterns where they don't exist.) They work very well together on a psychic level, and they are very attracted to each other physically, but their society believes in marriage by matchmaker, and they are a highly unlikely match.This is first and foremost a romance novel, with everything that implies. But Castle (Krentz, Quick) handles the paranormal/futuristic elements well enough to satisfy fantasy readers as well.

[emscape · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In her second novel of St. Helens, Castle introduces us to Zinnia Spring, a full-spectrum prism who is comfortable working only with the paranoid, obsessive, secretive and exceedingly rare matrix talent. Nick Chastain, a wealthy casino owner who has a five year plan to buy respectability is just such a talent. When both are caught up in the search for Nick's father's journal, they find in each other a perfect match. I continue to enjoy the tales of St. Helens, although there is one thing I have to say bothers me about them. I understand that the colonists named certain flora and fauna they encountered on the new world for things they remembered on Earth. So, bat-snakes and wolf-dogs, and cherry-berries and pear-berries make some sense. However, I doubt there is anything on St. Helens that makes it necessary for them to play golf-tennis instead of just tennis or golf, or drink a scotch-tini, either. It seems to me that those are human constructs and whatever differences there are between Earth and St. Helens, I'm pretty sure if you can drive and walk around normally, you can play tennis or golf. Other than that, though, I loved the book. The eventual climax and reveal of the antagonist was quite satisfying, and not predictable at all.